Transcript Highlights:

• I would also say this is a rather delicately constructed and balanced bill.
• Part of that balance and that unanimous recommendation is predicated on the amendment that was presented
• And so we're here happily in support of this bill and understand it's a delicate balance.
• Those conversations underscored how important it is to pursue solutions that are both effective and balanced
• I want to thank the gentle lady for working on this and finding that right balance.

Bills: HB2479, HB2091, HB2105, HB2107, HB2151, HB2190, HB2191, HB2218, HB2243, HB2303, HB2345

Keywords: unpaid wages, wage theft, wage recovery, labor standards, Department of Labor and Industries, L&I, worker protection, low-wage workers, back pay, interest on wages, civil penalties, retaliation, immigration status coercion, gig workers, transportation network companies, rideshare drivers, app-based drivers, employment law, wage complaint, payroll enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• I would also say this is a rather delicately constructed and balanced bill.
• Part of that balance and that unanimous recommendation is predicated on the amendment that was presented
• And so we're here happily in support of this bill and understand it's a delicate balance.
• Those conversations underscored how important it is to pursue solutions that are both effective and balanced
• thank the gentle lady for working on this. ...gentle lady for working on this and finding that right balance

Summary: The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2479, the Wage Recovery Act, which would create a wage recovery program and account to provide limited advance payments to low-wage workers facing immediate hardship from unpaid wages, while also changing how L&I prioritizes wage complaints and increasing civil penalties for willful wage violations. The bill was described as a consensus product of a labor-business work group, and testimony from the sponsor, work group members, business groups, and labor organizations was strongly supportive, emphasizing faster wage recovery, better enforcement, and a balanced approach to wage theft. No one testified in opposition. The committee then moved into executive session and took action on several bills. It reported out House Bill 291, extending employee contact-information sharing requirements to all state agencies; House Bill 2105, as amended, on notice requirements for I-9 audits and related records; House Bill 2107, as amended, on L&I notice to employers after construction-site hazard inspections; House Bill 2151, as amended, on factory-built housing and inspection standards; House Bill 2190, on compensation for language access providers for missed appointments; House Bill 2303, as amended, prohibiting employer requests or coercion for microchip implantation; and House Bill 2345, as amended, adjusting paid family and medical leave premium allocation to address an IRS-related issue. The committee also deferred action on House Bills 2191 and 2218. Several amendments were adopted during executive session, including technical and policy changes to HB 2105, a carve-out in HB 2151 for certain prefabricated enclosures used for energy equipment, and removal of administrative enforcement from HB 2303. Final votes were largely bipartisan, with most measures passing on voice vote or by recorded vote and receiving due pass recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• hundred are for analogs, but analogs are worth our understanding, studying, and addressing in a balanced
• either harmful or therapeutic, has on the body. develop thoughtful recommendations four years ago to balance
• spectrum were critical of these recommendations, but for opposite reasons, and I frankly thought the balance
• have filed an amendment with the latest working draft that we develop together, which I thought balanced
• up, as synthetics continue to be developed, and as we confront the need for us to strike the right balance

Bills: SB331

Keywords: fentanyl, controlled substances, drug trafficking, public health, research regulations, law enforcement, S-331, Halt All Lethal Trafficking and Fentanyl Act, fentanyl crisis, public testimony, drug legislation, bipartisan support

Summary: In this committee meeting, the focus was primarily on S-331, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking and Fentanyl Act, aimed at addressing the fentanyl crisis. The bill's key components include making permanent the class scheduling of fentanyl-related substances, confirming existing sentencing penalties, and easing registration requirements for scientific research on Schedule I substances. Numerous parents shared heartbreaking testimonies about their losses due to fentanyl, which fueled an urgent call to pass the legislation without alterations. The committee members engaged in passionate discussions highlighting the urgency of the situation as overdoses continue to claim American lives.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> It balances interests.
• Vermont has long balanced the quest for private property rights and continued public access for outdoor
• This bill does not shift that balance.
• It<00:15:11.000><c> balances</c><00:15:11.600><c> interests.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• criminal caseload, sex crime caseload, civil body representation, number of courthouses represented to balance
• And I think the balancing of the objective formula with that subjective input is important.
• However, in terms of assessing each and every parish's needs, the report prepared seeks to do that by balancing
• Walters, to make sure that we had a balanced understanding of how an office functions in different parts

