Transcript Highlights:

• Decisions that promote the peace and prosperity of our community.
• Communication is fundamental to who we are.
• We have a community group. So we're all involved.
• And then we have a community member and the governor.
• And then we have a community member and the governor.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Honolulu communities, you know, Honolulu communities, you know, Honolulu Community<00:53:09.200
• service community service uh community service community service uh community service gumator<01
• in the community, it's a little scary. in the community, it's a little scary.
• serve the community. serve the community.
• Chair votes I. national and community service. national and community service.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We make these decisions by minding what the community needs. communities in my district and other underserved
• communities.
• Communities. We can and must do better.
• Immigrant communities. Thank you.
• , our undocumented communities, our immigrant communities, and the service providers for them.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Communities across Florida are unique, as we know, and decisions affecting those communities should remain
• Services that our community relies on: libraries, parks, community centers, veteran services—all things
• that make our community a community.
• , especially our rural communities.
• Technical rescue and communications operations.

Summary: The Committee on Appropriations took up SJR 2-F, the proposed constitutional amendment on property tax relief, which would reduce assessment growth on non-homestead property, expand homestead exemptions, create a new exemption for new homesteaders, and direct counties, cities, and school districts to use property tax revenues for specified core services. Senator Avila presented the measure as the governor’s plan to provide historic relief and argued that local governments should tighten budgets and prioritize core functions. Senators raised concerns about the lack of fiscal scoring, the breadth and ambiguity of the permitted uses, the effect on special districts and local services, and whether the proposal would shift costs to fees or other taxes. The committee adopted several amendments, including Avila’s amendment clarifying that ad valorem revenues could be used for county and municipal operations and administration and other expenditures not prohibited by law, and Trumbull’s amendment removing school board ad valorem taxes from the proposal. Other amendments failed, including proposals to allow user fees and non-ad valorem assessments, add a sunset, redirect tourism development taxes, narrow the small-business provision, and change the ballot title to reference local service reductions. Grall’s amendment removing the constitutional trust fund requirement was adopted, while the committee also rejected Berman’s title-change amendment and Smith’s sunset and tourism-tax amendments. The committee then returned to the bill as amended for questions, including extended debate over whether the proposal would affect noncitizen residents, the impact on local government finances, and whether local governments would respond with higher fees or special assessments. The meeting ended with the bill still under discussion after the final round of questions, with Avila saying he would continue working with the governor’s office on the language before the next vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then I take school community is safe.
• . hard in holding our community together hard in holding our community together during<00:21:19.280><
• ,<00:47:44.960> all agents terrorized my community, all agents terrorized my community, all
• with impacted families and community with impacted families and community members<00:49:04.160><
• now in our communities and in our state. now in our communities and in our state.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 3435 was moved before the committee and, after an author’s DE1 amendment was offered and adopted, the bill was sent to the general register. The bill, as described by Co-Chair Jordan, would limit immigration enforcement on school grounds unless agents present a judicial warrant, identification, and notify school leadership; supporters said it is intended to create clear separation between ICE/DHS activity and schools while preserving local law enforcement responses to other emergencies. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support of the bill. School leaders, teachers, union representatives, and Education Minnesota’s general counsel argued that immigration enforcement near schools has caused fear, absenteeism, disrupted operations, and serious mental health harms for students and staff. Several witnesses described students carrying passports or birth certificates, families keeping children home, and schools shifting large numbers of students to virtual learning. Speakers from districts in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota said the presence of ICE or federal agents near schools and bus stops has undermined attendance, trust, and the ability to teach and learn. Witnesses also emphasized that the bill would provide needed clarity for educators and administrators about how to respond if federal agents come to school property. Some speakers framed the issue as protecting all children and families, including immigrant and refugee communities, and said schools should remain safe, stable places focused on education rather than immigration enforcement. No opposition testimony or committee vote beyond adoption of the DE1 amendment and the motion to place the bill on the general register was shown in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additional funds for our rural communities.
• These are extra funds that our rural communities need because rural communities, typically speaking,
• Additional funds for our rural communities.
• These are extra funds that our rural communities need because rural communities, typically speaking,
• And Sheriff Staley and I stay in regular communications.

