Video & Transcript : 'foreign national' :

Page 80 of 500
WA

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

House State Government & Tribal Relations Feb 24th, 2026 at 01:30 pm

State Government & Tribal Relations

Transcript Highlights:
  • money, and access to care, and we want to do better as a government and be the best state in the nation
  • ensure justice and accountability for her and all U.S. citizens killed under the jurisdiction of a foreign
  • Aishanur was taken away from us by a foreign military, and there still has been no investigation.
  • As the Coreys mentioned, this is not the first time that a foreign military, specifically the Israeli
  • As the Corey's mentioned, this is not the first time that a foreign military, specifically the Israeli
Bills: SB5000 , SB5325 , SB6044 , SB6313 , SB6084 , SB6137
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Banking and Insurance Jan 13th, 2026

Banking and Insurance

Transcript Highlights:
  • and I'm here as the Director of Public Policy for Samaritan Ministries, one of the three largest national
  • We're going to TP that, and we're going to move right ahead to Senate Bill tab 5, Senate Bill 642 on foreign
  • We're going to TP that, and we're going to move right ahead to Senate Bill tab 5, Senate Bill 642 on foreign
  • Basically, there are domestic bail bond insurers, foreign bail bond insurers, and alien bail bond insurers
  • Domestic bail bond insurers, foreign bail bond insurers, and alien bail bond insurers.
Keywords: 999, senate, all
US

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

US House Floor Proceedings (Thursday, December 11, 2025)

US Federal House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • National Cattleman's Beef Association<00:08:18.400><c> National</c><00:08:18.800><c> Anthem</c><00:08
  • </c> Association National Anthem Contest. Association National Anthem Contest.
  • </c> today on behalf of the 2026 National today on behalf of the 2026 National School<00:22:39.200><c
  • security. our national security.
  • The national actors to flourish.
US
Transcript Highlights:
  • This is critical to our state and to the nation.
  • To us as a nation.
  • forests and the condition of these national forests, and they're national forests for a reason.
  • for America and helping to stabilize other nations that are facing.
  • I agree with you that access to foreign markets is critical.
KY
Transcript Highlights:
  • Funds because they were national general funds, not formula funds, not trust funds. >> Okay.
  • advanced air mobility center of national advanced air mobility center of excellence<01:43:06.480><c>
  • Which will bring in more foreign direct investment, which is good for all of us in this corridor.
  • </c><01:47:59.119><c> direct</c> opportunity to grow foreign direct opportunity to grow foreign direct
  • You talk a lot about international air service, foreign direct investment opportunities.
Summary: The committee received an update from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on the FY 2025 road fund. Officials reported road fund revenues came in $38.5 million above the enacted estimate, but were down about $11 million from FY 2024, largely because a motor fuels tax rate reduction took effect at the start of FY 2025. Motor vehicle usage tax receipts were stronger than expected, and the cabinet said the road fund ended the year with a $61.6 million surplus, which the budget bill directs to state highway construction. Members also discussed how the motor fuels decline affects formula distributions to cities, counties, and rural/secondary roads, with officials saying about $122.8 million had been planned for revenue sharing but was not distributed because receipts were lower than forecast. Members asked about broader revenue trends, including fuel efficiency, electric vehicles, and the removal of a hybrid fee. Cabinet officials said improved fuel efficiency and CAFE standards reduce gasoline consumption and therefore fuel tax receipts, while EVs and plug-in hybrids are subject to a user fee. They also said toll revenues from the Louisville bridges are covering bills and commitments, though they did not have detailed figures at hand. On project delivery, officials said delays are often caused by right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, and the large volume of projects in the highway plan, and that much of the work happens behind the scenes before construction begins. The committee also reviewed the cabinet’s cash management approach, which was adopted after 2000 to avoid setting aside full project costs all at once and to keep the road fund cash balance above a required minimum. Officials said the balance typically rises in winter and falls in summer as project bills come due, and that the current balance was about $166 million. They also reported that project awards for the year were nearing $998 million and expected to exceed last year’s total. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken beyond approving the prior meeting minutes.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

House of Representatives May 26th, 2026

Louisiana House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Let us get back to being a state and a nation that is convinced. Ourselves.
  • Let us get back to being a state and a nation that is convinced that loving one another and treating
  • maternal mortality rate of 41.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, which is the highest rate in the nation
  • Members, again, this is trying to protect our critical infrastructure against foreign adversaries.
  • adversaries and foreign terrorist organizations.
Bills: HR320 , HR321 , SCR55 , SCR69 , SCR75 , SCR77 , SCR78 , SCR79 , SB259 , SB295 , SB312 , SB348 , SB444 , SB485 , HR73 , HR118 , HR144 , HR196 , HR237 , HR249 , HR260 , HR267 , HR272 , HR278 , HCR85 , HCR100 , HCR105 , HCR107 , HCR114 , HR245 , SCR5 , SCR29 , SCR33 , SCR37 , SCR63 , SCR30 , SCR40 , HB62 , HB193 , HB210 , HB220 , HB246 , HB364 , HB420 , HB475 , HB584 , HB622 , HB772 , HB784 , HB949 , HB953 , HB1043 , HB1070 , HB1092 , HB1134 , HB1162 , HB1176 , HB1196 , HB1214 , HB119 , HB129 , HB233 , HB283 , HB538 , HB789 , HB850 , HB870 , HB1236 , HB1241 , HB54 , HB137 , HB321 , HB368 , HB386 , HB414 , HB431 , HB552 , HB555 , HB578 , HB590 , HB593 , HB618 , HB638 , HB670 , HB692 , HB707 , HB708 , HB715 , HB718 , HB732 , HB741 , HB748 , HB776 , HB796 , HB807 , HB822 , HB848 , HB856 , HB887 , HB888 , HB917 , HB921 , HB1082 , HB1243 , HB1246 , HB378 , HB509 , HB1090 , HB1259 , SB80 , SB131 , SB143 , SB251 , SB254 , SB279 , SB367 , SB384 , SB388 , SB389 , SB398 , SB408 , SB431 , SB468 , SB469 , SB496 , SB4 , SB52 , SB57 , SB83 , SB145 , SB152 , SB194 , SB276 , SB319 , SB333 , SB448 , SB450 , SB465 , SB484 , SB501 , SB509 , SB149 , HR168 , HB463 , HB998 , SB123 , SB353 , SB479 , SB495 , SB82 , SB97 , SB283 , SB326 , SB518 , SB197 , SB268 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HCR98 , HB284 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB625 , HB646 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1191 , HB1240 , HB1255 , SB89 , HB74 , HB134 , HB258 , HB359 , HB468 , HB956 , HB1117 , SB29 , SB42 , SB43 , SB78 , SB208 , SB217 , SB274 , SB300 , SB341 , SB379 , SB382 , SB387 , SB401 , SB441 , SB449 , SB487
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

Rules Apr 8th, 2025

Rules

Transcript Highlights:
  • Jeff Sharkey, National Electrical Contractors Association, waves in support.
  • Melissa Ramba, National Association of Credit Management, waves in support.
  • stocks and bonds, forcing victims to pursue complicated legal processes in foreign countries.
  • bonds, forcing victims to pursue complicated legal processes in foreign countries.
  • Kelby-Sinor, National Rifle Association, waves in support. Is there any debate?
Committee: Senate Rules
Summary: The Rules Committee took up a large agenda of bills, with many measures reported favorably after brief explanations, amendments, and testimony. Early bills included CS/SB 658 on lien waivers and releases, which was amended to preserve enforceability despite form differences and then passed; CS/CS/SB 736 on brownfields redevelopment, which drew support from business and redevelopment interests and passed; and CS/SB 1002 on utility service restrictions, which was amended to bar certain building or fire code provisions affecting fuel-source choices and then passed despite opposition from environmental advocates. The committee also advanced CS/CS/SB 1132 on right-to-repair for certain equipment, where manufacturers, dealer representatives, and industry groups warned the bill could undermine dealer networks and existing repair programs, while supporters argued it would improve consumer access and help farmers and equipment owners. The bill still passed. Other measures reported favorably included CS/SB 1378 on restitution for leaving the scene of property-damage crashes, CS/CS/SB 768 on foreign-country controlling interests in health care licensing, CS/SB 772 on school access to glucagon for diabetes emergencies, CS/SB 1400 on removal of nonconsensual altered sexual depictions, and CS/SB 1696 on transportation network company impersonation and transit funding. A major portion of the meeting focused on affordable housing. CS/SB 1730, a follow-up to the Live Local Act, made several changes to zoning, height, density, parking, moratorium, and enforcement provisions, with members raising concerns about parking reductions, attorney’s fees, local control, and impacts in the Keys and other sensitive areas. Supporters said the bill closes loopholes and improves workforce housing implementation, while some witnesses urged additional exemptions for areas of critical state concern. The bill was reported favorably after amendment. Later, the committee considered several bills from Senator Leak, including CS/SB 576 on service of process, CS/SB 606 on public lodging and food service establishments, and CS/SB 1164 on electronic delivery of landlord-tenant notices. CS/SB 606 drew substantial debate over whether hotels and extended-stay properties should be able to remove nonpaying guests without treating them like residential tenants; the sponsor said the bill clarifies transient occupancy and removes mandatory arrest provisions, and it passed. CS/SB 1164, which allows email notice delivery by agreement, passed despite concerns from tenant advocates that the bill should include clearer consent and safeguards. The committee also approved CS/SB 1374 on school district reporting of educator arrests and misconduct, CS/SB 940 on third-party restaurant reservation sales, and began hearing CS/SB 1690 on surrendered infants, which would authorize infant safety devices or “baby boxes” as a legal surrender option, with supportive testimony from proponents describing crisis situations and the need for anonymous surrender options.
LA

Louisiana 2026 Regular Session

House of Representatives May 18th, 2026

Louisiana House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation
  • Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to take action necessary
  • This protects Louisiana's agricultural industry from threats tied to national security.
  • This protects Louisiana's agricultural industry from threats tied to national security and so forth.
  • Senate Bill 466 by Senator Seabaugh, expropriation of property by foreign entities, provides for foreign
