Transcript Highlights:

• Across her region, which extends from Maine down to West Virginia and Maryland, she said many states—whether
• Maine</c><00:29:23.159><c> uh</c><00:29:23.320><c> down</c><00:29:23.559><c> to</c><00:29:23.799><c> West
• </c><00:29:24.039><c> Virginia</c><00:29:24.559><c> in</c> from Maine uh down to West Virginia in from
• Maine uh down to West Virginia in Maryland<00:29:25.960><c> I</c><00:29:26.039><c> think</c><00:29:26.159

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Amy Brown, on behalf of the cities of Riverside and West Sacramento, in support. Good morning.
• We appreciate your staff coming to some, on the West Coast coming soon.
• In L.A., the largest and most populated city of the West Coast, it's 0.9. San Jose, which is...
• And most populated city on the West Coast, it's 0.9.
• San Jose, which is, many people don't know, the largest by size and most populous city on the West Coast

Summary: The committee heard a long housing agenda with several bills presented before quorum was established. AB 1725, as amended, would require disclosure of nearby oil wells and methane monitoring issues in a specific district; the author and community witnesses described serious health and safety risks in Vista Hermosa Heights, while the California Apartment Association, California Building Industry Association, and California Chamber of Commerce opposed, arguing the bill targeted the wrong industry and that the state should instead fix abandoned wells directly. AB 2110, a local finance tool to create tax increment districts for workforce housing for education, health care, manufacturing, and public safety workers, drew no witnesses in support or opposition and was presented as a way to help workers live closer to jobs. AB 1732 would expand CEQA streamlining for public university and college housing projects; UC and several housing and labor groups supported it, while housing advocates raised concerns about amendments affecting existing 100% affordable housing exemptions. AB 1771, amended into a study bill, would direct HCD to report on the long-standing resident manager requirement for apartment buildings with 16 or more units; the rental housing industry supported studying the issue, while the chair emphasized the need to consider tenant protections and the impact on current resident managers before changing the law. The committee also heard AB 2185, which would direct state affordable housing programs to update guidelines to better support factory-built housing; it drew broad support from housing, labor, technology, and local government groups, with no opposition. AB 2748 would delay new EV-readiness requirements for 100% affordable housing developments, keeping the prior 40% standard through 2035; supporters said the higher standard would add significant costs and threaten project feasibility, while clean air and transportation advocates argued the code changes are modest, important for equity, and should not be rolled back. Members split along those lines, with some emphasizing housing production and others urging more public subsidy for EV infrastructure rather than delaying the code. SB 417, a proposed $10 billion affordable housing bond for the November ballot, received extensive support from housing organizations, local governments, labor, and business groups, but Habitat for Humanity and the Los Angeles mayor’s office asked for specific allocations for CalHome and interim housing; the bill was ultimately moved to Appropriations on an 8-0 vote, with members noting ongoing negotiations over funding priorities. Finally, AB 1740 would create an urban multimodal community designation for Santa Monica, allowing local approval of certain low-impact coastal-zone activities—such as some housing, bike and bus lanes, outdoor dining, and building changes—without Coastal Commission review. The author and Santa Monica officials said the bill would reduce delays and uncertainty for infill housing and local economic recovery while preserving protections for sensitive coastal resources; supporters included housing, business, and city groups. The Coastal Commission and environmental organizations opposed, saying the bill would carve out broad exemptions, weaken public access and appeal rights, and bypass the local coastal program process that Santa Monica has not completed. Committee members debated the Commission’s role, with some criticizing it for opposing legislation and others arguing the bill was a common-sense way to modernize coastal permitting. A motion and second were made on AB 1740, and the bill was left pending with the committee’s action to be taken when appropriate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Amy Brown, on behalf of the cities of Riverside and West Sacramento, in support. Good morning.
• Coastal Protection Network, Azul, the Surfrider Foundation, and the Environmental Action Committee of West
• On the West Coast coming soon.
• On the West Coast coming soon.
• In L.A., the largest and most populated city of the West Coast, it's 0.9.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, let's say the members of this committee all agreed to take a trip together to the West Coast
• States like Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia all track at the agency
• 54.800><c> and</c> Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia
• 56.000><c> at</c><01:47:56.159><c> the</c><01:47:56.239><c> agency</c><01:47:56.719><c> level</c> Virginia
• all track at the agency level Virginia all track at the agency level the<01:47:57.520><c> actual</c>

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• And in Virginia, it was enacted in 2023, something that criminalizes organized retail theft and has resulted
• And in Virginia,<01:03:56.000><c> um</c><01:03:56.400><c> it</c><01:03:56.559><c> was</c><01:03:56.720
• </c><01:03:58.559><c> Um</c> Virginia, um it was enacted in 2023.
• Um Virginia, um it was enacted in 2023.

