Transcript Highlights:

• We saw from the fires in Los Angeles that it's also critical to include child care and disaster planning
• and resilient strategies to ensure children are cared for before, during, and after disasters so that
• sudden regulatory changes except for essential updates related to health and safety concerns or to mitigate
• outdated inspection processes that quietly add time and costs to housing production, renovation, disaster

Committee: House Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• So from a fiscal standpoint, this is a low-cost, high-return, risk-mitigated adjustment within an existing
• electrician by trade, and I want to speak to who comes in the event of a hurricane, tornado, or natural disasters
• And I want to speak to who comes in the event of a hurricane, tornado, natural disasters.
• evacuating, and seeing the southbound lanes empty, except for line trucks heading south to go toward that disaster

Summary: The committee took up a long agenda of bills, beginning with several measures that were amended and reported favorably, including a strike-all to SB 4 on child protective investigations and specific medical diagnoses, SB 1570 restoring a statewide missing-persons project for individuals with special needs, and SB 182 creating a teacher training and mentoring program for schools needing improvement. Members also advanced SB 794 on APD background screening and support coordination standards, SB 1168 on background screening for athletic coaches and related entities, and SB 214 to let rural special districts pay verified invoices directly for state- and federally funded work. Supporters emphasized improved child welfare investigations, help for families of vulnerable individuals, teacher retention, and better administrative efficiency; the APD bill drew especially strong testimony from waiver clients and providers about the importance of competent support coordinators and stable services. The committee also favorably reported SB 1376 on grants for genetic counseling education, SB 1574 requiring newborn screening for biliary atresia, SB 1510 as the DEP agency package with environmental, septic, water quality, solar, and permitting changes, and SB 598 updating funeral and cemetery licensing and consumer protections. SB 688, after a delete-all amendment, would create licensure for naturopathic doctors and a board of naturopathic medicine; it drew strong support from naturopathic advocates and sharp opposition from a critic who argued the bill would authorize diagnosis and treatment beyond appropriate limits. SB 1318 made a technical change to scholarship account reversion language, with senators clarifying that remaining funds would return to the scholarship funding organization for future use rather than to the state. Later, the committee approved SB 682 on domestic violence and protective injunctions, SB 130 on workforce training for current and former inmates, and SB 1548, the latest Live Local Act iteration expanding affordable housing options and limiting local barriers. It also reported favorably SB 536 on criminal gang membership criteria after extensive debate about constitutional issues and modern gang activity, SB 762 allowing cross-jurisdiction assignment of capital cases among regional conflict counsel offices, SB 1332 strengthening career offender registration requirements, SB 1742 creating a new offense for indecent exposure of sexual organs to a minor, and SB 1750 increasing penalties for serious sex offenses and child sexual abuse material crimes. The most contentious discussion came on SB 1226, which would overhaul Public Employee Relations Commission rules, require majority support for union certification, and impose new limits on union activities and dues-related practices; members debated constitutional concerns, differences between first responders and other public employees, and the bill’s impact on union representation and public-sector labor rights. Most bills were reported favorably by roll call, with SB 536 drawing several no votes and SB 1226 still under active debate at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first finding: the agency notified us of the apparent theft of almost $8,000 from the Disaster Supplemental
• Thirteen employees received Disaster Temporary Food Assistance benefits related to the March 31, 2023
• disaster.
• disaster.
• So on that disaster recovery plan, I know DIS was going through a lot of upgrades at that time, and it

