Transcript Highlights:

• prior to the establishment of the encampment.
• An institution may authorize or deny the encampment based on time, place, or manner of the encampment
• Any permanent encampment must serve an academic purpose.
• I don’t think having a bill that prohibits encampments or asking for encampments to have permission to
• This bill would not outlaw campus encampments.

Bills: HB2427, HB2458, HB2474, HB2540, HB2589

Keywords: ink of hope act, mental health, substance use, rehabilitation, community support, Washington college grant, postsecondary education, nondegree programs, student access, financial aid, consumer protections, school closures, educational programs, student rights, emergency medical services, EMT recertification, healthcare, first responders, public health, encampments

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several post-secondary and workforce-related bills. House Bill 2427 would require tattoo artists to complete annual human trafficking awareness training through the Department of Licensing. The prime sponsor and a trafficking survivor testified that tattoo artists may be in a position to notice branding or other signs of trafficking and connect victims to help. One opponent argued the bill would impose compelled speech and burdensome annual training requirements. The hearing closed without a vote. House Bill 2458 would expand Washington College Grant eligibility to approved non-degree credential programs. Supporters from community and technical colleges, workforce partners, and United Way said the bill would help students in short-term, job-aligned programs such as construction, CDL, IT, and other credentials that lead to family-wage jobs and better access to financial aid. House Bill 2474 would expand student consumer protections when a school or program closes, including required teach-outs or transfer options, refunds, and voiding certain student debt. The Student Achievement Council and student advocates supported the bill as a needed update, while independent private colleges raised concerns about financial penalties, program flexibility, and differences from existing accreditation standards. House Bill 2589 would regulate encampments on public higher education campuses by limiting them to registered student organizations or recognized bargaining units, requiring notice and institutional approval, and allowing removal of unauthorized encampments. The sponsor said it was a content-neutral campus safety measure that would not ban protest, while supporters cited recent campus encampments and safety concerns; opponents argued it could burden speech and should not apply to private nonprofit colleges. House Bill 2540 would extend EMT recertification intervals from three to six years for EMTs certified in Washington for at least 10 years, while keeping ongoing training requirements unchanged. Firefighter and EMS supporters said it would reduce administrative burden and costs. No bills were voted on during the meeting, and the chair reminded members of amendment request deadlines for the following week.

Bills: SB6005, SB6225

Keywords: transportation budget, transportation appropriations, capital budget, supplemental budget, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, Washington State Patrol, Department of Licensing, ferries, Puget Sound ferries, tolling, express toll lanes, highway safety, traffic safety, impaired driving, ignition interlock, speed cameras, transit funding, public transit, multimodal transportation

Bills: HB2438, HB2422, HB2525, HB2586, HB2427, HB2458, HB2474, HB2540, HB2589

Keywords: education, scholarship, early childhood, funding, higher education, early education, support, degree seekers, private security, security guard, armed security guard, security company, licensing fees, license renewal, endorsement fee, fingerprints, background check, workforce retention, low-wage workers, public safety

Summary: The committee met on February 3 and considered several bills for possible executive session, with no public hearings. Members were told that House Bill 2538 would be heard later in the session, and no action was taken on House Bills 2422, 2427, or 2589 while amendments were still being worked on. The committee then reviewed House Bill 2438, which creates the Supporting Our Early Education Degree Seekers Scholarship for early childhood education students. A proposed substitute made the scholarship a yearly $10 million allocation from the GET account, capped administrative costs at $500,000, adjusted eligibility for students who already hold an associate degree, created a scholarship account, added a statute of limitations, and required notice to GET account holders. The substitute was adopted and the bill was reported out 13-4, with supporters emphasizing early childhood educator shortages and opponents raising concerns about moving funds from GET accounts. The committee also advanced House Bill 2525, establishing a heritage orchard program at Washington State University. A proposed substitute removed requirements related to preserving orchards and propagating rare apple breeds, and an amendment added a null and void clause; the bill passed 17-0. House Bill 2586, which automatically qualifies Passport to Careers students for the Washington College Grant and aligns financial-need calculations with federal formulas, also passed unanimously. House Bill 2458, expanding Washington College Grant eligibility to certain non-degree credential programs, was amended to require the Student Achievement Council and the College Board to propose a maximum award amount; it passed 11-6 after debate over fiscal impacts and support for trades and certificate programs. House Bill 2474, concerning student consumer protections when institutions or programs close, was amended to narrow exemptions for certain private institutions, including Independent Colleges of Washington and Northwest Indian College, and to clarify teach-out and reimbursement rules. Supporters said it would better protect students when schools change materially or close, while opponents argued the guardrails were too restrictive for institutions; it passed 9-8. Finally, House Bill 2540, extending recertification intervals for emergency medical technicians from every three years to every six years after 10 years of Washington certification, passed 17-0, with supporters saying it would reduce redundant training while maintaining standards.

