Transcript Highlights:

• Benz or start with nonpartisan?
• Benz or start with nonpartisan?
• Benz or start with nonpartisan?
• Benz or start with nonpartisan?
• Benz or start with nonpartisan?

Bills: HF984, HF921, HF922

Keywords: education funding, nonpublic schools, counseling services, guidance services, transportation for students, HF921, tax increment financing, TIF, excess tax increment, school district aid, levy adjustment, property tax levy, education finance, Minnesota education aid, decertification, local government finance, school funding formula, state aid reduction, referendum equalization aid, debt service equalization

Transcript Highlights:

• So we'll start today and we'll start at this end here with you, sir.
• So we'll start today and we'll start at this end here with you, sir.
• And if the fed showed up and started taking guns, I'd be the first one in line to start throwing them
• And if the fed showed up and started taking guns, I'd be the first one in line to start throwing them
• start as a uh solely a firearms case. start as a uh solely a firearms case.

Bills: SF0101

Keywords: Second Amendment, firearm regulation, state legislation, public safety, civil penalties, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have no ability to start a hearing.
• Let me start off by painting a picture for you.
• Great, we're going to start with SB 1094.
• Some of them start having some symptoms again.
• I would like to start by accepting the committee amendments.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Good morning, and you can start whenever you're ready. Thank you, Chair.
• I'm going to jump to my bills if you're that generous.
• I'm going to jump to my bills if you're that generous. Are you that generous? Oh, God.
• I would like to start by accepting. I'm here today to present SB 1193.
• I want, and members, I want to start by... Thank you, Senator and Chair.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met to hear a long agenda of local government, housing, labor, and transparency bills. The committee first adopted the consent calendar for SB 1187 and SB 1388, then heard SB 983, which would authorize the Port of San Diego to use job order contracting for repairs and repetitive maintenance work. Supporters said the bill would speed emergency and small repairs and reduce costs, while opponents raised concerns about construction definitions and project labor agreement language. The bill was ultimately moved forward on a 2-2 vote after discussion of amendments and labor negotiations, and later the committee’s final roll call showed it passing out on a 5-2 vote. The committee also heard SB 1256, aimed at limiting duplicative litigation over a San Diego County housing project, and SB 992, which would make permanent and expand a small special-district audit flexibility by raising the revenue threshold from $150,000 to $250,000. SB 1256 drew support from the author and project counsel, who argued the project had already been litigated and was delaying needed housing, while opponents said the bill would interfere with wildfire and subdivision-map review. SB 992 had support from county auditors and special districts, with no opposition, and was approved 5-0. SB 1115, addressing governance failures at the Tulare County Public Cemetery District by allowing county supervisors to remove an individual trustee for cause, also passed unanimously after testimony describing serious dysfunction and opposition from the California Special Districts Association. The committee then took up SB 1193, which would impose transparency and approval requirements on Alameda County discretionary funding to nonprofits and other entities. The author and supporters described the bill as a response to grand jury findings and alleged conflicts of interest, while Alameda County argued its current process is already transparent and that the bill would add burdens and could harm services. After amendments and discussion, the bill passed 5-0. SB 1383, a density bonus law bill clarifying that local labor standards cannot be waived through density bonus concessions, was supported by labor groups and moved forward despite no opposition, with the final roll call showing it passing out 5-1. SB 1361, intended to prevent local governments from undermining transit projects because of SB 79 density concerns, also passed after support from L.A. Metro and labor and no formal opposition, with the final vote recorded as 5-2. The committee later resumed to hear SB 1272, the CASH Act, which would limit certain sanctions on homeowners for prior unpermitted work by previous owners; the transcript cuts off before that bill’s full testimony and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, let's start with the Pledge of Allegiance and then some information while we're waiting for the live
• feed to start.
• I wasn't going to jump in on this, but I'd have to take the chance.
• I wasn't going to jump in on Chair.