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES

Summary: The committee opened with prayer and approved the January minutes, then heard a series of audit reports with findings. The Department of Human Services report described theft and fraud involving false benefit claims, including about $8,000 in Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, about $5,800 in Medicaid benefits, and an altered state warrant for nearly $610,000 that was cashed by an auto body shop in California; it also noted asset-control problems and an error in sales tax paid on exempt vehicle purchases. Members asked whether the fraudulent business had been flagged or notified to other agencies, and DHS said the matter had been referred to law enforcement but no broader notification to California officials was known. The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism report cited missing museum receipts of nearly $3,500 and issues with change funds at Daisy State Park and War Memorial Stadium, including a missing $100 drawer fund and an $80 overage; officials said they were considering cashless operations at War Memorial Stadium and provided an update that the museum theft investigation was still ongoing, with misdemeanor time limits expired but felony investigation still possible. The Department of Corrections report found unauthorized fuel-card purchases totaling about $4,500 and a delayed disaster-recovery test for offender management software; Corrections said staffing had been increased for fuel-card oversight and that a full production disaster-recovery test was now scheduled after DIS upgrades were completed. The Department of Veterans Affairs report found four Fayetteville Veterans Home employees were paid for hours not worked, with additional unapproved overtime totaling more than $6,600, a duplicate vendor payment of nearly $1,000 that was refunded, and many overtime instances lacking proper approval; the department said it had tightened overtime approval policies statewide. The committee also received a special report on law enforcement agencies’ compliance with Arkansas’s racial profiling policy requirement. Legislative Audit said it had received responses from 203 of 383 agencies and forwarded updated policies to the Attorney General, while identifying 180 agencies that had not responded and were deemed out of compliance. Members asked what happens if agencies still fail to respond and requested a list of nonresponding agencies; staff said their role is limited to collecting and forwarding policies, and the committee agreed to receive the list. All reports were filed or reviewed without objection, and the meeting adjourned after announcing the next meeting date and a possible room change due to building work.

Transcript Highlights:

• We cannot wait for the next disaster before passing common-sense laws like this one.
• When disasters strike, whether it's wildfire, earthquake, or flood, ... when every second counts.
• When disasters strike, whether it's wildfire, earthquake, or flood, ...firefighting.
• We were absolutely not prepared for the moment that the disaster struck.
• We never know when disaster is going to strike.

Committee: Senate Emergency Management

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee held its first meeting and adopted committee rules for the 2025-26 session. The committee heard SB 1001, which would require the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to issue identification cards for essential utility workers so they can more easily access evacuation zones during emergencies. The author and supporters, including Rowland Water District and the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority, said the bill was prompted by delays during the Eaton Fire, when utility crews in marked vehicles were denied access despite having authorization. Members generally supported the bill as a practical way to improve coordination between utilities, law enforcement, and incident command during disasters. The bill was voted out on a do-pass motion to the Senate Public Safety Committee. The committee also heard SB 1153, which would require urban retail water suppliers in high-risk areas to include wildfire-specific procedures in emergency response plans and make findings clarifying the role and limits of public water systems during wildfires. The author and witnesses from water agencies argued that public water systems are not designed to function as wildfire suppression systems and that the bill would improve planning while addressing growing liability exposure after major fires. Senator Perez raised concerns about balancing liability reform with accountability and the need for future infrastructure hardening, and the Vice Chair emphasized that the bill should not create a hollow safe harbor. The author accepted committee amendments clarifying that negligence liability remains intact, and the bill was moved out as amended to the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. A consent item, SB 870, was also approved. After roll calls were completed and absent members later voted, all three measures passed the committee 8-0. SB 1020 was pulled from the hearing for a future date.

Transcript Highlights:

• We cannot wait for the next disaster before passing common-sense laws like this one.
• When disasters strike, whether it's wildfire, earthquake, or flood, loss.
• When disasters strike, whether it's wildfire, earthquake, or flood, ...firefighting.
• We were absolutely not prepared for the moment that the disaster struck.
• We never know when disaster is going to strike.

