Transcript Highlights:

• However, the department is missing pay data for at least 400,000 workers.
• However, the Department is missing pay data for at least 400,000 workers.
• When the state spends public dollars on construction, workers should be paid fairly.
• For workers, this is not abstract.
• A construction worker can put in long hours on a public works project expecting a fair paycheck only

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then I guess my other concern, again, as we're talking about safety, are our Caltrans workers out
• zones or yielding to our Caltrans workers who are on the roadways, and law enforcement as well.
• zones or yielding to our Caltrans workers who are on the roadways, and law enforcement as well.
• Just to confirm, you said design, construction, and performance standards.
• I also believe that autonomous trucks are not coming to displace workers.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard an informational hearing on California’s newly finalized autonomous vehicle regulations, with DMV and CHP officials describing the updated framework and committee members pressing them on safety, enforcement, and first-responder impacts. DMV said the rules, effective April 28, 2026, expand reporting, create a phased permitting system from testing to deployment, add requirements for safety cases, remote operations, and first-responder coordination, and open a path for heavy-duty AV testing and deployment while still prohibiting oversized loads and hazardous materials. CHP said it worked with DMV on enforcement tools, first-responder interaction plans, and training local agencies on the new notice of noncompliance process. Members asked about crash data, immobilizations, freeway and construction-zone safety, weigh-station enforcement, and whether foreign licenses can qualify for remote assistants or drivers; DMV and CHP said the rules are intended to keep AVs accountable and that heavy-duty AVs will be held to the same roadway standards as human-driven commercial vehicles. A second panel focused on data collection and enforcement. Consumer attorneys argued the prior rules were too limited because DMV stopped collecting meaningful data once AVs moved from testing to deployment, making it difficult for the public and litigants to understand incidents; they supported the new regulations but urged that the collected information be made public. The industry association said California now has the nation’s most robust AV oversight, with monthly or quarterly reporting of collisions, system failures, immobilizations, harsh braking, vehicle miles traveled, and notices of noncompliance, plus broad DMV authority to restrict or suspend operations. In response to questions, the industry said it generally supports the new framework, believes the regulations are clear, and does not favor full federal preemption of state AV rules, though it wants federal standards for design, construction, and performance. A third panel addressed first-responder interaction and remote operations. The San Francisco Fire Department described repeated AV interference with emergency scenes and said AVs have generated hundreds of “sleeper calls,” where passengers fall asleep and trigger 911 responses; the department said these incidents consume significant staff time and it wants better protocols to reduce unnecessary dispatches. Waymo said it has trained thousands of public-safety personnel, maintains a 24/7 emergency line, uses geofencing/avoid-the-area messages, and can allow first responders to manually override or move vehicles when needed. Committee members asked about sleeper-call prevention, remote assistant licensing and drug testing, communication redundancies during outages, and how manual overrides work for vehicles without traditional controls; Waymo said it is collaborating with responders and that its vehicles are designed to reach a safe stop if connectivity is lost. The final panel began with testimony on heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. A transportation researcher said freight is essential to California’s economy and that heavy-duty AVs pose distinct safety risks because of their weight, stopping distance, and the potentially severe consequences of crashes or immobilizations on highways. He said the new regulations are important because they create a regulated pathway for heavy-duty AV deployment, require a safety case, set mileage thresholds, and add reporting categories that can serve as leading safety indicators. The hearing was still in progress when the transcript ended, with additional testimony expected from labor and industry witnesses on heavy-duty AV deployment.

Transcript Highlights:

• , construction workers, and factory workers. workers, just to name a few, and we advocate for them and
• also for non-union workers at the same time.
• So then we're not going to have an opportunity to train new workers.
• One, it includes workers' compensation now.
• I would think workers' compensation is a different market; it's a very different process.

Bills: SB388, SB455, SB917, SB925, SB1006

Keywords: dispatchable generation, electricity, natural gas, ERCOT, energy credits, utilities regulation, renewable energy, arbitration, insurance contracts, surplus lines, Texas law, insurance policy, boiler inspection, boiler safety, inspection report deadline, certificate inspection, authorized inspector, inspection agency, Health and Safety Code, board of boiler rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Although all the professions are getting more integrated, usually family service workers or social workers
• in the Family Services Division, which is our child protection workers, and the clinical staff in our
• This is adding law enforcement officers, family service division frontline workers and mental health.
• workers and and mental<00:33:21.160> health.
• So the offsetting revenues were more impactful with the allowable spending growth cap construct.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Other constructive. I do want to correct the record, director.
• Downs for construction, also large challenges with supply chain.
• ELRP is a very similar construct to the EPIC program.
• And so ELRP is a very similar construct to the EPIC program.
• We hire union sheet metal workers and union plumber fitters.

Summary: The committee first heard Issue 1 on trailer bill language to redirect funding for emergency demand-response programs. The Department of Finance proposed using about $26.9 million in General Fund originally set aside for the Distributed Energy Backup Assets program to bolster the Demand-Side Grid Support Program for summer 2026, and using about $70 million in CalCHAP interest to support ratepayer-funded demand response in summers 2027 and 2028. The CEC and CPUC said they are working on a transition from DSGS to ELRP or a successor program, while the LAO noted the General Fund money would otherwise revert to savings. Members pressed the administration on whether demand response remains important, whether DSGS has been successful, and whether the state should keep funding it through the CEC rather than shifting to a ratepayer-funded CPUC program. The CEC and CPUC said the programs are not directly comparable, emphasized different cost structures and enrollment metrics, and said a CPUC rulemaking is underway with a proposed decision expected in Q3 2026. No vote was taken in the transcript. The committee then took up Issue 2, a budget proposal tied to SB 254 and the new transmission accelerator. GoBiz and the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank described a five-year, roughly $26 million request to staff and administer the accelerator and manage Proposition 4 and AB 1207 funds for transmission financing. Members asked about state liability, ownership of financed lines, FERC revenue requirements, and whether the program would help underserved regions and offshore wind development. Staff explained that the accelerator would only consider projects already identified through CAISO’s competitive transmission planning process, and that state financing would be a small portion of large projects intended to lower overall costs to ratepayers. The LAO said it had no specific concerns but urged the Legislature to ensure the final language matches its intent. The committee also heard Issue 3 on petroleum market oversight. The CEC and its Division of Petroleum Market Oversight requested additional positions and funding to implement ABX2-1 and continue work on supply stabilization, refinery monitoring, and transportation fuels analysis. Members questioned why the work was funded through the Energy Resources Programs Account, whether existing staff from the paused price-gouging work could be reassigned, and whether the program had produced evidence of price gouging or improved supply conditions. CEC and Finance said the new positions are needed because the workload has expanded, while some existing staff remain on related analysis and reporting duties. The discussion ended without a vote in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• A COUPLE OF RECENT EXAMPLES ARE CHANGING THE SEQUENCE OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PHASES LIKE THE SUGGESTION
• WE BROUGHT IN MULTIPLE ON CONSTRUCTION TEAMS FOR A FIRST IN THE CALLED MODIFIES TO PHASE DESIGN.
• FOR INNOVATIONS LIKE VOLUNTARY ACCELERATION AND SHARED RISK MANAGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION WE ARE WORKING
• AND THE MOVING I'VE FOUR FLORIDA ACADEMY FOR CONSTRUCTION SKILLS LIKE COMMERCIAL TRUCK DRIVERS AND HEAVY
• WORKERS AS WELL AS HELP PROVIDE INFORMATION TO SAFELY NAVIGATE THESE AREAS.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, basically in all construction.
• <03:21:10.720> comp we started a self-funded workers comp we started a self-funded workers
• have by statute experience in workers have by statute experience in workers compensation.<03:31:
• that the landscape of workers that the landscape of workers compensation<03:39:39.439> law
• So they had experience in the realm of workers' compensation by adjusting workers' compensation claims

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Even during construction, we have roughly avoided 500,000 metric tons of emissions due to our construction
• We looked at the under-construction phase, which is the 119 miles right now.
• And I know that there are some people that are benefiting from this project, the workers.
• I, Keith Dunn here on behalf of State Building Construction Trades Council.
• Farm workers are essential yet underserved in California's climate investments.

