Transcript Highlights:

• Texas natural gas utilities must make large investments to serve customer growth, such as extending gas
• And what we don't agree with, you now have to refund and provide interest.
• That rate is ultimately paid for by customers.
• You can have policy that benefits the utility and also benefits customers.
• Again, that credit positive, to me, means... ...directly, my customers benefit from that lower cost of

Bills: HB1237, HB2663, HB3071, HB4384

Keywords: occupational licenses, renewal, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, registration, license expiration, HB 2663, inactive well, plugging extension, Railroad Commission of Texas, RRC, oil and gas, orphan wells, well cleanup, well plugging, abandoned wells, surface equipment removal, electric service termination, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, Section 89.029

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:49.200><c> In</c> processing refunds and payments. In processing refunds and payments.
• In addition, refund delays in turn generate more calls when taxpayers are looking for their refund.
• Revenue continues to make improvements to create efficiencies and enhance the customer experience.
• In addition, refund delays in turn generate more calls when taxpayers are looking for their refund.
• In addition, refund delays in turn generate more calls when taxpayers are looking for their refund.

Bills: HF2783

Keywords: state government finance, biennial budget, appropriations, Minnesota Management and Budget, Healthy Aging Subcabinet, Office of Healthy Aging, older adults, aging policy, long-term care, caregivers, public health, Medicaid fraud, medical assistance fraud, attorney general subpoena power, fraud enforcement, business filing fraud, Secretary of State, deceptive mailings, consumer protection, certified public accountant

Transcript Highlights:

• So as I'll go over, so I've already talked about the non-refundability aspect of this.
• It is non-refundable.
• Where are your customers or your end users located? Where are your customers and clients located?
• that the committee will consider, alongside the grant program, additional changes like adding refundability
• Funding will support direct funding for employment social enterprises and customized technical assistance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The one biggest limitation of the tax credit is that it is a non-refundable state income tax credit,
• So as I'll go over, I've already talked about the non-refundability aspect of this.
• While the credit is non-refundable, it does have a six-year carry-forward period, so if they earn the
• Where are your customers or your end users located? Are they coming in from the ports?
• Where are your customers and end users located? What are their industry clusters?

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 on State Administration heard presentations from Go-Biz and the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation on the Governor’s budget proposals. Go-Biz described California Jobs First, the state’s 10-year economic development strategy, and emphasized support for small businesses, workforce development, and targeted investment in sectors such as ag tech, life sciences, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. Members raised concerns about federal policy changes, tariffs, tourism, housing, child care, and whether state incentives are truly additive; Go-Biz responded that it tracks federal actions closely, works with chambers and advocates, and uses programs like California Competes to target jobs that would not otherwise come to California. The committee then reviewed the proposal to restore the California Competes grant program with $60 million. Go-Biz said the grant would help businesses that cannot use the nonrefundable tax credit, and explained the program’s five-year contracts, milestone-based awards, and recapture provisions. The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the grant could be effective but recommended stronger oversight and clearer eligibility criteria, while also noting the 30% cap in trailer bill language may be too restrictive given the smaller funding level. Public testimony supported the grant and suggested considering refundability or transferability for the tax credit to broaden access for smaller and startup businesses. Members also heard the CHIPS-related proposal for $25 million to support Natcast’s semiconductor design and collaboration facility in Sunnyvale. Go-Biz and public witnesses argued the state investment would help secure a major federal research facility, retain engineering talent, and leverage billions in broader investment, while the LAO recommended rejecting the item because of its dependence on uncertain federal funding and the state’s budget condition. The committee also considered a $17 million continuation of CA RISE, which supports employment social enterprises; Go-Biz and several grantees cited strong job placement and workforce outcomes, while the LAO recommended rejection absent a more rigorous evaluation, noting prior LA RISE evidence did not show long-term employment gains. Finally, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation presented budget requests for IT security and rent increases, and a trailer bill to raise fees across several programs. DFPI said decades-old fee schedules, inflation, and new regulatory responsibilities have created a structural deficit and warned the department could face insolvency without adjustments. The LAO recommended approving the fee increases only on a three-year limited-term basis and asked for more detailed revenue plans for programs not covered by the proposal, so the Legislature can assess actual collections and market impacts before making the changes permanent.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:45:30.760><c> carry</c> year of the non-refundable carry year of the non-refundable carry forwards
• Without an exemption, they could pass the cost to their customers.
• Without an exemption, they could pass the cost to their customers.
• that are AOS have you know customers that are AOS nonprofits<01:16:12.120><c> and</c><01:16:12.320><
• We actually have a customer, a couple, an older couple, and the husband has medicines that have to be

