Transcript Highlights:

• As far as the SNAP program overall, if you want to talk about fraud, waste, and abuse, the big reason
• as trying to give every tool possible to incentivize this current administration to fix the fraud, waste
• as... ...to, so that the blame can't fall in the legislature as far as why potentially the fraud, waste
• incentivize this administration that won't be paying the bill next year to actually fix the fraud, waste
• So is there data that suggests how much of it is truly fraud, waste, and abuse, and how much is really

Summary: The House convened with prayer, a moment of silence for former Senator Don Childers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Officer Antonio Richardson as law enforcement officer of the day. The chamber announced it would take up 11 budget conference committee reports, with no third-reading bills or special-order calendar items. Members were reminded that conference reports were subject to debate but not amendment, and that the required review periods had been satisfied. The first major action was on HB 7031E, the tax package. Representative Duggan explained that the conference report included a mix of retained, modified, and new tax provisions, including sales tax holidays, property tax and homestead-related changes, reductions in certain gaming and carbon-related taxes, changes to child care and documentary stamp tax credits, a new refund process for public works construction tax paid by universities and colleges, and other tax administration changes. Debate focused on the bill’s consumer impact, the reduction of the child tax credit from three years to one, the inclusion of firearm accessories in a sales tax holiday, the absence of gas tax relief and combined reporting, and the homestead exemption provision for certain deployed diplomatic and foreign service personnel. Critics argued the package favored niche or corporate interests over broad affordability relief, while supporters said it provided targeted tax relief and reflected conference negotiations. The House adopted the conference report and passed HB 7031E by a vote of 88-11. The House then began presenting the conference report for HB 501E, the state budget, which totaled $114.5 billion for fiscal year 2026-27 and was described as below the prior year’s spending level while maintaining reserves. Subcommittee chairs outlined major budget areas: pre-K-12 funding included an increase in FEFP, salary increases for veteran teachers, stabilization funding, and support for declining enrollment; higher education included full Bright Futures funding, workforce programs, college operating support, university initiatives, and school guardian expansion; IT funding focused on Palm, ACCESS, APD’s I-Connect replacement, corrections systems, emergency management systems, and cybersecurity grants; health care funding covered Medicaid, nursing home rates, waiver provider increases, ADAP funding and restructuring, child welfare, and behavioral health; transportation and economic development included housing, cultural grants, jobs and rural infrastructure, Visit Florida, Space Florida, highway patrol equipment, and local transportation projects; justice funding included correctional construction, juvenile justice facilities, law enforcement grants, and clerk and due process reimbursements; state administration included fire stations, constrained counties, building maintenance, and Safe Florida Home; and agriculture/natural resources funding emphasized Everglades restoration, water quality, land acquisition, Florida Forever, state parks, and citrus research. Members then began questioning the budget details, including school voucher accountability, school funding formulas, public defender parity, prison technology, wastewater monitoring in prisons, ADAP policy, SNAP fraud controls and AI-assisted verification, Florida Forever funding, school lunch funding, and coral reef restoration. No final vote on HB 501E appears in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fremendum 39 for the waste to energy construction back in 1990.
• I countered with that and actually, as a positive, said, but it is cleaning up some of our waste.
• This is using solid waste as a renewable resource for energy. That's what this is, Mr. President.
• What is the cost of having an incineration unit to burn solid waste? How much does that cost?
• at this waste facility.

Bills: SB6061 , SB6234 , SB6176 , SB6335 , SB6047 , HB2235 , HB2340 , HB2464 , HB2619 , HB1376 , HB1796 , HB2091 , HB2249 , HB2254 , HB2353 , HB2431 , HB2441 , SB5808 , SB5949 , HB2124 , HB1069 , HB2104 , HB2624

Keywords: tourism, self-supported assessment, funding, statewide promotion, economic development, sewage, grinder pumps, residential buildings, regulation, construction, vehicle registration, enforcement, renewal, transportation, state law, state commission, infrastructure, traffic safety, responsibilities, state capital projects

