Transcript Highlights:

• I've had a long career in public service in both government and nonprofit organizations.
• I've had a long career in public service in both government and nonprofit organizations.
• In addition to my economic development work, I have served on numerous nonprofit and public boards over
• I have served on numerous nonprofit and public boards over the years, including more than eight years

Summary: The joint meeting of the Senate Finance, Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, and Transportation committees considered four nominations to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board: Melanie Hartzog, Jeanette Sadecott, Matthew Rand, and James O’Donnell. Each nominee gave opening remarks describing their public service or transportation-related experience and their interest in issues such as affordability, accessibility, state of good repair, regional connectivity, and transit safety. Senators also raised concerns about MTA transparency, the 2025-29 capital plan funding gap, fare and toll evasion, worker safety, and the need for better service in underserved areas. Members pressed the nominees on several policy questions, including the feasibility of free or reduced-fare buses, expanding bus service and bus lanes, restoring Hudson Valley and Harlem Line service, improving west-of-Hudson and Rockland County transit, and advancing the Second Avenue Subway and accessibility projects. The nominees generally said they were open to studying these ideas, emphasized collaboration with the MTA, governor, mayor, and legislature, and supported greater transparency and investment in transit infrastructure. Senators also highlighted labor concerns, including the MTA workers’ contract and safety for bus operators and other transit workers. At the end of the hearing, the committees voted separately on each nomination. Melanie Hartzog, Jeanette Sadecott, Matthew Rand, and James O’Donnell were each approved by the committees and advanced to the Senate floor. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We honor nonprofit leaders and founders of organizations that serve the underserved and create educational
• In 2019, she launched DemoChicks, a nonprofit empowering young women to pursue construction, engineering
• She is a proud mother and wife, with more than a decade in nonprofit leadership. ...children and families
• She is a proud mother and wife, with more than a decade in nonprofit leadership, as well as an advocate

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and suspended several rules and journal requirements to facilitate the floor session and a budget subcommittee hearing notice. The chamber then took up Senate Concurrent Resolution 114, designating March 15–21 as National Surveyors’ Week. Senator Grove spoke in support, emphasizing the historical importance of surveyors and their role in infrastructure, property rights, and California’s economy. The resolution passed by unanimous roll call vote, 40-0, and Grove introduced Christy Ashay, president of the California Land Surveyors Association, as a guest. The main item of the day was Senate Resolution 76 recognizing Women’s History Month and honoring 42 women from across California. Senator Menjivar presented the resolution, highlighting women’s leadership and the need to continue advancing equity, pay protections, and opportunity. Senators Richardson, Pérez, Hurtado, Rubio, Wahab, and others spoke in support on behalf of the Black, LGBTQ, Latino, Jewish, AAPI, and other caucuses, each underscoring the contributions of women in public service, civil rights, labor, science, education, and community leadership. The resolution passed unanimously, 40-0. After the vote, the Senate proceeded with an extended recognition ceremony for the 42 Women of the Year honorees from Senate districts statewide, with brief biographies read into the record. The session also included an adjournment in memory of James Bernard Peth, offered by Senator Ashby, who described his work as a teacher, coach, and community volunteer. The Senate announced it would recess and reconvene on March 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• We honor nonprofit leaders and founders of organizations that serve the underserved and create educational
• In 2019, she launched DemoChicks, a nonprofit empowering young women to pursue construction, engineering
• She is a proud mother and wife, with more than a decade in nonprofit leadership.
• She is a proud mother and wife, with more than a decade in nonprofit leadership, as well as an advocate

