Video & Transcript : 'employee training' :
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WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Feb 27th, 2026
Washington Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And word is spreading across state employees very quickly.
- And word is spreading across state employees very quickly.
- only has 600 employees.
- only has 600 employees.
- Healthcare costs for employees are rising.
Bills:
SB6061 , SB6234 , SB6170 , SB6176 , SB6182 , SB6335 , SB5647 , SB6047 , HB2367 , HB2606 , SB5998 , SB6005 , SB6003 , SB6129 , SB6225 , SB6228 , SB6231
Summary:
The Senate convened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then moved to a resolution honoring piano teachers. Senate Resolution 8698 was adopted after remarks from Senator Conway and others describing the role of piano teachers in music education, family life, and community service. Members of the Washington State Music Teachers Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers were recognized in the gallery.
The chamber then took up the operating budget and considered a long series of amendments. Several amendments focused on housing costs and local planning, utility and energy policy, ballot measure costs, state spending growth, tort liability, and paid family and medical leave. Some amendments were adopted, including a study of utility cost impacts from climate laws, a grid-related funding amendment, a tort liability oversight/reporting amendment, and a workgroup on services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Others were rejected, including proposals to create a housing task force, cap state spending growth, fund ballot initiative costs, restore local planning grants, and change paid family and medical leave usage rules.
Debate on the budget amendments was often partisan and detailed, with supporters arguing for fiscal restraint, cost transparency, and relief for taxpayers and local governments, while opponents emphasized existing work, program solvency, and the need to preserve services. The Senate also heard amendments on zero-based budgeting, federal education tax credit opt-in language, reproductive health funding, food assistance work requirements, and support for the Pediatric Interim Care Center; some were defeated and some were adopted. Roll-call votes were taken on certain amendments, and the transcript ends during consideration of Amendment 0787, which would restore funding for the Pediatric Interim Care Center.
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES Mar 12th, 2026
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
Transcript Highlights:
- I'd like to ask a question about your training.
- I'd like to ask a question about your training.
- Is there anything in that training? and for the recorder, all those things.
- Is there anything in that training? Yeah, thank you for mentioning that.
- The executive director and one other employee noted on the district's employee representation regarding
Summary:
The committee approved the February 12 minutes and then received updates on delinquent municipal water and sewer reports, noting substantial progress in bringing cities back into compliance. Several items were deferred at the request of local officials, including Fargo’s municipal accounting code report, Jericho’s misuse of street funds matter, Biggers, Holly Grove, Gilmore, and several private water and sewer reports lacking proper responses. The committee also filed a number of reports with no questions or with resolved findings.
A lengthy portion of the meeting focused on repeat audit findings and management responses. The City of Strong’s mayor described corrective steps on undeposited funds, improper use of solid waste funds, unsupported spending, IRS payroll tax issues, accounting controls, restricted fund transfers, and budget overruns; the committee commended the city’s efforts and filed the report. Calhoun County’s report, involving improper county spending for an appreciation banquet and altered receipts in the collector’s office, was also filed after discussion about educating local officials on constitutional spending limits. Other reports filed included Salem, Briarcliffe, Compton Water Association, and Montgomery County Regional Public Water Authority, while several private water reports were deferred or referred to prosecutors and the Attorney General.
The committee reviewed a major regional solid waste management districts report, with significant findings for Pulaski County and Faulkner County involving unapproved payroll items, missing documentation, vehicle and cell phone use, lack of competitive bids, and weak internal controls; Benton County had fewer issues, and several districts had no findings. On motion, the Pulaski County report was deferred so district representatives could answer questions. The committee also heard from Nevada County, where unauthorized withdrawals and interlocal landfill agreement problems were discussed; the county judge said the issues were being corrected, and the report was filed. Later, the committee heard from the City of Grubbs about long-standing IRS debt and from Cross County Rural Water System about overdue audit posting and water quality problems; both witnesses described corrective efforts and ongoing funding or infrastructure projects, and the committee filed the reports after extensive discussion.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Judiciary Committee Apr 22nd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I have represented employees in the workplace for over 25 years.
- imposed on those employees.
- We're asking for a narrow exemption for training programs that are initiated by the employee, are completely
- These programs help employees who otherwise couldn't afford training and are critical for improving access
- It broadens that to cover all transit employees.