Summary: The Senate received messages from the House transmitting several signed bills, then moved through a series of second- and third-reading actions on multiple measures. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2508, clarifying the scope and authority of the Office of Independent Investigations, was advanced to final passage without objection and passed 44-4. Senators supporting it described it as a technical housekeeping bill aligning statute with current practice, while noting it had broad support from law enforcement groups and the ACLU; opponents raised concerns about overlapping investigations and authority. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408, which dedicates a share of sales tax revenue from the stadium area to the South Downtown/Pioneer Square community preservation and development authority, was amended by a Ways and Means striking amendment declaring an emergency and then passed 47-1. Supporters said it would fund earthquake reinforcement, preservation, and community development in a historic district, with reporting and sunset provisions. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1500, dealing with resale certificates for common interest communities and homeowners associations, was amended to clarify disclosure and litigation provisions and passed 39-9. Substitute House Bill 1570, allowing collective bargaining for certain employees enrolled in academic programs at public institutions, failed an amendment to remove the emergency clause and then passed 29-19; supporters framed it as recognition of student workers’ organizing rights, while opponents warned it blurred student and employee roles. The Senate also passed Substitute House Bill 1390, repealing the Community Protection Program and directing participants into other developmental disability services, after rejecting a series of amendments that sought to preserve sex-offender-related restrictions, add assessments, damages, or prosecutorial review. The bill passed 29-20 amid sharp debate over whether the program was coercive and outdated or necessary to protect vulnerable people and communities. Other bills passed included Substitute House Bill 2114 on defective license plates, Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2471 on collective bargaining if the NLRB is unavailable, House Bill 1069 on bargaining over supplemental retirement contributions for Department of Corrections employees, House Bill 2441 expanding medical premium reimbursements for surviving spouses of line-of-duty deaths, and Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1710 adding preclearance requirements under the Washington Voting Rights Act; the voting rights bill drew opposition over local control and litigation concerns. The transcript ends during the roll call on final passage of Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1710.

Transcript Highlights:

• has documented that construction demolition waste has 200 times as much arsenic as clean wood.
• and</c> from trash or construction and from trash or construction and demolition<00:54:19.400><c> waste
• <c> unless</c><00:54:20.760><c> it</c><00:54:20.840><c> can</c><00:54:21.000><c> be</c> demolition waste
• demolition waste as a renewable<00:54:33.080><c> fuel,</c><00:54:33.880><c> yet</c><00:54:34.080><c>
• </c> green waste and so forth. green waste and so forth.

Bills: HB1736 , HB1620 , HB1695

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Environment

Keywords: animal control, spay and neuter, pet overpopulation, sterilization, counties funding, tax designation, veterinary care, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, energy policy, rebate program, environmental impact, renewable fuels, sustainable aviation fuel, tax credit, greenhouse gas emissions, local production, energy resilience, agricultural innovation, job creation

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1737, which clarifies allowable uses in agricultural districts for farm dwellings and farm employee housing, and HB 1604 HD2, which creates an agricultural workforce housing working group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Testimony on HB 1737 was overwhelmingly supportive, with county agriculture officials, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Farmers Union backing the measure; one witness asked for a definition of “affordable” to guard against misuse of farm housing. For HB 1604, the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Hawaii Farmers Union, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, with OHA requesting disaggregated data and a seat on the working group. Committee discussion focused on housing shortages, possible misuse, affordability, and whether innovative housing models such as modular, tiny, and container homes should be considered. The committee then took action on both measures. HB 1737 HD3 was recommended to pass with amendments that would limit farm employee housing to agricultural employees and their immediate family members actively engaged in the farm operation, add a grandfathering provision for existing permitted housing, preserve county zoning authority, clarify that ag tourism must be secondary and not occur in employee housing, delete a square-footage-per-acre ratio, and defer the effective date to July 1, 2050. HB 1604 HD2 was also recommended to pass with amendments adding OHA and a housing-shortage organization to the working group, expanding its scope to include modular, tiny, and container homes and permitting/zoning streamlining, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. Both motions were adopted unanimously by the members present. The joint hearing then moved to HB 1736, which would establish a spay and neuter special fund and require sterilization and declaration provisions for cats, with some discussion of dogs. DLNR and the Hawaiian Humane Society supported the bill, while Pacific Pet Alliance objected to the broader requirements and the inclusion of dogs; the Hawaiian Humane Society and American Bird Conservancy supported cat-focused sterilization and the special fund, while some testifiers opposed mandatory sterilization as too costly or intrusive. Members raised questions about toxoplasmosis, trap-neuter-release, enforcement, neighbor-island access, and funding needs, and DLNR indicated additional funding and third-party contracting would likely be needed. The transcript then began HB 1620 HD2 on energy, which would increase the environmental response energy and food security tax and shift funds from the hydrogen fueling subaccount to EV charging infrastructure; state agencies generally stood on written testimony in support, while the Tax Foundation objected to special fund earmarks and noted the bill raises only one part of the barrel tax structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's just a waste of money, and I ask you all to vote no on this bill for these reasons that I've said
• Further, this is just a waste of time for the legislative session and an embarrassment to We the People
• Further, this is just a waste of time for the legislative session and an embarrassment to We the People
• Further, this is just a waste of time for the legislative session and an embarrassment to We the People
• of taxpayer dollars right now a waste of taxpayer dollars right now and<01:14:17.920><c> um</c><01:14