Summary: The committee met to hear the Governor’s proposed budget for the Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development silo and to consider one bill. The Governor’s Office outlined a $117.4 billion state budget, including $18.3 billion for the TED area, with major allocations for the Department of Transportation, Commerce, Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, State, Military Affairs, Emergency Management, and the Florida State Guard. Agency heads then presented their priorities, including housing and disaster recovery funds at Commerce; pay, vehicles, aviation, and data systems at Highway Safety; facility modernization, recruitment, retention, and maintenance at Military Affairs; election audit, conservation lab, and historic preservation funding at State; transportation, aviation, seaport, and safety investments at DOT; and emergency response, flood mitigation, grant systems, and alerting at Emergency Management. Members asked questions about Visit Florida’s private match, FHP’s role in immigration enforcement and body cameras, National Guard deployment tempo and staffing, State Guard staffing and facilities, arts grant rules, rail funding, and the number of detainees at the Everglades detention site. Several notable positions were expressed during questioning. Visit Florida said it met and exceeded its private match requirement and described the match as important to ensuring value from public dollars. The Highway Patrol said its aviation assets have been used more heavily in immigration enforcement and that in-vehicle camera systems were a higher priority than body cameras at present. The National Guard and State Guard both emphasized heavy operational demands, readiness needs, and the importance of additional funding for facilities, personnel, and equipment. The Department of State said its audit funding would help counties move to automated post-election audits and that its arts grant rule changes were intended to create more consistent scoring rather than reduce access. The committee then took up CS/SB 48 on accessory dwelling units. The bill requires local governments to allow property owners to voluntarily create ADUs, preserves homestead treatment for the primary residence portion, limits parking restrictions, and extends density bonus incentives to housing for military families receiving basic housing allowance. An amendment was adopted removing reusable tenant screening reports and clarifying that compliant ADUs are allowed by right without a separate hearing or permit. Testimony from the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association supported the bill, especially the long-term rental requirement, as a tool to help workforce housing. The committee reported the bill favorably by a roll call vote, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am a resident of Pecon Plantation in Hood County, a community of 8,000.
• without introducing new strains on community services or resources.
• We are part of the Aspen Forum for Community Solutions.
• These are communities we work with every single day.
• These are communities we work with every single day.

Bills: SB913, SB1086, SB1087, SB1143, SB1534, SB1553, SB1718, SB1754, SB2004, SB2322, SB2448

Keywords: hotel occupancy tax, municipal revenue, tax code, local government funding, Texas legislation, county taxation, economic development, hotel industry, local government, counties, taxation, tourism, workforce development, youth programs, employment, education, technical training, health physics, higher education, nuclear energy

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills, mostly related to economic development, tax incentives, and workforce programs. Senate Bill 1534 would direct a study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission on health physics education and workforce needs; resource witnesses from the Workforce Commission and Coordinating Board testified, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1553 would authorize Kerr County to impose a hotel occupancy tax for tourism-related uses, and Senate Bills 1086 and 1087 would authorize similar county hotel taxes for Children’s County and Mason County; all three bills received supportive testimony and were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1754, which would prohibit county and local tax abatements for renewable energy facilities selling power wholesale, with testimony sharply divided between landowners and policy groups opposing renewable subsidies and industry representatives and some senators arguing the bill would harm clean energy investment and local decision-making; the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2322, which would exempt dispatchable electric generation facilities from the JEDI program’s compelling-factor test so they could qualify for school district tax incentives; testimony was mixed, and the bill was left pending. Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 1718, which would add the NRA annual meeting to the state’s major events reimbursement program. The bill’s sponsor and NRA representatives argued the event brings substantial tourism and economic activity, while opponents said it would use taxpayer funds to subsidize an organization that opposes gun safety measures; the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 2004 would add the Arlington Grand Prix to the major events reimbursement program, with the committee substitute exempting it from the usual competitive site-selection requirement because of timing; testimony from the event organizers and Arlington tourism officials was supportive, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 2448 would create a rural workforce development grant program at the Texas Workforce Commission to support college-and-career readiness and technical assistance in rural communities; witnesses from Texas 2036, Collegiate Edgination, and a rural school district supported it, and it was left pending. Finally, Senate Bill 913 would repeal a special requirement that Alpine dedicate at least 50% of its hotel occupancy tax to advertising and promotion, and Senate Bill 1143 would require more coordination and reporting for youth workforce programs serving disconnected young Texans; both bills received supportive testimony and were left pending. At the end of the hearing, Senator Johnson moved that the committee stand in recess, subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, three of them are here and from my own community, Linwood.
• This has caused many of our communities to retreat.
• A passionate advocate of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
• He was a tireless advocate for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and so many communities
• His legacy is one of service, generosity, and love for his community.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Very high-risk community.
• If we can protect the homes and the people who live in the communities, we're protecting the community
• The animals are the living bodies of communities. The animals are the living bodies of communities.
• Am I looking at a government community, in the university community?
• and these community buffer zones.

Transcript Highlights:

• And routine communication.
• It doesn't mean that a community on the right side of this graph is better than the community on the
• It doesn't mean that a community on the right side of this graph is better than the community on the
• But the communities, especially those with low taxing, these regions, but the communities, especially
• to improve quality of life in their own communities.

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:

• Some of our conversations with members or about their border communities are safe those borders the community
• For example, the communications, they're not communicating, so when they're not communicating, stuff
• We've asked for an additional $5 million for community-based programming.
• Methods provide. 2329 that we need to serve youth in their communities.
• It should be coming within the community. community, investing in the community, and working together

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So many of us know the feeling of trying to help our communities stay safe during a wildfire crisis,
• We need to focus on community wildfire risk reduction.
• We need to focus on community wildfire risk reduction.
• The motion is due pass to Energy, Utilities and Communications. Senator Becker, Seyarto. Aye.
• During drought, we need stored water to provide water to communities and the environment.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Clerk, are there any Communications. Mr.
• Yes, Madam Senate communications?
• conferees to the noted House and Senate bills. communications informing the House that communications
• further receipt of communications further receipt of communications informing<00:14:53.920> the
• c> informing<00:14:59.760> the receipt of communications informing the receipt of communications

