Transcript Highlights:

• Food is not just fuel.
• This bill lets us expand the delivery devices of epinephrine products.
• own bills, which the lady was kind enough to include. 2370... ...includes life-saving epinephrine delivery

Summary: The House first established a quorum after introductions of the Freedom of the Road Riders and Warsaw High School students. Members then took up House Bill 1855, a reporting bill on alpha-gal syndrome. The sponsor described the bill as a public health surveillance measure to add alpha-gal to Missouri’s reportable conditions, require lab reporting to the Department of Health and Senior Services, and send aggregated data to the CDC. Supporters said the bill would help identify hotspots, guide education and funding, and address a serious tick-borne condition affecting rural and urban Missourians alike. Opponents raised concerns about cost, false positives/negatives, and privacy, but the sponsor and others said the system would be HIPAA-compliant and de-identified at the federal level. Two amendments to HB 1855 were debated. An amendment changing the department’s follow-up authority from “may” to “shall” was adopted, with supporters arguing that if the legislature funds follow-up, the department should be required to do it. A second amendment creating an opt-in/opt-out consent process for reporting was rejected 41-10 after extensive debate over privacy, data collection, and whether consent would undermine disease surveillance. The House then adopted the House committee substitute for HB 1855 as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. The chamber next considered House Bills 2230 and 2978, a revised education measure aimed at reducing screen time in K-5 classrooms and encouraging handwriting and cursive instruction. The sponsor said the bill was based on research linking heavy screen use to poorer educational and behavioral outcomes, and supporters emphasized local control, parent access to screen-time policies, and the need to bring experts together through a state-level focus group. An amendment to exclude virtual school programs was adopted. The House then adopted the committee substitute for HB 2230 and 2978 as amended and ordered it perfected and printed. Finally, the House began debate on House Bill 2355, the Food Is Medicine Initiative. The sponsor said the bill would let Missouri use federal funds through 1115 waivers to pilot medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, nutrition counseling, and related interventions to improve health and lower Medicaid costs. Members generally supported the concept, citing food deserts and the benefits of better nutrition, but an amendment adding vitamin therapies and cleanup language prompted concern from one member about supplement quality and regulation; the transcript ends during that amendment discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• You don't get that stuff there without a gas-fueled, uh, you know, fossil-fueled vehicle.
• You don't get that stuff there without a gas-fueled, uh, you know, fossil-fueled vehicle.
• You don't get that stuff there without a gas-fueled, uh, you know, fossil-fueled vehicle.
• You don't get that stuff there without a gas-fueled, uh, you know, fossil-fueled vehicle.
• Volatility in the fuels<01:37:38.440><c> that</c> fuels that fuels that we<01:37:39.560><c> choose</c

