Transcript Highlights:

• <00:15:43.920> in<00:15:44.240> the has become modernized in the has become modernized
• And they engage with the reality of the modern agricultural family.
• <01:21:30.800> uh<01:21:30.960> modern recognizing the uh modern uh modern recognizing
• the uh modern uh modern farming<01:21:32.000> and<01:21:32.320> how<01:21:32.960> our
• <01:21:54.159> farm um uh the work that that modern farm um uh the work that that modern farm

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:49:17.040> the would close the loop and modernize the would close the loop and modernize
• modernizing all the modernization modernizing all veterans<05:01:48.798> and<05:01:49.200>
• A modern supply equipment it needs.
• Now, these this modernization effort.
• :50:40.638> will modern inventory management system will modern inventory management system will

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, September 15, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm pleased to present AB 2525, which would expedite the rehabilitation and modernization of facilities
• and quality of life, but with that activity comes responsibility, and our laws must keep pace with modern
• Members, AB 2055 is about modernization, consistency, and public safety.
• So I'll simply say that this bill again addresses gaps in enforcement authority, modernizes outdated
• This bill modernizes California law by removing outdated restrictions that prevent trained advanced..

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee met on May 13, 2026, with a large agenda of 196 bills. After establishing quorum, the committee first approved two consent calendars covering numerous bills, then heard a series of author presentations and public testimony. Most measures discussed were housing, public safety, health care, and local government bills, with many authors and sponsors emphasizing that the proposals had minor, absorbable, or no state costs. Among the bills heard were AB 2641 on a sales tax exemption for pawnbroker redemptions; AB 2525 to create a narrow Surplus Lands Act exemption for Mission Bay Park in San Diego; AB 1732 and AB 2433 on student housing and the density bonus law; AB 2055 updating boating safety and enforcement laws; AB 1579 expanding children’s crisis residential options; AB 2139 for an Inland Empire sports-related Surplus Lands Act exemption; AB 2041 on EMS reporting compliance; AB 1973 expanding advanced practice clinicians’ authority for reproductive care; AB 1929 requiring health plan investment disclosures; AB 2700 on utility rates and wildfire victim compensation; AB 1809 removing the sunset on school job order contracting; SB 73 strengthening election security; AB 2418 streamlining commercial building permits; AB 1970 limiting step therapy for serious mental illness and substance use treatment; AB 2361 on peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing liability; AB 1976 streamlining bike and pedestrian project approvals; AB 2110 authorizing local tax increment financing for workforce housing; and AB 2146 easing documentation for supportive housing placements. Testimony was largely in support, often from sponsoring organizations, local governments, housing advocates, health groups, law enforcement, and wildfire survivors. AB 2700 drew especially extensive public support from Camp Fire and Tubbs Fire survivors and local officials, who urged stronger compensation for wildfire victims and relief from utility costs. AB 2034 and AB 1790 were mentioned during public comment as bills with opposition from industry groups, while AB 1903 and SB 417 also drew comment. Several bills were amended or noted as being subject to future amendments, including AB 1732, AB 2041, and AB 2418. The committee took action on the bills as they were heard, generally voting them out on due pass motions, many by roll call and several with members not voting on particular measures. The suspense calendar was then read and deemed approved, and the hearing concluded after public comment on bills not heard that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Second reading of the bill: An act modernizing the Commonwealth's cannabis laws, House No. 4160.
• I rise today in support of House Bill 4187, An Act Modernizing the Commonwealth's Cannabis Laws.
• It modernizes our regulatory bodies, protects consumers, and supports businesses.
• It is comprehensive, modern, and grounded in the needs of our Commonwealth today.
• It is comprehensive, modern, and grounded in the needs of our Commonwealth today.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed students from the Frederick C. Murphy School in Weymouth, along with other guests introduced by members. The chamber then suspended Joint Rule 12 to allow several petitions to be referred, including proposals on alcohol labeling for beers consumed on premises, parity in funding for regional vocational and traditional public schools, and legal protections for victims of childhood sexual abuse. The main floor business was House No. 4187, An Act Modernizing the Commonwealth’s Cannabis Laws, reported by Ways and Means as a substitute bill. Members speaking in support described it as a comprehensive overhaul of the Cannabis Control Commission and the state’s cannabis and hemp regulatory framework. The bill would reduce and restructure the CCC, expand options for cannabis businesses and social equity operators, raise license and ownership caps, remove the vertical integration requirement for medical marijuana, and create stronger rules for hemp and CBD products, including a ban on unregulated intoxicating hemp products and a new regulatory structure for allowable hemp beverages and CBD items. Several amendments were offered and adopted by roll call, including changes narrowing the hemp beverage ban from 11 ounces to 7.5 ounces, requiring out-of-state testing labs to be certified in good standing with the commission, and other technical revisions. After debate, the House passed H. 4187 to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 153-0. The chamber also passed to be engrossed two sick leave bank bills, for Andrew Satara and Dana Johnson, and ordered House No. 1590, establishing a sick leave bank for Eric J. Wenaka, to a third reading. The House then adopted an order to meet the next day at 11 a.m. and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Essentially, the electric grid was coming online and powering what they needed, and they therefore didn't
• Essentially, the<01:56:57.920> electric<01:56:58.320> grid<01:56:58.560> was<01:
• 56:58.800> coming<01:56:58.960> online<01:56:59.440> and the electric grid was coming
• online and the electric grid was coming online and and<01:57:00.000> powering<01:57:00.400>

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We haven't done it yet, but there are states in the Western Grid that have mandated that they're going
• states<04:05:31.920> in<04:05:32.160> the<04:05:32.399> Western<04:05:32.960> Grid
• <04:05:33.439> that<04:05:33.760> have states in the Western Grid that have states
• in the Western Grid that have mandated<04:05:34.960> that<04:05:35.600> uh<04:05:35.680

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1087 is an effort to recast and modernize California's landmark climate and transportation planning
• It is a modernization program for SB 375. SB 375 was passed now 18 years ago.
• So what SB 1087 seeks to do is to modernize the system in order to accomplish two things.
• I am here to present SB 1287, the Shortline Railroad Modernization Act of 2026.
• SB 1287 helps change that by modernizing short-line rail.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard and advanced a full agenda of transportation-related bills, with extensive testimony on several measures. SB 1087 by Senator Cabaldon proposed modernizing SB 375 regional climate and transportation planning by moving regional plan cycles from four years to eight, clarifying CARB and CTC roles, aligning funding programs with greenhouse gas goals, and reducing duplicative CEQA-related work. Supporters, including SCAG, MTC/ABAG, and other MPOs, said the bill would save time and money and improve implementation; opponents from clean air and housing groups warned it could weaken climate accountability, dilute VMT-focused reductions, and reduce public participation. The committee later passed the bill on a 9-1 vote. The committee also heard SB 1315, a modest data-collection bill on semi-autonomous vehicle software updates and insurance oversight, which drew no opposition and passed unanimously. SB 1275, by Senator McNerney, would replace the general fund portion of the state sales tax on motor vehicles with a vehicle license fee structure intended to create a federal tax deduction for buyers; the LAO provided technical background, and the bill advanced on a 9-1 vote. SB 1287 by Senator Hurtado would create a tax credit to spur private investment in short-line railroad infrastructure; supporters said it would improve freight efficiency, reduce truck traffic, and cut emissions, and it passed unanimously. The committee also considered SB 1064, which would reduce the frequency of clean truck checks for very low-mileage heavy-duty, off-road diesel, and special equipment vehicles; supporters said it would ease burdens on rural and low-use operators, while opponents awaited CARB analysis, and the bill passed 12-0 after amendments. SB 1375 by Senator Cortese would streamline environmental review for certain transit and rail projects that have already undergone extensive prior review, and it passed unanimously. SB 1392, also by Senator Cortese, would expand the smog-check exemption for older collector vehicles used mainly for shows, parades, and historic display; classic-car and lowrider advocates supported it, while air quality groups opposed it as increasing emissions, and it passed 10-2. The committee also adopted the consent calendar, including SB 1213 by Senator Reyes, and all measures were reported out to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 45 modernizes Kentucky CPA licensure framework with five key provisions.
• It modernizes outdated rules without reducing public protection.
• The overarching goal of this legislation is to modernize and streamline a statute that was originally
• <00:10:43.760> and legislation is to modernize and legislation is to modernize and streamline
• <00:18:40.640> the ongoing efforts to modernize the ongoing efforts to modernize the Kentucky

Keywords: 00:00 Call to Order 00:05 Roll Call 1:00 HB 357 Discussion 4:53 HB 357 Vote 6:40 HB 45 Discussion 8:00 HB 45 Vote 9:29 HB 48 Discussion 15:00 HB 48 Vote 16:25 HB 212 Discussion 20:17 HB 212 Vote 21:50 HB 49 Discussion 25:55 HB 49 Vote 27:16 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations Committee met with a quorum and took up several bills, beginning with House Bill 387. The bill was presented as a measure to ensure veterinarians are not subject to controlled-substance reporting requirements through regulation or other means, while also revising the controlled substance council to remove an emergency medicine physician and an acute care nurse and add two veterinarians. Supporters said the change was needed because veterinary reporting would be overly complicated, especially in rural Kentucky and for large-animal practices. The committee adopted the committee substitute, approved a committee amendment, and passed the bill unanimously, including the title amendment and emergency clause. The committee then heard House Bill 45, which would modernize Kentucky CPA licensure. The sponsor and the State Board of Accountancy said the bill updates outdated rules, supports workforce mobility and remote practice, reduces barriers to interstate commerce, and adds a new licensing option to address time and cost concerns for candidates. The committee passed the bill unanimously. House Bill 48 followed, a long-updated physical therapy practice act revision. Testimony said it would clarify and streamline the statute, add definitions for physical therapist assistants, change certification language to licensure, allow expungement of minor non-patient-harm violations, clarify sexual misconduct language, adjust disciplinary and fee-setting provisions, and ease requirements for some internationally trained practitioners. The committee again passed the bill unanimously. House Bill 212 was next and would allow licensed veterinary technicians, under direct veterinarian supervision, to administer rabies vaccinations to dogs, cats, and ferrets. The sponsor and Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association said the change would help shelters, humane societies, and mass vaccination clinics, improve recordkeeping, and address rising rabies concerns in Kentucky. The committee approved the bill unanimously. Finally, House Bill 49 was presented by Representative Matt Cook and the Board of Licensure for Engineers and Surveyors as a scholarship program funded by $5 from each annual license renewal plus fines and penalties, aimed at encouraging Kentucky students to enter engineering and surveying and remain in the state for six years after graduation/licensure. Members asked about the service commitment and funding source; the sponsor said the program would use existing funds and not raise renewal rates. The committee passed the bill unanimously, with the chair noting it as a positive example of board modernization.

Transcript Highlights:

• How is the executive going to work with the legislature to modernize this system?
• That needs to get fixed along with modernization.
• So I'm glad you guys are going to help us with that modernization. I'm glad you're on board.
• Making more opportunity of that capital means that we have to Modernize this system.
• That answer is just a total replacement of what we've got there now, but modernized, right?

Transcript Highlights:

• So what we're doing is we're basically trying to modernize and update the bail bonds business.
• trying to modernize and update the<00:05:34.800> the<00:05:35.120> bail<00:05:35.440><
• What this is trying to do is to to modernize,<00:09:16.080> tighten<00:09:16.399> up<00
• :09:16.640> some<00:09:16.800> of<00:09:16.880> those modernize, tighten up some
• of those modernize, tighten up some of those things<00:09:17.279> that<00:09:17.600> are

Bills: HB150

Keywords: improvement district, special assessment, assessment lien, public infrastructure, bond financing, bond interest rate, county commission, tax assessor, tax collector, judge of probate, ad valorem tax, tax lien, tax sale, foreclosure, delinquent taxes, municipal finance, public improvements, infrastructure financing, collection enforcement, property lien

Transcript Highlights:

• Modern firefighting has changed. Fires today burn hotter.
• <00:04:45.520> Modern Why is this happening? Modern Why is this happening?
• Modern firefighting<00:04:46.800> has<00:04:47.040> changed.
• Expanding presumptive cancer coverage will reflect modern science and medical evidence, provide fairness
• cancer coverage will reflect modern cancer coverage will reflect modern science<00:06:54.240>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee began with introductions of interns and then took up two bills. House Bill 34, presented by Representative Bant with testimony from Kentucky Professional Firefighters, would expand Kentucky’s presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters. The witness argued that occupational cancer is now the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths for firefighters and asked that additional cancers, including prostate, pancreatic, thyroid, breast, esophageal, and multiple melanoma, be added to the law. Members asked about the fiscal impact, which was described as indeterminable, and several members voiced support for the bill and for first responders. After discussion, House Bill 34 received a motion and second and was approved by the committee with favorable expression. The roll call showed broad support, with Representative Thomas voting no and the rest of the committee voting yes. The committee then heard House Bill 214 from Representative Wesley, which would create a disabled veterans account program to fund accessibility ramps for disabled veterans’ residences. The bill was described as covering pre-built or custom-built ramps for homes and defining eligible recipients. It also received a motion and second, passed with favorable expression, and the roll call again showed overwhelming support with Representative Thomas voting no and the remaining members voting yes. The meeting ended with an announcement about a National Guard Association legislative breakfast the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• exactly the kind of scenario that reveals the urgent need for stronger tools, better detection, and modernized
• So combining sirens with old-tech sirens with, you know, modern cell phone alerts would be a positive
• First, modernizing flood alerts makes sense. Sirens may not work in some areas.
• I ask you to look at House Bill 4914, designed to fundamentally reconstitute and modernize the State
• It's applied on a sub-grid across the country, and they usually try to find places where there's going

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness hearing convened in Kerrville with quorum, public testimony limited to three minutes and invited testimony to 10 minutes. Leaders from both chambers, along with the lieutenant governor and speaker, framed the hearing as an unprecedented joint effort focused on learning from the July 4 flood, honoring victims, and identifying actions to reduce future loss of life. The committee also heard opening remarks about decorum, logistics, and the intent to continue work in future sessions. The first panel included Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, Emergency Management Coordinator William B. Thomas IV, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr., Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, Upper Guadalupe River Authority representative William Rector, Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk, and Real County Judge Bella Rubio. They described the flood as sudden and catastrophic, with Kerr County reporting 108 deaths and two missing. Local officials emphasized that they received no timely warning of the scale of the event, that responders and volunteers acted heroically under extreme conditions, and that communications, cell coverage, and rural emergency resources were strained. Several witnesses said the county’s existing alert systems were limited by geography, sparse broadband, and the speed of the flood. Testimony focused on possible improvements, including real-time flood gauges and predictive monitoring, stronger rural emergency management staffing and training, better interoperability and alerting tools such as IPAWS, CodeRED, WENS, and sirens, and expanded broadband and radio coverage. Kerrville asked for a flood warning system before next summer and state help for stormwater, floodplain, and disaster recovery funding. UGRA described its past and current flood-warning and mitigation efforts, including gauge funding, a new software-based flood prediction project, and consideration of additional retention dams. Kendall and Real counties highlighted successful or needed alerting and evacuation practices, while also stressing the difficulty of funding and maintaining such systems in small rural counties. Members asked detailed questions about the timeline of the flood response, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and whether regional consolidation or additional infrastructure could improve future preparedness.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can make them a place by actually putting down a street grid in that giant parking lot so that you
• So I definitely sympathize with that argument, but modern lifestyles have changed, you know, people have
• 04:43:00.200> that<04:43:00.320> argument<04:43:00.840> but<04:43:01.240> modern
• <04:43:01.600> Lifestyles with that argument but modern Lifestyles with that argument but
• modern Lifestyles have<04:43:02.360> changed<04:43:02.760> you<04:43:02.840> know

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 50 of the spreadsheet is the tax modernization account.
• If you wouldn't mind going back to line 53, it's a transfer in the tax modernization account.
• It's a transfer in from the general fund of $2.3 million into the tax modernization account.
• The tax modernization account, under current law, has $5 million.
• In the tax budget bill, we established the tax modernization account, which was designed to put a down

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Transcript Highlights:

• She said that yesterday they heard a bill about off-grid power generators and asked whether this bill
• Representative Thomas thanked the chair and said that yesterday they heard a bill about off-grid power
• being tied directly to these data centers rather than providing electric generally into our existing grid
• Once that's met, once that reactor is built, any extra power can go back to the grid and feed the customers
• House Bill 672 would refresh our memory, allow for off-grid electricity providers in New Hampshire.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bed management project, also their vital records modernization project, and DOT's roadway capital
• Most modernization efforts make changes.
• Modernization efforts make changes. They bring new capabilities to meet new federal requirements.
• What they don't do is go into the modernization side of that contract as well.
• There's some modernization work here.

Summary: The Information Technology Committee approved the March 26 minutes and received a series of reports from NDIT on major IT projects, the annual report, mainframe modernization, and cybersecurity services. The project portfolio was reported at 116 major projects with a baseline cost of $546 million, overall under budget but modestly behind schedule. Several projects that had been in variance status last quarter were said to have closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning. New startup reports were mostly HHS efforts tied to refugee data management, technical debt cleanup, and legacy application decommissioning, while closeouts included HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT projects with mixed budget and schedule results. In the annual report discussion, NDIT described its service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management reporting, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how revenues and grants flow through the service fund, how NDIT charges agencies for services, and whether customer satisfaction or CSAT scores are tracked and could be reported more regularly. NDIT said it does track service-team CSAT and survey data, and committee members encouraged more regular reporting of those metrics. The committee also discussed application portfolio management, statewide IT planning, and whether agencies should slow new system replacements while the state pursues an ERP system. The mainframe update focused on the state’s ongoing effort to retire legacy systems by about 2030. NDIT and HHS said the work is being managed as a tech-debt program, but progress is slowed by data cleanup, integration complexity, staff retirements, vendor capacity, and federal requirements. Members asked whether there is a coordinated commitment and whether additional vendor support or consultants are needed; NDIT said it is working jointly with HHS and is seeking an RFP to help accelerate modernization. The cybersecurity presentation then shifted to statewide maturity assessments and services. NDIT said it provides endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that assessments are based on CIS controls. Members raised concerns about low participation in the self-assessment process, the lack of mandatory reporting or audit authority, and whether insurance incentives through Enderf or possible State Auditor involvement could improve compliance. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're, you know, we're modernizing our systems like all branches of government are doing.
• Implement transition all the things that we're doing with our applications to modernize. >> So do you
• 12.720> uh<00:14:12.880> a<00:14:13.120> lot<00:14:13.279> of the the modern
• model of how uh a lot of the the modern model of how uh a lot of public<00:14:13.839> and<00:
• way a lot of groups are are doing modern way a lot of groups are are doing this.<00:15:53.920> So

