Transcript Highlights:

• We were able to work in tandem with all the CUCPs in California.
• We were able to work in tandem with all the CUCPs in California.
• The CTC, California Transportation Commission, assessment that was recently done, The CTC, California
• or Southern California or other parts.
• Michael Pimtel with the California...

Committee: Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• Your community colleges are everywhere in the state of California.
• , for the students of California.
• The workers of California, for the students of California.
• , an area of success for California, not just for our system.
• or California State University campuses.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard updates on several higher education budget items, beginning with a pulled follow-up item on the State Library’s administration of the Imagination Library. The chair said the committee had received new documentation from the State Library and the Department of Finance late the prior evening, and staff would review it before deciding whether additional oversight or accountability measures are needed. The committee then turned to the California Community Colleges budget request, with Chancellor Christian outlining strong post-pandemic enrollment recovery, asking for 3% enrollment growth funding, changes to the three-year average formula, removal of the 10% growth cap, and support for several one-time and ongoing initiatives including the Common Cloud Data Platform, credit for prior learning, AI literacy, Rebuild L.A., veterans services, Calbright College, and the Chancellor’s Office. Senators raised concerns about district reserves, part-time faculty conditions, veterans’ credit pathways, and fraud prevention in enrollment systems; the chancellor said the system is using DMV and other identity verification tools, AI screening, and audits, and that reported final enrollment numbers are clean. The committee then reviewed the student-centered funding formula. The Department of Finance described the governor’s proposal to fully repay $408.4 million in deferrals, provide a 2.41% COLA, and add one-time funding to cover current-year apportionment costs, while the Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended prioritizing the proposals within available Proposition 98 funding. Community college finance staff said most districts are growing, many would benefit from current-year funding rules, and that without the proposed apportionment funding districts could face a deficit factor and reduced course access. Members asked about infrastructure prioritization, deferred maintenance, safety, accessibility, and campus police; staff explained that life safety projects are prioritized first, followed by modernization and growth-related facilities, and that colleges are built to high safety standards under the Field Act. Enrollment growth was discussed separately, with Finance and LAO supporting the governor’s 1.5% growth proposal split across two fiscal years, while noting that growth is being driven in part by dual enrollment, regional demographic shifts, and unemployment. The Chancellor’s Office said 54 of 72 districts grew year over year and that funding more growth could help districts move off hold harmless status, though some districts face long-term demographic challenges. The committee also heard from Calbright College President Agita Menon, who described Calbright’s role serving adult learners statewide, its completion and wage gains, and the governor’s proposed $38 million ongoing funding. The LAO recommended transitioning Calbright to the student-centered funding formula beginning in 2027-28, arguing that the current proposal lacks a clear funding rationale and performance linkage; Calbright responded that its competency-based, non-credit model is structurally different and should be funded separately, while agreeing to continued accountability reporting. Finally, the committee received an update on the Community College Higher Education Student Housing Program. Finance said the governor proposes about $11 million ongoing General Fund for debt service on approved student housing projects, and that 11 projects are in the financing pipeline, with two completed, three under construction, four in working drawings, and two in preliminary plans. Finance also noted that some projects have withdrawn and that about $81 million in bond authority remains unallocated, which the Legislature may need to address going forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's time for California to catch up.
• But in California, we protect...
• These are the future of California, and we've got to set up the future of California for success.
• These are the future of California, and we've got to set up the future of California for success.
• , The State Building and Construction Trades Council, Housing California, Public Council, the California

