Transcript Highlights:

• We implemented pro-growth... policies through tax reform, streamlined regulations, and critical investments
• like you, and said that they were going to enact pro— what they called pro-growth tax policy, or tax reform
• , I think is how you put it, pro-growth tax reform, which I think is code for cutting taxes for the—
• Yes, sir, do you agree with independent assessments that you not Adding a single new tax, but actual
• Do you think those independent assessments are accurate?

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Keywords: nomination, Deputy Secretary of Treasury, economic policy, inflation, tariffs, tribal nations, government relations

Summary: The meeting convened to consider the nomination of Mike Falkender for the position of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. During the session, multiple members voiced concerns regarding current economic policies under the Trump administration, particularly around inflation, tariffs, and the impact on small businesses. Discussions frequently centered on the administration's approach to tariffs and taxation, and how these factors contribute to the rising cost of living and potential job losses. Additionally, the importance of bolstering government-to-government relationships with tribal nations was emphasized, highlighting the need for specialized offices focused on tribal affairs within the Treasury Department.

Transcript Highlights:

• talk about the ballot initiatives that we had this past election and for some reason some need for reform
• But if you could speak to that and if there is a need for reform and please let us know. >> What we did
• get some are for Mister Chairman, some reform on actually getting paid for doing this work.
• So when you when you talk about petition reform, most folks focus on the ones that made the ballot.
• after and then again, PA planning input, implementation assessment.

Transcript Highlights:

• for assessing eligibility for SSI and RSDI eligibility determinations.
• Fulman, introduce yourself and proceed. assessment um and finance and policy assessment um and finance
• So that's why I think it's important to take this step to do the needs assessment.
• So that's why I think it's important to take this step to do the needs assessment.
• </c><01:48:16.119><c> of</c><01:48:16.280><c> the</c> welfare in my assessment of the welfare in my assessment

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• We are working on regulatory reform.
• I would like to go further on regulatory reform to make it easier for people to build.
• Right now, you're supposed to assess the health of your housing market, which is what an emergency is
• For a municipality, it decides that they're going to change their assessment, that they charge for property

Committee: Senate Housing, Construction, and Community Development

Summary: The Senate Committee on Housing, Construction, and Community Development met on March 31, 2026, with a quorum present and noted that the Legislature was in budget negotiations and approaching a scheduled break. The committee took up several housing-related bills, with most being reported to Finance after discussion. The first bill, S.3742A, would require information to be provided in new and renewal leases for certain housing accommodations, and it was reported without opposition. S.4659B, the Rental Emergency Stabilization for Tenants Act, generated the longest debate; supporters said it would give local governments outside New York City a more flexible way to determine a housing emergency and opt into rent stabilization, while opponents argued it lacked a clear vacancy-rate standard, could discourage development, and would benefit higher-income tenants. The bill was ultimately reported, with some negative votes and one or more votes without recommendation. The committee then discussed S.8168, which would create a deconstruction and salvage framework for building materials, including local options, technical assistance, grants, and related code updates. Supporters said it could reduce landfill use, lower disposal costs, and encourage reuse markets, while opponents questioned costs, market demand, and whether the program would raise housing and demolition expenses. The bill was reported, again with some negative or without-recommendation votes. S.8595, dealing with how certain valuations and amounts due are calculated in foreclosure actions, was also reported. S.8672, the Employer-Assisted Housing Matching Grant Act, would provide a state match for employer housing assistance for certain nonprofit human services employers; members raised concerns about scope, possible double-dipping, and whether the program should be expanded to other workers, but the bill was reported with some negative and without-recommendation votes. The final bill, S.94A, made a minor amendment to the Housing Access Voucher Pilot Program regarding priority applicants and unit inspections, and it was reported as well. Throughout the meeting, members repeatedly emphasized that several proposals were optional for local governments or employers rather than mandates, and many of the exchanges focused on affordability, housing supply, local control, and the fiscal effects of the bills. No floor votes were taken; the committee’s actions were limited to reporting the bills to Finance, with some reported favorably and others reported with negative or without-recommendation votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• it's important that we are finally in this body having positive conversations about criminal justice reform
• but I hope that we can start to continue to move forward positive conversations on criminal justice reform
• House Bill 2825, fines, fees, assessment, institution, non-payment. June elections.
• House Bill 2825, fines, fees, assessments, institution, non-payment. June elections.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a roll call showing 25 members present. The journal was approved, and several guests were introduced, including Pastor Caden Metcalf as Pastor of the Day and Dr. Jane Peterson as Doctor of the Day. The chamber also took up a motion to reconsider SB 1827, which passed on a division vote, and then resolved into Committee of the Whole to consider bills on the calendar. In Committee of the Whole, the Senate considered and advanced several bills, generally by adopting committee strike-everything amendments and then recommending each bill do pass. Measures included SB 1041 (Arizona Trail Fund), SB 1131 (cardiac emergency response plans in schools), SB 1140 (expungement of misdemeanor records), SB 1249 (Alzheimer’s disease/state brain appropriation), SB 1275 (sentencing and imprisonment), SB 1517 (Barbering and Cosmetology Board), and SB 1673 (Crime Victim Notification Fund). SB 1275 drew the most debate: Senator Ortiz argued a floor amendment would gut judicial discretion and preserve prosecutorial power, while Senator Gowan said the amendment preserved a veterans diversion program; the amendment was adopted on a 15-13 division vote. The Committee of the Whole then reported the bills back to the Senate, which adopted the report. The Senate then took up third-reading votes on multiple bills. SB 1161, SB 1209, SB 1598, SB 1118, SB 1399, SB 1563, SB 1564, SB 1629, SB 1754, SB 1041, SB 1131, SB 1140, SB 1249, SB 1517, and SB 1673 all passed, with recorded votes ranging from unanimous to more divided outcomes. Several members explained votes, especially on SB 1598 and SB 1754, which involved community garden funding and special education/parent complaint issues, respectively. The Senate then recessed, received a large batch of House bills for first reading and committee referral, announced upcoming committee meetings, and adjourned until Monday, March 9, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• The tool must allow a user to assess whether content was created or altered by the covered provider's
• They'd be covered under the Personnel System Reform Act, the 4180, like general government civil service
• the Legislature created a task force on AI issues staffed by the Office of the Attorney General to assess
• We need enforceable online safety reform that puts children first.

