Transcript Highlights:

• It's to continue two peer respite sites, 15 of the court liaison positions that have been employed at
• continue<00:08:30.400><c> two</c><00:08:30.800><c> peer</c><00:08:31.199><c> respit</c><00:08:31.759><c> sites
• </c> continue two peer respit sites continue two peer respit sites 15<00:08:33.680><c> of</c><00:08:33.839
• So our state hospitals—we have a new EHR that is launching at the behavioral health programs and at the

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• In rural and underserved areas through mobile and fixed-site dosing units.
• Licensure should also require the provision of on-site access to medications for opioid use disorder
• Louisiana to help pass Act 425, which made it a requirement for residential facilities to provide on-site
• Mobile methadone units can offer the same services as OTPs and can travel between fixed-site OTPs to
• discuss this statewide resource, securing funding from the legislature for it, and last October we launched

Committee: House Legislative Health & Human Services Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll conduct an in-depth, on-site review of Kaiser's behavioral health delivery system through the non-routine
• We'll conduct an in-depth, on-site review of Kaiser's behavioral health delivery system through the non-routine
• Southern California strike started, and I, along with members of my leadership team, attended an on-site
• Southern California strike started, and I, along with members of my leadership team, attended an on-site
• We're launched September 2022.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on Kaiser Permanente’s behavioral health care system, focusing on Department of Managed Health Care enforcement actions, Kaiser’s corrective action work plan, and testimony from patients, advocates, and union representatives. DMHC officials reviewed a long history of complaints, surveys, fines, and settlements involving Kaiser’s access to behavioral health services, including deficiencies found in 2012 and 2016, a 2022 non-routine survey, and a 2023 settlement that imposed a $50 million penalty and required $150 million in community investments over five years. DMHC said it continues to monitor Kaiser through quarterly meetings, complaint review, follow-up surveys, and a reimbursement process for members who could not obtain timely in-network care. Committee members pressed DMHC on what “timely access” and continuity of care mean in practice, how virtual care and group therapy fit into the standards, and what triggers a non-routine survey. DMHC said initial behavioral health appointments generally should not take more than two weeks, urgent care should be within days, and follow-up care within 10 days, with out-of-network care required when plans cannot meet standards. Officials also said Kaiser’s initial corrective action work plan lacked detail, but the revised plan was accepted and will be tracked through quarterly reporting and possible additional enforcement if Kaiser fails to comply. The second panel featured testimony from a Kaiser enrollee, a behavioral health policy expert, a Kaiser therapist, and the NUHW president. The enrollee described serious delays and inadequate treatment for his daughter after a suicide attempt, while the therapist and union leader said Kaiser’s behavioral health system is understaffed, relies too heavily on short appointments, group therapy, and webinars, and treats behavioral health as less important than medical-surgical care. They argued Kaiser’s one-appointment-at-a-time scheduling rule and limited treatment time violate parity requirements and harm continuity of care. Several members criticized Kaiser for not appearing at the hearing and said the testimony underscored the need for stronger oversight, clearer metrics, and faster remedies for patients.

Transcript Highlights:

• in attendance at this groundbreaking recently—the 23-story Hōm Mo project at the former Bowladrome site
• 20.240><c> Drome</c> om Mo project at the former bolad Drome om Mo project at the former bolad Drome site
• 21.399><c> Case</c><00:25:21.600><c> lost</c><00:25:21.799><c> his</c><00:25:21.960><c> bowling</c> site
• where Ed Case lost his bowling site where Ed Case lost his bowling shoes<00:25:23.240><c> as</c><00:
• We launched what's called the health care education loan repayment program, or HELP, which is state funded

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, at Santa Barbara, we noted the campus had loaned items from 10 different sites over two.
• For example, at Santa Barbara, we noted the campus had loaned items from 10 different sites over two
• This module is now available to anyone with UC credentials and is scheduled for an official launch in
• Ancestors excavated from our shell mounds and village sites in Huchun and the Chochenyo-Ohlone lands
• The coalition was, and we completed 82 out of the 100 sites for our first of two claims, three because

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been through the whole entire system on this site, and it works. All right?
• All fire debris, including hazardous materials like asbestos and heavy metals, is sorted on site and
• Lee, we are going to need boots on the ground to walk site by site, because...
• Boots on the ground to walk site by site, because we don't have that infrastructure of really tracking
• We're working diligently to set up work sites.

