Transcript Highlights:

• Well, the one is the Solid Waste Authority. I think they have their own bonding authority.
• The Solid Waste Authority. I think they have their own bonding authority.
• There's the Bonneville Power Authority, the Tennessee Valley Authority.
• A power authority. Like New York Power Authority, Bonneville Power Authority, TVA.
• Solid Waste Authority has the authority. It's a common practice for it. Not.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• at the specific malpractice acts through the databank.
• One of our customers is now part of the Health Care Authority.
• those different diagnosis groupings for specific diagnoses.
• Lange said, very fact-specific.
• Lange said, his office does not have that authority.

Transcript Highlights:

• reflecting the newly expanded authority of the work.
• So we're keeping good faith with what you have authorized.
• So they do have to be authorized. By law to operate that facility.
• So the language now requires the authority to obtain consent...
• I want to thank Chair Wolgamott and Representative Allen for chief authoring and co-authoring this bill

Transcript Highlights:

• The federal cuts specifically impacted vulnerable veterans.
• Thank you to the author. Thank you to the author.
• In this specific piece, I'm also looking at the FVAP.
• What is your end goal of your specific bill?
• So I have specifically had members that I have served with.

Summary: The Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee met and considered several measures, with most of the discussion focused on veterans’ access to food assistance, overseas voting, and veteran mental health research. SB 1201, the “No Hungry Heroes Act,” would seek federal waivers to protect certain veterans from CalFresh time limits and require referrals to county veteran service officers; supporters said federal SNAP cuts are leaving vulnerable veterans at risk of hunger, while no opposition testified. Members spoke strongly in favor, emphasizing the need to support service members and their families. SB 970 addressed ballot access for military and overseas voters after the federal DOD fax service was discontinued. The bill would direct the Secretary of State to develop regulations for a secure ballot return method. County election officials and veterans groups supported the measure, while the Secretary of State’s office and Verified Voting raised concerns about cybersecurity and urged a more deliberate process, including a possible task force. After discussion, the committee voted to pass SB 970 and send it to Appropriations. SB 1224 proposed a California Emerging Therapies Research Partnership to help the state compete for federal research funding for alternative therapies, including treatments relevant to PTSD, depression, and substance use among veterans. Veterans advocates described the bill as a way to expand options for those not helped by traditional treatment, and the author noted amendments to address conflicts of interest and administrative issues. The committee approved the bill and referred it to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar, including HR 120, SB 892, SB 1188, SJR 14, and SJR 17, and later voted SB 1201 and SB 970 out of committee as well. Overall, the meeting reflected broad bipartisan support for veteran-focused measures, with the main policy debate centered on how to balance access and security in overseas voting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, the proposal expands authority to suspend or debar grantees to include potential grantees
• Specifically, the<00:42:30.480> proposal<00:42:31.040> expands<00:42:31.599> authority
• expanding the authority. expanding the authority.
• authority to debar potential grantees. authority to debar potential grantees.
• request for authority to debar grantees. request for authority to debar grantees.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• However, what this legislation does is authorize this assistance.
• I would love to have everything New Mexico-specific, even some of our own initiatives to be New Mexico-specific
• Line 22 gives the health care authority the ability to expand the pool.
• additional authority to expand the pool even further?
• We take that very seriously at the Health Care Authority.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to specifically thank Assemblywoman Stephanie and Assemblyman Berman for being co-authors of
• I'm pleased to support SB 830 and to be a co-author.
• What we do not have is consensus on what specific action to take.
• And I want to thank the author for bringing...
• And I would love to be a co-author. Thank you. Absolutely.