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee held its first meeting and adopted committee rules for the 2025-26 session. SB 1020 was pulled from the agenda for a future hearing. The committee heard SB 1001, which would direct the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to issue standardized identification cards for essential utility workers so they can more easily access evacuation zones during emergencies. The author and supporters, including Rowland Water District and the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority, described a breakdown during the 2025 Eaton Fire when utility crews were denied access despite having credentials, causing delays in shutting off water at damaged homes. No opposition was present, and members broadly supported the bill as a practical emergency response measure. The committee voted 8-0 to pass SB 1001 to the Senate Public Safety Committee, with the measure held on call until all members voted. The committee also heard SB 1153, a wildfire preparedness bill from Senator Caballero. The bill would require urban retail water suppliers in high-risk areas to include wildfire-specific response procedures in their emergency response plans, and it includes findings clarifying that public water systems are not designed to function as wildfire suppression systems. The author accepted committee amendments clarifying that the bill does not limit liability for negligence, and witnesses from water agencies and industry groups supported the measure, citing the need for better planning and the financial strain of post-fire claims. Members discussed the balance between improving preparedness and avoiding language that could create a liability safe harbor or shift responsibility away from needed infrastructure investments. The committee voted 8-0 to pass SB 1153 as amended to the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, also held on call until all members voted. A consent item, SB 870, was also approved. After the committee reconvened and all members present voted, SB 870, SB 1001, and SB 1153 each received unanimous 8-0 votes and were reported out of committee. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• engaged in a systematic effort to build shade structures that reduce the impacts of extreme heat and mitigate
• door being propped open by a third-party contractor, someone accessed the campus, and some sort of disaster

Summary: The Assembly Education Committee heard a long slate of education bills, beginning with SB 685 on nonpublic schools for students with disabilities. Senator Cortese and the California Department of Education described the bill as a response to the Ninth Circuit’s Laughman decision, removing the obsolete “non-sectarian” requirement while preserving secular use of public funds, nondiscrimination protections, background checks, credentialing, and incident reporting. There was no opposition, and the bill later passed 7-0 to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 1181, a pilot grant program for violence prevention, student wellness, and school safety in Central Valley and other schools. Supporters framed it as a prevention measure, while opponents from EFF, ACLU Cal Action, and community advocates warned it could increase law enforcement involvement, surveillance, and use of fusion centers; despite those concerns, it ultimately passed 5-0 to Appropriations. Members then considered SB 1067, which would create a statewide framework for annual K-2 math assessments starting in 2028-29 to identify students needing early intervention. The author and supporters argued California faces a serious math achievement crisis and that early assessment would help close gaps, while CTA and several educators and administrators sought additional clarity and amendments to ensure alignment with existing diagnostic practices and limits on high-stakes use. The bill drew broad support from educators, parents, and advocacy groups and passed 7-0 to Appropriations. SB 1107, a school shade-structure bill, would expand eligible shade projects and allow bundling through design-build to reduce costs; it received support from LAUSD, school boards, and climate-focused groups and passed 7-0. SB 1128, on take-home devices and screen time for kindergarteners, was presented as a modest first step to give families more flexibility and reduce early screen exposure, with support from early childhood advocates and no opposition, and it passed 7-0. The committee also approved SB 1048, creating a voluntary State Seal of Climate Literacy for students who complete climate coursework and hands-on projects. Supporters, including Ten Strands, students, teachers, and county offices, said it would recognize real-world climate learning and green career readiness; it passed 7-0. SB 1140, sponsored by CFT, would require LEA construction contractors to follow campus security provisions during school projects to reduce unauthorized access; it drew support from labor and gun violence prevention groups and passed 7-0. SB 930, requiring end-to-end encryption for proctoring companies handling K-12 exam data, was presented as a student privacy measure in response to cybersecurity risks and passed 6-0. Finally, SB 1083 was introduced by Senator Perez as a follow-up to last year’s Safe Learning Environments Act, with extensive committee amendments to refine the statewide misconduct data system, disclosure rules, contractor fingerprinting, and access requirements; the transcript cuts off before the bill’s full hearing and vote are shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• engaged in a systematic effort to build shade structures that reduce the impacts of extreme heat and mitigate
• door being propped open by a third-party contractor, someone accessed the campus, and some sort of disaster

Committee: House Education

Transcript Highlights:

• is of great benefit to the property owners, because once that is on the tax roll, that then helps mitigate
• out of the ground, nobody could go on that road, so everybody was taking back roads, and they're a disaster