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered a long list of Governor’s messages for appointments to state boards and commissions, including the Board of Dentistry, Barbering and Cosmetology, Speech Pathology and Audiology, Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board, Real Estate Commission, Board of Naturopathic Medicine, State Boxing Commission, Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects, Hawaii Medical Board, Board of Physical Therapy, Board of Pharmacy, and the Public Utilities Commission. Most nominees and supporting agencies testified in support, and many nominees simply stood on their written testimony. Several nominees also answered questions about their experience and the issues facing their boards, including dental insurance and Medicaid concerns, condo and real estate disputes, pharmacy regulation and telepharmacy, boxing and MMA rule updates, and medical board service in rural areas. The committee discussed some contested or notable nominations in more detail. Richard Emery’s nomination to the Real Estate Commission drew opposition testimony tied to a condo management dispute, and he responded by emphasizing the need for factual evidence, mediation and complaint data, and better consumer education. Trinette Kahui and Andrea Ushijima were also nominated to the Real Estate Commission, with broad support. For the Boxing Commission, Robin Jumawan described ongoing statutory updates, MMA-related work, and delegation of amateur boxing rules. For the Hawaii Medical Board, Elizabeth Ignacio was strongly endorsed by state and industry witnesses as highly qualified and familiar with rural health issues, while Rebecca Sawai also received support from the board and Kaiser Permanente. In the decision-making portion, the committee moved to advise and consent to nearly all nominees on the agenda. Senator McKelvey stated reservations about Richard Emery due to opposition and possible conflicts, and also about nominees who were not present at the hearing, specifically Corrine Muldrow Soto and Stacie Kealoha Inouye; Senator Lamasao also noted reservations on those absent nominees. The chair disclosed personal acquaintance with Dr. Sawai and Andrea Ushijima. The committee then voted to adopt the recommendations, with the noted reservations and one no vote on GM 697 reflected in the record, and later reconvened to take up Governor’s Message 514/515 for John Etemura as chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, where additional support testimony was heard from the Governor’s office, DCCA, and former consumer advocacy staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see we have alcohol tax, coal tax, fuel tax, income tax.
• If you're looking at fuel tax, If you're looking at fuel tax, you can see a nice collection if a new
• I want to learn more about fuel tax, or if a constituent has a question.
• For instance, fuel tax rate changes.
• For instance, fuel tax rate changes.

Summary: The Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and then took up a draft bill to make legislators’ and candidates’ residential addresses confidential in public records. Legislative Council and the Secretary of State explained the proposal was prompted by security concerns and would protect residential addresses while still allowing election officials to verify residency and keep candidate names and offices public. Members raised concerns about unintended consequences, transparency, and how the change would affect rural districts and residency enforcement. The Secretary of State suggested an amendment to end the confidentiality when a candidate’s term ends, and the committee agreed to hold the bill over for further discussion at the next meeting. The committee also reviewed follow-up materials on legislator security and best practices, including advice on situational awareness, internet hygiene, varying routines, and reporting threats, along with NCSL materials comparing capitol security practices in other states. Members discussed a recent security incident and the need to keep alert contact information current, and staff said they would continue working with the Highway Patrol on legislative-specific notifications. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to Garrity Consulting’s final report on mitigating the effects of legislative term limits. The consultants summarized survey, focus group, and stakeholder input showing concerns about loss of institutional knowledge, leadership turnover, onboarding demands, and workload pressures, while also noting public support for term limits and annual sessions. Recommendations included considering annual sessions or shifting biennial sessions to even-numbered years, restructuring organizational session and interim committee work, creating office hours and more structured orientation and mentorship, expanding ongoing training and staff support, improving public communication and virtual testimony rules, and addressing barriers to service such as employer support and travel costs. Members discussed the tension between making the legislature more effective and preserving a citizen-legislature model, and the report was received as a roadmap for future implementation rather than immediate action.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I can go a couple of days and then have to go back to the fuel barrel and put on fuel.
• </c> about 25 gallons of fuel an hour. about 25 gallons of fuel an hour.
• </c> to the uh fuel barrel and put on fuel. to the uh fuel barrel and put on fuel.
• </c> when the price of fuel increases? when the price of fuel increases?
• </c> I said farmers are fuel price takers. I said farmers are fuel price takers.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So we will assess, you know, the impacts that climate change might have on... ...fossil fuel intensive
• the magnitude of this crisis and the urgency to stop using fossil fuels.
• Second, by standard measures of financial prudence, fossil fuel assets are a bad investment.
• The current practice of investing in coal and other fossil fuels violates this principle.
• We're talking about coal, but you're talking about fossil fuels in general.