Summary: The committee met on June 17, 2026, beginning without a quorum and initially proceeding as a subcommittee. Members heard several Senate bills, with testimony focused mainly on redistricting, Bay Area transit funding, and military/overseas voting access. The chair also announced committee membership changes and that SB 1369 had been pulled by the author. Written testimony was accepted through the committee portal, and public testimony was limited by the chair’s rules. SB 1414 by Senator Reyes would create an independent redistricting commission for San Bernardino County. Supporters, including Inland Empire United, Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters, argued the bill would improve transparency and reduce political influence in map drawing. Opponents, including San Bernardino County and several local government/election groups, said the county’s existing advisory commission already provided substantial public input and raised concerns about cost. The bill was moved do pass as amended and re-referred to Local Government, with one no vote from Assembly Member Lackey; it was later taken off call and passed 6-1. SB 830 by Senator Wiener made technical changes to the administration of the Bay Area regional transit sales tax measure authorized by SB 63, including uniform ballot naming and county-specific ballot arguments. Support came from labor, transit, business, and advocacy groups, who said the bill would help voters understand the measure and protect transit funding. Members emphasized the Bay Area’s transit funding crisis and the need for local action. The bill passed do pass as amended, 5-1, and was later recorded as out 6-0 on call. The committee also approved a consent calendar containing six bills. SB 970 by Senator Cervantes addressed military and overseas voting after the federal discontinuation of the Department of Defense fax service used for ballot return. Supporters, including county election officials and local government organizations, said California needed a secure replacement to avoid disenfranchising service members and overseas voters. The Secretary of State’s office and Verified Voting raised security concerns and suggested a task force or more detailed standards, but the author and supporters argued the bill was urgent and should direct the Secretary of State to develop secure regulations. The bill passed do pass and was re-referred to Military and Veteran Affairs, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• the energy authority. the energy authority.
• And you're right, you could absolutely change that shall to a may, but you do need to specifically authorize
• What that's trying to say is that unless the legislature is specifically authorizing it in this section
• specifically authorizing it in this specifically authorizing it in this section<03:44:09.359>
• . authorization. authorization.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• authority to direct other relevant state agencies.
• Oversight authority by defining and empowering a lead organization and assuming the authority to oversee
• They've typically targeted or appointed some sort of authority, a committee, a group.
• Yeah, we might not call the person an authority figure.
• concern specifically?

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee subcommittee held a hybrid hearing to receive three State Auditor’s Office performance audits. The first audit examined implementation of the Law Enforcement Training and Community Safety Act. Auditors said the Criminal Justice Training Commission had developed most required training, but six community/cultural topics were still unfinished, the patrol tactics curriculum was incomplete in one area, and the agency lacked a systematic project management approach. They reported that most officers had not completed the 40 required hours, with low participation in patrol tactics training, weak communication, limited data to track compliance, and ineffective incentives or consequences. Committee members questioned staffing, liability, and enforcement, and the Commission said it generally agreed with the findings and had begun implementing recommendations, including improving training development and communication. The second audit reviewed Washington’s digital equity planning. Auditors concluded the state lacked a comprehensive, unified digital equity strategy, a designated lead, and reliable funding. They said the existing PEAR/Impact Plan, BEAD five-year plan, and NTIA-approved digital equity plan each addressed parts of the issue but none provided a full statewide framework with clear authority across agencies. The Department of Commerce’s Broadband Office and the Office of Equity said they agreed with the findings and were open to working with the legislature and the Digital Equity Forum on a more structured approach. A public witness described local and regional digital equity planning efforts and emphasized the importance of coordination and community-based work. The third audit focused on Commerce’s management of the Digital Navigator Program. Auditors said Commerce did not consistently use a competitive process, did not adequately vet grantees and subgrantees, wrote contracts that lacked clear deliverables and monitoring requirements, failed to enforce reporting, and paid $10.7 million without sufficient documentation to verify reimbursement eligibility. They said agency staff had raised concerns that were ignored and that some payments and contract expansions occurred despite warnings. Commerce officials said new leadership had already begun major contract-management reforms, including centralized oversight, risk assessments, clearer documentation standards, and staff training, and they said they would pursue recapture where appropriate. Committee members expressed strong concern about accountability, and the hearing ended after public testimony and committee discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• It just makes it a requirement that they do it during any specific reporting period at that specific
• specific answer to that question.
• There are not specific definitions.
• authority from the patient.
• We put specifically approval of religious institution land for affordable housing as an authorization

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:

• It's not just the authority.
• It's not just the authority.
• trust engagement between the authority trust engagement between the authority members<00:17:09.360
• from the Authority.
• position is the author is the final<00:44:57.920> Authority<00:44:58.520> according<00

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land heard testimony on several measures, beginning with HB 347 relating to goats. The Department of Land and Natural Resources offered comments and said its Division of Forestry and Wildlife was available to answer questions. Testimony on the bill was largely opposed, with speakers arguing it would amount to a “free-for-all” rather than game management and urging deferral. DLNR responded that bag limits can be adjusted by area and game management unit under adaptive management rules, and that hunters typically take out their catch. No vote was taken in the portion provided. The committee then took up HB 1278, on which DLNR testified in support. The record in the excerpt does not include discussion of the bill’s substance beyond the department’s support, and no action or vote is shown. A substantial portion of the hearing focused on HB 144, relating to the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority and proposed exemptions from Sunshine Law requirements during the transition period. The authority’s vice chair testified that the body is a startup agency with a complex transition from the University and needs to be able to discuss strategic planning, operational formation, and other day-to-day matters with more than two members present. Opponents, including the Public First Law Center, Hawaiʻi Environmental Alliance, and community members, argued the bill would cut the public out of the deliberative process, allow decisions to be hashed out in private, and set a poor transparency precedent. One testifier also raised cultural and environmental concerns about Mauna Kea. Committee members questioned whether existing law and narrower guardrails could address the authority’s concerns, and the authority said it had already proposed a narrower alternative but the bill returned in similar form. The excerpt ends before any final committee action on HB 144 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The schools specifically, as well as higher education. The water authority is ABC at this point.
• Municipalities rather than through a specific authority and then tribal loans.
• Where is your authority to give such a waiver?
• Why are we striking that specifically?
• Do you have any specific things like that now?

Transcript Highlights:

• We didn't get any specifics on that.
• We didn't get any specifics on that.
• We didn't get any specifics on that.
• Senate Bill 54 was a pretty major change in the state's view on energy procurement and specifically authorized
• on energy procurement and specifically on energy procurement and specifically authorized<01:15:34.960

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is probably not even in your realm of authority.
• However, this one would just be the general authority.
• The Capitol Grounds Planning Commission authorized up to $200,000 of their $250,000 spending authority
• They have the authority to do this differently.
• So we haven't lost that authority.