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'M PROUD THIS FUNDING WAS SECURED TO SUPPORT MARINE LIFE AND THE COMMUNITY.
• The rescue highlights something special about our coastline communities.
• Among the victims were families from my community in Northern Virginia.
• Among the victims were families from my community in Northern Virginia.
• COMMUNITY, FOLKS WITH WHOLE LIVES AHEAD OF THEM.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 23, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm here to testify on behalf of the business community and the agricultural community.
• , really important that communities, that you start to have a posture that enables communities to think
• , the noise in their communities, the water that's used in their communities.
• Mateo Kushner with Community Water Center, and on behalf of Clean Water Action, Amigos of Los Rios, Communities
• Every community going through anything like this does.

Summary: The committee first heard SB 804, the Hydrogen Pipeline Safety Act, from Senator Arreguín. He said the bill would designate the State Fire Marshal as the safety regulator for intrastate hydrogen pipelines and require hydrogen-specific standards, while not mandating any pipeline construction or bypassing environmental review. Supporters included labor groups, utility employees, and the City of Burbank, while Air Products opposed unless amended, citing concerns about the bill’s specificity, fee structure, and the need for a hydrogen-specific rulemaking process. The committee discussed safety, fees, and regulatory certainty, and later passed SB 804 on a 9-0 vote to Emergency Management with commitment to take amendments. The committee then took up SB 905 by Senator Becker, aimed at reducing electricity rates by changing utility incentives. The bill would tie part of executive compensation to keeping rates below inflation, require more performance metrics, and allow the CPUC to consider lower returns on equity for certain lower-risk investments and alternative financing options. Support came from consumer, environmental, agricultural, and large energy user groups, while Southern California Edison, CalChamber, PG&E, and utility labor groups raised concerns that the bill could reduce investment, create regulatory uncertainty, and raise borrowing costs. After extensive discussion about utility affordability, wildfire costs, and capital markets, the committee passed SB 905 on a 7-1 vote to Appropriations. SB 913, also by Senator Becker, would create a clearer pathway for distributed energy resources such as batteries and smart thermostats to participate in the resource adequacy market and compete with utility-scale resources. Supporters said the bill would better use existing grid capacity, lower costs, and build on the state’s Demand Side Grid Support Program; PG&E opposed unless amended, saying the use case was not yet proven and was already being addressed in other rulemakings. After the committee accepted amendments, one opposition group moved to neutral and another said it might do so after reviewing the changes. The bill passed 8-0 to Appropriations and was placed on call. Several other measures were heard and advanced, including SB 1196 on faster utility hookups for small energization projects such as ADUs and EV chargers, SB 931 reauthorizing the Diablo Canyon Essential Services Mitigation Fund through 2028, SB 1158 reducing the frequency of joint reliability assessments from quarterly to twice yearly, and SB 1245 directing further study of California’s gasoline market and potential use of non-CARBOB fuel during supply disruptions. SB 1196 and SB 931 both passed with broad support and no opposition after amendments, SB 1158 passed without testimony, and SB 1245 drew strong support from consumer and environmental advocates but opposition from fuel industry and business groups concerned about costs, confidentiality, and fuel standards.

Transcript Highlights:

• Maplewood is a strong and diverse community with many assets, but like other communities that we've even
• Maplewood is a strong and diverse community with many assets, but like other communities that we've even
• Maplewood is a strong and diverse community with many assets, but like other communities that we've even
• shortage and support communities shortage and support communities Statewide<00:36:59.599> I'd
• in almost every one of our commun in almost every one of our commun unities<01:24:55.199> the

Bills: HF1746, HF2585, HF1159, HF2574, HF2839, HF157, HF158, HF160, HF338, HF512

Keywords: Oakdale, tax increment financing, local government, funding, urban development, tax increment, St. Paul, redevelopment, housing authority, housing trust fund, low-income housing, property taxation, Minnesota statutes, vacant property, housing, commercial to residential conversion, Minneapolis, urban redevelopment, public parks, tax capacity

Transcript Highlights:

• to meet a unique state local communities to meet a unique state standard.<00:08:57.040> Communities
• Communities who state aid standards.
• Um if a local community who roads.
• <01:07:39.599> We what the community is asking for. We what the community is asking for.
• Communities sitting there.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• community college system. community college system.
• done at the community college level. done at the community college level.
• training, and enrich our communities. training, and enrich our communities.
• . community. community.
• particular communities? I mean, if it's particular communities?

Keywords: 924, joint, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The County of Santa Cruz is the safety net for these communities, and these are communities that are
• Kristen Alcane, Director of Community Services, City of Palo Alto, in support.
• When the community is, there is an outcry in our community for accountability, where we are demanding
• The motion is do pass to the Housing and Community Development Committee.
• The motion is do pass to the Housing and Community Development Committee.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He is a longtime resident of my home community of Guadalupe.
• He is a longtime resident of my home community of Guadalupe.
• on my immigrant community.
• To my immigrant community, just remember these definitions.
• community.

Keywords: 1182, all