Summary: The Assembly convened after initially lacking a quorum, completed the roll call, and opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members then moved through a long daily file and concurrence calendar, with many items passed without debate and several bills taken up for final votes. The chamber also handled procedural motions, including re-referring AB 1152 to the Public Safety Committee, suspending rules for guest introductions, and later a roll-call vote on a motion to print a journal letter, which passed 41-16. Among the major Senate bills considered on third reading, SB 385, SB 753, SB 838, SB 643, SB 645, SB 761, SB 774, SB 400, SB 24, SB 37, SB 258, SB 364, SB 403, SB 770, and SB 22 all passed, with debate focused on topics such as shopping cart recovery, housing and land use, carbon removal grants, jury selection rules in civil cases, student CalFresh access, real estate licensing sunsets, renewable energy tax incentives, utility spending transparency, attorney advertising ethics, spousal rape protections for disabled spouses, freeway advertising placement, medical aid in dying, EV charging access in HOAs, and gift certificate redemption values. SB 596 on hospital nurse staffing drew the most extended debate, with supporters arguing it enforces existing law and protects patient safety, while opponents warned it could worsen rural hospital closures; the bill ultimately passed 59-0. The Assembly also concurred in numerous Senate amendments to Assembly bills, including measures on service of process, firearms, workers’ compensation, family leave for crime survivors, solid waste, water reporting for data centers, student information privacy, Diwali recognition, wildfire workforce recovery, educational equity, civic education, office-to-housing conversions, cannabis tax relief, browser privacy, housing element transparency, landlord-tenant appliances, code enforcement, homelessness, DEIA in state government, inmate firefighter wages, children’s health, real estate, rehiring protections for laid-off hospitality workers, hazardous materials, housing covenants, aging, care facilities, species protection, CalWORKs modernization, cannabis access for seriously ill patients, foreign labor contractors, and downtown revitalization financing. Most of these concurred with broad bipartisan margins; AB 247 on inmate firefighter wages drew especially extensive bipartisan support and passed 74-0, while AB 93 on data center water reporting and AB 766 on state DEIA planning drew some opposition but still passed concurrence.

Transcript Highlights:

• With me today to testify about the bill is Caleb Weiss with Environment California.
• My name is Caleb Weiss and I'm the Clean Energy Associate at Environment California.
• Ensuring we create California for All continues to be a major priority.
• I'm Molly Kroll with American Clean Power, California.
• Leave California. As a result, I have two recommendations.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 710, which would expand dynamic pricing and time-of-use electricity rates and require utilities to develop plans for advanced metering infrastructure so more customers can participate. The author and supporters said the bill would encourage load shifting to times when electricity is cheaper and cleaner, reduce curtailment of renewable energy, and help address affordability. PG&E and SDG&E opposed the bill as drafted, arguing the deadlines were premature, could disrupt ongoing CPUC rate proceedings and pilot programs, and might force costly changes before results are known; Golden State Power Cooperative was neutral and flagged a technical issue. After questions and discussion about timing and scope, the committee passed AB 710 on an 11-0 vote and also approved the consent calendar 15-0. The committee then held its first 2026 oversight hearing on implementation of the California Transmission Accelerator created by SB 254. GoBiz, IBank, CAISO, and the Department of Finance outlined the new program’s structure: GoBiz’s energy unit will coordinate the accelerator, IBank will evaluate and finance eligible projects, CAISO’s transmission planning and competitive solicitation process will identify projects, and the tax credit will provide an additional incentive for developers. Administration witnesses said trailer bill language and about 10 limited-term positions are being proposed to clarify roles, protect confidential information, and support the revolving fund, with roughly $26 million in administrative costs over five years. Committee members focused on coordination among agencies, supply-chain risks, regional market planning, and whether the accelerator has enough authority to move projects quickly. CAISO said its planning and competitive procurement processes already align closely with the accelerator and that no tariff changes are expected, while GoBiz and IBank said they are still developing financing strategies and learning from other states. Public commenters supported faster transmission but urged the committee to preserve the role of competitive developers, clarify ownership and risk allocation, and ensure wildfire safety and accountability. The hearing ended with no formal action beyond receiving testimony and committing to continued oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• within the way California functions.
• the California Black Chamber.
• California, in support. Thank you.
• Also registering support on behalf of Courage California, CalPIRG, Indivisible California State Strong
• I’m a California resident, and I serve as legal counsel at In Market, a California-founded company.

