Transcript Highlights:

• of Richland city of Pasco I'm not exactly sure if I'm the city of Richland, city of Pasco, I'm not exactly
• I got to serve on that work group as an AWC representative for small cities.
• I mean, the trails in each city could... ...city, I mean, the trails in each city could work independently
• For example, if a city has 10 different transit stations, simply investing a small amount of infrastructure
• It was partly inspired by a new program in the city and county of Denver.

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:

• Cloud, the City of St.
• If they're a small business, we have many small business programs where an up-and-coming manufacturer
• We see those programs work.
• We just launched through the SSBCI, State Small Business Credit Initiative program, another $167 million
• SSBCI, State Small Business Credit Initiative program, another $167 million in small business capital

Summary: The Careers and Workforce Subcommittee met for its first meeting of the year, took roll, and heard member introductions centered on the importance of workforce pathways beyond the traditional four-year college route. Members repeatedly emphasized manufacturing, trades, rural workforce needs, apprenticeships, and helping students and adults find multiple paths to good jobs. The chair outlined the subcommittee’s focus on policies that build a skilled workforce and announced the day’s theme would be manufacturing, with presentations from the Florida Department of Commerce, the Florida Semiconductor Institute, and Fleet Force CDL training. Secretary Alex Kelly presented Florida’s manufacturing report, saying manufacturing is a major economic driver and that Florida has become the 10th largest state in manufacturing employment. He highlighted strong job multipliers, rapid growth in manufacturing GDP and establishments, the importance of logistics and ports, and the state’s small-business-heavy manufacturing base. He also stressed the aging manufacturing workforce, the need for modern skills such as robotics, cybersecurity, and data analytics, and the role of public-private partnerships, apprenticeships, and workforce education investments in supporting reshoring and industry growth. Dr. David Arnold described Florida’s semiconductor sector and the Florida Semiconductor Institute’s mission to grow research, workforce, and ecosystem development. He said semiconductors are strategically important, Florida ranks fifth nationally in semiconductor workforce, and the main bottleneck is mid-level technician talent rather than engineers or entry-level workers. He pointed to NeoCity, Valencia College, and other regional partnerships as models, and said the state needs more proactive planning, better instructor capacity, and stronger pathways from K-12 through postsecondary. Evan Agiloff of Fleet Force discussed Florida’s CDL shortage, saying trucking is essential to the supply chain, Florida has about 18,000 open CDL positions, and Fleet Force’s college-based model can quickly move students into middle-class jobs. Members asked about apprenticeships, CTE pathways, semiconductor training, infrastructure needs, and how to expand and better fund workforce programs; no votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're coordinating with cities.
• of the city?
• And you had development happening based on city standards.
• So cities large and small, east and west, where they would like to have the opportunity for an application
• Yes, many cities have.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a small commission.
• , then I know that the city will have to look at cutting other services, programs, things like that.
• as well as the big cities.
• Small towns and villages as well as the big cities, and they need to be addressed, and that will not
• Small employer plans are regulated by state law.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• city or a small city, that's going to add up.
• Azusa is a small, diverse city with a population just under 50,000 residents.
• Azusa is a small, diverse city with a population just under 50,000 residents.
• suggests that small cities regularly provide public remote access at low cost, small cities will still
• When they have the high-risk audit program, when the cities, when they issued their follow-up reports

Summary: The committee first heard SB 753, which would modernize California’s shopping cart recovery rules by allowing cities and counties to return abandoned carts directly to retailers, recover documented retrieval costs, and avoid the current impound-and-wait process. The author and supporters, including San Jose officials and the League of California Cities, said the bill would help clear streets, sidewalks, and waterways and reduce local costs. Grocers and retailers opposed the measure unless amended, arguing it would turn cart retrieval into a new cost burden and could create incentives for cities to charge too much for stolen property. After extensive discussion about notice periods, cost caps, and local ordinances, the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill 6-0 as amended. The committee then took up SB 445, which would speed up permitting and approvals needed for high-speed rail by requiring early engagement, setting rules for third-party coordination, and creating a dispute-resolution process. The author said the bill was narrowed from an earlier, broader transit proposal and was intended to reduce delays caused by utilities, local governments, and other entities. Supporters said permitting bottlenecks add major costs and delays to infrastructure projects, while opponents from utilities, cities, counties, telecoms, and special districts raised concerns about safety, reliability, affordability, and the need to review the pending amendments. The bill passed 8-1 to the Utilities and Energy Committee. The committee also heard SB 9, a narrower housing bill focused on accessory dwelling units. The author explained that it would require local ADU ordinances to be submitted to HCD for review and would make state standards control if a local agency fails to submit a compliant ordinance or respond to HCD findings. Supporters from housing and YIMBY groups said the bill would improve enforcement of state ADU law and prevent local barriers from slowing housing production. There was no opposition, and the bill passed 6-0. The committee then began hearing SB 79, which would allow more housing near major transit stops; the author and supporters framed it as a response to the housing shortage and transit underuse, and the hearing continued with extensive support testimony as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Very important program.
• And I'm excited to talk to you today about the dual credit program at Valley City State University and
• It has the potential to help expand a program in a small school.
• So far we've heard from Lake Region, Valley City State University, two of our great higher ed programs
• So far we've heard from Lake Region, Valley City State University, two of our great higher ed programs

