Transcript Highlights:

• They apply for competitive federal awards as well as competitive non-federal awards like this one.
• They apply for competitive federal awards as well as competitive non-federal awards like this one.
• When the mission aligns with MDE's work, the competitive application from MDE is put forward.
• </c><00:31:05.600><c> grants</c> of Education releases competitive grants of Education releases competitive
• My job is literally to do oversight of MDE, and if I can’t find that information, a busy teacher, a busy

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Vaccines are big business.
• Vaccines are big business.
• Vaccines are big business.
• Vaccines are big business.
• Vaccines are big business.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 224, which would redirect most money from New Hampshire’s renewable energy fund back to electric ratepayers. The bill sponsor argued the measure would lower energy costs, noting recent utility rate increases and estimating annual savings of roughly $2.5 million to $7.3 million for ratepayers. Supporters said the fund has accumulated money that should be returned to customers rather than used for subsidies, and they emphasized that the state has already rebated similar funds from RGGI for years. Opponents, including Rep. Kat McGee, argued the renewable energy fund is a successful, nonlapsing dedicated fund that supports local clean-energy projects, energy resilience, emissions reductions, and private investment. McGee said the fiscal note overstated the benefit of rebates and understated the loss of investment, claiming the average annual rebate would amount to less than $10 per customer while the program has helped leverage significant private dollars and nearly 10,000 projects. She urged the committee to reject the bill as a poor deal for the state and ratepayers. Committee members questioned the fiscal note, the size of the rebate, whether the bill would set a precedent for other dedicated funds, and whether the program’s incentives amount to picking winners and losers. The Department of Energy testified neutrally, explaining how the renewable energy fund works, including renewable energy credits, alternative compliance payments, and the fund’s use for renewable energy initiatives. No vote was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> kinds of business entities. kinds of business entities. Thank<00:13:59.040><c> you.
• </c> um business entities, partnerships, etc. um business entities, partnerships, etc.
• at</c> participation and competition at participation and competition at foreclosure<01:02:11.960><c
• ><c> higher</c><01:02:27.760><c> sale</c> Competitive bidding leads to higher sale Competitive bidding
• I'm in the real estate business<01:04:37.280><c> and</c> business and business and um um um question<

Bills: HF3951 , HF4005 , HF962 , HF4585 , HF3870 , HF4542 , HF3893 , HF4293 , HF4075 , HF4057 , HF3809

Committee: House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law

Keywords: submetered utility service, tenant rights, digital payment, eviction protection, housing policy, biometric data, consent, data protection, civil penalties, privacy laws, HF4585, Minnesota, harassment restraining order, HRO, restraining order, temporary restraining order, petitioner notice, service of process, law enforcement notification, sheriff

Transcript Highlights:

• business, I can't afford that.
• or business activities.
• Business Council or is this one that the Business Council recommended as well? >> Mr.
• , business, business, and... ...trying to either require or pass on a business, business, business, and
• type of businesses that are in a community that have competition.

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so that's a new business model that's coming in.
• With that, do we have any other business before we recess for lunch?
• Your business case—remember, future reactors have to carry all storage costs.
• You need to know those are baked into their business model.
• And we see this as opportunities for growth in other parts of our business.