Summary:
The committee heard several bills, beginning with AB 1521, the Judiciary Committee’s civil law omnibus measure. The bill makes a number of minor, mostly clarifying changes, including repealing obsolete Government Code provisions, allowing juvenile courts to hear petitions to establish records of birth, death, or marriage, requiring notice of probate petitions to the Department of Child Support Services, and correcting typos in existing law. It had no opposition and was moved on a do-pass basis to Appropriations, though it was later placed on call pending additional votes.
Members then heard AB 57, which would reserve at least 10% of California’s Home Purchase Assistance Program funds for descendants of formerly enslaved people. The author and supporters framed it as a reparative, race-neutral-by-lineage effort to address historic housing discrimination and the racial wealth gap, while opponents argued it was an unconstitutional racial proxy and should instead be based on individual injury. The bill drew strong support and opposition testimony, was amended, and was approved on a do-pass as amended vote to Appropriations, then placed on call.
AB 495, the Family Preparedness Plan Act, was heard next. The bill would expand and standardize caregiving and guardianship tools for families facing immigration-related separation, including broader use of caregiver authorization affidavits, recognition of non-relative extended family caregivers, and a new short-term guardianship process that preserves parental rights. Supporters said it would reduce trauma and help children remain with trusted caregivers; there was no opposition testimony. The committee approved it on a do-pass to Human Services vote and placed it on call.
The committee also heard AB 392, which would address non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit media by requiring uploader consent certifications, faster takedown procedures, and civil remedies against uploaders and hosting sites. A survivor testified in support, and members discussed implementation details and possible amendments; the bill was moved on a do-pass as amended basis to Appropriations and placed on call. AB 692, which would prohibit employer “stay-or-pay” debt agreements that require workers to repay training or other costs if they leave or are terminated, also advanced despite opposition from business and industry groups concerned about impacts on signing bonuses and voluntary training programs. It was sent to Appropriations on a do-pass as amended vote and placed on call, along with AB 1234, a wage-claim enforcement bill aimed at reducing Labor Commissioner delays and adding consequences for employers who fail to participate in the process. The committee also heard AB 394, which expands protections for transit workers and allows transit agencies to seek restraining orders against violent riders; it received broad support, some concern about system-wide bans, and was discussed with amendments that preserved judicial discretion.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Labor & Workplace Standards Jan 30th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- labor protections for domestic workers separate from the Minimum Wage Act that apply to certain employees
- Separate from the Minimum Wage Act, it applies to certain employees and independent contractors doing
- This proposed substitute removes the provision that applied the bill to employers, employees, trades,
- only going to make better employees.
- It's only going to make happier businesses when your employees are healthier.
Summary:
The committee held executive session on eight bills and heard staff briefings on each measure and any proposed substitutes or amendments. The bills covered domestic worker labor protections (HB 2355), a PTSD treatment pilot in workers’ compensation (HB 2405), electronic notices from L&I (HB 2406), private-sector collective bargaining (HB 2471), fire sprinkler contractor licensing and fitter certification (HB 2472), wage complaint enforcement discretion (HB 2478), a wage recovery program and account (HB 2479), and behavioral health and wellness training for apprentices (HB 2492). Several amendments were described as stakeholder-driven or clarifying, including changes to babysitting exemptions and disclosure language in HB 2355, opt-in language for the PTSD pilot in HB 2405, restoration of some current-law notice provisions in HB 2406, and technical or policy-aligning changes in the wage and apprenticeship bills.
During final action, the committee adopted the proposed substitute for HB 2355 and reported it out with a due pass recommendation on a 6-3 vote, with opponents citing the fiscal note and affordability concerns. HB 2405 was amended to make participation in the PTSD pilot voluntary for workers and self-insurers, then passed unanimously out of committee. HB 2406 also passed unanimously after an amendment preserving certain current-law notice provisions. HB 2471, the collective bargaining bill, was reported out on a 6-3 vote after debate over whether the bill was premature given the current status of the NLRB.
