Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, if we're looking at I&S, that's for roads, bridges, those types of structures, capital projects
• Or, okay, but you're not taking some special project to the voters yet? Okay.
• Public transportation, infrastructure, all that stuff.
• We're reinvesting in our infrastructure, and it's a major component.
• projects and borrowing.

Bills: SB9

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap, tax rollback, tax levy, maintenance and operations, debt rate, disaster relief rate, Texas Legislature, local taxing unit

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met to hear Senate Bill 9, which would lower the voter-approval tax rate for certain local taxing units from 3.5% to 2.5%. Sen. Bettencourt, the bill author, argued the change would continue the state’s property tax reforms begun in 2019, slow local levy growth, and give voters more say over larger tax increases. He and supporters cited data showing property tax levies have grown faster than population plus inflation, and said the bill would help protect taxpayers while preserving the state’s broader investments in school tax relief, water, rural law enforcement, and ambulance funding. Supporters included the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the Texas Association of Manufacturers. They said the bill would improve transparency, encourage more disciplined budgeting, and create certainty for homeowners and businesses. They argued that lower tax-rate growth would help attract and retain employers and investment, and that voters would still be able to approve higher rates when needed. Local officials and other opponents said the bill would constrain cities and counties facing rapid growth, inflation, infrastructure needs, and public safety costs. Testimony from county judges, city finance officials, firefighters, and urban county representatives emphasized pressures from jail operations, roads, water, EMS, police and fire staffing, and unfunded mandates. Several witnesses asked for carve-outs or exemptions for public safety and disaster-related costs, warning that a one-size-fits-all cap could force service cuts or shift costs elsewhere. The committee heard extensive questioning but no final vote or disposition on the bill was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reductions to hazard mitigation projects across the state whenever you're ready.
• What kind of home-hardening projects do they need?
• What kind of wildfire prevention projects do they need?
• And not every project can be funded by a single source of funding.
• We can't use bond funding for ongoing projects.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Emergency Management met to consider Assembly Joint Resolution 11, which urges the President and Congress to restore funding for FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. Chair Rhodesia Ransom and Assembly Member Lisa Calderon described the resolution as a bipartisan effort to preserve funding for hazard mitigation projects that help communities prevent disasters rather than simply recover from them. They cited major California impacts from the program’s cancellation, including losses for wildfire mitigation, seismic retrofits, and dam safety projects in several counties and districts. Support testimony came from Catherine Freeman of the California State Association of Counties and Robin Finning of Cal OES. Freeman said counties rely on BRIC for flexible, proactive disaster-prevention funding and warned that canceling the program would set back years of resilience work. Finning said 49 communities had contacted Cal OES after the cancellation announcement and that the agency had been working closely with them on next steps. Stephanie Stevens of the California Residential Mitigation Program also testified in support, noting the loss of more than $40 million for earthquake soft-story retrofit grants. Members expressed support and noted the importance of the affected district projects. There was no opposition testimony. The committee then voted unanimously to adopt AJR 11 and refer it to third reading, with all members present voting aye. The meeting was then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• have to have what we call a project labor agreement, which is fancy terminology.
• Project labor agreements.
• Pays the cost of projects by anywhere between 30 and 50% on construction costs.
• These predatory and costly project labor agreements are fundamental.
• Quick-build projects are inter-urban capital infrastructure projects.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Developers of any kind of project need regulatory certainty.
• Most of my clients are linear pipeline projects, linear highway projects, linear power line projects,
• Or if it, if, if projects or structures that have movement are a higher risk than projects or structures
• Um, there are very few wind projects that are being planned, future wind projects in those areas.
• contract by the project owner.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, is the projection.
• So were these projects funded previously and have they started some of the projects already?
• So some of these projects were parks and rec projects as well as water projects and wastewater projects
• and design projects.
• projects first.