Summary: The committee heard AB 1988, which would require AI companion chatbots to respond to credible self-harm or violence-related crisis expressions by displaying the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, warning users, and pausing the chat for human review after repeated crisis signals. The author and supporters said the bill is a measured safety standard to redirect vulnerable users to human help, citing research and cases where chatbots worsened suicidal ideation or violent behavior. Support came from crisis and medical advocates, while no opposition testimony was offered. The chair and members expressed strong support, and the bill was held pending quorum before later action on the agenda. The committee then took up AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for users to create or maintain accounts on social media platforms with harmful addictive features and would create an E-Safety Advisory Commission in the Attorney General’s office. The author argued the bill targets product design, not speech, and is intended to curb compulsive features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic feeds while allowing safer or non-addictive platforms to remain available. Supporters, including a psychologist and the Organization for Social Media Safety, described cyberbullying, predation, compulsive use, and mental health harms; opponents, including EFF, ACLU-Cal Action, TechNet, and youth advocacy groups, warned about privacy, First Amendment, and access-to-community concerns, especially for LGBTQ youth and other marginalized groups. Committee members debated whether the bill is a ban or a delay, how age assurance would work, and whether the proposal would be effective or could push youth to less safe spaces. Several members said they would support the bill as a first step, while others raised concerns about enforceability, privacy, and constitutional issues. The author emphasized that the bill is limited to specific harmful design features, not content or general internet access, and that the new commission would monitor evolving technology and recommend future updates. No final vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, and he noted it as a part of his testimony. ...impact on the state of California.
• Public agencies take the CPR, or California Public Records Act, very seriously.
• Kendra Begley, on behalf of the California Municipal Clerks Association, California Association of Recreation
• to register support on behalf of the urban counties of California.
• also registering support for the Rural County Representatives of California.

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1408 does not take funding away from the state of California.
• My name is Freddie Cantano with the California Apartment Association.
• We’re also at the Association of California Water Agencies in support.
• Vote, the League of California Cities, in support. Thank you.
• of legislation and research at California YIMBY, where we're focused on making California an affordable

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard a long agenda of local government, housing, transportation, and public safety bills. Early items included SB 762, which would give certain local governments a voter-approved path to seek additional local sales tax authority to address fiscal pressures; SB 1400, which would modernize Alameda Health System governance and give Alameda County more flexibility and oversight; and SB 1408, which would authorize Contra Costa County to place a renewal of its transportation sales tax on the ballot. Supporters for those bills included local officials, county representatives, labor groups, fire and police organizations, and transit advocates, while no organized opposition was presented on those measures in committee. The committee also heard SB 1272, which would give homeowners more time to correct certain inherited code violations and allow an affidavit process for buyers who did not know about the violation at purchase. The bill drew support from the California Apartment Association and opposition from code enforcement and county groups, who argued it would reduce local enforcement discretion and create health and safety risks. After questions about disclosure and enforcement, the committee approved SB 1272 as amended and re-referred it to Appropriations. SB 1055, dealing with procurement flexibility for Pajaro flood control and levee repairs, also passed as amended and was sent to Appropriations. Later, the committee approved SB 1379, which would separate the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner and create an independent medical examiner system. The author and supporters argued the change was needed for transparency and independence in in-custody death investigations, while opponents raised labor, cost, and governance concerns; some opposition was softened after the author agreed to employee-protection amendments. The committee also passed SB 1172, limiting consultant compensation and adding transparency rules for local tax-sharing agreements, and several housing bills from Senator Grayson: SB 1003 on pro-housing infrastructure financing districts, SB 1014 on early disclosure of infrastructure requirements for housing projects, and SB 1169 on extending tentative vesting map validity. The committee took votes on consent items and later add-ons, with most measures passing on bipartisan or unanimous votes and several being re-referred to Appropriations or Housing and Community Development as appropriate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the California Assembly. We're so happy that you're here.
• But as legislators, we can lead the way here in California, and we can...
• But as legislators, we can lead the way here in California.
• Many sons and daughters of California don't have a voice.
• Welcome to the California Assembly. Welcome, Vista Del Lago. Welcome to the California Assembly.