The committee then adopted a stakeholder amendment to HB 2472 and passed it unanimously, followed by unanimous passage of amended HB 2478, which gives L&I discretion in wage complaint enforcement and requires public prioritization of complaints. HB 2479, creating a wage recovery program and account, was also amended and passed unanimously, with members emphasizing bipartisan support and the goal of helping workers recover unpaid wages faster. Finally, HB 2492 was amended to allow certain behavioral health training to count toward continuing education for licensed electricians and plumbers, and it passed unanimously before the committee adjourned.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Establishing a felony offense for teachers grooming a child 2/24/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:01:46.000><c> to</c><00:01:46.240><c> include</c> and enhance enhances training to include and
- enhance enhances training to include grooming.<00:01:47.280><c> So,</c><00:01:47.520><c> I'm</c><00:
- </c> We support the additional training components envisioned in this bill.
- We provide this training to our members, and historically it has been one of the most requested trainings
- , meaning educators and their union leaders are seeking out more training on this topic.
NJ
New Jersey 2026-2027 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Appropriations Jun 24th, 2026
Senate Budget and Appropriations
Transcript Highlights:
- Bill 3946 goes into a little bit more expansion of training.
- There's multidisciplinary... ...of training was huge.
- All they have to do is expand the training on those to cover everybody.
- The amendments expand upon the training.
- The amendments expand upon the training requirements for school bus drivers and aides to include training
Committee:
Senate Senate Budget and Appropriations
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate Chamber Feb 7th, 2026 at 12:19 pm
New Mexico Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Minimum age of employment, requiring background checks and training for dealer employees. A.
- and shall provide the training to all new employees within 30 days of employment and to all employees
- It asks them to hire trained, background-checked employees, catalog and track inventory and purchases
- They already train their employees on how to look for those straw purchases and what to do.
- This bill specifically ensures that FFLs are following the law, training their employees, and prohibiting
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 1/16/25
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:10:31.600><c> causing</c> being misused by employees causing being misused by employees causing
- </c> critical relationship between employees critical relationship between employees and<00:42:17.800
- temporary or employees retaining temporary or substitute<00:48:07.200><c> employees</c><00:48:08.160
- paid medical leave. bartender a barback a kitchen employee bartender a barback a kitchen employee if<
- </c><00:52:49.599><c> had</c> employees 28% of motan employees had employees 28% of motan employees had
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
01/21/2026 - Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency
Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency
Transcript Highlights:
- Yeah, you can put it through training? It's an efficiency committee. What do you think?
- It was largely, almost all of the employees, were men.
- It wouldn’t be across the board, because what is a qualified employee?
- If you're a taxpayer, you want the best public employees for your money.
- If you're a taxpayer, you want the best public employees for your money.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor and Transportation Apr 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The High Road Training Partnership Program is one that my colleagues speak to.
- And so those employees, if we kept them on, would be doing essentially overlap of what other employees
- Issue eight is the apprenticeship training grant augmentation.
- They gave me a new career through the CDL training.
- They gave me a new career through the CDL training.
Summary:
The subcommittee heard a series of budget and trailer bill presentations focused on labor and public employment programs. The first item covered EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on customer service improvements, fraud prevention, language access, and the Integrated Claims Management System. The LAO urged stronger legislative oversight as the project enters its most difficult phase, and members questioned the revised schedule, total cost, change orders, stress testing, SB 1090 implementation, and how race and ethnicity data will be protected. EDD said the overall project cost remains about $1.2 billion, that the work is being phased with disability insurance and paid family leave first, and that fraud has been greatly reduced since pandemic-era programs ended. Members also asked for follow-up information on SB 590 outreach and equity impacts.
The committee then reviewed the California Workforce Development Board’s request to reduce staffing as one-time grant workloads wind down, along with trailer bill language to streamline reporting requirements. The board and Department of Finance said the staffing reductions reflect the end of surge funding and that the proposal would consolidate roughly 10 to 12 reports into one annual report, with additional reporting only if new funds are appropriated for certain programs. Senator Durazo questioned the policy direction of reducing workforce staffing, while the administration said the positions were tied to temporary grant programs and that current staffing is sufficient for ongoing duties. Members also asked about the board’s role in AI-related workforce planning and the rationale for using state funds for the High Road Construction Careers Program.
A major portion of the hearing focused on the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund reforms and related staffing request at DIR. The administration and LAO described rapid growth in applications, backlog, and liabilities, saying the program’s eligibility has expanded beyond its original intent and that liabilities could reach about $30 billion by 2030 without reform. The trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply the changes to open cases, and use the QME process and contemporaneous evidence to document preexisting disabilities. Members raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, evaluator capacity, and the relationship to other SIBTF legislation, while the LAO said the proposal largely aligns with its prior recommendations. DIR also presented a request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, which drew criticism from members who argued the cuts could weaken enforcement and backlog reduction efforts; the committee asked DIR to return with more detail on impacts and on its use of temporary-help authority.
The final items addressed a request for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff and a trailer bill to make permanent the revised Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition timeline. DIR said the BOI staffing would help investigate fatalities and serious injuries more quickly, while members emphasized the importance of family contact and timely investigations. For the WCAB item, the chair explained that the 2024 change to Labor Code section 5909, which starts the 60-day decision clock when a case is transmitted rather than when a petition is filed, has reduced pending cases and should be made permanent; the remaining backlog was reported at 460 cases, down from 637 before the change.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Budget Review Subcommittee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Environment Protection (6-3-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:10:34.880><c> can</c> skills are necessary, what training can skills are necessary, what training
- Then on training, you regular basis.
- We'll cover the training cost.
- What's the training needs?" What's the training needs?
- ,</c><00:47:22.000><c> the</c> have been started, the employees, the have been started, the employees
Summary:
The subcommittee met with Secretary Jeff Null and General Counsel Matt Wing of the Cabinet for Economic Development for an overview of the cabinet’s main economic development tools, strategy, and compliance practices. Null said the cabinet uses a data-driven approach focused on competitiveness, site readiness, wages, workforce training, and long-term assets such as roads, rail spurs, water, and sewer improvements. He emphasized that the cabinet tries to balance attracting new employers with supporting existing businesses, and said compliance is a core value of the agency.
Null walked members through several programs, including the closing fund, Kentucky Business Incentive (KBI), Bluegrass State Skills Corporation training support, and the KIA sales-tax refund tool for construction materials and equipment. He said the closing fund has received $80 million over two years for projects generally involving at least $10 million in investment, though some flexibility exists. He also explained that Bluegrass State Skills funding is typically about $2,000 to $3,000 per job and can be used flexibly for training, including sending Kentucky workers to be trained elsewhere or paying trainers to come to Kentucky. He described KBI as a pay-as-you-go, incremental tax credit tied to actual jobs and investment, and said the legislature’s tiered refundable credit structure allows more targeted use of incentives in heritage and non-heritage counties.
A substantial portion of the presentation focused on compliance and monitoring. Null said incentive agreements are written with commercial terms and spell out jobs, investment, wages, and training commitments. The cabinet requires regular reporting, invoices, and sampling, and can use clawbacks or suspend benefits if companies fail to meet obligations or lose required environmental permits. He said the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority reviews incentive applications in public meetings and often requires company representatives to answer questions before preliminary approval is granted. No votes or formal actions were taken during the meeting.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Appropriations Committee May 14th, 2026
Appropriations
Transcript Highlights:
- AB 1814, Alonese, peace officer training, holding committee.
- AB 1952, Berman, foreign trained dentists, holding committee.
- AB 1789, Borner, candidate trainings and reports, do pass as amended to require training for statewide
- AB 1750, Colosa, school employee extended leave, holding committee.
- AB 2583, Hoover, AI training, holding committee.
Committee:
House Appropriations
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Higher Education Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Higher Education
Transcript Highlights:
- And this availability, along with appropriate training, is also part and parcel of the bill before you
- The first point I'd like to address is the importance of Narcan trainings.
- The first point I'd like to address is the importance of Narcan trainings.
- This bill also requires overdose prevention training and access to naloxone on every campus.
- You still had to attend all of these trainings.
Committee:
Joint Joint Committee on Higher Education
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Higher Education held its fourth public hearing, opening with remarks about the importance of protecting and expanding access to higher education amid federal disinvestment. The chairs also announced future informational hearings on the impact of federal cuts and on ASAP models. The hearing then focused on several bills, beginning with S. 951/H. 1462, An Act to Support College Students in Recovery, which would require recovery-focused housing on public campuses and expand naloxone access and overdose training. Senator Rausch, medical professionals, students, and advocates testified in support, emphasizing the prevalence of overdose risk among college students, the value of recovery housing, and the need for campus naloxone; committee members asked about implementation details and the existing state pilot program. Deb Schmill and Rep. Tarski gave especially personal testimony in favor of the bill, and the committee discussed broadening the naloxone language to opioid reversal agents.