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Governor’s Advisory and Review Commission on Assistant District Attorneys met to consider whether additional state-funded assistant district attorney positions should be approved. Louisiana District Attorneys Association Executive Director Zach Daniels presented a report proposing a formula that combines objective factors such as population, violent and sex crime caseloads, civil body representation, and courthouse coverage with subjective input from district attorneys about local needs. He said the combined approach supported a statewide request of 120 to 164 additional assistant district attorney positions, with the commission focusing on the higher end of that range in the report packet. Several district attorneys described staffing shortages and funding pressures in their districts. Colin Sims of the 22nd Judicial District said fast growth in St. Tammany, a long period without added warrants, and recent funding cuts had left his office under strain, especially with felony and sex crime caseloads. Hillar Moore of East Baton Rouge said his office was significantly understaffed, could not fill all existing warrants because of salary and benefit costs, and was asking for 25 positions instead of the formula’s 23 due to a homicide backlog and difficulty recruiting lawyers at current pay levels. James Stewart of Caddo Parish said his office was losing attorneys to higher-paying public offices, handling a heavy homicide and felony trial load, and needed both more warrants and higher salaries to remain competitive. Commission members asked about split warrants and recruitment challenges. Moore said split warrants were not a major issue for his office, while Sims said his office had no split warrants. Daniels said the association wanted the commission to approve the requested positions and continue working with the legislature on funding. The commission then adopted a motion to recommend 164 additional assistant district attorney positions, with members noting that the recommendation would not remove legislative discretion. The meeting then adjourned unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• criminal caseload, sex crime caseload, civil body representation, number of courthouses represented to balance
• And I think the balancing of the objective formula with that subjective input is important.
• However, in terms of assessing each and every parish's needs, the report prepared seeks to do that by balancing
• Walters, to make sure that we had a balanced understanding of how an office functions in different parts

Summary: The Governor’s Advisory and Review Commission on Assistant District Attorneys met to consider whether additional state-funded assistant district attorney positions should be approved. Louisiana District Attorneys’ Association Executive Director Zach Daniels presented a report proposing a more objective formula for allocating warrants, based on factors such as population, violent and sex crime caseloads, civil body representation, and courthouse logistics, while also incorporating subjective input from district attorneys about local needs. He said the combined approach suggested a statewide need of between 120 and 164 additional warrants, and emphasized that Louisiana’s crime rates and office workloads justify more staffing. Several district attorneys testified in support of additional positions and higher warrant funding. Colin Sims of the 22nd Judicial District said St. Tammany has grown rapidly, has not received an additional warrant in nearly 20 years, and faces major funding cuts and heavy felony and sex-crime caseloads. Hillar Moore of East Baton Rouge said his office is significantly understaffed, has lost many lawyers to higher-paying public-sector jobs, and needs more assistants and a higher warrant amount to remain competitive; he asked for 25 additional positions and an increase in the warrant value from $50,000 to $60,000. James Stewart of the First Judicial District described similar recruitment and retention problems, high homicide and felony trial volumes, and rising office costs. Commission members asked about split warrants and whether offices still use them; the district attorneys said the practice is limited or not used in their offices, and that statewide usage was unclear. After discussion, a motion was made and seconded to approve the recommendation for 164 additional assistant district attorney positions, based on the chart in the packet. The commission voted unanimously in favor, then adjourned. The action was described as a recommendation for legislative consideration rather than a final funding decision.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before us today is Senate Joint Memorial 112, which deals with a constitutional amendment issue for a balanced
• We've got to get our arms around this and get a balanced budget somehow.
• Some of us are old enough to remember the last time we had a balanced budget on a federal level.
• propose a constitutional amendment from Congress that we then, as states, can ratify, proposing a balanced

