Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Caballero, SB 811, Metal Shredding Facilities.
• Moving on to Senator McNerney, SB 327, Electrical Rates, Political Influence Activities, the action SB
• 327, Electrical Rates, Political Influence Activities.
• Senator Pérez, SB 742, Electrical Infrastructure, Permanently Abandoned Facilities.
• Senator Umberg, SB 574, Generative AI, Attorneys and Arbitrators. The action is due pass.

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee held a vote-only suspense file hearing with no public testimony, taking up a long list of Senate bills and amendments. Measures discussed included battery recycling, property tax exemptions, railroad wayside detector systems, military protective orders, an affordable housing bond, fireworks permits, workers’ compensation earnings, metal shredding facilities, election system inspection, family research centers, electrical rates and political influence, AI standards and safety, youth housing bonds, student health, air quality standards for hydrogen sulfide, electrical infrastructure, disaster preparedness, property taxation for family homes and farms, state agency contract bid preferences, presidential election qualifications, unlicensed contractor work, alcohol and drug programs, generative AI in legal settings, kratom and nitrous oxide, unmanned aircraft, adoptees’ birth certificates, body-worn cameras, physician certificate revocation, and deprivation of constitutional rights. Several bills were amended before passage, including changes to bond measures, technical fixes, narrowed remedies, and other author-requested revisions. Most measures advanced on unanimous 7-0 votes, while a number of higher-profile or more controversial bills passed on 5-2 votes with Republicans voting no. SB 667 on railroads passed 4-2 after amendments; SB 691 on body-worn cameras passed 6-0; and SB 742 on permanently abandoned electrical infrastructure passed after a roll call that was corrected on the floor. The committee repeatedly substituted roll calls from earlier bills to record votes on many items, reflecting the suspense-file process. No testimony was taken, and the chair emphasized that all items had already been heard previously. At the end of the hearing, the chair announced it was their last meeting presiding over Appropriations, thanked the committee staff and members, and the committee adjourned after noting that results and addendum analyses would be posted online for amended bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• The action is due to pass as amended per the author to move the bond measure to the November general
• Senator Caballero, SB 811, metal shredding facilities.
• Electrical rates, political influence activities. The action is due pass.
• Senator Perez, SB 742, Electrical Infrastructure Permanently Abandoned Facilities.
• Senator Umberg, SB 574, Generative AI, Attorneys and Arbitrators. The action is due pass.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hi, my name is Takeshi Shihara, Deputy Consul General of Japan at the Japanese Consulate General in San
• So we made it an Attorney General mandate.
• So we made it an Attorney General mandate.
• But it was the Attorney General.
• But the Attorney General was a likely repository.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Electric Co-op.
• </c><01:41:53.400><c> generators</c><01:41:54.400><c> then</c> them all customer gener generators then
• A customer generator means an electric blah blah blah up to, including, one megawatt, except for a municipal
• But because the utility doesn't own the generation facility, as it might under a municipal host situation
• </c> doesn't own the generation doesn't own the generation facility<01:48:07.280><c> um</c><01:48:07.599

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> wisdom and uh to be generous. wisdom and uh to be generous.
• </c> homes and assisted living facilities. homes and assisted living facilities.
• </c> these facilities and not feeling lonely. these facilities and not feeling lonely.
• electrical code.
• Class A electrical electrical code.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Various parts of the industry and some general revenue.
• to a disposal or treatment facility.
• It was General Revenue, and so it's in the interest of the committee that any new General Revenue Dedicated
• fees would be generated from this.
• It actually has general revenue in that at this point.

Bills: SB2122, SB2050, HB16

Keywords: oil and gas waste, application fees, permit amendments, environmental regulation, Texas natural resources, battery recycling, battery disposal, consumer batteries, energy storage modules, electrochemical devices, lithium-ion battery, household hazardous waste, solid waste, municipal recycling, waste management, battery stewardship, producer responsibility, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, recycling program

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 84, this conference report relates to electric utilities and licensed suppliers of electricity
• HB 84, the conference report, talks about transparency and electric bills.
• This conference report relates to state correctional facilities, visitation policies, and your report
• I want to thank the chairman of General Laws for helping shepherd this through.
• I thank the chairman of General Laws for helping shepherd this through.

Keywords: March 14, 2026 - Regular Session Part 2, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ten percent of the department's appropriation is from the general fund.
• The department had made this request from the general fund.
• The total general fund reduction is $148,600.
• The speaker said that, to be honest, everything is focused on the general fund.
• The Idaho State facility in Lewiston for the state police...