Bills: HR286 , HR287 , HR288 , HR289 , HR290 , HR291 , HR292 , HR293 , HR294 , HCR114 , HR275 , HR276 , HR277 , HR278 , HR279 , HR280 , HR282 , HR283 , HR284 , HR285 , HCR112 , HCR113 , SCR62 , SCR64 , SB132 , SB135 , SB405 , HR179 , HR216 , HR223 , HR225 , HR274 , HCR89 , SB39 , SB99 , SB111 , SB112 , SB124 , SB134 , SB174 , SB189 , SB190 , SB201 , SB233 , SB236 , SB258 , SB270 , SB273 , SB288 , SB307 , SB313 , SB320 , SB321 , SB325 , SB326 , SB331 , SB339 , SB341 , SB345 , SB346 , SB347 , SB353 , SB357 , SB359 , SB387 , SB393 , SB401 , SB415 , SB419 , SB422 , SB426 , SB435 , SB437 , SB440 , SB451 , SB464 , SB470 , SB487 , SB488 , SB495 , SB504 , SB505 , SB518 , SB523 , SB228 , SB408 , HR168 , HR174 , HR194 , HCR54 , HCR74 , HCR79 , HCR87 , HCR94 , HCR95 , HCR97 , HCR98 , HCR102 , HCR104 , SCR23 , SCR38 , HCR26 , HB250 , HB265 , HB339 , HB427 , HB445 , HB463 , HB468 , HB606 , HB639 , HB649 , HB665 , HB746 , HB781 , HB853 , HB861 , HB872 , HB886 , HB916 , HB937 , HB1054 , HB1068 , HB1117 , HB1237 , HB75 , HB705 , SB34 , SB164 , SB172 , SB198 , SB208 , SB232 , SB281 , SB286 , SB317 , SB322 , SB334 , SB380 , SB385 , SB409 , SB417 , SB421 , SB430 , SB439 , SB447 , SB458 , SB510 , SB54 , SB56 , SB72 , SB79 , SB97 , SB105 , SB123 , SB125 , SB129 , SB163 , SB171 , SB252 , SB287 , SB375 , SB386 , SB461 , SB466 , HR84 , SCR3 , HB582 , HB625 , HB646 , HB998 , HB1191 , HB1255 , SB81 , SB100 , SB109 , SB197 , SB374 , SB479 , SB78 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HCR65 , HCR71 , HB284 , HB302 , HB306 , HB341 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB577 , HB603 , HB605 , HB614 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB798 , HB911 , HB955 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1069 , HB1113 , HB1140 , HB1180 , HB1240 , SB82 , SB89 , HB134 , HB258 , HB359 , HB782 , SB149 , SB382 , SB441
Summary: The House met with a quorum, received a guest minister for prayer, approved the journal, and heard several announcements and recognitions, including NEC Awareness Day, a European Union delegation visit, and the Glenmore Wildcats baseball team’s state championship. Members also received Senate messages, including concurrence on some House measures, the filing of Senate bills, and several Senate resolutions and bills laid over for later consideration. The chamber then took up a long series of resolutions and bills. Among the resolutions adopted were measures on a Louisiana-United Kingdom Trade Commission, support for migratory waterfowl studies, hunting education in schools, SNAP delivery-fee studies, fraud prevention for seniors, subsurface data preservation, boating safety reporting, and visual acuity screening data. Some items were temporarily returned to the calendar, including a sales-tax uniform-base rule resolution and several Senate measures. The House also adopted a resolution creating an agricultural national security task force and another supporting a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On legislation, the House passed bills on missing-person alerts for people with disabilities (“Brian’s Call”), first responder status for public works employees, planning commission procedures, historic preservation district rules, judges’ supplemental compensation, the Baker Economic Development District, New Orleans downtown development district tax authority, a local crime prevention district, clerks of court records, hotel occupancy taxes in Shreveport-Bossier, firefighter cancer screenings, Shreveport police civil service rules, local ethics entity funding, hemp/alcohol age restrictions, OMV digital signatures, LED recreation, TOPS Tech eligibility for veterans, anatomical gift recordkeeping, crypto kiosk fraud protections, firefighting foam definitions, and consumer data privacy. Several bills failed, including HB 705 on legislative contempt penalties and HB 75 on gaming promotional play. One bill on vehicle insurance reinstatement fees was amended and passed, and a bill on judicial compensation fund adjustments was amended and passed after questions about CPI indexing.
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs (02/06/2026)

