[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6551843,"mediaKeyId","5325082-b6cb8fcd9e900d06a1f67a9a12a58727","parentId",5325082,"title","Senate Rules Committee forwards state fiscal system director nominee after briefing on FISCal progress and migration plan","audioSeconds",1106,"startMs",3649000,"endMs",4755000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5325082-b6cb8fcd9e900d06a1f67a9a12a58727&start=3649&end=4755","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5325082-b6cb8fcd9e900d06a1f67a9a12a58727/thumbnail_3649000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6551843/California/Senate-Rules-Committee-forwards-state-fiscal-system-director-nominee-after-briefing-on-FISCal-progress-and-migration-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551843-76874ebe4d6fc580f03ae4b34fe99702/orig.mp4?Expires=1770826456&Signature=f3yCVzylIuDXFpjX3iJNtwJtHBL6adGG5OuPOuyEzzG-57SXqSt~1PjtEFRYcENqdC9~VvnJNTyixNum7L7WUrwnMgRlRY8Q65Q41CQVk4HRREE7mbc3WvWXsSvToTcE2~G4Khgg9nIvW5a4MHihVaiTel3icxPZh0X6NIXnM64Y-~AhevzWn7Q9w1z9qtqLYNjDbkih3COnNyqPIprs5TI8wFqzzuhqdw0QwwQSUnpXZSaOpXOi-Lr04p-Fak64RP4g07qT6FrErGSRlom~zC6Ie1987B-vUTmu1xOxF17jy~CtXkB4vpzyVuJzIESVVXzCVKdE6lG3Ynv2SQa4eQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate","date","2025-07-02T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Rules Committee voted to forward Brett Lodding, J.D., to the full Senate for confirmation as director overseeing California’s financial information system (FISCal) after a hearing on system progress, onboarding and modernization plans.

Brett Lodding told the committee that most departments have been onboarded to FISCal, the accounting book-of-record migration is on track for next July, and the system’s public transparency platform (OpenFISCal) is active and updated regularly. “Five months into the job, I feel good about where FISCal is headed,” Lodding said, thanking prior directors and partner agencies for progress.

Why it matters: FISCal is the state’s enterprise financial-management platform. Committee members pressed for metrics on onboarding, timeline clarity and lessons learned because FISCal replaces many legacy accounting systems and underpins reporting, audits and budget controls.

What the committee heard

- Onboarding and timeline: Lodding said two deferred departments were underway as of the hearing (Department of Justice and Caltrans had been in progress), reducing the number of deferred departments to six. He reported roughly 151 departments onboarded, about 14 remaining dependent on counting conventions, and said the legislative roadmap schedules completion of deferred department onboarding through about 2032.

- Accounting migration and modernization: Lodding told senators the accounting book-of-record migration is on track for next July. He described a phased cloud migration already underway and said FISCal’s core vendor software (PeopleSoft and Hyperion) is actively supported for roughly another decade; the department will consider a core modernization after the accounting migration and stabilization.

- Metrics and user readiness: Lodding said month-end and year-end close performance improved as departments learned the system: the portion of departments closing on time has risen to well over 90% from the mid-70s earlier in the rollout. He highlighted planned efficiency improvements including electronic invoicing and electronic funds transfer to reduce manual processes.

Committee questions and responses

Senator Caballero asked how many deferred departments remained and whether any previously exempt departments had opted into FISCal. Lodding said two deferred departments were in progress and that the state auditor—a previously exempt entity—had recently onboarded. He summarized lessons learned: additional training, previewing system workflows for departments, and refining the onboarding process.

Senator Laird asked how FISCal has kept pace with changing technology given the program’s long rollout. Lodding said the system has been updated repeatedly, a cloud migration is underway in phases, and the vendor-supported core software remains actively maintained for about 10 years, giving the state time to plan a future modernization after the accounting migration.

Committee action

Senator Laird moved to forward the nomination to the Senate floor for confirmation; the committee recorded a 5–0 vote (Maguire: aye; Grove: aye; Caballero: aye; Jones: aye; Laird: aye).

