Transcript Highlights:

• So, yeah, no, it’s not where you’ve got to have an engineering and hire five people. Thank you, Mr.
• So, yeah, no, it's not where you've got to have an engineering and hire five people. Thank you, Mr.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House Appropriations Government Operations section reconvened and first took up an amendment for the Industrial Commission related to a proposed west-to-east natural gas pipeline. Members discussed increasing the state’s capacity commitment from $60 million to $120 million so the project could move forward and support a future FERC permit, with supporters citing growing demand from data centers, agricultural users, and oilfield gas capture needs. The committee also discussed a separate motion to exempt the mill and elevator from the vacant FTE pool; that motion failed on a roll call vote. The committee then reviewed other Industrial Commission items, including housing authority funding, the abandoned well fund, Bank of North Dakota-related changes, and a decision not to add more to litigation funding. The discussion then shifted to the Department of Transportation budget and a major transportation funding framework. Speaker Weiss explained a proposal to consolidate and rework transportation funding into fewer buckets, including moving Prairie Dog-style funding into the flexible transportation fund, adding $370 million to that fund, and providing $171.3 million for federal match needs. The plan also included $50 million for statewide discretionary projects, $50 million for bridges, and grant flexibility for cities, counties, and townships, with some debate over eligibility thresholds and how much discretion DOT should have in awarding grants. Members also discussed whether small communities could realistically apply for grants and how the new structure would coordinate statewide transportation investments. Additional DOT topics included a proposed gas tax increase, changes to distribution percentages among DOT, cities/counties, townships, and transit, and the treatment of electric vehicle registration fees. The committee noted that transit funding would rise under the formula and that EV registration fees would continue to flow into the highway distribution fund. No final action was taken on the broader DOT package during this portion of the meeting, but members agreed to continue work on the amendment and revisit the issue the next day, with a suggestion to brief the caucus before floor action.

Transcript Highlights:

• This has the opportunity to jeopardize really your county's number one economic engine for the state,
• It literally is the economic engine that drives the state's tourism, which is the number one driver in

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee considered several tax-related measures. SB 674, allowing county property appraisers to budget for and pay hiring or retention bonuses with Department of Revenue approval, was supported by property appraisers and reported favorably. C.S. for SJR 318, as amended, would create a tangible personal property exemption for agricultural land used in agricultural production or agritourism; the amendment clarified the property’s location and allowed the Legislature to define conditions, and the resolution was reported favorably with support from Farm Bureau and the Florida Chamber. The committee also advanced C.S. for SB 1664, as amended, which requires locally approved discretionary taxes to be reauthorized by voters when they expire and sets rules for taxes tied to revenue bonds. Local government and tourism-related groups raised concerns about impacts on tourist development taxes, beach funding, transportation surtaxes, and long-term planning, while supporters argued voters should periodically reaffirm taxes; the bill was reported favorably. C.S. for SJR 1510 and its implementing bill, SB 1512, were both amended to sharply narrow a proposed long-term lease property tax exemption to one qualifying property and to single-family homes, mobile homes, and condominiums; counties and cities opposed the measures as tax shifts, but both were reported favorably. The committee then took up SPB 7034, the Senate tax package, which includes permanent sales tax exemptions for certain clothing and bullion, multiple tax holidays, a temporary motor vehicle fee reduction, a property tax study, corporate and insurance tax credit changes, a communications services tax freeze, and other tax provisions, with staff estimating $2.1 billion in total revenue reduction. Testimony included support for studying property taxes and strong opposition to the firearm and ammunition tax holiday from students and advocacy groups, who argued it was unsafe and inappropriate; others urged adding combined reporting or removing tourist development tax changes. After debate, the committee reported the package favorably and also approved a motion to submit it as a committee bill. The meeting ended after Senator Bernard recorded an affirmative vote on tab 5 and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It all started back in 2012 when I read a paper that was written by a geologist and an engineer for the
• It's not just, by the way, geologists and engineers; this industry will need everything — finance people

Bills: HB1647, HB2612, HB3125, HB3158, HB3240, HB3506, HB3516, HB3707

Keywords: carbon sequestration, environmental policy, Texas, energy, climate change, regulatory council, geothermal energy, workforce development, education and training, energy industry, apprenticeship, energy production, energy policy, renewable energy, state council, administrative law, public information, transparency, government accountability, judicial process

Transcript Highlights:

• per year leader of phosphorus, the septic to sewer projects stormwater projects increasing the engineering
• I would argue and just the design, engineering marvels and it's wonderful. It's beautiful.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• those hydrology and hydraulic engineering courses, and that is that water flows downhill.
• That's an engineering joke, but probably not very funny.
• I'm I'm a professional engineer courses.
• :03:26.080> but<06:03:27.040> uh that's an engineering joke, but uh that's an engineering
• In America, success should be earned and not engineered by woke bureaucrats.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:56:46.080> which one driver the number one engine which one driver the number one engine
• We're the first agency to bring on the Wikiwiki program for engineers, and this past year we onboarded
• 43 engineers using the Wikiwiki program.
• and this past year program for engineers and this past year we<03:03:45.600> onboarded<03:03:
• :49.120> using we onboarded um 43 engineers um using we onboarded um 43 engineers um using the

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ,<03:07:13.520> automobile of course for jet engines, automobile of course for jet engines
• Uh, I will say the jet engine market, which while that is the largest single dollar amount of Kentucky
• Uh, I will say the jet engine market, which while that is the largest single dollar amount of Kentucky
• Uh, I will say the jet engine market, which while that is the largest single dollar amount of Kentucky
• Uh, I will say the jet engine market, which while that is the largest single dollar amount of Kentucky

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting focused on preliminary fiscal 2026 revenue estimates and the governor’s office request for an official revision to fiscal 2026, with members reminded that any estimate adopted now would not bind the December official estimates. Staff from S&P Global walked through three forecast scenarios—control, optimistic, and pessimistic—based on recent federal tax changes, tariffs, and other policy developments, emphasizing that the outlook remains highly uncertain. Under the control scenario, the presentation projected below-trend real GDP growth of 1.8% in fiscal 2026, slowing to 1.5% by fiscal 2028, with unemployment peaking around 4.5% and the Federal Reserve cutting rates three times to a long-run range of about 2.75% to 3%. The optimistic scenario assumed lower effective tariffs, stronger growth, and better labor and housing outcomes, while the pessimistic scenario assumed a broader trade war, higher effective tariffs, faster deportations, weaker employment and consumer spending, and unemployment rising to about 6.3%. Speakers also noted that the forecast was prepared before later BLS revisions and that recent data on inventories and AI-related investment made the recent quarters look unusually volatile. Members discussed how the current fiscal 2026 outlook compared with earlier assumptions and noted that the eventual revenue revision may be smaller than the spread between the optimistic and pessimistic economic scenarios. The governor’s office and committee members also reviewed sector-specific impacts, including manufacturing, housing, light vehicle production, exports, and consumer sentiment, with particular concern about Kentucky’s auto and housing-related industries. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• 01:24:20.639> cell<01:24:20.960> and<01:24:21.199> hydrogen<01:24:21.760> engines
• hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen engines hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen engines and<01:24:23.520
• seeks to is doing great work and seeks to create an innovation ecosystem and jobs clean energy jobs engine
• Data centers provide a variety of high-paying job opportunities: engineers, technicians, electricians
• ,<01:45:15.040> technicians, opportunities, engineers, technicians, opportunities, engineers

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And this came from a mechanical engineer. I tell you, was an engineer. I'm glad you're smiling.
• <00:26:52.799> I this came from a mechanical engineer.
• I this came from a mechanical engineer.
• <00:26:55.039> I'm<00:26:55.279> glad tell you, was an engineer.
• I'm glad tell you, was an engineer. I'm glad you're<00:26:55.960> smiling.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They're in essence just tokenization engines.
• They're in essence just um tokenization<00:43:56.480> engines.
• > so<00:43:57.760> they<00:43:57.920> have<00:43:58.079> no tokenization engines
• Um so they have no tokenization engines.
• This will drive job growth from engineers to software developers to blockchain-specific engineers.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The commission met with a quorum, approved the agenda, and approved the November 12 minutes after a motion, second, and unanimous voice/online consent. The chair said the meeting would include two presentations—one from Noah Herman of Fortress Global and one from John Kicko and team from Hedera—followed by discussion of the commission’s next steps and public comment. The chair also noted he was still seeking a clerk for note-taking. Herman’s presentation focused on stablecoins, blockchain use cases, and operational considerations for states and other institutions. He described Fortress as an enterprise crypto-wallet and treasury platform serving corporates, governments, and nonprofits, and used examples such as Save the Children and a large global commodities firm to illustrate custody and treasury management on blockchain rails. He said stablecoins are designed to maintain a U.S. dollar peg, are increasingly backed by treasuries and subject to greater transparency, and are being adopted by major firms and payment companies because they can improve speed, reduce cost, and simplify payments. He also highlighted market growth, including claims that stablecoins now represent a significant share of on-chain activity and are a major holder of U.S. Treasuries. He identified custody as a key issue for state and institutional use, outlining qualified custody, managed custody, and self-custody models. He said the main practical challenge for the commodities client was moving funds safely and quickly across global time zones and that blockchain rails could solve problems that traditional banking rails could not. He framed the broader trend as one of accelerating institutional adoption, citing recent acquisitions and product launches by Visa, Stripe, Citi, and PayPal as evidence that stablecoin infrastructure is becoming mainstream.

Transcript Highlights:

• said the course is a 10-module course built on hands-on activities, starting with basic prompt engineering
• through agent design prompt engineering through agent design and<01:19:35.679> then<01:19:35.840
• If you had a background in engineering or computer science, this was awesome and it blew the doors off
• > before<01:43:20.080> I<01:43:20.239> went<01:43:20.320> to an electro engineer
• before I went to an electro engineer before I went to medical<01:43:20.800> school,<01:43:21.119

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Intelligence Task Force met with a quorum present and approved the minutes from the August 14 meeting. The first presentation was from the National Retail Federation on artificial intelligence in the retail sector. NRF described AI use cases in three areas: consumer-facing tools such as chatbots, product descriptions, and marketing; employee-facing tools such as company-specific apps trained on employee manuals; and internal uses such as supply chain forecasting, inventory planning, fraud detection, cybersecurity, and coding support. The presenters said retail has been among the top deployers of AI and emphasized that the goal is to improve both customer and employee experience. NRF also outlined its principles for responsible AI use, organized around governance and risk management, customer engagement and trust, workforce applications, and business partner accountability. The group said retailers should maintain strong internal oversight, be transparent with customers, ensure compliance with existing laws, closely review workforce-related uses because they can be high-risk, and clearly define responsibilities between retailers and third-party developers. In policy discussion, NRF urged a tiered approach focused first on high-risk uses such as hiring, health care, financial, mortgage, and rental decisions, warned against fragmented rules that could favor only the largest firms, and encouraged voluntary standards and worker upskilling incentives. In response to a question about dynamic pricing, NRF said its members do not target consumers based on pricing and offered to follow up with more information. The committee then moved to a follow-up discussion on energy policy and data centers, hearing from Bartley Cleland of NetChoice. He explained that AI runs largely in data centers and that cloud computing shifts processing and storage away from individual devices, which he argued improves efficiency and can reduce costs. He said electricity demand has been rising over time and that AI will increase compute-related electricity use, but framed electricity as a normal input to economic growth. No votes or formal actions were taken after these presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do we safeguard the engine that drives opportunity for millions of Florida families?
• It's an engine of revenue, generating over $11 billion in my county alone.
• It's an insult on the foundation of revenue engine, generating over 11 billion in my county alone.
• The hospitality industry is one of the largest economic development engines that we have in this state
• So we are talking about an economic engine in work and tourism. That's what the Omni CRA does.

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for fallen Oviedo Officer Jimmy Serrano-Torres, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Chief Joseph Tuminelli as law enforcement officer of the day. The Rules and Ethics Committee report setting the special order calendar was adopted, and the Speaker announced schedule changes for the following week, including canceling the floor session on Monday and starting Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The main floor action centered on CS/HB 7033, the House tax package. Sponsor Rep. Duggan described broad tax changes, including reducing the state sales tax rate from 6% to 5.25%, exempting certain bullion sales, repealing the aviation fuel tax, delaying the natural gas fuel tax, changing corporate income tax treatment for charitable trusts, reducing the pari-mutuel tax on card rooms, and major changes to tourist development tax (TDT) use. The bill would redirect most TDT revenue toward property tax relief, dissolve tourist development councils, and include related property tax and local tax administration changes. Several amendments were debated: a Driscoll amendment to preserve local TDT flexibility failed; Duggan’s amendment giving local governments 25% discretion over TDT revenues was adopted; Eskamani’s combined-reporting amendment failed; and a Duggan amendment requiring audit certification of compliance with the TDT/property tax relief provisions was adopted. After debate, CS/HB 7033 passed 78-29. The House then took up CS/CS/HB 1221 on local option taxes, which was presented as a companion-style measure to give local governments more flexibility while redirecting TDT revenues toward property tax relief. Supporters argued the bill would provide immediate relief to property owners and restore accountability in local tax use, while opponents warned it would undermine tourism funding, infrastructure, and local services. An amendment allowing local governments to retain 25% of TDT revenues for general purposes was adopted, and the bill passed 62-45 after floor debate. The final item shown was the reading of CS/CS/HJR 1257, a proposed constitutional amendment related to property tax exemptions and assessment limits, but the transcript cuts off before debate or action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:31:47.679> Business careers but nurses Engineers Business careers but nurses Engineers
• Thomas has more than 1,500 full-time employees and it's a major economic engine.
• Thomas has more than 1,500 full-time employees and it's a major economic engine.
• <01:58:33.840> a<01:58:34.159> major<01:58:34.639> economic<01:58:35.079> engine
• <01:58:35.400> we<01:58:35.560> create it's a major economic engine we create it's

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senate File 50, sponsored by Senator Love, State Engineer, surface and groundwater study, an act
• 50, sponsored by Senator<00:04:22.880> Love,<00:04:24.240> State<00:04:24.639> Engineer
• ,<00:04:25.680> surface Senator Love, State Engineer, surface Senator Love, State Engineer
• <00:04:38.000> surface<00:04:38.320> and 50 and gross state engineers surface and 50
• and gross state engineers surface and groundwater<00:04:39.040> study<00:04:39.520> respect

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And by car sales, I mean old-fashioned internal combustion engine car sales.
• total car sales, but what you're seeing there in black is the rapid decline in internal combustion engine
• uh internal combustion engine car sales. uh internal combustion engine car sales.
• there in black is the rapid decline in internal<00:11:02.880> combustion<00:11:03.440> engine
• <00:11:03.760> cars Internal combustion engine cars globally are being replaced by variations

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Those mechanical pencils are high-end pencils used by engineers, architects, and others, and draftsmen
• As many of you may have experienced this morning starting your snowblowers and other small engines, I
• gasoline specification of D4814, which is a standard specification for automotive spark ignition engine
• gasoline specification of D4814, which is a standard specification for automotive spark ignition engine
• fuel and they were spark ignition engine fuel and they were published<01:32:16.920> in<01:32:

Bills: HF737, HF247, HF325, HF1330

Keywords: lead, cadmium, consumer products, safety regulation, retail restrictions, motor sports, nonoxygenated gasoline, fuel regulations, storage requirements, racing events, HF325, flavored nitrous oxide, nitrous oxide, whippets, laughing gas, retail sales, consumer protection, misdemeanor, commerce, Minnesota Statutes chapter 325F

Transcript Highlights:

• our<00:42:14.720> development<00:42:15.119> teams

  This is a deep field that engineers

• 05.000> that deep Deep Field um that um you know that deep Deep Field um that um you know that Engineers
• 00:43:06.280> Could<00:43:06.559> That<00:43:06.760> Could<00:43:06.960> Engineers
• Engineers Could That Could Engineers Engineers Could That Could Engineers could<00:43:07.559>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Toya<01:00:18.000> So Resort in opposition to Toya So Resort in opposition to Toya So Engineers
• > Local<01:00:20.000> Operating<01:00:20.480> Three<01:00:20.799> in Engineers
• Local Operating Three in Engineers Local Operating Three in opposition.<01:00:21.599> Mayabel
• Pane the Third, Deputy Political Director of Operating Engineers Local 3.
• One is that a lot of our operating engineers' local pension funds do invest into projects here in the