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and suspended several rules and notices for floor business. The chamber approved the journals for March 9–12, 2026, and suspended Joint Rule 62(a) to allow a Budget Subcommittee on Education hearing on item 6120 with short notice. The body then took up third reading items, beginning with SCR 114 designating March 15–21 as National Surveyors’ Week. Senator Grove spoke in support, emphasizing the historical importance of surveyors and their role in infrastructure, land ownership, and economic development. The resolution passed unanimously, 40-0, and Grove introduced guest Christy Ashay, president of the California Land Surveyors Association. The Senate next considered SR 76 recognizing Women’s History Month and honoring 42 women from across California. Senator Menjivar led the resolution, highlighting women’s contributions and calling for continued policy work on equity, pay, and opportunity. Senators Richardson, Perez, Rubio, Wahab, and others spoke in support on behalf of the Black, LGBTQ+, Latino, Jewish, AAPI, and other caucuses, citing women’s historic and ongoing leadership and the need to address persistent inequality. The resolution was adopted unanimously, 40-0. After the vote, the Senate proceeded to a lengthy floor ceremony recognizing the Women of the Year honorees from each district, with brief biographies read into the record for community leaders, educators, public safety officials, veterans, advocates, business owners, and others. The session concluded with an adjournment in memory of James Bernard Peth, offered by Senator Ashby in honor of the father of Senate Ethics Committee Chief Counsel Aaron Peth. The Senate announced it would recess and reconvene on March 19, 2026, at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• We honor nonprofit leaders and founders of organizations that serve the underserved and create educational
• In 2019, she launched Demo Chick, a nonprofit empowering young women to pursue construction, engineering
• She is a proud mother and wife, with more than a decade in nonprofit leadership.
• Teresa Alvarez is a proud mother and wife, with more than a decade in nonprofit leadership, as well as

Transcript Highlights:

• what you have before you today for consideration is a sales and use tax exemption for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
• a</c><00:14:40.399><c> 501c3</c> exemption for a 501c3 exemption for a 501c3 uh<00:14:42.320><c> nonprofit
• 43.839><c> a</c><00:14:44.000><c> hope</c><00:14:44.639><c> house</c><00:14:45.199><c> for</c> uh nonprofit
• It's a hope house for uh nonprofit.

Transcript Highlights:

• employees in the event of an injury or illness, policies that build capacity of private sector nonprofits
• and nonprofits to recruit, hire, train, and retain disabled workers, policies that encourage development
• employees in the event of an injury or illness, policies that build capacity of private sector nonprofits
• and nonprofits to recruit higher, train and retain disabled workers, policies that encourage development

Summary: The Disability Employment Subcommittee met with roll call, approved prior meeting minutes, and began with an inspirational quote from Jane Goodall about every individual mattering and making a difference. Members introduced themselves and described their roles in disability services, workforce policy, accessibility, and advocacy. The committee then welcomed Katia Alpanis and Dina Klumkina from the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED), who explained that SEED provides technical assistance, research, peer-state examples, and policy support to help states improve disability employment outcomes. SEED presented seven broad policy areas where states are active: career readiness and work-based learning, behavioral health supports, stay-at-work/return-to-work programs, employer recruitment and accommodation supports, entrepreneurship and disability-owned business development, interagency coordination, and state-as-model-employer initiatives. They shared examples from other states, including scholarship and transition policies, peer support training, accommodation funds, procurement goals, and state hiring strategies. Members asked about SEED’s role in Massachusetts, digital accessibility, and the status of PEAT; SEED said PEAT has been refunded and that SEED’s role is policy-focused rather than implementation-focused, though it can connect Massachusetts with peer states and examples. The discussion then narrowed to two possible Massachusetts projects: developing a state-as-model-employer roadmap and creating a youth/young-adult employment and volunteer pipeline, especially for transition-age individuals. Members noted related state efforts, including the governor’s executive order reestablishing a disability policy subcommittee, the commission’s Meeting the Moment series, and the need to help people navigate upcoming work requirements and transition cliffs. SEED agreed to follow up with a questionnaire and draft briefs on Massachusetts analysis, career readiness, and state-as-model-employer policies, and the group planned an offline follow-up to define priorities and scope.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a great coalition with law enforcement and nonprofit associations and our family justice center.
• this and just encourage us all to go back home and collaborate with our local law enforcement and nonprofits
• Law enforcement and nonprofits and family justice centers to make sure that we put an end to this crisis
• women walked through those doors and walked out changed, now serving at every level of government, nonprofit

