California Senate budget subcommittees reviewed a range of issues this week, including funding for public universities, refinery regulations, and the status of emergency response systems.
In Subcommittee #1 on Education, Senator Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks) emphasized the need to fully restore recent funding cuts to the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems. Governor Newsom’s current proposal would only partially reverse previous reductions. “Between 2020 and 2025, the number of students whose math skills fall below high school level increased nearly thirtyfold; moreover, 70 percent of those students fall below middle school levels, reaching roughly one in twelve members of the entering cohort,” according to a November 2025 faculty report from UC San Diego cited by Niello. He expressed concern about the rising need for remedial classes among incoming freshmen at UCSD and requested more information on whether this issue is present at other campuses. The increase in remedial coursework suggests that some high school graduates lack basic math and reading skills despite having high grade point averages. Senate Republicans stated they will continue to push for adequate funding for UC and CSU as well as greater accountability in high school preparation.
Niello has held leadership roles such as chair of the Sacramento Valley Lincoln Club and co-chair of the California Civic Learning Partnership, according to his official biography. He won election to the California State Assembly in 2004, served on committees including Transportation and Budget, was re-elected twice, and later secured a State Senate seat in 2022 (official biography). He holds degrees from UC Berkeley and UCLA (official biography), grew up in Sacramento where he graduated from Encina High School (official biography), and resides in Fair Oaks with his wife Mary (official biography).
Subcommittee #2 addressed a $1.3 million request from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to support penalties on gasoline refiners for excessive revenues and supply requirements. Senator Steven Choi (R-Irvine) argued that overregulation is raising gas prices and leading refineries to close. He said these policies result in “the most expensive gas in the country” and higher living costs statewide. The subcommittee did not vote on this item.
Subcommittee #3 on Health and Human Services did not meet but plans to discuss programs next week that assist elderly and disabled Californians.
Subcommittee #4 also did not convene but will soon consider requests related to consumer financial protection resources.
Subcommittee #5 focused on delays affecting California’s Next Generation 911 project intended to modernize emergency call routing. After six years and $455 million spent, most dispatch centers still do not have access to the new system. OES recently shifted strategies by seeking a single statewide provider contract but has yet to clarify core problems or explain if this change will resolve ongoing issues. Senator Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta), who previously worked as a firefighter, called for legislative oversight hearings into these concerns.
Next week’s agenda includes topics such as increased budgets for TK–12 schools—potentially up by $22 billion over three years—and reviews of state prison closures alongside local school budget updates.