Summary: The Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committee heard budget presentations for the Department of Administration and the Permanent Building Fund. For the Department of Administration, analysts reviewed the agency’s dedicated-fund-heavy budget, recent staffing and utility adjustments, and FY 2027 requests including three new Medicaid procurement positions, a utilities shift from general fund to dedicated funds, and IT replacement items. Members questioned rising utility costs, office-space utilization, vacant buildings at the Chinden campus and 954 Jefferson, and whether the department was holding vacancies or reducing services. Director Steve Bailey said the department is trying to reduce general fund reliance, consolidate space, repurpose positions, and improve efficiency through digital tools; he also said the department is not intentionally holding vacancies and is actively filling needed positions. A major discussion focused on Medicaid procurement and the transition to managed care. Bailey said the requested procurement staff are needed to handle a large, complex solicitation and ongoing contract management, with legal and federal requirements and an Attorney General attorney assigned to assist. Senators asked about Deloitte’s role, other states’ procurement practices, and why the Department of Administration rather than Medicaid would run the process. Bailey explained that Medicaid provides program expertise while Purchasing runs the procurement. The committee also discussed the MMIS procurement, where Bailey said a court stay is delaying implementation after a second-place vendor challenged the process; he said that delay will also push back the broader MCO rollout. Another topic was the Office of Group Insurance’s decision to drop GLP-1 coverage for weight loss, which Bailey said was driven by rapid cost growth from an initial estimate of about $10,000 annually to roughly $15 million in 2025 and more than $30 million over three years. The committee then heard the Permanent Building Fund budget. Analysts explained the fund’s revenue sources, the multi-year nature of capital projects, and the large deferred maintenance program funded in prior years. They noted a proposed FY 2027 transfer of $33.7 million in canceled project balances to the general fund and a possible one-time redirection of interest earnings to the general fund. The Division of Public Works reported 595 active projects, with most FY 2025 projects under construction, in design, or complete, and said 91% of the $544 million deferred maintenance program is active. Members asked about specific canceled projects, including the North Idaho reentry center, the Carnegie Library purchase, the ISU/INL pedestrian crossing, and the Idaho State Police facility in Lewiston; staff said some are unlikely to return soon, while others may come back once land or a site is secured. The committee also discussed inspection practices, with Public Works saying field representatives and third-party testing serve different oversight functions. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the committee adjourned after announcing the next day’s agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Attorney General further stated that a legislative... ...completed the work in good faith.
• The Attorney General further stated that a legislative appropriation would have been the quickest and
• I think the Kephart Amendment is in keeping with the general spirit of the bill in chief, so I will be
• , and this bill is about... ...address these unique facilities, and this bill is about protecting that
• Neighborhoods, open spaces, the electric grid, water resources, and quality of life.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, recognized several guests in the gallery, and then took up a series of committee reports, referrals, and floor actions. Early business included concurrence in committee reports on bills and resolutions from Game and Fisheries, Professional Licensure, Health, and Children and Youth, along with referral of Senate Bill 1377 to Transportation. The chamber also signed House Bill 1344 after the Senate returned it without amendment. Later, members announced caucus and committee meetings, including Rules, Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations, Insurance, and Appropriations, before recessing and then reconvening for floor votes. The House adopted several resolutions, including House Resolution 537 designating Rail Safety Week, House Resolution 449 recognizing the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and House Resolution 568 designating Javei Syndrome Awareness Day. The chamber also considered House Bill 2037 on cryptocurrency corruption, where Amendment A03882 narrowing the bill to public officials and immediate family members was adopted, while two later amendments were tabled or failed. House Bill 2198, repealing the sales and use tax exemption for computer data center equipment, was amended to take effect immediately and to bar KOZ use for data centers, then agreed to. House Bill 2559, concerning a university conveyance and other conveyances, was agreed to after out-of-order amendments were ruled on. A major portion of the session focused on data center policy. House Bill 2496, creating a 180-day pause on data center proposals to give municipalities time to update zoning and planning, drew extensive support from members emphasizing local control, environmental concerns, and the need for time to assess impacts; it passed final passage 201-1. House Bill 2650, creating the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development certification for data centers, also generated lengthy debate over energy use, water, community benefits, and tax treatment; it passed 134-68. The House also passed House Bill 2162 on temporary licensing for drug manufacturers before FDA approval, House Bill 2388 on rounding cash payments when pennies are unavailable, House Bill 2437 on county and municipal bridge repair funds, House Bill 2555 on equine dealer recordkeeping, and House Bill 2621 directing a Department of Health survey on maternal and infant outcomes. Other actions included final passage of House Bill 1006 on milk tester and wearer sampler certification periods, House Bill 2014 on opportunities for minors and emergency service organizations, House Bill 2512 prohibiting ride-share pricing based on device condition, House Bill 2644 authorizing itemized capital bridge projects, and Senate Bill 1058 updating the E85 flex-fuel reference. The House also adopted House Bill 2162, House Bill 2388, House Bill 2437, and House Bill 2555 by recorded votes, and several committee reports were agreed to throughout the day. The session ended with additional committee referrals, a motion to recommit several bills to Appropriations, and adjournment until the next morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• about your budget in general.
• It's not generate dollars.
• </c> appropriated five from general fund. appropriated five from general fund.
• That was specifically put in while the money is generated outside the general fund.
• </c> facilities also hold liquor licenses. facilities also hold liquor licenses.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There could be changes in general, and we'll have to adjust to that.
• Chairman, I guess my next question, this is just a generalized question.
• Sometimes it is in the child care facility.
• The child care facilities are open and support the parents in that way. And Mr.
• Chair, Senator, how many FTEs are going to be needed for facility inspection? Mr.