Bills: SB6225, SB6005, SB6354

Keywords: transportation bonds, general obligation bonds, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, highway funding, road construction, infrastructure financing, motor fuel tax, gas tax, vehicle fees, bond authorization, state finance committee, highway bond retirement fund, corridor projects, interstate improvements, right-of-way acquisition, public-private partnerships, transportation capital projects, local matching funds, emergency clause

Transcript Highlights:

• prior to the establishment of the encampment.
• Any permanent encampment must serve an academic purpose.
• I don't think having a bill that prohibits encampments or asking for encampments to have permission to
• I'm curious about the nature of the encampments.
• This bill would not outlaw campus encampments.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several bills related to higher education, workforce training, student protections, campus encampments, and EMT recertification. HB 2427 would require tattoo artists to complete annual human trafficking awareness training through the Department of Licensing; the prime sponsor and supporters said tattoo artists may be among the few people trafficked survivors encounter and could help identify and refer victims, while one opponent argued the bill imposes compelled speech and burdens small businesses. HB 2458 would expand Washington College Grant eligibility to approved non-degree credential programs; supporters from community and technical colleges, workforce organizations, and employers said it would help low-income students access short-term training tied to high-demand jobs, while one member raised concerns about short-term credentials and their long-term value. The committee also heard HB 2474, which would strengthen consumer protections when a private institution or program closes by expanding use of the Student Achievement Council tuition recovery trust fund, requiring teach-out or transfer options, and voiding certain student debts if closure rules are violated. The sponsor and agency witnesses said the bill responds to recent closures and gaps in federal oversight, while Independent Colleges of Washington opposed the bill as overly broad and potentially harmful to program innovation, and asked that private nonprofit campuses be excluded. Testifiers from student groups and a national higher-education advocacy organization supported the measure and argued that protections should also apply to public institutions. HB 2589 would regulate campus encampments at institutions of higher education by requiring advance notice, limiting authorization to registered student organizations or recognized bargaining units, and allowing institutions to impose content-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions to protect safety and access. The sponsor said it codifies existing practice and does not ban protest, but several testifiers described recent encampments as disruptive or unsafe, while others warned the bill could chill student expression and should not apply to private nonprofit campuses. Finally, HB 2540 would extend EMT recertification intervals from every three years to every six years for EMTs certified in Washington for at least 10 years; firefighters and EMS supporters said it would reduce administrative burden without changing training requirements. The committee took no votes and adjourned after hearing all testimony, with a reminder about amendment deadlines for upcoming bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• As well as the Encampment Resolution Program.
• those encampments.
• To date, the encampment resolution funding program is projected to To date, the Encampment Resolution
• and helping the people that reside in those encampments.
• The Encampment Resolution Fund data happens quarterly.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Accountability and Oversight held a hearing on California’s homelessness funding, focusing on the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention (HAP) Grant and the Encampment Resolution Grant Program. HCD described new accountability requirements, including regional action plans, stronger reporting and expenditure conditions, housing-element compliance, encampment response plans, and public dashboards that track fiscal spending, service outcomes, and encampment resolution status. Officials said the goal is to use the data to identify underperforming grantees, provide technical assistance, and, if needed, withhold or reallocate funds. Local officials from San Diego, Fresno, and Santa Cruz said the programs have helped expand shelter, outreach, and permanent housing, and that state dollars have leveraged local and federal resources. Mayor Todd Gloria said San Diego has used HAP to expand shelter and safe sleeping options, reduce downtown encampments, and increase housing production, but argued the state’s new accountability website is too high-level and does not fully reflect countywide conditions, behavioral health outcomes, or the role of continuum-of-care partners. Fresno officials said HAP and other state funds helped the city add shelter beds and reduce homelessness, while Santa Cruz emphasized that state funding helped build local coordination and draw in federal vouchers. Members pressed the panel on whether HAP is actually reducing homelessness, what the best success metrics should be, and whether the state is getting full, usable data from grantees and subcontractors. Several members asked for more granular jurisdiction-level reporting, better tracking of nonprofit spending, and clearer measures beyond point-in-time counts and “people served.” HCD said it is still improving HMIS participation and data quality, but can already show outcomes such as exits to permanent housing and returns to homelessness. The hearing ended with broad agreement that transparency is important, but disagreement remained over the best measures of success and how much emphasis should be placed on housing, prevention, shelter, and treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Identify the number of encampments within their region, specific timely plans to address those encampments
• I think I will just quickly touch on the encampment resolution funding.
• and helping the people that reside in those encampments.
• The encampment resolution fund data happens quarterly.
• The state agency's responsibility to take care of encampment and property.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It gives cities a practical, service-oriented tool to address RV encampments.
• By expanding the encampment resolution or ERF program. main workable solution.
• It gives cities practical service-oriented tool to address RV encampments.
• It reduces reliance on costly reactive enforcement. encampments.
• So just the encampment fund, I think, in this current budget is about $100 million.

