Transcript Highlights:

• So I would some of the labor components.
• </c> motion to re-refer the bill to the labor motion to re-refer the bill to the labor uh<01:36:06.480
• </c> Cosnik that the bill is going to labor. Cosnik that the bill is going to labor.
• </c><01:36:25.920><c> Um</c> I didn't specifically call out labor.
• Um I didn't specifically call out labor.

Bills: HF3553, HF3513, HF3576

Keywords: vehicle platooning, transportation, public safety, pilot project, Wilkin County, Grant County, autonomous vehicles, transportation regulations, driverless cars, safety standards, first responder interaction, school bus, third-party testing, driver certification, transportation regulation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• , technical skill proficiency, and an industry-recognized credential or certificate.
• The academic and technical skills involved in a workplace setting.
• Third, there is a growing skills gap in the United States.
• So that can be the difference between an individual elective class or a life skills class.
• Jobs require basic skills and knowledge.

Transcript Highlights:

• decades, including in juvenile crime prevention, and earned distinction for her professionalism and skill
• </c> professionalism and skill. professionalism and skill.
• Major labor organizations have expressed their support.
• Major labor organizations have expressed their support.
• Major labor organizations have expressed their support.

Bills: HB2241, HB1163, HB1514, HB1696, HB2021, SB2135, SB2466, SB2727, SB3082, SB3097, SB2861, SCR100, SB3096, SB99, SB2138, HB2289, HB2319, HB1711, HB2270, SB3138, SB3076, HB1642, HB2338, HB2171, HB1785, SB2881, HB2505, SB2552, HB1518, HB1815, SB3125, SB3234, SCR162, SB2614, SB3118, SB2053, SB2494, SB2851, SB3073, HB1678, HB1721, HB2475, HB2246, HB1667, HB1516, SB2532, SB3131, SB3154, HB2297, HB1737, SB2143, SB2398, SB2623, HB1740, HB1920, HB1682, SB2153, SB3140, HB2158, HB1718, HB2207, HB1801, SB3229, SB2338, SB3069, SB2600, HB2300, HB1800, HB1960, SB2999, SB2060, SB2866, SB2239, HB1741, HB1713, HB2023, HB2417, SB2877, SB2598, SB2921, SB2645, HB2547, HB2275, HB2452, HB2329, HB2339, HB1838, HB1509, HB1661, HB2271, HB2272, HB2344, HB1888, HB1707, SB2340, HB2474, HB1576, HB1853, HB1804, HB1854, HB2095, HB2050, HB472, SB3215, SB2247, SB2400, HB1618, HB1802, HB1969, HB1541, HB2310, HB2498, HB2443, HB2218, HB649, HB2104, HB1710, SB2802, HB1973, HB1974, HB1894, HB1891, HB1890, SB177, SB2101, SB3320, SB2487, HB2429, HB1870, HB1839, HB2583, HB1391, HB2094, SB2671, SB2673, SB2892, SB2057, SB3245, HB306, HB2592, SB3157, SB3204, SB3324, SB2580, SB2074, SB411, SB3025, SB2934, SB2567, SB2125, SB3238, SB2367, SB2599, SB3007, SB2001, SB2756, SB3029

Keywords: renewable energy, income tax credit, solar energy, wind energy, low-income households, energy policy, commercial drivers license, non-domiciled, federal regulations, commercial learner's permit, citizenship, lawful residency, Department of Transportation, workers' compensation, vocational rehabilitation, injury recovery, employment services, return to work, commercial driving, driver's license

Transcript Highlights:

• Sector Employee Labor Relations, and State Employee Labor Standards, favorable two amendments. >> Uh
• ><c> Private</c> Law, Child Labor Penalties, Private Law, Child Labor Penalties, Private Sector<00:15
• and</c> Sector Employee Labor Relations, and Sector Employee Labor Relations, and State<00:15:08.839>
• </c> waiver of any federal fair labor waiver of any federal fair labor standards<00:15:25.400><c> act
• </c> who violates specified child labor laws. who violates specified child labor laws.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 23, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They can also be exploited for labor, and there's often intersections with sexual assault.
• They can also be exploited for labor, and there's often intersections with sexual assault.
• Yes, her first language is not English, yet her intelligence, her skills, and her work ethic are equal
• Our goal is to strengthen efforts that prevent labor trafficking while uplifting the rights and dignity
• By upholding high standards and preventing unlawful activity, CAMTC empowers skilled professionals to