Bills: SB204, SB241, HB34

Keywords: higher education, research funding, federal funding, New Mexico, appropriation, University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department

Transcript Highlights:

• This month is a time for our nation to come together to honor and inform future generations about the
• Assembly Bill 1026 by Assemblymember Wilson and others, an act relating to electricity.
• But to strengthen the investigation, AB 1356 will require the facility.
• Assembly Bill 44 by Assemblymember Schultz, an act relating to electricity.
• Improves generational wealth and support a healthier state economy.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> electrical contractors lines. electrical contractors lines.
• </c> cost of basic necessities in general. cost of basic necessities in general.
• </c> Michael Moriyama, Attorney General. Michael Moriyama, Attorney General.
• </c> parking facilities in that structure. parking facilities in that structure.
• General. General.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, with most measures drawing either support or comments rather than opposition. HB 2395, relating to taking marine deposits for research, education, management, or propagation, received support from the University of Hawaii and DLNR. HB 2585, relating to agricultural tourism, drew broad support for its intent to keep agritourism secondary to farming, but agencies and farm groups raised concerns about enforcement, county authority, and the rebuttable presumption language. Testifiers included OPSD, the Agribusiness Development Corporation, Hawaii Farm Bureau, a small farm operator, and others, with some urging clearer definitions, simpler registration, and protections for bona fide farms and hosted farm stays. HB 1728, on rainwater catchment systems, was supported in principle by DLNR, which cited drought conditions and said it deferred to counties and the Department of Health on safety and regulation. HB 1881, which would prohibit passenger ropeways on mountain lands, drew strong support from community testifiers who said it would help prevent development disguised as agritourism and protect forests and country lands. HB 1990, establishing penalties and possible foreclosure for unresolved zoning violations, received comments from the Attorney General recommending removal of AG references and more county-centered enforcement, while the Hawaii Association of Realtors warned the 30-day timeline could create problems for absent or unaware homeowners. The committee also heard HB 1712, which would expand and make permanent certain seats on the State Building Code Council. The Plumbers and Fitters union supported the bill, but BIA Hawaii requested amendments to add “licensed contractor” language, and architects and other professionals opposed the measure, arguing that increasing the council from 12 to 15 voting members would make it less efficient and harder to reach quorum. Finally, HB 2151, relating to hempcrete, was supported by a Kauai workforce development advocate and the Hawaii Farm Bureau, who said hempcrete could support agriculture, manufacturing, and affordable housing while reducing carbon and reliance on imported materials. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• generators.
• </c><00:42:16.000><c> That's</c> role of the electric generators.
• That's role of the electric generators.
• New Hampshire is the only state in the country that subjects power generating facilities to this two-prong
• New Hampshire is the only state in the country that subjects power generating facilities to this two-prong

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• DTSC can shut down a facility that poses a danger to the surrounding community and requiring facilities
• Waste generators under the hazardous waste control law as is.
• Why it is that this facility gets to be so close to homes and schools, how a facility with the long record
• of the solid waste facilities.
• of the solid waste facilities.