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• so the city law enforcement in the city so the city law enforcement in the city so the city had reached
• tripod um you know task force state city tripod um you know task force state city and county and be
• has been and our sheriff and U our city has been and our sheriff and U our city has been pleased with
• the other one start to kind mayor City the other one start to kind mayor City the other one start to
• safer together program a potential the safer together program a potential the safer together program

Keywords: sessions, 2025-R, 1, 219

Transcript Highlights:

• On line 68 is a one-time aid program to reimburse cities for the costs of federal immigration enforcement
• Paul related to city of South St.
• </c> from the city of Minneapolis. from the city of Minneapolis.
• Zone program.
• </c> shortly after the program opens. shortly after the program opens.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we're attempting through SB 99 to make the small...
• And so we're attempting through SB 299 to make the small change.
• designated as local health jurisdictions—the City of Berkeley, the City of Pasadena, and the City of
• Currently, the City of Berkeley—the city I was proud to serve on the Berkeley City Council and as mayor
• housing programs.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Human Services met on January 12, 2026, beginning without a quorum but hearing four bills. SB 557 by Senator Hurtado would update California’s statutory definition of family resource centers to align with the federal definition and reflect their prevention-focused, low- or no-cost, multi-generational role. Supporters from the Child Abuse Prevention Center and California Family Resource Association said the change would clarify state law and help position California for future federal partnerships; no opposition was heard. SB 299 by Senator Cabaldon would correct a prior CEQA exemption for child care facilities so it applies in residential as well as nonresidential areas. Supporters, including Napa County Supervisor Liz Alessio and the Rural County Representatives of California, said the current language unintentionally blocks child care projects in places families need them most and has been used to delay or stop projects; several local government and early care organizations also supported the bill, and there was no opposition. SB 837 by Senator Gomez-Reyes would require aging and disability resource connection programs to provide disaster and emergency preparedness training tailored to older adults and people with disabilities. Testimony from the California Commission on Aging and the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers emphasized recent wildfire deaths and the need for better evacuation and preparedness support; no opposition was presented. SB 479 by Senator Arreguín would allow the cities of Berkeley, Pasadena, and Long Beach, as local health jurisdictions, to use multidisciplinary homeless response teams and share specified information across teams and departments, similar to counties under existing law. Supporters said the bill would improve coordination and outcomes for unsheltered residents, while noting confidentiality safeguards already exist; a privacy letter from Oakland Privacy was mentioned, but no formal opposition testified. After quorum was established, the committee voted 5-0 to pass each bill: SB 299 to Senate Environmental Quality, SB 557 and SB 837 to Senate Appropriations, and SB 479 to Senate Judiciary. All four measures were placed on call briefly and then cleared with unanimous votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• The program of LBT is a starting point for businesses to engage in their city.
• Two case examples of that are the City of Lakeland and the City of Crestview.
• That is the City of Lakeland and the City of Crestview.
• tax receipt program.
• We support many small businesses.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on March 13, 2025, for its first meeting of the session, with member and staff introductions followed by consideration of several tax-related bills. The committee first heard HJR 163 and its implementing bill HB 165, which would extend the homestead property tax exemption for quadriplegics to surviving spouses, similar to the treatment for surviving spouses of certain disabled veterans. Sponsor Rep. Tant and constituent J.R. Harding described the financial and caregiving burdens faced by spouses of quadriplegics. The committee heard supportive testimony from the Florida Association of Property Appraisers and members voted both measures favorably without opposition. The committee then considered HB 785 on heated tobacco products. Rep. Tramont said the bill would create a new tax/regulatory category for the product, and an amendment clarifying the definition was adopted. The James Madison Institute offered a resource on the issue, the Florida Retail Federation waived in support, and Ranking Member Eskamani said she had concerns about the excise tax treatment and would vote no. The bill passed 16-1. Next, HB 321, a property tax exemption clarification for homes for the aged, was presented by Rep. Smith as a technical “glitch bill” to align state law with IRS tax code and ease development of low-income senior housing. It drew supportive testimony and passed unanimously. The final bill, HB 503 by Rep. Botana, would cap local government revenue from local business taxes and require refunds if collections exceed the cap, with carve-outs for fiscally constrained areas. Local government and economic development groups, including the Florida League of Cities, the City of Winter Haven, the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, and the Florida Association of Counties, opposed the bill, arguing it would limit funding for public safety, inspections, economic development, and other services and create administrative refund problems. Several members supported the bill as a tax-cutting measure, while others warned of impacts on local services and revenue flexibility. The committee reported HB 503 favorably on a 14-5 vote, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And most cities have an ordinance that's already in place that requires And most cities have an ordinance
• So if the City of Berkeley is entering, or if the City of Oakland is entering into such an agreement
• It's on city-owned land.
• For a small developer, the certainty is key. For a small developer, the certainty is key.
• They're small—10 units or less.