State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • There are national co-chairs.
  • And what is the goal of a foreign nation other than to gain resources, influence, and power?
  • </c><02:08:44.480><c> nation</c> And what is the goal of a foreign nation And what is the goal of a foreign
  • </c> foreign influence and all foreign foreign influence and all foreign influence<02:09:07.520><c> is
  • which govern this nation.
Keywords: 1189, house, all
TX

Texas 89th Regular

89th Legislative Session Mar 5th, 2025

Texas House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • and Savior, who is the only hope for Texas, for the United States of America, and indeed for our nation
  • allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation
  • allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
  • . level from the National Recreation and Park Association.
  • The American Planning Program and as a winner from National Night Out.
Keywords: 1184, house, all
NE

Nebraska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Legislative Morning Session Apr 17th, 2026

Nebraska Unicameral Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Real Estate and National Security Act.
  • The Foreign-Owned Real Estate and National Security Act, the Pacific Conflict Stress Tests Act, the Foreign
  • This is a first-in-the-nation law. From my view of the world, First-in-the-nation law.
  • He's in the National Guard.
  • national solution.
Bills: LR509 , LR510 , LR511
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies Feb 23rd, 2026

Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies

Transcript Highlights:
  • today against the backdrop of the federal government's reckless and short-sighted dismantling of national
  • For example, a 2024 national report ranked California as the worst state for natural disasters fueled
  • For example, a 2024 national report ranked California at the worst state for natural disasters fueled
  • We can't apply that to foreign producers or foreign refiners, correct?
  • The blue is the national average. The red is California.
Summary: The committee heard an overview and discussion of CARB’s proposed amendments to California’s Cap-and-Invest program, implemented under AB 1207 and SB 840. Chairs and members emphasized the program’s role in meeting climate targets while balancing affordability, and CARB described the proposal as intended to preserve market certainty, strengthen cost containment, address utility affordability, and support the state’s 2045 carbon-neutrality goal. CARB also noted the public comment period, the planned board hearing, and the goal of an effective date of September 1, 2026. Members questioned CARB on several implementation issues, including whether the rulemaking would be completed on time, the treatment of carbon capture and sequestration, the timing of the transfer of allowances from natural gas utilities to electric utilities, and the impact on ratepayers. CARB said it was on track to meet the May deadline, that CCUS/CDR could be further refined in the proposal and would also be addressed in a separate SB 905 rulemaking later in the year, and that it was seeking to protect ratepayers while inviting more utility data during the comment period. The committee also discussed refining-sector leakage risk, gasoline imports, and how imported fuel is accounted for under cap-and-invest versus the low-carbon fuel standard. A second panel of outside experts and stakeholders then testified. The Legislative Analyst’s Office and IEMAC representatives explained the major statutory changes, including putting offsets under the cap, shifting allowances from natural gas to electric utilities over time, and changing how allowance value is divided among utilities, industry, and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. They stressed that CARB has significant discretion in setting the allowance “pie,” and that more free allocations to utilities or industry reduce GGRF revenues. EDF’s representative argued the proposal should be adopted this spring, said the utility transition should happen faster, and urged a tighter near-term emissions cap. SCAPA, representing publicly owned utilities, opposed the proposed utility allocation changes, saying they would reduce expected allowances, undermine long-term planning, and could force higher rates or reduced decarbonization investments.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Committee on Health and Human Services - 02/25/25

Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'm also a foreign-trained physician from Ukraine, and I'm here to testify in strong support of Senate
  • I published papers and presented at national conferences.
  • pathway for foreign trained Physicians to<00:16:14.399><c> fully</c><00:16:14.720><c> integrate</c><
  • trained Physicians to contribute foreign trained Physicians to contribute meaningfully<00:16:30.440>
  • </c> referenced talks about the national referenced talks about the national shortage<00:54:48.079><c
Keywords: 1187, senate, all
NM

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

House - Chamber Meeting Mar 21st, 2025

Transcript Highlights:
  • My question would be, how are we definitely assured that a foreign national who wants to be a law enforcement
  • officer in our nation would indeed be loyal to our nation?
  • Where people have come from other nations. It's not any particular nationality.
  • We've had people come into this nation from China, from a nation in the Middle East who came here as
  • nationals that do work at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
FL

Florida 2026 4th Special Session

January 21, 2026 - 01:00 PM

Transcript Highlights:
  • This resolution supported by 150 nations of the world that includes 57 nations of the Arab Alliance.
  • Importantly, Florida does not have the authority to rename foreign territories.
  • The bill does not attempt to dictate foreign policy or broaden negotiations.
  • The bill doesn't draw borders, doesn't dictate foreign policy.
  • The Brookings City study showed Florida ranked 31st in our nation for public records compliance.
TX

Texas 89th 1st C.S.

Agriculture & Livestock Jul 21st, 2025

Agriculture & Livestock

Transcript Highlights:
  • So, uh, just so you know, the New World screw worm is considered a foreign pest and is considered a foreign
  • We've also shared those with other states, uh, in the National Association of State Health Officials.
  • And then we have a weekly, uh, National Association of State Mental Health Officials working group call
  • We've treated this as a foreign animal uh disease reporting. uh, we get a foreign animal disease number
  • This state drove border security policy for the nation, along with the legislature and our governor.
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

House Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee, February 27, 2026

Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • for our nation and for our<00:14:42.240><c> state.
  • Um and I I just want to tell you that this is also a national security issue.
  • Um and I I just want to tell you that this is also a national security issue.
  • Uh and we've been that way for foreign.
  • </c> foreign actors anymore." foreign actors anymore."
Bills: SF0102 , SF0123 , SF0021 , SF0099
FL

Florida 2026 Regular Session

FL House Floor Session - 2026-03-11 (10:00AM Session)

Florida House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • Miss Black Florida in the national Miss Black USA pageant.
  • And I can say that I have had many foreign. Thank you very much, Mr. President.
  • I mean, a foreign student cannot do that.
  • It further revises the foreign nationals contribution language to include only provisions preventing
  • national.
Keywords: 998, house, all
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opening prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of introductions recognizing guests, interns, public safety officials, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and took up several bills, with some measures temporarily postponed and others substituted with House companions before final passage. No committee reports, governor messages, or House messages were on the desk at the start of the regular order of business. The first major bill passed was CS/CS/HB 355 on health care patient protection, which requires hospitals with emergency departments to have evidence-based pediatric emergency care policies, training, pediatric equipment, a designated pediatric emergency care coordinator, and participation in the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment. Senators also passed CS/CS/HB 1113 on public records, clarifying confidentiality protections for victims and for law enforcement officers who become victims in the course of duty, though that bill drew questions about access to information in misconduct cases and received four no votes. The Senate then passed CS/CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity, creating a Florida Digital Service-administered program to help local governments obtain cybersecurity services and grants, with amendments shifting the grant-award deadline and rejecting House differences such as locating the program at USF and adding a sunset date. The chamber also passed CS/CS/HB 925 on clerks of court, allowing clerks to retain all revenue above Article V projections and revising related fee distributions, despite concerns from some senators and municipalities about revenue shifts. Additional bills passed included CS/CS/HB 679 modernizing trademark registration, and CS/CS/CS/HB 589 on septic system permits, which addresses long permit delays and clarifies liability if construction begins before a permit is issued. Several other bills were taken up, including elections legislation (SB 1334/HB 991) that generated extensive debate and multiple failed amendments on voter ID, citizenship verification, student and senior IDs, and implementation timing; the transcript ends while that bill is still under consideration, after the Senate adopted one amendment and rejected several others.
AZ

Arizona 2026 Regular Session

02/23/2026 - House Floor Session

Arizona House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
  • Chairman, the Committee, National Resources, Energy and Water, has now considered Mr.
  • Several states have moved to make the National Organization of CARE a terrorist organization.
  • It would effectively bar nearly all adult men from those nations from owning land in Arizona.
  • The bill, and she is with the National Council of Jewish Women.
Keywords: 1182, all
CA
Transcript Highlights:
  • So this region is foundational not only to food security, but also to national security.
  • Any nation that is able to secure its food source is able to secure its national security in a very,
  • California's 2024 payment rate was on par with the national average but is above 10%.
  • Cost pressures are similar across the state and indeed in comparison to the nation.
  • We hear all the rhetoric that we hear at the national, local level.
Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Committees on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact and Agriculture, held at Fresno State, focused on cost pressures in California’s food system, household affordability, and the Central Valley’s role in agriculture. Opening remarks emphasized Fresno State’s regional importance, the Central Valley’s outsized contribution to food production, and the connection between agricultural health, food security, and the broader economy. Members also noted the impact of the federal shutdown on CalFresh benefits and the state’s efforts to respond with food assistance funding and National Guard support for food banks. The first panel featured academic and policy experts who described agriculture’s economic importance in the San Joaquin Valley and the rising pressures on farms and households. Dr. Conduro highlighted agriculture’s large share of regional GDP, farm receipts, jobs, exports, and food manufacturing, while identifying water scarcity, SGMA-related land fallowing, labor shortages and rising labor costs, market volatility, invasive pests, and production cost inflation as major barriers. Caroline Danielson of PPIC said food prices remain about 30% above 2019 levels, food insecurity affects about 1.8 million California households, and nutrition programs such as CalFresh, WIC, and school meals are essential in reducing poverty, especially in the Central Valley. Susie Pryor of the Central California Small Business Development Center described technical assistance, capital access, and training for small food and farm businesses, while warning that reduced funding limits support for rural and immigrant entrepreneurs. The second panel brought testimony from a small produce business owner, a food entrepreneur, and the Fresno County Farm Bureau. They said input costs for fertilizer, fuel, irrigation, labor, land leases, and compliance have risen sharply while commodity prices have remained flat or fallen, squeezing small farms and food businesses. Panelists stressed the need for small-batch processing facilities, local supply chains, education on food manufacturing compliance, land access for small farmers, and more pathways into agriculture through trade programs, community colleges, and FFA. Ryan Jacobson said California agriculture is facing a prolonged downturn, with farm bankruptcies, weak commodity prices, export-market uncertainty, water reliability problems, and costly ag-burning rules all contributing to financial strain. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken; the hearing was informational and concluded with discussion of possible policy solutions and continued engagement with stakeholders.