Transcript Highlights:

• years of water in a basin could signify that that is what is completely available to be pumped by users
• years of water in a basin could signify that that is what is completely available to be pumped by users
• that this was possibly a drafting oversight, but the result of that is that we are having to inform users
• But the result of that is that we are having to inform users in the subsequent AMAs that they should

Bills: SB1005, SB1202, SB1278, SB1279, SB1280, SB1287

Keywords: cosmetics, animal testing, prohibition, manufacturers, sales regulation, state preemption, groundwater, water conservation, Arizona water resources, drought management, water quality, solar radiation management, environment, regulation, Arizona Revised Statutes, weather modification, licensing, environmental impact, public safety, cloud seeding

Summary: The Natural Resources Committee approved the minutes from January 20 and January 27, 2026, then heard several bills related to weather modification, water policy, wildlife, cosmetics, and groundwater management. SB 1278 would ban intentional solar radiation management in Arizona and bar public entities or recipients of public funds from supporting related technology development. Supporters argued it was needed to stop harmful geoengineering, while opponents said it would block research and distract from real pollution problems. The committee voted 5-2 with one not voting to give SB 1278 a do pass recommendation. The committee then considered SB 1279, which would regulate weather modification licenses, require ADWR and ADEQ review of chemicals, public notice, and public meetings, and—under a proposed strike-everything amendment—shift complaint enforcement to ADWR and require rulemaking. Testimony was largely in support from stakeholders and SRP, while ADEQ was neutral but warned it lacked standards, resources, and expertise to develop the required chemical limits on the bill’s timeline. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended 5-2 with one not voting. Members next passed SB 1005, which would prohibit the sale of cosmetics developed with animal testing, with supporters citing cruelty concerns and industry alternatives; the bill received a do pass recommendation 4-2 with two not voting. SB 1202, requiring ADWR to include more detailed data in five-year groundwater supply-and-demand assessments, drew opposition from ADWR over feasibility, cost, and the risk of misleading conclusions, but still received a do pass recommendation 4-2 with two not voting. The committee also passed SB 1280, which would bar Game and Fish from using public funds to transport Mexican gray wolf pups into Arizona; wildlife advocates opposed it as harmful to recovery, while Game and Fish said it would not affect core responsibilities and was neutral. Finally, SB 1287, with a conforming amendment, was approved 5-1 with two not voting to extend certain irrigation grandfathered-right groundwater uses to subsequent active management areas. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead of the hundreds of thousands of users of hemp, a milder hemp, they're going to go to illegal
• drug users.
• With this the... ...illegal drug users.
• The largest commodity for a drug user is going to empower them, giving them more territory, and that's

Bills: SB90, SB255, SB268

Keywords: Green County, racing, pari-mutuel wagering, gaming regulations, commission appointments, historical horse racing, local tax, mixed spirit beverages, alcohol regulation, licensing, excise tax, distribution agreements, retail sales, wholesalers, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It depends on what the management company, what platform they're using.
• So they're, you know that Vote HOA Now is a platform that I think many management companies and community
• election for... we will be turning control over to homeowners and went through the Vote HOA Now platform

Bills: HB 1087, HB2504, HB4113, HB5144, HB5146, HB5377, HB5543, SB140, SB264, SB1244, SB1343, SB2121, HR868

Keywords: property owners, board vacancy, special election, association governance, community management, property owners' association, resale certificate, fees, real estate regulation, homeowners, HB 4113, Texas Rising Star Program, child care, child-care providers, Texas Workforce Commission, TWC, safety barriers, crash-rated bollards, bollards, playground safety

Transcript Highlights:

• improve and support physical Fitness across Texas military forces, a digital and health integration platform
• become the first state in the nation to scale a military... ...grade, AI-powered human performance platform
• Our platform already meets Department of Defense cybersecurity standards, integrates with every major

Bills: SB 36, HB 1065, HB2929, HB2956, HB3009, HB3420, HB3626, HB3649, HB4956, HB4993, HB5293, HB5308, HB5528, HCR118, SB36, HB4023

Keywords: transportation, regional authorities, mobility, infrastructure, sales tax, employee classification, private security, misclassification, workforce regulations, Texas Workforce Commission, autism, peace officers, training program, law enforcement, intervention, communication, developmental disability, family violence, central database, criminal offense

Transcript Highlights:

• The electronic attendance recordkeeping system I believe would be built into the similar platform as
• way—I'm not the most technological person—but there will be a way, for instance, if you don't have a platform
• to find that level of efficiencies and to migrate something like that to a completely electronic platform

Bills: HF2436, HF470, HF2643, HF2456, HF102, HF1367

Keywords: child welfare, economic assistance, child care, grant program, video security cameras, early education, scholarships, funding, children, families, Minnesota education, child care licensing, family child care, child care center, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, correction order, conditional license, fix-it ticket, documented technical assistance, license suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving over to My Aline, My Aline will be a comprehensive digital platform for child welfare professionals
• We also offer outside of our main My Aline platform...
• We also offer outside of our main My Aline platform additional networking and training opportunities.

Summary: The committee heard three presentations focused on child welfare workforce development and the needs of children in Florida’s dependency system. First, the Florida Institute for Child Welfare described its Grow Center and related initiatives, including academic curriculum enhancements, simulations, virtual reality training, coaching, on-demand learning, advanced certifications, and the planned Tallahassee learning lab opening in January 2026. Members asked about conflict resolution, domestic violence, addiction, and microcredentials; the presenter said the institute is expanding training in those areas and is working with DCF to align advanced certifications with the department’s career ladder. The Department of Children and Families then presented on the Continue the Mission initiative, which recruits veterans, military spouses, and former law enforcement officers into CPI, API, and case management roles. DCF said it has held more than 240 hiring events and hired 372 such workers since launch, while also improving recruitment and retention through higher starting pay, streamlined hiring, rebranding, wellness supports, and enhanced pre-service training. Senators asked about PTSD concerns, staffing levels, caseloads, hotline vacancies, and salaries; DCF said it had not seen direct PTSD issues from the hiring effort and provided figures including a $50,000 starting salary for CPIs, $37,000 for APIs, and average caseloads of 12 to 15 investigations for CPIs and about 10 for APIs. Finally, DCF discussed the increased acuity of children in the dependency system, explaining that fewer children are entering care overall but those who do often have more complex behavioral, mental health, developmental, or medical needs. The department highlighted a new Behavioral Qualified Residential Treatment Program (BQRTP) designed for youth who need more intensive support than traditional foster or group home settings but do not require inpatient psychiatric treatment; one facility is licensed with 12 of 14 beds filled, and DCF said it is seeking funding for placement for 230 youth total. Members pressed for details on licensure timelines, standards, funding, and the handling of crossover youth and lockouts, and DCF said it uses braided funding and works with DJJ, APD, and lead agencies through local and state review teams. A representative of the Florida Coalition for Children also testified, saying the issue is complex and multi-year, and that the coalition is working on possible legislative and programmatic solutions. The committee took no formal votes and adjourned after the presentations and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• simply because those platforms hold the contracts.
• simply because those platforms hold the contracts.
• 56:37.840> national pushed toward those large national pushed toward those large national platforms
• um simply because those platforms um simply because those platforms<00:56:41.520> hold<00:56:
• <00:56:42.640> This platforms hold the contracts. This platforms hold the contracts.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Often times there were references, especially in the 2023-2024 pieces, to online platforms and information
• Our reviewers didn't have access to those online platforms, so couldn't verify that there were sufficient
• practices, and there were times where there just wasn't enough information, whether it be online platforms
• There were references to online platforms and information online platforms, and our reviewers didn't
• So whether it be online platforms or otherwise, there wasn't the ability to make that determination.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• did receive some funding for technology last session, especially to develop a low code development platform
• We'd like to build this case management system using that platform that we, OK, um, it states, um.

Transcript Highlights:

• SHE IS A FULL TIME WHEELCHAIR USER AND DRIVES A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A PERMANENTLY INSTALLED WHEELCHAIR
• I'M SYLVIA LONGMIRE OF FLORIDA RESIDENT, FULL TIME WHEELCHAIR USER, SERVICE DISABLED AIR FORCE VETERAN
• FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS RAMP CLEARANCE IS NOT A CONVENIENCE IT IS A SAFETY REQUIREMENT.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have 4,700 Swift users. 8% of the workforce has access into the payment system.
• We have 4,700 Swift users. 8% of the workforce has access into the payment system.
• You have We have 4,700 Swift<01:02:36.160> users.
• There are 4,700 users of the Swift accounting system.
• This prevents a SWIFT user from creating a new purchase order.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And as a longtime user of life jackets, I know that the best and highest-quality youth life jackets are
• <00:04:59.800> as<00:04:59.919> a<00:05:00.039> longtime<00:05:00.479> user
• /c><00:05:01.000> of<00:05:01.440> of<00:05:01.639> life um and as a longtime user
• of of life um and as a longtime user of of life jackets<00:05:02.320> I<00:05:02.400> know
• <01:04:56.880> in to help uh guide large water users in to help uh guide large water users