Summary: The committee heard first from LFC staff on a brief about New Mexico’s universal child care expansion. Staff said child care assistance has clear benefits for parents and families, but LFC has not found evidence in New Mexico that it improves children’s educational outcomes; they argued pre-K is the better tool for that goal. The brief highlighted four concerns with universal access: an estimated annual cost of about $849.7 million, a sharp decline in registered homes, possible crowding out of lower-income families, and reduced access for children under age two. Staff also suggested possible mitigations such as prioritizing slots for low-income and at-risk families, reinstating sliding-scale co-pays, and tying quality improvements to workforce wages. Members raised questions about the cost estimate, funding sources, provider quality, and whether the data showed actual crowding out. Several lawmakers expressed support for child care generally but concern about the fiscal impact and whether universal access would divert resources from the families most in need. Others emphasized the importance of child care for workforce participation, rural communities, and family stability, and questioned how registered homes are counted and regulated. LFC staff clarified that the cost estimate was for child care assistance only, not the entire ECECD budget, and that the data showed declines in the share of lowest-income children and infants/toddlers served, though not causation. The ECECD secretary then presented the department’s response, saying universal child care is intended to complete a cradle-to-career system and that the department has already seen strong uptake, increased capacity, and rising workforce participation. She said 6,206 families were found eligible in the first month, the share of infants and toddlers served rose, and new provider applications and licensed slots increased after the November rollout. The department also emphasized wage increases, quality improvements, and a new wage scale/career lattice, while projecting a lower near-term cost than LFC’s estimate and requesting additional funding for child care, early pre-K, home visiting, workforce systems, and capacity-building. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided; the discussion was informational and focused on questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• When assessing the impacts of data centers on water infrastructure, both annual total water usage and
• They could be prohibitive, given the complexity involved to retrofit existing infrastructure and the
• It will help us provide essential services: police, fire, parks, and infrastructure.
• project value.
• against financial loss if a contractor fails to complete a project or meet required standards.

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard a long agenda of housing, water, and local finance bills, with the chair repeatedly reminding attendees about hearing rules and noting that several measures were being heard without a quorum at first. Early items included AB 407, which would broaden eligibility for state-run loan and financing programs to help small businesses fund environmental, seismic, and ADA upgrades, and AB 93, which would require data centers to estimate and report water use and follow state best practices. AB 93 drew support from water advocates and local government groups, while the Data Center Coalition opposed it, arguing the bill could be overly restrictive, difficult to retrofit, and raise trade secret or security concerns. The committee also heard AB 650 on housing element review, AB 1044 on creating a new Tulare County groundwater sustainability agency, and AB 523 on allowing proxy voting for single-representative member agencies on the Metropolitan Water District board; all drew broad support from local agencies and related stakeholders and no recorded opposition in the room. Several housing bills were presented as part of a broader fast-track housing package. AB 507 would streamline adaptive reuse of office buildings into housing, especially in downtowns with high vacancy; supporters said it would revive urban cores and help meet housing and climate goals, while the League of California Cities and a few cities opposed it unless amended, citing concerns about one-size-fits-all by-right approval and fee limitations. AB 1294 would create a universal housing application and limit early application requirements; it drew strong support from housing and business groups, with the American Planning Association and League of California Cities seeking more flexibility and input. AB 610 would require local governments to disclose housing constraints in their housing elements and limit new constraints after certification for three years unless disclosed; supporters said it would improve transparency and certainty, while opponents warned it could chill legitimate local policy choices and inclusionary housing requirements. Both AB 610 and AB 698, which would require analysis of the housing and property tax impacts of proposed transfer taxes, were moved out of committee on 7-0 votes after discussion and amendments. The committee also heard AB 1112, which would repeal an outdated Riverside County property tax provision affecting Rancho Mirage; the city argued it was the only qualifying no-low property tax city not receiving the standard minimum and sought equal treatment. After quorum was established, the bill was passed 6-0 with amendments and sent to Appropriations. AB 1021, heard later, would make it easier for school districts and other local education agencies to build employee housing, with the author citing teacher recruitment and retention problems and support from education stakeholders. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly emphasized the need to balance housing production, local fiscal tools, and infrastructure needs, and several authors accepted committee amendments and committed to continued negotiations with opponents.

Transcript Highlights:

• The projections are ultimately used to support climate-resilient development and climate-resilient infrastructure
• The projections are ultimately used to support climate-resilient development and climate-resilient infrastructure
• The projections are ultimately used to support climate-resilient development and climate-resilient infrastructure
• The projections are ultimately used to support climate-resilient development and climate-resilient infrastructure
• The projections are ultimately used to support climate-resilient development and climate-resilient infrastructure

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Daniel Woodward, and I'm a policy attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project.
• So you are representing the Texas Civil Rights Project. That's right.
• We've got to put infrastructure and processes in place that continues to keep us safe and sovereign.
• That, um, well, Florida, um, you know, has the infrastructure when it comes to aerospace.
• The bonds are let to fund major projects, as you said.

Bills: HB176, HB180

Keywords: tax, ad valorem, voter-approval, local government finance, property tax, repeal, tax rates, school finance, tax reduction, compressed tax rate, education, funding

Transcript Highlights:

• projects.
• to have to allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to see this project completed.
• We support the project. We need this project. But there's so many unanswered questions.
• The one big project, the Water First Project, is not a bad project, assuming it can do what they say
• Florida's most critical water management infrastructure.