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee met with a quorum and announced that SB 340 would be moved to a later hearing. The consent calendar included HR 44, SB 233, and SB 410, which were later approved. The committee then heard several housing-related bills, with testimony largely focused on streamlining accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules, regional planning, and homelessness response. SB 9 would require local agencies to submit ADU ordinances to HCD within 60 days and respond to HCD findings within 30 days, or the ordinance would become null and void and state standards would apply. Supporters, including California YIMBY, Casita Coalition, UnidosUS, Housing Action Coalition, and Power California, argued the bill would strengthen enforcement of existing ADU law and reduce local barriers. The bill passed 7-0 with two abstentions and was sent to the Assembly Local Government Committee. SB 486 would exempt UC and CSU projects from having to analyze a no-project alternative under CEQA while requiring the universities to share enrollment forecasting data and participate in regional sustainable communities planning. It passed 9-0 and was referred to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. SB 748, as amended, would expand funding and authority for safe parking sites and related services for people living in RVs or vehicles, using encampment resolution funding and requiring reporting by the California Interagency Council on Homelessness. The City of Compton, the Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association, and the League of California Cities supported the measure, emphasizing public health, neighborhood safety, and humane alternatives to displacement. The committee members discussed the limits of current encampment cleanup approaches and the need for services and temporary shelter; the bill passed 11-0 and was sent to the Assembly Human Services Committee. SB 543, a cleanup bill for ADU and junior ADU law, clarified review timelines, size standards, and consistency with existing ADU statutes; it also passed unanimously and was referred to the Assembly Local Government Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:48:19.880><c> is</c> property assuming that the encampment is property assuming that the encampment
• </c><00:48:30.040><c> is</c> um I'm sorry so uh if the encampment is um I'm sorry so uh if the encampment
• </c> when that technically be an encampment when that technically be an encampment that's<00:49:28.640
• Next is HB 877 relating to encampments, the buffer zone around schools.
• </c><01:21:27.159><c> the</c> bill 877 relating to encampments the bill 877 relating to encampments the