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 114, which would create a presidential preference primary for the 2028 election. The Office of Elections said the bill would cost about $4.1 million. Supporters, including the Hawaii Democratic Party and the League of Women Voters, favored moving the process to a state-run primary, while several opponents, including the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women and multiple individual testifiers, argued it would be too expensive, would shift control away from the parties, and would replace volunteer-run caucuses with a mail-in system. Committee members questioned the chief election officer about election timing, certification, and how a primary might be scheduled with other elections. Testimony was recorded as 11 in support, 41 opposed, and 3 comments, and no vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then took up SB 725, which would require judges to make findings about a defendant’s ability to afford bail. Judiciary and Attorney General witnesses asked that the bill be deferred or amended, saying the Judicial Council is already reviewing pretrial bail reform and that the bill’s language could create practical problems for police, sheriffs, and courts. Supporters, including the Correctional System Oversight Commission, the public defender, the Community Alliance on Prisons, the ACLU of Hawaii, and disability rights advocates, said cash bail disproportionately harms low-income defendants, increases pretrial detention costs, and should require clearer findings and records. Opponents included the Hawaii County prosecuting attorney. Members questioned how bail is initially set, what records exist, and whether the bill would change current practice; Judiciary witnesses said initial bail decisions are often made by police or judges and later reviewed on the record, while supporters argued the bill would strengthen front-end due process. The ACLU said it supported the bill with amendments, including clearer standards for ability to pay and written findings. The committee also began hearing SB 733, a proposed constitutional amendment to establish a continuous legislative session. Early testimony was strongly supportive, with advocates arguing that the current 60-day session limits public participation, makes it hard for working people to testify, and prevents lawmakers from collaborating effectively. Supporters said a year-round model could improve transparency, reduce duplicate bills, and better accommodate neighbor island legislators. The excerpt ends during the opening testimony on SB 733, before any committee action or vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is time being wasted that could be spent on more productive things.
• There is time being wasted that could be spent on more productive things.
• So HB 431 is allowing composting of yard waste, food residue, and other organic materials to divert the
• waste going into our landfills, extending landfill life and reducing disposal costs.
• a lot of smaller farms that this will help out, and businesses that don't have to bring out their waste