Bills: HB1629 , HB1630 , HB1631

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, beginning with HB 1829 on marine affairs. Most testimony was in strong support, with speakers from state agencies, ocean-tech companies, startups, nonprofits, and community groups backing the creation of an Office of Marine Affairs and a marine affairs coordinator under HTDC. Supporters said the measure would better coordinate ocean policy, strengthen the blue economy, and help Hawaii capture jobs, investment, and innovation in marine-related industries. No vote or final action was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up HTDC-related measures, including HB 1615 and HB 1613, which also drew broad support from business, technology, and economic development interests. Testifiers said the bills would strengthen Hawaii’s technology and innovation ecosystem, support advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity, and help build a more diversified economy with higher-wage jobs. The committee also heard HB 1607 on public procurement and HB 1772 on small business procurement; state procurement staff and several business groups supported efforts to expand opportunities for local firms, while one speaker from the city’s economic revitalization commission argued that a flat 5% preference could help keep more revenue and jobs in-state. On HB 1636 relating to shopping carts, the Hawaii Food Industry Association and Retail Merchants of Hawaii testified in opposition, saying the bill would penalize businesses for carts that are stolen rather than abandoned and would add costs that could especially burden small and local retailers. HB 1810 on charitable solicitation drew support from Goodwill Hawaii and other nonprofits, who said the bill would improve transparency around donation bins and protect donors from misleading for-profit collection practices; the Attorney General’s office asked for a delayed effective date to allow system changes and staffing. HB 1782 on AI and the protection of minors received broad support from state agencies, educators, and advocacy groups, but some business and retail representatives urged narrowing the definition of covered AI services so ordinary customer-service chatbots would not be swept in. Finally, HB 1759 on theft drew opposition from the Public Defender’s Office, which said the bill could create overly harsh penalties and should include defense representation on any task force; the office also noted existing laws already address conspiracy and related conduct.

Transcript Highlights:

• If the Carolinas, Virginia are still in a much lower tax, there are groups of people that drive down
• If if you the<00:27:46.480><c> Carolas,</c><00:27:47.279><c> Virginia</c><00:27:47.679><c> are</c><00
• :27:47.840><c> still</c><00:27:48.000><c> in</c><00:27:48.159><c> a</c> the Carolas, Virginia are still
• in a the Carolas, Virginia are still in a much<00:27:48.480><c> lower</c><00:27:48.799><c> tax.
• </c><00:59:26.799><c> and</c> see an increase in sales in Virginia and see an increase in sales in Virginia

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Virginia increased its reporting of mental health records, and it resulted in blocking other gun sales
• in Virginia for the next few years.
• Tech student shot 2007 when a Virginia Tech student shot and<06:02:47.360><c> killed</c> and killed
• increased its reporting checks Virginia increased its reporting of<06:03:13.798><c> mental</c><06:03
• </c> in blocking other gun sales in Virginia in blocking other gun sales in Virginia for<06:03:19.160

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• I went through the same exact ordeal in Virginia. So thanks for coming in. Thank you. Okay.

Summary: The Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Law Efficiency approved the minutes from February 18 and March 4, 2026, then took up House Bill 2122 and House Bill 2184, while holding House Bill 2910. HB 2122 would tighten and clarify reciprocity or endorsement requirements for professional registration with the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration, including requiring a valid out-of-state license or national council credential and allowing professional engineers to qualify based on four years of experience rather than four years after licensure. Supporters described it as a cleanup measure and noted it would facilitate reciprocity, including with the United Kingdom; there was no opposition, and the committee voted 7-0 to recommend do pass. The committee then considered a strike-everything amendment to HB 2184 dealing with disposition of fetal remains and related funeral, death certificate, and transit-permit requirements. The amendment would extend the filing timeline for death certificates from seven calendar days to 14 business days, require a disposition transit permit in certain cases involving unborn children under 20 weeks or under 350 grams, clarify parental authority for minor decedents, and set abortion-clinic form and permit exemptions. Testimony in support came from individuals who described personal miscarriage experiences and said the bill would provide grieving families dignity and the option to arrange burial or disposition; one witness said the terminology should be changed from “unborn child” to “fetal remains.” The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then voted on HB 2184 as amended. One member explained a no vote as being tied to the bill’s wording and said they hoped to work with the sponsor on language changes; another member supported the bill as written and opposed changing the terminology. The final vote was 4-3 in favor, and HB 2184 received a do pass as amended recommendation. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I went through the same exact ordeal in Virginia. So thanks for coming in. Thank you. Okay.

Bills: HB2122 , HB2184 , HB2910

Committee: Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency

Keywords: technical registration, engineering, architect, land surveyor, reciprocity, endorsement, qualification standards, fetal death, funeral homes, informed consent, abortion, women's rights, medical assistance, emotional support, contractors, administrative recovery, regulation, statute of limitations, residential contractors' recovery fund

Transcript Highlights:

• 01:19:19.440><c> but</c><01:19:19.600><c> I've</c><01:19:19.840><c> visited</c><01:19:20.440><c> Virginia
• </c> no I have not but I've visited Virginia no I have not but I've visited Virginia where<01:19:21.480
• </c> years my girlfriend lives on Virginia years my girlfriend lives on Virginia Beach<01:19:29.159><
• <01:19:49.639><c> though</c><01:19:50.639><c> thank</c> Virginia though thank Virginia though thank you
• offshore wind project that's happening off the coast of Virginia.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it might have been Virginia.
• I think it's a Virginia bank robbery case that's to the courts where they tracked this guy down due to
• But they are in every elementary school in West Fargo and Fargo Public Schools.
• Virginia studied the history of law. It's required in law school.

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), focusing on the economic and public-system impacts in North Dakota. She explained that ACEs are a population-level measure, not a diagnostic tool for individuals, and said higher ACE exposure is consistently associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare involvement, justice-system contact, and reduced workforce participation. She emphasized that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across a person’s life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based prevention and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, historical trends in ACEs, and the role of positive childhood experiences and home visiting. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota, including Healthy Families, Early Head Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers. They described home visiting as voluntary, relationship-based, and tailored to family needs, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, human service zones, pregnancy navigators, self-referrals, and other community sources. A parent, Abby, shared that home visiting helped her family after premature births and NICU stays by providing support with postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, developmental screenings, referrals, and parenting guidance. The presenters said the programs are funded through a mix of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E dollars, Medicaid targeted case management, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and grants, and they noted that current funding is fragmented and insufficient to serve all eligible families statewide. Members discussed whether the state should expand or better fund these services and how to improve outreach and referrals. Later, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, followed by a presentation from a BCI special agent on how AI is already affecting child exploitation investigations in North Dakota. The memo and testimony described AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and risks posed by chatbots, along with relevant federal and state law and recent executive orders. The agent said North Dakota saw 2,698 cyber tips in 2025, the highest on record, and that investigators are increasingly encountering AI-assisted exploitation that is harder to detect and verify. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI undermining critical thinking and spreading misinformation. No votes were taken on the AI materials during the portion provided, and the committee recessed briefly after the report.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senate Bill 163, Senator West, income tax addition modification for federal tax exempt income alterations
• So, like if you're going to compare how Maryland's doing with how Virginia is doing, they have to share
• I think sometimes our school board meetings are kind of the open wild west.
• [laughter] All right, clerk, read the next bill. >> Senate Bill 145, Senator West, Motor Vehicles and
• Clerk will read the next bill. >> Senate Bill 252, Senator West, Maryland Legal Services Corporation

Transcript Highlights:

• writers, technicians, and production workers throughout the United States, including Texas, New York, Virginia
• was still in Brussels, I'm now here based in San Francisco, representing the European Union on the West
• I'm a research and policy analyst at the Writers Guild of America West, a labor union representing thousands
• I'm a research and policy analyst at the Writers Guild of America West, a labor union representing that's
• I'm a research and policy analyst at the Writers Guild of America West, a labor union representing thousands

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee and Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational hearing at Stanford on the intersection of artificial intelligence, copyright, transparency, and California’s creative economy. Chairs and members emphasized that the hearing was not on a specific bill and no vote would be taken. Opening remarks framed the issue as balancing protection for artists and other rights holders with the need to keep AI innovation and related economic activity thriving in California, while noting that federal action is unlikely and that state policy may influence national standards. The first panel featured Professor Pamela Samuelson and Stanford researcher Rishi Bommasani. Samuelson reviewed the current copyright litigation landscape, including dozens of lawsuits over AI training, and explained the fair use framework, the Google Books precedent, and the uncertainty around newer theories such as market dilution. She said states can likely regulate transparency, deepfakes, privacy, and safety, but warned that some proposals may be preempted by federal copyright law. Bommasani described widespread opacity around training data among major California AI companies, discussed AB 2013 and the EU AI Act as transparency models, and identified gaps in disclosure design, enforcement, and whether transparency alone can address copyright and IP concerns. Members asked about open-source models, opt-outs, machine unlearning, user data, and state options for protecting creators. The second panel included SAG-AFTRA board member Jason George, Animation Guild president Danny Lynn, and OpenAI copyright counsel Mark Gray. George and Lynn argued that AI training on performers’ and artists’ work without consent or compensation threatens jobs, bargaining power, and reputations, and they supported stronger transparency and licensing requirements so creators can identify when their work is used. Gray said AI is already being used as a productivity tool and highlighted partnerships between AI companies and publishers, record labels, and studios, while arguing that specific harmful uses such as deepfakes should be regulated directly rather than restricting general-purpose AI development. Committee members discussed labeling and watermarking of AI-generated content, transparency around model use, and whether state law should require more detailed disclosure of training data; no formal action was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Virginia and Wisconsin are also currently working on similar bills to this one.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Summary: The Senate Committee on Appropriations met with a quorum and heard a large suspense-file agenda of 25 measures, reminding witnesses to focus on fiscal impacts. Most authors waived presentation, and the Department of Finance had no comments. The committee took public testimony on each item, with several bills receiving support from local governments, housing and transportation organizations, and other advocacy groups; one bill, SB 501, drew opposition from the Motorcycle Industry Council unless amended. Among the bills discussed in more detail was SB 381 by Senator Wahab, which would allow adopted adults and descendants to obtain original birth certificates through an administrative process and create a nonbinding contact preference form for birth parents. Supporters argued the bill addresses equal rights, health, identity, and court backlog concerns, and may have minimal or even offsetting fiscal effects. The committee also heard support for housing-related measures such as SB 417, transportation-related SB 667, and other bills on the agenda, though testimony was generally brief and limited to fiscal considerations. With no objections and no committee questions on the suspense-file candidates, the committee moved each measure to suspense, including SB 46, SB 342, SB 490, SB 574, SB 758, SB 73, SB 99, SB 247, SB 288, SB 327, SB 347, SB 381, SB 417, SB 828, SB 492, SB 501, SB 557, SB 623, SB 667, SB 742, SB 747, SB 811, SB 837, and SB 849. The roll was briefly left open for a late-arriving member, Senator Richardson, whose attendance was then recorded, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were sent to suspense.

Transcript Highlights:

• Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Virginia Banister. Miss Banister.

Bills: HB521

Committees: House Tourism , House Economic Development and Tourism

Keywords: HB521, mixed spirit beverages, ready-to-drink cocktails, RTD alcohol, alcoholic beverages, liquor, spirits, ABC Board, Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control, wholesaler license, retail license, distribution agreement, exclusive territory, three-tier system, excise tax, alcohol tax, liquor regulation, alcohol labeling, minors, package store

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Virginia, you can find them. I can provide them if you can't find them.
• Uh, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Virginia, you can find them. I can provide them if you can't find them.
• A court case about this was called Grimm versus Gloucester County in Virginia and went all the way up
• What is happening today in the West countries and in this country?
• countries and in this today in the west countries and in this country?

