Transcript Highlights:

• The first is improving our intelligence and information sharing and then do targeted outbound operations
• But in this arena sharing information that is not a threat to other corporations with the supply chain
• I'm aware that misunderstandings about CBP, what we do... the way that information is shared in the media
• We share information in a much higher level. Just, it's more trustworthy information on there.
• And I agree with you, our Canadians are great partners in terms of sharing information and trustworthy

Keywords: Customs and Border Protection, Rodney Scott, border security, asylum, transparency, Hernandez Rojas, migrant treatment, public testimony

Summary: The meeting centered on the nomination of Rodney Scott to serve as the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Throughout the session, various senators expressed concerns regarding CBP's recent practices, including issues related to border security and the treatment of migrants. Questions were raised about Scott's involvement in previous incidents, particularly surrounding the controversial death of Mr. Hernandez Rojas while in custody, which sparked a heated discussion about accountability and transparency in current border policies. Senators emphasized the importance of balancing efficient border security with humane treatment of individuals seeking asylum.

Transcript Highlights:

• So each of those, and our job is to share information with them.
• We can share that information with you.
• I also shared that information with our city and county as requested.
• I mentioned sharing information on the Hana Lakes Dam.
• We share this information and current projected basin conditions in a couple of different ways.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• information about it. that limit their authority to collect, retain, or share personally identifiable
• of such information, end quote.
• Fusion centers are black-box information-gathering and sharing sites between local governments, state
• any inappropriate information.
• any inappropriate information.

Summary: The committee met as a subcommittee for much of the hearing because it initially lacked a quorum, then later established one and began taking votes. The state auditor gave a status update on ongoing audits, including several JALAC-requested audits in progress, other statutory audits, staffing growth in his office, and the number of new JALAC audits his office could start in the coming months. The committee also heard that one audit request on Prop. 28 was held, and another PUC-related request was moved off consent and heard on the regular calendar. Members then heard and discussed several audit requests. Senator Cervantes presented a request to audit California fusion centers, with witnesses from the FBI and ACLU supporting the need for transparency and oversight; opponents argued the request was politically motivated and could interfere with counterterrorism work. Senator Allen presented a request on CPUC enforcement of Rule 21 interconnection timelines for solar and storage projects, supported by industry and school representatives who described long delays and financial harm, while CPUC staff said the issue was being addressed through workshops and a formal proceeding. Senator Perez presented a request to audit Caltrans’ administration of the former SR 710 extension properties and affordable sales program, citing tenant complaints about maintenance, pricing, and transparency; Caltrans said it was working to complete sales and improve administration. Senator Umberg presented a request to audit the Orange County Board of Education over transparency, contracting, litigation spending, charter oversight, and whistleblower issues, while board representatives said there was no factual basis for an audit and that existing legal remedies had not been invoked. After quorum was established, the committee approved the consent-calendar DMV license revocation audit and then approved the PUC utility timeliness audit and the Caltrans SR 710 audit. The fusion center audit was left on call after a split vote, and the Orange County Board of Education audit continued with testimony from the board’s representatives after the committee had already moved on to other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's fantastic information.
• There's no reason not to share this information and everybody else out doing it themselves.
• They came up here to share some of their information.
• There's a lot of information to share today, so we'll try to move as quickly as we can.
• They're very informative.