• Um, I can start. What do you mean? Started passing these around, and I didn't tell them to just us.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 34, concerning parental consent for student participation in the Medicaid-to-schools program. Members said they were not comfortable with a suggested amendment and wanted more information from Health and Human Services about how the program and billing work. On motion by Representative Noble, seconded by Representative Freeman, the committee voted unanimously to retain the bill, 18-0. The committee then considered Senate Bill 102, which would make informational materials about type 1 diabetes available on the Department of Education website. Supporters said the bill could help parents and teachers recognize warning signs early and could be life-saving in some cases. Opponents argued the material belonged on the Health and Human Services website rather than the DOE site, and some suggested a narrower link-only approach. After discussion, the committee voted 13-5 to ought to pass, with a minority report requested. The final major item was Senate Bill 97FN on intradistrict public school transfers. The committee first adopted an amendment that incorporated provisions from House Bill 68, required superintendents to approve best-interest transfer requests unless they failed to meet requirements, and revised language on capacity and accommodation. Supporters said the changes would help students, including those facing bullying, while opponents raised concerns about local control, capacity, and fairness to families who can transport children. The amendment passed 10-8, and the bill as amended also passed 10-8, with a minority report requested. The chair then announced the next meetings would be on the 21st and 27th, and reminded members to watch the Senate calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to call the Division 3 work session out of recess and we'll get started.
• Would you be able to start us on Section 85? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• You just let me know when you want me to jump in, and I will. Thank you.
• I jumped ahead. Section 108: filing of Medicaid rate each year for the banum.
• So, section 185, we got to jump to section 185, or page 73.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first recessed briefly, then took up HB 570, the prescription drug affordability board (PDAB). The chair and several members discussed the House amendment to repeal the board, which removed the fiscal note. The main concern raised was that the PDAB had not yet produced a clear business case showing value for the taxpayer investment, despite several years of work and four annual reports. Supporters of the repeal said the board’s recent report was largely redundant and that the board should either demonstrate a strong return on investment or be shut down; others cautioned against discarding the program too quickly and urged more time to refine the mission and legislative language. No vote was taken, and the committee appeared to agree to retain the bill for further work, with the possibility of revisiting it in a formal executive session on Tuesday. Members also shifted into discussion of HB 2, beginning with Section 85 on opioid abatement trust fund dollars for shelter programs. Department of Health and Human Services officials explained that the provision would provide $10 million from the opioid abatement trust fund, replacing general funds in the governor’s budget, while also noting an additional $2.5 million prioritized needs request for shelter care that was already fully funded. Committee members asked about shelter bed capacity, job placement efforts, and the remaining balance in the opioid fund; DHHS said there are 934 contracted beds and that case management includes help with housing and employment. Officials also said the current proposed budget includes another $1 million later in HB 2 from the opioid fund. The committee then began discussion of Sections 86 through 87, which would preserve the department’s ability to transfer funds between personnel lines. DHHS said the provision is operationally critical and that losing it would make it extremely difficult to manage the department, though it would not have a direct fiscal impact. The next item introduced was Section 88, extending a suspension related to eligibility for services until July 1, 2027; DHHS indicated that if the suspension were not continued, it would likely increase expenditures for Community Mental Health Centers and potentially others. No votes were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• We’ll go ahead and get started, and we’ll start out with the University of Kentucky representatives,
• We’ll go ahead and get started, and we’ll start out with the University of Kentucky representatives,
• started and we'll start out with the uh uh uh uh<00:02:33.280> the<00:02:33.360> University
• We’ll go ahead and jump right in.
• >> [laughter] [Laughter] We'll start with two. How many? Start with—okay.

