Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 456 by Senator Talbot provides for the compensation of assigned retired judges.
• Senate Bill 456 by Senator Talbot provides for the compensation of assigned retired judges.
• So federal law prohibits cross-gender strip searches?
• So federal law prohibits cross-gender strip searches. So that is an actual issue under federal law.

Committee: House Retirement

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 682, Allen, PFS prohibitions, do pass with author's amendments to, among other things, strike Section
• SB 291, Grayson, workers' compensation insurance, do pass out on an A roll call.
• SB 487, Grayson, workers' compensation claim, do pass as amended to apply the bill to a peace officer
• SB 36, Umberg, price gouging, do pass as amended to strike geographic expansion of the prohibition and

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its August 29, 2025 suspense hearing on Senate bills, with the chair emphasizing the state’s ongoing budget constraints and the need to make difficult choices among 261 bills on the suspense file. After establishing a quorum, the committee began taking action bill by bill, with many measures receiving do pass or do pass with amendments recommendations, while others were held in committee or designated as two-year bills. The chair noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later on the committee website. The hearing covered a wide range of topics, including insurance and claims data, wildfire relief and prevention, water planning, energy and utility regulation, housing and land use, health care, labor and employment, criminal justice, education, environmental policy, and election-related measures. Several bills were amended before passage, often to narrow scope, remove sections, adjust definitions, delay implementation, or clarify funding and enforcement provisions. Some notable actions included moving bills on AI regulation, transit-oriented housing, paid family leave, wildfire mapping, chemical hair relaxers, and pharmacy benefit managers, while other bills on subjects such as controlled substances, high-speed rail, and certain education or housing proposals were held. The committee also took formal roll-call votes on selected bills, with some passing on A roll calls and others on B roll calls; a number of measures were advanced with Republicans not voting. One highlighted vote was SB 79 by Senator Wiener, which passed after amendments and a recorded roll call. At the end of the hearing, the committee reported that 190 bills were moved to the Assembly Floor, either as do pass or do pass with amendments, concluding the suspense hearing for the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> relating to workers compensation relating to workers compensation adopting<00:12:48.560><c> recommendations
• ,</c><01:16:04.960><c> early</c> grants, great start compensation, early grants, great start compensation
• </c><01:25:11.120><c> states</c> Gruinhagen, federal law prohibits states Gruinhagen, federal law prohibits
• Um and I think it's the U prohibition.
• So those are prohibited actions.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 1059, transportation infrastructure; HB 1015, appropriation; HB 1061, Fenton, Judiciary; SB 1069, prohibit
• SB 1069 Prohibit away. 1070 public records. 1127 duty report. 1142 federal tax code.
• And if the voters don't think that's appropriate, then the voters will prohibit that from happening.
• Their paychecks are compensation for their work. It is no longer public dollars. It is their money.
• They are hard-earned paychecks, compensation. ...once they are earned.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We also gave an increase to the bail commissioners to make sure that their time is compensated fairly
• prohibits that, and I think that's very, very important to note.
• prohibits that, and I think that's very, very important to note.
• prohibits that, and I think that's very, very important to note.
• prohibits that, and I think that's very, very important to note.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 52 is a reduction to the workers' compensation direct appropriation, 430,000 each biennium.
• compensation the workers compensation uh<00:03:59.200><c> direct</c> uh direct uh direct appropriation
• </c><00:15:21.920><c> prohibit</c><00:15:22.519><c> beverages.
• </c> already prohibit prohibit beverages. already prohibit prohibit beverages.
• The prohibition against manufacturing and selling Class B firefighting foam containing PAS.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To our guests and visitors today, state law prohibits persons in the gallery from interfering with legislative
• proceedings or disrupting the order State law prohibits persons in the gallery from interfering with
• Senate amendments remove the prohibition of parking standards for ADUs 500 square feet or smaller.
• Senate Bill 230 by Senator Laird and others, sent applying to workers' compensation.
• SB 230 closes a gap in workers' compensation presumption coverage for federal firefighters and firefighters

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, welcomed visiting students from De La Salle High School and a guest for Assembly Member Kalra, and then moved through a lengthy concurrence and third-reading agenda. Early actions included concurrence on ACR 21 honoring fallen Galt Police Officer Herminda Grewal, followed by a series of mostly noncontroversial bills on utilities, reclamation districts, housing, wildfire relief, mobile homes, environmental quality, health care coverage, and local government. Several measures were presented as technical, clarifying, or urgency bills, and many passed with unanimous or near-unanimous votes; notable items included AB 238 (wildfire mortgage forbearance), AB 571 (Southern California Veterans Cemetery permitting/CEQA exemption), AB 574 (health care coverage), AB 696 (lithium-ion battery safety advisory group), AB 1150 (airport car rental facility maintenance), AB 1154 (ADU parking standards), and SB 499 (impact fee deferrals for emergency-related parkland and utility infrastructure). SB 499 drew the most debate, with supporters emphasizing disaster resilience and dual-use parkland and an opponent arguing it would worsen housing-related fee burdens; it ultimately passed after a call was lifted. The chamber also adopted SJR 4 urging restoration of NIH funding, and passed SB 230 expanding workers’ compensation presumptions to additional firefighters, SB 92 tightening density bonus law to curb loopholes, SB 782 creating disaster relief financing districts, SB 40 capping insulin copays at $35 and limiting step therapy, SB 362 strengthening small-business financing disclosures, SB 513 requiring workers access to training records, SB 489 requiring public agencies involved in housing approvals to post requirements online, SB 31 promoting recycled water use, SB 551 introducing normalization and dynamic security concepts in corrections, SB 639 extending flood-protection deadlines for Sacramento/Yuba projects, SB 653 defining environmentally sensitive vegetation management, AB 652 on air pollution, and SB 221 updating stalking law to include threats to pets. Several bills received recorded opposition or split votes, including SB 551, SB 439, SB 782, and SB 499, but most measures passed comfortably. The Assembly also concurred in Senate amendments on AB 516 and AB 1523, and later lifted the call on SB 499 to complete passage. The session included an adjournment in memory of Rick Bryson of Long Beach, with Assembly Member Lowenthal highlighting Bryson’s athletic, business, and civic contributions. The day ended with reminders to secure floor managers for pending bills, a notice of the next day’s 10 a.m. floor session, and adjournment until Thursday, September 4th.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is prohibiting the state from establishing secularism as the religion of the state.
• But yes, all superintendent hiring decisions and compensation packages are discussed in public board
• So we wanted to know the total compensation.
• So it's a level of compensation that's just being hidden.
• I do see it as an easy way to have all the total compensation in one place.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill prohibits compensating petition circulators on a per-signature basis.
• The bill prohibits compensating petition circulators on a per-signature basis, makes it a third-degree
• In addition, it prohibits a public official... ...changes.
• In addition, it prohibits a public official. changes.
• And we added some language around prohibited expenditure...

Summary: The Senate began with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including interns, Denim Day awareness, and a resolution honoring Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange on the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. The chamber also observed a moment of silence for former Senator Karen Johnson Gendron. After routine business, the Senate took up several special-order bills. The first major bill, transportation offenses involving death, increased penalties for repeat DUI/BUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide offenses. An amendment added penalties for refusal to submit to breath or urine testing and required law enforcement to notify suspects of those penalties. The bill passed 37-0. The Senate then passed SB 306 on Medicaid providers, requiring broader after-hours and holiday access to care and setting network standards for Medicaid managed care plans, also by a 37-0 vote. The chamber next considered a major condominium and cooperative associations bill responding to post-Surfside safety and financial concerns. Senators described the measure as balancing building safety with financial relief, extending reserve-study deadlines, allowing temporary reserve relief after inspections, tightening oversight of managers and inspectors, and adjusting voting, resale, and reserve rules. After extensive debate and praise from members for the bill’s sponsors and staff, the bill passed 37-0. The longest discussion centered on a constitutional amendments/petition process bill aimed at curbing fraud in citizen initiative petitions. Sponsors argued that the 2024 petition process was plagued by fraud and identity theft and proposed tighter rules for circulators, faster submission deadlines, voter notification, penalties, and limits on petition handling. Senators offered and adopted multiple amendments, including changes to petition-circulator definitions, invalid-signature thresholds, and voter notification procedures. After a substitute amendment was withdrawn, the Senate continued debating the underlying amended bill, with members split between concerns about election integrity and worries that the bill would burden volunteers and make it harder for citizen initiatives to qualify.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> state law on the books that prohibits state law on the books that prohibits firearms<01:41:57.679
• </c> for reasonable regulations to prohibit for reasonable regulations to prohibit the<01:42:54.800><
• </c> provide sufficient compensation. provide sufficient compensation.
• </c> Hampshire who has workers compensation Hampshire who has workers compensation insurance. insurance
• c> organizations</c> prohibited and Christian organizations prohibited and Christian organizations are

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a state, for example..." "...who are continuing to struggle in a state, for example, that has a prohibition
• Excuse me, I’m the director of the Workers’ Compensation Administration.
• and other workers in court and in the judicial process to get the care that they need and the compensation
• But this bill does address workers' compensation and occupational disease disablement.
• The federal... ...compensation and occupational disease disablement.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee began by rolling House Bill 132 at the sponsor’s request because amendment language was still being worked on. The committee then proceeded without quorum as a subcommittee until additional members arrived. House Bill 285, as amended, was heard first. The bill was described as a cleanup measure to clarify New Mexico’s disabled veterans property tax exemption, including that it applies to a veteran’s primary residence and how it works for properties with multiple owners. Testimony from New Mexico counties, the Tax and Revenue Department, and the Department of Veterans Services supported the bill, saying it would reduce confusion for assessors and help veterans access the exemption. One member raised broader concerns about housing insecurity among unhoused and renting veterans and asked for interim data on how many veterans would actually benefit, but the committee noted those issues were outside the bill’s scope. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed HB 285 as amended with a do pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 128, which updates the state’s occupational disease and disablement law for firefighters by expanding the list of covered cancers and related conditions, aligning the state law with newer research and recent federal changes, and standardizing the employment period to five years. The sponsor and supporters said the bill reflects current science, removes outdated age limits for some cancers, and makes it easier for firefighters to receive workers’ compensation without having to prove causation case by case. Firefighters and union representatives gave emotional testimony about personal cancer diagnoses and the burden of fighting insurers while undergoing treatment. The Workers’ Compensation Administration, labor groups, and trial lawyers all supported the measure. Committee members asked about the federal model, the five-year threshold, the impact on rural jurisdictions, and why women’s cancers were not previously included; witnesses explained that the changes reflect updated data and the underrepresentation of women in the fire service. Dr. Dan Wu, speaking online, said firefighter cancer is an epidemic and argued the science supports the bill. The committee then adopted the motion and passed HB 128 with a do pass recommendation before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• It repeals the prohibition against strikes by members of bargaining units on the issue of the amounts
• It repeals the prohibition against strikes by members of bargaining units on the issue of the amounts
• Repeals the prohibition<00:29:06.320><c> against</c><00:29:06.640><c> strikes</c><00:29:07.039><c> by
• </c><00:29:07.279><c> members</c> prohibition against strikes by members prohibition against strikes
• Amends the amount that a disbursing officer may deduct from an employer's salary, wage, or compensation

Bills: SB2119 , SB3131 , SB3069 , SB3180 , SB2137 , SB2993 , SB2778 , SB2672 , SB2014 , SB2967

Committee: House Labor

Keywords: reimbursement, public employees, travel costs, government travel policy, finance management, job title, administrative assistant, executive assistant, state personnel, civil service, modernization, employment standards, DAGS, Department of Accounting and General Services, comptroller, civil service exemption, collective bargaining exemption, public works special project branch, specialized public works, information technology modernization

Transcript Highlights:

• Dissemination prohibited.
• Dissemination prohibited.
• Dissemination prohibited.
• Dissemination prohibited.
• Dissemination prohibited. here briefly. Dissemination prohibited.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for doing that who can be U compensated for doing that so<00:50:53.640><c> prior</c><00:50:54.000><c
• for the care that they not compensated for the care that they provided<00:51:04.319><c> only</c><00:
• You may remember that in 2021 there was a lot of debate about our current prohibition on abortion of
• </c> stewardship policies that would prohibit stewardship policies that would prohibit us<01:57:56.119
• I'll give one recent pertinent example: the 2022 Patients Bill of Rights prohibited, among other things

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But not included in the list is prohibiting permitting a child to ingest fentanyl.
• But not included in the list is prohibiting permitting a child to ingest fentanyl.
• So I think it's a good addition to the prohibited conduct under this statute.
• the list is prohibiting permitting a child to ingest fentanyl.
• So I think it's a good addition to the prohibited conduct under this statute.

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The social housing agency must record a covenant at the time of transfer that prohibits using the property
• The rules cannot prohibit the installation or use of the materials.
• The rules cannot prohibit the installation or use of the materials. hardened building materials.
• The rules cannot prohibit the installation or use of the materials.
• This bill would have prohibited us from requiring that of a provider.

Bills: SB6069 , SB6167 , SB6201 , SB6205 , SB6001 , SB6026 , SB6054 , SGA9278 , SGA9279

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: affordable housing, homelessness, homeless shelter, emergency shelter, emergency housing, supportive housing, permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, low-income housing, very low-income, extremely low-income, housing crisis, land use, zoning, local preemption, urban growth area, UGA, planning, development regulations, permitting

Transcript Highlights:

• :34.480><c> from</c> Prohibiting or limiting investors from Prohibiting or limiting investors from examining
• </c><00:34:57.119><c> and</c> employees, employee compensation and employees, employee compensation and
• HB 1024 prohibiting these investments.
• <03:17:54.800><c> and</c> compensation and compensation and um um um added<03:17:59.760><c> a</c><03:
• And then it's base compensation.

Committee: House Executive Departments and Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Was Representative Simmons ever compensated in any way by EEC for lobbying? No.
• Was Representative Simmons ever compensated in any way by EEC for taking or not taking a legislative
• Throughout all of this process, was Representative Simmons ever compensated for any interactions with
• And were you ever compensated in any way for those provisos? No.
• Is she similarly prohibited from talking to them at all about any subjects at all?"

Summary: The hearing resumed in the Legislative Ethics Board matter involving Tara Simmons after the board confirmed no ex parte communications had occurred overnight. Respondent’s counsel moved to dismiss two allegations at the close of the board staff’s case: that Simmons pressured the Administrative Office of the Courts to alter a contract in favor of her employer, and that she violated ethics rules by combining legislative support for AEJG with a personal donation to the organization. Board staff opposed the motion, arguing the evidence showed Simmons’s legislative and personal dealings were intertwined. After a recess for deliberation, the board denied the motion to dismiss, and the hearing moved into the defense case. The first defense witness was Sharon Navas, executive director of the Equity and Education Coalition (EEC). Navas testified that she met Simmons in 2018, later hired her, and took steps to separate Simmons’s legislative duties from her work for EEC. She said Simmons was never paid for lobbying or legislative acts, that her compensation came from unrestricted funds, and that the organization used written ethics-compliance language and a formal scope of work. Navas also described the proviso-funded dashboard project involving Anthony Powers and Chris Stanley, testifying that Simmons was not involved in the project’s day-to-day work, did not attend the meetings about the dispute, and was not part of the alleged contract disagreement. On cross-examination, staff focused on the contract documents, the dashboard work, and whether the scope of work matched the parties’ understanding. Tara Simmons then testified in her own defense. She described her background, legislative career, disability accommodations, and extensive efforts to seek ethics guidance from House counsel and board-related materials before taking outside employment or supporting provisos. She said she relied on prior ethics advice when separating her legislative role from outside work and when seeking provisos for AEJG and EEC. Simmons also addressed her relationship with Anthony Powers, describing it as a friendship rooted in criminal justice reform work and prior collaboration. The hearing was still in the middle of Simmons’s direct testimony when the transcript excerpt ended, with no final ruling on the merits or disposition of the allegations.

Bills: SCR13 , SCR24 , SB1 , SB12 , SB15 , SB17 , SB24 , SB57 , SB65 , SB213 , SB371 , SB372 , SB378 , SB379 , SB388 , SB400 , SB402 , SB427 , SB495 , SB499 , SB502 , SB509 , SB535 , SB583 , SB610 , SB621 , SB650 , SB706 , SB740 , SB840 , SB854 , SB856 , SB875 , SB893 , SB918 , SB925 , SB974 , SB995 , SB1006 , SB1018 , SB1025 , SB1061 , SB1073 , SB1106 , SB1121 , SB1194 , SB1252 , SB1253 , SB1268 , SB1300 , SB1343 , SB1362 , SB1447

Keywords: water rights, treaty compliance, Rio Grande, agriculture, drought, international water, Texas water supply, Texas, Israel, trade, investment, partnership, economic ties, technological innovation, bilateral relations, appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's hold them to their word and hold them to inflation and tie their compensation to keeping rates
• The statutory preferences may also... ...financing, returns, compensation, and grid utilization.
• It does not mandate batteries or prohibit traditional infrastructure.
• It prohibits cost shifting to non-participating customers.
• It prohibits cost shifting to non-participating customers.

Summary: The committee first heard SB 804, the Hydrogen Pipeline Safety Act, from Senator Arreguín. He said the bill would designate the State Fire Marshal as the safety regulator for intrastate hydrogen pipelines and require hydrogen-specific standards, while not mandating any pipeline construction or bypassing environmental review. Supporters included labor groups, utility employees, and the City of Burbank, while Air Products opposed unless amended, citing concerns about the bill’s specificity, fee structure, and the need for a hydrogen-specific rulemaking process. The committee discussed safety, fees, and regulatory certainty, and later passed SB 804 on a 9-0 vote to Emergency Management with commitment to take amendments. The committee then took up SB 905 by Senator Becker, aimed at reducing electricity rates by changing utility incentives. The bill would tie part of executive compensation to keeping rates below inflation, require more performance metrics, and allow the CPUC to consider lower returns on equity for certain lower-risk investments and alternative financing options. Support came from consumer, environmental, agricultural, and large energy user groups, while Southern California Edison, CalChamber, PG&E, and utility labor groups raised concerns that the bill could reduce investment, create regulatory uncertainty, and raise borrowing costs. After extensive discussion about utility affordability, wildfire costs, and capital markets, the committee passed SB 905 on a 7-1 vote to Appropriations. SB 913, also by Senator Becker, would create a clearer pathway for distributed energy resources such as batteries and smart thermostats to participate in the resource adequacy market and compete with utility-scale resources. Supporters said the bill would better use existing grid capacity, lower costs, and build on the state’s Demand Side Grid Support Program; PG&E opposed unless amended, saying the use case was not yet proven and was already being addressed in other rulemakings. After the committee accepted amendments, one opposition group moved to neutral and another said it might do so after reviewing the changes. The bill passed 8-0 to Appropriations and was placed on call. Several other measures were heard and advanced, including SB 1196 on faster utility hookups for small energization projects such as ADUs and EV chargers, SB 931 reauthorizing the Diablo Canyon Essential Services Mitigation Fund through 2028, SB 1158 reducing the frequency of joint reliability assessments from quarterly to twice yearly, and SB 1245 directing further study of California’s gasoline market and potential use of non-CARBOB fuel during supply disruptions. SB 1196 and SB 931 both passed with broad support and no opposition after amendments, SB 1158 passed without testimony, and SB 1245 drew strong support from consumer and environmental advocates but opposition from fuel industry and business groups concerned about costs, confidentiality, and fuel standards.