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• system and only have a few years of service and have a little bit of money in there that they can refund
• system and only have a few years of service and have a little bit of money in there that they can refund
• cover charge, you could always choose to pass the admission fee or at least the increase on to the customer
• charge, you could always, um, choose to pass the admission fee or at least the increase on to the customer
• To the customer. Thank you. Any further discussion?

Summary: The Committee on Crime and Public Safety met in executive session with a quorum present and considered three measures. For Senate Bill 1652, members adopted a House committee substitute that clarified the bill’s language about creating an office within the Department of Public Safety rather than targeting women and girls directly. The bill, which relates to missing and trafficked women and girls, was then reported do pass by a vote of 12-1, with one member voting no because the bill was not all-inclusive enough for their preference. The committee next took up Senate Bill 1572, a retirement-related measure affecting the St. Louis Police Board and the St. Louis City teachers’ retirement system. Testimony explained that the substitute staggered board appointments, addressed quorum issues after board expansion, clarified overpayment recovery and refunds for small accounts, and made related retirement-system cleanup changes without altering benefit payments. The House committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported do pass unanimously, 16-0. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 3533, which was amended to remove sports betting language and focus on increasing the riverboat admission fee from $2 to $5.50. Members discussed the fee increase as overdue and noted the revenue distribution to veterans and developmental disability funds, while one member argued the increase was too large and another noted operators could pass the cost to consumers. The House committee substitute was adopted, and the bill was reported do pass by a vote of 9-7, with one member present.

Transcript Highlights:

• for customers.
• <00:33:44.799><c> for</c> refunds for refunds for customers<00:33:47.679><c> in</c><00:33:48.000><c>
• in January of this year he customers in January of this year he reached<00:33:50.840><c> a</c><00:33
• In October of ’24, he helped secure tens of millions of dollars in refunds for EXL Energy customers.
• for EXL energy C refunds for EXL energy C customers<00:35:51.800><c> and</c><00:35:52.040><c> in</c>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Do they have to be refundable?
• Say you would refund it.
• We did have a time frame that the apartment association asked for, that you would refund it within 30
• of beer or 6-ounce servings of wine per customer, and that's it.
• Gives them a new tool to attract customers.

Transcript Highlights:

• I should be clear, though, that not all of our customers are residential customers, and so we've worked
• to make sure that all customer classes, whether... ...to make sure that all customer classes, whether
• So for a small commercial customer, and I don't have this broken down... ...small commercial customer
• tell you that as a group, those customers will pay a little over $4 million, and that customer class
• We are not degrading customer experiences or work out in the field that our customers need and expect

