Transcript Highlights:

• It would reduce the payment rates by removing the funding.
• match or any, there are all zeros in the general fund.
• match or any, there are all zeros in the general fund.
• Senator Wintrow, in 2022, when these funds were allocated, both the service enhancement funds for the
• An audit would clear up who the bad apples are and whether they're not utilizing the funds in the way

Committee: Senate Health and Welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• , continuous appropriations really reduce legislative oversight of the fund.
• Continuous appropriations really reduce legislative oversight of the fund, and so we would recommend
• That state funding was utilized, and we still had our federal allocation.
• And I also would recommend continued oversight over the funding for this project.
• And I also would recommend continued oversight over the funding for this project: how much, which sources

Transcript Highlights:

• from the State General Fund to the Water Supply Development Revolving Fund.
• I think we also need federal funding for a lot of the resources that we’re utilizing at the ports.
• And it's just seed funding. This is ongoing funding.
• Our fund used to be over $200 million. ...a fund that is already down.
• This is just moving the funds from one fund to the Governor's Office.

Bills: SB1041 , SB1088 , SB1118 , SB1128 , SB1168 , SB1176 , SB1189 , SB1207 , SB1250 , SB1272 , SB1274 , SB1286 , SB1428 , SB1457 , SB1461 , SB1503 , SB1519 , SB1537 , SB1582 , SB1618 , SB1654 , SB1713 , SB1827 , SCR1012 , SCR1020

Committees: House Appropriations , House House Appropriations Committee of Reference

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, cybersecurity, homeland security, artificial intelligence, state appropriation, VPN security, zero trust, housing, zoning, middle housing, urban development, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes

Transcript Highlights:

• funding.
• ><00:18:46.160><c> give</c><00:18:46.360><c> to</c> the basic funding we give to the basic funding we
• </c><00:19:14.680><c> funding.
• It came about outcome-based funding.
• We may not get other research funding. >> What is it that we're going to… >> Future research funding

Bills: HB151 , HB152 , HB138 , SB221 , SB190 , SB69 , SB225 , SB272 , HB151 , HB152 , HB138 , SB221 , SB190 , SB69 , SB225 , SB272

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: fire chaplains, distinctive license plate, firefighter, volunteer service, criminal penalties, sales tax exemption, baby supplies, baby formula, maternity clothing, menstrual hygiene products, pregnancy, pregnant defendant, incarceration, jail intake, pregnancy test, bail, pre-incarceration probation, supervised probation, electronic monitoring, electronic supervision

Transcript Highlights:

• We need statewide oversight to prevent the removal of the irreplaceable representations of the blood,
• apply for the major events funds, and have any of them applied? Is this necessary?
• Have they applied to the Texas Events Fund? I can't...
• Collectively, Texas was home to 470 of these schools, primarily funded by donations.
• This year, we will fund two projects, one in Luling and one in Gonzales.

Bills: HB370 , HB738 , HB2935 , HB3227 , HB4103 , HB5259 , SB519 , SB1350 , SB1247 , SB1248 , SB2112 , HCR81 , HCR83 , HCR84 , HCR59 , HCR109 , HCR111 , HCR135 , SCR6

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Keywords: HB 370, Events Trust Fund, Texas events funding, sports eligibility, women's sports, girls' sports, biological sex, transgender athletes, sex-segregated sports, athletic competition, event subsidies, tourism funding, site selection organization, anti-trafficking plan, female athletes, public funding, economic impact, sports policy, Rosenwald Schools, historical preservation

Transcript Highlights:

• It was gradually reducing down from a lack of funding. And COVID, of course, didn't help.
• Representative Cole relating to the eligibility of the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals for funding
• companion to HB3962 by Representative Guerin, relating to the eligibility of the IndyCar Grand Prix. for funding
• Association's annual meeting and exhibits are for another annual event of the National Rifle Association for funding

Bills: HB370 , HB738 , HB2935 , HB3227 , HB4103 , HB5259 , SB519 , SB1350 , SB1247 , SB1248 , SB2112 , HCR81 , HCR83 , HCR84 , HCR59 , HCR109 , HCR111 , HCR135 , SCR6

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Keywords: HB 370, Events Trust Fund, Texas events funding, sports eligibility, women's sports, girls' sports, biological sex, transgender athletes, sex-segregated sports, athletic competition, event subsidies, tourism funding, site selection organization, anti-trafficking plan, female athletes, public funding, economic impact, sports policy, Rosenwald Schools, historical preservation

Transcript Highlights:

• It loves the cheapest funds it can find. Right, exactly. Say your name just really quick.
• Would you be amenable to funding, creating funds?
• And then when the recommendations come in, I'm happy to include funding now if we can.
• So it depends on the number of locations. and instruments that are gonna be utilized.
• As far as the actual DNA testing and how that would be utilized.

Bills: HB256 , HB1308 , HB1554 , HB1743 , HB2308 , HB2351 , HB2858 , HB3676 , HB3784 , HB4312 , HB4552 , HB4823 , HB4852 , HB5007 , HB5010 , HB5520 , HB5524 , HCR19 , HB256 , HCR19

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: E-verify, employment verification, illegal employment, state contracts, government entities, license suspension, immigration compliance, state grant funding, E-Verify, compliance, penalties, immigration, government contracts, employee status, state contractors, E-verify program, legally present, employment practices, legal services, public money

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm sometimes a little bit skeptical. ...about its utility, so thank you.
• through legal defense funds, which would be banned by this bill.
• , you know, property tax reductions, fund the local police, or fund roads, that they diverted this money
• I don't think Texans deserve this type of oversight.
• We deserve court, and I emphasize court oversight. We deserve due process.

Bills: HB256 , HCR19 , HB256 , HB1308 , HB1554 , HB1743 , HB2308 , HB2351 , HB2858 , HB3676 , HB3784 , HB4312 , HB4552 , HB4823 , HB4852 , HB5007 , HB5010 , HB5520 , HB5524 , HCR19

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: severe weather, adaptation plan, vulnerability assessment, environmental protection, state agencies, federal agents, transparency, law enforcement, identification, public trust, immigration enforcement, HCR 19, Texas concurrent resolution, federal immigration enforcement, masked agents, facial coverings, visible identification, uniforms, badges, name tags

Transcript Highlights:

• This funding will allow us to really monitor that it's being utilized.
• we have for this fiscal year, we're utilizing some of that funding to start the process for building
• Funding.
• The department is responsible for many activities, including monitoring and oversight of funds, professional
• of those funds released.

Transcript Highlights:

• What it does is close a dangerous oversight gap.
• A portion of those funds may be used to fund loans that benefit people and projects within the state
• For example, do the funds benefit shareholders or the people of California?
• These are taxpayer funds at the end of the day.
• We have a lot of funds that come through here.

Committee: House Banking and Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• , prioritizing low-income households and energy assistance need, and provide funds to participating utilities
• funds or fund the program through a utility surcharge.
• the funding.
• be funded out of CCA.
• utilities or the governing body of a consumer-owned utility by October 1, 2026.

Summary: The committee first suspended the five-day notice rule and then heard House Bill 2521 on firearm background check fees. Staff explained that the bill would remove the $18 fee cap and allow Washington State Patrol to set fees based on actual program costs, which could be about $33 to $35 per check. Supporters said the change was needed to keep the background check system operating and avoid delays and layoffs; opponents argued it would burden lawful gun owners and amount to an unconstitutional tax or barrier to a constitutional right. No vote was taken in the hearing. Members then heard Substitute House Bill 2475 on language-accessible public programs, which would direct the Office of Equity to develop uniform language-access guidelines, address interpreter and translator shortages, and require agency implementation reporting. Testimony was strongly supportive, emphasizing the need for consistent access for limited-English-proficient residents and the benefits for schools, families, and state services. The committee also heard Second Substitute House Bill 2479 on wage recovery, which would create a wage recovery fund to provide partial advance payments to low-wage workers with meritorious unpaid wage claims and adjust wage penalty provisions. Employers, labor advocates, and legal services representatives largely supported the bill as a bipartisan, worker-protection measure funded by penalties rather than the general fund. The committee next took up Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960 on renewable energy tax incentives, which would replace existing property tax and excise tax provisions with a new state and local renewable energy excise tax structure and related grant programs for local governments and tribes. Counties, utilities, developers, and tribal representatives generally supported the bill’s goal of stabilizing tax treatment for renewable projects, though several witnesses said they wanted amendments to address rates, timing, and late-stage project impacts. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5932 on alternative jet fuel incentives, which would change the timing and duration of existing tax preferences; supporters said it would provide certainty for emerging sustainable aviation fuel projects, while one refinery sought clarification and a broader county threshold. Later, the committee heard Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2238 on statewide food security, directing the Department of Agriculture to monitor food system performance and develop a statewide food security strategy. Agricultural groups, grocers, anti-hunger advocates, and farmers supported the bill as a coordination effort to improve food access, affordability, and supply chain resilience. The committee then heard Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1903, which would create a statewide low-income energy assistance program through the Department of Commerce; supporters said it would address growing unmet need and complement existing utility programs, while opponents said it did not address the root causes of rising energy costs. Finally, the committee heard Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2416 on waste-to-energy facilities under the Climate Commitment Act and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2515 on large energy-use facilities (data centers), both of which drew mixed testimony centered on balancing emissions, ratepayer impacts, reliability, and environmental or tribal concerns. No final votes were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• expanding or creating new programs funded by the General Fund.
• Since these funds are all now general funds, we just have to make sure that there are agreements that
• Following up on that oversight, how will oversight work since CDT is the vendor, program manager, and
• program oversight on this project?
• So there's additional oversight, but they're not providing direct oversight as CDT.

Summary: The subcommittee held an informational budget hearing covering several GovOps, CDT, CPPA, and DGS items. GovOps reported that most deliverables under the Governor’s generative AI executive order have been completed, including guidelines, procurement tools, community-impact guidance, and a new project delivery lifecycle for Gen AI projects; one workforce-related deliverable remains. Members and public commenters raised concerns about privacy, labor impacts, and how the state will explain and oversee Gen AI use. The committee also heard a proposal to create a California Education Interagency Council with $5 million ongoing and 16 positions to coordinate workforce and education systems; LAO questioned duplication and recommended limited-term funding, while supporters said a neutral convening body is needed to improve coordination and student outcomes. GoServe presented the College Corps budget proposals, describing the program as a paid service and career-development opportunity for undergraduate students that helps reduce college costs while supporting communities through tutoring, food insecurity work, climate and disaster response, and other service. The administration sought one-time and ongoing funding to expand the program to more campuses and students, while LAO objected to the high administrative costs and recommended rejection. Several students and alumni testified that College Corps provided financial support, professional experience, and career pathways. The committee also heard a $5 million proposal for a Belonging Campaign to address loneliness and social isolation through research, outreach, and local grants; LAO said the proposal lacked clear goals and measures, while supporters said the effort is needed for youth, seniors, and community resilience. The Department of Technology updated the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative, saying construction is underway on the statewide open-access network and the project remains on track for the 2026 deadline, though LAO noted a required business plan had not yet been submitted. The California Privacy Protection Agency presented its Delete Act implementation request for the DROP platform, which will let consumers request deletion of personal information held by data brokers; LAO flagged oversight concerns because CDT is both developing the system and involved in project support. Public commenters from business groups urged caution on CPPA’s rulemakings, warning of compliance costs and job impacts. The Department of General Services then discussed implementation of Proposition 2 school facilities bonds, requesting staffing and administrative funding to manage the new bond program and continue school facility work. Officials said the program can also help districts affected by the January wildfires, including interim site funding and expedited assistance. Finally, DGS requested authority and positions to operate Building 18 for labor-agency tenants relocating from older Capitol Mall space; SEIU Local 1000 criticized the state’s four-day return-to-office policy and said telework has improved productivity and retention. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded after public testimony and member questions on each item.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> mechanism on the hold period for funds mechanism on the hold period for funds for<01:41:46.239><
• Instead, it modernizes oversight.
• Instead, it modernizes oversight.
• As you've already heard, this would modernize oversight and update New Hampshire's oversight to match
• As you've already heard, this would modernize oversight and update New Hampshire's oversight to match

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• What it does is close a dangerous oversight gap.
• A portion of those funds may be used to fund loans that benefit people and projects within the state
• Core bank funding includes capital and deposits.
• These are taxpayer funds at the end of the day.
• We have a lot of funds that come through here.

Summary: The Assembly Banking and Finance Committee met and first approved the consent calendar, which included AB 2028, AB 2425, and committee bill AB 2795, all sent to the Committee on Appropriations. The committee also noted that AB 2558 and AB 2746 had been pulled from the agenda. The chair reviewed hearing procedures, including acceptance of written testimony and rules against disruptive conduct. The committee then heard AB 2116, which would require registration and basic conduct standards for certain small-business financing providers, including merchant cash advance companies, and prohibit confessions of judgment and power-of-attorney provisions before default. Supporters argued the bill would close an oversight gap and improve transparency for small businesses; a small business owner testified that a purported 13% loan turned out to have a 235% APR. Opponents said the bill mixed consumer and commercial regulation and could restrict access to capital, though they supported banning confessions of judgment. The bill passed on a roll call vote and was sent to Appropriations. AB 2243, by Assembly Member Haney, proposed creating a state bank commission to study whether California should establish a state bank or other public financing tools. Supporters said a public banking model could reduce borrowing costs, keep more public money in-state, and better finance housing, infrastructure, and other public priorities; opponents from banking groups raised concerns about taxpayer exposure, deposit guarantees, and the use of public funds and existing lending structures. The bill passed and was sent to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 2350, which would set guardrails on rent-now-pay-later products for rental housing; supporters said these products can lead to high fees, debt, and eviction risk, while industry groups opposed the bill unless amended. AB 2350 passed as amended and was sent to Appropriations. At the end of the meeting, the committee completed roll calls for absent members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Housing Trust Fund funds rental assistance for households and is $23.3 million.
• The Housing Trust Fund funds rental assistance for households and is $23.3 million.
• , the collection of those funds, the oversight of those funds?
• c><00:31:13.559><c> oversight</c> collection of those funds the oversight collection of those funds the
• oversight of<00:31:14.159><c> those</c><00:31:14.440><c> funds</c><00:31:15.440><c> uh</c><00:31:15.559

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> talking about sources and uses of funds. talking about sources and uses of funds.
• funds including funds that uh sources of funds including funds that you<00:06:20.400><c> give</c><00
• </c> application for those funds. application for those funds.
• It's not the dollars of your funds. It's the taxpayers' funds.
• sufficient applications to utilize more than what we awarded. metro and and use the the general fund

Bills: SF2434

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• This year, we are requesting $275,000 General Fund to fund two permanent positions in 2026-27 and ongoing
• This year, we are requesting $275,000 general fund to fund two permanent positions in 26, 27, and ongoing
• Whose oversight is that?
• fund, but special deposit fund, to pay for the receivers office staff, as well as to continue bonuses
• fund, but special deposit fund, to pay for the receivers office staff, as well as to continue bonuses

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program, and the Coleman mental health receivership. The hearing focused on correctional health care, reentry, aging incarcerated populations, and the state’s progress toward compliance in the Plata and Coleman receiverships. Members also discussed the OIG’s intake complaint workload and medical inspection findings, as well as broader questions about staffing, vacancies, and the cost of court oversight. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two permanent positions in its intake processing unit, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025. OIG officials said complaints are categorized by issue and prison, prioritized by urgency, and generally responded to within 30 days, but they do not track complaint “validity” rates. The medical inspection unit reported that in cycle seven, case review performance was generally adequate while policy compliance was often inadequate; the lowest-scoring areas included emergency services, medication management, and health care environment. Members asked for more detailed reporting on complaint types, priority levels, and systemic issues. CCHCS described rising health care costs driven by an aging prison population, staffing vacancies, and contract medical expenses. Officials said more than 80% of the budget is personal services, and they are using hiring events, social media outreach, and expanded classifications to reduce vacancies. CalAIM officials reported early implementation success in pre-release and reentry services, including 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% assigned managed care plans, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about 169,000 claims submitted and $14.7 million reimbursed. The LAO noted that the Plata medical receivership has increased per-person costs and that the state should continue oversight while seeking ways to reduce vacancies and expand federal reimbursement opportunities. For the Coleman mental health receivership, the receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for receiver office staffing and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent. The LAO supported continued oversight but recommended additional steps to address vacancies, including greater out-of-state recruitment, expanded telemental health, and possible consolidation of mental health services. The LAO also recommended reducing the telemental health staffing request and monitoring its effects. Members questioned the long-term cost of receiverships, the pace of compliance, and whether more detailed benchmarks and staffing data should be provided. No formal votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• and equipment and contracts where the funds were not fully utilized.
• and equipment and contracts where the funds were not fully utilized.
• and special fund. $13.3 million, both General Fund and special fund.
• There are General Fund costs predicted to be attributed to higher utilization of certain services in
• There are General Fund savings projected from lower utilization of certain other services, including

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes clear limits, oversight, and reporting.
• The MTC has the oversight of the reporting.
• But is it a foregone conclusion that these tax credits will never be utilized? Correct.
• I know that I have utilized tax credits.
• I'm just thinking if we build a program and then dismantle the funding, part of the funding for that

Committee: House Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

Summary: The Commerce Committee met in executive session and unanimously voted do pass on House Bill 1707, House Bill 2927, and House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2057. The committee then moved into public hearing on House Bill 1664, which would extend the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims from age 26 to age 41. Representative Brian Sites presented the bill as a needed step for survivors, and multiple witnesses and organizations testified in support, including survivors and advocacy, tort reform, chamber, and insurance groups. No opposition was heard, and the hearing concluded without a vote. The committee also heard House Bill 1845, a startup and angel investor tax credit proposal sponsored by Representative Gallick. The bill would create incentives for Missouri-based startups under $5 million in revenue, with higher credits for rural investment, annual caps, oversight by the Missouri Technology Corporation, and a sunset in 2033. Members questioned what taxes the credit would apply to, how it would work if Missouri changes its income tax structure, and what safeguards would prevent businesses from leaving after receiving credits. Business and economic development groups testified in support, saying the bill would help fill an early-stage capital gap and keep investment in Missouri. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 3231, a broad economic development and “Missouri Innovation Zone” proposal sponsored by Representative Brad Christ. The bill would let cities opt in to create innovation zones with local permitting and governance changes, tax incentives, office-to-residential conversion tools, and reinvestment of net new revenues into public safety, infrastructure, and a rural development fund. Members and witnesses discussed local control, prevailing wage, revenue diversion, and implementation concerns, especially from the City of St. Louis and labor groups, while chambers, developers, municipal groups, and historic revitalization advocates generally supported the concept. The hearing ended with no opposition testimony and no committee vote on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, of course, once we would appropriate the funds, we would certainly want them to do it, right?
• However, if you have it where you pick it up, they utilize locations such as Walmart, Costco, whoever
• I just had a briefing with the controller, which was really eye-opening about how the state utilizes
• In practice, that means many of these facilities operate with little to no meaningful oversight.
• I think it's very fair that this is a group that has some additional oversight.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard several bills focused on mental health access, preventive care, health care costs, detention oversight, and daylight saving time. SB 989 would streamline Care Court referrals by allowing first responders to ask county behavioral health agencies to review and file petitions; supporters, especially firefighters and families, said the current process is too burdensome, while Disability Rights California and other opponents argued Care Court is coercive and unproven. SB 1089, as amended, would direct CalRx/HHS to help distribute GLP-1 medications more broadly and more affordably; the author described her own experience with the drugs, and the bill drew support from medical and life sciences groups with no opposition. SB 1309 would eliminate out-of-pocket costs for medically appropriate lung cancer screening follow-up care; cancer advocates and survivors strongly supported it, while health plans and insurers opposed it as costly and said the bigger problem is low initial screening rates. The committee also heard SB 1284, which would require DHCS to report large employers whose workers are enrolled in Medi-Cal and estimate taxpayer costs, framed by supporters as a transparency measure about corporate reliance on public coverage. SCR 7, urging permanent standard time for health reasons, passed with support from medical groups and no opposition. SB 995, the Masuma Khan Justice Act, would create statewide inspection and enforcement standards for large involuntary residential facilities, including private immigration detention centers and certain youth facilities; supporters cited unsafe and inhumane conditions, while county probation officials objected to duplicative oversight for secure youth treatment facilities. The committee took votes on each measure, and the bills and resolution advanced, with SB 1309 and SB 1284 moving on amended and the others also reported out; the consent calendar was approved as well.