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee opened a hearing on Senate Bill 141, which would create a narrow exception to New Hampshire’s three-year deadline for motions for a new trial when a petitioner has newly discovered evidence, new forensic testing, or new scientific understanding. The prime sponsor’s representative and advocates from the Innocence Project and New England Innocence Project argued the bill is needed to help wrongfully convicted people access the courts, noting that exonerations often take many years and that outdated forensic science has contributed to wrongful convictions. The chair also said he had drafted a proposed amendment for committee review, but it had not yet been formally submitted. Witnesses supporting the bill emphasized that the measure would not guarantee relief, only allow a petition to be filed and reviewed under existing standards. They discussed examples such as arson science, explaining that some convictions were based on forensic methods later shown to be unreliable. Committee members asked about the scope of habeas corpus, whether the bill would create a new cause of action, and whether additional screening or pleading requirements should be added. The supporters said they would be open to requiring a petitioner to plead innocence, but opposed adding more burdensome preliminary procedures or counsel requirements at the filing stage. Thomas Farardi, from the Attorney General’s Office, testified in opposition or with caution, saying the bill was a “solution looking for a problem” because existing habeas corpus and coram nobis procedures already provide avenues for relief, and prosecutors can act when credible new evidence arises. He argued the current draft could invite additional litigation and create a new cause of action, and said he favored more screening before cases proceed. The discussion also touched on whether the statute applies in criminal cases, the current three-year limitation in RSA 526:4, and questions about posthumous petitions and petitions by deported individuals. No vote or executive action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• forests—those forests are a pathway, as we learned in the Dixie and Caldor fires—literally burned from the west
• Those forests are a pathway, as we learned in the Dixie and Caldor fires, literally burned from the west
• history, which was the Dixie Fire and the Caldor Fire, both of them unique in that they burned from the west
• tornadoes: the average ranges by state for construction requirements and prices between $6,100 in Virginia

Summary: The hearing focused on California wildfire resilience, with the first panel discussing statewide funding, policy, and strategic priorities, and the second panel shifting to home hardening and defensible space. The LAO outlined the state’s wildfire risk, the large increase in resilience spending in recent years, and the fact that most funding has been one-time rather than ongoing. Testimony emphasized that wildfire risk varies greatly by region, that the state must balance response spending with prevention, and that success should be measured more carefully than by acres treated alone. Witnesses also noted the importance of local, federal, utility, and Proposition 4 funding sources, as well as the need for long-term maintenance and strategic prioritization rather than scattered projects. Cal Fire leadership and other witnesses stressed that California’s wildfire problem is not uniform: forested areas, chaparral, and wildland-urban interface communities require different strategies. In Northern California and forested watersheds, speakers emphasized fuels reduction, prescribed and cultural burning, strategic fuel breaks, watershed protection, and maintaining forest health. In Southern California, testimony focused on wind-driven fires, ember intrusion, ignition prevention along roads and power lines, and the limits of large-scale vegetation clearing. Several witnesses argued that the state should invest where it can leverage local and regional partnerships, support capacity-building programs like Regional Forest and Fire Capacity, and improve data systems to track treatment effectiveness and project outcomes. Members repeatedly pressed witnesses on how to prioritize limited funds, asking what should be done more of, less of, and first. The chair argued that protecting homes and communities through hardening and defensible space should be a major priority, especially near structures, while also acknowledging the need for broader landscape work and watershed protection. There was discussion of incentives such as insurance discounts, property tax treatment, and community certification for hardened homes, along with the need for multiple payers rather than relying on the state alone. Cal Fire reported new and expanding data tools, including treatment trackers, defensible space inspection dashboards, and a fuels treatment effectiveness program that evaluates whether nearby treatments affected wildfire behavior. No votes were taken because the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• Lankford; the Senator from West Virginia, Mrs. Capito; the Senator from South Carolina, Mr. Scott.
• Military Academy at West Point. his dad who was also a Los Angeles his dad who was also a Los Angeles
• 02:05:03.639><c> Military</c><02:05:04.360><c> Academy</c><02:05:04.960><c> at</c><02:05:05.159><c> West

Transcript Highlights:

• I serve in the Health Sciences at West Texas A&M University.
• surgeries, we get everything from Lake Charles all the way to Tyler up north and all the way to the west
• It was a wonderful community, and that's the reason I ended up in West Texas.
• It's always been a challenge in West Texas.
• I'm a Ph.D. economist from the Regulatory Research Center at West Virginia University.

Bills: SB1888 , SB3003 , SB2417 , SB2459 , SB3055 , HB1393 , HB2884 , SB2943

Committee: Senate State Affairs