Summary: The Assembly met on March 6, 2025, established a quorum, and opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and routine procedural motions, including unanimous consent requests and a re-referral of AB 506. The chamber then moved through a series of guest introductions and second-reading items before taking up several resolutions recognizing awareness days and cultural observances. Members adopted ACR 41 on Down Syndrome Awareness Week/Day and HR 24 on Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month after extensive bipartisan remarks focused on family experiences, inclusion, bullying, funding for services, and support for people with disabilities. The Assembly also adopted ACR 48 recognizing Women in STEM Day, ACR 49 recognizing California STEM Robotics Day, HR 18 celebrating Nauruze, and ACR 2 marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Each resolution drew co-authors and supportive comments from members across the aisle. The body then debated and passed AB 248, which would remove the state wage cap on county jail inmate labor and allow counties more discretion; supporters framed it as local control and rehabilitation, while opponents argued it would raise costs and conflict with voter sentiment. The Assembly also passed AB 100, a budget-process measure moving a large package of bills to the Senate, and used a substituted roll call for the remaining related bills. Consent calendar items were approved, and the chamber concluded with multiple adjournments in memory, including tributes to Eric Lopez, Johnny D. Giles, and Roger Diamond, before adjourning until March 24, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• California Coalition in support. Thank you.
• Jen Rex Road with California Alliance of Caregivers, in support.
• Ann Quirk, Children's Law Center of California, in support.
• Jen Rex Road, California Alliance of Caregivers, in support.
• John Benton, on behalf of First 5 of California, in support.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard and advanced a series of foster care, benefits, housing, and poverty-related bills. AB 373 would require appointed counsel for nonminor dependents in dependency proceedings to represent the young adult’s expressed wishes rather than substitute counsel’s judgment; supporters said it would respect autonomy for foster youth ages 18 to 21, and the bill passed 4-0, later updated to 6-0 and then 7-0 as absent members were added. AB 42 would exempt merit-based scholarships, grants, loans, and fellowships from income calculations for CalWORKs and CalFresh and align the two programs’ exclusions; student and anti-poverty advocates said it would prevent students from losing benefits when they pursue education, and it passed 6-0, later updated to 7-0. AB 534 would encourage transitional housing providers serving foster youth to move from leasing to owning properties by extending contract terms and improving access to financing; witnesses said ownership would improve stability and reduce landlord barriers, and it passed 4-0, later updated to 7-0. AB 562 would require counties below the state average for family placements to use a family-finding checklist and best-practice support; supporters emphasized family-first placements for foster youth, and it passed 6-0, later updated to 7-0. AB 661 would direct the Department of Social Services to develop an implementation plan for a permanent statewide guaranteed basic income program; supporters described positive results from pilot programs and the bill passed 5-2, later updated to 7-0. The committee also approved a consent calendar of additional bills, all without opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• California, Mr.
• </c> California, Mr. Kylie, to speak. California, Mr. Kylie, to speak.
• </c><01:24:04.800><c> California.</c><01:24:06.239><c> Thank</c> minute. California. California.
• California. California.
• </c> administration targeting California? administration targeting California?

Bills: HR22 , HCR14

Keywords: committee appointments, House of Representatives, representation, legislative committees, elections, fiscal policy, budget resolution, deficit reduction, mandatory spending, economic growth, government deregulation, federal revenues, entitlements, congressional authority

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, only 14 cities in California receive direct HAP funding. Thank you.
• Data in California.
• I’m here on behalf of New California Coalition in support of Senate Bill 967.
• California. in the near future to address our concerns. Thank you so much.
• And thank the comments from California YIMBY.