Committee: Joint Budget Section

Transcript Highlights:

• is of great benefit to the property owners, because once that is on the tax roll, that then helps mitigate
• out of the ground, nobody could go on that road, so everybody was taking back roads, and they're a disaster

Committee: Joint Budget Section

Summary: The Budget Section met to approve prior minutes and receive a series of budget, revenue, and program updates from OMB, the Tax Department, DOT, DMR, and DPI. OMB reported that general fund revenues through May were about $76 million below the legislative forecast, driven mainly by individual income tax and sales tax shortfalls, though the biennium is still projected to end with a positive balance. OMB also reviewed oil price and production assumptions, the budget stabilization fund transfer above its cap, Legacy Fund performance, federal grant applications, fiscal irregularities, tobacco settlement proceeds, budget guidelines for agencies, vacancy savings, and the DAPL settlement, noting that most of the settlement funds had been deposited but a small amount of accrued interest would require a future deficiency request. The committee then considered Emergency Commission requests. It approved requests for Public Service Commission abandoned mine lands federal authority, an Attorney General FTE and related funding for criminal investigator work tied to the Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship, and a DPI transfer for bridge software costs. After discussion, the committee also approved DPI’s request for a $500,000 transfer for the food vendor program, despite questions about the program’s savings and cash-flow structure. Later, the Tax Commissioner presented the primary residence credit program, reporting that current biennium costs are expected to exceed the appropriation by about $22 million and explaining how the credit interacts with homestead and disabled veteran credits and the 3% property tax levy cap. The Legacy and Budget Stabilization Fund Advisory Board reported strong returns for both funds, and DOT sought and received approval for two flexible fund highway projects on ND 49 and ND 31. DOT also updated members on Highway 85 construction and said remaining flex fund dollars were essentially fully allocated. DMR reported on the abandoned well plugging and site reclamation fund, noting North Dakota’s relatively small orphan well inventory, current and projected fund balances, rising remediation costs, and a possible need to adjust the fund cap in future sessions. Finally, DPI outlined the new integrated formula gap funding program, explaining that it compensates school districts that cannot reach the assumed 60-mill local contribution because of the 3% levy cap; the first year’s gap funding totaled about $1.8 million, with future costs expected to grow.

Transcript Highlights:

• the experience and expertise of the EFSB to determine reasonable setbacks and enforcement of fire mitigation
• Are we going to leave them bearing the costs of floods, heat waves, fires, and other disasters that dwarf

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of late-file energy bills, with much of the discussion focused on battery storage siting, gas system expansion, propane consumer protections, gas workforce safety, and a Taunton home-rule petition on water rates for manufactured housing communities. Representative Sweeney urged support for H. 4689 and H. 4690, which would impose a moratorium and setback requirements for lithium battery storage facilities, citing fire risk, proximity to homes, and environmental concerns. Several local officials and residents from Oakham, Tewksbury, and other communities described proposed battery projects near homes, schools, wetlands, and conservation land, while industry and clean-energy advocates argued the bills would effectively block storage development and conflict with state energy goals and existing fire-safety standards. The committee also heard strong support for S. 2290/H. 3547, a bill to prevent gas expansion near environmental justice communities, from environmental justice advocates, municipal officials, and clean-energy groups. Testimony emphasized rising gas bills, the cost of new pipelines, methane and health impacts, and the need to avoid locking in long-term gas infrastructure costs. Witnesses also discussed related bills on gas workforce safety, gas shut-off valves, and gas meter replacement plans, with labor representatives supporting safety-focused measures and opposing changes they said would weaken inspections, while consumer and environmental advocates argued that some utility replacement practices are unnecessarily expensive and should be reined in to reduce ratepayer costs. Other testimony included support for H. 3518 on propane gas ratepayer protections, with the witness arguing for clearer contract terms and website price disclosure, and support for S. 2652, which would authorize Taunton to create a separate water billing rate for manufactured housing communities because residents there are effectively paying higher water costs through rent due to a single master meter. No committee votes or final actions were taken during the hearing, and members mostly asked brief clarifying questions or made no comment after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Robots, from personal assistance ...prolonged independence, robots, from personal assistance to disaster
• cyber range in New England and also train municipalities, government agencies, and companies to mitigate