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to hear a series of presentations on the economics, financing, workforce, and community impacts of advanced nuclear deployment in North Dakota. William Bridge of Nucleon Energy presented the committee’s economic impacts and private-sector financing report, estimating construction and operating job impacts, local spending, and state/local tax effects for hypothetical SMR projects. He said the report assumes first-of-a-kind costs are still high, used a $6 million per megawatt nth-of-a-kind proxy, and estimated peak construction workforces of about 500 for a 200-MW plant and 1,000 for a larger facility, with roughly 100 operating jobs for a 200-MW plant. Committee members questioned security costs, capital cost assumptions, water and transmission siting constraints, and whether the model included fuel and waste; Bridge said the report included initial fuel in capital cost and that waste disposal is funded through existing federal mechanisms. Lori Brady of the Nuclear Energy Institute then outlined national nuclear workforce needs and NEI’s strategic workforce planning efforts. She described declining labor-force participation, retirements, and the need for a much larger future workforce, and said NEI has organized recommendations around career awareness, pipelines, training and qualification, policy support, retention, and nontraditional recruitment. She highlighted tools such as the Nuclear Works career website, the Nuclear Energy Academic Roadmap, the new federal Energy and Natural Resources career cluster, and the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program for community colleges. Members asked about AI, timing for training relative to plant development, and whether advanced manufacturing would reduce staffing needs; Brady said AI is not expected to replace workers and that training timelines depend on the specific project and staffing plan. The committee also heard from Gary Yaco, mayor of Red Wing, Minnesota, who described Prairie Island’s role in his community. He said the plant provides a large share of local property tax revenue, supports well-paid jobs, contributes to emergency preparedness funding and training, and is broadly supported by the city despite periodic protests and public concerns. He emphasized the plant’s security, regular drills with local and federal responders, and the absence of problems with dry cask storage. Later, Benton Arnett of NEI discussed the current financing landscape for advanced nuclear, explaining how tax credits, federal loan support, off-take agreements, and new business models are helping projects move forward. He said early projects face high upfront costs and long lead-time procurement, but that investor confidence is improving as federal policy and regulatory streamlining continue. The committee asked about waste funding, comparisons with natural gas, the effect of political shifts on investor confidence, and whether the market will narrow to a few winning technologies; Arnett said the industry is still sorting that out, but expects clearer winners in the late 2020s and early 2030s. The meeting concluded with an introductory presentation from Julie Kazeraki of DOE’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing, who said the office is focused on accelerating nuclear deployment through financing support.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been in business since the 1990s.
• I urge you to... the growth, the development of small businesses.
• AB 404 gives us modern tools to stay competitive and sustainable.
• of business.
• of business.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Labor

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair lays out its pending business House Bill 42 by Wilson.
• The chair lays out his pending business House Bill 184 by Representative Ghan.
• The chair lays out as pending business House Bill 4071 by Vice Chair Howard.
• The chair lays out his pending Business House Bill 2081 by Representative Busy.
• So competition does breed excellence.

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• We are also an industry largely made up of women, so strong women business leaders.
• </c><00:04:13.360><c> and</c> as unique as the businesses and as unique as the businesses and providers
• </c><00:05:48.479><c> commercial</c> the pods or in businesses commercial the pods or in businesses commercial
• 05:51.680><c> cannot</c> businesses churches um frequently cannot businesses churches um frequently cannot
• </c><00:09:36.680><c> and</c> providing a service in a business and providing a service in a business

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I'm not, as always, competitive, but I am kind of competitive when it comes to this.
• Um, we need to maintain our strength and our competitiveness.
• , but I am kind of competitive, but I am kind of competitive<00:04:25.280><c> when</c><00:04:25.440><
• </c><00:04:26.160><c> when</c> competitive when it comes to this. when competitive when it comes to this
• . competitiveness. competitiveness.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> satisfaction, and competitive satisfaction, and competitive compensation<00:05:35.120><c> incentives
• integrated uh business Jews they talk integrated uh business Jews they talk about<01:35:09.600><c> this
• </c> is becoming like the new um competitive is becoming like the new um competitive um<01:47:15.679>
• Um but in business Pacific<01:55:40.639><c> business</c><01:55:41.040><c> you</c><01:55:41.280><c> said
• </c> in a lot of ways is having competitive in a lot of ways is having competitive teams<02:23:05.040

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is this the only Pro-business bill. I do have a quick question.
• And tell me, you said some good things about pro-business.
• It's going to bring more competition here to the state of Louisiana.
• I’m not anti-business. I am against frivolous law... HB 804. I’m not anti-business.
• I am in the ready-mix business. My family's previously been in the sand and gravel business.