Summary: The committee heard several housing-related measures. SB 866 by Senator Blakespear would require jurisdictions that do not receive HAP homelessness grants to include homelessness data strategies and regional coordination in their housing elements. Supporters said the bill would close a planning gap and improve transparency and accountability; opponents, including the League of California Cities and several cities, argued it would impose costly, duplicative reporting requirements and ask cities to collect data outside their control. Members raised concerns about burden on small cities and possible amendments for lower-population or low-homelessness jurisdictions, but no final vote was taken because the committee initially lacked a quorum. SB 967, also by Senator Blakespear, would allow qualifying interim housing units to count toward a portion of a jurisdiction’s RHNA obligation for acutely low-income housing, with safeguards against double counting and reporting requirements. Supporters said the bill would incentivize rapid, dignified interim housing and help move people out of encampments; opponents warned it would blur the line between temporary shelter and permanent housing and could reduce pressure to build deeply affordable permanent units. After extensive debate, the committee reached quorum and voted the bill out on a due pass basis to the Senate Appropriations Committee, with members noting continued work on amendments. The committee also considered SCR 131, a resolution calling for a coordinated state effort to end unsheltered homelessness and prioritize a broad range of interventions, including interim housing, permanent supportive housing, and prevention. Supporters emphasized the scale and urgency of unsheltered homelessness and the need for clearer state goals and funding. One member said the resolution’s language was too broad and abstained, but the author agreed to consider wording changes. The resolution was adopted on a roll call vote and held on call for absent members. Finally, SB 1238 by Senator Wahab would increase oversight and transparency for homeowners associations and HOA managers, including disclosures, reserve-fund rules, and a proposed fiduciary-duty standard. Realtors and homeowner supporters backed the bill as a way to improve accountability, while community-manager groups opposed the fiduciary-duty provision and raised concerns about litigation and insurance costs. Members discussed the reserve-fund language and fiduciary-duty issue, noting that further changes would be considered in the Judiciary Committee; the bill was not yet voted on in this hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the California Federation of Labor Unions, in support. Thank you.
• Maddie Hyatt, for California Civil Liberties Advocacy, in support.
• Lawrence Gaden with the California Dental Association in support.
• This bill is sponsored by the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus and is supported by the ACLU of California
• And so you cannot subpoena what is protected activity here in California.

Summary: The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee heard a long agenda focused largely on AI-related consumer protection, child safety, and privacy bills. Members first adopted the consent calendar, then took up SB 1050, which would require disclosures when advertisements use AI-generated or synthetic performers. Supporters, including SAG-AFTRA, Common Sense Media, and labor groups, said consumers should know when an ad depicts a non-human performer and that the bill protects both consumers and workers. Opponents from TechNet, the Motion Picture Association, broadcasters, and business groups argued the bill was too broad, lacked a deception standard, could burden accessibility uses and short audio ads, and created litigation risk. The committee voted the bill out on a party-line-leaning roll, with several members noting concerns but supporting continued work on the measure. The committee also approved SB 1111, which creates liability and remedies for non-consensual digital replicas using a person’s voice or likeness, and SB 1146, which targets deceptive AI-generated health advertisements that depict synthetic health care providers. Both measures drew support from consumer, labor, medical, and child-safety advocates and faced no formal opposition. Members emphasized the need to prevent deepfake abuse, especially in health-related ads where consumers could be misled into trusting fake doctors or medical endorsements. Several child- and privacy-focused bills were also heard and advanced. SB 867 would place a four-year moratorium on AI chatbot-powered toys for children, with supporters warning about harmful content, addictive design, and privacy risks; some opposition raised definitional concerns and asked for clearer standards. SB 1247 would give child influencers the right to delete monetized content posted during their minority, and it moved forward without opposition. SB 1000 updated California’s AI Transparency Act to align content provenance rules with newer technology and international standards, with support from Google and Adobe and no opposition. Finally, SB 957 would require social media companies to notify users when the federal government seeks their data through administrative subpoenas, give users time to challenge the request, and report disclosures; supporters framed it as a First Amendment and due process protection, while one member opposed it as an overreach against federal law enforcement. All of the measures discussed were reported out of committee, with several rolls left open for absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, California. Good morning.
• the California Medical Association.
• This bill is sponsored by Jewish California and Equality California, is a priority Jewish caucus bill
• California is a leader in consumer privacy, and I'm honored to present this bill on behalf of California
• with the enactment of the California Consumer Privacy Act and the California Privacy Rights Act.