Transcript Highlights:

• Someone in an agency, a town office, a business, a nonprofit, a classroom, or a courtroom.
• c><00:01:52.320><c> a</c><00:01:52.640><c> business,</c><00:01:53.280><c> a</c><00:01:53.520><c> nonprofit
• ,</c> a town office, a business, a nonprofit, a town office, a business, a nonprofit, a<00:01:54.880>

Transcript Highlights:

• We work with landowners, with agencies, with fellow nonprofits, and with you.
• Breaking that down a bit and focusing on the land protection side, we, as a nonprofit land trust like
• And your nonprofit partners are ready. Thank you. Seeing broad demand from landowners.
• And your nonprofit partners are ready to step up.

Summary: The Committee on Agriculture met to hear updates on land conservation and agricultural preservation programs. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services presented on the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, explaining that it protects active agricultural lands through conservation easements while keeping land in private ownership and on the tax rolls. The director said the program requires participants to use agricultural best management practices, noted strong demand with 428 ranked projects for 2025, and reported that consistent legislative funding and partnerships with USDA, DOD, local governments, land trusts, and water management districts have expanded acreage protected, much of it within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Committee members asked about eligibility, ranking, local government involvement, and how many projects are typically funded each year. Conservation Florida’s president and CEO testified that both Rural and Family Lands and Florida Forever are critical and complementary tools for preserving working lands, wildlife habitat, water resources, and public access to nature. She warned that uncertainty or cuts in state funding can stall projects, raise land prices, and reduce conservation momentum. In discussion with senators, she said public access is often negotiated case by case and is more common on lands acquired for parks, forests, and other public green space than on conservation easements. The Department of Environmental Protection then updated the committee on Florida Forever, describing it as the state’s premier conservation and recreation land acquisition program. DEP said Florida Forever uses both conservation easements and fee-simple purchases, with about half of acquisitions done through easements, and emphasized that steady funding is needed to keep projects moving. The deputy secretary reported 60 projects on the current work plan, more than $1.4 billion invested since 2019, and recent acquisitions including new state forest, park, and preserve expansions. Members also raised concerns about payment in lieu of taxes for fiscally constrained counties, local notification of acquisitions, and the need for continued support for agriculture, citrus, roads, and conservation funding. No formal votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after member comments and public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• on social media or during a television broadcast appealing to the public to consider supporting nonprofits
• Will have any connections to the nonprofit. I put those kind of situations in a separate category.
• Please contribute, please help, and really not even because I'm doing it, but because there's a local nonprofit
• , literally a nonprofit, in the community, and just, you know, I use a hashtag community effort in my

Committee: House Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• I know there are several people, and I’d like to put together with the nonprofit caucus that would be
• and I'd like to put together with people and I'd like to put together with the<00:12:48.560><c> nonprofit
• 49.560><c> that</c><00:12:49.680><c> would</c><00:12:49.800><c> be</c><00:12:50.279><c> very</c> the nonprofit
• caucus that would be very the nonprofit caucus that would be very interested<00:12:50.800><c> in</c>

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection met with a quorum and considered two bills. House Bill 131, sponsored by Rep. Michael Meredith, would give certain former second-class cities more flexibility to change firefighter schedules without a collective bargaining agreement, allowing alternative schedules such as 24-on/72-off and a 48-on/72-off pattern. Meredith said the measure was developed with the Kentucky League of Cities and Kentucky Professional Firefighters and was permissive rather than mandatory. Senators generally supported the bill, noting it would not affect departments that want to keep their current schedules. The committee then heard House Bill 136 from Rep. Jared Bowman, with testimony from Josh Crawford of the Georgia Center for Opportunity. The bill would require more comprehensive annual reporting from the Department of Corrections so lawmakers can better evaluate sentencing, parole, recidivism, rehabilitation, and re-entry outcomes. Supporters said Kentucky currently relies too much on anecdote and incomplete data, and that better information would help direct funding and policy decisions; Bowman also tied the bill to follow-up on last year’s criminal justice reforms. Some members praised the data-gathering effort and discussed possible future tweaks, while one senator criticized HB 5 and said the data should have been collected earlier. Both bills were advanced unanimously by the committee and sent to the Senate floor with favorable consideration. The chair also announced a reminder about the Kentucky National Guard briefing and aerial flight event RSVP deadline.