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly labor committees held a hearing on the Los Angeles wildfires and their impact on workers, employers, and recovery efforts. Chairs and members emphasized that rebuilding should prioritize worker safety, equity, local hiring, and strong labor standards rather than simply moving quickly or relying on the lowest bidder. They also stressed the need to learn from past disasters and to create a more coordinated state response for future emergencies. Worker advocates described how domestic workers, day laborers, firefighters, and other frontline workers were affected by the fires. Testimony focused on workers being trapped in evacuation zones, lacking timely information in Spanish, losing jobs and income, and facing exposure to toxic debris without adequate PPE. Speakers called for expanded outreach and education, stronger Cal/OSHA enforcement, broader occupational safety coverage for domestic workers and day laborers, recall and transfer rights, childcare and transportation support, and a centralized disaster relief system that can quickly deliver cash aid and equipment regardless of immigration status. Firefighter Derek Irwin said California firefighters face serious carcinogenic exposure and urged continued funding for the firefighter cancer prevention and research program, along with a long-term state health monitoring and research effort similar to the World Trade Center Health Program. Building trades and labor representatives argued that cleanup and rebuilding should be done through community workforce agreements, prevailing wage, apprenticeship requirements, and local hire provisions, and said the state already has trained workers available. They also said federal debris-removal work through the Army Corps has limited the state’s ability to impose some standards, but that state and local funding or subsidies should trigger labor requirements. Employer and business representatives described major losses to property, inventory, revenue, and jobs, especially in Altadena and nearby areas. The Altadena Chamber said it is coordinating recovery resources, while a construction business owner said small local firms are being shut out of disaster contracts and proposed a more accessible procurement process for local and minority businesses. LAEDC presented preliminary estimates of billions in property damage and business disruption, tens of thousands of potential job losses, and a recovery timeline of five to ten years, warning that low-income communities will be disproportionately affected and that workforce retraining and upskilling will be needed alongside the broader economic recovery.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hedstrom, a young assistant Sergeant at Arms, played a key role in launching and leading the program
• 02:42.080><c> in</c> Sergeant at Arms played a key role in Sergeant at Arms played a key role in launching
• 42.840><c> leading</c><00:02:43.200><c> the</c><00:02:43.400><c> program</c><00:02:44.040><c> for</c> launching
• and leading the program for launching and leading the program for its<00:02:44.480><c> first</c><00:

Transcript Highlights:

• preliminary work that went into this period that won't have to be repeated going forward, such as site
• surveys, site remediation.
• Working with our partners, we are also involved in statewide NG-911 launches in New Jersey and Ohio.
• It's 9 million, 9.5 million people with 200 sites.
• It's a different world than California with 40 million and 450 sites.

Summary: The Emergency Management Committee held an oversight hearing on California’s Next Generation 911 rollout, focusing on Cal OES’s decision to move away from the original regional vendor model toward a statewide provider model. Cal OES said the regional architecture created complexity at the boundaries between regions, leading to misrouted calls, transfer problems, and degraded audio, and that a statewide model would better align with national standards and provide a more reliable, secure system. The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged the Legislature to pause further implementation until it has more information on the problems, tradeoffs, costs, and oversight needs, and recommended stronger reporting and possibly independent technical review before proceeding. Committee members pressed Cal OES on accountability, cost, testing, vendor selection, and whether the current system is safe. Cal OES said the project has cost about $456 million so far, most of it recurring service fees, and that 23 PSAPs had transitioned voice traffic while more than 440 total PSAPs remain in the state. Officials said the current system is operating, that a pause would not put the public at risk, and that the statewide conversion could be completed by summer 2030. Members and the LAO raised concerns about whether Cal OES has enough technical oversight and whether contract language alone is sufficient to prevent repeat problems. The vendor panel largely defended the regional model and argued that the existing system is already built, tested, and ready to expand. NGA 911, Synergem, Lumen, and Atos said the regional architecture provides redundancy and resilience, that early problems were often tied to legacy-system integration, carrier issues, or training rather than the regional design itself, and that a statewide redesign would add cost and delay. Atos said it serves as the statewide backbone and backup and has already carried live traffic, while vendors emphasized that they support continued modernization but believe California should build on the current regional investment rather than replace it.

Transcript Highlights:

• preliminary work that went into this period that won't have to be repeated going forward, such as site
• surveys, site remediation.
• Working with our partners, we are also involved in statewide NG-911 launches in New Jersey and Ohio.
• It's 9 million, 9.5 million people with 200 sites.
• It's a different world than California with 40 million and 450 sites.

Committee: House Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• The next one that I would note is age-based restrictions on social media sites and AI companion chatbot
• And if you are sitting on these sites, it means that you're not doing something else.
• where an autonomous experimental AI system from OpenAI escaped its secure evaluation environment and launched
• AI system from OpenAI escaped its secure evaluation environment and launched an unauthorized cyber attack
• So my group, the Center for Responsible Technology, launched last year, as Mark mentioned, at the Heritage

Summary: The committee met at Minot State to continue its study of artificial intelligence, with a focus on child safety, sexual exploitation, chatbot risks, and education policy. Members first approved the minutes and then received a Legislative Council overview of AI-related harms to children, including AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, extortion, and chatbot companion risks. The memo reviewed North Dakota and federal law, recent state enactments, First Amendment limits, and examples from other states, including Connecticut’s AI companion safeguards and federal efforts such as the Take It Down Act. Members discussed whether North Dakota’s existing 2025 laws on minors and harmful material are strong enough in light of recent court decisions, and Legislative Council indicated it would provide additional comparison material before the next meeting. Superintendent Levi Bachmeier then presented on AI in education, arguing that schools need guardrails but should not ban AI outright. He said AI should be treated as a tool that can support instruction, teacher efficiency, and digital literacy, while warning against passive use, academic integrity problems, and overreliance on machines. He suggested embedding AI and digital literacy across subjects rather than creating a standalone class, and said schools should provide basic instruction when students receive one-to-one devices. Members asked about parent concerns, local control, higher education partnerships, and how to balance access with safety; Bachmeier emphasized a “threading the needle” approach and said the department would likely seek more guidance on digital literacy and cybersecurity. Special Agent Hellseth of BCI followed with testimony on AI and child exploitation. He said AI is already being used in North Dakota to create explicit images from innocent photos, impersonate children and adults, and facilitate grooming, harassment, and extortion. He described several cases involving AI-generated sexual images and said victims often suffer lasting trauma even when the images are fake. Hellseth explained that investigators use AI tools themselves to process large volumes of data and identify synthetic images, but that the workload is growing and victim services need expansion. He urged stronger accountability for companies, more resources for law enforcement and victim support, and continued training and public education. Members asked about cyber tip volume, staffing, false accusations, and corporate reporting obligations; Hellseth said every tip is reviewed, the unit is small but expanding, and current federal reporting laws are not proactive enough. Representative Porter suggested combining the Legislative Council memo and Bachmeier’s recommendations into a comprehensive bill draft for the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• In my program, we served 700 Meals on Wheels participants and 1,000 congregate site lunch meals.
• Our Medi-Cal member advisory committee, we launched that about two years ago.
• range of mandated monitoring and accountability activities, including case reviews, home visits, on-site
• for Aging work, and it really reflects our shared history in California and serves as a fantastic launching
• But at the same time, we have at least three additional community sites that are ready and wanting to

Summary: The joint informational hearing focused on the impact of H.R. 1 on older Californians and related county administration issues. Chair Jackson and Chair Addis opened by emphasizing California’s rapidly aging population and the need to protect seniors’ access to food, health care, housing, and in-home support services. Testimony from the Department of Social Services, Department of Health Care Services, and Department of Aging described how H.R. 1 would expand work and reporting requirements in CalFresh and Medi-Cal, increase redeterminations, and create new eligibility barriers. Witnesses and advocates warned that these changes could lead to large coverage losses, especially for adults ages 55 to 64, people experiencing homelessness, caregivers, and some immigrant groups, while also increasing administrative burden on counties. The LAO noted that many provisions do not directly apply to Californians 65 and older, but highlighted indirect effects and some direct impacts, including a new home equity limit for certain long-term care recipients and narrower immigration eligibility rules. Committee members pressed the administration and counties on how exemptions would be identified and implemented, whether data systems could automatically protect eligible people, and how outreach would reach older adults, women, LGBTQ seniors, and people with limited digital access. DHCS and CDSS said they are working to use existing data, cross-program information sharing, and human-centered communications to maximize exemptions and reduce churn, including text outreach, print and radio campaigns, and navigator support. Members also raised concerns about the need for legal aid and county eligibility workers to help people navigate complex rules, and requested updated analyses on the number of people likely to lose both Medi-Cal and CalFresh and the broader human and system impacts. No votes were taken. The second major topic was the administration’s proposal to shift some future IHSS costs to counties by establishing a statewide baseline for average authorized hours per case. CDSS said the proposal is intended to improve consistency in assessments and not reduce services, while counties and labor groups strongly opposed it, arguing that rising hours reflect real increases in need, an aging and higher-acuity caseload, and state-mandated assessment tools rather than county error. County representatives said the proposal would strain already limited local revenues, worsen the effects of H.R. 1, and could force cuts to other safety-net services. Committee members questioned the proposal’s timing and impact, but the hearing ended without action, with the chairs asking for continued updates, additional analysis, and more information before May Revision.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is why in June we launched a program specifically for state and local governments using credits
• This is why in June we launched a program specifically for state and local governments using credits
• And one other thing I'd add is we continue testing for weaknesses and fixes after launch.
• On July 31st, the Department of Technology launched CalSecure 2.0.
• Since the SB 53 passage, the Cal-CSIC has launched a secure portal.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also continue to build on the rare disease network that has we launched in this state a few years
• We also continue to build on the rare disease network that has we launched in this state a few years
• We also continue to build on the rare disease network that has we launched in this state a few years
• 10:58.720><c> a</c><00:10:59.279><c> few</c><00:10:59.440><c> years</c><00:10:59.600><c> ago</c> launched
• in this state a few years ago launched in this state a few years ago and<00:11:00.640><c> members,</

Bills: HF2436 , HF2435

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• A reporting party, we call it, or we might do a wildlife visit to the actual site.
• The scenario, the site, all is going to inform this conflict.
• So this is how we work at what we call artificial bait sites.
• Just clapping was enough for this guy to leave the site.
• Yeah, for us it's easier to operate in all our study sites.

Committees: House Water, Parks and Wildlife , House Water, Parks, and Wildlife

Transcript Highlights:

• Craig Nakamoto: I think either way, Representative Balot, these off-site infrastructure improvements
• </c><02:25:07.760><c> infrastructure</c> balot these off-site infrastructure balot these off-site infrastructure
• infrastructure to uh projects off-site infrastructure to uh projects that<02:27:56.760><c> benefit</
• First, each year billions of dollars are wagered on unregulated sites, exposing minors and vulnerable
• </c><02:47:12.960><c> exposing</c> wagered on unregulated sites exposing wagered on unregulated sites

Committee: House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Summary: The committee met on February 12 at 2 p.m. and heard several measures related to corrections, re-entry, law enforcement, retirement benefits, and gun violence prevention. On HB 10002, which would extend the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission coordinator’s term and clarify unannounced inspection authority, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said it had no objection to the term length or to 24/7 unannounced access. The commission’s chair, Commissioner Mark Patterson, asked for a longer term, saying the commission needs more time and stability to manage reform efforts after years without staff during COVID. Community Alliance on Prisons and Carolyn Eaton also supported a longer term, with both suggesting six years would better insulate the position from politics. The chair noted he had asked Chair Bot for background on the prior committee’s changes and said that could be discussed during decision-making. The committee then heard HB 67, which would require DCR to help inmates obtain civil identification documents such as IDs, birth certificates, and Social Security cards as soon as practicable, including for people in furlough or community placement programs. DCR said it supported the bill and described ongoing work with the city and county on ID machines and with agencies on certificates and Social Security cards. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the Office of Public Defense all supported the measure, emphasizing that identification is essential for housing, employment, and successful re-entry and noting the disproportionate impact of incarceration on Native Hawaiians. On HB 1183, which would classify certain law enforcement administrators and Department of Law Enforcement employees as Class A members for retirement purposes, the Department of Human Resources Development, the Employees’ Retirement System, and the Department of Law Enforcement all supported the bill. DHRD said it would help recruitment and retention, ERS said it had technical amendments to suggest, and DLE said the change would help with succession planning and allow the governor to appoint the most qualified leader. The committee also heard HB 1045, an emergency appropriation bill to cover payroll fringe benefits for Department of Law Enforcement personnel after salary funding had been shifted to other departments; Budget and Finance and DLE explained the need for the supplemental funding, and no opposition was noted. Finally, the committee took up HB 664, which would create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a grant program, a resource bank, and a special fund. The Attorney General recommended adding standards for grant awards and warned of overlap with the existing Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission, suggesting consolidation and repeal of the older commission to avoid duplication. Supporters included the Brady Campaign, Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action Hawaii, a physician, and an Army veteran, who argued the office would centralize data, coordinate prevention efforts, and help secure outside funding. Testimony was mixed, with the chair noting 37 supporters, nine opponents, and three commenters, but no vote was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• a pro bono program they need we launched a pro bono program for<00:23:31.960><c> cases</c><00:23:32.279
• In 2015, we launched Truancy Court to address the challenges presented by chronic absenteeism.
• In 2015, we launched Truancy Court to address the challenges presented by chronic absenteeism.
• In 2015, we launched Truancy Court to address the challenges presented by chronic absenteeism. rhods
• </c> on that future in 2015 we launched on that future in 2015 we launched truancy<00:31:37.320><c> Court

Transcript Highlights:

• And they were one of the first, I think, 10 or 12 communities that launched in the spring of 2023.
• CPCNH, as a matter of our board and policy, we do not launch any local aggregation program unless our
• So when we launched the city of New Hampshire and all of the other communities that have now launched
• </c> launched in the spring of 2023. launched in the spring of 2023. um<00:17:56.240><c> CPCNH</c><00
• Um so when we launched the city of are.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• No, it doesn't go to the historical sites.
• We manage 30 historical sites across the state.
• And then looking at how we acquire, or we're asked to pick up, historic sites or heritage sites...
• Or were asked to pick up historic sites or heritage sites.
• Those surrender sites have never been found.

Bills: SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations from the Legislative Budget Board and agency officials on several agencies, starting with the Texas Historical Commission. LBB described a large biennial reduction driven mainly by the removal of one-time funding and discussed capital projects, rider changes, and exceptional items including Presidio La Bahia and the National Museum of the Pacific War. Senators asked about heritage trails, courthouse grants, unexpended balance authority, and the status of historical-site funding. Historical Commission leadership emphasized preservation, courthouse restoration, heritage tourism, coordination with the Alamo and other Texas Revolution sites, and requested additional IT, staffing, and vehicle funding. No votes were taken. The committee then reviewed the Pension Review Board and the Employees Retirement System. The Pension Review Board’s budget was largely unchanged aside from IT maintenance and salary adjustments, with an exceptional item for additional IT enhancements. Members discussed the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System’s funding dispute and the need for a workable restoration plan. ERS presented a much larger budget, including funding for the retirement system, the group benefits plan, and the legacy payment intended to reduce unfunded liability. Senators focused heavily on pension investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health-care costs, especially pharmacy spending driven by GLP-1 drugs; ERS said the plan covers about 540,000 lives and that premiums would rise 8% while benefits remain unchanged. ERS also said it had no exceptional items, and committee members requested more detailed benchmark information. The committee also heard from the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. TESSORS reported an unfunded liability, an infinite amortization period, and requested additional state support, staffing, and IT funding, including a statutory change to allow a higher contribution level; the agency warned that without more funding it may have to cut benefits. CEPRIT’s presentation covered its bond-funded cancer research and prevention portfolio, revenue-sharing from funded projects, and a request to increase salary limits for its CEO and chief scientific officer. Senators questioned CEPRIT’s accomplishments and return on investment, while CEPRIT cited screening, prevention, and research outcomes, including tens of thousands of detected cancers and precursors and hundreds of thousands of first-time screenings. The meeting ended after these presentations and questions, with no recorded committee action or vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a very valuable piece of land that the city of San Diego held, the Qualcomm Stadium site, and
• Because even through that program, some sites are... ...the operational hours, because even through that
• program, some sites are 24 hours, but some are not.
• have received their credentials from 2021 through 2022, marking a 26% increase since the program launched
• have chosen to forego submitting a FAFSA or CADA application this year, reeling from last year's launch

Summary: The committee first adopted its 2025-26 rules on a 7-0 roll call, then approved three consent items—AB 88, AB 240, and AB 313—on a due-pass motion to Appropriations. The hearing then moved to AB 648, which would give community college districts the same zoning authority as the UC and CSU systems to build student and staff housing on property they own or lease. The author and supporters argued the bill would help address severe housing insecurity and homelessness among community college students, while opponents and some members raised concerns about local control, zoning exemptions, and the impact on nearby communities. AB 648 passed the committee on a 5-2 vote and was sent to the Local Government Committee. The committee next heard AB 466, which would require California Community Colleges and CSU campuses to provide organ and tissue donor registry information during student orientation, and request UC campuses to do the same. Supporters shared personal stories about transplants and donation, saying college orientation is a good opportunity to increase registrations. Some members worried about information overload during orientation and suggested campuses have flexibility in how they present the material, but the bill advanced on a unanimous 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 326 followed, proposing campus-by-campus external audits of the CSU every three years and public release of the audits. The author, faculty supporters, and a student argued that systemwide audits do not provide enough transparency about how money is spent at individual campuses, citing examples of financial mismanagement and fee increases. CSU opposed the bill, saying it already conducts annual consolidated external audits and that campus-level audits would add cost without added benefit. After extensive discussion about transparency, audit scope, and implementation, the bill passed 6-1 to Appropriations. The committee then took up AB 335, which would create a California Black-Serving Institution Grant Program to support Black student success and broader underserved student services; supporters emphasized persistent equity gaps and low completion rates, while an opponent argued the bill needed to be carefully amended to comply with Proposition 209 and equal protection requirements. The transcript ends during that item’s discussion, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• they have in investing and getting this new system, but the one thing we've learned is you can't launch
• You have to be certain before we launch them. That's the lesson we learned with MNLARs.
• You have to be certain before we launch them. That's the lesson we learned with MNLARs.
• You have to be certain before we<00:11:59.280><c> launch</c><00:11:59.560><c> them.
• That's the lesson we we launch them.