Keywords: 00:10 Call to order and Roll Call 01:06 Information Items and Introduction of Kentucky Court of Justice 03:02 Discussion of Interpreter State and National Contractor Rates 06:35 Discussion of Certifications 08:44 Discussion of AI use in Interpretation 13:56 Software Service Initiatives 16:47 Data Security and AV system Upgrades 24:38 Drug Court Issues 28:43 Discussion of Jefferson County Record Storage 35:33 Boyle County Courthouse Construction 39.26 KY State Police Driver Testing 45:22 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard a budget overview from the Kentucky Court of Justice focused on mandated services and several growth items in the judicial branch budget. Court officials said the requests were driven by legal and contractual obligations, including higher contractor rates for court interpreters and IT support, annual software-as-a-service costs, and upgrades to the court’s audiovisual record system (JAVS). They also discussed local facilities needs tied to Jefferson County lease space and the Boyle County Courthouse, though the bulk of the presentation centered on the court’s technology and service-delivery costs. Members asked detailed questions about interpreter services, including whether services are provided in person, by phone, or by Zoom, and whether Kentucky could train and certify more local interpreters instead of relying on contractors from around the country. Court officials said the certification process is rigorous, that the branch is working with the National Center for State Courts on an apprenticeship program, and that they believe Kentucky may have flexibility to develop state-level certification if it meets court needs. They also said they are exploring technology and AI tools for translation, but have not found a solution that reliably handles complex courtroom context. Representative Sharp asked whether cases had been delayed for lack of interpreters; officials said they could provide aggregated data later. The court also described its major IT modernization effort, including a statewide case management system, e-filing, and maintenance of many legacy applications. Officials said contractor rates need to be raised to compete for skilled labor during the implementation phase, but that those costs should decline once the new systems are fully built and only maintained. They explained that part of the request covers three SaaS initiatives: ongoing subscription costs for existing systems, annual fees for the CaseWorks system used in pretrial and specialty courts after federal grant funding ends, and adoption of DocuSign to streamline invoicing, procurement, and contract execution. In response to questions from Representative KC Carney, they said cybersecurity is taken seriously, that they recently conducted a tabletop exercise, and that some risk shifts to cloud vendors under contract, though no separate cybersecurity line item was included. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on the JAVS audiovisual court-record system. Court officials said not all courtrooms are on the same version, and they want funding to bring all locations up to the current version and prepare for version 9, which they said would standardize the system statewide and support the official court record. When asked about costs, they said each upgrade can cost about $70,000 to $80,000 per system, that they aim to upgrade about 50 per year, and that the request reflects the need to keep pace with a four-year refresh cycle. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Issue number one is the EDD Next Modernization with the following panelists.
• Thank you for the opportunity to share our progress on EDD's modernization.
• Thank you for the opportunity to share our progress on EDD's modernization efforts.
• DI and PFL are easier programs to modernize as well. Which is a smaller portion.
• DI and PFL are easier programs to modernize as well.

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of budget and trailer bill presentations focused on labor and public employment programs. The first item covered EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on customer service improvements, fraud prevention, language access, and the Integrated Claims Management System. The LAO urged stronger legislative oversight as the project enters its most difficult phase, and members questioned the revised schedule, total cost, change orders, stress testing, SB 1090 implementation, and how race and ethnicity data will be protected. EDD said the overall project cost remains about $1.2 billion, that the work is being phased with disability insurance and paid family leave first, and that fraud has been greatly reduced since pandemic-era programs ended. Members also asked for follow-up information on SB 590 outreach and equity impacts. The committee then reviewed the California Workforce Development Board’s request to reduce staffing as one-time grant workloads wind down, along with trailer bill language to streamline reporting requirements. The board and Department of Finance said the staffing reductions reflect the end of surge funding and that the proposal would consolidate roughly 10 to 12 reports into one annual report, with additional reporting only if new funds are appropriated for certain programs. Senator Durazo questioned the policy direction of reducing workforce staffing, while the administration said the positions were tied to temporary grant programs and that current staffing is sufficient for ongoing duties. Members also asked about the board’s role in AI-related workforce planning and the rationale for using state funds for the High Road Construction Careers Program. A major portion of the hearing focused on the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund reforms and related staffing request at DIR. The administration and LAO described rapid growth in applications, backlog, and liabilities, saying the program’s eligibility has expanded beyond its original intent and that liabilities could reach about $30 billion by 2030 without reform. The trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply the changes to open cases, and use the QME process and contemporaneous evidence to document preexisting disabilities. Members raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, evaluator capacity, and the relationship to other SIBTF legislation, while the LAO said the proposal largely aligns with its prior recommendations. DIR also presented a request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, which drew criticism from members who argued the cuts could weaken enforcement and backlog reduction efforts; the committee asked DIR to return with more detail on impacts and on its use of temporary-help authority. The final items addressed a request for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff and a trailer bill to make permanent the revised Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition timeline. DIR said the BOI staffing would help investigate fatalities and serious injuries more quickly, while members emphasized the importance of family contact and timely investigations. For the WCAB item, the chair explained that the 2024 change to Labor Code section 5909, which starts the 60-day decision clock when a case is transmitted rather than when a petition is filed, has reduced pending cases and should be made permanent; the remaining backlog was reported at 460 cases, down from 637 before the change.