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on wildfire resilience, land use, and local government authority. SB 911 would require notification to fire agencies when a home in a high fire severity zone is sold under an agreement to complete defensible space compliance; the California Association of Realtors said it would drop opposition if the bill is amended to use the preliminary change of ownership report, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 994 would bar local officials from entering nondisclosure agreements that prevent them from sharing information with the elected decision makers of their jurisdiction; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it passed 4-0 as amended. The consent calendar, including SB 958 and several other bills, was also adopted 4-0. The committee then took up SB 1041, which would expand PACE financing for wildfire home-hardening improvements statewide and add consumer protections, hardship provisions, and reporting requirements. Supporters, including Renew Financial and Cal Fire Local 2881, argued it would help homeowners finance fire-resistant roofs, vents, and other upgrades. Opponents, including homeowner advocates, county tax collectors, mortgage lenders, and consumer groups, warned that PACE has a history of contractor abuse, high costs, liens that survive bankruptcy, and risks to vulnerable homeowners. After extended debate, the bill advanced 3-2 to Appropriations and remained on call. SB 1075 would require local governments in AB 617 communities to consider air-quality impacts and community emissions reduction plans when approving certain commercial and industrial projects. Environmental justice supporters said the bill would help implement long-promised pollution reductions in heavily burdened communities, while business, local government, planning, and industry groups argued it duplicated CEQA and existing permitting processes, created litigation risk, and could deter investment and jobs. The bill passed 3-2 and remained on call. SB 958, relating to the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego, was presented as a path for a long-planned housing and entertainment project with at least 4,250 homes, including 2,000 affordable units, and it passed 3-0 to Appropriations. Finally, SB 1182 would require local governments to consider insurance availability in safety planning for development in high fire hazard areas. The author said the bill responds to rising insurance costs and the Fair Plan’s growth, while supporters said it would better align land-use decisions with wildfire risk. Opponents and some committee members argued the bill was too vague, could burden cities, and would not solve the underlying insurance market problem. The discussion was ongoing when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Funding will align Ramsey County HRA levy spending program areas and staff who will partner with cities
• Funding will align Ramsey County HRA levy spending program areas and staff who will partner with cities
• Funding will align Ramsey County HRA levy spending program areas and staff who will partner with cities
• You might be told that the fee program in some cities acts as a deterrent and should be protected.
• /c> that the fee program in some cities acts that the fee program in some cities acts as<01:44:31.119

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been to these small towns.
• So what we do is work very closely with cities, an example of a city we worked with recently, Santa Rosa
• Next city.
• cities, both administrators and city police, the ability to tackle illicit behavior on their own.
• and Chinese programs.