Ending

The committee kept the roll open briefly to await a returning senator, then closed the roll and directed the nomination to the full Senate for confirmation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Rules Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The committee advanced Brett Lodding to the full Senate after a presentation on FISCal onboarding progress, the accounting book-of-record migration scheduled for next July, and modernization steps including cloud migration and electronic invoicing.","taxTitle","California State Senate, Senate, Legislative, California","taxId",77650,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6551847,"Senate Rules Committee advances two California ISO board nominees after hour-long hearing on grid reliability and regional markets",3303,217000,3520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5325082-b6cb8fcd9e900d06a1f67a9a12a58727&start=217&end=3520","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5325082-b6cb8fcd9e900d06a1f67a9a12a58727/thumbnail_217000.jpg","/articles/6551847/California/Senate-Rules-Committee-advances-two-California-ISO-board-nominees-after-hour-long-hearing-on-grid-reliability-and-regional-markets","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551847-9a1b24caa1e8e34d3e3c62e238ab7744/orig.mp4?Expires=1770826456&Signature=ZkrS7761rfD8X7UDzGyX0wi7qsREYUEZKZExOohmYP0dkgpgFOVR4eoXB~E0kIQQ5XqFRsAaWzlnNdo8R0J71ojj7G9vNIh8-Q6Hyac6TjRD-fGml6v~huwuBmaSjO5lTrFJ8hBe~X0ABv-INYKqGmi3by-CDTzMD1WR-Y3mEMlL~Dw5-y90cnMrL5xKLVPD~eAGFeGmZxksPob0YH5nrpAJ4SkAvZwvCr6IqqRMzybXAnsNxh0i511qpmHz9VX9iexayU1cIC6lIUcmPQ8lNcP4L78MP1ortiXhtXf8e72VikCSLjuXXgbctaIakLGGp8MtIhUQw2BtWTIrQKoyFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Rules Committee voted to advance Jan Shorey and Dr. Severn Borenstein to the full California Senate after a confirmation hearing that centered on grid reliability, transmission planning, the interconnection queue and regional market proposals.

In opening remarks, Jan Shorey said the Independent System Operator’s (ISO) central responsibility is to keep the lights on while California pursues its decarbonization goals under SB 100. She described progress on summer reliability and resource adequacy and cited the ISO’s increased transmission planning and staff technical capabilities. “I think I have helped bring some practical operational experience to the board’s deliberations, and I would appreciate the opportunity to continue my service,” Shorey said.

Dr. Severn Borenstein told the committee he was seeking a third term on the ISO board and said the state is in a stronger short- and medium-term supply position than in 2019 but still faces challenges: managing a much larger interconnection queue, maintaining physical and cyber security, and building transmission to meet decarbonization goals. “There are also new challenges…we needed to make big changes. We have, and we've really gotten that under control, but it's been a real challenge,” he said.

Why it matters: The nominees will help oversee how California integrates large volumes of renewable energy, batteries and other resources while maintaining reliability and controlling costs. Committee members focused much of their questioning on transmission to move offshore wind and inland renewable energy, the prospects for broader Western market participation through an extended day-ahead market (EDAM), and the roles of demand flexibility and “clean firm” resources in the transition.

Key discussion points and committee questions

- SB 100 and reliability: Shorey and Borenstein reiterated that SB 100 sets the state policy to move toward carbon-free electricity by 2045 and that the ISO’s role is operational: ensuring reliability and enabling transmission for resources identified by the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.

- Interconnection queue and grid upgrades: Borenstein and Shorey described reforms that substantially cut the interconnection backlog, reduced speculative applicants, and introduced zones and more public information for prospective projects. Shorey said the ISO had added roughly 7,000 megawatts of new clean generation in the prior year and batteries increased from about 200 megawatts to more than 12,000 megawatts since she joined the board.

- Transmission and offshore wind: Senators asked how transmission for large offshore wind lease areas (including potential projects in Humboldt and areas served by Diablo Canyon) would be staged and paid for. Shorey said the ISO’s 20-year transmission plan includes offshore wind and is meant to be staged so as not to build transmission far ahead of actual generation availability.

- EDAM and regionalization: Committee members probed the ISO representatives about the Western EDAM proposal, competition from the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), and concerns about governance. Borenstein and Shorey said EDAM and the ISO’s existing Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) provide reliability and economic benefits; they noted the potential for “seams” if Western entities join different markets and described ongoing discussions about independent governance of market rules. The witnesses said the ISO would continue to operate market and reliability functions while a regional entity could take on tariff and market-rule filing rights.

- New technologies and demand flexibility: Senators raised small modular nuclear reactors and other “clean firm” resources. The witnesses said the ISO is resource-agnostic and that the Public Utilities Commission decides longer-term resource portfolios. They also emphasized demand flexibility—particularly from large commercial and industrial loads, including data centers—as an underused tool for reducing peak stress.

Public comment and endorsements

Three public speakers spoke in support of the nominees: Jan Smutney Jones of the Independent Energy Producers Association, Tiffany Phan (representing the California Efficiency and Demand Management Council, Intersect Power, and MCE), and Mike Robson of the California Municipal Utilities Association. Each urged the committee to advance the nominees.

Committee action

Senator Laird moved to advance both appointees to the Senate floor for full confirmation. The committee recorded a 5–0 vote (Maguire: aye; Grove: aye; Caballero: aye; Jones: aye; Laird: aye) to forward the nominations.

Ending

The committee left the roll open briefly to await a returning senator before finalizing the forwarding action. The nominations will next appear on the full Senate floor for final confirmation.

","The Senate Rules Committee advanced Jan Shorey and Dr. Severn Borenstein to the full Senate after questioning about transmission, regional markets (EDAM), resource adequacy and decarbonization. Supporters spoke in favor; the committee voted to forward both nominations to the Senate floor.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate Rules Committee forwards state fiscal system director nominee after briefing on FISCal progress and migration plan

Senate Rules Committee advances two California ISO board nominees after hour-long hearing on grid reliability and regional markets