Summary: The committee first took up HB 804, the Louisiana Energy Protection Act, which was presented as a narrowly focused ban on climate-change damages lawsuits rather than a measure affecting emissions claims, pollution claims, or private property rights. The author and supporters said the bill was intended to stop speculative suits targeting energy producers, farmers, truckers, manufacturers, and other businesses for global climate impacts, while preserving claims for actual legal violations under state or federal environmental and safety laws. After a substitute amendment was adopted to clarify and streamline the bill, the committee heard extensive support from oil and gas, chemical, business, port, and legal reform groups, along with a few opposition speakers who argued the bill could still be read to shield industry too broadly or weaken climate accountability. HB 804 was reported favorably as amended. The committee then considered HB 802, as amended, which creates a watershed conservation fund tied to the Amite River Basin. The author explained that the bill was narrowed from a statewide proposal to a basin-specific program to reduce flood risk and restore watershed areas using existing severance revenue from sand mining, modeled in part on coastal restoration funding. Supporters from the concrete industry, landowners, levee boards, and conservation groups described it as a practical, low-cost, non-government solution to help remediate old sand and gravel pits and improve flood control. With no opposition cards and no objections, HB 802 was reported favorably as amended. Finally, the committee heard HB 934, as substituted, which would allow licensed wildlife rehabilitators to possess white-tailed deer fawns under specific conditions, including disease monitoring, release only within the same management zone, and other handling requirements. The author said the bill was meant to prevent the euthanizing of orphaned fawns that could be rehabilitated and to create a lawful pathway for licensed care. A supporter described her experience rescuing an orphaned fawn that was later confiscated and killed, while the Louisiana Wildlife Federation opposed the measure, warning it could effectively create a captive deer program, undermine wildlife conservation principles, and lead to dangerous or inhumane facilities. The transcript ends during testimony on HB 934, before final committee action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cutting funding to the Small Business Administration.
• CUTTING FUNDING TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
• He is not in my state, but a business in Mississippi.
• owners, they're going to go out of business.
• OWNERS, THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, September 8, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So like any other business, they're probably going to be asking for more.
• The business side of me wants to know, and maybe Secretary Black, this is also a question.
• Where are you in progress in this year business? Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee.
• How do we ensure that we're competitive in their pay rate here, Mr.
• How do we ensure that we're competitive in their pay rate here, Mr.

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> migrated away from the business. migrated away from the business.
• Yeah, good business. We need to by Mer. Yeah, good business.
• </c> know, it's just not good business sense. know, it's just not good business sense.
• We go through a competitive work.
• We finished our business. business. business. &gt;&gt; Don't<01:21:48.080><c> you?

Bills: HB0078 , HB0087 , SF0070 , SF0068 , SF0017 , SF0043

Committee: Senate Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources

Keywords: forest health, grant program, state forester, wildfire prevention, environmental conservation, habitat improvement, water development, feasibility studies, appropriations, water management, rehabilitation, irrigation, public works, agricultural supply, municipal water, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, forestry management

Transcript Highlights:

• What it does, it applies to the competitive scholarship waiver.
• Texas is getting a little bit more competitive advantage. Thank you.
• The chair lays out its pending business.
• Business House Bill 4234 by Representative Schaffner.
• We need to drive large business and export markets to buy.

Bills: HB3032 , HB3434 , HB3574 , HB5339 , HB5646

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: nursing education, clinical sites, health facilities, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, legislative study, healthcare training, tuition, financial assistance, higher education, public institutions, student support, nonresident students, Texas Education Code, resident tuition, scholarships, regenerative agriculture, grants, sustainable farming, soil health, bioremediation

Transcript Highlights:

• You need a business cases and back of it.
• We do a business analysis. they come up within the agency. We do a business analysis. Okay.
• >> If if you have a workflow system that is run by 8 business rule, that is a strict business rule.
• We have very uniquely qualified folks who run this business enterprise.
• Is there any further business of the subcommittee hearing? None seeing none.

