Jerry McNerney — Senator McNerney comments on Delta levee and Central Valley water infrastructure funding, cites his bill SB 847 as a starting point for future investment, and also praises Healthy Soils and Farmer Program funding before yielding back.
SB847 — McNerney references SB 847 as his bill to begin addressing long-term water infrastructure investment.
Catherine Blakespear — Senator Blakespear thanks budget staff for their late nights and weekends and begins to outline the priorities she wants to highlight.
Monique Limón — The speaker praises the collaborative budget process led by Senator Limón and Budget Chair Laird, and highlights Proposition 4 investments in water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, parks, and natural lands.
Steven Choi — Senator Choi argues that wildfire mitigation needs more direct budget support, especially for undergrounding high-power lines, and says Prop. 4 transmission funding does not address undergrounding programs.
Steven Choi — Senator Choi questioned why the budget does not include specific funding for undergrounding utility lines as a wildfire prevention strategy. He argued that prevention of future fires is being neglected and suggested undergrounding or shielding high-power lines in rugged areas as the most effective long-term approach. Finance responded that Proposition 4 funds high-capacity transmission lines and wildfire resilience broadly, but not underground utility lines specifically, which are usually funded through the Public Utilities Commission and utilities.
Christopher Cabaldon — Senator Cabaldon praised the budget package as a collaborative and digestible agreement that preserves the regular legislative process, while also stressing that the state must remain fiscally disciplined. He cited Legislative Analyst warnings and thanked the Chair and Vice Chair for their leadership in keeping the state positioned to make investments now and maintain fiscal strength in the future.
Christopher Cabaldon — Senator Ocho Bogg asked for more detail on the $5 million appropriation for the Office of Data Innovation, citizen assemblies, and digital democracy. Finance explained that the money supports Engaged California and related digital democracy efforts, and the discussion continued into questions about how the platform differs from existing constituent-management tools and who will have access to the information.
Amy Costa, Full Moon Strategies / Trust for Public Land — Amy Costa opened public comment in support of appropriations for Golden Gate Fields on behalf of the Trust for Public Land. The chair then set strict public-comment limits, asking speakers to identify themselves, their organizations, and their top budget point, and warning he would intervene if comments ran long.
Mitch Steiger, CFT — Mitch Steiger testified in opposition to AB 196, arguing that the bill would redirect $200 million from TK-12 school air quality and temperature-control improvements to utilities. He warned of health harms to schoolchildren and urged the Legislature to revisit the decision and restore the funding to its original purpose.
AB196 — AB 196 was raised during public comment as a bill that would shift $200 million from school air quality and temperature-control improvements to utilities. The speaker strongly opposed the change, and the chair noted that the agendized item would not be voted on because there was no three-party agreement.
Ben Ebbing, California Wool Growers Association — Ben Ebbing testified in support of goat herder language, describing it as important for fire mitigation and thanking Senator Hurtado for leadership on the issue.
Missy Johnson, Directors Guild of America / entertainment union coalition — Missy Johnson thanked the Legislature for work on AB 186, saying it would keep the production tax credit program competitive with other states and jurisdictions.
AB186 — AB 186 was discussed as the production tax credit program bill, with testimony praising efforts to keep California competitive with other states and jurisdictions.
Michael Pimtel, California Transit Association — Michael Pimtel thanked the committee for progress on Tier 3 transit programs, including $230 million for SB 125 and carryover interest for SB 840 programs, and urged full future funding for TIRCP, LCT, and AHSC.
SB125 — SB 125 was cited as receiving $230 million for public transit.
SB840 — SB 840 was mentioned in connection with carryover interest earnings for future transit programs.
Brian Chob, California Climate and Agriculture Network — Brian Chob thanked Senator Hurtado for protecting goat herders and firefighters and thanked the chair and Senator Reyes for defending cap-and-invest and funding sustainable ag lands conservation.
Christine Smith, Health Access California — Christine Smith thanked the Legislature for funding dialysis care for undocumented people on restricted-scope Medi-Cal and said the organization looked forward to continued work so all Californians can get needed care.
Sadalia Keene, UDW SEIU Local 3930 / CCPU — Sadalia Keene thanked the Legislature and administration for addressing concerns on AB 150, including removing reporting requirements for provider absences, relying on regular provider-parent communication, and extending training and education requirements.
AB150 — AB 150 was discussed in connection with removing provider absence reporting requirements and extending training and education requirements.
Brendan Tugg, California Air Pollution Control Officers Association — Brendan Tugg thanked the committee for $10 million for agricultural diesel engine replacements through the farmer program, emphasizing the public health benefits.
Sarah Flox, California Federation of Labor Unions — Sarah Flox supported funding for private sector mediation to avoid labor disputes and strikes, supported a future fix to the VLF revenue shortfall for counties, and opposed carve-outs from labor standards such as minimum wage and overtime for groups including goat and sheep herders, EMTs, nurses, firefighters, and police.
Jonathan Clay, City of Encinitas — Jonathan Clay began testimony for the City of Encinitas, stating opposition to language inserted into AB 114 that retroactively applies new conditions to an appropriation.
AB114 — AB 114 was mentioned as containing retroactive conditions to an appropriation that the City of Encinitas opposed.