Summary: The Assembly met, established a quorum, and proceeded through a long concurrence and third-reading agenda. Early action focused on concurrence items, including AB 643 on climate change, AB 1731 on healthy food procurement, AB 2282 on health facilities, AB 2571 on healing arts, AB 2772 extending the Interior Design Certification Council sunset, AB 2304 (“Gabriel’s Law”) on social worker emergency care reporting, AB 1439 on labor standards studies for public retirement projects, and AB 685 on small business resilience. Members also took up a series of supplemental-file bills addressing forestry emissions, data brokers, housing, firearms, postsecondary education, public contracts, juvenile probation timelines, health care AI guardrails, energy-cost analysis, water use transparency for data centers, and other topics. Most measures were presented as technical, clarifying, or bipartisan, and the vast majority of Senate amendments were concurred in by wide margins, with a few closer votes on bills such as AB 1838, AB 1886, AB 1979, AB 2270, AB 2494, and AB 2635. The floor then shifted to a major cluster of bills about data centers, energy, water, and transparency. AB 2619 and AB 1577 drew extended debate over whether California should regulate data-center impacts or instead incentivize innovation; supporters argued the bills would protect ratepayers, local communities, and water supplies by requiring better information, while opponents warned against overregulation and urged a more innovation-focused approach. The Assembly also concurred in bills on food assistance, foster care, health plan directories, prison sexual-assault notifications, and public health, and later took up AB 1918, the human-trafficking notice and training bill for tattoo shops, which passed unanimously after testimony describing how tattoo artists can identify trafficking victims. The chamber also adopted several adjournment-in-memory resolutions, including tributes to Dr. Jack Edward Foote and Dan Hollingsworth. In the Senate third-reading file, the Assembly passed SB 1296 on pet-policy disclosure in rental listings, SB 1361 on housing and transportation coordination, SB 99 on military protective orders and domestic violence enforcement, SB 1072 as the annual housing omnibus bill, SB 1153 on wildfire preparedness and water-system planning, SB 1206 and SB 1209 on insurance regulation, SB 691 on body-worn camera privacy for EMS-related medical treatment, and SB 1446 on parole and sexually violent predator review procedures. Later, the Assembly also concurred in AB 2206 on teacher preparation programs, AB 2411, AB 2468 on inclusive education, AB 2471 on seismic safety and disaster resilience, AB 2555 on English learner reclassification, AB 2507 on tribal affairs, AB 2613 on health plan notification, AB 1889 on protective orders, AB 2113 on aviation, AB 1626 on interscholastic athletics, and AB 2635 on the Just Transition for Landscapers Act. The session ended with SB 869, a consumer-transparency bill requiring added-sugar icons on menus at large chain restaurants, which was presented as a public-health measure and passed after floor amendments moved major industry groups to neutral.

Transcript Highlights:

• San Mateo County is a net donor to the state of California.
• And California shouldn't act like the Trump administration.
• And California shouldn't act like the Trump administration.
• of California, and my colleagues at the California State Association of Counties, all in support of
• This is a major investment in the state of California.

Summary: The hearing began with a vote-only agenda and then focused first on San Mateo County’s request to restore in-lieu vehicle license fee (VLF) funding. County officials, city leaders, labor representatives, nonprofits, and public safety advocates argued that the loss of roughly $157 million would force major cuts to homelessness services, housing assistance, mental health programs, libraries, parks, fire and police staffing, and other local services. They described the current formula as outdated and unfair, tied to school funding and basic-aid dynamics that no longer work for San Mateo County, and urged both an immediate budget restoration and a permanent legislative fix. The Department of Finance said the payments are discretionary, not statutorily required, and noted the administration does not view the expenditure as sustainable in the current fiscal climate. Committee members expressed sympathy, questioned the formula, and said they would keep the issue under consideration; the committee later voted to move the two vote-only items on the agenda. The committee then received an update from the Department of General Services on state property redevelopment, including the Hillcrest DMV site in San Diego, the Fell Street DMV site in San Francisco, and other state-owned properties. DGS explained that Hillcrest is not currently an active project, while the Fell Street project shifted from an integrated DMV-housing plan to a more feasible relocation of the DMV into leased commercial space, with a budget change proposal pending. Members pressed DGS on the slow pace of redevelopment, the potential for housing on state sites, and the costs and feasibility of adaptive reuse. DGS said many state buildings are aging and that adaptive reuse depends heavily on building design, floorplate depth, light, and risk from unknown conditions behind walls. The Government Operations portion then turned to the California Education Learning Lab, which supports intersegmental higher education innovation grants. The Lab asked for permanent restoration of $4 million in ongoing funding and a move of its home agency from the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to GovOps, along with technical trailer bill changes. Supporters said the program has funded more than 120 projects reaching thousands of faculty and hundreds of thousands of students, including work on generative AI in higher education. The Legislative Analyst’s Office recommended rejecting the restoration and continuing the wind-down, citing the state’s projected deficit and suggesting the California Education Interagency Council could pursue non-state-funded grant opportunities instead. The committee held the item open. Finally, GovOps presented the new California Education Interagency Council staffing request, seeking four ongoing positions to support the council, with funding already included in last year’s budget. The department said the governor has appointed Debbie Cochran as executive officer and that the remaining positions are being recruited. Finance and LAO had no objections, and the committee began questions about how the council will be staffed and organized.