Transcript Highlights:

• First item of business before we get started with the day is consideration of approval of the minutes
• and within business and IT.
• and within business and IT.
• And I think we would find a competitive advantage that would make our RFP very competitive, because vendors
• competitive, that would make our RFP very competitive, I think, because vendors, I think, would want

Committee: Joint Information Technology Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tips are not business revenue either.
• For instance, checks are still being used business-to-business for payments, such as rent, payroll, even
• You know, as we've heard, small businesses actually pay approximately twice what large businesses pay
• have as a business-to-business, it's an option.
• So you have partners with small businesses, and if small businesses are asking you for a little bit of

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Legislative Commission on the Future of Payments and Sales Transactions by Credit Card and the Impacts for Small Businesses held a public hearing focused on interchange fees, sales tax and tip processing, chargebacks, fraud, surcharging, and the broader future of payment systems. Chair Paul Feeney and co-chair Rep. Jamie Murphy opened by explaining the commission’s charge and inviting testimony from small businesses, industry groups, banks, and policy experts. Representative Sean Garballey testified first, arguing that Massachusetts tourism depends on universal card acceptance and stable interchange, and urging the commission not to disrupt the current system ahead of major events expected to bring millions of visitors to the Commonwealth. A large portion of the hearing featured independent restaurant owners and advocates describing thin margins and the burden of paying percentage-based processing fees on sales tax and tips that are not business revenue. Jen Ziskin, Kristen Canty, Nancy Cushman, Kerry Colzer, and others said restaurants often operate on very small profits and that processing fees on taxes and gratuities can amount to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Ryan Lotz also urged reforms to chargebacks, including refunding chargeback fees when merchants prevail, requiring consumers to contact businesses before disputing charges, and limiting repeat abuse. Commission members pressed witnesses on whether tax and tip amounts could be separated at the point of sale, and several witnesses said current consumer card systems do not transmit that level of detail. Testimony from credit union, banking, and payments representatives largely opposed state-level changes that would carve out taxes or tips from interchange, warning of compliance burdens, higher costs, reduced rewards, and possible effects on fraud protection and access to credit. Alex Verine of America’s Credit Unions and Deb Peters and Keely McEwen of the Electronic Payments Coalition said the payment system is complex, that interchange funds fraud prevention and network infrastructure, and that new state mandates could create operational and legal uncertainty. Dan Swanson argued states have authority to act and pointed to Illinois litigation and federal court rulings, while Julian Morris and Brad Popolado emphasized the benefits of card acceptance, the decline of cash, and the need to consider other payment methods and check fraud as well. Several witnesses discussed international payment systems, instant payments, and QR standards as possible future directions. The chairs and members engaged in extended back-and-forth with witnesses about whether Massachusetts could exempt sales tax from swipe fees, whether surcharging should be revisited, and whether vendor compensation or other targeted relief might be more workable than broad changes to interchange. No votes were taken. At the close of the hearing, the chairs said the commission would hold one additional public hearing date to be determined, after which members would begin developing next steps and a report.

Transcript Highlights:

• I wrote down competitive disclosures as one of your concerns if the...
• Well, first off, you said we want competition, and obviously, you don't.
• I don't know why you're consulting with them because, I mean, the guy obviously can't run a business.
• As we mentioned, you know, we bought the business in January.
• As a result of a number of years of the business being in sort of maintenance mode, we're now moving

Bills: HB341 , HB791 , HB1564 , HB1695 , HB1722 , HB1729 , HB1772 , HB2003 , HB2954 , HB2989 , HB3084 , HB3134 , HB3135 , HB3309 , HB3611 , HB3679 , HB3727 , HB3832

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, members, we're going to take up new business today.
• Um, With that, um, let's get to, uh, new business. The chair lays out House Bill 1317.
• Competitively in the marketplace in the bids for projects.
• Mitigating or measuring risk, uh, that also brings in competition that also reduces cost.
• And so we just want to make sure that we're protecting them as a business.

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence