Video & Transcript Research : 'diversion programs'
Page 72 of 500
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- And uh we can program those Wi-Fi gadgets to uh we can program those Wi-Fi gadgets to uh we can program
- Um, from a programming standpoint, a programming standpoint, a programming standpoint, uh, in the program
- programs.
- as well school sanctioned band program as well school sanctioned band program as well chorus program
- , coral program, vocal group, or program, coral program, vocal group, or program, coral program, vocal
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommitee Aug 22nd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Uninsured Motor Vehicle Diversion Program is the right choice.
- Diversion programs must be about positive change.
- It's a diversion program, so he has to take a course. The course is free.
- policing program.
- programmed into our STIP.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- has received, I'll talk a little bit more about CEPRIT, which is a comparable faculty recruitment program
- It'll enhance graduate programs and faculty quality across those universities in ways that benefit Texas
- This lack of transparency creates inefficiencies and delays, making it difficult for nursing programs
- program, they submit a listing of clinical spots they have entered into agreements with.
- And members, as you can see, none are aggregated in nursing programs across Texas first look to their
Summary:
The Senate Education K-16 Committee heard several bills before recessing to the floor, with most measures left pending subject to the call of the chair. SB 2986 would allow public schools and universities to permit after-hours facility use by religious groups on the same terms as other nonprofits, and SB 1032 would open the Governor’s University Research Initiative to private and independent universities; both had committee substitutes adopted and were left pending after brief testimony. Supporters of SB 1032 from Rice and Baylor said the change would help Texas recruit top researchers and strengthen the state’s research economy. The committee also heard SB 2058, which would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to publish annual data on nursing clinical training sites to improve placement coordination, and SB 2683, which would bar public colleges from giving benefits or recognition to student organizations that receive support from foreign entities of concern; both were left pending after testimony.
A large portion of the meeting focused on SB 2233, which would require public institutions of higher education to adopt policies prohibiting students or employees on nonimmigrant visas from publicly supporting terrorist activity or organizations, with enforcement through investigations, reporting to Homeland Security, and possible Attorney General action and fines. The author said the bill was intended to reinforce existing federal definitions and campus safety, while senators questioned the bill’s scope, the definition of terrorist activity, and the clause tied to U.S. policy or practice. Public witnesses, including civil rights advocates, law students, and others, argued the bill was vague, overbroad, unconstitutional, and likely to chill protected speech and increase surveillance of international students and Black and brown communities; several Jewish witnesses also said the bill misused Jewish safety concerns and could be used for viewpoint discrimination. SB 2233 was left pending after public testimony.
The committee then took up SB 735, which builds on prior Holocaust education legislation by funding optional age-appropriate and bilingual curriculum, museum field trips, teacher preparation partnerships, annual reporting, and regional collaboration with Holocaust museums and education service centers. The author and invited witnesses said the bill responds to survey findings showing uneven Holocaust instruction and a need for better teacher training and accountability. A fifth-grade teacher and the director of the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio testified in support, emphasizing the need for accurate, age-appropriate instruction and professional development. The committee recessed before finishing the agenda, and SB 735 was set to resume after the floor session.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
Hearings to examine the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., of California, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Jan 30th, 2025 at 09:00 am
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Undermining America's vaccine program.
- And they need to be listened to too, and we need to embrace diversity and make room for diversity in
- A gold standard is 12-step programs.
- So yes or no, do you, in your view, do the following programs count as health DEI programs?
- ...access to vaccines and vaccine promotion programs. Yes.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2026-02-11 (4:00PM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- So if a law magnet program or criminal justice program were analyzing the Epstein files and the files
- But at the end of the day, Florida is very diverse.
- But at the end of the day, Florida is very diverse.
- Our ecosystems are extremely diverse. And all of a sudden we have flamingos back.
- I've heard are extremely diverse. And all of a sudden, we have flamingos back.
Summary:
The House convened with prayer, moments of silence for former member Terry Fields and the Parkland victims, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of guests and visitors. The chamber then adopted the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report setting the day’s calendar and debate times. The main measure taken up was HB 1119, relating to materials harmful to minors in public schools and charter schools, which the sponsor described as a clarification of existing law to keep pornographic or sexually explicit material away from minors and to give districts clearer standards for review and objection processes.
