Transcript Highlights:

• in each region of our state.
• This bill relates to establishing the Higher Education Research Security Council.
• Liz This is Haney, I am representing myself and my company, Soil Region.
• I am a co-owner of Soil Region. We are an ag consulting company.
• And here's a bigger truth, healthy soil is the foundation of food security.

Bills: HB3032 , HB3434 , HB3574 , HB5339 , HB5646

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: nursing education, clinical sites, health facilities, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, legislative study, healthcare training, tuition, financial assistance, higher education, public institutions, student support, nonresident students, Texas Education Code, resident tuition, scholarships, regenerative agriculture, grants, sustainable farming, soil health, bioremediation

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, rates are differentiated into seven different regions, and there are also four counties that
• receive different regional rates only for child care centers.
• The third change is related to rate regions.
• Section 5 removes the enhanced regional rates and will save about $15.5 million per year beginning in
• Section 5 removes the enhanced regional rates and will save about $15.5 million per year beginning in

Bills: HB2689 , SB5832 , SB5922 , SB5944 , SB5988 , SB6151

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: Working Connections Child Care, child care subsidy, subsidized child care, Washington DCYF, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, low-income families, child care providers, licensed child care centers, family child care, market rate survey, subsidy rates, income eligibility, state median income, SNAP, Basic Food, collective bargaining, provider reimbursement, daily payment, half-day care, partial-day care

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:06:40.160><c> Federal</c> project but due to securing Federal project but due to securing Federal
• We do hear that the funding that we've received is secure.
• </c> development needs of our growing region development needs of our growing region as<01:15:47.000>
• All right, Representative Reyer. within our region but at the state level within our region but at the
• Regional Park in Anoka County.

Bills: HF343 , HF446 , HF448 , HF674 , HF811 , HF832 , HF1661 , HF1528 , HF1536 , HF1541 , HF1670 , HF1438 , HF1714 , HF1748 , HF1835 , HF1904 , HF1929 , HF1942

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• WATD is our sort of regional radio. They try. There's only so much they can do.
• WATD is our sort of regional radio. They try. There's only so much they can do.
• FATV secures a secure remote participation option for Fitchburg constituents.
• The League believes it is of the highest priority that we secure the funding future—emphasis on secure—of
• I'm a digital navigator in the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity

Summary: The committee held its second hearing on a large docket of technology, internet, cybersecurity, broadband, and media bills. Early testimony focused on community media funding legislation, with lawmakers and local access advocates arguing that as cable subscriptions decline and streaming grows, revenue tied to cable franchises no longer supports community television and PEG programming. Supporters said community media remains a key source of local news, government meeting coverage, and civic transparency as newspapers disappear or consolidate. A related bill on cable contract oversight also drew support, with testimony that the Department of Telecommunications and Cable is backlogged and should more actively review municipal-provider agreements and report its workload to the committee. Another major topic was a proposal to create a Massachusetts Innovation Fund for state IT modernization. The Alliance for Digital Innovation backed the bill, saying agencies need flexible upfront capital to replace outdated systems and improve cybersecurity, and pointing to the federal Technology Modernization Fund as a model. The witness noted that funding for the state program still needs to be identified. The committee also heard strong support for a bill requiring free broadband in public housing, with Rep. Emmela Goodwin and MAPC describing internet access as essential for jobs, school, telehealth, and civic participation. They said the digital divide in Massachusetts is driven largely by affordability rather than infrastructure, though questions were raised about costs, wiring, and whether all housing sites already have broadband access available at the curb. A substantial portion of the hearing centered on bills to limit addictive social media feeds for minors. Supporters, including lawmakers, parents, teens, and advocacy groups, argued that algorithmic feeds contribute to addiction, anxiety, body image problems, and other harms, and said the bills would restrict surveillance-based curation and overnight notifications while leaving search and followed accounts available. Opponents, including FIRE, CCIA, and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, argued the bills would require invasive age verification, threaten privacy and cybersecurity, burden adults’ anonymity, and likely face First Amendment challenges. They also warned the measures could disadvantage smaller businesses and may be unconstitutional based on recent court rulings in other states. The committee also heard support for blockchain-related bills creating a commission, a pilot program, and consumer education efforts, with testimony that Massachusetts has the talent but needs a coordinated state strategy. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hello, Darlene Dupree with the Association of Regional Center Agencies, here to voice support for the
• at the Regional Center of East Bay.
• I am a registered nurse and a clinical director at the Regional Center of the East Bay.
• I was unable to secure one for today.
• I was unable to secure one for today.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard a long agenda of bills focused largely on child welfare, foster care, child care, CalWORKs, mandated reporting, and public benefits. Early items included AB 890, which would ease county transfer rules for nonminor dependents in extended foster care; AB 461, which would replace punitive truancy-related penalties with supportive services for families; and AB 753, which would create an interim associate teacher pathway to help address the child care workforce shortage. Testimony on these bills emphasized barriers faced by foster youth, low-income families, and child care providers, and members expressed support for the general policy direction. The committee also heard AB 926 on foster care visitation, AB 563 on early childhood planning and reporting, AB 601 on standardized mandated reporter training, AB 1074 on CalWORKs reunification aid, AB 822 extending the Commission on the State of Hate, AB 970 creating a Los Angeles County mandated reporter pilot, AB 1161 protecting public benefits during disasters, AB 1172 allowing trained staff to administer emergency seizure medication in community care settings, and AB 363 expanding CalWORKs student supports and work-study. Witnesses generally supported these measures as ways to reduce trauma, improve reunification, modernize reporting and training, and expand access to services. County welfare and child welfare groups, advocacy organizations, and providers largely testified in support, while some bills drew concerns from county representatives about implementation or needed amendments. Several bills were voted out of committee, often unanimously and sometimes as amended, including AB 926, AB 563, AB 601, AB 1074, AB 822, AB 970, AB 1161, and AB 1172; AB 1172 was reported on call. The committee also took up consent items and later voted on subcommittee-held bills AB 461, AB 753, and AB 890, leaving them on call. At the end of the hearing, the committee heard AB 1211, which would protect CalFresh benefits from federal cuts and require a feasibility study on increasing benefits and eligibility; testimony stressed rising food insecurity and the economic importance of food assistance, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this history of extractive production has shaped economic development in the region.
• Among the state's 10 major regions, the eight-county San Joaquin Valley region consistently ranks last
• And we also authored the Kern Regional Plan Part 1 for the current region for SURF/California Jobs First
• Our Central Valley Community Foundation has been a tremendous partner in this region.
• That's not always true for every region when we start to disaggregate the data.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we appreciate you. um cyber security threat. um as um um cyber security threat. um as um technology
• Do you think that it's adequate as far as the security and the cyber security, the physical security?
• </c> wondering about maybe the the security wondering about maybe the the security there<00:58:15.920
• and the cyber as far as the the security and the cyber security<00:58:22.480><c> the</c><00:58:23.359
• ,</c> in partnership with 13 local, regional, in partnership with 13 local, regional, and<01:11:27.040

Summary: The committee met to adopt the minutes of the second meeting by voice vote, then heard an update focused on disaster preparedness, resiliency, response, and coordination among state agencies and partners. The chair emphasized avoiding duplication of resources and highlighted the importance of agriculture-related response issues, including animal evacuation, feed distribution, and the role of extension services during disasters. The Department for Public Health was invited to explain its role in emergency planning and response. Public Health described its Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch as the lead coordinating agency for Emergency Support Function 8, covering health and medical services under Kentucky’s emergency operations framework. Testimony outlined its broad responsibilities, including support for hospitals, morgues, local health departments, behavioral health, crisis counseling, suspicious package testing, disease outbreaks, and coordination with emergency management, EMS, transportation, and nonprofit and private partners. Officials also described the agency’s risk-assessment process, training and exercise programs, and deployed assets such as PPE caches, deployable communications, a federal medical station, a mobile treatment center, and alternate care support used in events like the eastern Kentucky floods and COVID-19. The agency also discussed funding through federal cooperative agreements for public health emergency preparedness and hospital preparedness, noting that these programs have evolved since 9/11 and have been shaped by major disasters and emerging threats. Officials said Kentucky’s funding has declined over time and that current awards are partially funded for the first time in the program’s history. They expressed support for efficiency if federal programs are consolidated, but cautioned that combining programs could risk further funding losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Up next, we will hear from our State Chief Information Security Officer.
• Our mission at the Office of Information Security is simple.
• It would vary by, I would say, like, security domain, endpoint, asset identification, security operations
• It would vary by, I would say, like, security domain, endpoint, asset identification, security operations
• sharing of that security data to a centralized picture.