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on the economic impact of Massachusetts higher education institutions, with opening remarks noting the significance of September 11 and the role colleges and universities play in the state’s economy, workforce, and research ecosystem. UMass leaders testified first, describing UMass as a major employer and economic driver that educates large numbers of Massachusetts residents, supports thousands of jobs, and generates billions in annual economic activity. They emphasized the importance of research funding, warned that federal grant cancellations, suspensions, and slowdowns were harming research operations and talent retention, and voiced strong support for Governor Healey’s proposed DRIVE initiative as bridge funding to protect research capacity and jobs. Committee members focused heavily on workforce preparation in emerging fields such as AI, cyber, quantum computing, and engineering. UMass leaders said AI is being embedded across curricula and research, but also warned that financial constraints forced reductions in PhD admissions, especially in computer science and engineering, which could weaken the future workforce pipeline. They also described the practical effects of grant uncertainty, including reduced graduate admissions and concerns about losing researchers to institutions abroad. Members asked for more detailed data on grant timing, funding gaps, and where students and researchers were going. A second panel from private colleges and universities, including AICUM, Suffolk, Smith, and Clark, highlighted the broad economic and civic contributions of private higher education. Testimony cited large annual economic impacts, job creation, tax revenue, community service, legal clinics, dual enrollment, entrepreneurship support, sustainability investments, and access programs. Speakers also discussed enrollment pressures, COVID-related social and mental health challenges, student visa and federal policy concerns, and the need to preserve liberal arts alongside career-focused training. The committee then heard from MIT, where testimony focused on research commercialization, biotech spinouts, and the role of federal, philanthropic, and industry funding in sustaining innovation; members pressed for more data on funding sources and asked what state policy could do to keep talent and businesses in Massachusetts. The hearing continued with additional public higher education testimony, including Bridgewater State, Bristol Community College, and Northeastern, which emphasized workforce-aligned programs, social mobility, apprenticeships, co-op education, and the need for better coordination between higher education, employers, and state workforce systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is a recipe for disaster, injury, and death. Please do not pass this bill. Appreciate it.
• This would be an improvement over the current process and helps to mitigate the concerns that we saw

Committee: Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows us to onboard disaster mitigation in parks for the enhancement of parks.

Summary: The House approved the journal from the prior day and received Senate messages on House Joint Resolutions 173 and 174, along with committee reports recommending passage of several measures, including House Bill 2180, House Bill 1870, House Bill 2596, House Bill 1866, House Bill 2536, House Bill 2855, and House Joint Resolution 115. The chamber then took up a series of Senate amendments and third-reading bills, with members frequently debating fiscal impacts, constitutional issues, and policy details. House Bill 2180, dealing with notice procedures for blind pension recipients and allowing electronic opt-in, was adopted and finally passed by overwhelming votes after supporters said it would save the state money and better accommodate blind and rural Missourians. House Bill 1870, updating bankruptcy exemptions and garnishment procedures, also cleared the House despite some opposition over a minor Senate wording change. The House refused to adopt Senate changes to House Bill 2596 and requested a conference committee, while House Bill 1866, concerning peace officer licensing and school protection officers, had Senate amendments concurred in and was finally passed. The chamber then passed House Joint Resolution 115, which would place before voters a property tax exemption for 100% service-connected disabled veterans and their spouses; debate centered on whether the measure would shift tax burdens to others, but supporters emphasized veterans’ sacrifice and the small number affected. Other bills passed included House Bill 1736 on park sales tax funds for stormwater and flood mitigation, House Bill 1887 and related bills on AI/truth-in-advertising issues, House Bill 2855 lowering workers’ compensation assessment rates, House Bill 1906 allowing more flexible tax payment schedules, House Bill 2297 on fence responsibilities for livestock, House Bill 2142/2058 revising the Missouri Film Program, House Bill 3004 on hardwood industry labeling, House Bill 2536 defining male and female by biological sex for certain government facilities, and House Bill 2151 raising income thresholds for a workforce-related program. Several of these passed on divided votes, with House Bill 2536 and House Joint Resolution 115 drawing especially sharp partisan and policy debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department in emergencies and post-damage assessments, as well as shelter support, and it will strengthen disaster
• However, most of those have been mitigated. I would urge you to join me in voting yes.

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , SB5467 , SB5820 , SCR8406 , HB2487 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB6278 , SB5831 , SB5915 , SB5963 , SB6025 , SB6046 , SB6084 , SB6134 , SB6136 , SB6137 , SB6188 , SB6291 , HB2689 , SB5922 , SB5944 , SB5957 , SB5988 , SB5994 , SB6011 , SB6065 , SB6103 , SB6151 , SB6244

Keywords: behavioral health, emergency services, health insurance, provider access, mental health funding, premium assistance, funding, healthcare, subsidies, SB 5467, water-sewer district, water sewer district, surplus property, public property sale, local government, RCW 57, real property disposal, personal property, notice of intent to sell, public auction

Summary: The House received several messages from the Senate announcing passage of engrossed or substitute versions of House Bill 2294, House Bill 2472, Senate Bill 606, Senate Bill 6335, engrossed substitute Senate Bill 6266, and engrossed substitute House Bill 3. The chamber then moved through second and third reading on a series of measures, often suspending the rules to advance bills to final passage. A major floor debate centered on Senate Concurrent Resolution 8406, which would reestablish the Joint Select Committee on Civic Health and expand its membership. Amendment 2131, offered to keep the committee at its current size rather than expanding it, was rejected after debate over fiscal restraint, committee scope, and whether the body functioned like a “proxy legislature.” The resolution then passed 83-10. The House also passed engrossed substitute Senate Bill 6200 on portable cooling devices for renters and mobile home occupants, Senate Bill 6084 on clarifying the prohibition on voting in more than one election, second engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5105 on sexually explicit depictions involving minors, and Senate Bill 6046 authorizing the Civil Air Patrol to be used by the governor in emergencies; each drew debate over policy scope, enforcement, and state-federal authority, but all ultimately passed. The House next passed substitute Senate Bill 6054, limiting HOA and common-interest community restrictions that conflict with wildfire-hardening measures; substitute Senate Bill 6091, requiring greater transparency in real estate broker practices; Senate Bill 6291, giving more time to train and certify on-site wastewater inspectors; substitute Senate Bill 6081, creating a Public Records Act exemption for sex designation information to protect transgender people from doxxing and harassment; Senate Bill 5963, automatically enrolling certain vulnerable students in the Washington College Grant; and substitute Senate Bill 6226, addressing audiology scope-of-practice and telemedicine concerns. Most of these bills passed with broad bipartisan support, though some drew dissent over added regulation, privacy, or scope-of-practice issues. The final portion of the transcript focused on Senate Bill 6106, which the Speaker ruled had an out-of-scope amendment related to agricultural seasonal workers; the bill itself passed 75-18 after debate over layoff notices and tribal sovereignty. Substitute Senate Bill 6014, dealing with pregnancy accommodations and related public records issues, saw a failed amendment to replace gender-neutral language with “pregnant woman” and then passed 68-25. The House also debated Senate Bill 5820, with multiple amendments concerning freight rail, greenhouse gas calculations, county planning, property rights, and rail safety; the excerpt ends amid that amendment debate before final action on the bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because one disaster and, wow, it's awful.
• That's why we have to deal to mitigate this now, this session. Great. Well, I am... This session.