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The hearing began with HB 1113, which would create an intensive mobile team pilot program in the Department of Health for chronically houseless individuals with serious brain disorders such as schizophrenia. The Department of Health Adult Mental Health Division strongly supported the bill, and written support was also submitted by several health and harm-reduction organizations. Members asked about the program’s size and coordination with existing services; the testifier said the team would use a low-caseload, 24/7 mobile model, coordinate with police, ERs, hospitals, housing, dual-diagnosis treatment, and other case-management resources, and continue serving participants even if they cycle through jail or hospital. The committee amended the bill to change the participant language from a maximum of 40 to “at least 40,” blanked out the appropriations section, deferred the effective date to July 1, 3000, and then adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass with amendments by unanimous vote in both committees. The next measure, HB 1140, would appropriate funds for DLNR to clean up homeless encampments on department lands. DLNR testified in support, saying it conducts about 22 to 24 cleanups per year and the bill would help it address homelessness statewide. Members asked whether the funds would be used to sweep people out of areas; DLNR said its practice is to give notice, allow time to leave, and then clean up what remains, with storage procedures for personal property. The department also said people still present are told to move to the county area across the road. DLNR confirmed the bill is not in the governor’s budget, though it is in the governor’s legislative package. The committee then heard HB 1486, which would make it disorderly conduct to remain or loiter within 20 feet of a bus stop without intent to use bus services. The Office of the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing that criminal enforcement is not the right tool, could lead to arrests of people who are simply tired or unhoused, and could create a cycle of repeated low-level cases and constitutional issues around questioning and intent. HPD supported the bill, saying officers would generally try to get people to move first, but could also use field questioning, citations, or arrests depending on the circumstances; HPD said such incidents can be documented and later used in ACT or other mental-health interventions. A private resident testified in support, describing bus stops near her home as occupied overnight and burdening nearby residents and small businesses. Written support came from the City and County of Honolulu Mayor’s Office, and one individual opposed the bill. Members also asked about neighbor-island impacts, property handling, and whether the bill could help connect people to services; HPD said it had not consulted other counties and would follow up. Finally, the committee began hearing HB 877, which would prohibit encampments within 100 feet of the property line of a K-12 public or private school or school facility. DLNR stood on its written testimony, and the Department of the Attorney General raised concerns that the bill did not specify how violators would be removed, what would happen to property or the encampment, or whether the buffer zone applies only to public spaces. The AG suggested making violations petty misdemeanors and adding clearer definitions and due-process guidance. Members asked whether charter schools are included and whether private-property situations within the buffer zone should be clarified; the AG said public schools include charter schools and indicated the bill may need more specificity about private property and trespass situations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Encampment resolution. Thank you. Thank you. Encampment resolution funding. Okay.
• This is not about broader funding for the encampment resolution program.
• I think that the encampment resolution fund is really focused on housing outcomes.
• It's not just about clearing encampments; it's about resolving encampments, meaning that every single
• or clear an encampment, we have seen over and over where are they going?

Summary: The Assembly Subcommittee on State Administration held a budget hearing focused heavily on housing, homelessness, and related administrative proposals. HCD reported that California housing production has increased, with 2023 completions up 13% from 2022 and entitlement and construction timelines improving, while members and advocates criticized the Governor’s January budget for zeroing out or sharply reducing several housing programs. Public testimony urged funding for affordable housing production, preservation, youth housing, CalHome, LIHTC, HAP, and related programs, and several speakers argued the state should not pull back after recent progress. A major policy item was trailer bill language to allow HCD to access “excess equity” in existing affordable housing projects and recycle those funds into new or preserved housing. HCD and the LAO said the proposal could unlock tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, but members wanted guardrails and clearer statutory direction to ensure the funds stay within the intended housing purposes. The committee also discussed encampment resolution funding; HCD said the proposal would shift expenditure deadlines to the date of award rather than appropriation, while the LAO raised concerns about limited outcome data and urged the Legislature to use upcoming reporting before deciding on future funding. The hearing also covered HCD trailer bills to consolidate default reserve funds into a centralized continuously appropriated account and to clarify reporting requirements for early rounds of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program. HCD requested funding to implement chaptered legislation, including a new tribal housing program and reporting-related bills, and also sought extensions for certain reappropriations, including Homekey and REAP 2 deadlines. Public commenters and regional agencies supported flexibility for REAP 2 timing and other housing-related adjustments. Finally, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency presented the Governor’s reorganization proposal to split the current agency into a Housing and Homelessness Agency and a Consumer Protection Agency. The administration said the change would improve focus, efficiency, and coordination, but the LAO and several members questioned whether it would truly save money or improve accountability, especially given the need for new leadership, possible staffing changes, and the fact that the plan had not yet been formally submitted for review. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Bills: SB6061, SB6234, SB6170, SB6176, SB6182, SB6335, SB5647, SB6047, HB2367, HB2606, SB5998, SB6005, SB6003, SB6129, SB6225, SB6228, SB6231

Keywords: tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development, sewage, grinder pumps, residential buildings, regulation, construction, contracting rules, state highway construction, procurement limits, state regulations, infrastructure funding, vehicle registration, enforcement, renewal, transportation, state law