Summary: The subcommittee held its first meeting to examine Florida’s information technology governance, budgeting, cybersecurity, data management, and telecommunications operations. Chair Schneider and other members framed the panel as a new joint policy-and-budget forum focused on reducing jargon, improving accountability, and asking whether technology investments are feasible, aligned with state goals, cost-controlled, and secure. State Affairs Chairman Will Robinson and members emphasized that the committee should avoid buying “shiny new objects” without clear business cases and should focus on long-term value, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency. Florida Digital Service and Department of Management Services leaders provided an overview of the state IT enterprise. Secretary Pedro Allende described DMS as the state’s business, workforce, and technology service provider, while State CIO Warren Spanholz outlined Florida Digital Service’s four core areas: cybersecurity, project success, data interoperability, and enterprise architecture. Chief Data Officer Ed Ryan said the state data catalog is about 400,000 elements and roughly half of agencies are participating, and he described efforts to identify authoritative data sources and improve interoperability. Chief Information Security Officer Jeremy Rogers discussed the state cybersecurity operations center, enterprise risk management, incident response exercises, and a recurring $35 million cybersecurity resiliency budget. Chief Technology Officer Leo Schoonover described oversight of major IT projects over $10 million, updated project management standards, and a shift toward smaller phased implementations and more flexible methodologies to reduce delays and overruns. Other presenters covered telecommunications, data center operations, and cybersecurity workforce development. Director Denise Atkins said the Division of Telecommunications manages Suncom and MyFloridaNet, with nearly $336.9 million appropriated for fiscal year 2024-25, and is procuring the next network contract while emphasizing security controls and vendor flexibility. Tim Brown said the Northwest Regional Data Center operates on a chargeback basis, serves state and local customers, and returned surpluses to customers in recent years. Cyber Florida Director Ernie Ferraroso described training, workforce pipelines, K-12 outreach, a cyber range, and research programs aimed at building Florida’s cyber workforce and improving public-sector readiness. Members asked about budget setting, project delays, change orders, cybersecurity reporting, data catalog participation, interoperability, and expanding cybersecurity operations centers. Officials said chargeback rates are based on actual direct and indirect costs, project delays often stem from unclear scope and insufficient upfront planning, and cybersecurity success is measured by mean time to detect, respond, and recover. They also said the state is moving toward more modular project delivery, broader agency participation in shared cybersecurity services, and expanded CSOC locations within existing staff and budget where feasible.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, rates are differentiated into seven different regions, and there are also four counties that
• receive different regional rates only for child care centers.
• The third change is related to rate regions.
• Section 5 removes the enhanced regional rates and will save about $15.5 million per year beginning in
• More financial sense of security. I'd be able to travel to see my grandkids. Just living expenses.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on a series of bills, beginning with House Bill 2689 on Working Connections Child Care. Staff explained that the proposed substitute would keep eligibility at 60% of state median income, eliminate scheduled expansions to 75% and 85%, reduce future subsidy rates from the 85th to the 75th percentile of market, end enhanced regional rates, and change reimbursement rules from prospective enrollment-based payments back to attendance-based payments with a reduced monthly payment after 11 absent days. Child care advocates thanked the committee for removing the proposed cap on the program but opposed the cuts to provider rates and eligibility expansions, warning of harm to families and providers. The committee then heard Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5124 on Medicaid network adequacy for post-acute care, with staff noting administrative costs and indeterminate fiscal effects; hospitals supported the bill as a way to reduce discharge delays and reliance on single-case agreements. Senate Bill 5832, which would raise the new motor vehicle arbitration fee from $3 to $6 to support the Lemon Law arbitration program, drew support from the Attorney General’s Office and auto dealers, who said the fee had not been updated since 1995 and the program was underfunded. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5862, providing a one-time 3% COLA for certain PERS 1 and TRS 1 retirees, with retirees testifying in favor and local government representatives warning about added employer costs. The committee next heard Senate Bill 5922, allowing school districts to transfer money from the Transportation Vehicle Fund to other funds if they reduce their fleet and receive OSPI approval; staff said the bill would mainly add administrative work for OSPI, and no one testified. Substitute Senate Bill 5923 would allow a hospital on an island in Skagit County to qualify as a critical access hospital if federally certified; Island Health testified that the designation would help sustain rural services, and a committee member asked about bed count and Medicaid/charity-care pressures. Senate Bill 5944 would require language access providers to bargain over compensation for missed or canceled appointments and clarify that statutes prevail over conflicting contract terms; WFSE supported the bill, saying it would equalize bargaining rights across agencies. Substitute Senate Bill 5972 would extend interest arbitration rights to correctional employees in city and county jails regardless of population size; labor supported the bill as a retention tool, while cities and counties opposed it, arguing it would raise costs and should include ability-to-pay protections. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5988, authorizing the Department of Health to continue accrediting opioid treatment programs and charge accreditation fees, which DOH said was needed to avoid winding down the program. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 6151, which would move Ecology fee revenues for landfill methane emissions and laboratory accreditation into dedicated accounts; Ecology supported the bill as improving transparency and reinvesting fees into the programs, and staff said the lab fee shift would be offset by a related budget action. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6194 would pay a rural hospital on a federally recognized Indian reservation, specifically Astria Toppenish, at 150% of the Medicaid fee-for-service rate beginning in 2027; hospital leaders and community members testified that the hospital serves a high-Medicaid, rural, and tribal population and faces persistent losses. Finally, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6302 would direct L&I to investigate possible misclassification of independent contractors on public works projects involving multiple workers doing the same finishing work; labor and business representatives both described it as a negotiated compromise to address underground economy abuses. The committee took no final votes during the hearing and ended by reiterating amendment deadlines for bills scheduled for executive session.