Summary: The committee first received a general fund and revenue update from the Office of Management and Budget. Staff reported that the state started the biennium about $176 million above prior estimates, but year-to-date revenues were now running below legislative forecast, mainly due to lower individual income tax and sales tax collections. The budget stabilization fund was above its cap, the legacy fund continued to grow, and oil revenues were slightly above forecast overall. Members also asked about federal funding uncertainty and mineral leasing variability, and OMB said agencies would be asked to address potential federal reductions case by case during budget preparation. The committee then reviewed compliance reports and trust fund analysis materials, followed by a bill draft for a fixed-route city transportation grant program. Testimony from transit officials in Fargo and Minot supported the proposal, saying state aid would help match federal transit funds and support operations, but members raised questions about the funding source, fare structures, and whether the program should be limited to the current four fixed-route cities or allow future eligible cities. Several members asked for more time to study the formula and possible funding options before moving the bill forward. Next, the committee approved a bill draft repealing obsolete language related to a proposed North Dakota-South Dakota bi-state authority. Staff explained the provision had been unused for about 30 years and that existing law likely already allowed joint powers agreements without the specific language. The committee voted to adopt the repeal bill draft. The Department of Commerce and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site then provided an update on uncrewed aircraft system initiatives, including the Vantis radar data enclave, the drone replacement program, and future revenue models. Officials said North Dakota had received FAA approval to operate the radar data pathfinder, had begun replacing non-compliant drones from restricted foreign sources, and was working on phased procurement and cost-recovery plans. Members asked about deadlines, funding, supply-chain issues, and how the system would be used; staff said the federal restrictions were already in effect and that Vantis was being positioned as infrastructure for future beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. Finally, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation presented on the design of a new minimum-security prison and on a reentry housing task force. The new facility is planned for the penitentiary grounds, with a reduced estimated cost of about $263 million, 600 beds initially, possible expansion to 732 beds, and completion projected around 2031 if funded in 2027. The reentry housing task force described a data-driven effort to identify housing needs for people leaving incarceration, with the goal of reducing homelessness and recidivism through targeted housing support and possible subsidies. Members asked about staffing, site selection, housing duration, and whether employment and transportation needs would be included in the assessment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And they’re very specific impact fees. They’re very specific impact fees under that NRS.
• They’re very specific impact fees under that NRS.
• And they’re associated specifically to a project, right?
• Do you prefer that we take them in a specific order? No.
• They're not the housing authority or the state.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'd like to specifically thank Assemblywoman Stephanie and Assemblyman Berman for being co-authors of
• I'm pleased to support SB 830 and to be a co-author.
• I'm pleased to support SB 830 and to be a co-author.
• Happy to be a co-author. I encourage all my colleagues to support it.
• What we do not have is consensus on what specific action to take.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :26.400> to<00:08:26.560> the just specifically with respect to the just specifically with
• Um and primary investigative authority.
• And it adds a investigative authority.
• I just want to thank you and the authors for working on this.
• <00:26:21.440> Thank the authors. Thank you. Go ahead. Thank the authors. Thank you.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, Senator, could you explain the A1 amendment, and specifically, it talks about a responsible authority
• through other sources and authorities. through other sources and authorities.
• is that a specific company? is that a specific company? Mr.<01:38:06.000> Ferguson.
• Access is restricted to specific law enforcement entities, in addition to public health authorities.
• authority anyway? authority anyway?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing no other authors, we... Seeing no other authors, we will wait. But thank you.
• I would like to be a co-author of this.
• I want to thank the author for bringing this forward. I'd love to be added as a co-author.
• I thank the author for bringing this forward.
• Yes, also to the author, if you'll have a Republican co-author, I'd love to be one.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several bills on June 9. SB 1023 by Senator Laird would require insurers that cover injectable HIV PrEP under the medical benefit to also cover it through the pharmacy benefit, with supporters saying the change would reduce reimbursement delays and expand access, while health plans opposed it as an unnecessary mandate that interferes with benefit design. SB 964 by Senator Smallwood-Quivas would limit prior authorization for certain dose or frequency adjustments to covered medications, especially for chronic complex conditions; medical supporters said it would prevent harmful delays in care, while insurers argued it weakens safety and utilization controls. SB 1323 by Senator Rubio, as amended, would strengthen protections for people in immigration custody receiving medical care by requiring hospitals and facilities to inform staff how to respond to requests and allowing patients to notify family members of their location; it passed with one no vote. SB 1099 by Senator Reyes would clarify local governments’ authority to provide state and local public benefits to all residents under federal PRWORA rules, with supporters saying it would reduce legal uncertainty for safety-net services; it passed, though one member later changed a vote to no on the add-on roll call. The committee also took up SB 895 by Senator Wiener, a proposed $12 billion science research bond for the November ballot that would create a California scientific research funding institute. Supporters from UC, UAW, hospitals, and advocacy groups said the measure would help offset federal cuts, protect research jobs, and sustain California’s leadership in biomedical and other research; there was no opposition, and the bill passed on a party-line style vote with two no votes. SB 944, also by Senator Wiener, would stabilize Medi-Cal coverage for acupuncture, which supporters described as a cost-effective, non-pharmacological treatment for pain and other conditions that has repeatedly been threatened in the budget process; it passed unanimously. The committee also approved consent items SB 918 and SB 1202, and later cleared the remaining measures on call after roll votes and add-on votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Behind me, we have program managers and leadership from the healthcare authority.
• Madam Chair, Representative García, I can follow up with you on the specifics for the specifics driving
• Madam Chair, under the Health Care Authority...
• What specifically, two questions on that: what specifically...
• be helpful, but I can't speak to the specifics right now. specifics of all the CYFD pilot projects on