Transcript Highlights:

• In California.
• California has that same choice to make today.
• California has that same choice to make today.
• In doing so, [California] would align California law with FDA's science-based efforts in this space.
• I'm a member, I live in central California, Placerville. I live in central California, Placerville.

Committee: Senate Health

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), focusing on public health risks, overdose deaths, and regulatory gaps in California. The chair opened by noting that FDA and CDPH consider kratom and 7-OH products unlawful for consumption, yet they remain widely sold in smoke shops, vape stores, gas stations, and convenience stores. The hearing was framed as part of ongoing legislative work, including a future review of AB 1088, and members emphasized the need to weigh potential benefits against risks and consider whether stronger safeguards are needed. Expert testimony from a toxicology professor and several public health and medical officials described kratom as a plant with multiple alkaloids, with 7-OH identified as the more potent opioid-like compound associated with tolerance, dependence, withdrawal, and respiratory depression. CDPH reported 362 kratom-related overdose deaths in California from 2019 to 2023 and 15 deaths involving 7-OH, while Los Angeles County officials described unexplained deaths in young adults that led them to expand toxicology testing and identify 7-OH as a common factor. County and state public health representatives said they have issued advisories, contacted retailers, removed products from shelves, and taken enforcement actions, but they stressed that local enforcement is patchy, under-resourced, and limited by unclear jurisdiction and lack of testing capacity. Medical witnesses said patients are presenting with 7-OH dependence and withdrawal in ways similar to fentanyl-related cases, sometimes requiring buprenorphine, methadone, or repeated naloxone. They argued that unregulated retail sales and misleading marketing make the products especially risky, and that a statewide framework would be more effective than a patchwork of local ordinances. Some officials said the safest current policy is to keep kratom and 7-OH unlawful for consumption, while others said any new regulation would need resources, packaging rules, and clearer authority for enforcement. Industry and consumer advocates urged the committee to distinguish natural kratom leaf from concentrated or synthetic 7-OH products. They argued that kratom leaf has long-standing use, that 7-OH should be targeted rather than the whole plant, and that regulation should focus on age limits, labeling, testing, serving-size caps, and restrictions on adulterated products rather than prohibition. Several speakers warned that bans could push demand to the black market and reduce access for people using the products for pain relief or harm reduction, while critics of the industry said the products are being marketed deceptively and that more comprehensive regulation is needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• In other words, if they wanted to fool around with California, If they wanted to fool around with California
• I'm the budget director at the California Budget and Policy Center.
• Chair. 350 companies left California in the last five years.
• Chair. 350 companies left California in the last five years.
• Education in California is incredibly expensive. So expensive.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Transcript Highlights:

• Indian people by these remains not coming back to the rightful people in the state of California, California
• , University of California, Berkeley; Hugh Raid, Repatriation Coordinator, University of California,
• University of California, Berkeley, Hugh Raid, Repatriation Coordinator, University of California, Santa
• California Indian people, California Indian tribes, way before the state became a state, some of those
• Just give it to the state of California and let the state of California deal with it.