Summary: The committee began with a work session from the State Investment Board, where staff described the board’s structure, $230 billion in assets under management, and its mandate to maximize returns at a prudent level of risk for pension and other state funds. They reviewed long-term performance, noting strong historical returns and explaining that the board generally invests public equities passively through low-cost index funds. Members also discussed sustainability practices, including ESG integration, proxy voting, climate and DEI blueprints, and the board’s view that divestment or asset-class restrictions can reduce returns and increase costs. Senators asked about deferred compensation, legislative influence over investment policy, and digital assets; staff said the board is slow-moving and that any major change would be studied carefully. The public hearing then focused on SB 5439, which would prohibit new thermal coal investments beginning in 2026 and require full divestment by 2030, with limited exceptions. Supporters argued coal is a poor long-term investment and a major climate and health risk, and several said the bill still gives the board flexibility to retain holdings in companies transitioning to clean energy. The committee also heard testimony on SB 6109, which would bar investments in private detention facilities and require divestment by 2030; supporters said state money should not profit from immigrant detention, while staff confirmed the board currently holds a small investment in Geo Group. SB 6304 would require responsible investment principles for the State Investment Board, including consideration of human rights, environmental degradation, corruption, and related risks, along with proxy voting guidelines and annual reporting. Testimony in favor emphasized ethical investing, climate risk, and avoiding complicity in human rights abuses, while board staff had earlier said they view such decisions through an investment-risk lens rather than a values-based lens. The committee also heard Substitute SB 5945, which would exclude most offenses committed before age 18 from counting as strikes under the state’s persistent offender law and would allow retroactive resentencing for affected people, with exceptions for first- and second-degree murder and serious sex offenses. Staff said the substitute would likely affect fewer cases than the original bill, with estimates ranging from about 10 to 24 resentencings. Public defense, prosecutors, and sheriffs’ representatives raised concerns about workload, victim impacts, and retroactive application, while supporters and pro bono providers said they were prepared to help with resentencing and reentry support. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are similarities: similar equipment types, vehicle types, and fuel types.
• We had an Alternative Fueling Facilities Program to provide infrastructure for alternative fuels, and
• And that's actually working to put 28 hydrogen-fueled trucks on the road.
• And that's actually working to put 28 hydrogen-fueled trucks on the road.
• With our citizens, it's just like anything in bulk: they're saving labor costs and fuel costs.

Committee: House Environmental Regulation

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1904, which would classify intentionally released helium balloons as litter and create criminal penalties for balloon releases. The author and supportive witnesses argued that balloon releases harm wildlife, livestock, waterways, and infrastructure, and that the bill would close a loophole in current litter law. Several members questioned whether criminal penalties were appropriate, and the author said he was willing to work toward civil penalties and fines instead. No vote was taken, and HB 1904 was left pending. The committee then took up several pending bills and reported them favorably to the full House, including HB 3249, HB 3866, HB 4112, HB 1768, HB 1499, HB 573, and HB 464. These measures dealt with topics such as TCEQ contested-case procedures, outdoor storage containers, high-level radioactive waste, concrete plant permitting and grants, unannounced concrete batch plant inspections, and a scrap tire grant program. Most were adopted with substitutes and passed on recorded votes, generally with unanimous or near-unanimous support. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 3997, which would create expedited permitting timelines for LNG facilities and related wastewater permits. Industry witnesses said the bill would provide certainty for multibillion-dollar projects without eliminating public participation, while environmental groups opposed parts of the bill that they said could limit contested-case participation and be unrealistic for SOAH timelines. TCEQ staff described the current wastewater permitting process and said some of the bill’s timing provisions could be workable, especially with an expedited fee. The bill was left pending after the author said he would continue working on committee substitute language. The committee also heard HB 1237 on extending the renewal window for expired TCEQ occupational water licenses, and HB 4519, a TERP consolidation bill that would combine several clean transportation grant programs into fewer programs. HB 1237 was left pending without testimony, while HB 4519 drew broad support from environmental and industry witnesses who favored simplifying the program, though some asked for stronger emphasis on particulate matter and hydrogen funding. The committee withdrew the substitute on HB 4519 and left it pending. Finally, HB 5033, which would eliminate the motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program if federal authority changes, drew opposition from environmental and inspection-industry witnesses who warned it would weaken air-quality protections and could remove an important enforcement tool. The author said the bill was intended as a trigger mechanism and would be refined, and HB 5033 was left pending. The committee also heard HB 1227 on municipal solid-waste franchise fees and private-provider access; the author said he would bring a substitute after hearing concerns from cities, and the bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• start with the first set of preferences, which are related to natural gas used as a transportation fuel
• And when we talk about... ...four preferences related to natural gas as a transportation fuel.
• The legislature also set an objective around estimated fuel savings by Washington...
• The legislative intent was to provide the same tax treatment of natural gas as a transportation fuel
• But the taxation of the fuel used outside of Washington is different between the two fuel types.

Summary: House Finance met in work session on January 13, 2026, beginning with the introduction of new member Rep. Janice Zahn and a reminder about short-session amendment deadlines. The committee then heard JLARC’s 2025 tax preference performance reviews, covering nine preferences. JLARC recommended continuing several preferences, including natural gas transportation fuel exemptions, reduced B&O rates for travel agents and tour operators, a property tax exemption for nonprofit low-income housing developers, a property tax exemption for multipurpose senior centers, a sales and use tax remittance for disabled veteran adapted housing, a trade convention attendance nexus exemption, a B&O exemption for agricultural fertilizer and seed sales, and a hazardous substance tax exemption for certain pesticides. JLARC also recommended allowing unused silicon smelter-related preferences to expire. Members asked about legislative intent, data limitations, and how performance metrics should be tied more clearly to policy objectives; committee leaders and JLARC staff discussed a new standardized rubric for future tax preference performance statements and fiscal note review. The committee also noted that bills related to some of the reviewed preferences were already introduced. For the low-income housing exemption, JLARC said nonprofit developers were building homes as intended but that the current spending-based metric did not fully reflect the policy goal, and it recommended the legislature decide whether to continue or modify the preference. For multipurpose senior centers, JLARC said the exemption met its inferred objective and recommended continuation, with possible consideration of making it permanent. For the disabled veteran adapted housing remittance, JLARC said few eligible veterans were claiming the benefit and recommended continuation with changes to improve access and consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs. On the trade convention attendance exemption, JLARC said use was unknown but the preference likely helped keep Washington competitive with other states and recommended continuation, though members questioned the lack of direct evidence and the administrative-burden rationale. The committee then received an update from the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. The forecast showed the U.S. economy slowing but still growing, with Washington expected to have modest growth, weak employment gains, continued personal income growth, and slow construction. ERFC said tariffs and trade policy remained the biggest risks, inflation was expected to stay elevated in the near term, and the Federal Reserve had cut rates three times in 2025 with two more cuts projected in 2026. State revenues were up $105 million in the current biennium compared with the November forecast, but down $185 million in the next biennium, with growth driven in part by recent legislative changes and improved estate tax collections. Members asked about sector-specific employment trends, the impact of high-income households on retail sales, and how state revenues compare with personal income over time. The meeting adjourned after the forecast presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• There have been trillions of dollars into misinformation about fossil fuels.
• There have been trillions of dollars into misinformation about fossil fuels.
• THERE HAVE BEEN TRILLION OF DOLLARS INTO MISINFORMATION ABOUT FOSSIL FUELS.
• A kilowatt of clean energy is cheaper than a kilowatt of fossil fuel energy.
• A kilowatt of clean energy is cheaper than a kilowatt of fossil fuel energy.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior day’s journal, and then recognized several guest groups, including the Shenendehowa High School girls varsity cross country team and tennis champion Jolie Chichak, as well as the Downsville Central School Student Council. Senator Tedisco introduced the Shenendehowa athletes, highlighting their state and federation championships and strong academic records, and Senator Oberacker introduced the Downsville students. The chamber extended courtesies to the guests. The Senate then moved through the calendar, passing a series of bills and resolutions. Among the measures approved were a bill designating Overdose Awareness Day, a real property tax bill, a public authorities bill, several education-related bills, a private housing finance bill, a workers’ compensation bill, and a labor law bill. Some items were laid aside before later being taken up, including the cannabis bill and the environmental conservation bill. Votes were largely unanimous or near-unanimous, with a few recorded negatives on certain bills. The most extensive debate centered on Calendar 261, Senator May’s environmental conservation bill concerning renewable energy installations and transmission on state reforestation lands. Senator Walczyk and others questioned whether the bill would allow solar, wind, battery storage, tree cutting, herbicide use, and reduced environmental review, while supporters argued the bill was mainly about transmission corridors, climate goals, and preserving flexibility for DEC oversight and mitigation. After debate, the bill was restored to the non-controversial calendar and passed 42-13. The Senate also passed Calendar 353, Senator Ramos’s labor law bill addressing class action wage recovery and statutory damages. Supporters said it would clarify the law so workers can recover full wages in class actions, while opponents warned it could encourage litigation against small businesses over technical payroll errors. The bill passed 47-8. The Senate then completed the calendar and adjourned until March 4, 2026, with intervening days as legislative days.

Transcript Highlights:

• EVs have far fewer externalities than fossil fuels, meaning they cause far fewer additional bad things
• have to be addressed. far fewer uh externalities than fossil far fewer uh externalities than fossil fuels
• 17.000><c> they</c><00:03:17.239><c> cause</c><00:03:17.599><c> far</c><00:03:17.840><c> fewer</c> fuels
• meaning they cause far fewer fuels meaning they cause far fewer additional<00:03:19.280><c> bad</c><
• efficiency of gasoline increased fuel efficiency of gasoline vehicles<00:14:22.040><c> not</c><00:14

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I want them to remain open, obviously, as long as we need fuel from them.
• The bill is an important part of California's holistic fossil fuel transition strategy.
• But, yes, these are companies that are operating, providing fuel to your constituents.
• We’ll stipulate that we haven’t gotten off of fossil fuels and refineries.
• If they’re not here, we’re going to have a lot of expense in importing fuel.

Committee: House Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this deals with racing fuel, so I'll be fast.
• Uh, but because of that, there was only eligible for one nonoxygenated fuel tank.
• ><00:13:09.040><c> offer</c><00:13:09.279><c> the</c><00:13:09.519><c> racing</c><00:13:09.839><c> fuel
• </c> and they wanted to offer the racing fuel and they wanted to offer the racing fuel that<00:13:10.320
• 00:13:15.360><c> one</c><00:13:15.600><c> non</c><00:13:16.000><c> oxygenated</c><00:13:16.800><c> fuel

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• These proposals are allegedly in response to global fuel shortages created by the international conflict
• which means that it was produced here, it was put in a pipeline, sent to a refinery, refined into fuel
• We’re already seeing numbers go down as low as 10 days of jet fuel that’s available in this state.
• Europe is already losing jet fuel.
• Even as we feed and fuel the nation, we must realize that food grows where water flows.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's not fuel for the fire that connects them.
• So then we've got a problem, and it's fuel. One of those is buffalo grass.
• And then when it's dry, both stinknet and buffalo grass act as fuel for fire.
• In large part fueled by invasive grass, including buffalo grass.
• And that's where it provides the fuel... And that's where it provides the fuel.

