Josh Hoover — Noted as joining the meeting, helping establish quorum.
Josh Hoover — Recorded as voting aye.
Josh Hoover — Josh Hoover briefly comments in support of the bill, noting that some issues still need to be worked out, and then is recorded voting aye.
Pat Zygmott — Testified in support on behalf of the California Emerging Technology Fund.
Mark Revis — Mark Revis introduced himself as the manager of the North Bay North Coast Broadband Consortium and also the Broadband Project Manager for the County of Napa, then stated his support for the bill.
Dylan Hoffman — Testified on behalf of TechNet in support.
Maria Gilday — Maria Gilday testified on behalf of the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership and the Central Coast Broadband Consortium, introducing herself and stating their support for AB-2279.
Maggy Krell — Maggy Krell seconded the motion on the bill and was later recorded as voting aye.
Maggy Krell — Maggy Krell is identified as making the motion and then voting aye on it.
Bill Essayli — Assembly Member Gibson was addressed in the closing, but the speaker name in transcript is likely a misrecognition; no clear member ID for Gibson in provided list.
Susan Rubio — Recorded as voting aye.
Mark Gonzalez — Assembly Member Carrillo was named as the author of the next bill; the transcript says Juan Carrillo, but the provided list includes Assembly Member Juan Carrillo as a member name variant not present. No ID available for Carrillo in the list excerpt used here.
AB2041 — AB 2041 is introduced and presented as a bill related to emergency medical services. The discussion explains that it builds on prior dispatcher training requirements, expands those expectations, and ties compliance to CETNA funding eligibility. It is framed as ensuring that the existing expectation for pre-arrival instructions becomes a practical reality.
AB2041 — AB 2041 is discussed as a bill providing high-quality, life-saving support for 911 callers. Hoover states he will support the bill, a motion is made for AB 2041 to do pass and be referred to the Committee on Emergency Management, and the committee then records the vote on the bill as due pass and re-refer to Emergency Management.
David Alvarez — Juan Carrillo opened the presentation of AB 2041, referencing his prior bill AB 645, and explained that the measure is intended to help Californians during critical public health emergencies. He then introduced witnesses in support of the bill.
David Alvarez — Carrillo is referenced as the author of AB 2041; the transcript likely means Assembly Member Carrillo.
AB645 — AB 645 is repeatedly referenced as the prior bill/law that established dispatcher training and pre-arrival instruction requirements. The speakers explain that AB 645 created the expectation for these services, includes a provision exempting agencies that already provide them, and gives agencies time to comply because the law does not take effect until later, possibly next year or in January. The discussion emphasizes that agencies should use the remaining time to implement AB 645 and that the bill already accounts for existing practices.
K.T. McNulty / Katerina McNulty — Regional director for American Medical Response; testified in support based on 23 years of emergency medical dispatch experience.
Jimmy Pearson — Identified as president of Medic Ambulance and a witness joining in support.
Katerina McNulty — Katerina McNulty testified about her 23 years in emergency medical dispatch and explained how pre-arrival instructions and protocol-driven dispatch can save lives before responders arrive. She emphasized that her remarks were not about personal recognition, but about advocating for continued investment in dispatch protocols, information systems, and dispatcher training.
James Pearson — James Pearson, president of Medic Ambulance, testified about emergency medical response in Solano County, noting that cities such as Fairfield, Suisun City, Vallejo, and Benicia provide inconsistent pre-arrival instructions to 911 callers. Drawing on his 20 years as a paramedic, he emphasized that early instructions can be critical in life-or-death situations and argued that AB 645 would establish a consistent minimum standard of care for callers. He concluded by asking for an aye vote.
Mark Smith — Mark Smith, representing the California chapter of the National Emergency Number Association (CalNENA), testified as an opposition witness. He stated that the bill is premature because AB 645 is already law and PSAPs are expected to comply, while also noting that he is not disputing the need for pre-arrival instructions or emergency medical dispatch.
Lieutenant Julio Delion — Testified in opposition on behalf of the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.
Liz Ortega — Rubio is introduced as the next member to speak, then follows up with a question about whether there are alternative compliance approaches, and later records an aye vote.
opposition witness — The opposition witness is called back to answer questions and explains that the enforcement mechanism being discussed was not part of the prior agreement and is a completely new issue. The witness reiterates that the enforcement approach was not discussed last year and that the opposition objects to both the timing and the enforcement framework.
Carl DeMaio — Chair closes discussion, praises the bill, and notes policy recommendations and funding concerns.
Josh Lowenthal — The chair notes that Assembly Member Lowenthal is on his way and the roll will be kept open for him.
Josh Lowenthal — The roll is being kept open while Assembly Member Lowenthal arrives.
Josh Lowenthal — A speaker congratulates Assembly Member Lowenthal on his award.
Josh Lowenthal — Lowenthal votes aye on AB 2041.
Josh Lowenthal — Lowenthal votes aye on AB 2279.
Tasha Boerner Horvath — Identified herself as chair of the committee and called the committee to order.
Kate Sanchez — Noted as subbing in for Leticia Castillo on the dais.
Leticia Castillo — Mentioned as the member Kate Sanchez is subbing in for.
Chris Rogers — Identified as present on the dais.
Chris Rogers — Chris Rogers briefly spoke on the bill, was identified as making the motion, and was later recorded as voting aye.
Chris Rogers — Identified as the member who raised questions about compliance, enforcement, and local service delivery.
Chris Rogers — Raises questions about noncompliant jurisdictions, timing of enforcement, and whether funding withholding would harm service delivery.
Chris Rogers — Asks whether the list of jurisdictions can be provided to the opposition and whether the issue was part of last year's negotiations.
Chris Rogers — Continues questioning whether the enforcement mechanism was part of last year's agreement.
Chris Rogers — Continues to ask whether the issue was excluded from last year's agreement.
Chris Rogers — Recorded as voting aye.
AB2279 — AB 2279 by Assembly Member Gibson is introduced as a bill related to the California Advanced Services Fund and regional broadband consortia grant account. The author explains that it would modernize the funding structure for regional broadband consortia by expanding their authority to engage in broadband development and adoption, providing multi-year funding of roughly $200,000 to $500,000 per consortium annually, and changing grants from reimbursement-based to performance-based payments. Supporters say the bill is intended to strengthen regional consortia, close the digital divide, promote digital inclusion, and advance digital equity across California. The discussion concludes with the committee motion to pass the bill as amended and re-refer it to Appropriations, followed by the roll call vote.
AB2279 — The committee votes on AB 2279, which is due pass as amended and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Connie Stewart — Executive Director of Initiatives for Cal Poly Humboldt; testifies in support of the bill on behalf of regional consortia.
Connie Stewart — Connie Stewart is introduced and praised for her work with Cal Poly Humboldt and for traveling to advocate for the bill. She then explains that moving to performance-based payments would solve many problems and notes that current CPUC grant requirements involve time cards.
Rit Handal — Represents Valley Vision and begins testimony on behalf of the Connected Capital Area Broadband Consortium.
Mia Bonta — Noted as joining the meeting, helping establish quorum.
Mia Bonta — Recorded as voting aye.
Mia Bonta — Mia Bonta is mentioned as seconding the motion and is later recorded as voting aye on the same matter.