Summary: The Budget Section Leadership Division met with a quorum present and approved the March 18 minutes. The committee first heard an update from the Petroleum Council on oil and gas activity, which described North Dakota production as holding steady around 1.1 to 1.2 million barrels per day despite lower prices and market volatility. The presentation emphasized that efficiency gains, longer laterals, and improved completion technology are allowing operators to sustain output while activity shifts north in the Bakken. Members asked about gas taxation, natural gas liquids, flaring, and enhanced oil recovery; the witness said gas is taxed by volume, most liquids are handled through oil lines or gas processing, and the state’s EOR pilot projects and new gas infrastructure are intended to help hold production flat and expand future recovery. The committee then received a presentation from the Tax Department on the federal “big beautiful bill” and its effect on North Dakota income tax collections. The department explained that most of the federal changes were extensions of existing Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, but several items — including the larger standard deduction, senior deduction, tip and overtime exclusions, auto loan interest deduction, and business expensing changes — affect state collections. Revised estimates showed a smaller-than-expected impact on individual income tax, with the department suggesting a net cash effect in the range of roughly $30 million to $35 million when business and individual effects are combined, plus a possible one-time distortion from large oil-field transactions in fiscal year 2025. Members asked which provisions apply to standard versus itemized returns, and the department clarified that most of the individual provisions apply broadly, while the SALT-related item is itemizer-specific. OMB then reported on major capital projects and facility funding. Updates included Capitol grounds improvements such as 18th-floor renovations, wayfinding, augmented reality displays for the Rough Rider Hall of Fame, tree management and lighting studies, and restroom and parking reconfiguration in the tower. OMB also described security upgrades at the governor’s residence, where human remains were discovered on site and are being handled with historical and legal review. The state hospital project in Jamestown remains on schedule for substantial completion in winter 2027 and opening in spring 2028, with costs currently estimated a little over $292 million and a line of credit expected to be drawn in April 2027. The North Central State Office Building in Minot is under construction, with a $5.6 million line of credit already accessed. OMB also reported on the State Facility Maintenance Fund, noting about $1.1 million spent so far on projects such as the Liberty Memorial Building roof and foundation work, Capitol window replacement, boiler replacement, and kitchen remodeling. Finally, Legislative Council staff reviewed the interim compliance report on legislative intent and state trust funds. The report highlighted the status of multiple lines of credit, including those for the state hospital and Minot office building, and noted that the executive budget will likely need to include repayment planning for about $350 million of expected outstanding balances. Other updates included the Bank of North Dakota profit transfer schedule, litigation pool spending, the new Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship, the Missouri River Correctional Center planning effort, HHS items such as FMAP and child care assistance, Job Service’s unemployment insurance modernization project, and DPI school aid turnback estimates. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• It should actually be information that's useful, right?
• But I would agree with what was just shared.
• We do our best and we share information out. A lesson learned we had was the very first LCAP.
• Just a few points: I would agree with what has been shared.
• . sharing as soon as April with their draft LCAPs.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on coherence in California’s education planning and reporting systems, especially the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and related grant plans. Committee chairs and members described widespread frustration with duplicative, lengthy, and sometimes conflicting reporting requirements, while emphasizing that the goal was not to reduce accountability but to make planning more useful, stable, and student-centered. State Superintendent Tony Thurmond also previewed the Governor’s education budget priorities, including expanded learning, community schools, universal transitional kindergarten, literacy supports, and concerns about the proposed Prop. 98 deferral. Panelists from the State Board of Education, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, and the Legislative Analyst’s Office said the LCAP was intended to balance local flexibility with statewide transparency, but has become overloaded by repeated revisions and additional requirements. They argued for fewer core reporting elements, more stability over time, better alignment of planning cycles, and integrated systems that reduce duplication. Fresno County staff described a multi-year calendar and support tools that help districts manage timelines, but said these tools only ease the burden rather than solve the underlying problem. The LAO noted that some newer plans, such as expanded learning and transportation plans, are narrative-heavy and often less informative than separate reporting requirements. Local district leaders and county officials described the practical effects of the current system: staff time diverted from instruction, multiple portals and forms, audit risk aversion, and planning documents that can exceed 100 pages. Several superintendents said coherent systems work best when districts have clear priorities, stable governance, and aligned budgets, and when state requirements are predictable and tied to outcomes like literacy, attendance, and student achievement. The California Federation of Teachers added that coherence also depends on meaningful collaboration with educators, classified staff, parents, and communities. Committee members repeatedly asked whether the state should streamline reporting, create a uniform portal, or develop a more unified grant-reporting structure, and Thurmond said the department was piloting a simplified common form and was willing to work with the Legislature and districts on broader solutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• So what is currently done with that DNA information?
• That has essentially some DNA information for the father and some or potential father and some DNA information
• Kerman, thank y'all for coming to share your story with us to give us this information, but I wanted
• My information is here, your information is there. We all try to figure it out.
• Do they is there information informing a person.