Bills: S0912, S1196, S1422, S1510, S7034

Keywords: battery collection, battery stewardship, environment, recycling, hazardous waste, waste management, regulation, environmental protection, facilities, hazardous materials, coral reefs, natural resource, climate change, coastal flooding, solar facilities, wastewater treatment, nutrient reduction, land conservation, water conservation, Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Summary: The Environment and Natural Resources Committee met with a quorum and took up several environmental bills and one appointment. SB 1422, as amended by a strike-all focused on coral reef protection and designating coral reefs as critical natural infrastructure, was reported favorably after support from Audubon Florida was noted. The committee then considered SPB 7034, a DEP rule ratification related to minimum flows and levels for the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and associated recovery strategy; witnesses from the Florida Springs Council and local river advocates criticized the plan as too delayed and too dependent on a single future water project, while committee members raised questions about funding and utility responsibility. Despite concerns, the committee approved the bill as a committee bill, with Senator Smith voting no. The committee next heard SB 1510, as amended, which made technical changes to DEP-related provisions including B-MAP notice and timing, septic system requirements in Florida Springs areas, biosolids, fees, land acquisition, and rulemaking procedures. The main public testimony came from the Florida Springs Council, which opposed the 60-day delay for B-MAP effectiveness as harmful to spring restoration, while DEP and others supported the measure. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered SB 1196, a targeted siting bill restricting new ash-producing incinerators or waste-to-energy facilities within two miles of large federally authorized water impoundment areas, with an amendment narrowing the practical effect to Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Supporters, including the City of Miramar, argued it would protect water resources and communities; opponents from the Florida Waste-to-Energy Coalition argued it would limit local waste-disposal options and could force more landfilling. The bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 912, the Safe Battery Collection and Recovery Act, which would require battery stewardship organizations and related recycling plans to keep batteries out of the waste stream. Industry and recycling representatives supported the bill, citing growing battery volumes and fire risks at recycling facilities. The committee also recommended confirmation of Gary Jennings to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. All measures were approved favorably except that Senator Smith voted against SPB 7034; the meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• What's the assumption in terms of the capital cost for this project and on and on.
• As far as the project itself, I think funding has been one of the major.
• Yeah, I was just going to comment in terms of our supplemental project update report.
• Of those housing projects are complete to date.
• being delivered so these major mega project type of projects but when we take into account the geographic

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just so that everybody on the committee knows, passing this particular bill does not mean that this project
• All we're doing This project is coming.
• of commerce, a project that's approved by the department of commerce.
• And… from the 21st Century Fund and into the infrastructure bank.
• At that point, that money can be drawn down based on these infrastructure projects you just heard our

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, so that's a very sort of project and institution specific type of way to fund capital projects at
• I personally engaged with the Texas Facilities Commission about serving as project manager for this project
• Should this project be funded?
• Taking on a project like this is not new to the Texas Facilities Commission.
• Universities's infrastructure is a direct determinant of student success.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act. the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act.
• <02:59:19.279> that reliable fuels and infrastructure that reliable fuels and infrastructure
• c><03:00:46.880> it Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, it Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act
• would eliminate, reduces infrastructure would eliminate, reduces infrastructure costs<03:02:21.279
• Many of these projects were bringing new technologies online.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just for clarity, you... ...for clarity, you had 166 projects in Florida.
• I'm fairly new into development, and we're looking at a project in Pral.
• All of that can benefit as well because this is more of a public infrastructure capital.
• That's why I'm in favor of this bill; it allows us to bring better projects to Alabama.
• The gentleman mentioned earlier that he has done a project in Mid City.

Bills: HB145, HB311

Keywords: HB145, scrap tires, scrap tire disposal, illegal dumping, ADEM, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, environmental enforcement, Class 2 municipality, municipal court, local enforcement, delegation agreement, primacy, waste management, tire recycling, tire hauling, environmental quality act, misdemeanor penalties, Class A misdemeanor, Class B misdemeanor, Class C misdemeanor

Transcript Highlights:

• facilities to achieve adopted level of service standards, lead to congestion or, you know, our infrastructure
• It further clarifies the projects eligible for the strategic space infrastructure investment program
• to include infrastructure to support aerospace and launch support facilities.
• It further clarifies the projects eligible for the strategic space infrastructure investment program
• to include infrastructure to support aerospace and launch support facilities.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and heard a series of transportation-related bills, most of which were reported favorably. SB 532 would exempt 100% disabled veterans from paying Florida tolls. SB 1738 would allow certain counties that previously opted out of transportation concurrency to opt back in by maintaining current levels of service, though there were concerns about congestion and future growth. SB 1696 aimed to reduce transportation network company driver impersonation, allow transit authorities to contract with ride-share platforms, and permit those platforms to participate in state-funded paratransit trips. SB 1378, as amended, would allow courts to order restitution in standard leaving-the-scene crashes; the amendment made restitution discretionary and required that the driver caused or contributed to the crash. SB 1210 would increase penalties for red-light and stop-sign crashes and require bodily injury insurance for drivers who cause such crashes. SB 1820, via strike-all amendment, addressed dealer-manufacturer relations by requiring written explanations of performance measures, prohibiting retaliation against dealers asserting statutory rights, and limiting franchise termination or nonrenewal to substantial breaches. SB 1246 created a specialty license plate for safe coastal wildlife, with proceeds going to the Zoo Miami Foundation for conservation work and an amendment allowing up to 10% for administrative and marketing costs. The committee also considered SB 574, which would allow Florida residents with Purple Heart license plates to pass tolls free of charge; the bill was amended to change the plate reference to a specialty plate and was reported favorably. SB 1662, the FDOT department bill, was substantially revised by strike-all amendment covering a wide range of transportation issues, including USF’s role in the Florida Transportation Research Institute Consortium, Florida Transportation Commission provisions, seaport and airport-related changes, strategic space infrastructure, sewer lines in rights of way, small county road assistance, aggregate supply chain programs, and Jacksonville Transportation Authority board appointments. Testimony on SB 1662 included support from USF and the Florida Public Transportation Association, which raised concerns about added oversight and bureaucracy for transit systems. Most bills received support from affected stakeholders, and several were amended before final favorable votes. Roll calls were taken on each measure, and all of the listed bills were reported favorably by the committee. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on several bills, and the committee adjourned after a brief personal privilege remark from Chair Collins.

Transcript Highlights:

• and traffic mobility insights Gen AI projects.
• And just to give a little context on the project: big projects are clearly possible in California, like
• Certainly, this is a great project, and nobody's disparaging whether it's a great project or not, but
• So, great project. I just... ...great project.
• So this is one of those projects.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Salton Sea project? Eamon Nelbin, Department of Finance.
• the CPUC is setting are clean energy projects.
• In the DSGS account, we have projected funding—excuse me, projected expenditures this year.
• The other is a large new project to create an energy wallet.
• An eight-hour, 400-megawatt project using existing reservoirs and transmission infrastructure to minimize

Keywords: 988, house, all

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• It simply helps communities and companies know what projects count as pyrolysis projects.
• Second, the bill allows Projects count as pyrolysis projects.
• But you have to redo the infrastructure, right? No.
• This bill idea is a result of a transportation project in North County, San Diego, where a project to
• . ...to 74 acres of coastal sage through mitigation projects.

Summary: The committee heard and advanced a series of natural resources and climate-related bills. AB 70 would codify a definition of pyrolysis and allow procurement credit for projects using organic waste to generate pipeline biomethane; supporters said it would help divert organic waste from landfills, reduce methane, and support energy reliability. AB 30 would authorize E15 fuel sales in California, with supporters arguing it could lower consumer fuel costs and emissions, while opponents from boating and marine groups raised concerns about engine damage and the need for clear labeling and continued E10 availability. AB 66 would create a CEQA exemption for emergency evacuation routes in high fire-risk areas; supporters emphasized wildfire evacuation safety, while some members worried the bill lacked sufficient guardrails and environmental review. AB 399 would let the Coastal Commission consider blue carbon sequestration in coastal permitting and authorize blue carbon demonstration projects; environmental groups supported it, while business groups objected to new costs and regulatory uncertainty. AB 491 would codify California’s nature-based solutions climate targets for lands and wetlands, with supporters citing climate and adaptation benefits and the Farm Bureau opposing statutory targets. AB 580 would extend Metropolitan Water District authority related to the Colorado River Aqueduct, and AB 43 would make permanent state authority to protect federally designated wild and scenic rivers if federal protections are weakened. The committee also considered AB 436 to streamline siting and permitting of composting facilities and AB 539 to streamline certain Coastal Act procedures and reporting. Most measures received due-pass recommendations and were reported out on roll calls, with several bills also moving on consent; AB 404 was pulled at the author’s request.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you need $5 million for a project, you're going to get $5 million for the project.
• fund their project.
• Design, as a phase of a project, is eligible as a public project to stand on its own.
• Infrastructure out of experience.
• With water projects, we have this problem: we're going to invest in this infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• These sections uh are projects.
• Sections 7 and 8 clarify that for residential rental projects and other types of projects, the period
• Sections 7 and 8 clarify that for residential rental projects and other types of projects, the period
• union<01:32:38.880> jobs project projects, and stable union jobs project projects, and stable
• , build crews, and create infrastructure, build crews, and attract<01:43:10.560> projects.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all