Summary: The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee heard several bills focused on wildfire preparedness, industrial safety, and recycling oversight. SB 1153 by Senator Caballero would require urban retail water suppliers to add wildfire-specific procedures to emergency plans and coordinate with fire agencies; supporters said it would improve planning while recognizing water system limits, and the bill was framed as protecting ratepayers and infrastructure. SB 811, also by Senator Caballero, would create a comprehensive DTSC permitting and regulatory framework for metal shredding facilities; supporters argued it would set clear statewide standards and protect communities, while opponents said it would weaken hazardous waste protections and carve the industry out of existing law. SB 883 by Senator Umberg would impose new safeguards for facilities storing reactive chemicals such as methyl methacrylate after the Garden Grove evacuation, including backup cooling, public review, emergency planning, and state tracking; industry groups opposed the breadth of the bill and sought further clarification, while environmental and community groups supported it. SB 1010 by Senator Ashby would strengthen oversight of appliance recyclers by improving reporting, inspections, certification, and funding for enforcement; supporters said it would reduce emissions and improve compliance, while recyclers raised concerns about fees and certification requirements. Each bill drew extensive testimony from industry, environmental, labor, local government, and community representatives. Supporters generally emphasized public safety, transparency, and the need for clearer statewide standards, while opponents warned about overregulation, reduced flexibility, or unintended impacts on existing hazardous waste and recycling systems. Committee members also raised questions about transparency, liability, size-based treatment of facilities, and whether the bills were narrowly tailored enough to address the problems identified. The committee voted to advance all four measures to the Committee on Appropriations, with votes taken on call and some members voting no or not voting on certain bills. The final add-on votes showed SB 811, SB 883, SB 1010, and SB 1153 all passing out of committee, with the roll left open for absent members before the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The facility supplement, institutional complexity, space deficit, and facilities condition.
• And when I say team facilities, these are shared facilities.
• We call them core facilities as well, hiring third... ...shared facilities, we call them core facilities
• But yes, there are several of these facilities we are building as a part of those shared team facilities
• ...online, you need the facilities for the face-to-face experience.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Higher Education met to review interim charges on the Permanent University Fund (PUF), the Available University Fund (AUF), the Higher Education Fund (HEAF), and the Texas University Fund (TUF). Legislative Budget Board staff outlined how each fund works, including PUF’s constitutional role for UT and Texas A&M, HEAF’s capital support for institutions outside those systems, and TUF’s research funding for eligible universities. They also described TUF’s growing corpus and distribution changes, and noted which institutions are nearing eligibility. Committee members asked about distribution formulas, comparisons to other states, and how funds are allocated among system institutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair and members, Martin Vindiole, on behalf of the California State Association of Electrical
• Opponents also argue that these facilities are highly regulated by the FDA. We agree.
• Felipe Fuentes, here on behalf of the Associated General Contractors of California.
• There have been no refinery-style disasters, no chemical safety... facility construction.
• for the life of the facility.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are times in my community when I don't have a general surgeon.
• No one gets sent to collections from our facility. And it's because that's our mandate.
• By that time, this fund is expected to generate about $100 million per year.
• I've researched this as a general pediatrician.
• So it's bigger than more power than our utility currently generates.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its fourth meeting, held October 27-28 in Santa Fe, with Representative Duncan moving approval and no opposition. The chair then introduced a panel on the cost of providing medical care in New Mexico, focusing on physician shortages, rising practice costs, and access problems, especially in southern New Mexico and Las Cruces. Panelists included family physicians, a pediatrician, a cardiologist/electrophysiologist, and a community health center medical director, who described their backgrounds and practices before turning to the policy discussion. The doctors argued that New Mexico is losing physicians because of three main pressures: medical malpractice exposure, gross receipts tax on medical services, and low Medicaid reimbursement. They said malpractice premiums are much higher than in neighboring states, punitive damages and venue shopping increase risk, and the patient compensation fund and attorney fee structure create additional costs. They also described administrative burdens from insurance billing and referrals, the high debt and long training period for physicians, and the effect of corporate medicine and private equity on practice decisions. One panelist emphasized the economic impact of each physician on jobs and local spending, while another noted that shortages force patients into emergency rooms and delay specialty care. The panel presented a list of proposed solutions: reform punitive damages, limit venue shopping and stacking, restore lifetime medical payments from the patient compensation fund, enact apology protections, cap attorney fees, continue Medicaid funding improvements, and eliminate gross receipts tax on medical and dental services. Committee members generally agreed the presentation was thorough and useful, but several noted that some proposals fall outside this committee’s jurisdiction and would likely need to move through other committees, especially judiciary and tax. Some members supported drafting legislation or working on separate bills, while others urged caution, requested more input from hospitals and economists, and raised concerns about local government revenue impacts from GRT changes. The chair concluded by encouraging members to continue discussions offline and noted that the tax-related issue would be taken up further in the next day’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I just wanted the general register.
• The Electrical Association is a trade organization of over 250 electrical contractors located throughout
• </c> the Electrical Association. the Electrical Association.
• ><c> a</c><00:32:22.000><c> trade</c> The Electrical Association is a trade The Electrical Association
• </c> organization of over 250 electrical organization of over 250 electrical contractors<00:32:25.800

Bills: HF4110, HF2113, HF4569, HF4414

Keywords: workplace regulations, employee rights, meal breaks, rest breaks, exemptions, paid leave, small employers, employment law, Minnesota Statutes, workforce development, HF4569, Minnesota Paid Leave Law, protected leave, seasonal employee, seasonal worker, hospitality, hospitality industry, DEED, Department of Employment and Economic Development, employer certification

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a generation; it's passed down from generation to generation.
• Isn't this a wonderful facility?
• It's generational.
• Mexico in general.
• I referred to your facility as a transloader facility.