Bills: HB 2646, HB 3941, HB 5153, HB 5155, HB 5394, HB 1106, HB 426, HB 4529, HB 3984, HB 4273, HB 1097, HB 3940, HB 1941, HB 4377, HB 3153

Keywords: child care, task force, high-quality care, affordability, prekindergarten partnerships, foster care, transitional living, Medicaid reform, youth assistance, independent living, services for youth, employment training, educational support, mental health services, health care, public health, child health program, reimbursement, local health entities, maternal health

Transcript Highlights:

• And so knowing how important vaccinations are and the sharing of information around vaccinations, the
• Abortion.ca.gov is a critical resource to share timely and accurate information about abortion access
• I do not have that information. We can get back to you.
• To share some of those with you today.
• an interactive geographic information systems dashboard.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and whether it has already information and whether it has already been<02:14:32.480> shared<02
• <02:14:41.760> sharing,<02:14:42.159> and limits on uh information sharing, and limits
• on uh information sharing, and accountability<02:14:42.880> for<02:14:43.119> violations,<
• get all that information myself and share<02:45:06.720> it<02:45:06.880> willy-nilly.
• Association ends up sharing out personalized information with your entrances, with your address, that

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present. The journal was approved as corrected, several Senate files were given second reading, and House files 5099 through 5102 were introduced. The Rules and Legislative Administration report placed a large group of bills on the May 4 calendar with pre-filing requirements for amendments. The first major floor bill was House File 3426, the annual LCCMR bill appropriating about $102.036 million from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for 108 projects, including a new community grants program. Members spoke in support, emphasizing natural resources, outdoor recreation, and added integrity safeguards; the bill passed 117-15. The House then passed House File 4151, a bipartisan occupational licensing bill for private detectives and protective agents. It ends partnership detective licenses and requires background checks for controlling officers and qualified representatives, while preventing licensure of people with disqualifying offenses from other states or federal law. The bill passed 133-0. After that, the chamber took up Senate File 4760, a public safety package incorporating multiple previously heard House bills and additional provisions. The package included items on recognizing Canadian protective orders, sextortion penalties, gift card fraud, firearm age restrictions, restitution, juvenile detention licensing, corrections data and terminology, chemical irritant disclosure, victims’ rights, BCA fraud statutes, and the private detective bill. Several amendments to Senate File 4760 were adopted, including one inserting House language, one changing the effective date for public-employer discretion provisions, one allowing the Office of the Legislative Auditor to request BCA fingerprints for federal tax information compliance, and one clarifying jail medication provisions. Another amendment, A3, drew a roll call after Representative Duran argued it would keep the current juvenile delinquency age and allow more time to build infrastructure; Representative Feist urged a no vote, citing opposition from other stakeholders. The transcript ends during discussion of that roll call, before the final outcome on A3 or the overall public safety package is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• , helpful information, good information, helpful information, good information, helpful information,
• useful information, information that useful information, information that useful information, information
• and disclosures, and sharing information and disclosures, and sharing information and disclosures, and
• that is shared sure that any information that is shared sure that any information that is shared on
• who has information listed in the listed in the listed in the database is not shared with individuals