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from Friday, March 20, then reordered the agenda to hear several measures from senators and representatives. It advanced Senate Bill 1350 on cash rounding, which would provide optional guidance for cash transactions when pennies are unavailable, and Senate Joint Memorial 112, which urges Congress to pursue a federal balanced-budget constitutional amendment. Both measures received due pass recommendations without opposition. The committee also advanced Senate Bill 1322, which tightens the voter affidavit process for people voting without photo ID by requiring additional identifying information, after testimony from the Secretary of State’s office said about 1,200 voters used the affidavit in 2024 and that the change would allow verification before a ballot is issued. Senate Joint Memorial 109, reaffirming Idaho’s sovereignty and the Tenth Amendment in election administration, also passed with a due pass recommendation. The committee then approved House Concurrent Resolution 35 honoring Idaho’s 2026 Olympic athletes, with members reading supportive remarks about athlete Sammy Smith and other Idaho Olympians. It also advanced Senate Concurrent Resolution 122, which reaffirms Idaho’s long-standing relationship with Taiwan and highlights trade and economic ties, including wheat purchases and broader business and technology connections. In each of these items, the committee voted to send the measure to the floor with a due pass recommendation. Finally, the committee took up two rules for the Idaho Public Safety Communications Commission, both related to grant timing and multi-year grant guidance for next-generation 911 projects. Sheriff Andy Creech explained that the rule would add limits and clarity for grant cycles and noted that existing grants would remain valid even if the rule failed. Despite that explanation, the committee voted to reject both docket 15-0601-2501 and docket 15-0601-2215, effectively rejecting both the pending and temporary rule versions. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• As farmers, we balance tight margins, unpredictable weather, and rising input costs just to stay in business
• As<00:01:54.920><c> farmers,</c><00:01:55.560><c> we</c><00:01:55.960><c> balance</c><00:01:56.480><c
• > tight</c><00:01:56.720><c> margins,</c> As farmers, we balance tight margins, As farmers, we balance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• this and just thinking about the different things that we deal with, I'm trying to understand the balance
• Will there be any measures in place to help us balance environmental impact as we continue to grow agriculturally
• I'm trying to understand the balance between agriculture and conservation.
• Will there be any measures in place to help us balance environmental impact as we continue to grow agriculturally

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy heard and approved two bills. First, it took up CS for SB 290, an agriculture and consumer services bill, and adopted a strike-all amendment that covered a wide range of issues: density limits for certain small municipalities, a delay in biosolids rule changes from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2028, higher insurance and penalty requirements for fumigation businesses, longer payment timeframes for contractors to pay subcontractors and suppliers, restrictions on county agritourism permitting ordinances, and renaming the Bonifay Forestry Station. Senators raised concerns about the contractor penalty increase, local government preemption, and the biosolids provisions. Audubon Florida testified in opposition to the state lands and biosolids sections, while several industry and agriculture groups waved in support. The committee then voted the bill favorably, with Senator Bracey Davis voting no. The committee next heard SB 320 on administrative efficiency in public schools. The bill would reduce district-level requirements in areas such as assessments, personnel, facilities, and budgeting; expand teacher apprenticeship and multi-year contracts; streamline salary supplements and testing calendars; give districts more flexibility with Title I and capital funds; update facility planning rules; and shift oversight of district-run VPK programs. Supporters from several school districts and education groups waved in favor. Senators generally supported the goal of reducing administrative burdens, though one question was raised about remedies if charter schools fail to respond directly to Department of Education inquiries. The sponsor said the bill is intended to create a more direct reporting path and reduce unnecessary layers of regulation. SB 320 was reported favorably, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• this and just thinking about the different things that we deal with, I'm trying to understand the balance
• Will there be any measures in place to help us balance environmental impact as we continue to grow agriculturally
• this and just thinking about the different things that we deal with, I'm trying to understand the balance
• Will there be any measures in place to help us balance environmental impact as we continue to grow agriculturally

Bills: S0290, S0320

Keywords: agriculture, landscape equipment, gasoline-powered, ecologically significant parcels, local government regulations, educational efficiency, public schools, district school boards, budget transparency, school accountability, instructional personnel

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy met and first took up CS for SB 290, a broad Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services bill. The committee adopted a strike-all amendment that, among other things, set density requirements for certain small municipalities, delayed biosolids-related changes from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2028, required higher insurance coverage for fumigation businesses, increased fines for fumigation violations, extended the time contractors have to pay subcontractors and suppliers from 15 to 30 business days, preempted certain county agritourism permitting ordinances, and renamed the Bonifay Forestry Station. Senators raised concerns about local government preemption, the biosolids timeline, and especially the new felony penalty for nonpayment of subcontractors and suppliers. Audubon Florida testified in opposition to the state lands and biosolids provisions, while several agricultural and industry groups waived in support. The bill was reported favorably after debate, with Senator Bracy Davis voting no and Senator Jones expressing concern about the contractor penalty. The committee then heard SB 320 on administrative efficiency in public schools. The bill would reduce district-level requirements across assessments, personnel, facilities, budgeting, and early learning administration; expand teacher apprenticeship pathways; create longer instructional contracts and renewable professional certificates; simplify testing and evaluation rules; increase flexibility for Title I and discretionary capital funding; and streamline facility planning and architectural requirements. School district and education association representatives waived in support. Senators Osgood and others praised the deregulation and flexibility, while Senator Bracy Davis asked about remedies if charter schools fail to respond directly to Department of Education expenditure questions. The sponsor said the bill is intended to reduce administrative burden while preserving accountability. SB 320 was reported favorably by roll call vote. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• advance, aiding in financial planning, reducing unexpected medical expenses, and the possibility of balanced
• Finally, the bill balances regulation with innovation.
• Senator Park Parker and Chairman Capriglione for their years-long leadership and work on this issue of balancing
• Ultimately, this bill, Senate Bill 1964, strikes a crucial balance by protecting civil liberties, promoting

Transcript Highlights:

• increase liabilities and... ...these things increase liabilities and costs, and so it's always a balance
• But also, we have to balance the need to make sure the state can afford it.
• outlandish that employers can't afford... outlandish that employers can't afford to pay it, and so it is a balance
• They have just grown based on investment income, so the current balance of the trust fund is $2.3 billion

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, as of the latest accounting I have, the account balance stands at $1.2 million, and what this
• 56.879><c> uh</c> latest accounting I have the accounts uh latest accounting I have the accounts uh balance
• 57.640><c> stands</c><00:00:57.960><c> at</c><00:00:58.239><c> $1.2</c><00:00:59.239><c> million</c> balance
• stands at $1.2 million balance stands at $1.2 million and<00:01:01.680><c> what</c><00:01:01.879><c>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 1101, which would add $1.5 million to the agricultural emergency account beginning July 1, 2026. Chair Anderson explained that the account was created after the 2015 bird flu outbreak, has been funded in the past, and currently has about $1.2 million remaining. He said the bill would strengthen the state’s ability to respond to livestock disease emergencies and support the Board of Animal Health and Department of Health. Representative Hansen offered the A1 amendment to shift $1.5 million from an unused $4 million dairy line item into the emergency account, arguing the funds were sitting unused, a federal farm bill was uncertain, and the money could help with immediate food testing and emergency response. Chair Anderson opposed the amendment, saying the dairy funds had been set aside for that purpose, he expected federal action in the coming months, and he was unsure the emergency account statute allowed the money to be used for food testing. He recommended a no vote. A roll call was taken on the A1 amendment, and it failed by a vote of 6-7. After brief additional comment in support of the bill, House File 1101 was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, it's hard to balance both of those.
• Otherwise, it violates the balancing rule. And so that's my point of order.
• So that would leave a balance of about $2.1 million.
• And the unexpended balances have reduced over time. Eventually.
• I guess, do you have any idea what that balance is?