Summary: The Senate met on February 23, 2026, opened with the usual roll call, pledge, prayer, and approval of the previous journal. Members then adopted Senate Resolution 8698 recognizing piano teachers, with several senators sharing personal remarks about their own teachers and the role of music education in families and communities. Guests from the Washington State Music Teachers Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then moved into budget debate, considering a series of amendments to the operating budget. Several proposals focused on housing costs, local planning, utility rates, and state spending restraint. Amendment 0772, which would have created a housing-related task force and increased funding, was rejected after debate over housing affordability and regulatory costs. Amendment 0785, restoring growth management planning funding for local governments, was also rejected. Amendment 0791, directing the Department of Commerce to study the effects of climate and clean energy laws on utility costs, and Amendment 0769, related to grid capacity and clean energy investments, were both adopted. Other amendments drew sharper partisan debate. Amendment 0798, which would have reduced the Supreme Court from nine justices to five and redirected savings to public defense, failed. Amendments 0794 and 0795, seeking funding for ballot measure costs tied to initiatives, also failed. Amendment 0799, intended to redirect Pacific Tower lease savings to developmental disability services, was rejected after discussion of the building’s current public uses. Amendment 0773, capping state spending growth and tying it to median wage growth, failed on a roll call vote, while Amendment 0777, addressing concurrent use of paid family and medical leave and sick leave by state employees, also failed after extended debate. Later, Amendment 0776 on tort liability reporting was adopted, as were Amendment 0758 creating a DSHS work group on community-based services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Amendment 0786 was introduced to reduce cash and food assistance work-related funding, with debate beginning before the transcript ends.

Bills: SB6061, SB6234, SB6170, SB6176, SB6182, SB6335, SB5647, SB6047, HB2367, HB2606, SB5998, SB6005, SB6003, SB6129, SB6225, SB6228, SB6231

Keywords: tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development, sewage, grinder pumps, residential buildings, regulation, construction, contracting rules, state highway construction, procurement limits, state regulations, infrastructure funding, vehicle registration, enforcement, renewal, transportation, state law

Summary: The Senate convened with roll call, prayer, and approval of the previous day’s journal, then moved to a resolution honoring piano teachers. Senate Resolution 8698 was adopted after remarks from Senator Conway and others describing the role of piano teachers in music education, family life, and community service. Members of the Washington State Music Teachers Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers were recognized in the gallery. The chamber then took up the operating budget and considered a long series of amendments. Several amendments focused on housing costs and local planning, utility and energy policy, ballot measure costs, state spending growth, tort liability, and paid family and medical leave. Some amendments were adopted, including a study of utility cost impacts from climate laws, a grid-related funding amendment, a tort liability oversight/reporting amendment, and a workgroup on services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Others were rejected, including proposals to create a housing task force, cap state spending growth, fund ballot initiative costs, restore local planning grants, and change paid family and medical leave usage rules. Debate on the budget amendments was often partisan and detailed, with supporters arguing for fiscal restraint, cost transparency, and relief for taxpayers and local governments, while opponents emphasized existing work, program solvency, and the need to preserve services. The Senate also heard amendments on zero-based budgeting, federal education tax credit opt-in language, reproductive health funding, food assistance work requirements, and support for the Pediatric Interim Care Center; some were defeated and some were adopted. Roll-call votes were taken on certain amendments, and the transcript ends during consideration of Amendment 0787, which would restore funding for the Pediatric Interim Care Center.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes I hear this idea that, well, isn’t it better off to just be in an encampment?
• And so people are languishing in an encampment.
• And so people are languishing in an encampment.
• That is actually more similar to the encampment they came from.
• Meanwhile, they're languishing on the streets and encampments.