Committee: House Rural Economic Development

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There have also been fuel companies.
• </c> very true. and the giant fossil fuel very true. and the giant fossil fuel corporations.<00:21:06.080
• But the fossil fuel companies are permanent. Okay?
• She said it's to increase fossil fuels.
• Can't sell any more fossil fuel cars.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary and Agriculture and Environment committees held an informational briefing on how recent federal policy changes, funding delays, cancellations, and layoffs are affecting Hawaii’s climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, and on the legality of some of those federal actions. Chair Carl Rhodes and Chair Mike Gabbard opened the meeting by framing it as part of an interim series on the rule of law and Hawaii’s response to federal actions. They noted there would be no public testimony, only invited presenters, and that questions would be held until the end. No votes or formal committee actions were taken. State climate change coordinator Leah Laramie described broad impacts from federal actions, including grant cancellations, litigation over terminated funding, staff cuts at NOAA and EPA, and the effect of the federal tax and spending law she said would raise energy costs, reduce grid reliability, and threaten renewable energy and transportation projects. She highlighted the loss or expiration of incentives for EVs and other clean-energy technologies, the termination of the Solar for All program and other rescissions, and the risk to major Hawaii projects such as Carbon Smart Commodities and other energy and land conservation programs. She also said the state’s attorneys general had taken numerous climate-related legal actions, including suits challenging federal cuts and the oil companies’ role in the climate crisis. Retired Justice Michael Wilson focused on the rule of law and climate justice, arguing that Hawaii is on the front line of climate change and that fossil fuel companies pose the greatest long-term threat. He said the state lacks a comprehensive climate protection plan despite the urgency of the crisis, cited UN and scientific warnings about a limited time horizon and severe warming, and pointed to projected local harms such as sea-level rise, beach loss, infrastructure damage, and major economic losses in Waikiki. His remarks emphasized the need for stronger planning and legal accountability, especially in light of federal rollbacks and the influence of fossil fuel interests.

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> apply to residential heating fuels, apply to residential heating fuels, water<00:09:02.160><c>
• </c><00:15:12.800><c> and</c> evaluation related to heating fuels and evaluation related to heating fuels
• It's also important to note a change in fossil fuel sources.
• It's also important to note a change in fossil fuel sources.
• So it's electricity fuel generation mix.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Corrective actions could be taken at that point, and so this is very similar to what’s required for a fuel
• the same as what's required for a for be the same as what's required for a for a<00:22:54.080><c> fuel
• </c><00:22:54.320><c> storage</c> a fuel storage a fuel storage tank<00:22:56.600><c> um</c><00:22:57.000
• storage underground fuel tanks, single wall, right over a drinking water resource.
• storage underground fuel tanks, single wall, right over a drinking water resource.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The informational briefing focused on the City and County of Honolulu’s effort to site a replacement landfill for Oahu before the Waimanalo Gulch landfill closes in 2028. Chair Nicole Lowen and other legislators opened the meeting by framing the issue as important statewide and encouraging recycling, composting, and proper use of the curbside bins. The city’s Department of Environmental Services, led by Director Roger Babcock and Deputy Director Mike O’Keefe, then presented the background and siting process. ENV explained the legal and technical constraints that shaped the search, including the 2019 Land Use Commission decision requiring closure of Waimanalo Gulch by March 2, 2028, and the 2020 Act 73 restrictions on landfill siting near residences, schools, hospitals, conservation districts, airports, and tsunami inundation areas. They said a landfill advisory committee reviewed six candidate sites in 2021-2022 and rejected them because they fell within the Board of Water Supply’s no-pass zone. After further evaluation and an extension of the naming deadline, the city selected a site in central Oahu near Wahiawa, on agricultural land currently used as a Dole pineapple field. City officials said the selected site was chosen as the best of the evaluated options and, in their view, could be permitted under state and federal law. They described planned environmental protections, including a modern sanitary landfill design with double liners, leachate collection systems, monitoring wells, and post-closure monitoring, and said the existing Waimanalo Gulch landfill has operated for 35 years without leachate leaks. They also emphasized that the site would still require a special use permit, Department of Health approvals, an environmental impact statement, and other public permitting processes, and that public engagement would continue over the next several years.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think about power delivery. I think about what this committee did—real leadership.
• So when you sort of think about the bolts that make up the power delivery system, we had one end of the
• I and I think about you power delivery I think<02:02:49.079><c> about</c><02:02:49.360><c> what</c><
• system we had one end of power delivery system we had one end of the<02:03:18.400><c> spectrum</c><02
• we have now specifically fossil fuels we have now specifically natural<04:31:32.840><c> gas</c><04:31