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five regulatory entities: the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Board of Psychology, the Physician Assistant Board, the Podiatric Medical Board, and the California Massage Therapy Council. Across the hearing, each entity described recent accomplishments, licensing and enforcement workload, workforce shortages, and efforts to modernize processes. Common themes included streamlining licensure, expanding access to care, addressing telehealth or emerging technology, and balancing consumer protection with workforce needs. For the Board of Behavioral Sciences, members discussed workforce shortages in mental health, supervision barriers, telehealth confidentiality, AI in therapy, interstate compacts, school-based services, and military spouse licensure. The board said it has expanded outreach, improved licensing processes, and created temporary practice authority tracking, while also expressing concern about counseling compacts and emphasizing California-specific law, ethics, and cultural competency. Public commenters supported the board’s work and the possible move to a national MFT exam, while also urging more resources. The Board of Psychology highlighted fee adjustments, streamlined licensure pathways, enforcement process improvements, new CPD requirements, and proposed changes including a psychotherapist-client privilege exception for investigations. Committee members and public witnesses focused heavily on that privilege proposal, with some members opposing it as too broad and privacy-invasive, while the board argued it is needed to obtain records in bias and sexual misconduct cases. The board also discussed workforce shortages, processing improvements, and the use of inactive status for psychological associates. The Physician Assistant Board reported growth in the PA workforce and education programs, SB 697 implementation, and financial pressure from rising enforcement costs. The main policy debate centered on physician-to-PA ratios and practice agreements, with board representatives and many public commenters arguing that current restrictions limit access to care, especially in rural areas, while the California Medical Association defended the need for explicit ratios and agreements. The board also discussed AI, fee increases, and tracking temporary practice authority. The Podiatric Medical Board described licensing and renewal reforms, residency expansion, enforcement support, and budget constraints, while public testimony raised concerns about a proposed fee increase and about reimbursement parity and practice recognition for podiatrists. Finally, the California Massage Therapy Council defended the certification model over licensure, citing lower costs, local government collaboration, anti-trafficking work, and its role in vetting applications and disciplining bad actors; no formal votes or final actions were taken during this portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then they're going to be more successful in first and second grade when those critical reading skills
• and other foundational skills are being placed.
• Hospitals discharge 46,000 individuals to skilled nursing every year.
• Assisted living... ...discharge 46,000 individuals to skilled nursing every year.
• Our request is primarily maintenance-related, accounting for labor contracts and COLAs.

Summary: The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard an overview from OFM Director Katie Chapman See on Governor Ferguson’s 2026 supplemental budget proposal. She said the budget was built in response to higher caseloads and inflation, a roughly $390 million revenue forecast drop, new federal costs tied to H.R. 1, and a relatively small ending fund balance. The proposal would increase near general fund spending by about $1.1 billion and solve an estimated $2.3 billion two-year gap through about $800 million in reductions, revenue shifts and tax preference changes, use of other funds, and about $1 billion from the budget stabilization account. She also noted the budget is balanced over two years but not fully over four years under the state’s outlook rules. Chapman See highlighted reductions in Working Connections Child Care, including a soft cap on enrollment and holding subsidy rates at the 75th percentile, delays to long-term care and developmental disability-related changes, and across-the-board reductions to higher education and administrative spending. She also described investments in wildfire suppression and preparedness, affordability programs like utility rebates and home energy assistance, housing-related planning and permitting support, One Washington IT replacement, behavioral health workforce programs, and continued support for some K-12 initiatives such as ninth grade success and homeless student stability. In response to questions, she said some proposed cuts were based on the governor’s subjective judgment about what was critically necessary, that current child care enrollees would not be cut off immediately, and that the budget would maintain services for about 500 highest-acuity Medicaid clients who lost eligibility under federal changes. Public testimony was largely critical of the proposed cuts in K-12, early learning, and higher education. School officials, educators, nurses, and advocacy groups opposed reductions to Transition to Kindergarten, Local Effort Assistance, Running Start, MSOC, school leadership and support grants, and higher education funding, arguing the cuts would worsen existing funding gaps and harm student outcomes. Several witnesses supported restoring or maintaining funding for ninth grade success, Treehouse’s foster youth graduation program, homeless student stability, and Science on Wheels. In early learning, child care providers and advocates opposed the Working Connections cap and subsidy-rate reduction, warning it would reduce access and destabilize providers. In higher education, campus leaders and labor representatives opposed across-the-board cuts and fund shifts, while some institutions and advocates supported targeted investments such as behavioral health workforce programs and DigiPen aid restoration. In human services, Planned Parenthood advocates praised restored abortion access funding and Medicaid reimbursements. The committee took no votes or final action in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This system will do staff evaluation statewide, and appropriation will also provide for a skills assessment
• They have a grant from the Align Program at the Office of Skills Development to support the LPN program
• The first item is a letter from the Department of Labor and Licensing, Division of Real Estate.
• G2 is Labor and Licensing, Real Estate Division, $20,000 in appropriation.
• And G3 is also the Division of Real Estate at Labor and Licensing.