Summary: The committee heard SB 866, which would require jurisdictions that do not receive HAP grants to include homelessness data, strategies, and regional coordination in their housing elements. The author and supporters said the bill would close a gap in planning and create more consistent, data-driven local responses to homelessness. Opponents, including the League of California Cities and several cities, argued the bill would impose costly and duplicative reporting requirements on small jurisdictions, require data cities cannot control, and should instead be aligned with existing regional planning processes. Members raised concerns about burden on small cities, but also emphasized the need for statewide, standardized homelessness planning. The committee then heard SB 967, which would allow jurisdictions to count qualifying interim housing toward a portion of their acutely low-income RHNA obligations, with safeguards against double counting and reporting requirements for moved units. Supporters said interim housing is a faster, less expensive way to get people indoors and should be incentivized as a bridge from encampments to permanent housing. Opponents, including housing law experts and advocacy groups, argued the bill would blur the line between temporary shelter and permanent housing, weaken obligations to build deeply affordable housing, and create a two-tier system for the lowest-income Californians. After discussion, the committee passed SB 967 on a due pass motion to Appropriations, with several members voting aye and the bill held on call for absent members. The committee also considered SCR 131, a resolution calling for a coordinated state effort to end unsheltered homelessness and prioritize a broader set of interventions, including interim housing, prevention, and permanent supportive housing. Supporters described unsheltered homelessness as a moral and public health crisis and urged stronger state alignment and funding. One member explained an abstention based on concerns that the resolution’s language could be read as endorsing more funding without clear metrics or evidence of effectiveness. The author said amendments had already narrowed the language and was open to further changes. The resolution was adopted on a motion, with the roll held open for absent members. Finally, the committee heard SB 1238, which would strengthen oversight and transparency for homeowners associations and HOA management companies, including disclosures, reserve-fund protections, and a fiduciary-duty provision. The author and supporters said the bill would protect homeowners from mismanagement and improve financial clarity in common interest developments. Opponents from community manager and HOA groups said managers are administrative agents, not decision-makers, and objected especially to imposing a fiduciary duty to individual homeowners. Members generally supported the bill but flagged the fiduciary-duty issue and reserve-fund language as areas for further review, noting that some amendments had been agreed to and others would be addressed later in the process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Encampment resolution funding. OK. Not my favorite item. Not your favorite?
• On this one, this is not about broader funding for the Encampment Resolution Program.
• I think that the Encampment Resolution Fund is really focused on housing outcomes.
• It's not, it is not just about clearing encampments, it's about resolving encampments, meaning that every
• To simply go form an encampment somewhere else, maybe in another jurisdiction.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes I hear this idea that, well, isn’t it better off to just be in an encampment?
• There’s an enormous difference between being in interim housing and being in an encampment.
• And so people are languishing in an encampment.
• And so people are languishing in an encampment.
• Meanwhile, they're languishing on the streets and encampments.

Summary: The committee heard several housing-related measures. SB 866 by Senator Blakespear would require jurisdictions that do not receive HAP homelessness grants to include homelessness data strategies and regional coordination in their housing elements. Supporters said the bill would close a planning gap and improve transparency and accountability; opponents, including the League of California Cities and several cities, argued it would impose costly, duplicative reporting requirements and ask cities to collect data outside their control. Members raised concerns about burden on small cities and possible amendments for lower-population or low-homelessness jurisdictions, but no final vote was taken because the committee initially lacked a quorum. SB 967, also by Senator Blakespear, would allow qualifying interim housing units to count toward a portion of a jurisdiction’s RHNA obligation for acutely low-income housing, with safeguards against double counting and reporting requirements. Supporters said the bill would incentivize rapid, dignified interim housing and help move people out of encampments; opponents warned it would blur the line between temporary shelter and permanent housing and could reduce pressure to build deeply affordable permanent units. After extensive debate, the committee reached quorum and voted the bill out on a due pass basis to the Senate Appropriations Committee, with members noting continued work on amendments. The committee also considered SCR 131, a resolution calling for a coordinated state effort to end unsheltered homelessness and prioritize a broad range of interventions, including interim housing, permanent supportive housing, and prevention. Supporters emphasized the scale and urgency of unsheltered homelessness and the need for clearer state goals and funding. One member said the resolution’s language was too broad and abstained, but the author agreed to consider wording changes. The resolution was adopted on a roll call vote and held on call for absent members. Finally, SB 1238 by Senator Wahab would increase oversight and transparency for homeowners associations and HOA managers, including disclosures, reserve-fund rules, and a proposed fiduciary-duty standard. Realtors and homeowner supporters backed the bill as a way to improve accountability, while community-manager groups opposed the fiduciary-duty provision and raised concerns about litigation and insurance costs. Members discussed the reserve-fund language and fiduciary-duty issue, noting that further changes would be considered in the Judiciary Committee; the bill was not yet voted on in this hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sometimes I hear this idea that, well, isn’t it better off to just be in an encampment?
• And when you realize what you’re saying, which is that there’s no sanitation in an encampment, there’
• There’s an enormous difference between being in interim housing and being in an encampment.
• People are languishing in an encampment.
• Meanwhile, they're languishing on the streets and encampments.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our unhoused constituents while simultaneously reducing recreational vehicles, encampments in or near
• clarity, information, and accountability regarding the applicant's request and distribution of encampment
• Number one, it expands the use of the ERF funds in the Encampment Resolution Funding Program to local
• must include, at a minimum, a point-in-time accounting for the number of people transitioned from encampment
• Western Manufacturing Housing Communities Association, what they have shared is that by having RV encampments