Summary: The hearing opened with budget framing from the chair and the LAO, who said the May Revision addresses roughly a $14 billion budget problem and that the environment and transportation subcommittee’s proposals account for about $1.9 billion of the solution. The LAO urged members to focus on solutions that do not worsen out-year deficits, to preserve reserves, and to defer major policy changes that are not necessary to pass the budget, including the newly introduced water-related trailer bills. Members also raised concern about a late-dropped Olympic-related trailer bill, which the LAO likewise suggested should be deferred for fuller review. The first major item was the Delta Conveyance Project and related water quality control plan trailer bills. The administration argued the proposals would streamline permitting, water rights proceedings, judicial review, and land acquisition, and would clarify DWR’s bond authority for the project. DWR said the project is needed to protect water supply reliability against drought, earthquakes, sea level rise, and other climate-related disruptions, and that the tunnel would help move water when conditions are wet and safer for the environment. Committee members from both parties questioned the timing, the use of budget trailer bills for major policy changes, the scope of the CEQA and water-rights changes, the lack of a bond cap, cost growth, and eminent domain protections. The LAO recommended deferring both water trailer bills without prejudice. Public comment was sharply divided, with labor, water agencies, and some business groups supporting the project as climate adaptation and reliability infrastructure, while environmental, tribal, fishing, county, and community groups opposed it as an attempt to bypass public process and weaken protections. The committee then briefly heard the DMV’s Digital Experience Platform fee trailer bill, which would reinstate a $1 system improvement fee to help fund the vehicle-registration phase of the project. DMV said the fee would raise about $7 million annually and offset roughly $59 million to $60 million of project costs, while the LAO noted it would help but would not solve the Motor Vehicle Account’s broader structural gap. The hearing then moved to California High-Speed Rail, where the new CEO presented an updated plan and said the project remains a major climate and infrastructure investment. He reported a revised Merced-to-Bakersfield cost range of $34.9 billion to $38.5 billion, said the agency is trying to reduce risk through direct procurement of materials, and argued that stable annual funding is needed to avoid higher costs from delays.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill helps reduce the risk, protects workers and the environment, and holds producers accountable
• Keith Dunn here on behalf of the State Building and Construction Trades Council.
• Keith Dunn, here on behalf of the State Building and Construction Trades Council.
• I'm going to sing a song that you've heard before, but I represent hundreds of thousands of workers who
• So that when we get to that transition, a transition supported by the state building construction trades