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We return that to House Bill 3. 090, Senate. 9-090, Senate, top of page 25, one start, Missouri, 1-start
• Let's start on... So let's start on eight. Is everybody ready to go on eight? We're on page 26.
• If I can jump in there, we're at the bottom, right?
• And then 900 start Senate. Senate.
• It starts at 10. Okay. Page 44, it starts at 10.406, all Senate.

Summary: The meeting was a lengthy conference committee review of multiple budget bills, with most of the discussion focused on House Bill 2 and related education funding. Members walked through numerous fund switches and appropriations tied to the foundation formula, blind pension, Capital Commission, Lottery Proceeds, and Classroom Trust funds. Several members urged fully funding the foundation formula or getting as close as possible, while others defended the compromise approach as a way to close the gap with available revenue. The committee also settled a number of education-related items, including child care grants, career ladder, school safety training, assessment pilots, Title I reallocation, parents as teachers language, child care subsidy language, and flex percentages on selected lines. The committee agreed to sign the House Bill 2 conference report after resolving the listed positions and language compromises. The committee then moved through House Bill 3 on higher education, agreeing to most Senate positions and a conference proposal directing the department to develop a new higher education funding model by December 1, 2026. Several members raised concerns about the timeline and whether the model would preserve separate funding buckets for two-year and four-year institutions, but the proposal was retained. House Bill 2004, covering transportation, was also reviewed, with compromises on items such as safety operations, low-volume roads, port funding, and several flex percentages. Members discussed the use of Capital Commission dollars and the status of road and port projects, and the bill was advanced with the agreed positions. House Bill 5, dealing with information technology and administration, generated substantial debate over a new Senate-added language proposal for OA/ITSD. Several members objected that the language was overly prescriptive, resembled a resolution, and could steer the state toward a specific cloud-computing direction or vendor; others said it was intended to create accountability and a plan for better oversight of IT spending. The committee left some items open briefly, then returned with a shorter conference proposal and agreed to distribute it. House Bill 7, House Bill 8, House Bill 9, and House Bill 2010 were also handled, with a mix of Senate, House, and compromise positions on public safety, veterans, agriculture, economic development, and behavioral health items. The committee recessed several times and repeatedly instructed members to sign the conference reports after the agreed changes were read into the record.

Transcript Highlights:

• Before we jump into bills, just a couple of housekeeping items before we start off this year.
• So I'll start off going out from this direction.
• There was a large masked police force that started arresting them.
• But that's just a starting point.
• But that's just a starting point.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So with that, um I will start by recognizing Stephanie Griffin.
• kind of a concept uh and and they jump kind of a concept uh and and they jump off<03:18:45.240><
• <03:24:06.280> doing if it starts doing if it starts doing therapy<03:24:08.400> providing
• If<03:25:18.080> it<03:25:18.200> starts If it starts giving people a diagnosis, if it
• starts providing therapeutic services, even though it says it's not, it's still is.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :18:36.720> regulatory started looking into the regulatory started looking into the regulatory
• So, we'll start off with session here. So, we'll start off with the<00:27:15.279> opponents.
• you can't be under construction or start you can't be under construction or start for<00:41:15.359
• already it's already started. already it's already started.
• And the one down there is not started. And the one down there is not started.

Bills: HB542, HB566, SB270, HB618, HB617, HB542, HB566, SB270, HB618, HB617

Keywords: HB542, district attorney, prosecutor, supernumerary district attorney, Employees' Retirement System, ERS, Alabama retirement, public employee retirement, pension, retirement benefits, post-retirement employment, salary cap, dual participation, double dipping, District Attorneys' Plan, assistant district attorney, deputy district attorney, state pension, survivor benefits, Office of Prosecution Services

Transcript Highlights:

• At the end of this process, this might look different, but we're just starting to lay a foundation to
• It can look different later, but I just want to make space that we have to start somewhere.
• So my first, the recommendations I have are to approve, yes, sorry, page page because we're starting
• Haley, do you want to go ahead and then I'll jump in?
• And I know we talked about this a little bit, so feel free to jump in.

Transcript Highlights:

• I WANT TO START OUT TALKING ABOUT I WILL INTRODUCE MYSELF I AM THE DIRECTOR GREG BRITTON AND I WANT TO
• AND LIKE I SAID WE HELP BUSINESSES START FROM ALL OVER THE MAP BUT I DO ONE HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW
• THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR OUR STATE BUT OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WE HELP 130 MANUFACTURING CO START THEIR
• THAT IS ABOUT FROM 2009 BUSINESSES WE HAVE STARTED.
• IT'S ODD FOR ME AND THIS JUST JUMPED OUT.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Let me start off by painting a picture for you.
• Great, we're going to start with SB 1094.
• When we finally did start a biosimilar, she didn’t respond the same.
• Some of them start having some symptoms again.
• I would like to start by accepting the committee amendments.

Summary: The committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 1312 by Senator Richardson on abandoned endowed-care cemeteries. Richardson described vandalism, theft, and neglect at abandoned cemeteries and said the bill would define abandonment, create a process for local governments to declare a cemetery abandoned, and allow the Bureau to act as conservator of endowment funds. Support came from Marin County, while county and special district groups opposed or had concerns, arguing the bill could shift burdens to local governments or public cemetery districts without enough safeguards. Members expressed general support but noted the need for further work; the bill was discussed but no final vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then took up SB 758 by Senator Umberg, which would restrict retail sales of nitrous oxide to curb misuse. Supporters, including the League of California Cities, narcotic officers, counties, pediatricians, and other local governments and health groups, said easy access at smoke shops and convenience stores has fueled recreational abuse and health harms. There was no opposition testimony, and members voiced strong support for a statewide approach over city-by-city bans. The bill was well received, with the author closing in support. Dr. Weber-Pierson presented SB 1094, a health care affordability bill on biosimilars and biologic substitution. The bill would allow pharmacists to substitute biosimilars under certain conditions, require advance notice to providers and patients, and add reporting on savings; the author said amendments would strengthen provider notice and preserve the ability to mark prescriptions “do not substitute.” Supporters from health plans, insurers, pharmacies, labor, business, and some provider groups argued the bill would lower costs and expand access. Opponents, including dermatology and rheumatology groups and biotech interests, warned about non-medical switching, prior authorization delays, and patient harm. After extensive discussion, the committee voted 13-0 to pass SB 1094 to the Committee on Health. The committee also passed SB 849 by Dr. Weber-Pierson, which would bar reinstatement of physicians who surrendered their licenses while a sexual misconduct accusation was pending. The Medical Board and California Medical Association were generally supportive or neutral, and members praised the bill’s patient-protection focus. SB 993 by Senator Ochoa Bogh, which limits routine disclosure of identifying information for mental health professionals in correctional and psychiatric settings while preserving complaint processes, also passed unanimously to Appropriations. SB 1002 by Senator Niello, extending the David Hall Act to allow certain patients in remission to continue telehealth care with out-of-state specialists, drew strong patient support but opposition from the Medical Board and CMA over licensure and oversight concerns; the committee voted it out on a split roll with some members not voting. Finally, SB 1263 by Senator McGuire, aimed at protecting wildfire survivors and workers by requiring licensed, trained contractors for post-disaster residential debris removal, received support from labor and the Contractors State License Board, with contractors raising a narrower amendment concern about scope.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that we need to be real cautious and jumping the gun on these things.
• the gun on real cautious um and jumping the gun on these<00:10:02.959> things.
• What we did with the purpose of this language is to allow counties to look at it, allow them to start
• What we did with the purpose of this language is to allow counties to look at it, allow them to start
• What we did with the purpose of this language is to allow counties to look at it, allow them to start

Keywords: HB 534 (only one on the agenda) – 00:02:08, 958, all

Summary: The House Elections, Constitutional Amendments, and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee met to consider House Bill 534, sponsored by Rep. DJ Johnson, with a committee substitute. Johnson said the bill was the product of interim work with the Secretary of State’s office, the State Board of Elections, county clerks, KREF, and other stakeholders, and that the committee substitute folded in several election-administration changes. He highlighted provisions clarifying the timeline for felony voter-roll removals, allowing the Board of Elections to work with federal agencies to identify non-citizens on the voter rolls, creating a process for those individuals to prove citizenship and vote provisionally, and changing some KREF board appointments. He also described technical campaign-finance changes and said some provisions might still be adjusted through floor amendments. Members raised concerns about fiscal impact, timing, and voter privacy. Rep. Bivens questioned the cost and whether the bill could affect voter records; Johnson responded that the bill itself did not require new equipment or broad new spending, though a special election in a local government failure scenario could create costs. Rep. Hancock and Rep. Marzian argued the bill could create unnecessary burdens on county clerks and questioned whether there was a demonstrated problem to justify the changes. The county clerks’ association, through Rockcastle County Clerk Danetta Ford Allen, opposed the bill as introduced, warning that citizenship checks could wrongly remove eligible voters, that online ballot images or cast vote records could threaten voter privacy and facilitate vote buying, and that the emergency clause would force major changes too close to the May primary. Johnson defended the bill as a targeted response to a real local election failure and said the citizenship data sharing would be limited to name, date of birth, and Social Security number. He also explained that the ballot-image language was permissive and intended to let counties explore emerging technology, but he was open to removing that section or changing the effective date in a floor amendment. He further said he would consider preserving gubernatorial appointments to KREF with Senate oversight instead of shifting appointments to legislative leaders. After discussion, the committee voted 9-2 with one pass to report the bill out, with several members explaining yes votes as support for moving the bill forward while expecting further cleanup, and no votes citing cost, timing, and voter-access concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, Judge, we'll start with you. If you would state your name for the record.
• ago, is we started a whole...
• Excuse me, I jumped ahead on my comments and there was that same...
• Slide 16 considers the recent events starting on July 4th.
• So that would be a good starting place for this conversation.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that's why it's so critical this year to start tampering things down.
• Now we're finding out that our inflation rate is starting to come down.
• You were one of the first senators to jump on the quantum CAPEX refund last year.
• One of the first senators to jump on the quantum CAPEX refund last year.
• You know, we don't want to hinder them when they're starting.