The committee also heard testimony on H. 1461, which would expand MassReconnect scholarships to practical nursing students at vocational and technical schools to help address the long-term care workforce shortage. Rep. Stanley argued that vocational schools graduate more practical nursing students than community colleges and serve many low-income students in areas without nearby community college programs. The committee then took up H. 1433, which would require public higher education institutions to accept IEPs and 504 plans as sufficient documentation for disability accommodations. Advocates from the National Center for Learning Disabilities described the high cost and burden of repeat testing, the lifelong nature of disabilities, and the need for more uniform access across campuses; committee members raised questions about documentation freshness, campus autonomy, and how to preserve the integrity of accommodations.
Later, the committee heard S. 919/H. 1454 on modernizing the Community College Endowment Match Program so community colleges could receive state matching funds for current-use donations as well as endowments and capital gifts. Community college foundation leaders said the change would help fund immediate student needs such as food pantries, child care, emergency aid, and equipment. The hearing then moved to faculty-related bills: S. 933 on UMass faculty rights and tenure transparency, S. 930/H. 3948 on contingent faculty rights and career advancement, and S. 940/H. 1429 on an Adjunct Bill of Rights. Testimony from faculty and union representatives focused on low pay, lack of benefits, job insecurity, and the need for clearer pathways to full-time positions and fairer treatment for adjuncts who teach large shares of courses. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and asked clarifying questions.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Governmental Organization Committee Apr 22nd, 2026
Governmental Organization
Transcript Highlights:
- He now wants to write the hate speech training.
- We also have workplace violence training.
- workplace violence training.
- Hate speech and anti-hate speech training, yes.
- Local 1000 is California's largest state employee union.
Committee:
House Governmental Organization
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority -OMMA- Apr 17th, 2026 at 09:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- credentialing and training requirements, third-party vendor standards, and land reclamation fees.
- Party vendors to provide required employee training courses, including curriculum and in-person training
- What kind of training do inspectors have, and do they wear body cams?
- Je s se and his team, there's training that they're held responsible to.
- We're aware of this and working to standardize the training.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- to have the device a designated employee to have the device a designated employee to have the device
- employees the designated employees employees the designated employees employees that's all I'm trying
- that would are the designated employees that would are the designated employees that would have this
- at I've had uh active shooter trainings at I've had uh active shooter trainings at several churches
- which to the designated School Employees which to the designated School Employees which I would hope
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies May 19th, 2026
Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies
Transcript Highlights:
- Where we have made AI training available to all residents free of cost.
- We've also made it available to state employees.
- You're a foreign internationally trained physician or internationally trained nurse, yeah, you'd be..
- So then isn't it, wouldn't you say that it holds an employee back?
- We are helping retrain the workforce, not just tech employees, but all employees in the Commonwealth
Summary:
The committee held a hearing on Governor Healey’s economic development proposal, H.5386, the Mass Winds Act, with the governor and administration officials describing it as a follow-on to the 2024 Mass Leads Act. They said the bill is intended to help Massachusetts compete globally for capital, talent, and companies by creating a Global Mass initiative, including a proposed $50 million innovation access fund and $20 million for site development to help international firms locate or expand here. The administration also highlighted about $305 million in new bond authorizations, plus operating proposals such as lowering the LLC filing fee, expanding the small business energy tax exemption, funding internship incentives, and supporting downtown revitalization and the creative economy.
Committee members and witnesses focused on several policy areas within the bill. On talent, Northeastern University supported the internship tax credit, and the Latino Empowerment Advisory Council backed a provision waiving redundant English testing for internationally trained nurses who have already demonstrated proficiency in practice. On labor mobility, the governor defended changes to the non-compete law as closing a loophole, while attorney Russell Beck opposed the revisions, arguing they would upset the 2018 compromise and could reduce employer-provided compensation. Municipal and housing witnesses supported codifying site plan review and broader zoning reforms, while others urged attention to affordable housing, tiny homes, and commercial-to-residential conversions.