Summary: The House Budget Committee met with a quorum and began by taking up a series of budget bills and committee substitutes, including House Bills 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, which were laid over. The chair then walked members through a committee amendment package, explaining a mix of technical corrections, fund swaps, and adjustments involving highway patrol fringe costs, summary budget timing, rural health care, the CCBHO FMAP correction, and marijuana-fund reallocations. Members adopted the chair’s decrease amendments and later adopted the corresponding increase amendments, including partial restoration for Care to Learn, a Title I grant language change, an Overpass and Seymour road project, technical corrections for DPS and health-related items, and restorations for Jordan Valley and FQHC substance abuse funding. After a brief recess for session and lunch, the committee returned to House Bill 2 and began considering member amendments. On House Bill 2, the committee adopted Representative Lewis’s amendment making the curriculum transparency and parent portal item a pilot program, and Representative Davidson’s amendment adding $2 million in federal Child Care and Development Block Grant funds for One-Time Wonder School. Representative Steinhoff’s attempt to shift funding from Missouri Star Solutions and WorkKeys to the Success Ready Student Assessment failed, as did Representative Taylor’s proposal to move $1.2 million from career ladder to community college nursing programs. The committee then rejected Representative Steinhoff’s attempt to redirect Title I Innovation and Improvement Grant funds back to the governor’s recommendation, and later adopted Representative Steinhoff’s vocational rehabilitation amendment, which restored the department’s request and drew down additional federal matching funds. The committee also adopted Representative Hyne’s language amendment to allow flexibility between the MOQPK pre-K grant program and the Child Care Works tri-share program, though members discussed concerns about cross-bill flexibility and whether funds would actually be available. Representative Fogle’s amendment to require budget communications sent to committee chairs to also go to the full Budget Committee was defeated after members expressed concern about information overload and the difference between required distribution and requested information. The committee then took up a lengthy debate over Representative Fogle’s amendment to remove language barring Parents as Teachers participation for children already enrolled in public pre-K. Supporters argued the programs serve different purposes and that families should not be forced to choose between them, while opponents said the language was intended to prevent duplication of services and preserve resources for children without other options. After extensive discussion, the amendment failed. The committee continued with additional House Bill 2 amendments, but the transcript ends before final action on the remaining items.

Transcript Highlights:

• You're going to have to go through the hoops of balancing the budget.
• </c><02:29:21.439><c> the</c> through the hoops of balancing the through the hoops of balancing the budget
• Those are based out where to balance it.
• We're saying that they have to balance.
• They have to come up with a balanced budget, which we cannot do.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• our panelists about the new regulations, and if the stakeholders think that they strike the right balance
• The California DMV's balanced approach, encouraging innovation while ensuring public safety, is guided
• The autonomous vehicle regulations reflect that balance.
• You know, certainly we have a plethora... regulations reflect that balance.
• So maybe they got to a decent point of balancing things.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that requires thoughtful and balanced policymaking, which is grounded in evidence, responsive to
• It is in no way a simple balance.
• And so we're trying to balance this for our kids, and there are other safe spaces, safer spaces, right
• And so this is the kind of stuff that we're trying to balance. And I, and I. Trying to balance.
• This highlights the need for a balanced, evidence-based approach.

Summary: The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee held an informational hearing on the impact of social media on LGBTQ+ youth, focusing on benefits, risks, and possible safeguards. Chair members framed the discussion around the tension between protecting young people from addictive design, harassment, hate speech, exploitation, and mental health harms while preserving access to affirming resources, community, and crisis support that many LGBTQ+ youth rely on online. Members emphasized that the hearing was meant to inform future policy rather than relitigate prior bills, and several members of the LGBTQ+ Caucus attended or participated. The first panel featured lived experience and advocacy testimony from Madi Roby of Alliance for Trans Youth Rights, Shea Gardner of LGBT Tech, and Casey Pick of the Trevor Project. Roby described social media as essential to exploring identity, finding trans language and safety information, and connecting to Trevor Project resources during a family crisis, while also acknowledging online hate and bullying. Gardner argued that lawmakers should regulate harms more precisely rather than impose broad age-based exclusions, warning that account bans and age-gating could cut off access to community, privacy-protective pseudonymity, and crisis resources. Pick testified that LGBTQ+ youth are more likely than peers to attempt suicide, that social media can be both a lifeline and a risk, and that Trevor Space and other moderated online spaces can improve mental health and reduce isolation; she also cautioned against policies that would push youth into less visible, less moderated spaces. Committee members questioned the witnesses about algorithmic feeds, addictive design, age verification, and whether platforms should be required to do more to protect youth. Several lawmakers distinguished between personalized feeds and addictive features such as infinite scroll and autoplay, and asked for more targeted prescriptions. Witnesses generally supported stronger privacy protections, limits on data collection and use, better reporting and moderation tools, digital literacy, and design changes that reduce harmful engagement patterns without eliminating access to community. The discussion also touched on the loss of LGBTQ-specific 988 services at the national level and the importance of maintaining alternative support pathways. The second panel presented research from Common Sense Media, UC Irvine, Hope Lab, and LGBTQ+ Health Australia. Researchers reported that LGBTQ+ youth often arrive online with higher depressive symptoms and limited in-person support, encounter homophobic and transphobic content at high rates, and may self-censor because of fear of harassment. At the same time, many said social media helps them feel less alone and find affirmation. Dr. Sean Young emphasized a harm-reduction approach, noting that online environments can be designed to support health and that policymakers should measure whether restrictions actually reduce harm or simply displace it. Dr. Amy Green echoed that social media is both harmful and supportive for LGBTQ+ youth, underscoring that the policy goal should be to make youth safer rather than less visible online.