Bills: HB1170 , HB1570 , HB1834

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, generative AI, AI-generated content, deepfake, synthetic media, content provenance, provenance data, metadata, watermarking, disclosure, transparency, consumer protection, unfair or deceptive acts, unfair competition, Washington RCW, Title 19 RCW, platform regulation, AI detection tool, media authenticity

Transcript Highlights:

• So, to reiterate, Housing New Mexico, in their most recent needs assessment, estimated that there's a
• we've added this year is that in order for a builder to qualify, they have to provide evidence via assessment
• We don't need zoning reforms for local municipalities.
• So we need zoning reform in cities, and we need financial tools in the rural area.

Committee: House Public School Capital Outlay Oversight Task Force

Transcript Highlights:

• California's nation-leading ADU reforms have helped homeowners build tens of thousands of homes, with
• Our statewide ADU reforms have succeeded in getting homes built, in large part because they are statewide
• There's no actual enrollment forecast information underneath that for them to be able to assess, for
• the regional agency to assess in the context of their regional land use and climate sustainability plan

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard several housing-related bills, with most focused on accessory dwelling units, homelessness, and higher education planning. SB 9 would make a local ADU ordinance null and void if a city or county fails to submit it to HCD within 60 days or respond to HCD findings within 30 days, reverting the jurisdiction to state ADU standards until it complies. Supporters said the bill would strengthen statewide consistency and reduce local barriers to ADU construction; there was no opposition testimony. The committee passed SB 9 as amended to the Assembly Committee on Local Government on a 7-0 vote, with two members not voting. The committee also heard SB 486, which would exempt UC and CSU enrollment commitments from CEQA no-project alternative analysis while requiring campuses to participate in regional planning and share enrollment forecasts with regional agencies. The author said the bill would align environmental review with the state’s higher education commitments and improve regional housing planning. The measure had support from the Chamber of Progress and no opposition, and it passed 9-0 to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources. SB 543, a cleanup bill to clarify ADU and junior ADU rules, including review timelines and size standards, also drew support from Casita Coalition, UnidosUS, and California YIMBY, with no opposition, and passed unanimously as amended to the Assembly Committee on Local Government. SB 748 addressed RV encampments and safe parking sites by expanding the encampment resolution funding program to help local jurisdictions acquire and operate safe parking areas, provide services, and extend site hours. The author and supporters from the City of Compton, the Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association, and the League of California Cities argued the bill would offer a more humane and practical response to RV homelessness while reducing neighborhood impacts. Several committee members voiced support but raised concerns about how encampment funds are used and the need for reporting and accountability. The bill passed 11-0 to the Assembly Committee on Human Services. The consent calendar, including HR 44, SB 233, and SB 410, was later approved 11-0, and SB 340 was moved to a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• to the subpoena, the FBI acknowledged for the first time that it opened 25,000 quote, "guardian assessments
• believes it's appropriate to comment publicly on a criminal case without conducting even a minimal assessment
• record, referenced by the Chairman, in working on the OPA crisis and working on criminal justice reform
• leaving prison get driver's licenses, simply because I'm a Democrat. progress on criminal justice reform

Committee: Senate Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• It also has reforms to the call-before-you-dig process.
• The next big topic is a set of reforms to streamline the permitting of clean energy projects to help
• I serve as Executive Director of TURN, the Utility Reform Network.
• We wish it had reforms of strict liability.
• We wish it had reforms of strict liability and inverse condemnation, as well as some reforms on contingency

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy first heard SB 254, a major utility affordability and wildfire-liability package authored by Senator Becker and coauthored by Assembly Member Petrie-Norris. The bill combines wildfire mitigation oversight, $6 billion in securitized financing for future fire-mitigation capital work, a public ownership/transmission accelerator program, tighter scrutiny of utility profits, clean energy permitting streamlining, and a successor wildfire fund to replace the current fund after the January Southern California fires. Supporters, including the Governor’s office, TURN, labor, clean energy groups, utilities, and fire victim advocates, said the measure would lower bills, stabilize utilities, protect victims, and speed grid upgrades. Opponents from large energy users and agricultural interests argued the bill did not go far enough on affordability and that the wildfire fund’s volumetric charge would disproportionately burden business customers; counties also raised local-control concerns about permitting provisions. Committee members focused heavily on the wildfire fund structure, the role of ratepayers versus shareholders, and whether the bill creates enough incentive for utilities to reduce future wildfire risk. Authors and supporters said California’s inverse condemnation framework leaves ratepayers exposed without a fund, that the new continuation account would be split roughly 50/50 between ratepayers and shareholders, and that the bill includes a report on long-term sustainability. Members also discussed the clean energy permitting provisions and local consultation, with authors emphasizing that local land-use review and consultation remain in place. The committee then voted 16-0 to pass SB 254 to the floor. The hearing then shifted to an informational hearing on AB 825, which would enable California to participate in a West-wide electricity market. The authors and supporters said the regional market could save ratepayers up to $1 billion annually, improve reliability by widening access to wind and solar across the West, reduce curtailment, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Support came from environmental groups, labor, utilities, community choice aggregators, large energy users, and business groups. TURN opposed the measure, warning that last-minute changes removed safeguards against California ratepayers subsidizing out-of-state coal plants and other costly fossil generation. Committee discussion on AB 825 centered on governance, exit rights, and legislative oversight. The authors described safeguards including market rules protecting California policies, consumer advocacy and market monitoring requirements, annual reporting to the Legislature, a delayed 2028 start date, and the ability for California or other members to exit without penalties. Members also raised concerns about the CPUC’s constitutional independence and local consultation, but the authors said the bill preserves local input and gives the Legislature ongoing oversight. No vote was taken because the hearing was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Finance Board, as well as other reforms Finance Board, as well as other reforms which<00:32:13.960
• </c> registration, the voter fund, reforming registration, the voter fund, reforming lobbying<02:38:32.840
• </c> reforms that strengthen our democracy. reforms that strengthen our democracy.
• </c> they should also release an assessment they should also release an assessment because<02:57:33.840
• </c> summary to the public and an assessment summary to the public and an assessment of<02:59:42.840>

Transcript Highlights:

• back around 2019, more or less, when this legislature did the reform.
• </c> from the alimony statute during reform from the alimony statute during reform back<00:15:15.279>
• I believe these kids should be taken to get all the assessments needed.
• I believe these kids should be taken to get all the assessments needed.
• I believe these kids should be taken to get all the assessments needed.

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Next on the list, we have Eric Lipman with Utility Reform Now. Welcome back to committee.
• Members, my name is Eric Lipman of Utility Reform Now.
• So, what's your assessment of that if uh if folks have to spend longer times or more often doing it,
• So, what's your assessment of that if uh if folks have to spend longer times or more often doing it,
• So, what's your assessment of that if uh if folks have to spend longer times or more often doing it,

Bills: HF4236 , HF4122 , HF4377

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> lethality assessment uh program form. lethality assessment uh program form. um<01:38:16.320><c>
• The assessment tool has proven to be a good product.
• The assessment tool has proven to be a good product.
• This bill was relative to another attempt at bail, and we just took care of bail reform last year, so
• This bill was relative to another attempt at bail, and we just took care of bail reform last year, so

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• So every year we do an assessment of what our fees are, and we adjust accordingly.
• Since then, through legislative reform and rehabilitation efforts, we've reduced that down to 65.
• And since the legislative reform and the rehabilitation efforts, that's drastically reduced, creating
• And we do assessments.
• And those assessments include looking at every structural component of the home and determining... ..