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and first took up several pending and uncontested bills. It favorably reported SB 1405, SB 1762, SB 1977, SB 2077, SB 2148, and SB 1968, and also moved SB 2321 to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee then heard SB 819, which would change how the Public Utility Commission reviews proposed utility-scale solar and related interconnection projects. The committee substitute would shift the default so interconnection is allowed unless the PUC affirmatively prohibits it within 180 days, limit denial to cases where harm substantially outweighs benefits, remove public meeting requirements, retain setback and financial assurance provisions, add optional application materials such as national security and environmental information, and restore local control over county tax abatements. The substitute was adopted and SB 819 was favorably reported to the full Senate on a 7-3 vote. The committee then took up SB 231, focused on CenterPoint’s use of large emergency generators after Hurricane Beryl. Senator King explained that the original bill was intended to prevent customers from being charged for non-mobile generators that were leased at great cost and did not match the bill’s emergency-response purpose. CenterPoint’s Jason Ryan apologized for the company’s communication failures and said the company would make customers whole through a combination of rate reductions, foregone storm-cost recovery, and a donation of the 15 large generators to ERCOT for about two years to address a San Antonio-area reliability issue, with the company absorbing the associated costs. PUC Executive Director Connie Corona said the commission could enforce the agreement through its contested-case process. Public testimony included consumer and reliability advocates, one of whom argued utility-scale microgrids should be preserved as a policy option. SB 231 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 986, which would create an alternative process for routine Public Information Act requests so local governments can make initial redactions without sending every routine exception to the Attorney General, while preserving an appeal path and training requirements. Supporters said it would reduce backlog and speed access to records; opponents argued it would shift the burden to requesters and encourage delay. The AG’s office testified that the process could improve efficiency and still fit within current timelines if used promptly. SB 986 was left pending. Finally, SB 584 was briefly laid out to require consumer reporting agencies that buy data from others to ensure the information complies with Texas law on excluded items such as bankruptcies, judgments, and tax liens, and SB 600 was heard on heir property. SB 600’s substitute would strengthen notice, require an attorney ad litem, add an heir’s bill of rights, allow settlement conferences, and require fair-market-value sales protections; supporters said it would curb predatory partition practices, while opponents warned some provisions could burden or diminish minority heirs’ property rights. SB 584 and SB 600 were left pending after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill not only provides needed customer protections when customer service is needed... and facilitating
• The bill not only provides needed customer protections when customer services needed.
• The bill not only provides needed customer protections when customer service is needed, it also recognizes
• And they will do because they want to earn customers.
• with a refund.

Summary: The committee heard AB 1988, which would require AI companion chatbots to respond to credible self-harm or violence-related crisis expressions by displaying the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, warning users, and pausing the chat for human review after repeated crisis signals. The author and supporters said the bill is a measured safety standard to redirect vulnerable users to human help, citing research and cases where chatbots worsened suicidal ideation or violent behavior. Support came from crisis and medical advocates, while no opposition testimony was offered. The chair and members expressed strong support, and the bill was held pending quorum before later action on the agenda. The committee then took up AB 1709, which would set a minimum age of 16 for users to create or maintain accounts on social media platforms with harmful addictive features and would create an E-Safety Advisory Commission in the Attorney General’s office. The author argued the bill targets product design, not speech, and is intended to curb compulsive features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic feeds while allowing safer or non-addictive platforms to remain available. Supporters, including a psychologist and the Organization for Social Media Safety, described cyberbullying, predation, compulsive use, and mental health harms; opponents, including EFF, ACLU-Cal Action, TechNet, and youth advocacy groups, warned about privacy, First Amendment, and access-to-community concerns, especially for LGBTQ youth and other marginalized groups. Committee members debated whether the bill is a ban or a delay, how age assurance would work, and whether the proposal would be effective or could push youth to less safe spaces. Several members said they would support the bill as a first step, while others raised concerns about enforceability, privacy, and constitutional issues. The author emphasized that the bill is limited to specific harmful design features, not content or general internet access, and that the new commission would monitor evolving technology and recommend future updates. No final vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Crypto kiosks are machines or devices where customers can use their own cash to purchase cryptocurrency
• </c><00:15:02.399><c> have</c> especially where crypto customers have especially where crypto customers
• ><c> rights</c><00:18:48.320><c> in</c> Expanding consumer fund refund rights in Expanding consumer fund
• refund rights in the<00:18:48.640><c> case</c><00:18:48.720><c> of</c><00:18:48.880><c> fraud</c><00
• </c><00:19:24.160><c> verification</c> conduct know your customer verification conduct know your customer

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional reading by Theo Novak, a student and Vermont Poetry Out Loud finalist, followed by several announcements, including a welcome for the guest speaker and a reminder about a freshman legislator gathering and the day’s corporate cup road closures. The House then postponed action for one legislative day on Senate Bill 208, relating to law enforcement identification; Senate Bill 212, relating to portable water supply and wastewater system connections; and House Bill 639, relating to genetic data privacy. The main floor action centered on House Bill 648, banking, insurance, and securities. The Commerce and Economic Development Committee presented Senate amendments and its own further amendments, including clarifications to consumer reinvestment reporting and a proposal to extend and then effectively end the moratorium on new cryptocurrency kiosks in Vermont. The committee described extensive testimony and data on crypto kiosk fraud, money laundering, and consumer losses, and also added a new licensing framework for merchant cash advance providers. Ways and Means reported the fiscal impact would be very small. After a brief question about the $1 million exemption threshold for commercial financing, the House concurred in the Senate proposal of amendment with further amendment thereto. The House also passed Senate Bill 243, distributing funds to the Vermont Language Justice Project, in concurrence with proposal of amendment. It then took up Senate Bill 198, regulating tobacco products and tobacco substitutes. The Commerce and Economic Development Committee described updates to the definition of tobacco substitutes, creation of a wholesale licensing system under the Department of Liquor and Lottery, tighter controls on online sales, and bans on deceptive products that resemble school supplies, food, smartphones, inhalers, or video games. The committee heard testimony from health, enforcement, industry, and advocacy witnesses and voted 11-0 in favor. Human Services then proposed a strike-all amendment to the committee report, with further consideration to continue.

Transcript Highlights:

• Customers need to be able to promptly fill a medication to present, to to, uh, Customers need to be able
• The bill not only provides needed customer protections when customer service is needed.
• The bill not only provides needed customer protections when customer service is needed, it also recognizes
• And they will do because they want to earn customers.
• with a refund.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Honolulu, Singing County Customer Services in support.
• </c> do tax for a refund of that. do tax for a refund of that. &gt;&gt; I<01:18:35.360><c> see.
• Um and and because of the refund.
• of that get, they denied our refund of that get, right?
• </c> &gt;&gt; They never got the refund. &gt;&gt; They never got the refund. &gt;&gt; Correct.

Bills: HB1694, HB1695, HB1986, HB1797, HB1879, HB2034

Keywords: sustainable aviation fuel, tax credit, greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, Hawaii, economic development, carbon footprint, aviation sector, renewable fuels, local production, energy resilience, agricultural innovation, job creation, clean fuel standard, alternative fuels, carbon intensity, emission reduction, greenhouse gases, transportation, autonomous vehicles

Summary: The committee opened by explaining hearing procedures, including a two-minute oral testimony limit and that decision-making would follow after testimony. It then took up SB 20008, which would set 55 mph as the maximum speed limit on all parts of the DKI/Saddle Road highway. The bill’s introducer described it as a response to safety concerns and noted prior public opposition when the speed limit was lowered from 60 mph; the Hawaii Police Department was listed in opposition, while DOT and several individuals testified in support. No vote was taken during the portion provided. The committee next heard SB 20009, requiring new plates/tags or emblems for used motor vehicles transferred between private individuals, and SB 2026, which would require drivers approaching stationary vehicles on the shoulder or roadside to slow down and, if necessary, change lanes. The Attorney General supported SB 2026 but recommended narrowing and clarifying the language by removing references to shoulder/roadside, collision or mechanical problem, and other limiting definitions so the duty would apply more broadly and be easier to enforce; AAA and OMA also supported the measure. Members discussed the practical need for a mandatory move-over rule, especially for roadside workers and tow operators, and the committee heard concerns about enforceability on two-lane roads and in accident scenes. SB 2053 was then heard, authorizing electronic signatures on supporting documents used to transfer ownership of total-loss vehicles to insurers without notarization and requiring insurers to indemnify the finance director for claims arising from those electronic title issuances. The Hawaii Insurers Council, Copart, the City and County of Honolulu, and others supported the bill, with Copart describing it as a modernization that would reduce delays for total-loss settlements; technical amendments were requested. The committee also heard SB 2172, which would allow all-terrain vehicles to operate at night if equipped with lights and a slow-moving vehicle emblem, adjust helmet requirements, define utility terrain vehicles, and include ATVs in motor vehicle insurance law. DOT said it could support the bill only if limited to low-speed areas, and the insurance industry warned it could create a new insurance scheme; the City and County of Honolulu opposed while the Hawaii Farm Bureau and an individual supported. Finally, SB 2253 was introduced to expand first-degree negligent injury to include injuries negligently inflicted by intoxicated drivers, with DOT, county prosecutors, and the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office in support; Honolulu prosecutors said they would oppose a proposed amendment because they wanted the language to preserve the offense as a lesser included offense tied to negligent homicide.