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> all sources of emissions including fuel all sources of emissions including fuel suppliers. suppliers
• </c> fuels covered by the rules must comply. fuels covered by the rules must comply.
• </c> help Vermonters use less of these fuels. help Vermonters use less of these fuels.
• </c> fossil fuels fossil fuels helping<02:30:03.520><c> us</c><02:30:03.680><c> to</c><02:30:03.800><
• </c><02:31:53.480><c> and</c> more support for fossil fuels and more support for fossil fuels and growing

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If the federal government reduces the federal fuel excise tax, then basically we are gonna give those
• Currently, the fuel tax for gasoline at the federal level is 18.4 cents, and for diesel, it's 44 cents
• So then, by passing this, we're not hamstringing the federal government should they enact the fuel tax
• Are you referring to the state fuel tax or the federal? The state, if you excuse me.
• And that's their opinion as well And, to be clear, if the federal government reduces the fuel tax, all

Bills: HCR1030 , HB1370 , SB893 , SB2 , SB1589

Keywords: legislative procedure, session calendar, deadline schedule, bill deadlines, joint resolution, Oklahoma Legislature, 61st Legislature, regular session, adjourn sine die, floor deadline, third reading, committee deadlines, bill drafting, appropriations, budget bills, ethics commission, agency rules, administrative procedures act, local and special laws, pension legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• So the goal of this bill is to remove four gigawatts of fossil fuel generation by 2030?
• So the goal of this bill is to remove four gigawatts of fossil fuel generation by 2030?
• at a minimum shall facilitate the replacement and redevelopment of at least 4 gigawatts of fossil fuel
• complete the study on removing 4 gigawatts of fossil fuel generation.
• So, what is it looking to do in a nutshell is take old, dirty fossil fuel plants offline.

Committee: Senate Energy And Telecommunications

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications, chaired by Senator Cameron Parker, considered a large agenda focused on utility consumer protections, rate transparency, NYSERDA oversight, and energy transition policy. Several bills were discussed in detail, including measures to prohibit residential utility shutoffs during extreme temperature forecasts (Bill 120A), delay shutoffs and late fees while a utility is under certain PSC investigations (Bill 904B), require disclosure of planned rate increases (Bill 4989A), limit certain utility charges after 12 months (Bill 8710), and require utilities to disclose more information with major rate change applications (Bill 9433A). The committee also considered bills on net energy metering credits (Bill 1553), reconnection for low-income customers (Bill 965), sanctions and civil penalties (Bill 8908), and annual NYSERDA reporting obligations (Bill 1819). Members raised recurring concerns about affordability, arrears, and who ultimately bears costs when utilities are prevented from collecting immediately. Senator Walczyk repeatedly questioned whether protections would shift costs to other ratepayers, while sponsors and the chair emphasized that the bills did not erase arrears but created temporary consumer protections. Senator May noted that some proposals could produce significant savings for ratepayers. On Bill 1819, Senator Walczyk supported greater accountability for NYSERDA’s use of ratepayer-funded money. Bill 1668, which would authorize NYSERDA to administer grants for switching residents to electric heat pumps, drew questions about funding; staff said it would be funded off-budget from existing sources and would have no direct state cost, though it could require shifting existing program resources. The committee advanced most bills to third reading after motions and votes, with several measures receiving no votes but still moving forward. Bill 2477 was held for possible amendments. Bill 4989A was referred to the Consumer Protection Committee. Bill 5111, the Just Energy Transition Act, prompted extended discussion about its study timeline and a PSC order to facilitate replacement and redevelopment of at least 4 gigawatts of fossil fuel generation; the bill was advanced to third reading after debate. The meeting concluded with adjournment after the committee completed its agenda.