Transcript Highlights:

• projected salaries and benefits deficits to maintain staffing and to help ensure the safety and security
• projected salaries and benefits deficits to maintain staffing and to help ensure the safety and security
• There's also a $6 million inclusion for purchased critical security equipment, correctional probation
• address contracted due process and court reporting resource needs. $2.3 million is provided for security
• training, office-based rental, workload, and staffing resource needs across multiple circuits and regions

Summary: The Justice Budget Subcommittee met to consider the fiscal year 2025-26 budget recommendations, a proposed committee bill on judicial positions, and one member bill. The chair framed the budget as part of a broader effort to slow spending growth and reduce recurring expenditures, noting the subcommittee’s proposed $7.3 billion budget is $366 million below the prior year. Major budget items included funding for the Department of Corrections to address staffing, maintenance, health services, security equipment, and facility needs; the Department of Juvenile Justice for residential beds, maintenance, the Broward detention facility replacement design, medical services, and Florida Scholars Academy costs; FDLE for the Fort Myers regional operations center and sexual offender/predator registration workload; and the state courts and justice administration entities for judges, due process resources, security, and staffing. The budget also reduced 1,280 vacant positions and $139.2 million in excess funding and authority. The committee then heard PCB-JUB-25-01, which implements part of the Florida Supreme Court’s certification of judicial need. The bill establishes 17 additional circuit court judges and 12 additional county court judges, with about $13.9 million in general revenue and 72 associated positions. In response to a question about why the two certified 6th District Court of Appeal judges were not included, the chair said the committee did not think it was the right time to add judges to a brand-new court still operating from leased space. The PCB was reported favorably on a 14-0 vote. Finally, the committee heard HB 1351 by Representative Baker, which revises sex offender and predator registration rules by clarifying resident categories, creating an in-state travel residence definition, allowing online or in-person reporting for certain temporary residence changes, removing duplicative reporting requirements, clarifying vehicle and employment reporting, and requiring local law enforcement to verify addresses more frequently for registrants not on supervision. FDLE and Smart Justice indicated support, and the bill passed unanimously, 14-0. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And for the number of youth who committed offenses, these offenses, but were not placed in a secure youth
• The youth who are diverted from the secure youth treatment facility and youth who are committed to the
• secure youth treatment facility, but are what is called step down, which is authorized by the law.
• And that's 37 secure youth treatment facilities in the state of California.
• Looking at different regions, regions where individuals are coming from could be a higher population

Transcript Highlights:

• Boundary and Water Commission, only 30% of the water used in this region... comes from Mexico.
• The region as a whole has lost 500 acre feet a year. annually a year. That's good, Nathan.
• But there is a there is a regional drought.
• McGowan is the hub for a regional one million connect. That is correct.
• Texas and help us secure alternative water solutions now.