Bills: SB3275, SB3105

Keywords: cannabis, low-dose, personal use, cultivation, cannabis accessories, Hawaii cannabis law, medical cannabis, physician assistant, licensure compact, medical services, interstate practice, healthcare portability, military families, licensing authority, 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection reconsidered two condominium bills and adopted recommendations to pass both with amendments. For SB 2433, members approved amendments clarifying that condominium unit owners’ interests are to be recognized and protected in educational and related programs by the Real Estate Commission and DCCA, while making technical changes and changing the effective date. For SB 2838, the committee replaced the bill’s broader substantive language with a narrower requirement that associations provide electronic copies of specified documents, including master leases, reserve studies, audited financial statements, contracts, leases, and other agreements, along with technical changes and an amended effective date. Both measures were adopted unanimously by the members present, with Senator McKelvey excused. The committee then heard SB 2710 on animal issues, which would define and regulate dog breeders, set care standards, create county licensing authority, require records, and establish an animal abuser registry and related penalties. Testimony was mixed: the Public Defender and the American Kennel Club opposed the bill, arguing for stronger enforcement of existing laws rather than harsher penalties and warning that the bill would burden responsible breeders; the Hawaiian Humane Society supported the bill’s breeder regulation and registry provisions but urged removal of the hoarding section; and the committee noted 26 written testimonies in support, 14 in opposition, and four comments. In decision-making, the committee passed SB 2710 with amendments that blanked the license fee, deleted the animal abuser registry and shelter/pet store/breeder compliance checks, struck the hoarding provisions and proposed criminal penalty changes, and made technical changes with a deferred effective date. The committee also heard SB 2209 on rental discrimination, which would allow attorney’s fees to a prevailing party in source-of-income discrimination cases, and SB 2884, which would create a nonrefundable income tax credit for wind-resistant retrofits or hurricane shelters. The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission supported SB 2209, and the committee later passed it with a deferred effective date. SB 2884 drew support from DCCA’s Insurance Division, the Department of Taxation, HEMA, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, and a public witness who urged hurricane preparedness; it was passed with the Department of Taxation’s proposed amendments and a deferred effective date. Finally, the committee heard SB 2922 on cooperative associations, which would create a general cooperative associations framework. DCCA offered comments, while the Hawaii Co-op Hui, Purple Maya Foundation, Enliven Cooperative, and Hawaii Farmers Union supported the measure and argued that current law is too limited for worker, producer, and multi-stakeholder co-ops. After discussion about using the existing chapter 421C structure rather than creating a new regulatory scheme, the committee passed SB 2922 with amendments adopting changes proposed in testimony from the Hawaii Farmers Union and deferred the effective date.

Transcript Highlights:

• 19.119> economic aerospace industry is a huge economic aerospace industry is a huge economic engine
• <01:04:20.799> In<01:04:21.039> fact,<01:04:21.520> bigger engine for the state
• In fact, bigger engine for the state.
• > drones,<01:04:36.079> um,<01:04:36.240> need<01:04:36.559> skilled engineers
• , drones, um, need skilled engineers, drones, um, need skilled hands<01:04:37.440> today,<01:04

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The task force meeting began with approval of the July 14 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Kentucky Aviation Association. Association leaders described general aviation airports as important to rural access, commerce, emergency response, tourism, agriculture, and workforce development, and cited statewide economic impacts they said exceed $1.6 billion and support more than 9,400 jobs. They thanked the legislature for prior airport funding and said it had helped airports with basic operations and repairs. The association asked lawmakers for four things: continued appropriations for general aviation airports; relief or a more workable process for required financial audits, which they said can cost $10,000 to $20,000 or more and sometimes exceed a small airport’s annual budget; a regularized statewide appropriations process for airport infrastructure needs, which they said total about $100 million and are currently addressed unevenly; and funding for the Aerospace Education Reinvestment Opportunity Act to support scholarships and aviation workforce training. Members of the task force asked follow-up questions about the audit burden, the difference between financial and safety audits, and the difficulty of finding audit firms. The presenters said they would bring specific ideas back on audit reform. Eastern Kentucky University then presented on its aviation program. EKU leaders thanked the committee for prior support, including a $25 million appropriation for a new flight school building at Central Kentucky Regional Airport, and said the project is expected to break ground in 2026. They reported strong enrollment growth, with 502 aviation majors, most of them Kentuckians, and said the program has expanded flight hours and job placement. EKU also outlined plans to add an air traffic control program in response to Senate Bill 87 and the national shortage of controllers, saying it could train students to FAA standards if the university receives the needed investment in simulators, equipment, space, and faculty. They also discussed the need to replace an aging fleet of training aircraft, saying the current planes are decades old and costly to maintain, and that newer aircraft would improve training quality and reduce student costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Engineering the new RTS for maximum usability, operability, and future adaptive ability will provide
• specifies the number of vehicles by fuel type if there are hybrid or electric or their combustible engines
• just going to add that yeah, we do work with the contracting community and we also work with our engineers
• of the staff. that we have are not subject to telework, they are our maintenance. employees, our engineers
• we're doing is oriented toward project staff to go toward project staff to go through construction engineering

Keywords: 1184, house, all