Committee: Senate Executive

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles, most of the fuel that's going into that car's tank comes out as waste
• It's almost 80% of gasoline that goes into a tank yet is removed as mostly heat waste, but also tires
• creating what's called rolling resistance, and then also air resistance are the biggest drivers of that waste
• feedstocks include lipids like vegetable oils, used cooking oils, and animal fats, biomass, municipal solid waste
• , and other waste streams.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session on electric vehicles, renewable fuels, hydrogen, and related transportation investments, followed by public hearings on several bills. Agency presenters from WSDOT, Commerce, and Ecology described the Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council’s work, Washington’s slowing EV adoption growth, charging infrastructure gaps, and programs such as NEVI, ZEVIP, and a new medium- and heavy-duty incentive program. Members asked about fast-charging standards and whether higher-capacity chargers could be supported. Commerce also outlined renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuel efforts, including the Office of Renewable Fuels, hydrogen and SAF modeling, technical assistance, and the Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Accelerator’s partnerships and funding. WSDOT then discussed hydrogen investments in transit, aviation, backup power, and corridor planning, while Ecology explained the alternative jet fuel programmatic environmental impact statement, its scope, timeline, and how it will support future project review. In the public hearing on Substitute House Bill 2114, the committee heard testimony supporting a no-fee replacement process for defective license plates within two years of issuance, with optional fee waivers later; the sponsor and county auditors said peeling or unreadable plates are a real customer-service problem, especially in eastern Washington. The hearing on House Bill 2111 concerned allowing the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project toll facility bond retirement account to keep its interest earnings instead of sending them to the general fund; the prime sponsor said it is a straightforward fix requested by the state treasurer. Substitute House Bill 1823 would update Transportation Improvement Board statutes by replacing “non-motorized” with “active transportation” and removing obsolete references; TIB said it is a cleanup bill that aligns statutes with current grant practices and complete streets policy. The committee also heard House Bill 2495, which would let the City of Seattle direct immediate impoundment of unattended vehicles blocking streetcar operations, similar to existing authority for Sound Transit. Seattle’s streetcar manager said blocked tracks cause frequent delays and that the bill would reduce waits for police authorization and restore service faster. Public testimony and sign-in counts were noted for each bill, but no votes were taken in the transcript, and the meeting concluded after the final public hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• How is that balanced when this is an emphasis solely on financial savings and not potentially wasting
• time of business owners or wasting time of others who need help through our Of business owners or wasting
• And I felt like I was wasting my time and no one was listening to me.
• Typically, when we look at government contracts, we're looking at governmental waste or efficiency.

Bills: SB1415 , SB1714 , SB1962 , SB26 , SB172

Committee: Senate Retirement and Government Resources

Keywords: nondisclosure agreements, state employment, employee rights, transparency, government accountability, employee suggestions, cost savings, state agencies, incentives, performance awards, efficiency, Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act, state procurement, state purchasing, State Purchasing Director, Office of Management and Enterprise Services, OMES, exempt entities, purchasing exemptions, state contracts

Summary: The Committee on Retirement and Government Resources heard several bills dealing with state employment, purchasing, and retirement policy. Senate Bill 1415, by Senator Brooks, would prohibit nondisclosure agreements when a state employee resigns or is terminated, with exceptions for statutorily protected confidentiality such as physician or attorney privilege. Members questioned how the bill would interact with whistleblower protections and sensitive information, but the bill passed 6-1. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1714, by Senator Jett, which would expand an existing state employee suggestion/incentive program to encourage agencies to identify cost savings and efficiencies, require agencies to review recommendations in good faith, and report back on accepted or rejected ideas. Members raised concerns about open meetings, employee notification, written documentation of suggestions, and possible disputes over the value of savings. The author agreed to work on amendments, the title was struck, and the bill passed as amended 5-2. Senate Bill 1962, by Senator Bullard, would move certain purchasing exemptions out of statute and into the administrative rules process so exemptions must be periodically renewed and justified. Supporters said this would reduce personality-driven exemptions and improve oversight, while concerns were raised about ongoing needs and emergency situations. The bill passed unanimously 7-0. The committee also passed Senate Bill 26, which would allow retired teachers to return to work after a 90-day break with a salary set by local districts and a 3% contribution back to the retirement system, and Senate Bill 172, which would tie cost-of-living adjustments for pension systems to funding benchmarks and a rolling average, rather than legislative discretion; both bills passed, with SB 26 passing 7-0 and SB 172 passing 6-1. The chair noted the committee expected at least one more meeting and hoped to finish the following week.