Local officials and municipal groups generally supported the bill’s downtown, arts, and planning provisions but asked for more detail on implementation and infrastructure, especially around energy, water, and data centers. The Massachusetts Municipal Association said the bill’s standardized site plan review and downtown investments could help communities, but stressed the need for close state-municipal partnership. The AFL-CIO asked for trigger language to preserve labor rights if federal protections weaken. The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office opposed the LLC fee reduction, warning of significant revenue loss and possible fraud concerns. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with the committee accepting written testimony afterward.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration Mar 10th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The employees of the department are paid from a separate fund.
- There are training efforts to make sure that the CBOs can support workers and also train worker leaders
- As I say, at WorkSafe, we like to hold employees accountable.
- We'll always have our employees make that decision. So that's number one principle.
- Employment Training Panel under the Labor Agency.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
SPEED Task Force (STF) - Tue Jan 6, 2026 @ 9:30 AM HST
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I also have Jennifer Mory Kilby from our employee claims division, Rael Yei, who heads up our employee
- </c><00:18:22.320><c> And</c> our employee staffing division. And our employee staffing division.
- </c> work is when somebody and a new employee work is when somebody and a new employee is<00:29:10.240
- </c><00:29:25.919><c> is</c> the type of work that the employee is the type of work that the employee
- </c> training, finance, and communications. training, finance, and communications.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 5 on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor and Transportation May 20th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- The Legislature Employee Relations Act provides employees, as specified, the right to form, join, and
- , all matters of employer-employee relations.
- The Employee Assistance Program is a union-negotiated benefit for all state employees.
- The Employee Assistance Program is a union negotiated benefit for all state employees.
- having the equipment, but actual training?
Summary:
The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 5 held an informational hearing on the Governor’s May Revision proposals for labor, public safety/judiciary, and transportation, and no votes were taken. In Part A on labor, the Employment Development Department described funding for EDD Next document management work, updated UI loan interest costs, disability insurance and paid family leave benefit increases, WIOA adjustments, UI and school employee benefit changes, an EMT training reappropriation, and a technical correction tied to an EDD Next reversion. PERB discussed reduced funding requests for AB 288 due to litigation and a proposal to implement AB 1 covering legislative employees. DIR presented proposals for legal unit reclassifications, two major IT modernization projects, a new Cal/OSHA emerging technologies unit, a COIA reappropriation, and trailer bill language requiring electronic payment of employer assessments and removing a salary cap for the DWC administrative director. CalHR proposed consolidating employee assistance services into a statewide contract with enhanced support for first responders, and CalPERS and CalSTRS presented budget adjustments tied to investment costs, state contributions, and benefit overpayments.
Members focused heavily on the unemployment insurance debt and interest payments, asking why the administration had no concrete plan to pay down principal. Finance and LAO explained that the state’s UI tax structure has long been insufficient and that any long-term solution would need to address both the outstanding federal loan and the structural imbalance in employer taxes. Questions also centered on EDD Next costs and timelines, with the chair asking for clearer long-term project cost estimates and Finance noting that future maintenance and operations costs will continue after implementation. On DIR’s emerging technologies unit, members asked whether it would address AI-driven workplace harms; DIR said the unit would focus on physical workplace safety issues involving AI, robotics, autonomous equipment, and related guardrails, while LAO noted broader labor-practice questions would likely fall outside Cal/OSHA’s scope.
In the CalPERS discussion, members raised concerns about transparency in private equity and external management fees, while CalPERS said higher fees reflect a strategy of greater private-market and active-management exposure and are offset by higher net returns. Members urged more information on specific investments and future reporting. For CalSTRS, Finance presented routine contribution and overpayment adjustments, but members also raised broader transparency concerns that CalSTRS staff said they would follow up on separately. Public comment in Part A was dominated by strong support for an immigrant worker emergency relief fund, along with support for apprenticeship and workforce proposals and PERB staffing. The chair and members said they would follow up on where the immigrant relief proposal should be considered, noting it may belong in another policy area. The hearing then moved into Part B with an overview of Judicial Branch-related May Revision items, including court interpreter funding, appellate court security, workload cap changes, lactation room implementation delays, and a reduction to the state court facility construction backfill.