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We've seen in other spaces and in other industries where we've stepped away from the end user—in this
• When the power dynamic in the industry isn't equal to the end user, we are treading into space that is
• quality, that board, the structure of it, should be end-user heavy >> and provider light.
• <00:58:27.839> We<00:58:28.079> are isn't equal to the end user.
• We are isn't equal to the end user.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The presentation focused on Think Small’s recommendations for Minnesota child care licensing modernization, including a proposed three-tier system for early care and education: unregulated “trusted caregivers,” state-licensed health and safety programs, and “recognized” early care and education programs that would pursue board-approved quality pathways. Dr. Nicole Smarillo said the recommendations came from an extensive engagement process with providers and field experts, and emphasized that the goal is not deregulation but a right-sized system with clearer funding aligned to state expectations, a reduced and more health-and-safety-focused licensing framework, and a profession-led quality system with multiple pathways rather than a single rating model. A major recommendation was creating a Minnesota Board of Early Care and Education with real decision-making power, made up of providers, families, and experts. The board would set quality expectations, approve multiple recognition pathways, address professional qualifications, advise on funding and supports, and monitor policy impacts on child outcomes, supply, and workforce stability. Presenters said the current Parent Aware system would be replaced in this future model, and that programs would have a roadmap from health-and-safety licensing to a time-limited candidate status and then to recognized program status. Several providers testified in support of the framework. Shauna Maranovich said the process welcomed field voices and produced recommendations grounded in proximity expertise. Cindy Cunningham, a licensed family child care provider, said the proposal reflected provider feedback, supported a Minnesota-specific model, and would separate health and safety licensing from quality improvement while reducing fear-based enforcement. Maria Harms, a child care center operator, said current licensing is overly burdensome and that the board and multiple pathways would better reflect day-to-day practice and reduce silos across program types. Candace Yates of Child Care Aware of Minnesota supported aligning supports with quality pathways and said the system needs a shared floor for quality and more continuous, less fragmented support. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• for each person would be a few dollars for each person not<00:41:48.400> a<00:41:48.640> user
• > will<00:41:50.119> spend<00:41:50.400> what<00:41:50.520> they not a user
• anybody will spend what they not a user anybody will spend what they want<00:41:50.920> but<00
• It's a user fee. You know, you use it, you're going to have to pay.
• It's basically a user fee, and that's what balance billing is. It's a user fee.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee discussed three ambulance reimbursement bills and tried to distinguish their approaches. House Bill 185 would require insurers to pay the full amount billed by an ambulance provider when there is no contract rate, with no balance billing to the patient; the Insurance Department clarified that emergency ambulance services are already covered under the benchmark plan, so the bill’s reference to policies without ambulance coverage is effectively meaningless. House Bill 725 would set reimbursement at 325% of the Medicare rate for non-contract ambulance services and prohibit balance billing. House Bill 316 was described as addressing the broader problem that Medicare/Medicaid rates are low and that current balance billing shifts costs to patients or municipalities; its sponsor said the bill would require insurers to pay a rate that gives providers a fighting chance to remain in business, and he viewed 325% of Medicare as the most logical option. Members debated whether insurers should pay the billed amount, a negotiated in-network rate, or a regulated percentage of Medicare. Some argued that out-of-network ambulance providers are underpaid and that in-network rates are often too low to sustain service, especially for emergency providers who cannot steer patients. Others said ambulance companies should not be able to bill whatever they want and questioned the fairness of charging insured patients or insurers more than the service is worth. There was also discussion of whether rate schedules should be reviewed by an oversight body and whether different costs in rural areas justify different reimbursement levels. A recurring issue was balance billing and who ultimately bears the shortfall. Several members said balance billing harms patients and often does not get paid, leaving cities and towns or property taxpayers to cover the difference for municipal ambulance services. Others argued that shifting the cost to insurance premiums would spread the burden more fairly, though it could raise premiums by a few dollars per person per month. No vote or final action was taken in the excerpt; the discussion focused on clarifying the bills and weighing their policy tradeoffs.