Keywords: 920, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sharing additional information. sharing additional information.
• Good information. Awesome.
• Good information. through those. Good information.
• Um, you know, we had limited information. So we again just wanted to meet and share what we knew.
• You know, we had limited information. So we again just wanted to meet and share what we knew.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Cabinet for Health and Family Services 00:00:30 Kentucky Department of Education 00:27:10 Education and Labor Cabinet 00:31:35 Auditor of Public Accounts 00:36:55, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for a budget-only discussion with no bills scheduled for a vote. Members first welcomed a group of high school guests, then heard from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on funding issues for child advocacy centers, domestic violence centers, rape crisis centers, and SNAP. DCBS Commissioner Lisa Dennis and budget director Misty Sammons said the victim-services programs were included in the current baseline budget, but it was too early in the budget process to know final funding levels. They said earlier reports of major cuts were based on a misunderstanding, that conversations with the agencies were ongoing, and that they would provide the committee with the agency’s base-budget information. A member also asked about domestic violence shelter funding, and the cabinet explained that prior one-time money had been used to replace lost federal Victims of Crime Act funds. On SNAP, the cabinet said Kentucky does not expect to need additional money for benefit costs because the payment error rate is about 4%, below the threshold that would trigger added state costs. However, they said the federal HR1 change shifting SNAP administrative costs from a 50/50 state-federal split to 75% state and 25% federal will require additional funding to operate the program. Members praised the eligibility and family support staff for keeping error rates low and asked to be notified quickly if more implementation support is needed. Representative Bojanowski asked whether a specific SNAP administrative cost figure was already in House Bill 500; the cabinet said it was not, and that such an item would be an additional budget request not included in the bill. The committee then heard from the Department for Medicaid Services. Commissioner Lisa Lee and Senior Deputy Commissioner Veronica Judy Cecil described Medicaid fraud-and-abuse monitoring, including a new CMS file and guidance on concurrent enrollment across states. They said DMS refers suspected fraud or abuse to the Attorney General’s office and that the relationship is working well. When asked about using AI, they said the department is not yet using AI but does use internal algorithms to flag potential fraud, waste, and abuse. Finally, Eric Lowry of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services discussed fiscal note processing, saying House Bill 2 is a complex Medicaid bill and that the cabinet is working to set up a meeting with the sponsor; he said the cabinet is responding and hopes to meet on Monday. The committee also briefly heard from the Kentucky Department of Education, where Matt Ross said the existing $7.4 million for school-based mental health services is already in the base budget and that no additional language is needed in House Bill 500 to distribute it, though KDE has requested additional funding to raise the overall appropriation to $18 million.

Transcript Highlights:

• judge District administ rator who share judge District administ rator who share responsibility<00
• I next want to talk about our efforts to improve how we share court records and information with our
• of court records and information.
• of court records and information.
• of court records and information.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee heard a presentation from State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba on the Minnesota judicial branch’s 2026-27 budget request. He outlined the courts’ structure and workload, noting 322 judges, about 2,800 staff, roughly 1 million district court cases annually, and a current budget of about $479 million. Shorba emphasized the courts’ constitutional role, the fact that court fines and fees are deposited into the general fund rather than retained by the branch, and recent legislative investments that helped reduce pandemic-era backlogs, improve technology, sustain treatment courts, and raise interpreter and examiner pay. The budget request focused on several areas: a 6% judicial salary increase to address recruitment and retention problems, including a 15% rise in turnover and a 27% drop in applicants since 2020; funding for health care and office lease cost increases; digital accessibility compliance work required by new federal ADA rules; a modernized justice partner access system for court records; higher pay for forensic psychological examiners, whose workload has risen sharply; increased juror compensation from $20 to $100 per day and mileage adjustments; and ongoing funding for interpreters, jury services, and cybersecurity. Shorba said the total request would be a 12% increase over the FY 2026-27 base budget. Members asked follow-up questions about funding for newly launched treatment courts and how those courts are financed after federal grants expire. Shorba said he would provide more detail later and noted the branch generally starts treatment courts with federal funding before seeking state support. Representative Ric also asked about labor negotiations, and Shorba explained that the judicial branch negotiates its own contracts rather than using the executive branch, with three unions involved and many unrepresented employees. No votes or formal actions were taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh let me just share Okay. All right. Uh let me just share the<00:08:55.160> screen.
• . information. information.
• You have to share your own slides. You have to share your own slides.
• offer, um, dangerous information. offer, um, dangerous information.
• standardized information. standardized information.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for sharing your story, and I'm so sorry for your pain.
• Thank you for sharing your story and I'm so sorry for your pain.
• A parent's instinct is to connect, to guide, and to share their world.
• Thank you for your time for sharing your story.
• Thank you for coming and sharing this story. Thank you.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health heard testimony on a wide range of bills focused on children’s health, tobacco control, newborn screening, pediatric cancer, palliative care, and professional licensure. Early testimony highlighted Senate bills to expand newborn screening for pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency, lysosomal storage disorders, and congenital CMV, with families and clinicians describing severe diagnostic delays, missed treatment windows, and the benefits of early detection. Speakers also supported a bill to improve pediatric cancer research through a dedicated trust fund, and a bill to extend pediatric palliative care services to age 22, with parents and providers emphasizing continuity of care for seriously ill young people. Several witnesses gave personal accounts in support of the newborn screening measures. Families described children who endured years of misdiagnosis before receiving diagnoses such as Gaucher disease, Fabry disease, Pompe disease, Niemann-Pick disease, and CMV, often after irreversible damage had already occurred. Medical and advocacy witnesses said Massachusetts already collects some of the relevant screening data and argued that results should be reported to families, while others urged the committee to add conditions to the state panel because effective treatments already exist. The committee also heard support for a bill to establish a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder program and training for providers. On tobacco and youth health, testimony supported bills to ban internet tobacco sales, strengthen youth protections, and reduce lung cancer deaths through point-of-sale information and quit-line access. A student testified about easily purchasing flavored nicotine products online without meaningful age verification, and public health advocates backed measures to keep tobacco out of children’s environments. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to ensure parents have access to their children’s medical records through age 16, with exceptions for sensitive services already protected by law. The committee additionally took testimony on an optometry licensure bill, where ophthalmologists opposed language they said could broaden scope of practice and allow optometrists to use the title “optometric physician,” while optometry educators and students supported the bill as a modernization measure with no scope expansion. No votes were taken during the hearing; the chair repeatedly reminded speakers of time limits and noted that written testimony could be submitted for additional comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• , specifically, non-citizen information.
• Secretary Byrd, where are we at with data sharing, voters sharing with other states? Sure.
• identifying information is private and public—and what can be shared and what can't.
• So we have to tailor each agreement to meet those needs, but it's working, and we're sharing that information
• So there's never been a time in which all 50 states were sharing their elections information.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum present and heard a presentation from the Florida Commission on Ethics on several proposed legislative changes. The commission asked for changes to the Whistleblower Act to better cover ethics complaints, a public records exemption for commissioners’ and staff members’ sensitive personal information, an expanded gift-disclosure family definition to include foster relationships, and a first-time waiver of fines for late financial disclosure filers. Staff also requested technical fixes, including treating a timely postmarked appeal as filed on time, clarifying Form 6 filing requirements for appointees to elected seats, extending ethics-training requirements to municipal appointees filling unexpired terms, and clarifying where Form 10 gift disclosures are filed. Commission staff reported high electronic filing compliance rates, the rollout of automated fines, and an average of 92 days for completed preliminary investigations in 2025. They also updated the committee on two federal court challenges involving the in-office lobbying ban and the Form 6 requirement for elected municipal officers. The committee then heard from Secretary of State Cord Byrd, who outlined preparations for the 2026 election cycle and several policy proposals. He discussed work with new supervisors of elections, ongoing election-crimes enforcement, cooperation with federal agencies on citizenship verification, and data-sharing agreements with other states. Byrd also proposed a statewide pre-certification audit system with grants for smaller counties, a more streamlined process for checking voter citizenship status after registration, and a modernization fix for voter records affected by randomized driver’s license numbers. Members asked about special elections, election-crimes investigations, returning-citizen voting determinations, chain-of-custody procedures, and interstate data-sharing agreements. Byrd said special election timing is controlled by the governor, the elections-crimes office investigates but does not arrest, returning-citizen applications are resolved within 90 days, and he is confident in current chain-of-custody practices. The committee also considered gubernatorial nominations. By unanimous vote, members approved a block of nominees, then separately took up Joshua Kellum’s nomination to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The committee heard sworn public testimony from Robin Blevins, who urged rejection of Kellum’s appointment and criticized his background and past involvement in FWC-related advocacy. After brief discussion, the committee voted unanimously to approve Kellum’s nomination as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• And thank you, Madam Chair, and I appreciate the information that has been shared with us this afternoon
• So with that said, I'm pleased to see this topic on the agenda and get to share some information with
• In updating the information and providing some of that updated evidence-based research to share.
• community, sharing a lot of information for everyone so they know what resources are available to them
• And I will be sure to share that information.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our criminal information operations section is an information sharing hub that works on sharing information
• Our criminal information operations section is an information sharing hub that works on sharing information
• Our criminal information operations section is an information sharing hub that works on sharing information
• Our criminal information operations section is an information sharing hub that works on sharing information
• Our criminal information operations section is an information sharing hub that works on sharing information