AB114 — The speaker opposes AB 114 because it retroactively applies new conditions to a 2023 appropriation, which was described as illegal. The same witness also thanked the committee for Medi-Cal help for trans youth through the Alliance for Trans Youth and TransFamily Support Services.
AB113 — AB 113 is supported by the East Bay Regional Parks District for funding tied to Golden Gate Fields, climate resilience, access to nature, and pond restoration projects that support livestock grazing and wildfire prevention.
Monica Madrid — Monica Madrid, for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, thanked the committee for not including the autonomous agricultural equipment language and criticized the lack of funding to expand CFAP to humanitarian immigrant populations affected by HR1.
Crystal Chavez — Crystal Chavez supported Beverage Container Recycling Fund allocations in AB/SB 178 for local conservation corps training, environmental restoration, and future careers, and thanked Senator Reyes and Senator DeRaso for their support.
Jake Schulton — Jake Schulton, for the Conservation Fund and the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, thanked the Legislature for funding land access for socially disadvantaged farmers and the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program, with special thanks to Senator Laird.
Emma Jungworth — Emma Jungworth, for counties and Cal Cities, thanked the Legislature for rejecting wildfire recovery limits and the sustainable aviation fuel trailer bill, praised GGRF local funding, and thanked the committee for restoring wage parity for goat herders through 2029.
Jeff Neal — Jeff Neal thanked the committee for 988 funding, safer drinking water funding, and wildfire funding, while also noting the need for a long-term fix for the drinking water program.
Ms. Sennier-Robancho — Ms. Sennier-Robancho, for End Child Poverty, California and the Dena Rise Up Coalition, supported the Care Fund for Eaton fire survivors, criticized the lack of immediate CalFresh expansion for immigrants excluded by HR1, and praised the hunger-free holiday school meal program.
Michelle Gibbons — Michelle Gibbons, for CHIAC, criticized the lack of indigent care solutions and technical corrections to AB 85, explaining that counties are being asked to build infrastructure without new resources while losing 1991 realignment funding.
Kyle Jones — Kyle Jones, for the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, thanked the committee for farm access trailer bill funding and referenced Prop 4 groundwater recharge in the San Joaquin Valley.
Mark Fenstermaker — Mark Fenstermaker, for land trusts and resource conservation districts, supported the Sustainable Agricultural Land Conservation Program, thanked the committee for saving the goats, and praised rejection of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credit proposal.
Sylvia Solis Shaw — Sylvia Solis Shaw, for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, supported air quality improvement funding and thanked the Senate for including $10 million for farmer funding.
Karen Ling — Karen Ling, for several county boards of supervisors, thanked senators for farmworker housing funding, goat herder support, and Delta money.
Lizzie Juan Sona — Lizzie Juan Sona, for the San Mateo City/County Association of Governments and TomKat Ranch, thanked the committee for attention to the VLF shortfall and for $50 million for SALC.
Brandon Garcia — Brandon Garcia, for Advanced Energy United, supported geothermal funding, AB/SB 1113, and the DSGS-to-ELRP transfer, but criticized the lack of DSGS funding next year and echoed support for AB 196.
Ryan Suza — Ryan Suza, for California Food Banks and End Child Poverty, California, thanked the committee for additional Cal Food funding and the $15 million hunger-free holiday school meal pilot.
Josh Gogh — Josh Gogh, for urban counties and public hospitals, thanked the committee for HR1 mitigation efforts but criticized the lack of indigent care solutions and technical changes.
AB194 — AB 194 is supported by a coalition of cemetery, community, Armenian, Jewish, and Catholic groups because it would require a public and transparent process before a road near cemeteries is narrowed.
Maria La Rocha — Maria La Rocha, for the Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability, criticized the lack of guardrails for GGRF/MDI and insufficient funding for air quality, drinking water, housing, and transit, while thanking Senate leaders for protecting environmental justice priorities.
AB196 — AB 196 is repeatedly cited by multiple witnesses as the vehicle for additional geothermal exploration funding, extending CalShap-related program funds, and supporting demand side grid support. Speakers also contrast it with AB 193, saying AB 196 goes further and should be taken up by the Senate.
AB184 — AFSCME supports AB 184 as a way to direct the state to negotiate a solution to the VLF funding crisis, with the goal of protecting union jobs and community services.
AB186 — Multiple witnesses testified in support of AB 186, describing it as a fix to the film production tax credit program. Greg Hayes and Alicia Priago represented major film companies, and later Tiffany Fan and Alexis Rodriguez also voiced support tied to the film tax credit. The discussion emphasized preserving and growing jobs, with the committee hearing repeated appreciation for the Legislature’s work on the measure.
AB113 — AB 113 was discussed repeatedly as the vehicle for youth mental health funding, 988 call center support, and related investments. Witnesses thanked the Legislature for investments in Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles, and other areas, and later the committee voted on the bill, which passed 13 ayes to 3 noes.
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan — Senator Blakespear was thanked in multiple testimonies, including for explaining the importance of goat grazing wage parity provisions and for support of youth mental health investments in AB 113.
Jasmeet Bains — Senator Hurtado was thanked for leadership in advancing the goat grazing wage parity provisions.