Transcript Highlights:

• Paid family leave customers before 2025 were even unable to log in and see their claim account balances
• But if the current ATCF fund—what is the current fund balance?
• So, two questions: What's the current balance, and why let it expire?
• The current fund balance is in the neighborhood of about $80 million.
• However, we want to be fiscally responsible and not over-commit or over-leverage the fund balance.

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• Paid family leave customers before 2025 were even unable to log in and see their claim account balances
• And we believe the trailer bill strikes this balance by allowing for additional types of evidence to
• But if the current ATCF fund—what is the current fund balance? And why would we...
• So, two questions: What's the current balance, and why let it expire?
• The current fund balance is in the neighborhood of about $80 million.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on labor and public employment issues from the Employment Development Department (EDD), the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), and the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The committee first focused on EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on online claims, call center upgrades, language access, fraud prevention, and the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS). The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged closer legislative oversight, especially as the project moves into the most difficult phase. Senators asked about the revised timeline, total cost, fraud reduction, stress testing, transparency around change orders, and the decision to phase in disability insurance and paid family leave before unemployment insurance. EDD said the overall project cost remained about $1.2 billion, that it had no major cost overruns, and that it had saved more than $20 million by shifting some shared customer portal work into ICMS. The subcommittee then considered CWDB’s request for additional operational resources and trailer bill language to streamline reporting. CWDB and the Department of Finance said staffing had been expanded during the pandemic-era surge in grant funding and should now be reduced as one-time grant programs wind down. Senators questioned the proposed staffing reduction, arguing that workforce development needs remain strong and that the board’s policy role still requires adequate capacity. The committee also discussed a proposal to consolidate multiple annual and interim reports into a single biennial report, with LAO supporting the streamlining. Members asked about reporting for specific programs and the cost savings from reducing duplicative evaluations. A major portion of the hearing addressed DIR’s proposed reforms to the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) and related workload funding. DIR and LAO described rapid growth in applications, a large and growing backlog, and sharply rising liabilities and employer assessments. The administration’s trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply reforms to open cases, and use contemporaneous evidence and QME reports to document preexisting disabilities. LAO said the proposal largely matched its prior recommendations and would help return the program to its original intent. Senators raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, the effect on workers with undocumented preexisting conditions, and whether the QME system could absorb the added workload. The committee also heard DIR’s request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, with members objecting that some vacancies reflect unmet enforcement and safety needs rather than excess capacity. The hearing continued with DIR proposals for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff, permanent changes to Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition deadlines, and apprenticeship-related funding increases. DIR sought 14 permanent positions for its Bureau of Investigation to handle serious workplace fatalities and injuries, and members emphasized the importance of timely investigations and family communication. The WCAB requested making permanent a 2024 change that starts the 60-day reconsideration clock when a case is transmitted rather than when the petition is filed; the board said this had reduced the number of cases awaiting decisions from 637 to 460. Finally, DIR proposed increasing apprenticeship training grants from $3 million to $20 million annually using the Apprenticeship Training Contribution Fund, citing an $80 million fund balance and workforce demand tied to rebuilding and infrastructure needs, and then began discussion of a separate request to expand pre-apprenticeship programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• and also complemented by balanced and also complemented by clinical<00:15:42.480><c> spaces</c><00:15
• We know that the high acuity center can balance and complement security measures.
• We know that the high acuity center can balance and complement security measures.
• We know that the high acuity center<00:18:26.880><c> can</c><00:18:27.120><c> balance</c><00:18:27.600
• ><c> and</c><00:18:27.840><c> complement</c> center can balance and complement center can balance and

Keywords: 958, all