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• information in a conspicuous location. information in a conspicuous location.
• They have the information. To get disaster relief, you need two years of information.
• They have the information. To get disaster relief, you need two years of information.
• They have the information. To get disaster relief, you need two years of information.
• :04:37.359> more collects more informations about more collects more informations about more information

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, quorum call, and several introductions recognizing guests, including Reverend Jennifer Carsner and her daughter, President Kirk Schmoke, representatives from Maryland independent colleges and universities, students from Stevenson University, Howard and Anne Arundel counties, Washington College, a constituent, and the Greater Washington, D.C.-Maryland chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The chamber also adopted a resolution honoring Damatha Catholic High School for winning the 2025 WCAC football championship and another recognizing the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce on its 100th anniversary. Both resolutions were adopted unanimously after brief remarks and roll calls. The Senate then took up executive nominations, separating nominee 16 from the main report. The chamber voted 42 in favor on the remaining nominations and then 42 in favor on nominee 16, giving all nominees the Senate’s advice and consent. On third reading, the Senate passed several bills, including SB 46, SB 25, SB 58, SB 163, SB 170, SB 188, SB 247, SB 356, and SB 379, with recorded affirmative votes ranging from 36 to 42. These measures covered topics such as veterans cemeteries, tax credits and tax modifications, education funding, transportation revenue bonds, biotechnology incentives, a stillborn child tax credit, and recovery residence grant funding. The chamber also advanced numerous second-reading bills, generally adopting committee reports and amendments without objection. Among the measures discussed were collective bargaining for Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission police officers; adoption of the 2022 Uniform Commercial Code amendments for controllable electronic records; cemetery sale and transfer oversight; an additional license for electronic smoking devices; collective bargaining for Baltimore County Public Library supervisory employees; payroll processor exemptions under the Money Transmission Act; scalp cooling coverage for chemotherapy patients; orthoses and prostheses coverage under health and Medicaid plans; an online database of elevator inspection certificates; service animal program disqualification standards; extension of the State Board of Environmental Health Specialists; disclosure of lapsed professional liability insurance for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and nurse midwives; and revisions to massage therapy licensure rules. Most reports were favorable, with several technical or substantive amendments adopted and bills ordered printed for third reading. A notable policy discussion occurred on SB 56, which would allow the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center to share individual-level student and workforce data with a third-party data center for multi-state reporting. The sponsor explained the bill as a way to compare Maryland outcomes with other states while using data-sharing agreements and oversight to protect privacy; a minority whip raised concerns about the type of third-party data center and whether the practice was new. The sponsor said the bill was intended to formalize and safeguard data sharing, and noted a technical amendment would be offered to correct the amendment language.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm presenting information like this. So I just think that's important for me to share.
• Or if there are resources that you're sharing with your providers to share then with the direct support
• will fall better under the LTSS and Health Equity Subcommittee, but I'm happy to share this information
• Just want to give you the opportunity to share if you want to share out anything.
• Just want to give you the opportunity to share if you want to share out anything.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Workforce Support Subcommittee of the Status of Persons with Disabilities met, approved the prior November minutes, and heard a presentation from the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers (ADDP) on its 2025 workforce metrics survey. ADDP described its membership and the survey’s scope, noting 102 of 132 members responded. The report showed continued improvement in staffing: overall vacancy rates fell from 19% in 2024 to 15% in 2025, with declines across programs such as adult long-term residential, community-based day supports, supported employment, and day rehabilitation. However, vacancies remain high, especially for licensed practical nurses and clinicians, and nearly 4,000 positions were still unfilled. Providers also reported that almost 1,800 people remain waiting for day services. A major new focus in the survey was health insurance costs. Nearly 90% of respondents reported premium increases averaging 11%, and providers said those increases make it harder to offer competitive wages and benefits and hurt recruitment and retention. ADDP said the survey will be repeated in the fall and emphasized that while Chapter 257 investments appear to have helped reduce vacancies, rising insurance costs, immigration-related workforce pressures, and other affordability issues could threaten progress. Commissioners and presenters discussed the need to maintain gains, the importance of keeping the survey manageable while preserving historical comparisons, and the role of immigration and workforce policy in staffing stability. The subcommittee then elected new co-chairs, unanimously approving Rachel Caprillion and Leo Sarkisian. Members discussed possible topics and speakers for the next meeting, including training and turnover, direct support professional pipelines, apprenticeships, PCA training, and workforce models from other states. Several names and organizations were suggested for outreach, including Josh Cutler, Juan Vega, JVS, HSRI, and NASDDDS. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was seconded and approved.