Transcript Highlights:

• Continuing on to page 20, care reform, litigation liability, CYFD, and juvenile justice services are
• we may need to consider for the future, but also the implementation of reforms that you all voted on
• Outlay reform we may need to consider for the future, but also the implementation of reforms that you
• I see litigation, CARA reforms, and throughout several places in the document.
• But I think with the of the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act that passed last year.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, of course, we need to be very careful in these reforms.
• Ben Riggs with Real Reform. Ben, if you want to go ahead and come up as well. Thank you, Mr.
• And what we know is we've had tremendous amounts of tort reform or regulatory reform in this area, and
• My name's Ben Riggs with Roe Reform, Louisiana.
• The Omnibus Uniform Tort Reform Act of 2020—those profits were, but we have to take into account that

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The House Committee on Insurance met on March 25 and took up House Bill 577 by Representative Glorioso, which would change Louisiana’s bad-faith insurance penalty language from a flat 50% to “up to 50%,” giving judges discretion to award a lower penalty in cases involving minor or technical delays. Glorioso argued the bill would correct an omission from the 2024 consolidation of the bad-faith statutes, reduce unnecessary litigation over nominal delays, and potentially help lower reinsurance and homeowners’ insurance costs. Committee members questioned whether the change would weaken consumer protections or reward insurer misconduct, especially in catastrophe claims after storms, and whether any real rate relief would follow. Opposition testimony came from the Louisiana Association of Justice and Real Reform Louisiana. They argued the current penalty provisions are important guardrails that help force timely payment and fair handling of claims, especially after hurricanes, and that the bill would reduce deterrence without producing meaningful premium reductions. They also said insurers already have substantial time and procedural protections under the law, and that penalties are rarely awarded but serve as leverage in settlement negotiations. Supporters and the Department of Insurance said Louisiana’s penalty structure is an outlier compared with other states and that the bill could make the market more competitive, though the department said it did not have court data on bad-faith judgments and could not quantify the bill’s effect on rates. After debate, Representative Glorioso closed by saying he was open to further language changes but asked the committee to advance the bill. The committee then voted 10 yeas and 6 nays to report House Bill 577 favorably. Afterward, the committee moved on to the next item, House Bill 955.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bail reform, colleagues, if you guys really look at the bail reform and you read into the content
• Um, I just don't understand why would we consider having a bail reform that's not really a reform.
• I think the idea of bail reform is to help, um, in terms of the public safety as well as looking at,
• </c><01:19:07.840><c> is</c><01:19:08.120><c> to</c> &gt;&gt; I think the idea of bail reform is to &
• of whether a person has uh assessment of whether a person has uh uh<01:19:35.480><c> petty</c><01:19

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee's focus on fraud oversight led to many important reforms in the governor's budget being
• This isn't an exhaustive list, but I'll name a few reforms to celebrate and recognize our collective
• Conducting pre-enrollment risk assessments for all new and renewing providers as part of confirming provider
• And our pre-enrollment risk assessment, which we call PARA for short, in case I use that acronym, will
• A renewal is a review of income and other information to assess eligibility.

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I would stress this is international best practice and reform that a number of states have passed and
• You know, we had a select committee on permitting reform.
• The goal is to coordinate the regional housing needs assessment, which is the allocation of housing for
• Some areas in the state do have assessment fees.
• This TA includes guidance on conducting wildfire hazard and risk assessments and developing long-range

Summary: The committee first heard AB 253, by Assembly Member Ward and presented by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva, which would allow licensed third-party professionals to review certain post-entitlement permits if a local building department would take more than 30 days. Supporters, including California YIMBY, the California Chamber of Commerce, the Housing Action Coalition, the Bay Area Council, SPUR, and Abundant Housing LA, said the bill would reduce permitting delays and help housing production. League of Cities and the California State Association of Counties expressed concerns but were not formally opposed. Members voiced strong support, and the bill passed the committee 10-0 to Appropriations. The committee then held an informational hearing on California’s general plan. The first panel, led by UC Davis professor Catherine Brinkley, gave an overview of the general plan structure, required elements, update cycles, and the new PlanSearch database that makes adopted plans searchable statewide. She emphasized that general plans are long-term, locally tailored documents that integrate housing, transportation, safety, environmental justice, and other policy areas, and noted that many plans and elements are outdated. Members asked about update timelines, public participation, and whether AI tools could help with drafting and analysis. A second panel of local government representatives described the practical challenges of preparing and updating general plans, especially in rural and small jurisdictions. Speakers from Calaveras County, Sacramento, San Joaquin County, and Fountain Valley cited staffing shortages, consultant availability, funding constraints, CEQA and outreach costs, changing state mandates, and the difficulty of keeping plans aligned with local conditions and board turnover. They asked for more funding, more time, clearer prioritization, and more flexibility. A third panel from the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation explained its role in issuing general plan guidelines, technical advisories, and annual planning surveys, and said it is updating its guidance through 2027 to reflect recent housing, climate, safety, environmental justice, and open space laws. No public comment was offered, and the informational hearing was adjourned.