Bills: SCR13 , SB1248

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Up next, Calvin Hara is also testifying in support. regions to establish a specialized regions to establish
• uh we stand on issues and cyber security uh we stand on our<00:21:23.760><c> written</c><00:21:24.240
• Like all of that money, I just know that security is important here and we want to create jobs, but let
• <00:32:39.799><c> has</c> regions has regions has policies<00:32:41.840><c> that</c><00:32:42.440><c>
• </c> get approval from the board of regions get approval from the board of regions for<00:33:03.919><

Committee: House Higher Education

Summary: The House Committee on Higher Education met on March 14, 2025, and heard five University of Hawaii-related bills. SB 741 would create an external audit committee for the UH system and Board of Regents; UH and UHPA opposed it, saying existing internal and external audits already provide robust oversight, and the committee later recommended deferring the bill indefinitely as duplicative. SB 1252 SD2 would create a dementia training program for health care providers; the Alzheimer’s Association and other supporters said broader training is needed across the care workforce, while the university discussed using JABSOM as a coordinator. The committee deferred the bill to March 19 for an HD1 reflecting JABSOM’s suggestions and removing the appropriations/FTE language. SB 1502 SD1 would fund faculty positions, student programs, and facilities at UH Manoa and West Oahu for defense-sector workforce development. UH and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii supported the measure, describing a pipeline for students into intelligence, cybersecurity, and related fields, while one individual opposed it as too closely tied to military contracting and urged investment in other sectors instead. The committee amended the bill to remove FTE references and advanced it; the vote to pass with amendments was adopted, with several members voting aye and some excused. SB 1530 would require performance-based allocation of UH general funds and efficiency reporting. UH and the Attorney General’s office raised concerns, saying the bill’s metrics would apply across the entire general fund budget and were not practical as drafted; the committee also noted opposition from the Budget and Finance Department and individuals. SB 1624 SD1 would restrict RIM funds to renewing, improving, or modernizing existing facilities and require annual reports. UH opposed the bill and explained that RIM is a lump-sum approach used to address deferred maintenance and capital needs, with Board of Regents approval and quarterly reporting already in place; the Attorney General suggested constitutional amendments. The transcript ends during discussion of SB 1624, with no final action shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in one region in particular, in Region 3 of Massachusetts, we no longer have a regional council.
• And Regions 2 and 4 have stepped in to help with the work that was previously done by Region 2, as well
• So in addition to the regional EMS councils, we have regional health councils that come together.
• regional health care in the Commonwealth, and I want to spotlight the North Central region where we
• , but it is really for me also a rural regional equity concern.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a Health and Human Services budget hearing in Clinton, with opening remarks from Chairs Meg Kilcoyne and Robin Kennedy, local officials, and many House and Senate members introducing themselves. The hearing focused on Governor Healey’s FY27 EOHHS and MassHealth budgets, with repeated themes of rising health care costs, federal funding uncertainty, workforce shortages, and access to care in underserved regions. Members also raised concerns about primary care shortages, rural and regional disparities, behavioral health access, maternal health, food insecurity, and the impact of federal policy changes on Massachusetts programs. EOHHS Secretary Kiame Mahaniah said the FY27 EOHHS budget totals $33.7 billion, reflecting mostly non-discretionary growth from health care costs, labor costs, caseload increases, and provider rate pressures. He highlighted targeted investments in foster care, family resource centers, maternal health, youth services, nutrition programs, immigrant legal services, and human service workforce rates, while warning that federal actions could strip roughly $3.5 billion annually from the state’s health care funding. In response to questions, he defended the administration’s cooperation with federal audits and program integrity efforts, discussed the primary care crisis, and said the state is trying to preserve core services while preparing for a more difficult FY28 budget cycle. MassHealth Undersecretary Mike Levine then described two major FY27 challenges: double-digit cost growth and the expected effects of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He said MassHealth’s proposed $22.7 billion gross budget includes a 7.5% increase and relies on a moratorium on new expansions plus targeted reductions, including a $1,000 annual adult dental cap, ending GLP-1 coverage for weight loss only, reducing care management to peer-state levels, and work groups to slow growth in PCA, adult foster care, and adult day health spending. Members questioned the impact on Boston Health Care for the Homeless, preventive care, and regional access; Levine said the changes are meant to preserve sustainability, that children and certain disabled populations remain protected, and that the administration will continue working with providers, advocates, and the Legislature on implementation and longer-term reforms.

Transcript Highlights:

• Social Security, in '22, they got 8.7; '21, and 5.9.
• And that's on their full Social Security checks. I worked for the Department of Correction.
• I'm here to—I'm chairman of the MR regional retirement system.
• What Worcester Regional has done in this case is that the absurd number that was thrown out—I wish I
• I'm not taking any money from Worcester Regional other than what they paid me, and I'm simply looking

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held its third hearing of the 194th General Court session, taking testimony on several individual bills and home rule petitions, mostly involving retirement and pension-related relief. The committee chair outlined hearing procedures, including three-minute limits for individuals, ten-minute limits for panels, livestreaming, and the deadline for written testimony. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted that House matters heard that day must be reported by Friday, July 11, 2025, subject to extensions, and the committee adjourned after testimony concluded. Several witnesses supported bills seeking retirement credit or pension adjustments for public employees. These included H. 2917 for Dedham-Westwood Water District employees seeking pension buy-in credit; H. 2976 for Eileen Mullen to purchase creditable service for teaching in a criminal justice pilot program; H. 2996 for Virginia Cummings, a retired Department of Correction lieutenant seeking greater pension parity; H. 2977 for Wendy Lopieri to buy back part-time community college service; and H. 2989 for Wayne Taylor, who said he was mistakenly credited for fewer years of select board service than he expected. Testimony emphasized long public service, injuries, and what witnesses described as unfair denials or flawed interpretations of retirement law. The committee also heard testimony on bills involving post-retirement earnings and disability-related relief. Kevin Blanchett testified in opposition to H. 2931, arguing it would improperly reduce money owed to a regional retirement system and its members, while the bill’s sponsor argued the retirement board was seeking an excessive recovery based on law firm gross earnings rather than the individual’s earnings. Jamie Magarian described severe injuries from a 2018 crash and urged favorable action on his bill, with support from the State Police Association. Michael Palmer testified in favor of S. 1841, seeking to extend prior violent-crime retirement income-cap relief to his case after being shot on duty and later finding that even part-time private-sector work exceeded his retirement earnings limit.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c><00:21:22.080><c> we</c> do it in the 10 county Brad region, we do it in the 10 county Brad region
• </c><00:22:32.000><c> understand</c> educators in the the region understand educators in the the region
• </c> School Security Marshall. School Security Marshall.
• We are regional.
• </c> things that we could do at a regional things that we could do at a regional level<02:04:38.880><

Summary: The committee opened its sixth meeting of the 2025 Interim Joint Committee on Education, confirmed a quorum, recorded attendance votes, and approved the minutes. Chair Lewis reminded presenters to keep remarks brief because of the full agenda and limited time. The first presentation was from United Way of Southern Kentucky, with Anne Puckett, Craig Browning, and Warren County Schools Superintendent Rob Clayton introducing a regional early childhood initiative. The presenters argued that kindergarten readiness and early childhood support are critical to later academic and life outcomes. They cited research and statistics about brain development in the first five years, the effects of unprepared kindergarten entry, and links between low literacy, school discipline, dropout rates, and incarceration. They said their region’s readiness scores fell during COVID and after a tornado, and that the most effective response was in-home parent education to help families support children from birth to age five. They described the model as voluntary, community-based, and not requiring new buildings, and said similar programs have been successful in Missouri. The group said it had already raised more than $1 million in private donations and committed three years of funding for four additional staff, expanding service in Allen, Logan, and Warren counties. They requested $600,000 per year for the next two-year budget cycle to add 12 more educators, serve about 360 families and 660 additional children, and build evidence for a possible statewide model. Members generally expressed support for the concept, with Representative Tipton and Representative Jackson discussing a prior home-based preschool pilot and the importance of starting early. Representative Calloway questioned whether increased family chaos and government involvement justified the approach; presenters responded that the program uses community educators, not a government-run organization, and is aimed at helping overwhelmed families. Representative Stalker asked about eligibility and early intervention, and presenters said the program serves children from birth to age five and can help identify needs early enough to connect families with services such as First Steps.

Transcript Highlights:

• This history of extractive production has shaped economic development in the region.
• Among the state's 10 major regions, the eight-county San Joaquin Valley region consistently ranks last
• Plan, Part 1, for the current region for SURF/California Jobs First.
• Our Central Valley Community Foundation has been a tremendous partner in this region.
• That's not always true for every region when we start to disaggregate the data.

Summary: The hearing focused on inclusive economic development in California’s Central Valley, with the chair describing prior state and federal investments in Fresno and the region, including Transformative Climate Communities funding, the Southwest Fresno Community College campus, affordable housing and infrastructure projects, medical education pathways, F3 Farm Food Future, and high-speed rail-related jobs. The chair emphasized that rural and historically disinvested communities often face complex application processes and limited technical capacity, and said the committee’s goal was to learn from successful local models and identify ways to better direct resources to communities that need them most. The first panel featured representatives from the Sierra Health Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and UC Merced. Chet Hewitt argued that health and economic opportunity are inseparable and described Sierra Health’s economic development portfolio, including the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund, the Impact Investment Fund, and the Community Economic Mobilization Initiative (CEMI), which together support healthier workplaces, microbusiness financing, and nonprofit capacity. Jessica Kaksmarik said Irvine’s place-based grantmaking in inland regions aims to strengthen worker and community power, support community-led development, and expand equitable pathways to mobility, while stressing that philanthropy must partner with government because it cannot meet the scale of need alone. Dr. Manuel Pastor and Dr. Ed Flores both argued that inequality and extractive development weaken long-term growth, and that community organizations need both power-building and technical expertise to influence regional planning; Flores also described the Valley Seed project and high-road economic development models that link labor, climate, and community benefits. The second panel highlighted community-based programs and the effects of unstable funding. Yolanda Randalls described the Sweet Potato Project at West Fresno Family Resource Center, a youth agriculture and entrepreneurship program that combines hands-on farming, business training, and mental health support; she said participants improved from a 1.9 GPA to a 3.3 GPA and that the program is seeking long-term support as its funding nears expiration. Addie Carr of Neighborhood Industries described a second-chance employment model that provides job training, case management, literacy and life coaching, and small no-interest loans, and said CEMI helped the organization open a second store and create more jobs. Maria Redoubt Orozco of Community Alliance with Family Farmers said small farmers are central to the Valley’s economy but face land, water, climate, and market barriers, and warned that federal cuts to programs like Local Food Purchasing Assistance threaten local food systems. Daniela Rodriguez of Immigrants Rising described entrepreneurship and technical assistance for undocumented and mixed-status entrepreneurs, including the SEED initiative, and said policy uncertainty and access-to-capital barriers continue to constrain immigrant economic mobility. In closing discussion, panelists repeatedly called for longer-term, braided, and flexible funding rather than one-time grants, and the chair noted the need to continue supporting community-defined practices and public-private partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• Secure the communication systems again is the...
• -manufactured transformers it can secure.
• And that's why we're trying to secure that grid.
• I'm talking about the specific security, any specific security risk posed by behind-the-meter generation
• security because we're doing stuff at home.

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Committee on Agriculture and as someone who represents the heart of California's agricultural region
• In our region, even Merced County doesn't even have a flood control district.
• Ultimately, the Central Valley and other food production regions are being left behind.
• Valley and other food production regions are being left behind.
• That goes hand in hand with the big challenge of food security.

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the state of agricultural production in California, with opening remarks from the Senate and Assembly Agriculture Committee chairs and Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry emphasizing agriculture’s economic importance and the need for stronger state investment. They highlighted concerns about water scarcity, labor shortages, rising costs, extreme weather, tariffs, pesticide and regulatory pressures, and the lack of agricultural funding in recent climate-related allocations. Aguiar-Curry also urged immediate action on the glassy-winged sharpshooter outbreak, which CDFA said would cost about $18.5 million annually to detect, monitor, and eradicate. The first panel featured CDFA and the Department of Water Resources. CDFA described California agriculture as a $61.2 billion industry producing more than 400 commodities, but also noted farm bankruptcies, rising input and compliance costs, climate stress, trade issues, and crop removals in vineyards and almonds. DWR focused on hydrologic variability, snowpack decline, groundwater overdraft, subsidence, and SGMA implementation, and discussed tools such as forecast-informed reservoir operations, groundwater recharge, basin characterization, and the 2028 water plan update. Members asked about immediate legislative priorities, flood response after 2023, Prop. 4 and greenhouse gas reduction funding, and regulatory alignment; officials pointed to pest control, science-based water management, affordability, infrastructure, and better coordination across agencies. The second panel examined water, climate, and resource sustainability. PPIC presented estimates that SGMA, climate change, and environmental regulations could reduce irrigation water in the San Joaquin Valley by about 20% by 2040, potentially requiring 500,000 to 900,000 acres of fallowing and affecting billions in agricultural GDP and tens of thousands of jobs. UC Merced discussed practical adaptation tools including FIRO, managed aquifer recharge, on-farm recharge, land repurposing, agrivoltaics, and crop flexibility. The Agricultural Energy Consumers Association argued that energy costs are unsustainable, that electricity and natural gas rates are rising sharply, and that state programs supporting climate-smart agriculture, biomass, and food processing need more funding and coordination. Members and witnesses discussed how limited Prop. 4 and GGRF dollars might be used for recharge, conveyance, subsidence mitigation, and regulatory improvements. The final panel addressed workforce innovation and the future of food production. Industry representatives said food and fiber processors cannot pass along rising costs from energy, labor, workers’ compensation, packaging rules, and compliance mandates, and warned that SGMA-driven land fallowing, pest pressure, and abandoned orchards threaten small farms and processing jobs. The Almond Alliance called for periodic review of regulations, stronger invasive species response, and targeted support for orchard removal, ag burn alternatives, and water efficiency. The California Farmworker Foundation described its work providing health, education, and civil assistance services to farmworkers in multiple counties, including health navigation, field-based clinics, and food support, and stressed the needs of an aging labor force and food insecurity in rural communities. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with members and witnesses discussing possible future legislation and funding priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee of Military, Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security will now come to order.
• from Gulf County with the Florida Sheriffs Association and is going to be talking to us on domestic security
• , as we call it, and our regional domestic security task forces, RDSTF, in Florida.
• And what UASI is, is our Urban Area Security Initiatives.
• And what Uwazi is is our urban area security initiatives.

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security

Summary: The committee heard presentations on domestic security and public safety priorities from Gulf County Sheriff Mike Harrison and Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Rebel. Sheriff Harrison outlined Florida Sheriffs Association priorities, including reclassifying xylazine as a Schedule I controlled substance with a veterinary-use exemption, expanding enforcement of pretrial release violations beyond domestic violence cases, providing tuition-waiver benefits for sheriff’s office personnel, advancing the Jason Rainer Act to increase penalties for violent offenses against law enforcement, extending sex-offender residency restrictions, improving access to mental-health-related databases, and continuing support for fusion centers and Florida model jail standards. Members asked questions about xylazine’s veterinary use, canine detection, and public records burdens on small agencies; no votes were taken on these items. Chief Rebel focused on the Florida Police Chiefs Association’s role in disaster response, officer training, and wellness. He described the association’s coordination through the state EOC and regional deployments during hurricanes, then emphasized officer suicide and the need for statewide wellness resources, peer support, and accessible behavioral health care for first responders. He also referenced prior PTSD benefits legislation and urged continued support for the PCIS program and other wellness initiatives. Committee members discussed related resources such as dispatcher support, the Restore program at UCF, hyperbaric chamber treatment for PTSD, and canine support organizations. On domestic security funding, Rebel said FPCA does not have a specific bill package but wants to preserve the Domestic Security Oversight Council and regional task forces, protect limited SHISGAP funding for new projects, and shift ongoing successful programs to state funding. He also supported fixing the long-gun carry loophole, continuing the Jason Rainer Act effort, allowing ethical law-enforcement use of AI with human review, addressing monetization of public records and body-camera footage, and maintaining the ability to investigate anonymous complaints. The committee adjourned after discussion; no formal action or votes were recorded.