The bill drew extensive debate over constitutional concerns, local control, litigation risk, and the scope of the definition of “harmful to minors.” Members supporting the bill argued it was needed to close loopholes and protect children, while opponents warned it could lead to overbroad book removals, conflict with federal court rulings, and costly lawsuits. A series of amendments sought to narrow or redirect the bill: proposals by Gant, Aristide, Bartleman, Eskamani, Nixon, Rainer, Woodson, and Harris would have preserved literary value review, protected educational and abuse-prevention materials, exempted LGBTQ-inclusive books, limited objections, preserved funding for districts, or delayed enforcement during ongoing litigation. Supporters of the amendments framed them as protecting parental choice, academic value, student safety, and district finances; opponents said they would weaken the bill’s child-protection purpose. All of the amendments failed.
After the amendment process, the House waived rules, read HB 1119 a third time by title, and entered structured debate on final passage. Debate continued along the same lines, with opponents emphasizing book removals, First Amendment concerns, and the impact on students and schools, and supporters reiterating that the bill was intended to prevent minors from accessing obscene material. The transcript provided ends during structured debate and does not include the final vote on HB 1119.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Budget Review Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement, and Finance (1-21-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- One of the top things is really the diverse technologies that we have to interface with.
- One, the diversity of this product makes it easier to interface to applications.
- things is really the diverse things is really the diverse technologies<00:06:27.680>
that - One, the diversity of this product ways.
- <00:20:15.440>
is or eliminated once uh uh this program is or eliminated once uh uh this program
Keywords:
1:00 Roll Call
2:38 Overview of Citizen Identity Security and Threat Reduction
9:36 Identity Solution and Casts
13:51 System Application and Discovery Issues
21:31 Staffing and Timelines
29:14 Adjournment, 958, all
Summary:
The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Personnel, Public Retirement, and Finance received a presentation from Jim Barnhard, CIO of the Commonwealth Office of Technology, and David Carter, deputy CIO/CISO, on the state’s citizen identity management project. They said the project is intended to streamline citizen logins across agencies, reduce duplicated identity-management costs, improve security by centralizing authentication, and provide a flexible system that can scale with demand. The presenters described major implementation challenges, including integrating with diverse and legacy applications, and said the chosen software-as-a-service vendor was selected because it can connect to many systems and maintain the service in a federally certified cloud environment.
The presenters emphasized that the project scope is limited to login, authentication, identity management, and identity proofing, while leaving authorization decisions to the individual applications and agencies. They said the work is being done in phases, beginning with discovery sessions with agencies, then selecting representative applications for onboarding rather than attempting a “big bang” rollout. They also said the vendor agreement includes professional services and knowledge transfer to reduce long-term dependence on outside support, and that the state has already begun outreach to agencies, including initial work with the Finance Cabinet and the Department of Revenue.
Members asked about staffing, current spending, future costs, and whether existing systems or contracts could be reduced. The presenters said the project is being supported with existing staff, with no expectation of a large increase in positions, and that the vendor will carry most of the operational load. They said they did not have statewide spending figures with them but could try to gather them, and explained that the negotiated pricing is intended to be all-inclusive, with fixed costs for the first five years and capped increases in years six and seven. They said centralizing identity services should eventually allow the Commonwealth to stand down some duplicated agency-level licensing and reduce overall operational costs.
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- Finally, the bill authorizes state attorneys to create DUI diversion programs and requires Highway Safety
- A final concern today is with the subsection on discretionary diversion programs.
- But unfortunately, the language that requires the completion of that diversion program be placed on the
- She said it is time to update the law and provide a program that is fair and equitable.
- It affects after-school programs, the start times...
Summary:
The committee heard and approved several bills. CS for CS for CS SB 138, Trenton’s Law, would broaden DUI and boating-under-the-influence laws to cover any impairing substance, increase penalties for refusal to submit to breath or urine testing, allow blood warrants in misdemeanor DUI/BUI cases, enhance penalties for DUI with death or vehicular homicide involving prior convictions, and authorize DUI diversion programs. Supporters included law enforcement and prosecutors, who said the bill addresses gaps involving over-the-counter drugs and refusal cases; the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers raised concerns about the breadth of the “any impairing substance” language and record consequences for first refusals. The bill was reported favorably.
The committee also reported favorably SB 400, which removes the repeal date from Florida’s Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children, and CS for SB 102, which creates a workforce credentialing program for exceptional student education students, especially those with autism, to earn badges for job skills and safety-related competencies. SB 102 drew questions about fiscal impact and teacher training, with supporters emphasizing workforce readiness and parent involvement while some members raised concerns about costs and implementation. SB 130, which updates compensation for wrongfully incarcerated people found factually innocent, was also reported favorably after supporters argued Florida’s current law is too restrictive and too few exonerees have been compensated.
The committee then approved CS for CS for SB 296, which repeals the statewide mandate for later middle and high school start times and returns the decision to local districts, while requiring districts to document their analysis of sleep, safety, transportation, and other impacts. An amendment added a reporting requirement to show how districts considered later start times and any unintended consequences. The bill drew broad support from school officials and education groups, with members noting transportation and extracurricular challenges. Finally, SB 234, dealing with criminal offenses against law enforcement officers, was reported favorably after debate over whether the bill should retain “good faith” language and how it would affect defenses and officer accountability. The committee also passed CS for SB 274, designating a portion of International Drive as Harris Rosen Way and adding a memorial designation for the late Senator Geraldine Thompson near the Wells Built Museum; members praised both honorees and the bill was reported favorably. The committee adjourned after recording one member’s request to be shown voting yes on the first bill.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Health Services (3-3-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- This is how that has diversity.
- provides more opportunity more diversity provides more opportunity more diversity for<00:04:13.519
- I would have went to another program, but he did respect that. Why?
- I would have went to another program, but he did respect that. Why?
- Association of sexual assault programs Association of sexual assault programs and<00:38:05.640><
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 132, a health care conscience-protection measure. Supporters said the bill would protect health care professionals from being forced to participate in procedures or services that violate sincerely held religious or ethical beliefs, while explicitly excluding emergency care. They argued it would help recruit and retain providers, preserve ethical integrity in medicine, and has worked in several other states. Supporters also emphasized that the bill is aimed at procedures or services, not at denying care based on who a patient is, and noted that the bill includes a civil cause of action to give it enforcement teeth.
Several supporters described personal experiences. A nurse said lack of conscience protections affected her career choices and limited her path into women’s health. Dr. Warman said he had requested not to perform anesthesia for abortions and later chose non-narcotic pain management because he objected to heavy opioid prescribing, saying conscience protections allow professionals to practice responsibly. Senators asked about examples, the bill’s scope, whether it could be used to discriminate, and which states have similar laws; Mississippi, Florida, Montana, Ohio, South Carolina, and Arkansas were named. Questions also focused on the bill’s civil enforcement provisions and whether it could be used against patients based on identity or religion.
Opponents warned the bill was overly broad and could allow refusals of care by a wide range of health workers, including clerks, ambulance drivers, pharmacists, nurses, and physicians. Dr. Karen Abrams said it could lead to denial of birth control, Plan B, blood transfusions, and other care, especially in rural areas with few alternatives, and could worsen Kentucky’s provider shortages. David Conway said the bill lacked patient protections, could increase delays and discrimination, and could prevent reassignment of objecting staff. The chair noted there were seven people signed up in opposition, limited testimony to two minutes each, and said the committee would return to the bill after hearing additional opposition and other pending bills.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- These would be within the currently operating programs, um, as we see it. Questions. programs.
- programs um as we see it. programs um as we see it. Questions. Thank you, Mr.
- the program if not 100%. the program if not 100%.
- , the program, the spirit of the program, the program, the spirit of the program, but<01:03:49.839
- to use in some treatment uh programs. to use in some treatment uh programs.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 3/11/25
State Government Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- training program training program the<01:19:55.360>
intent <01:19:55.639>of <01:19: - :56.639>
entice the intent of the program was to entice the intent of the program was to entice - We do operate two distinct statewide programs: our language program, grants program, as well as a cultural
- we do operate two distinct program we do operate two distinct program Statewide<01:28:59.040>
- programs our language program Statewide programs our language program grants<01:29:01.320>
program
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session Jun 29th, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- reporting requirement timelines to various grant programs.
- Accountability without creating a new government program.
- That doesn't mean fully funding early release probation services or diversion programs.
- Early release probation services or diversion programs, it means enforcement, convictions, and criminals
- And it funds care for seniors through the PACE program and through other nutrition programs and important
Summary:
The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then moved through a largely procedural session with several unanimous-consent motions, guest introductions, and budget-related trailer bills. Members also adopted resolutions recognizing June as Dairy Month and June 2026 as Electronic Dance Music Month, and later approved H.R. 88 commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Guest introductions highlighted the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Kappa League, Assembly staff member Mukhtar Ali, and Jennifer Levy, who is advocating against drunk driving after the death of her son.
On the floor, the Assembly considered a series of Senate budget trailer bills presented by Assembly Member Gabriel. SB 170 reorganizes housing and homelessness agencies; SB 171 makes labor-related cleanup changes; SB 172 addresses general government, broadband, and NextGen 9-1-1; SB 174 extends remote court hearings and related court provisions; SB 177 advances options related to Medi-Cal and employer contributions; SB 180 extends the California Competes tax credit and conforms tax treatment for certain savings accounts; SB 169 covers transportation and DMV-related provisions; SB 168 creates a zero-emission vehicle incentive program and other clean-energy changes; SB 166 implements natural resources and environmental protection budget items; SB 165 extends the skilled nursing facility financing framework; SB 163 updates developmental services; and SB 135 funds higher education initiatives, including community college enrollment and Cal Grant changes. Most of these measures passed with bipartisan support, though several drew opposition over concerns about bureaucracy, fees, oversight, or policy direction.
The Assembly also passed SB 719, which updates vehicle-related protections for domestic violence survivors, SB 97, an urgency bill making clarifying changes to digital financial asset law, SB 1350, which supports hydrogen and clean energy development, and SB 1344, which aims to reduce meritless lawsuits delaying affordable and supportive housing projects. AB 182, which sets the order for proposition numbers on the November ballot, was approved despite criticism that it manipulates the ballot numbering process. Votes on the measures were recorded, with many passing on strong margins and several transmitted immediately to the Senate or Governor as noted in the proceedings.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Jun 22nd, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The program recognizes women ages 60 and older who volunteer, lead, and commit to having helped honor
- year's remarkable volunteers whose dedication and service embody the spirit of the El Dorado Rose program
- These women, recognized through the program, have devoted countless hours to improving...
- She's more than a program leader, but a living example of the values she champions every day.
- She leads outreach, education, and program implementation efforts for the sidewalk vending program, helping
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- That is a Federal Farm Service Agency program.
- community grant program. community grant program.
- , under the program, under the program, uh<00:30:04.560>
requiring <00:30:05.240>in-person - , to the status of the program, to the status of the program, the<00:32:18.760>
DNR <00:32: - getting getting even our diverse getting getting even our diverse community<00:36:18.840>
to<
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- So we have to make sure we're aligned on public legitimacy, credibility across Hawaii's diverse communities
- , Native Hawaii's diverse communities, Native Hawaiian inclusion, and independent governance voices,
- There are tons of diversity even among tribal models.
- But I also see where it could actually help and support other programs. I'm not saying...
- , are we... solving for economic diversity, are we trying to get a little incremental spin from those
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Government, Elections And Indian Affairs Mar 5th, 2025
House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Just as we do all our diverse communities, as we face national debates that often seek to marginalize
- The biannual payout will allow employees and programs scheduling flexibility and reduce the amount of
- In addition, if you know, there are other programs out there where people are receiving supplemental
- It actually already has five years' worth of pollinator programming.
- What kinds of programs are we going to be running with this research?
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Education Policy and Administration (05/27/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- the computer engaging with the program. the computer engaging with the program.
- Uh, yes, so our program is an online program.
- know what the program is? know what the program is?
- are not participating in a prek program. are not participating in a prek program.
- particular program out of the school. particular program out of the school.
Summary:
The committee opened hearings on SB 69, including a germane amendment on school board votes to accept or reject gifts and donations, and a non-germane amendment creating a virtual early childhood readiness family engagement program for preschool children not yet in kindergarten. Prime sponsor Rep. Glenn Cordelli said the literacy program was modeled on earlier HB 671, would be funded through gifts and donations rather than state appropriations, and would include reporting requirements to the governor and legislature. Members questioned changes from the earlier bill, including the move away from center-based language, the lack of a dollar threshold for school board action on donations, anonymous gifts, and whether the amendment preserved enough evaluation data.
Testimony on the donation provisions raised concerns about broad language, timing, and public-meeting requirements. Rep. Timothy Han and Becky Wilson of the New Hampshire School Boards Association both noted that school districts already have policies and asked how the bill would work for routine donations, anonymous gifts, and situations that might require non-public discussion under right-to-know law. Wilson cited examples such as field-trip scholarships, backpack drives, and sports uniforms, and said the association was not taking a position but wanted clearer guardrails. Rep. Han said school boards may need to discuss some gifts in non-public session and that the bill should better address those circumstances.
On the early literacy amendment, Wilson and others questioned whether the program was sufficiently developed, whether it was appropriate to rely on a primarily online model for very young children, and how it would interact with special education services and IEPs. A representative from Waterford.org, Rob Riley, testified in support, saying the program would be supplementary, adaptive, and family-engagement based, and that Waterford could provide devices and internet access for families who need them. He said the program would work alongside school districts and IEP teams rather than replace existing services. No vote was taken during the hearing; the chair said the committee would later exec the bills and try to get reports in for the calendar.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health Apr 21st, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Since the program was established, Since the program was established in 1970 with bipartisan congressional
- So the program rules were changed, which devastated... ...the entire program system, right?
- So money didn't necessarily decrease, but the program rules changed, which then by principle... ...program
- wrong as it relates to the program.
- The same is true for immunization programs.
Summary:
The subcommittee held an oversight hearing on federal actions affecting California’s public health and family planning systems, focusing first on the freeze to Title X family planning funds and then on broader CDC/public health grant terminations. Chair and members described the cuts as abrupt, harmful, and likely to create major gaps in disease surveillance, vaccination, contraception, STI testing, and other preventive services, while also criticizing the federal administration’s explanation that the actions were tied to DEI or civil-rights compliance. The chair thanked Attorney General Bonta for legal action and said the hearing was intended to document the real-world impacts and inform state budget responses.
Witnesses from Essential Access Health, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, a Central Coast clinic, and other providers said California’s Title X network serves more than half a million low-income patients annually and relies on the funds for staffing, outreach, training, mobile and school-based clinics, and confidential care. They warned that the freeze has already forced reserve spending, delayed services, and could lead to layoffs, reduced hours, longer waits, and fewer appointments, especially for sexual and reproductive health care. Public comment included support for a proposed state backfill of Title X losses, with advocates emphasizing impacts on low-income, LGBTQ+, and communities of color.
On the public health side, CDPH, county health officials, and local health officers testified that the CDC’s rescission of $11.4 billion in grants would affect California by an estimated $840 million and threaten lab capacity, immunization programs, health disparities work, and data systems such as CalConnect and vaccine registries. Sacramento County and others described how the grants supported outbreak response, sequencing, community vaccination clinics, and equity-focused partnerships, and said terminations had already led to canceled appointments, stopped contracts, and layoffs. Several speakers urged the Legislature to preserve and expand state “future of public health” funding and to backfill federal losses, while public commenters from HIV, immunization, labor, and county organizations echoed concerns about workforce losses and worsening health outcomes.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets
Transcript Highlights:
- UMass has a strong track record of incorporating sustainability into our capital program, having reduced
- It's the third-most diverse four-year research institution in the nation.
- You're a great neighbor, and there seems to be a lot of opportunity there to expand your programming.
- We programmed in a billion dollars and we collected $2.4 billion.
- aspect in the workforce, diversity aspect in the contractor base.
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on the BRIGHT Act, a higher education capital bill that would use Fair Share surtax revenue to fund major repairs, modernization, and decarbonization projects across UMass, state universities, and community colleges. UMass leadership described a $4.8 billion deferred maintenance backlog, aging buildings, and the need to modernize facilities, improve accessibility, and reduce emissions. Administration officials said the bill would authorize $2.5 billion in capital funding, split roughly 50-50 between UMass and the rest of public higher education, plus additional targeted funding for housing planning, smaller modernization projects, campus master plans, and workforce skills grants. They emphasized that the financing structure is modeled on the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and would not raise student costs, while also supporting affordability through financial aid and free community college.
Members raised questions about regional equity, the distribution of funds among the five UMass campuses and the 24 state university/community college campuses, project labor agreements, whether the bill would unlock private or federal matching funds, and how the system is preparing for AI and changing workforce needs. UMass officials said project selection is data-driven, based on deferred maintenance, safety, accessibility, sustainability, and programmatic needs, and that the flagship campus in Western Massachusetts would likely receive a large share because of its size and needs. They also said UMass Boston would receive its own share and would not be shortchanged by the Bayside project. On labor, they said PLAs are commonly used and they would follow existing board and building authority policies. On affordability, they said the university has shifted hundreds of millions into need-based aid and that the state’s recent support has helped keep tuition low for many students.
DCAMM and higher education officials said the state’s public campuses account for a large share of state-owned building space and a disproportionate share of operational carbon emissions, making decarbonization a major driver of the bill. They said the legislation would allow larger, more comprehensive projects that can address deferred maintenance, energy efficiency, and program needs at the same time, while also making some projects shovel-ready through the Fair Share supplemental funding already appropriated. A later panel from the State Universities Council of Presidents argued the bill’s authorization is still too small to meet long-term needs and urged the committee to increase the bond cap and ensure a more equitable distribution among segments. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism Committee Aug 20th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Visit California operates with a mission to develop global programs that inspire travel to and within
- Visit California's marketing program is focused on consumers in the other 49 states and visitors from
- Their programs help me increase my budget to be able to piggyback off of many of their programs.
- And we appreciate the diversity of people as well.
- So really important to show the diversity of the state, the diversity of our people, the diversity of
Summary:
The Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism held an informational hearing on the state of California tourism amid declining international visitation and broader economic and political headwinds. Visit California CEO Caroline Betetta said the industry remains a major economic driver, with 2024 visitor spending of $157 billion, 1.2 million jobs supported, and $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, but warned that 2025 forecasts show the first post-pandemic decline in visitation, driven largely by a projected 9.2% drop in international travel. She cited concerns about the strong dollar, visa wait times, border and immigration rhetoric, and a proposed federal visa integrity fee, while emphasizing Visit California’s marketing campaigns and the importance of upcoming mega-events like the World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
A second panel of destination leaders described local impacts and strategies. Visit Sacramento’s Mike Testa said the city has diversified beyond conventions into music festivals, sports, and food events, but noted that international apprehension is affecting events like Terra Madre Americas and that California should do more to incentivize major festivals to stay in-state. Santa Monica Travel and Tourism’s Lauren Salisbury said the city is seeing lower international visitation, especially from Canada, Australia, and Europe, and that wildfire coverage and later federal troop presence in Los Angeles hurt local sentiment and caused cancellations. Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau’s Rhonda Salisbury reported steep drops in international visitation to the gateway region, ongoing concerns about wildfire, reservations, insurance costs, and park access, and praised a new federal requirement for quarterly meetings between national parks and gateway communities.
San Diego Tourism Authority COO Carrie Verbeck-Cappich said tourism is the region’s second-largest sector, but 2025 is softer than 2024, with spending down despite modest visitation growth. She pointed to weaker Canadian and Asian travel, government-related meeting cancellations, and the need for more support to bid on and host major events; she also highlighted border-crossing delays, insufficient federal staffing at ports of entry, and the Tijuana River sewage crisis as major regional issues. Committee members discussed the effects of federal rhetoric, infrastructure, and cross-border conditions on tourism, and several witnesses urged continued support for Visit California, Brand USA, event incentives, and efforts to present California as welcoming and open. Public comment then opened, beginning with testimony from the California Attractions and Parks Association.
VT
Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Caucus of the Whole - 2026-01-13 - 11:15AM
Vermont House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:09:26.480>
encompasses so we know that diversity encompasses so we know that diversity - About half of Generation Z are racially or ethnically diverse, making them the most diverse generation
- Diversity means guarantee inclusion.
- Without inclusion, diversity belong.
- most diverse generation in US history. most diverse generation in US history.
Summary:
The meeting was a respect-in-the-workplace training led by Katrina Megs of Acer (formerly Hickok and Boardman), focused on bias, diversity, inclusion, respectful communication, and the importance of workplace culture in the Vermont General Assembly. She framed the session as a shift away from traditional harassment/discrimination training toward a broader emphasis on respect and kindness, explaining that bias is a normal brain function but becomes harmful when used explicitly against others. She used a short Scategories-style exercise to show how quickly people rely on patterns and assumptions, then connected that to the need to recognize the “whole person” beyond one-dimensional impressions.
The training emphasized that diversity is not the same as inclusion: diversity means representation, while inclusion means people are heard, invited in, and feel they belong. Katrina also cited statistics about demographic change, the diversity of Gen Z, workplace stress, and the importance of inclusion to hiring and retention. She described a respectful workplace as one where people acknowledge others’ worth and dignity through everyday interactions, not just politeness, and discussed practical behaviors such as active listening, body language, avoiding microaggressions, using professional or respectful tone, owning mistakes, respecting boundaries, avoiding gossip and exclusion, and being present in both in-person and virtual settings.
A participant raised concerns that “professional tone” and “professional attire” can be classist and can unfairly target people of color or people from different backgrounds. Katrina responded that the standard should be whether communication is respectful, noting that context and relationships matter and that raised voices are not always the same as disrespect. Another participant referenced a book, “I Am Not Yelling,” about Black women in the workplace and tone bias. The session closed with Katrina explaining why respect matters: it reduces stress, supports mental health and psychological safety, strengthens relationships, improves conflict resolution and problem solving, and increases engagement, morale, productivity, and retention.