Transcript Highlights:

• and claim information as public, and assumes that the absence of restrictions on shared information
• In this digital world we live in, California's privacy law must ensure individuals can share information
• that individuals cannot delete, modify, or prevent from being shared, and private information where
• Without explicit guardrails, the sensitive information that Californians share in good faith with state
• It's not going to add information.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And the reality is there's nothing that stops an employer from sharing more information if they so choose
• sharing with DHCS and CDSS.
• sharing with DHCS and CDSS.
• sharing with DHCS and CDSS.
• sharing with DHCS and CDSS.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard several bills focused on labor standards, worker safety, and public transparency. SB 954 by Senator Blakespear would revise last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing by adding worker protections such as prevailing wage, a skilled and trained workforce, high-road employment standards, and environmental guardrails. Supporters from labor, environmental justice, and conservation groups said the bill restores promised safeguards after SB 131, while business groups argued the added requirements would undermine the exemption and discourage investment. The committee voted 5-0 to do pass and re-refer SB 954 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open for absent members. The committee then considered SB 966 by Senator Gonzalez, which would codify refinery worker participation and safety protections adopted in 2017 after the 2012 Chevron Richmond fire. Supporters, including United Steelworkers and a former refinery worker, said the bill would preserve workers’ ability to report hazards, select representatives, and stop unsafe work, preventing future disasters. The Western States Petroleum Association opposed the bill, arguing it could be preempted by federal labor law and would add regulatory uncertainty. The committee passed SB 966 3-0 and re-referred it to Appropriations, with the roll left open. Next, SB 1203 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas sought to modernize private security guard training, expand de-escalation instruction, strengthen accountability, and create a clearer professional pathway for the industry. The author and many security workers testified that guards are often first responders in volatile situations and need more practical training and better standards; opponents from industry and business groups warned the bill would raise costs, worsen staffing shortages, and create implementation problems, especially around third-party training and a new wage order. The committee voted 4-1 to do pass and re-refer SB 1203 to Public Safety, with one no vote and the roll left open. The committee also heard SB 1284 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas, a transparency bill requiring DHCS to publish the names of large employers with workers enrolled in Medi-Cal and the estimated taxpayer cost. Supporters said the measure would show how low wages and unaffordable coverage shift health costs to the public, while opponents argued Medi-Cal enrollment depends on many factors and that naming employers would be misleading and amount to public shaming. After discussion, the committee voted 4-2 to do pass and re-refer SB 1284 to Appropriations, leaving the roll open. The transcript then began discussion of SB 1054 by Senator Cabaldon, which would improve workforce data collection and sharing to better evaluate job-training pathways, but the excerpt cuts off before testimony or action on that bill.