Transcript Highlights:

• Has the department in the last couple of years required any refunds?
• Oh, we require refunds all the time. And what types of insurance?
• So what are y'all doing in terms of AI to drive cost efficiencies and improve customer service?
• This is the Second Injury Fund refunds.
• This is the second injury fund refunds.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, if someone has their refund check stolen out of the mail, the IRS will replace that stolen
• In Representative Malliotakis's district alone, they have seen $8 million in IRS refund checks stolen
• Every year, millions of Americans eagerly await their tax refund, money they have rightfully earned.
• It happens not just in tax refunds, as my colleagues have indicated.
• DEADLINE TO CLAIM A TAX REFUND OR CREDIT FOR AT THAT TAX YEAR IS ALSO EXTENDED.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, March 31, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It certainly made sense because we had dedicated customers on both sides of the pipeline.
• , customer concerns as well.
• If you're looking at a 1000 connection utility, that's $8 a month per customer.
• The other utilities, we've got 12,000, uh, uh, customers.
• It's outages to the customer. It's expensive to the municipality.

Bills: HB206

Keywords: HB206, school district bonds, bond election, voter approval, Education Code, Chapter 45, Section 45.003, Section 45.0034, Texas schools, school finance, local tax election, bond referendum, school construction, capital improvements, election frequency, five-year waiting period, district bonds, public school funding

Transcript Highlights:

• But go ahead and tax the labor on custom software development.
• , and some of the refundable tax credit options.
• Companies with credits limited in the next three years are made whole with refundable credits after a
• Texas taxes custom software. This measure does not propose to do that.
• But then it applies, it allows refundability.

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review subcommittee heard four budget trailer bills: AB 110, AB 122, AB 125, and AB 177. AB 110 was described as a budget bill junior identifying budget-related legislation. AB 122 would extend sales tax to electronically delivered or remotely accessed prewritten software, extend and later limit business tax credits, reduce the annual LLC/LLP/LP tax for first-year businesses for three years, and impose a 100% tax on certain federal anti-weaponization fund settlements. AB 125 would renew the managed care organization (MCO) tax for three years beginning in 2027 to support Medi-Cal and targeted provider rate increases. AB 177 would require the Department of Finance to return by March 1, 2027 with options for assessing large employers for the Medi-Cal costs of employees enrolled in the program, including at least one employer-paid premium option for firms with 250 or more employees, and would appropriate $1,000 General Fund for implementation. Administration witnesses said AB 122 modernizes the tax system and helps create general fund revenue, while AB 125 is needed to preserve Medi-Cal financing and targeted rate increases under new federal constraints from H.R. 1 and to avoid a budget hole if the MCO tax expires. On AB 177, Finance said the bill is only a study and does not itself impose a tax, but would direct the administration to develop options for future consideration. Supportive members argued the package is part of a balanced approach to address the structural deficit, protect health care and other safety-net programs, and ensure large corporations pay more of their share. They also said AB 177 is a necessary step toward asking large employers to help cover public health care costs for workers who rely on Medi-Cal. Opponents, led by Vice Chair Niello and several other Republicans, argued the state does not have a revenue shortage but a spending problem, warning that the proposals would raise costs on consumers and businesses, discourage innovation, and expand taxes beyond their intended scope. They criticized AB 122 as potentially taxing labor-like services and limiting research and development credits, and said AB 125 would increase premiums for commercial enrollees and employers. On AB 177, they questioned the lack of definitions and specifics, saying the bill is too vague and could eventually burden employers, including hospitals and part-time workers, without clear standards. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided; the committee heard testimony and questions before public comment and later action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Customers, I appreciate you being here, sir.
• I should be clear, though, that not all of our customers are residential customers, and so we've worked
• So for a small commercial customer.
• So some customer classes are going to be made more than whole in order for us to ensure that all customer
• commercial customers are made whole.

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• , made clear as a separate line item in the invoice that the customer pays.
• </c><01:08:29.719><c> And</c><01:08:29.799><c> that</c> consumer, the customer.
• And that consumer, the customer.
• out the amount for that month and then take the refund from their sales tax period.
• out the amount for that month and then take the refund from their sales tax period.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They don't have to refund it. Therefore, the sales tax should be due and owing at this point.
• They don't have to refund<00:02:14.560><c> it.
• Therefore, the sales tax refund it.
• Is this a customers or businesses.
• </c> and all of those refunds were provided. and all of those refunds were provided.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all