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five regulatory entities: the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Board of Psychology, the Physician Assistant Board, the Podiatric Medical Board, and the California Massage Therapy Council. Across the hearing, each entity described recent accomplishments, licensing and enforcement workload, workforce shortages, and efforts to modernize processes. Common themes included streamlining licensure, expanding access to care, addressing telehealth or emerging technology, and balancing consumer protection with workforce needs. For the Board of Behavioral Sciences, members discussed workforce shortages in mental health, supervision barriers, telehealth confidentiality, AI in therapy, interstate compacts, school-based services, and military spouse licensure. The board said it has expanded outreach, improved licensing processes, and created temporary practice authority tracking, while also expressing concern about counseling compacts and emphasizing California-specific law, ethics, and cultural competency. Public commenters supported the board’s work and the possible move to a national MFT exam, while also urging more resources. The Board of Psychology highlighted fee adjustments, streamlined licensure pathways, enforcement process improvements, new CPD requirements, and proposed changes including a psychotherapist-client privilege exception for investigations. Committee members and public witnesses focused heavily on that privilege proposal, with some members opposing it as too broad and privacy-invasive, while the board argued it is needed to obtain records in bias and sexual misconduct cases. The board also discussed workforce shortages, processing improvements, and the use of inactive status for psychological associates. The Physician Assistant Board reported growth in the PA workforce and education programs, SB 697 implementation, and financial pressure from rising enforcement costs. The main policy debate centered on physician-to-PA ratios and practice agreements, with board representatives and many public commenters arguing that current restrictions limit access to care, especially in rural areas, while the California Medical Association defended the need for explicit ratios and agreements. The board also discussed AI, fee increases, and tracking temporary practice authority. The Podiatric Medical Board described licensing and renewal reforms, residency expansion, enforcement support, and budget constraints, while public testimony raised concerns about a proposed fee increase and about reimbursement parity and practice recognition for podiatrists. Finally, the California Massage Therapy Council defended the certification model over licensure, citing lower costs, local government collaboration, anti-trafficking work, and its role in vetting applications and disciplining bad actors; no formal votes or final actions were taken during this portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• These programs work.
• First, I took small jobs.
• We're actually the ones that run the programs, operate the programs to try to help incentive programs
• to a voucher program.
• It focuses on a small number of the state's largest cities and will also allow other cities that want

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In terms of context, AIO is a small city that functions as a service center for the broader region.
• In terms of context, AIO is a small city that functions as a service center for the broader region.
• In terms of context, AIO is a small city that functions as a service center for the broader region.
• > our</c> service uh a small city can provide, our service uh a small city can provide, our size<00:12
• Oak Park Heights is a small city of less than 5,000 residents located on the St. Croix River.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We would suggest instead a pilot program with a small cohort of counties and cities.
• Many of your cities are self-insured, right? Is that correct? We do have self-insured cities.
• The program Commerce administers the low-income residential weatherization program.
• It builds on a proven program that has worked for decades, allowing limited resources to program, it
• scale up the program.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on February 6, 2026, and first voted to suspend the five-day notice rule for all bills on the agenda. Senators Braun and Gildon objected, arguing the bill needed more public review and that the fiscal note had only just been released, but a roll call vote passed 15-9 and the committee proceeded to Senate Bill 6346. Staff briefed SB 6346 as a proposal to create a 9.9% income tax on Washington taxable income above a $1 million per-household standard deduction, with a $50,000 charitable deduction, apportionment rules for nonresidents and certain professions, quarterly estimated payments, and credits for capital gains tax and certain business taxes. Staff said the tax would begin in 2029 and eventually raise about $3.5 billion annually from roughly 30,000 taxpayers. The bill also would expand the Working Families Tax Credit, create a sales tax exemption for grooming and hygiene products, increase the small business B&O tax credit and filing threshold, and end the B&O surcharge on high-grossing businesses one year early. Members questioned the bill’s constitutionality, its exemption from referendum, treatment of student athletes, natural-resource industries, and whether real estate gains would be captured. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including labor groups, educators, health care advocates, counties, child care workers, and some business owners and high-income individuals, said the bill would make the tax code more progressive and provide stable funding for health care, education, child care, public defense, and other services, while expanding the Working Families Tax Credit. Opponents, including many small business, construction, housing, and taxpayer advocates, argued the measure would function as a tax on pass-through businesses and retained earnings, harm housing production and investment, encourage wealthy residents and businesses to leave the state, and violate the state constitution or the will of voters. No final action on SB 6346 was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I wanted to thank Senator Gowan for actually starting this program.
• But the majority of the cities, except for the last three, those were the first cities that signed up
• Small modular reactors have the potential...
• It should be zero, but it's a very small amount.
• This is a pretty small tool in our toolbox.