Transcript Highlights:

• He added that industrial and large commercial facilities are the biggest users of energy in the state
• <04:20:24.239> of facilities are the biggest users of facilities are the biggest users of
• The large energy users selfgeneration.
• manufacturers, large industrial users manufacturers, large industrial users around<04:24:32.640>
• businesses and employers and end users businesses and employers and end users today<04:29:33.279

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met on April 14 and began by welcoming a new member, Representative Samban Denier, who briefly described his background as a Clarkson University environmental engineering graduate and Air Force veteran. The committee then moved into a work session on five energy-related bills, starting with Senate Bill 65 on stormwater management for solar arrays. Representative McGee presented amendment 1594H, which would exclude projects in shoreland areas from the bill’s permit-by-notification process and require the standard alteration-of-terrain permit review instead. Members asked for clarification, and McGee explained the amendment was requested by the New Hampshire Lakes Association and others to preserve the fuller review process for shoreland projects. The committee appeared satisfied with the explanation and moved on. The committee next discussed Senate Bill 230 on electric utility restructuring and investment in distributed energy resources. Members concluded that section one was unnecessary because a better definition of advanced nuclear resources had already been added to House Bill 710, and that section two would allow investment in advanced nuclear resources in a way they had already rejected in another bill due to ratepayer risk. Several members agreed the bill was redundant and supported an ITL motion. They also discussed Senate Bill 232 on net metering terms and conditions, focusing first on whether hydroelectric generators could be listed in ISO New England while also taking net metering credits. Granite State Hydropower Association representative Heidi Kroll testified that generators are subject to checks and balances, that double-dipping is not occurring, and that rules and tariffs already require participation in one market arrangement or the other. Discussion on Senate Bill 232 then shifted to section two, which would bar retroactive changes to net metering tariffs in place as of January 1, 2025. Representative McGee proposed alternative language to protect existing customer generators, group hosts, and municipal hosts from retroactive changes, while others said the language was needed to provide stability for current participants operating on thin margins. Some members supported the clearer wording; others argued the committee should not tie the hands of the PUC and DOE, noting future circumstances could require regulatory flexibility and that conflicts could be resolved in court if necessary. The committee did not take a final vote in the portion of the meeting provided, and the discussion was still ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• That was applied to all transactions and not just transactions for new users.
• <00:32:59.200> The not just transactions for new users.
• The not just transactions for new users.
• ,<00:33:05.920> folks<00:33:06.200> within only applies to new users, folks within
• only applies to new users, folks within their<00:33:06.520> first<00:33:06.760> 30<00:33

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, transitioning the infrastructure to make it accessible for all users, even those with disabilities
• But it's important for us to make our roads accessible for all users.
• It resolves, you know, this bifurcation of us being able to get active transportation users from the
• So this will be a bridge that includes all types of users, from vehicles to pedestrians, bicyclists of
• And we held public open house meetings with not only the adjacent property owners, but the users.