Bills: SB151, HB8, SB177

Keywords: corporate income tax, franchise tax, gross receipts tax, tax credit, tax deduction, controlled foreign corporation, CFC, bonus depreciation, interest expense, apportionment, unitary group, high-wage jobs tax credit, local journalism, news media, newspaper printer, physician incentive, health care workforce, affordable housing, multifamily housing, construction materials

Transcript Highlights:

• We will jump straight into approval of the minutes.
• We will jump straight into approval of the minutes from February 27th, 2025.
• We are starting with the review of those materials.
• One of the responsibilities I took on when I started just over a year ago is to start a long-range planning
• started just over a year ago is to start started just over a year ago is to start a<00:23:20.360

Bills: HF10

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• from 10 to 50 is a really big jump.
• <00:38:17.040> from we we very much agree um the jump from we we very much agree um the jump
• deposits um and then basically starting deposits um and then basically starting from<01:16:22.480
• either entity to start initiating action either entity to start initiating action that<01:17:29.760><
• when contractor complaints are starting when contractor complaints are starting to<01:20:30.159>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, let me start over.
• I'll start over. My name, good morning Chair and members.
• Okay, let's start over.
• We're just starting issue six. We held, we jumped over issue six so you could get here.
• So let me start with sort of the first basic question, which is: was this started with the $1.1 million

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations on the administration’s Proposition 4 spending plans for extreme heat mitigation and outdoor access, then took up SB 54 implementation, SB 707 textile producer responsibility, and recovery needs related to the Los Angeles fires at state parks. For the extreme heat chapter, agencies described funding for the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program, urban greening, urban forestry, fairground upgrades, and technical assistance for community-based climate programs. Witnesses emphasized that these are existing programs with strong demand, that technical assistance is important for reaching disadvantaged and tribal communities, and that the proposed funding would expand outreach and implementation capacity. Members asked for more detail on where funds have gone geographically, examples of successful projects, tree-planting totals, and how fairgrounds could better support fire staging and emergency preparedness. The LAO said the timing of the administration’s proposed funding generally made sense because the programs are already established, and no votes were taken. For outdoor access, State Parks, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources described funding for new parks in underserved communities, deferred maintenance, state lands access, and several new or pending programs. State Parks said the park development program would fund roughly 48 projects and that deferred maintenance funding would address high-priority health, safety, and access needs. Fish and Wildlife said its lands program would improve visitor amenities and access on properties that often lack basic facilities. The Natural Resources Agency also outlined three newer outdoor-access proposals: expanding recreation in disadvantaged communities, enhancing natural resource values and trail access, and a nature/climate/education facilities grant program. The LAO distinguished between existing programs, which are ready to move forward, and the newer proposals, where the Legislature may want more input before funds are allocated. Members also raised concerns about park police vacancies, the need to track outcomes for accessibility investments, and whether Prop. 4 could help with wildfire-related recovery at state parks. CalRecycle then presented on SB 54, the plastics and packaging producer responsibility law, and members pressed hard on the delay in regulations. CalRecycle said it has held workshops, formed an advisory committee, selected the producer responsibility organization, and completed required baseline and covered-material reports, but needs more time to address complex comments and novel features such as source reduction and eco-modulated fees. Members expressed frustration that a statutory deadline was missed and asked for a concrete timeline; CalRecycle said it expects regulations in place by 2026, ahead of the PRO’s January 1, 2027 plan deadline. Finance said the Beverage Container Recycling Fund is currently healthy enough to support short-term loans for implementation. The committee also reviewed SB 707, the textile EPR law, which would create the nation’s first textile producer responsibility program; staff said the proposal would add positions and loan authority, and members noted the statutory deadlines for PRO approval, needs assessment, and later regulations. The hearing ended with discussion of the January Los Angeles fires’ damage to Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park, where State Parks described extensive losses, emergency response work, and ongoing damage assessment. Members asked about FEMA eligibility, state funding sources, and community engagement in rebuilding, and the department said it is still assessing costs and will work with the public on reimagining the parks.