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, fund transfer, and reserve requests across multiple agencies. Section B temporary appropriations included funding for state technology upgrades, personnel management staffing and IT skills assessment, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, and higher education workforce grants and credentialing pathways. Additional items covered an ARPA grant for the University of Arkansas Fort Smith LPN program, an IIJA grant for the Oil and Gas Commission’s critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for State Police vehicle purchases, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, and cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission’s AV system and HVAC work. Most of these items were approved by voice vote. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands drew extended questioning and was ultimately not approved. Members questioned the $250,000 transfer to operating expenses tied to the purchase of a West Little Rock office building, the ongoing lease costs at the prior location, and whether the agency had adequately planned for building-related expenses. After discussion, the motion failed, and members told the agency to tighten spending and return if needed. The committee then took up 15 pay plan appropriation requests totaling $25.7 million and approved them after discussion with DFA, DHS, Corrections, and the State Board of Election Commissioners. Members focused heavily on DHS staffing shortages at human development centers, where officials said vacancies and turnover were driven by overtime and burnout rather than pay alone; one member asked DHS to submit a written plan to address the issue. Corrections reported the pay plan had improved hiring and retention. The committee also approved overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. Reports on reserve funds, the Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, tobacco settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust, IIJA, and revenue transfer activity were received. The Medicaid Trust Fund report prompted significant concern about February’s $90 million draw; DHS said the month was unusually high because of cash-flow timing and that the fund should end the year with a balance between $150 million and $200 million, while lawmakers noted a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The final discussion centered on DHS’s state hospital damage claim and reconstruction funding, where members expressed disappointment that insurance reimbursement would likely return only about $1.8 million now and possibly about $97,000 more later, far less than the roughly $5 million initially expected. DHS explained the policy was based on actual cash value and depreciation for old buildings, and said the work would proceed on Unit 3 for secured restoration because it was the most cost-effective option.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll now turn to the Department of Labor and Industries enforcement of farm worker labor law.
• The Department of Labor and Industries enforcement of farm worker labor laws, and again this is another
• We'll now turn to the Department of Labor and Industries enforcement of farm worker labor law. the Department
• of Labor and Industries enforcement of farm worker labor laws and again this is another preliminary
• of farm worker labor laws.