Summary: The joint hearing of the Select Committee on Native American Affairs and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee focused on the University of California’s compliance with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA and the return of Native American human remains and cultural items. Senators and Assembly Members opened by emphasizing the sacredness of repatriation, the ongoing trauma caused by delayed returns, and the need for stronger systemwide accountability. The State Auditor presented the third audit of UC’s repatriation efforts, concluding that UC still lacked urgency, clear goals, and performance metrics, and that campuses continued to hold thousands of remains and hundreds of thousands of cultural items. The auditor said some campuses had discovered previously undocumented collections, that budgets were not always fully used for repatriation work, and that at current rates some campuses could take decades to finish, with Berkeley projected to need far longer than other campuses. The auditor recommended stronger UCOP oversight, clearer timelines, proactive searches, and possible legislative action to tie funding to measurable progress. UC officials responded that the system had made substantial recent progress and was now moving faster under a new systemwide approach. UC Provost Catherine Newman apologized for the university’s past actions, said UC had repatriated more than 2,800 ancestors and nearly 80,000 funerary belongings in the past year, and announced a goal of completing repatriation of remaining human remains by the end of 2028. She said UC would complete high-risk campus reviews by June 2026, update campus plans with clearer timelines by December, provide quarterly reports, add more than $8.8 million in new resources, support tribal consultation costs, and explore 20 potential reburial sites on UC land. UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons said Berkeley had accelerated consultations and repatriations, had a dedicated NAGPRA team, and was also targeting 2028 for human remains. UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara coordinators described new staff, database improvements, campus surveys, and additional consultations, while Santa Barbara said outstanding loan collections were scheduled to be returned in the fall. Committee members pressed UC on why progress had been so slow, whether the 2028 goal applied to all remains and items or only human remains, why public reporting did not always match the audit’s broader counts of potential cultural items, and what expertise was still lacking. UC said the legal and technical work requires archival, osteological, geographic, and other specialized skills, but tribal leaders stressed that tribes themselves are the true experts and that consultation must be led with them, not around them. Tribal witnesses from Tachi Yokut, Chumash, Redding Rancheria, Amah Mutsun, and Tule River described the issue as a matter of dignity, healing, and transparency, criticized the pace of repatriation, and urged that all associated cultural items be returned with the remains so ancestors can rest. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, but the hearing concluded with commitments to continued oversight, updated reporting, and further discussion of statutory or policy changes to make repatriation a lasting UC priority.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, that is not the case here in California.
• Mark Fenstermaker for the California Council of Land Trusts.
• Good morning, Jamie Pugh on behalf of NextGen California.
• Plant Society, and California Trout.
• We will never do that in California.

Transcript Highlights:

• Welcome to the California State Senate. Senator Niello.
• Hector de la Torre served in the California State...
• This is in Stockton, California, in my district.
• Members, California is not only blessed with the best public university system Members, California is
• If only it were the same in the rest of California right now.

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum call, prayer, pledge, and several guest introductions recognizing visitors including Leadership Torrance participants, former Assembly Member Hector de la Torre, University of the Pacific President Christopher Callahan, and other higher education leaders. The body then approved the Senate journals and moved through the daily file and gubernatorial appointments. Three appointments to the Board of Behavioral Sciences were considered and confirmed, and a confirmation for the California Community Colleges Board of Governors was also approved. The Senate also adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 140, designating April as Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, with members speaking about research, advocacy, and the personal impact of the disease. Senate Resolution 92, marking California Holocaust Memorial Day, drew extensive floor remarks from multiple senators emphasizing remembrance, Holocaust education, antisemitism, and the need to confront hate and denial; the resolution was adopted unanimously. On third reading, the Senate passed AB 1389, an urgency measure ratifying a tribal-state gaming compact amendment with the Yurok Tribe, with no opposition and immediate effect. The chamber also received committee announcements about upcoming meetings of the Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection Committee and the Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee. The session concluded with adjournment in memory motions honoring John Bean, Cynthia Brantley Pierce, and Detective Armando “Mando” Santana, each described as a significant community leader or public servant whose work and legacy were recognized by the Senate. The Pro Tem then announced the Senate would recess briefly and return for the next floor session on Thursday, April 16 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• assault and harassment in California women's prisons.
• What we learned is California needs to do better.
• LaVal Parker, Acting Warden, California Institution for Women, CDCR.
• , California.
• the California Institute for Women two, and three offenders.