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, we're wasting time and money on culture war bills while Alabamians are begging you to
• Then, as Susan mentioned, it was subsequently gutted and rendered ineffective while wasting taxpayer
• Ineffective while wasting taxpayer time and dollars.
• Don't waste our time and tax money. Block this bill. Thank you, Missan.
• This feels like a waste of time and money and a restriction on classroom discussions, which may cause

Bills: SB211 , HB96 , SB215 , SB257 , SB13 , SB13

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: school safety, local law enforcement, superintendent, complaints, school bus regulations, National Signing Day, athletic scholarships, military enlistment, postsecondary education, apprenticeship programs, high school students, educational commitments, education intervention, State Superintendent, local boards, provisional release, subpoena authority, compliance, educational operation control, fundraising

Transcript Highlights:

• , forestry waste, clean hydrogen, and even more.
• </c> Lake Winter Camina Municipal Solid Waste Lake Winter Camina Municipal Solid Waste forestry<00:26
• c><00:26:54.559><c> even</c> forestry waste clean hydrogen and even forestry waste clean hydrogen and
• The Northwest Minnesota feedstock, animal waste, food processing leftovers, yard waste, and other feedstock
• food processing leftovers animal waste food processing leftovers yard<00:56:32.680><c> waste</c><00:

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Bills: SR28 , SB201 , SB1379 , SB1525 , SB1966 , SB2112 , SB2170 , HB2749 , HB3262 , HB3265 , HB3673 , HB3781 , HB3040 , HB3076 , HB3369 , HB3982 , HB3462 , HB3465 , HB3521 , HB3796 , HB3800 , HB4095 , HB4298 , HB4316 , HB4338 , HB4408 , HB4454

Keywords: alpha-gal syndrome, alpha gal, tick-borne illness, tick bite allergy, red meat allergy, meat allergy, dairy allergy, anaphylaxis, Lyme disease, public health, tick prevention, vector-borne disease, allergy awareness, May awareness month, Oklahoma Department of Health, outdoor safety, health education, research funding, minimum salary, education funding

Bills: SR28 , SB201 , SB1379 , SB1525 , SB1966 , SB2112 , SB2170 , HB2749 , HB3262 , HB3265 , HB3673 , HB3781 , HB3040 , HB3076 , HB3369 , HB3982 , HB3462 , HB3465 , HB3521 , HB3796 , HB3800 , HB4095 , HB4298 , HB4316 , HB4338 , HB4408 , HB4454

Keywords: alpha-gal syndrome, alpha gal, tick-borne illness, tick bite allergy, red meat allergy, meat allergy, dairy allergy, anaphylaxis, Lyme disease, public health, tick prevention, vector-borne disease, allergy awareness, May awareness month, Oklahoma Department of Health, outdoor safety, health education, research funding, minimum salary, education funding