Summary: The committee met on July 15, 2026, but initially lacked a quorum, so it could not adopt prior minutes. Chair Jerry Pollett welcomed new member Senator Victoria Hunt and new JLARC staff, and noted national recognition for recent JLARC reports. The meeting then moved into a series of preliminary audit presentations and an agency strategic management update, with committee members asking questions after each item. JLARC presented a preliminary audit of DCYF’s Juvenile Rehabilitation programs. Staff concluded that crowding, staffing shortages, weak risk assessments, and inconsistent programming combine to create unsafe conditions. The report found that most youth are housed in two large secure facilities operating near or above capacity, incidents rise as population rises, 47% of frontline staff leave within a year, current assessment tools are not valid for the population, and program access depends more on facility than individual need. JLARC made one recommendation to the legislature to address crowding and seven to DCYF, including improving retention, training, incident response procedures, validated assessments, program alignment, and data quality. DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said the agency agreed overcrowding is a serious problem, described ongoing efforts to improve staffing and safety, and said a detailed response would be provided later. Committee members raised concerns about education access, retaliation against staff or youth who participated in the audit, and whether JR-25 has helped or worsened conditions. JLARC then presented a preliminary audit of Labor and Industries’ enforcement of farm worker labor laws. The audit found that L&I generally meets inspection timelines for health and safety complaints, but not for wage and hour or retaliation complaints, where delays are driven largely by time before assignment to an investigator. Staff said complaint volume exceeds capacity, though the agency has added staff, created screening processes, and reorganized workloads, and 2026 legislation now allows prioritization of complaints and broader investigations. JLARC recommended that L&I report back in December 2026 and December 2027 on backlog reduction and implementation of the new law. An L&I representative said the agency is hiring additional staff and will provide a formal response later. The committee also received a JLARC overview and Department of Health strategic management plan update on hospital data reporting, inspections, complaints, and adverse event reporting. DOH reported measurable progress on inspection compliance, new staffing and licensing systems, translated complaint forms, and plans for future work on language access, adverse event reporting, and financial data dashboards. After lunch, JLARC began its 2026 tax preference performance reviews. The first review covered the Main Street tax credit, which JLARC said has helped increase the number of Main Street communities and businesses, with positive growth near designated districts; JLARC recommended continuing the preference and improving business-count data. The second review covered the equitable access to credit program, which JLARC said appears to support underserved communities by funding loans through CDFIs; JLARC recommended continuing the preference beyond its 2027 expiration. The committee began questions on the program mechanics and the role of the Community Reinvestment Act, and the presentation was still underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll touch on a few important labor force points for the state and the nation.
• DOT has information on its website about labor rates.
• Department of Labor.
• And you could see in the top right that there's a labor rate.
• It seems to be more of a skilled labor versus, like, a professional services. So Mr.

Summary: The Employee Benefits Committee met to approve prior minutes, hear presentations on state employee health insurance, compensation, leave, and related policy issues, and then recess for lunch. PERS reviewed the history and structure of the state health plan, noting the long-standing state-paid family coverage, cost-control measures, wellness incentives, the current grandfathered PPO and high-deductible options, and the effects of recent benefit mandates such as insulin caps, prosthetic coverage, medication management, prescription copay changes, and ambulance balance-billing limits. Committee members questioned the fiscal impact of adding benefits and the possible cost of moving to a non-grandfathered plan, while PERS and HRMS emphasized that health insurance remains the top-ranked employee benefit and that any major plan changes should be considered carefully. HRMS also presented compensation comparisons showing state pay generally below private-market benchmarks, discussed targeted market equity adjustments, identified ongoing recruitment and retention concerns in fields like nursing, IT, engineering, and attorneys, and reviewed leave policies, tuition reimbursement, and family leave comparisons with neighboring states. Job Service provided labor market data showing low unemployment, high labor force participation, and wage growth that still trails some neighboring markets, and OMB explained that prevailing wage requirements apply to federally funded projects under Davis-Bacon, not to ordinary state contracts. After lunch, the committee took up the required process for health insurance mandate bills and adopted an amendment to Joint Rule 211. The amendment clarified that the deadline for submitting mandate measures is intended to allow time for all required reports, including both the cost-benefit analysis and any Employee Benefits Committee actuarial report, while leaving the existing deadline unchanged. The amendment was adopted on a roll call vote, with several members voting yes and a few no votes recorded. The committee then moved into its jurisdiction review of bill drafts, beginning with a bill that would automatically renew pre-tax dental and vision elections; members debated whether it had any actuarial or administrative impact on PERS or the state, and the chair explained that the committee’s role was only to decide whether further analysis was needed before later testimony and recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• But have a lot of input to offer and skills.
• But have a lot of input to offer and skills.
• Waivers run out, and waivers were never designed to replace skilled nursing, and waivers cannot keep
• Abeler, on the committee there are three people from labor on this board.
• It is meant to encompass all of the different labor aspects.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• retained to conduct effective review and approval of AI operations, and requires consultation with labor
• retained to conduct effective review and approval of AI operations, and requires consultation with labor
• Chair and members, Yvonne Fernandez with the California Federation of Labor Unions, proud co-sponsor
• rights as the new labor standards for the 21st century.
• Erin Lehane, on behalf of the hardworking, skilled and trained members of the California State Building

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of energy, water, and utility bills. SB 952, SB 1417, SB 924, SB 925, SB 1011, SB 1168, SB 1196, and SB 1350 were all discussed, along with consent items SB 1008 and SB 1245. SB 952 would give the Department of Water Resources more flexibility in meeting clean energy procurement goals for the State Water Project; it drew support from the State Water Contractors and California Municipal Utilities Association and no opposition. SB 1417 would extend transparency and notice requirements to mutual water companies, especially in response to wildfire-related rate increases in Altadena; supporters described lack of notice, meeting access, and public accountability, while the California Association of Mutual Water Companies opposed the bill as overly prescriptive and potentially conflicting with existing law. SB 924 would modernize low-income energy assistance and weatherization programs to better measure affordability outcomes and tenant benefits, and it passed with broad support. SB 925 would direct the Energy Commission to develop a statewide roadmap for fusion energy; it was supported by industry and clean energy groups and passed without opposition. SB 1011 would require CPUC standards for human review of utility AI systems and labor consultation; supporters framed it as a safety and workforce protection measure, while utilities and business groups warned about cost, duplication, and overbroad regulation. SB 1168, now a study bill, would have the CPUC examine how data centers pay for load growth and rate impacts; it drew mixed reactions, with some industry opposition and some labor support after amendments. SB 1196 would speed utility hookups for ADUs and JADUs by allowing earlier applications and setting timelines; housing advocates supported it and it passed. SB 1350 would allow renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with strong support from hydrogen, labor, and utility interests, but TURN opposed it unless amended, arguing it lacked safeguards against greenwashing and resource shuffling. The committee also approved the consent calendar and several bills were reported out on recorded votes, with most measures advancing on strong bipartisan support and a few no votes from Senators Strickland and Dahle on selected items.

Transcript Highlights:

• At the same time, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics has predicted that by 2026, the need for NPs will
• So I would think that labor might be, you said that your cost for 30 to 40% higher...
• I would think that labor might be, you said that your cost for 30 to 40% higher post-COVID.
• Labor is substantially higher. All of my insurance costs are substantially higher.
• labor and providers, and prevent those with the potential of becoming highly qualified and skilled providers

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a large docket focused on primary care, workforce development, and medical debt. Chairs Cindy Friedman and John Lawn outlined hearing procedures and noted that testimony would be taken on 17 matters. The committee first heard testimony on bills to establish a community health center nurse practitioner residency program and to strengthen mental health centers. Senator Keenan, Rep. Keefe, and health center leaders described the Worcester nurse practitioner residency as a successful pipeline and retention strategy, citing workforce shortages, training needs in community health centers, and the cost of the program. Rep. O’Day also supported the mental health centers bill, saying it would raise payment rates, improve reimbursement for behavioral health services, and help clinics retain staff and expand access. The committee then took testimony on bills to address medical debt through hospital financial assistance reform. The Attorney General’s Office, Health Care for All, Health Law Advocates, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and individual patients supported the measure, arguing that hospital financial assistance policies are inconsistent, hard to find, and difficult to navigate. Witnesses said the bill would standardize eligibility criteria, create a uniform application, improve notice requirements, and expand access to discounted care up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Several personal stories described medical bills being sent to collections, confusion over insurance billing, and the burden of debt on low-income and chronically ill patients. Committee members asked about hospital concerns, the role of the health safety net, and whether the bill addressed root causes of medical debt; testimony emphasized that the proposal was meant to improve transparency and access rather than replace broader insurance reforms. The hearing also focused heavily on “Primary Care for You” legislation, H. 1370 and S. 867, which would increase primary care investment and create a new payment model. Rep. Haggerty, physicians, a patient, community health center leaders, and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers described a primary care crisis marked by low reimbursement, staffing shortages, long waits, burnout, and difficulty recruiting clinicians. Supporters said the bills would shift spending toward preventive, team-based care, improve access and equity, and reduce long-term costs. The Massachusetts Association of Health Plans said it was directionally supportive of increased primary care investment but warned that any new spending must stay within the cost growth benchmark and preserve existing contracting structures. The hearing ended with additional testimony on a community health center workforce and loan repayment grant bill from Rep. Stanley, and with further discussion from Dr. Alan Garo about the need for payment reform in primary care.

Transcript Highlights:

• technical training, and it teaches students how to solve real-world problems, giving them 21st century skills
• when he was introduced to his schools, Ethan has gained hands-on experience, learned industry-level skills
• serving more than 35,000 California students who are gaining confidence and learning the valuable skills
• These spaces help students build confidence, strengthen critical thinking skills, and introduce STEAM
• long before her passing, she joined family members there for a concert, enjoying the fruits of her labor

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, offered a prayer recognizing World Water Day and the challenges of water scarcity, and then proceeded with several floor introductions. Members welcomed wildlife photographer Alice Cahill, outgoing California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham, Avalon Fire Chief Michael Alegria, and a delegation of Cal Poly Pomona students participating in CSU advocacy activities. The chamber also received a message that the Assembly had passed AB 2156, and the Senate approved the March 16-19 journals as corrected. The main floor action was on Senate Concurrent Resolution 132, which designates March 22, 2026, as California STEAM Robotics Day. The author and supporting senators emphasized the value of robotics and hands-on STEAM education for career readiness, problem-solving, and workforce development. The resolution passed by a 34-0 vote. Afterward, the author introduced student and industry guests connected to robotics education, including a Poway High School student and representatives from Garner Holt Productions. The Senate then considered five gubernatorial appointments, all of which were confirmed unanimously: Paul Toopee as Director of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Peter Britery to the Southwestern Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission, Dr. Youngping Chen and Gregory Lung to the California Acupuncture Board, and Roy Mather to the Board of Pilot Commissioners. The body also suspended Joint Rule 62A to allow the Governmental Organization Committee to hear AB 2156 on March 24 without sufficient notice. At the end of the session, the Senate adjourned in memory of Anne Colchin, a longtime Carlsbad city councilmember and public servant, and announced it would reconvene on March 26, 2026, after the State of the Judiciary joint convention.

Transcript Highlights:

• something that we could do for rotary clubs, Little League baseball organizations, plumbers unions, labor
• And obviously, it's very much skills-based in terms of the focus.
• Amanda Passon, I'm a labor policy analyst with Every Texan.
• good work last session, in doing the first across-the-board pay raise to address attrition and the labor
• , and that is, I think, when you think about IT workers, you think about all the coders and those skills