Bills: SB78 , SB235 , SB22 , SB310

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Keywords: nuclear energy, renewable energy, sustainability, carbon emissions, energy regulation, microgrid, zero carbon resources, Public Regulation Commission, energy generation, electric utilities, motor vehicle manufacturers, licensing, dealers, franchise agreements, consumer protection, water supply, sewage improvements, environment, funding, Mora County

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that's why it is so highly regulated, because one disaster and, wow, it's awful.
• That's why we have to deal to mitigate this now, this session. Great. Well, I am very supportive.

Bills: SB78 , SB235 , SB22 , SB310

Committee: Senate Senate Conservation

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 78, which would classify nuclear energy as renewable energy. Senator Thornton and supporters argued that New Mexico needs dispatchable, baseload power and that nuclear should be added to the state’s renewable portfolio standard because wind and solar are intermittent and require extensive land, mining, and battery storage. Supporters also emphasized nuclear’s zero-carbon profile, the safety record of U.S. Navy reactors, the possibility of small modular reactors, and the fact that New Mexico already uses nuclear-generated electricity from out of state. Opponents, including Senator O’Malley and Senator Charlie, argued nuclear is not renewable because it relies on finite uranium and creates long-lived radioactive waste, and they raised concerns about uranium mining impacts, waste storage, and the bill’s lack of a limiting principle. The committee voted 5-4 to do not pass the bill, with Senators Cervantes, Hamblen, O’Malley, Lopez, and Charlie voting yes on the do-not-pass motion and Senators Ezell, Scott, and Thornton voting no; the chair then explained that the vote reflected disagreement over whether nuclear should be labeled renewable, not opposition to nuclear power itself. The committee then heard Senate Bill 235, the Microgrid Oversight Act, with a committee substitute. Sponsor Senator Steinborn said the substitute would restore existing renewable benchmarks for microgrids, require large microgrids to meet zero-carbon targets by 2045, add reporting and PRC oversight, and close a loophole that could let utilities buy microgrid power and shift costs to ratepayers. Supporters, including environmental groups and community advocates, said the bill was needed to regulate large data-center microgrids such as Project Jupiter in Doña Ana County, which they said could drive major emissions, ozone, and nitrogen oxide pollution, strain water supplies, and undermine state climate goals. They also argued the bill would protect ratepayers and ensure transparency and community benefits. Opponents, including Americans for Prosperity, the Chamber of Commerce, oil and gas associations, Xcel Energy, PNM, Consumer Energy Alliance, and economic development groups, argued the bill would impose unnecessary regulation on private microgrids, slow investment, raise costs, and reduce flexibility for reliability projects and industrial development. They said microgrids are already regulated for safety and interconnection, and that the bill could discourage projects in New Mexico. In response, Steinborn said the bill was necessary because current law leaves a loophole for large polluting microgrids and because several major projects are already planned or underway. The committee heard extensive public testimony on both sides, but the transcript ends before a final vote on SB 235 is taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• To compare us particularly to the EIDL loans, those were the disaster relief loans offered by the SBA
• Effective mitigation of key man risk, succession planning, adherence to conflict of interest policies

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• that live there, so they were directly impacted by what happened a couple of years ago with the disaster
• But if we have already provided that training, that gives them an edge to mitigate that situation as

Transcript Highlights:

• The Republican budget and the economic policies of President Trump are a disaster for our country.
• small businesses by expanding and improving on expensing provisions in the bill, for example, by mitigating

Committee: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Keywords: joint hearing, small business, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, economic recovery, tax relief, job creation

Summary: In this joint hearing of the House Committee on Small Business and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the primary focus was on the importance of making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) permanent. The chair emphasized that small businesses are crucial for the nation's economic recovery, especially in the wake of current federal policies perceived as detrimental. Witnesses shared their experiences and highlighted how the tax cuts facilitated job creation and business expansion, stressing the need for continued support through ongoing tax relief measures. The meeting included discussions about the economic implications of the TCJA's potential expiration, with members voicing their concerns regarding how this could impact small businesses and the broader economy.

Transcript Highlights:

• increased distractions such as cell phones, loud music, and crowded waterways, it's a recipe for disaster
• me to risk management, supporting healthcare professionals across the country in assessing and mitigating