Transcript Highlights:

• AND NETWORK WE HAVE AND CONTINUED TO EXPAND WITH OTHER RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, NONPROFITS
• RELEVANT HERE IS WHATEVER SUPPORT WE GENERATE IN THE STATE THROUGH A PRIVATE SECTOR, PUBLIC SECTOR, NONPROFITS
• AND THIS IS AGAIN THIS MODEL I AM PRESENTING TO YOU OF MARRYING PRIVATE SECTOR, PUBLIC SECTOR, NONPROFITS
• CREATE CLUSTERS THAT EXCELLENCE AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE WE HAVE PRIVATE SECTOR, PUBLIC SECTOR, NONPROFITS

Transcript Highlights:

• Faulner relating to nonprofit Faulner relating to nonprofit agricultural organization. agricultural
• agricultural organization. nonprofit agricultural organization. nonprofit agricultural organization.
• The nonprofit emergency care. Yeah. The nonprofit emergency care. Yeah.
• members of an organ of a nonprofit members of an organ of a nonprofit organization.
• Who regulates that nonprofit? regulates that nonprofit? regulates that nonprofit?

Bills: SB 1 , HB 500 , SB 1 , HB 1400 , HB 1094 , HB 365 , HB 1109 , HB 647 , HB 500

Transcript Highlights:

• critical funds for charities, veteran groups, youth sports, fire relief associations, and community nonprofits
• restaurants, generate additional charitable gambling activity like pull tabs, and help community nonprofits
• 02:19.240><c> and</c><00:02:19.480><c> help</c><00:02:19.840><c> community</c><00:02:20.600><c> nonprofits
• </c> tabs, and help community nonprofits tabs, and help community nonprofits continue<00:02:21.800><c

Summary: The meeting was a press event and advocacy push for HF 4090 and SF 4515, bills that would modernize Minnesota’s charitable meat raffle rules. Speakers, including Amanda Jackson of Allied Charities, Rep. Jim Nash, Sen. Judy Seeberger, and Sen. Zach Duckworth, argued that the current ticket and prize limits are decades old and no longer reflect inflation or current meat prices. They said raising the ticket cap to $5 and the prize limit to $200 would help charitable organizations keep raffles attractive and financially viable without expanding gambling overall. Testimony from representatives of the American Legion and a youth wrestling club emphasized that meat raffles help fund veterans’ programs, youth sports, scholarships, travel costs, and other local needs. Speakers also said the events support bars, restaurants, and local meat markets, and that the money stays in the community. Several lawmakers described the proposal as bipartisan and noncontroversial, while also criticizing efforts to tie it to other legislative disputes. One speaker said the Senate had just taken a procedural step to bring the bill directly to the floor, and another said the conference committee report had failed but could still be revived. The event concluded with a mock meat raffle demonstration and a call for a clean vote on the legislation. No formal committee vote on the bill was taken during the transcript, but the speakers said the measure remained alive procedurally and positioned for further action in the Senate and House.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bianca also co-founded the poetry-based nonprofit Ruth Stonehouse in Brandon, where she brings beauty
• 04:46.160><c> poetry-based</c> also co-founded the poetry-based also co-founded the poetry-based nonprofit
• > Ruth</c><00:04:48.400><c> Stonehouse</c><00:04:49.120><c> in</c><00:04:49.440><c> Brandon,</c> nonprofit
• Ruth Stonehouse in Brandon, nonprofit Ruth Stonehouse in Brandon, where<00:04:50.479><c> she</c><00:
• The 14 nonprofit member organizations of the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence serve

Transcript Highlights:

• The meals are to be provided by a Washington state-based nonprofit organization to the extent possible
• This bill also prioritizes Washington state or Washington-based nonprofits and providers whenever feasible
• implementing the waivers, nutrition benefits prioritize Washington taxpayer dollars to support local nonprofits
• Still, at 82, he runs a veterans nonprofit for Native American veterans.
• Emergency Food Network is a nonprofit that serves as a regional distributor of food to more than 75 food

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee met on the first day of the 2026 session and heard a briefing and public testimony on Senate Bill 5966 concerning medically tailored meals. Committee staff explained that the bill would define medically tailored meals and set statewide standards for meals provided through state programs, emphasizing medical guidance, dietary and cultural accommodations, and prioritizing Washington-based nonprofit providers when possible. Senator T’wina Nobles, the sponsor, said the bill is intended to create a clear baseline for quality and accountability without expanding benefits or creating a new program, but rather to streamline and standardize existing efforts. Testifiers in support described existing medically tailored meal and food box programs already operating in Washington. Representatives from Meals on Wheels, Chicken Soup Brigade, Cascadia Produce, Emergency Food Network, and Meals on Wheels Spokane said these programs improve health outcomes for people with chronic conditions, support recovery, and help keep people stable in their communities. They also emphasized that local providers, volunteers, farmers, and food businesses benefit when state dollars stay in Washington. Several members asked whether the bill would create a new system; supporters said it would instead coordinate and standardize current waiver-based and contract-based services. Questions also touched on funding sources, delivery costs, and the role of Medicaid and other programs. The committee temporarily set aside the bill to hear from newly appointed DSHS Secretary Angela Ramirez, who outlined the department’s reorganization into new administrations and said the goal is to reduce silos, improve customer experience, and make services easier to navigate. She also briefed members on federal HR1-related changes affecting SNAP and Medicaid, including work requirements, immigrant eligibility changes, and tribal consultation, and said DSHS is developing a verification hub to reduce administrative burden. Members raised concerns about implementation, data collection, and how to avoid benefit loss due to paperwork issues. After the secretary’s presentation, the committee resumed testimony on SB 5966 and then adjourned without taking a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Daniel Holt, director of the nonprofit Outdoor Discovery Project, and we're trying to create
• The Squally Indian Tribe, along with our partner, the nonprofit Nisqually Community Forest, are purchasing
• The Nisqually Indian Tribe, along with our partner, the nonprofit Nisqually Community Forest, are purchasing
• The Nisqually Indian Tribe, along with our partner, the nonprofit Nisqually Community Forest, are purchasing
• The Nisqually Indian Tribe, along with our partner, the nonprofit Nisqually Community Forest, are purchasing

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held its first meeting of the 2026 session to hear Governor Ferguson’s proposed supplemental capital budget from OFM. Budget staff said the proposal uses nearly all of the roughly $400 million in available bond capacity, leaving about $5.4 million unused, and includes additional funding from the Common School Construction account, the Climate Commitment Account, and federal funds. OFM described housing as the largest priority, with $237 million total, including $225 million for the Housing Trust Fund for affordable rental housing, homeownership, preservation, and manufactured home community acquisition; it also highlighted urgent state facility needs, climate and clean energy investments, natural resource projects, and education funding for school seismic safety, small district and tribal compact school modernization, lead pipe remediation, and higher education preservation projects. Committee members asked about the timing of housing production, and OFM said the proposed supplemental projects would not be completed within the biennium. Public testimony in the housing section strongly supported the governor’s housing investments, especially the Housing Trust Fund, manufactured housing preservation, and homeownership programs, while several speakers asked for larger appropriations for workforce housing, community land trusts, right-to-counsel, and specific local projects such as Thrive Center Tacoma, Alliance Place, Casa Mia, and Native and immigrant community facilities. One testifier criticized overall state tax policy, but the chair clarified that the capital budget is bonded and does not directly raise taxes. Testimony on K-12 education generally supported the proposed funding for small school modernization, seismic safety, and Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools lead remediation, with rural districts emphasizing the importance of planning and construction grants for aging facilities. Higher education witnesses supported preservation and deferred maintenance funding but asked for additional support for projects at Cascadia College, WSU Spokane, UW’s decarbonization work, and other campus infrastructure needs. Natural resources testimony backed Salmon Recovery Funding Board and community forest investments, while asking for more funding for ranked RCO projects. In the final section, local governments and utilities opposed a proposed $75 million transfer from the Public Works Assistance account to the operating budget, warning it would reduce infrastructure lending capacity; other speakers supported the Washington State Green Bank, public works financing, and several local economic development and utility projects. No votes or formal committee action were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the president of River Partners, which is a nonprofit whose mission is to create wildlife habitat
• simple acquisitions, allowing the parks to be more responsive in working with local agencies and nonprofit
• This is the story of dozens of nonprofit partners, of our colleagues across the state.
• This is the story of dozens of nonprofit partners, of our colleagues across the state.
• but encourage this, because I think in the long run we want to try to clear these things, because nonprofit

Committees: House Water, Parks and Wildlife , House Water, Parks, and Wildlife

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several Senate bills focused on water, conservation, parks, and flood protection. SB 224 by Senator Hurtado would require the Department of Water Resources to implement audit recommendations to improve water supply forecasting and climate-change modeling, with annual legislative updates; supporters said better forecasting would reduce water losses and improve transparency. SB 556, also by Hurtado, would fund floodplain restoration in the Tulare Basin and around McFarland to reduce flooding, recharge groundwater, and provide habitat and other co-benefits; local officials, River Partners, and others supported it, and several initially opposed groups moved to neutral after amendments. Senator Allen presented SB 630, which streamlines real property acquisitions for State Parks and raises the threshold for DGS review of state real estate transactions, with supporters saying it would reduce delays and help clear a backlog of small conservation acquisitions. Members raised concerns about oversight and fiscal controls, but the bill passed as amended. Allen also presented SB 718, which would lower hunting and fishing license costs for low-income Californians; supporters described it as an access and subsistence measure, and it passed unanimously as amended. Senator Blakespear’s SB 427 would extend the Habitat Conservation Fund sunset from 2030 to 2035, preserving a $30 million annual funding stream for habitat, parks, and related conservation projects. Supporters emphasized its role in climate resilience, biodiversity, and local access, and the bill passed to Appropriations. Senator Jones’s SB 586 on e-moto off-highway vehicles also advanced with little debate, and Senator Ashby’s SB 639 would extend the deadline for Sacramento flood-control areas to achieve urban-level flood protection from 2025 to 2030; city, county, and flood agency representatives said the extension is needed to finish remaining projects and avoid delays to development, and it passed as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those hot meals are also provided by our nonprofit and feeding partners, not from just us.
• additionally facilitated the donation of more than 650 travel trailers to local jurisdictions and nonprofit
• talk about our response, but as we move into the after-disaster actions, after a disaster, many nonprofit
• Nonprofit organizations will deploy to the area of impact and embed themselves at the ground level to
• of availability of fill in the blank in that area, and those local partners and these statewide nonprofits

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee met to continue its review of hurricane impacts and state response. The committee first heard from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which described its four core functions—preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation—and highlighted its 24/7 State Watch Office, regional training efforts, and disaster assistance work. Deputy Executive Director Keith Pruitt detailed the state’s 2024 storm response, including Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, citing large-scale mission support, flood-control deployments, meal and water distribution, power restoration, debris removal, and billions in disaster funding and mitigation dollars. He also discussed debris management challenges and recommended that local governments update and exercise debris plans and maintain contingency contracts.

Transcript Highlights:

• sparked considerable interest, and in May 1926, her efforts resulted in the establishment of the nonprofit
• Interest, and in May 1926, her efforts resulted in the establishment of the nonprofit organization, the
• </c><01:06:40.359><c> and</c><01:06:40.520><c> municipalities</c> to nonprofits and municipalities to
• nonprofits and municipalities throughout<01:06:42.000><c> the</c><01:06:42.080><c> state.
• community-type system that serves a majority of the users who reside in a nonprofit or resident-owned