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard several homelessness, public benefits, and aging-related bills. SB 748 would expand Encampment Resolution Funding to support safe parking sites for people living in cars or RVs, require quarterly reporting from HCD on outcomes, and direct LAO evaluation; supporters said it would help local governments reduce RV encampments while connecting people to housing and services. SB 290 would repeal the CalWORKs immunization sanction that reduces aid when parents cannot provide acceptable proof of a child’s vaccination; supporters argued the penalty unfairly harms families already in poverty and can worsen instability, while no opposition testified. SB 606 would define “functional zero” for overall and unsheltered homelessness and require local jurisdictions to plan for and report on the housing and interim shelter needed to reach that goal; supporters said it would add accountability and focus on reducing unsheltered homelessness, and one group moved from opposition to neutral after amendments. SB 433 would create an income-based room-and-board cap and personal needs allowance for all Medi-Cal assisted living participants in residential care facilities for the elderly, not just SSI recipients; supporters said it would prevent eviction and homelessness among low-income seniors and people with disabilities, and facility groups withdrew opposition or moved to neutral after amendments. SB 761 would require students applying for Cal Grants to be notified that they may be eligible for CalFresh and given information on how to apply; supporters said it would address widespread student food insecurity and low enrollment among eligible students. The committee accepted amendments on the bills, and all of the measures discussed were reported out on 7-0 or similar unanimous votes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, with the consent calendar also approved unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• These teams have been successful at decreasing unsheltered homelessness and reducing encampments.
• In some cases, city staff have gone to the encampments to offer individuals care currently under the
• Current law puts people living in encampments and caregivers in danger and is a disservice to the people
• Current law puts people living outside encampments and caregivers in danger and is a disservice to the
• As Neighborhood Services Manager, I oversee homeless policy and encampment management for the City of

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard several bills focused on homelessness, child care, food security, public assistance, immigration legal services, and veterans’ benefits. SB 479 would allow city-based local health jurisdictions, including Berkeley and Oakland, to use multidisciplinary homeless response teams and share specified information across departments; supporters said the change would improve coordination and outcomes, and no opposition testified. SB 902 would allow electronic signatures for child care and development services paperwork while preserving paper options; supporters said it would reduce burdens on families and providers, and the bill passed to the Assembly Education Committee 4-0. The committee also heard SB 1025, creating an Office of Food Security and Affordability to coordinate California’s food assistance efforts, and SB 1030, repealing the CalWORKs “man-in-the-house” rule. Supporters of SB 1025 said the state’s food system is fragmented and needs a coordinated strategy; SB 1030 supporters argued the rule is outdated, redundant, and rooted in racist and sexist assumptions. Both bills received no opposition testimony and were approved on 4-0 votes, with SB 1025 sent to the Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact Committee and SB 1030 to Appropriations. The committee then approved SB 1077, which would require CDSS to create a communications and contingency plan for CalFresh disruptions during federal government shutdowns, including a public webpage and planning for state-funded benefits; it passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 1194 would codify the Immigration Legal Fellowship Project to expand immigration legal services in underserved areas, and supporters emphasized the need for legal representation in rural and Central Valley communities; it passed 4-1 to Judiciary. SB 1201 would seek federal waivers to protect veterans from CalFresh time limits, require referrals to county veterans service officers, and adjust treatment of job-search expenses; it passed unanimously 6-0 to Military and Veterans Affairs. The consent calendar, including SB 557 and SB 1051, also passed unanimously. After all items were heard, the committee completed roll calls for absent members and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• These teams have been successful at decreasing unsheltered homelessness and reducing encampments.
• In some cases, city staff have gone to the encampments to offer individuals care currently under the
• Current law puts people living outside encampments and caregivers in danger and is a disservice to the
• As Neighborhood Services Manager, I oversee homeless policy and encampment management for the City of
• One of the most challenging features of our encampment population and our unsheltered population is that

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we had some encampments out there, and our crews went out cleaning up.
• They cleaned up the encampments. They were abandoned at that time.
• We do have homeless encampments all around Las Cruces and Dona Ana, and we have an outreach team that
• Yes, we have seen an increase in encampments around our community, largely spurred by COVID.
• We approached our city responders with seven best practices for addressing unsanctioned encampments.