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a special family recitation of the Declaration of Independence by Senator Hamilton’s children. The chamber then adopted SR 28, recognizing May as Alpha-Gal Awareness and Prevention Month in Oklahoma and encouraging awareness, prevention, and research on alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne allergic condition. Senator Seifried also introduced constituents affected by alpha-gal. Later, the Senate heard a gallery introduction from advocates for victims of impaired driving, highlighting the toll of DUI-related crashes in Oklahoma. The Senate then took up several House amendments and final-passage votes on bills. SB 201, clarifying that a teacher pay raise applies to certified classroom teachers, passed 47-0 and was advanced as an emergency. SB 1379, SB 1525, SB 1966, SB 2112, and SB 2170 also passed after adoption of House amendments, with SB 1525 and SB 1379 advanced as emergency measures. SB 1525 raised the threshold for contracting to host a conference from $25,000 to $75,000, and SB 1966 served as the annual omnibus highway, memorial highway, and bridge designation bill. Among the House bills considered, HB 3262 increased the sheriff fee for service of process from $50 to $100 and passed 37-8. HB 3265 allowed a psychologist to make PTSD determinations for the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System and passed 47-0. HB 3781, a major insurance modernization bill changing rate-filing procedures for homeowners insurance and expanding the insurance commissioner’s review authority, passed 39-6 after extended debate over transparency, regulation, and market impact. HB 3040 expanded sex-offender loitering restrictions around businesses serving minors and passed 40-4, while HB 3076 authorized alternative teacher certification providers under OEQA oversight and passed 38-6 as an emergency measure. The chamber also passed HB 3369, a deregulation and efficiency bill affecting fire suppression and LP gas inspections, HB 2749, which shifted an intergenerational education program toward a Medicaid state plan amendment, HB 3982 on fleet vehicle titling, HB 3462 creating a shorter residential-only plumbing licensure pathway, HB 3465 extending the Oklahoma Emission Reduction Technology Rebate Program to 2029, HB 3521 modernizing money transmission law, HB 3796 as an Oklahoma Insurance Department omnibus bill, HB 3800 as a roofing-industry cleanup bill, and HB 4095 modernizing the 211 hotline advisory council. Several of these measures drew debate over regulation, workforce needs, public safety, or fiscal and policy impacts, but all of the listed bills ultimately passed by recorded vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's not a true waste-to-energy plant cuz it's dirty.
• That's not a true waste-to-energy plant cuz it's dirty.
• That's not a true waste-to-energy plant cuz it's dirty.
• That's not a true waste-to-energy plant cuz it's dirty.
• That's not a true waste-to-energy plant cuz it's dirty.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee heard and considered a long list of Governor’s messages for appointments to state boards and commissions, including the Board of Dentistry, Barbering and Cosmetology, Speech Pathology and Audiology, Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board, Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board, Real Estate Commission, Board of Naturopathic Medicine, State Boxing Commission, Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects, Hawaii Medical Board, Board of Physical Therapy, Board of Pharmacy, and the Public Utilities Commission. Most nominees and supporting agencies testified in support, and many nominees simply stood on their written testimony. Several nominees also answered questions about their experience and the issues facing their boards, including dental insurance and Medicaid concerns, condo and real estate disputes, pharmacy regulation and telepharmacy, boxing and MMA rule updates, and medical board service in rural areas. The committee discussed some contested or notable nominations in more detail. Richard Emery’s nomination to the Real Estate Commission drew opposition testimony tied to a condo management dispute, and he responded by emphasizing the need for factual evidence, mediation and complaint data, and better consumer education. Trinette Kahui and Andrea Ushijima were also nominated to the Real Estate Commission, with broad support. For the Boxing Commission, Robin Jumawan described ongoing statutory updates, MMA-related work, and delegation of amateur boxing rules. For the Hawaii Medical Board, Elizabeth Ignacio was strongly endorsed by state and industry witnesses as highly qualified and familiar with rural health issues, while Rebecca Sawai also received support from the board and Kaiser Permanente. In the decision-making portion, the committee moved to advise and consent to nearly all nominees on the agenda. Senator McKelvey stated reservations about Richard Emery due to opposition and possible conflicts, and also about nominees who were not present at the hearing, specifically Corrine Muldrow Soto and Stacie Kealoha Inouye; Senator Lamasao also noted reservations on those absent nominees. The chair disclosed personal acquaintance with Dr. Sawai and Andrea Ushijima. The committee then voted to adopt the recommendations, with the noted reservations and one no vote on GM 697 reflected in the record, and later reconvened to take up Governor’s Message 514/515 for John Etemura as chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, where additional support testimony was heard from the Governor’s office, DCCA, and former consumer advocacy staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• is requesting $2.6 million in fiscal year 2026-27 and ongoing and 12 permanent positions from the Waste
• that we recommended in our report and the issues are more that, again, we haven’t used, you know, waste
• that we recommended in our report and the issues are more that, again, we haven't used, you know, waste
• The State Water Board requests $1 million in ongoing funds and four permanent positions from the Waste
• The budget change proposal also requests $500,000 annually between 2026–27 and 2028–29 from the Waste

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Not only have millions upon millions of taxpayer dollars been wasted in the name of DEI, this philosophy
• has fostered... ...taxpayer dollars have been wasted in the name of DEI, this philosophy has fostered
• Much of the division of our people and wasted money is occurring in municipal and county government.
• I will not waste time trying to appeal to your heart.
• I will not waste time trying to appeal to your heart.