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several appropriation and policy bills. SB 1488 would appropriate $600,000 for a workforce development study on coal-impacted communities in northern Arizona, especially areas affected by the closure of Navajo Generating Station and related coal operations; supporters described it as a needed transition study, and it received a do-pass recommendation. SB 1523 would provide $340,000 to the Navajo Nation for the Ganado waterline pipeline project serving 235 homes; testimony emphasized long-standing lack of safe drinking water, and the bill also received a do-pass recommendation. SB 1041 would appropriate $500,000 to the Arizona Trail Fund; supporters highlighted the trail’s statewide recreational and cultural value, and it passed with a do-pass recommendation. SB 1447 would extend the groundwater withdrawal fee moratorium and related Pinal AMA fund provisions through 2033; irrigation district representatives said the extension would help maintain infrastructure amid Colorado River shortages, and it was also recommended do-pass. The committee also considered several regulatory bills. SB 1445 would let smaller cities and towns use approved on-site bacteriological testing equipment and limit required sampling frequency for certain ADEQ permits; the sponsor said it would save small towns money, while some members raised concerns about limiting sampling during discharge events, but the bill still received a do-pass recommendation. SB 1580 would appropriate $2.545 million for a statewide fire incident management platform for fire and law enforcement agencies; supporters said it would improve accountability, information sharing, and interoperability, while one member objected to the targeted funding approach, and the bill passed on a 5-3 vote. SB 1418 would streamline siting and permitting for small modular nuclear reactors in smaller counties, especially when co-located with large industrial users; supporters argued it would help energy reliability and rural economic development, while opponents warned it would weaken local review and environmental safeguards, and it passed 5-3. The committee took up two bills involving consumer protections and access. SB 1419 would add inspection and disclosure requirements for rooftop solar installations and restrict sales claims about estimated savings; supporters said it responded to consumer complaints about roof damage and misleading sales practices, while opponents argued it would burden rooftop solar and restrict speech. After extensive testimony, including from county officials, former ROC leadership, and solar industry representatives, the bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 6-2 vote. SB 1363 would create a rural opportunity initiative to issue additional marijuana-related licenses for underserved rural communities; supporters said it would improve access and reduce illicit-market activity, while opponents argued the bill was confusing and could expand licenses too broadly. The committee ultimately recommended the bill do pass on an 8-0 vote, with members noting possible amendments before floor consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we also got a small increase in K-1w2 programs.
• We've been able to increase our program count by 272 programs.
• Just to remind the committee, what we do in K-12 programs is we offer program support.
• There's no FA program there.
• City landscape.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To my knowledge, there's not a grant program available for the small ones, but that's what he's going
• There are no grant programs like this available today.
• There are no grant programs that like this available today.
• Many other states have short-line grant programs.
• Texas City, I could list them all off. There's no reason. Texas City is privately owned. Okay.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard several bills focused on transportation infrastructure, public safety, and local commemorations. SB 2841 would clarify the overweight corridor designation for the Port of Brownsville so all three statutorily approved bridges are treated uniformly for northbound and southbound overweight traffic; the Port of Brownsville testified in support, and the bill was left pending. SB 39 would restore the commercial motor vehicle “admission rule” framework in collision cases; Senator Birdwell explained the committee substitute, and the bill was later reported favorably. The committee also heard and later advanced SB 682, SB 1369, and SB 1422, which rename stretches of highway or a bridge in honor of fallen firefighters and military service members, with no opposition testimony and all left pending before final votes. The committee also heard SB 2366, which would create a grant program for short-line railroad projects through rural rail transportation districts for track, bridge, capacity, and restoration work. Senator Hughes and several witnesses from rural rail districts and rail advocacy groups supported the bill, while TxDOT explained current rail funding is limited and that the bill would be the first such grant program for Class 3 short lines; members discussed that the bill would need a floor amendment because state funds cannot be paid directly to railroads. SB 1013 would expand crosswalk protections under the Lisa Torrey-Smith Act to include certain driveway curb cuts along sidewalks; it was supported by the author and left pending before later being reported favorably. The committee also considered SB 2080, which would modernize port and navigation district rules by easing records and procurement requirements, exempting certain security and cybersecurity discussions from recording, and expanding some operational authority. Port Houston and the Texas Ports Association supported the bill, while the City of Corpus Christi raised concerns that the language could expand port economic-development authority beyond navigation purposes and affect local tax bases; the Port of Galveston also noted concerns about the filed version but supported the bill as presented, and the committee substitute was later reported favorably. SB 2001 would create specialty license plates and related parking/toll benefits for permanently disabled peace officers; SB 2705 would codify registration exemptions for certain farm equipment and some specialty plates. Both were supported by witnesses, adopted with committee substitutes where applicable, and reported favorably. Final votes on the reported bills were largely unanimous or near-unanimous, and the committee recessed after leaving some motions open briefly.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're not in City Hall any longer. But there is an office in St. Louis City. Oh, yeah. No doubt.
• They're not in City Hall any longer. But there is an office in St. Louis City. Oh, yeah. No doubt.
• What city is that? St. Louis. South City, St. Louis. Okay. I just wanted to make sure we get that.
• South City. What city is that? St. Louis. South City, St. Louis. Okay.
• Louis City.

Keywords: 959, house, all