Bills: HB111

Summary: The committee heard a long series of House bills, with most measures laid out by Senate sponsors and then left pending after brief public testimony. Early bills focused on construction and licensing issues, including HB 305 on prompt payment for public construction audits, HB 5093 on restoring public access to notary contact information, HB 2037 on updating landlord-tenant repair and security deposit rules, HB 4214 on a centralized public information request contact database, and HB 5435 exempting higher education institutions from a 90-day notice requirement for certain public-private partnership projects. Testimony was generally supportive on these bills, and no votes were taken; each was left pending. The committee also considered several transparency and regulatory bills. HB 111 would expand the Public Information Act to certain nonprofit state associations and narrow some attorney-client and working-paper exceptions, with supporters arguing it would improve oversight of public funds and critics questioning the scope and thresholds. HB 5129 would protect occupational license holders’ personal identifying information from disclosure without consent, HB 4350 would allow peace officers to redact personal information from online real property records, HB 4748 would authorize multiple-award state purchasing contracts, and HB 4765 would clean up code enforcement officer licensing rules. HB 4134 would allow motor vehicle creditors to charge limited fees for electronic payment options while requiring a free alternative, and HB 1043 would direct a study of blockchain-based property title records; both drew testimony, with some concern about the practical effects and vendor implications of the blockchain study. Several bills addressed insurance, workforce, and digital-asset regulation. HB 3520 would reduce the insurance coverage required for transportation network companies during the period when a driver is en route to pick up a passenger, drawing support from Texans for Lawsuit Reform and opposition from trial lawyers who argued the higher coverage better protects the public. HB 3320 would create a self-insurance pool for religious institutions, with TDI explaining it would still be regulated but operate under a special statutory framework. HB 4233 would modernize rules for digital asset service providers by removing certain auditor-access requirements and updating reporting and licensing provisions. HB 3923 would reduce bachelor’s-degree requirements for some state jobs, though Every Texan argued low pay, not degree requirements, is the main driver of turnover. HB 4518 would create a legal structure for decentralized unincorporated nonprofit associations tied to blockchain governance; business law experts opposed it as unnecessary and potentially risky, while crypto advocates supported it. Finally, HB 1803 would join an interstate compact for dentists and dental hygienists, with supporters citing workforce shortages and opponents saying Texas already licenses quickly and that the compact could weaken state oversight. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly closed testimony and left bills pending, and a quorum was eventually established before later items were heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• The agency impact would be the Department of Labor and the West Virginia courts.
• It's non-skilled, what they call non-skilled in-home care. So there is skilled home care.
• This is non-skilled in-home care. That's one of Medicaid's services.
• But it is, like I said, a non-skilled in-home care, non-facility-based service.
• But it is, like I said, a non-skilled in-home care, non-facility-based service.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Pappas workers have built careers around providing this specialized care with skill and compassion.
• And this is a real danger, I think, because we will be losing that level of skill and commitment.
• I know they put you all the navigation skills, and I was so nervous because I couldn't ask.
• Did you learn any of those skills? Yeah.
• I described earlier that there are two skilled nursing facilities for children in Massachusetts.

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The hearing focused on the future of Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, with commissioners, agency officials, workers, and families describing the hospital as a unique integrated setting combining medical care, rehabilitation, education, residential services, and adaptive engineering. Opening remarks from legislators emphasized continued budget funding, the legal requirement that Pappas not close before the commission reports, and a request to extend the commission’s deadline. Several commissioners and witnesses argued that admissions have effectively been curtailed while discharges continue, creating what they described as a de facto closure. Union leaders from AFSCME, SEIU, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association said staff are experiencing uncertainty, morale problems, and loss of confidence because referrals are being discouraged and the census is shrinking. They urged immediate action to stop admission denials and unnecessary discharges, and some proposed temporary modular units or other short-term investments to restore admissions while longer-term plans are developed. Parents and former patients testified that Pappas provided life-changing opportunities and supports that they could not find elsewhere, and that alternative programs or proposed Western Massachusetts options would not meet the same needs. Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein said the administration supports keeping Pappas open and stable during the commission’s work, but argued that admissions must comply with hospital-level-of-care rules and that the campus’s deteriorating infrastructure limits who can be safely served. He said DPH is continuing admissions where appropriate, backfilling staff, and exploring ways to expand services, including outpatient therapies and adaptive engineering, while also acknowledging that Pappas is a one-of-a-kind system with no true in-state duplicate. Commissioners requested de-identified admissions and denial data and continued to press the department on whether the current operational changes amount to a silent closure.

Transcript Highlights:

• They create family wage labor jobs, support local businesses, expand access to employment and education
• Labor supports efforts to Labor supports efforts to create stable, long-term transportation funding because
• It's about safety and developing practical skills that will help young people make responsible decisions
• governing bodies of current and new districts to include two additional voting members: one member from a labor
• by a district established after December 31, 2027, to be constructed under the terms of a project labor

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session on two major corridor projects before moving to public hearing and executive session. In the Yakima area, WSDOT, Yakima County, and Ecology described the Interstate 82/east-west connector work as a coordinated effort to add capacity, improve interchanges, and address the Boise Cascade mill site contamination that sits in the project footprint. County and Ecology witnesses said the county is ready to remove wood waste and contaminated material, but the project is stalled pending a draft work plan and a de minimis consent decree; several senators pressed for faster action and clearer direction from Ecology. The committee then heard an update on the SR 3 Belfair freight corridor, where WSDOT said environmental review is complete and the next major step is an access hearing this summer, followed by right-of-way acquisition and construction likely in late 2027 or early 2028. Local and tribal partners emphasized the project’s importance for freight mobility, housing growth, emergency access, and regional economic development. The public hearing was on engrossed substitute House Bill 2711, a transportation resources bill that largely tracks provisions from prior legislation but also adds or changes several tax and account provisions. Staff explained that the bill clarifies fuel tax and peer-to-peer tax distributions, treats trade-in value differently for recreational vessel and luxury vehicle taxes, provides a six-month motor home exemption and penalty waiver for the luxury vehicle tax, allows lease payments to be made over time, exempts tribal members and nonresidents, creates a Preserve Washington account, changes some transfer timing, and repeals the luxury aircraft tax. Testimony was mixed: aviation groups supported repealing the luxury aircraft tax; trucking and some citizens opposed fuel tax and diesel tax increases; Sound Transit, transit advocates, labor, and ferry interests asked for amendments such as 75-year bonding authority, mobile driver’s licenses, ferry funding, and bike education funding. Alaska Airlines and Delta also supported adding mobile ID language. In executive session, the committee advanced several bills, including SHB 1823, SHB 2114, E2SHB 2251, SHB 2323, SHB 2410, EHB 2588, 2SHB 1923, and HB 2495, all with due pass recommendations after adopting amendments where applicable. The committee adopted a striking amendment to E2SHB 2251 adjusting Climate Commitment Act account distributions and a striking amendment to EHB 2588 limiting the ferry district changes to Whatcom County and removing the voter-approval tax provision. It also adopted an amendment to 2SHB 1923 that added further conditions for passenger-only ferry districts, including whale-protection and fare-related provisions. Senator King voted no on E2SHB 2251, objecting that the bill reduced the transportation share of Climate Commitment Act revenues. The chair announced one more executive action meeting would be held Wednesday morning, with amendment requests due the prior day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Very much qualified in the business world, roofing businesses and other businesses, so he understands labor
• If you came in and you were given a plan, that plan would include education, job skill training, etc.
• 04:23.320><c> include</c><00:04:23.760><c> education,</c><00:04:24.960><c> job</c><00:04:25.280><c> skill
• </c> would include education, job skill would include education, job skill training,<00:04:26.080><c>
• give a chance to somebody who's had a felony event in their past, it's somebody who possesses the skills

Keywords: Economic and Workforce Development - Room 409, 31 March, 2026; 9:30 A.M., 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll touch on a few important labor force points for this...
• DOT has information on its website about labor rates.
• Department of Labor.
• And you could see in the top right that there's a labor rate.
• It seems to be more of a skilled labor versus, like, professional services. So, Mr.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• about it a little earlier, the challenge is they are all working and then they forget to add in their labor
• down, and factor in all of that, outside of saying, okay, I'm being nonprofit, but it affected my labor
• actually create tangible opportunities for Hawaii's population to be able to not only upskill and re-skill
• And that's providing not just AI literacy skills, but data science foundations to the community colleges

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism heard several governor’s nominations for advisory and regulatory boards. The first group included William Smith, Michelle Ige, and Kayana Neman for the Community-Based Economic Development Advisory Council; Leland Park and Cynthia Hobson for the Small Business Regulatory Review Board; and Nicole Kacal for the Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation board. DBEDT and related witnesses testified in support of all nominees, and each nominee described experience in small business, finance, community engagement, or technology. Much of the discussion focused on strengthening Hawaiʻi’s economy through small business support, financial literacy, and better access to capital and grants. Committee members questioned nominees about priorities for Hawaiʻi Island and the state more broadly. Topics included agricultural infrastructure, value-added food production, shared processing facilities and commercial kitchens, workforce housing, and ways government and nonprofits can partner to help small businesses navigate permitting, licensing, and grant processes. Several nominees emphasized community impact, measurable outcomes, and practical regulatory reform. Nicole Kacal also discussed diversifying the economy beyond tourism, expanding technology and AI opportunities, and creating locally governed training and research pathways so workers can adapt to changing jobs. At the end of the hearing, the committee voted to recommend advice and consent for all nominees. The nominations for GM 608, GM 609, GM 612, and GM 613 were adopted by voice vote, with Senators Kim and Fevella excused. The committee then voted separately on GM 794 for Nicole Kacal, and that recommendation was also adopted. The hearing concluded with adjournment.