Committee: House Commerce Committee

Summary: The committee first considered CS/HB 1263 on the Office of Insurance Regulation. The sponsor said the bill would strengthen OIR’s tools to oversee property insurance, including market conduct and solvency exams, claims handling oversight, mandatory discounts for certain mitigation measures, storage of mitigation inspection forms, and clearer authority over pharmacy benefit managers. An amendment narrowing fingerprinting requirements was adopted, and the bill passed favorably after supportive testimony from OIR and others. Members then heard CS/HB 527, which would require a human review before an insurance claim can be denied or reduced when artificial intelligence or automated systems are used. After an amendment removing the term “algorithm” was adopted, the bill drew opposition from several insurance industry groups, while consumer and labor witnesses supported it. The sponsor argued the measure was needed after reports of AI-driven claim denials, and the bill passed favorably. The committee also approved CS/HB 637 on farm equipment “lemon law” protections, with an amendment clarifying who qualifies as a consumer, refund rights, repair timelines, and an effective date. The committee next took up CS/HB 1007 on data centers, which would create a regulatory framework for siting and operating large data centers, limit NDAs in some circumstances, set PSC tariff requirements, and restrict certain locations near homes and schools. After an amendment narrowing the five-mile buffer to data centers over 50 megawatts and adding noise-study requirements, the bill drew mixed testimony from business, consumer, and local-government groups, with supporters emphasizing guardrails and opponents warning about competitiveness and site restrictions. The bill passed favorably despite several no votes. Later, the committee approved CS/HB 1291 on the NICA birth-related neurological injury compensation program after a strike-all amendment revised reimbursement and assessment provisions; testimony included support from NICA and concerns from the Florida Justice Association and a family affected by the program. The committee also passed CS/HB 185 on a sales tax exemption for home-hardening products, CS/HB 425 on a historic African-American cemetery preservation program, CS/CS/CS/HB 1177 on Space Florida and spaceport operations, CS/CS/CS/HB 657 on community associations and HOA/condo reforms, and CS/CS/HB 1221, the DFS agency package. The final bill discussed was CS/HB 1001, which would restrict county and municipal DEI-related actions and contracting; the sponsor explained the strike-all, and members began questioning its definitions and exceptions, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s final disposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• represent over 400 members across North America, which produce over 90% of renewable natural gas, turning waste
• Renewable natural gas, or RNG, captures methane from landfills and waste gases that would otherwise be
• smart, results-driven pathway to lower emissions and support local economies while putting otherwise waste

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a public hearing on bills related to transportation, telecommunications, and utilities, with Senators Eldridge, Rausch, and Jehlen and House members including Co-Chair Madaro, Leader Donato, Representatives Paulino, Wells, Gómez, and Plouffe present. The chairs reviewed hearing procedures, deadlines for written testimony, and the new joint rules governing action on bills. No votes were taken; the hearing was for testimony only and was adjourned after public comment. Testimony began with strong support for Senate Bill 1998 and House Bill 3230, An Act Enhancing Renewable Heating Solutions for the Commonwealth. A representative of the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas said the bill would help decarbonize heating by allowing utilities to use renewable natural gas and other qualified renewable fuels, while also supporting jobs and local economic development. The committee then heard support for House Bill 4082, which would make the Title V septic tax credit refundable; the Falmouth Water Quality Management Committee said this would better help lower- and middle-income homeowners facing costly septic upgrades or sewer connections in nitrogen-sensitive coastal areas. The committee also heard opposition to House Bill 4080 and Senate Bill 1924 from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which argued that higher aviation fuel taxes would not be justified without a clear aeronautical use for the revenue and noted federal restrictions on aviation fuel tax proceeds. In contrast, a coalition opposing private jet expansion supported Senate Bill 1924, saying a higher jet fuel tax would better align tax policy with climate and public health goals and help address aviation emissions. Finally, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council supported House Bill 3050 on regional ballot initiatives, arguing that local revenue tools could help cities and towns fund transportation projects and reduce pressure on state transportation dollars.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, it's still there, but you raise it so far high up that, well, you all can continue to waste and waste
• and waste and spend and spend without any sort of concern that you'll ever hit this spending limit.
• Oh, it's still there, but you raise it so far high up that, well, you all can continue to waste and waste
• and waste and spend and spend without any sort of concern that you'll ever hit this spending limit.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• lead to an environment where very smart, sophisticated policy could unlock a significant amount of wasted
• And when I talk about wasted energy...
• When I talk about wasted energy, when I talk about wasted energy, I'm referring to the excess of wind
• And it is a chart that tracks how much wasted energy comes from wind and solar.
• And when we talk about wasted energy in the context of wind and solar, what I mean to say is, you have

Committee: House Banking and Finance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The act allows for funding to be used for water, wastewater, solid waste, roads, housing, and flood control
• grant loan is primarily to develop colonias infrastructure and may include water, wastewater, solid waste
• The Rural Infrastructure Fund and their Solid Waste Facility Grant Fund would also not receive one.
• The Solid Waste Facility Grant Fund would also not receive one.
• I don't even know if they still operate the Solid Waste Facility Grant Fund.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesotans can look forward to new measures that will strengthen election integrity and reduce government waste
• Minnesotans can look forward to new measures that will strengthen election integrity and reduce government waste
• Minnesotans can look forward to new measures that will strengthen election integrity and reduce government waste
• Minnesotans can look forward to new measures that will strengthen election integrity and reduce government waste
• Minnesotans can look forward to new measures that will strengthen election integrity and reduce government waste

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to be able to take down a fence, the release site must not have a positive test result of chronic wasting
• to be able to take down a fence, the release site must not have a positive test result of chronic wasting
• must certify that no deer released on the site has been associated with a positive result of chronic wasting
• The site has been associated with a positive result of chronic wasting disease.
• all of these things should be taken into accountability when we're taking our public dollars and wasting

Summary: The Senate first adopted a motion to move the intent calendar deadline to 4 p.m. and then took up several bills by suspending the regular order of business. Senate Bill 2031, concerning removal of high fences around breeder deer release sites, passed after an amendment shortened the testing period from five years to three, tied visible identification requirements to the date Parks and Wildlife began requiring them, and made the bill effective immediately. Senate Bill 1490, a cleanup to adult charter high school funding, and Committee Substitute Senate Bill 2227, creating a process for delayed birth certificates and renamed the Charles E. Barton Act, both passed unanimously after floor amendments. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1964, regulating artificial intelligence systems used by state agencies, also passed unanimously after the author described guardrails for high-risk AI and disclosure requirements. The Senate then considered Senate Bill 2877, which increases penalties for election fraud and related attempts; after debate over whether existing law already covers some conduct and whether the bill was necessary given the small number of convictions, it passed to engrossment and later final passage on a 21-10 vote. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 2658, on brackish groundwater production and study, passed after four amendments, including one giving water districts authority to stop production if monitoring shows harm to freshwater supplies or subsidence and another returning a portion of transported water revenue to districts. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 648, strengthening recording requirements for real property instruments to help prevent deed theft, also passed on a 26-4 vote. Other measures approved included Committee Substitute Senate Bill 401, making it easier for homeschool students to participate in UIL activities through local district opt-in/nearest-district participation rules; Committee Substitute Senate Bill 407, requiring health care facilities to honor conscience or religious vaccine exemptions for employees, despite extensive questioning about patient safety and immunocompromised patients; Committee Substitute Senate Bill 2117, creating a Texas Committee on Foreign Investment to review risky foreign acquisitions; Senate Bill 1718, adding the NRA annual meeting to the major events reimbursement program after a failed amendment seeking equal space for gun-control advocacy; Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1626, clarifying limits on censorship and interference with digital expression by social media platforms; and Senate Bill 2206, updating the state R&D franchise tax credit and related sales tax treatment, which passed 31-0. The chamber also debated Senate Bill 1395 on school health advisory councils. An initial amendment to restore voting seats for teachers and school employees failed, but a later amendment by Senator West added students back in an advisory, non-voting capacity. The Senate then handled routine motions, committee scheduling, first-reading referrals, and adjourned until April 29, with the session ending in memory of two constituents.