Summary: The meeting began with introductions from members of the Joint Transportation Committee and a presentation from the Association of Washington Cities and the public works directors of Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland. The cities described the Quad Cities region as one of the fastest-growing in the state and outlined shared transportation priorities that align with the committee’s focus on safety, multimodal access, climate resilience, and economic development. They emphasized Vision Zero efforts, complete streets, ADA accessibility, regional trail and bike/pedestrian planning, and coordinated long-range transportation and land-use planning to manage growth. The city officials also discussed major funding and delivery challenges, including rising construction costs, project phasing, pavement preservation, right-of-way acquisition, and delays caused by state and federal permitting and review processes. They highlighted regional cooperation through the Benton-Franklin Council of Governments, Good Roads, and local funding tools such as impact fees, transportation benefit districts, REET, tax increment financing, and state and federal grants. Specific projects discussed included Richland’s SR 240/Aaron Drive complete streets project and downtown connectivity work, Kennewick’s Columbia Center Boulevard improvements and rail study, Pasco’s Court/Road 68, Sylvester Street corridor, I-182 bridge/interchange work, and a new north-south bridge study, and West Richland’s SR 224 Red Mountain corridor project, which officials said was awarded under budget and is scheduled to begin construction. Committee members asked questions about sidewalk connections to schools, state-agency right-of-way timelines, apprenticeship utilization, contractor selection, and whether complete streets requirements add burdens to pavement preservation projects. The city officials said new development is generally meeting sidewalk standards, but older infill areas remain a gap; that state right-of-way transactions can take much longer than expected; that apprenticeship requirements are common but harder for smaller contractors and local labor markets; and that low-bid contracting leaves little room to screen for performance history. They also said complete streets requirements are usually manageable on major projects but can be difficult to absorb in smaller preservation work. The committee then shifted to a JTC-funded study on transit-oriented development, presented by Urban Institute researcher Yona Freemark. The study examined TOD conditions in 33 cities in Snohomish, King, Pierce, Clark, and Spokane counties near rail and bus rapid transit stations. Freemark said Washington’s housing affordability crisis is severe, especially near transit, and found that high-cost cities have seen more development near stations but also signs of gentrification and loss of affordable housing, while lower-cost cities have had less development and worsening affordability relative to income. He identified barriers including high debt costs, land costs, infrastructure costs, zoning and parking rules, and limited subsidies for affordable housing. He recommended more neighborhood infrastructure funding near stations, stronger affordable housing investment, and better use of public land, noting that HB 1491 and related legislation are already changing some local requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• manufacturers' key secure, you know, things like that, just trying to be transparent with the end users
• being there, whether we call it regulations or what we call it, I think that's helpful for the end users
• <00:32:25.000> of<00:32:25.120> the people the you the end users of the people the
• you the end users of the codes<00:32:25.600> I<00:32:25.679> think<00:32:25.960> some
• that that's transparent at the users that that's transparent at the local<00:32:33.039> level

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first took up HB 428, with Philip Sherman of the Building Code Review Board presenting a detailed amendment intended to reorganize building-code statutes and limit local changes. He said the proposal would move code-related provisions into RSA 155-A, preserve municipalities’ ability to adopt and administer local enforcement mechanisms and additional non-state codes such as housing or property maintenance codes, but prohibit technical amendments to the State Building Code. He also explained that local administrative functions like permits, fees, certificates of occupancy, plan review, and staffing would remain local, while any local ordinance would still need BCRB confirmation. Members discussed the distinction between administrative and technical amendments, the need to keep fire-code provisions separate, and a date error in the draft’s submission deadline; Sherman suggested the effective-date language should be corrected to reference July 1, 2024. The committee did not vote on the amendment and instead agreed to circulate the draft and revisit it in a later subcommittee meeting before bringing it to the full committee. The discussion then shifted to fire-code issues, with State Fire Marshal Sean Tumi explaining that fire-code-related provisions should be cleaned up in the fire-code statutes and that the state should restrict technical local amendments while possibly allowing limited administrative local standards for transparency and operational consistency. He gave examples such as driveway access, sprinkler connections, key boxes, and other fire-system details that could benefit from local standardization if clearly disclosed. He noted that a separate Senate bill, SB 94, may be a more appropriate vehicle for some of the fire-code language. The chair again emphasized the need for further review and scheduled another subcommittee meeting before the matter would go to the full committee. The committee then began HB 244, and Sherman introduced it as a cleanup of the older municipal-building-code provisions scattered through the RSA 67X series. He said the bill would consolidate and update those references, continuing the effort to align municipal enforcement and appeals provisions with the statewide building-code structure. The transcript cuts off before any further action or vote on HB 244.

Transcript Highlights:

• and browser engers allow a user to exercise their opt-out rights across all online businesses they engage
• Users would have to visit hundreds and hundreds or thousands of sites.
• And in many cases, this information can be utilized in harmful ways that users do not anticipate.
• Federal Trade Commission alleged in 2023 that online prescription company, GoodRx, has been sharing users
• There have been previous attempts to simplify users' ability to manage their opt-out preferences, but

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• myself online and giving those so that they actually have had resources on their online learning platforms
• :37:29.079> online<00:37:30.079> um<00:37:30.200> learning<00:37:30.720> platforms
• <00:37:31.720> so on their online um learning platforms so on their online um learning platforms
• called prera and this portfolio platform called prera and this map<01:09:13.799> gives<01:09:
• fund<01:10:37.360> our<01:10:37.560> online Finally, it would fund our online platform

Keywords: 1183, house