Summary: The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee heard three main bills after initially lacking a quorum and deferring the consent calendar. SB 501 by Senator Allen would expand California’s battery extended producer responsibility program to include medium-format batteries, such as those used in e-bikes, lawn equipment, and portable power systems. Supporters from local governments, recycling groups, environmental organizations, and battery stewardship interests said the bill would reduce fire risks, improve collection and recycling, and close a gap in existing law. One industry witness sought clarification about off-highway vehicles and a battery association requested guardrails for mixed battery formats; the California Retailers Association moved from opposition to neutral after discussions with the author. SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar would create a statewide, state-funded low-income drinking water rate assistance program administered by the State Water Resources Control Board, contingent on funding. The author and supporters said many Californians face water debt and that the bill would help address affordability while working around Proposition 218 limits on local ratepayer-funded assistance. Water districts, local governments, environmental justice groups, and conservation organizations testified in support, and there was no opposition. SB 1259 by Senator Blakespear, as amended, would require refineries to provide advance information on closure, cleanup costs, and timelines to help communities plan for refinery transitions and remediation. Supporters, including the City of Benicia, environmental justice groups, and advocacy organizations, argued that communities need transparency before closures occur and that other energy sectors already provide similar planning information. Opponents from labor, petroleum, and business groups argued the bill was unnecessary, burdensome, and could discourage refinery investment or signal premature decline of the industry. After extensive debate, the committee voted to pass SB 1259 as amended to the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee, and also approved SB 501 and SB 1125; the consent calendar items SB 1253 and SJR 13 were adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• One hydrogen production project alone in Lancaster, called Element, is creating 1,200 union construction
• Jeremy Smith here on behalf of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California.
• It removes critical safeguards for workers and our customers.
• that are the same workers that do the safety on behalf of utilities, give me a sense of comfort to know
• , utility workers, and firefighters.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on utility affordability, transparency, clean energy, and consumer access. SB 327 would bar investor-owned utilities from using ratepayer funds to oppose municipal utility formation and would clarify the Public Advocates Office’s authority to inspect utility books; supporters framed it as a ratepayer protection and accountability measure, while utilities and industry groups raised concerns about municipalization language and data-request procedures. After discussion about the scope of the bill and existing guardrails from prior legislation, the committee voted SB 327 out on a due pass as amended basis to Appropriations, with the roll left open and later updated to 12-2. SB 1350, a hydrogen bill, would allow renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen in turbines. The author and supporters said it would help California meet clean energy goals, support the Lancaster hydrogen project, and create jobs, while opponents, especially environmental groups, warned about NOx emissions, the risk of paper transactions, and the need for stronger safeguards on feedstocks and delivery. Members discussed amendments already taken and the need for continued work on environmental protections; the committee passed the bill 14-0 to Natural Resources. SB 868 would create a framework for plug-in or balcony solar devices for renters and others without rooftop solar, with safety standards and a cap on system size. Supporters said it would lower bills and expand access to solar, while utilities and some others raised safety and backfeed concerns and asked for more review through existing interconnection processes. The author and witnesses said the devices are small, non-exporting, and covered by safety certifications; the committee approved the bill 17-0, later updated to 18-0, and sent it to Appropriations. SB 1233 would require additional disclosure about utility cash on hand, capital structure, and related information in existing reports to help inform rates and affordability. Utilities opposed the measure as duplicative of existing proceedings and potentially delay-inducing, while supporters said it would improve transparency for ratepayers. The committee passed SB 1233 10-3 to Appropriations. The committee also dispensed with the consent calendar, passing the remaining consent items, including SB 925, SB 667, SB 952, SB 742, SB 929, SB 943, and SB 1138, and noted that SB 905 had been pulled from the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seven, identifies the funding changes tied to decreasing capital construction assistant project or CCAP
• Our second key funding priority is the Campus Construction Assistance Program. for the construction of
• If you look at a social worker, it's most likely a UHD graduate.
• We do have one capital construction request. The amount is $12 million over the binding.
• They've already constructed. They're in the process of constructing $100 million. cancer facility.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Evidence in a civil action—ODG treatment guidelines specifically designed for the workers' compensation
• Putting aside several other things, ODG, in which I ran comprehensive workers' comp clinics for over
• Two years ago, a maintenance worker fell through the skylight of that building, and we got sued.
• Collectively, CRH is the largest supplier of construction materials in the world.
• We're a service and construction company.

Bills: HB4806

Keywords: civil action, damages, health care services, noneconomic damages, negligence, legal standards, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To begin construction, homeowners must qualify for both a short-term construction loan and the long-term
• To begin construction, homeowners must qualify for both a short-term construction loan and the long-term
• only for the period of construction.
• They just need that to begin construction.
• Workers Outreach Program, which is $30 million.

Summary: The committee opened with the State Controller’s Office May Revision requests, including funding for Fiscal book-of-record stabilization, a Broadcom IDMS licensing adjustment, the California State Payroll System, ACFR reporting automation, and $3 million for unclaimed property outreach. Testimony emphasized progress on Fiscal becoming the state’s accounting book of record in July, faster ACFR publication, and the move to electronic unclaimed property claims. Members asked about the size of the unclaimed property fund and how quickly money is transferred to the General Fund; the Controller’s office said about $15 billion is held, with most excess transferred regularly, and the LAO noted the fund is the General Fund’s fourth-largest revenue source. No concerns were raised by Finance or the LAO, and the item was closed after no public comment. The committee then heard the administration’s proposal to tax prewritten digital software and software-as-a-service, with Finance saying it would modernize sales tax treatment and raise an estimated $450 million General Fund and $560 million local revenue in 2026-27. The LAO supported modernizing the tax but suggested broader digital goods coverage and a business-use exemption; industry and taxpayer groups opposed the proposal, warning of higher costs for consumers and businesses. Members also heard CDTFA’s administrative request tied to the proposal, plus a separate CDTFA budget reduction reflecting lower operational needs; that reduction was presented as a savings item and drew positive reactions. Next, the committee considered federal conformity for “Trump accounts,” which would align California tax treatment with federal rules for tax-deferred children’s accounts and avoid tracking burdens for families. The LAO recommended approval, and the item drew no opposition. The committee also heard a proposal to cut the first-year $800 annual business tax to $400 for LLCs, LPs, and LLPs; Finance argued it would lower startup costs and encourage new business formation, while the LAO said the benefit was not well targeted and could subsidize entities that would form anyway. Members discussed the policy tradeoff, and public commenters split between support for small business relief and concern about revenue loss. The final major revenue item was a permanent business tax credit limitation, capping credits at the greater of $5 million per corporation or 50% of pre-credit liability, while excluding the low-income housing tax credit and personal income tax credits. Finance said it would raise significant revenue from large profitable corporations, and the LAO said it was a reasonable option but noted it would mainly affect the R&D credit and could have future implications for programs like California Competes. Public testimony was sharply divided, with business groups opposing the cap and anti-poverty advocates supporting it as a way to recapture revenue. The committee also heard FTB’s CalFile realignment request, which would return most of the direct-file-related resources to the General Fund while retaining a smaller staff to improve CalFile, and the California Arts Council’s request to reauthorize the Keep Arts in Schools voluntary contribution fund, which members and advocates supported despite relatively modest annual donations. The hearing continued with GoBiz proposals on civic media funding, CA RISE reappropriation, and a semiconductor facility reversion, with the LAO supporting the latter two and members raising questions about the civic media program’s scope, outreach, and inclusion of broadcast and ethnic media.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, agencies that manage construction and infrastructure projects experience spending patterns
• If there are not enough foreign, or I'm sorry, domestic workers, then our ag producers can apply to this
• Last year, in 2025, we placed almost 5,000 H-2A workers in our state.
• Another occupation that will sneak into this top five here in the next month or two is construction,
• The bottom, farming, fishing, and forestry, we're seeing less and less of our domestic workers go into

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Leadership Division of the Budget Section approved the prior meeting minutes and then received an update from Senator Jonathan Sickler on the Cash Management Board’s interim work under House Bill 1278. He said the board has reviewed state cash, investments, and liquidity across agencies and concluded the state’s overall mix of long-term and short-term assets is appropriate, with about $35 billion in total liquid assets and investments and roughly 89% in longer-term investments. He highlighted process improvements already underway, including replacing more than 500 six-month CDs with a special-rate savings account to reduce administrative work, and said the board sees opportunities to improve forecasting, automation, and statewide coordination. Members asked about whether the CD change would increase returns, how the Legacy Fund transfer for the homestead tax relief bill affected earnings, and whether more state cash could be consolidated or better managed through BND; Sickler and BND staff said those issues are being studied and may lead to legislation for the 2027 session. Representative Nathan Toman then updated the committee on the Task Force on Government Efficiency. He said the group has focused less on cutting dollars and more on defining metrics and asking how the legislature knows whether programs are working. The task force is pushing a standard set of questions for new or expanding programs—who is affected, expected outcomes, alternatives, how success will be measured, and full funding—and OMB has agreed to require those answers in future budget requests. Members discussed possible use of dashboards, program evaluators, AI tools, and possible rule or statutory changes to require performance measurement. Toman said the task force will continue meeting with agencies such as the courts, university system, auditor, HHS, Commerce, and ITD to identify workflow bottlenecks and potential efficiencies. Phil Davis of Job Service North Dakota gave a workforce update, reporting that North Dakota’s unemployment rate is 2.5% and labor force participation is about 68.7%, both well above national performance. He described Job Service’s 15 workforce programs, including H-2A housing inspections for foreign agricultural workers, the job placement partnership program with DOCR, WOTC, and other federal and state workforce efforts. Davis said the agency served more than 11,000 individuals in 2025, operates nine workforce centers, and tracks outcomes through quarterly and annual reporting. In response to questions, he said job openings data reflect only positions in the system and may understate actual hiring needs, that child care and other assistance programs could be better tied to employment outcomes, and that the DOCR partnership has shown strong results with lower recidivism and higher earnings. He also said the H-2A inspection workload is growing quickly and additional staffing or less frequent federal inspection requirements could help. Allen Knutson then presented S&P Global’s updated revenue forecast. He said oil prices have risen sharply since the prior month’s outlook, improving the state’s near-term revenue picture, though the economy remains volatile and agriculture is facing weaker commodity prices. Based on the updated forecast, total major tax revenues for the current biennium are projected to be about $89 million above the legislative forecast, and the next biennium could be about $500 million higher, though that estimate is preliminary and may change. He also walked through an alternate oil-price scenario showing significantly higher oil and gas collections and a larger Strategic Investment Fund balance if prices remain elevated. Members asked whether another forecast should be requested once oil markets stabilize and about tribal allocation changes in the alternative scenario; Knutson said additional updates are possible through OMB and future forecast cycles.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think Senator Johnson is going to suggest a guest worker program.
• So if we were to replace every unauthorized worker with every.
• If we were to take every unemployed, eligible Texas worker and replace an ineligible unauthorized worker
• I share your goal that ideally all of these workers will be here working.
• Department, sanitation and public health workers.

Bills: HCR35, SJR59, SJR84, SCR30, SB127, SB317, SB324, SB457, SB506, SB511, SB529, SB547, SB584, SB619, SB636, SB646, SB659, SB715, SB732, SB735, SB771, SB784, SB800, SB801, SB904, SB1026, SB1049, SB1065, SB1181, SB1224, SB1250, SB1383, SB1467, SB1524, SB1528, SB1531, SB1568, SB1585, SB1640, SB1681, SB1754, SB1757, SB1777, SB1972, SB1980, SB2007, SB2041, SB2046, SB2050, SB2055, SB2069, SB2080, SB2119, SB2138, SB2139, SB2154, SB2201, SB2225, SB2268, SB2306, SB2308, SB2310, SB2330, SB2366, SB2375, SB2392, SB2401, SB2422, SB2480, SB2514, SB2530, SB2533, SB2543, SB2544, SB2589, SB2610, SB2615, SB2623, SB2660, SB2662, SB2693, SB2695, SB2707, SB2722, SB2742, SB2753, SB2807, SB2843, SB2844, SB2858, SB2880, SB2885, SB2891, SB2925, SB2938, SB2986, SJR3, SJR18, SB5, SB914, SB963, SB1197, SB1415, SB1437, SB1786, SB326, SB767, SB769, SB783, SB1035, SB1271, SB1619, SB1637, SB1806, SB1, SB260, HB135, HB1109, HCR35, HCR64, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SJR84, SJR59, SCR12, SCR39, SCR48, SCR19, SCR30, SCR3, SB2023, SB619, SB2742, SB646, SB1026, SB2880, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB1073, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB1502, SB507, SB1434, SB1376, SB1585, SB1772, SB2016, SB1163, SB1122, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB261, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB529, SB209, SB2429, SB1999, SB511, SB2309, SB510, SB584, SB1085, SB2046, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB1524, SB636, SB2056, SB884, SB517, SB1200, SB1845, SB1863, SB2681, SB2200, SB2199, SB1757, SB2050, SB2458, SB2201, SB2660, SB2662, SB1065, SB801, SB2533, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB1721, SB2366, SB1013, SB2797, SB2383, SB1754, SB2119, SB2448, SB1777, SB1283, SB2392, SB2076, SB2786, SB2876, SB2284, SB2225, SB1540, SB2929, SB1972, SB2540, SB2595, SB2217, SB715, SB2330, SB1383, SB500, SB1640, SB2001, SB2080, SB506, SB2514, SB2753, SB2398, SB1241, SB2927, SB2173, SB2538, SB898, SB1449, SB2529, SB1531, SB2846, SB2476, SB986, SB1181, SB2075, SB2154, SB2864, SB1359, SB2386, SB771, SB2844, SB2550, SB1351, SB1423, SB1931, SB2245, SB2589, SB2707, SB2807, SB410, SB659, SB2776, SB2693, SB2580, SB1980, SB1886, SB1234, SB739, SB456, SB127, SB1666, SB2843, SB2801, SB800, SB2055, SB784, SB2986, SB735, SB1012, SB324, SB2926, SB2938, SB2007, SB2138, SB1242, SB2615, SB1049, SB2310, SB1224, SB2972, SB1568, SB2841, SB2885, SB3016, SB2858, SB2610, SB2139, SB1856, SB2035, SB2308, SB2306, SB2041, SB1528, SB1681, SB1141, SB2401, SB2530, SB2375, SB547, SB1266, SB1373, SB1467, SB2069, SB2269, SB2480, SB2544, SB672, SB904, SB2695, SB2891, SB2422, SB2543, SB1854, SB317, SB2539, SB2532, SB2925, SB1250, SB2082, SB2203, SB457, SB2357, SB2721, SB243, SB1285, SB2568, SB1959, SB1442, SB1454, SB2520, SB2541, SB1708, SB1237, SB1844, SB1586, HB1392, HB22, SB1551, SB3039, SB2819, SB66, SB629, SB1015, SB2342, SB2903, SB2933, SB1965, SB2477, SB3029, SB2605, SB2419, SB1957, SB375, SB250, SB777, SB628, SB2523, SB2367, SB2703, SB2608, SB2778, SB3044, SB2965, SB2521, SB865

Keywords: spaceports, tax-exempt bonds, aerospace investment, Texas space economy, Federal legislation, education funding, Texas State Technical College System, capital projects, infrastructure, higher education, tax exemption, property tax, homestead, fire damage, constitutional amendment, Birding Capital, Matagorda County, wildlife, conservation, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• Next is Senate Bill 2225 by Senator Ramos, an act to amend the labor law in relation to modular construction
• Next is Senate Bill S. 6078 by Senator Parker: an act to amend the workers' compensation law in relation
• Joseph was a worker for transit. I worked during COVID.
• Next is Senate Bill 6376 by Senator Scarcella-Spanton: an act to amend the workers' compensation law
• relation to keeping insurance carriers and employers from withholding certain benefits from injured workers

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Labor, chaired by Senator Jessica Ramos, met for its sixth meeting of the 2026 session and considered seven bills. The committee advanced bills on the minimum wage for employees with disabilities (S-28C), modular construction work (S.2225), COVID-19-related workers’ compensation death benefits (S.6078), withholding of workers’ compensation benefits based on attachment to the labor market (S.6376), paid sick leave eligibility (S.8677), mandatory disclosures in job advertisements (S.8877), and construction reporting pay-up (S.9843). Several members voiced support for the bills, and Senator Rhoads gave extended remarks in favor of S.6078, describing it as a needed reopening of the filing period for families who missed the deadline during the pandemic. Most measures were reported out of committee with little opposition. S-28C was reported to the Disabilities Committee, S.6078 and S.6376 were reported to Finance, and S.8677, S.8877, and S.9843 were reported to the calendar. The committee took voice votes on each bill, with some recorded abstentions or absent-without-recommendation responses noted, but no roll-call vote was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• With the workforce demands of a growing construction industry.
• I represent the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council.
• My name is Philip Ramirez, and I run a construction company for our family...
• I run a construction company for our family.
• And I think part of that is because there were a lot of mature workers there.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The House Labor, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee met to hear House Bill 7, sponsored by Representative Garrett and Representative Cates, which would continue and support apprenticeship and workforce training funding. The sponsors and the Department of Workforce Solutions described strong growth in apprenticeship participation, especially in the building trades, and said the fund has helped expand programs while maintaining high retention and employment outcomes. They emphasized that the bill would provide predictable, sustained investment in skilled labor needed for construction, infrastructure, and other growing sectors. Supportive testimony came from contractors, chambers of commerce, trade unions, and a small business owner, all of whom said apprenticeship funding is essential to meeting workforce shortages and keeping workers in New Mexico. Committee members asked about program demographics, geographic distribution, rural participation, reentry and high school dropout data, and how apprenticeships connect to displaced workers from energy and industrial closures. The secretary explained that the department uses Rapid Response and economic transition programs for layoffs and closures, and also surveys current energy workers to gauge retraining interest. Several members praised the bill’s return on investment and retention of workers in the state, while Representative de Rassas suggested adding more public transparency and performance metrics. Representative Ortiz asked about future funding after 2031 and whether the program could scale with more money. After discussion, Representative Hall moved a do pass, Representative de Rassas seconded, and the committee approved House Bill 7 with no opposition. The chair also announced upcoming committee meetings and asked members to consent to sharing contact information for committee purposes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Construction, for instance? Zoning?
• share back here with our workers um share back here with our workers um trying<01:12:07.320> to
• But can you tell me, of all of the construction unions, all of whom are going to benefit from the construction
• The construction cost would have been a lot less, but that ship has sailed.
• <01:36:40.280> and uh during the construction of nasid and uh during the construction of nasid

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with HB 934 on broadband and digital equity. Testifiers from the Lieutenant Governor’s office, the Office of Enterprise and Technology Services, DCCA, the University system, the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and others generally supported the measure and emphasized the need to coordinate broadband efforts, fund operations, and expand access to high-speed internet, devices, and digital navigation services. The Chamber of Commerce and West Coast Comprehensive Health Center supported the bill but objected to HD1 language excluding broadband infrastructure for retail service, warning it could create unintended consequences and limit community-led or rural projects. The Lieutenant Governor explained the state expects roughly $400 million to $500 million in federal broadband funding, described the bill as consolidating efforts under a broadband office attached to the CIO, and said the office would focus on infrastructure, devices, and training. No vote was taken on HB 934 in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 97 on travel insurance. The Insurance Division said it had no major problem with the product but requested technical changes to align with licensing requirements and noted the bill largely codifies practices already used in the industry. Industry witnesses from Allianz and the U.S. Travel Insurance Association said the measure would create a consistent framework, add consumer protections, and align Hawaii with the NAIC model adopted in many other states. Members questioned whether there was a specific problem the bill was solving, and the division responded that it was mainly a framework and form-review measure rather than a response to a known enforcement issue. The bill was discussed but no final action was reported in the excerpt. HB 448 on technology enablement drew broad support from the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Food Industry Association, and other business representatives. Supporters said the measure would help businesses use technology such as digital platforms, e-commerce, robotics, and AR/VR to improve competitiveness, especially in tourism and other sectors. Committee members pressed for clearer scope, cost estimates, and assurances that local companies would be used; the agency said it would prioritize local-first contracting, use federal NIST-related support where possible, and estimated an initial request of about $200,000, though it could not give a firm total. Members expressed concern that the plan was still too undefined. The committee then began HB 455 on small business loans, where the Attorney General suggested explaining why a special fund is needed, and a witness from H Collaborative said the bill would help startup businesses that struggle most to access capital.

Transcript Highlights:

• farm worker pay.
• Yet, despite the essential nature of this work, farm workers too often remain among the lowest paid workers
• workers, if your true intent is to help farm workers, then we have to bend the cost curve.
• There is no agriculture without farm workers.
• There is no agriculture without farm workers.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• reduce construction timelines for housing projects.
• reduce construction timelines for housing projects.
• Why would it be so difficult to have insurance for the construction of this type of housing?
• That difference does not go to artists, venues, or workers.
• My name is Victoria Montoya, and I am an ex-farm worker.

Keywords: 987, senate, all