Transcript Highlights:

• We've batched our funding requests into a few different areas.
• We've batched our funding requests into a few different areas.
• We've batched our funding requests into a few different areas.
• We've batched our funding requests into a few different areas.
• We've batched our funding requests into a few different areas.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Finance received an informational briefing from the Department of Law Enforcement on its priorities following the January 1 transfer of law enforcement assets into the department, including the sheriff’s division, narcotics enforcement, criminal investigations, homeland security, and the inspector general’s office. DLE said its goals are to improve public safety, accountability, communications, training, and standards. The department outlined planned initiatives such as stronger federal partnerships, narcotics and gun-violence enforcement, an agricultural crime unit, traffic and commercial vehicle enforcement, an explosive/fireworks enforcement section, gun buybacks, new police facilities in the airport area, Aahu, and the leeward side, a state training center, upgraded law-enforcement IT, and efforts to narrow salary gaps with county departments to improve recruitment. A major portion of the discussion focused on illegal fireworks enforcement after the recent explosion tragedy. DLE said its current task force is small and relies on ad hoc support from HPD, the Attorney General’s office, criminal investigations, and sheriffs, which is not sustainable. The department requested eight FTEs for the effort—one administrator, two clerical staff, and six investigators—plus funding for a laboratory, equipment, storage, disposal, vehicles, safety gear, and a criminalist. DLE said the explosive enforcement section would use an existing facility and that the initial lab startup cost is about $2 million. Members asked for follow-up materials, and DLE said it would send the explosive enforcement forms and additional details to the Finance and Judiciary chairs. Members also questioned staffing vacancies, interagency coordination, and whether new specialized units could be filled. DLE said it has about 119 vacancies and that recruitment is hindered by a roughly $28,000 starting pay gap with county police departments; academy classes are down to about 12 to 14 recruits. The department said it is streamlining hiring, using QR-code recruitment, and hopes specialized units will attract applicants. On coordination, DLE said it works closely with HPD and other agencies on operations such as fireworks enforcement and public events, and that DOCARE remains a case-by-case partner but is not currently moving into DLE. The committee also received updates on the Silver Alert program, which is nearing rollout with county MOUs and a coordinator expected later in the month, the special duty officer program, which is being moved to a web-based vendor-managed system at no cost to the department, and the SaferWatch school safety system, which is being deployed statewide with annual software costs of $3,500 per school in the first year and $2,500 thereafter. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the bill, it talks about 63.096B2, which says that the batch has to be disposed of through appropriate
• So how will we know that the batches exceeded the limits? We would also request...
• we call it, land spreading application, that permit is issued, that you know that that particular batch

Bills: HB1341, HB1674, HB4028, SB2321

Keywords: hydrogen sulfide, public health, environmental regulation, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, ground level concentrations, emissions limit, emissions limits, ground-level concentrations, air quality, PFAS, agriculture, environmental protection, health risks, criminal offense, chemical regulation, preproduction plastic, water quality, pollution control, industrial waste, emissions

Transcript Highlights:

• I assume these chips are dried or can they be wet? No, they've got to be very dry.
• Those pellets get wet, and then they are of negative value if they get wet. ...and then they are of negative
• value if they get wet.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture met with a quorum, adopted the prior meeting minutes, and heard a series of agriculture-related bills, most of them sponsored by Representative Domain or Chairwoman Butler. The first major bill, HB 121, would expand the Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s authority over imported seafood by allowing its inspectors, in addition to the Department of Health, to seize and destroy adulterated seafood already under stop order. Representative Domain and Commissioner Strain framed the bill as a seafood-safety and anti-fraud measure aimed at protecting Louisiana shrimpers from tainted imports and bad actors. Members asked about cost, testing rates, countries of origin, and whether the bill would affect imported shrimp prices; the commissioner said it would not raise consumer prices and that Louisiana’s testing is focused at retail rather than ports. HB 121 was reported favorably with no objections. The committee then considered HB 725, which requires restaurants/retailers to retain invoices from imported seafood vendors for six months. After a technical amendment changing the bill’s one-liner from “restaurants” to “retailers,” the bill was explained as a recordkeeping tool to help auditors verify country-of-origin and labeling compliance without costly product testing. It was reported favorably with amendments. The committee also heard a bill reducing the required number of annual meetings for the Agriculture Finance Authority from four to two; Commissioner Strain said the change would streamline operations when there is no business to conduct, and it was reported favorably. Next, the committee took up HB 344 and HB 370 dealing with the Grain and Cotton Indemnity Fund. HB 344 raises the fund’s balance thresholds for suspending and restarting assessments, while HB 370 increases the assessment rate on agricultural commodities to replenish the fund more quickly. Commissioner Strain described recent large losses from grain broker bankruptcies, including Hansen-Mueller, and explained that the fund has been paying farmers but needs a larger balance to handle future defaults. Members discussed the risks posed by brokers, the adequacy of bonding, and the need to protect farmers and rural communities; both bills were reported favorably. The committee also advanced HB 367, aligning Structural Pest Control Commission hearing notices with the Administrative Procedure Act, and HB 847, which modernizes Soil and Water Conservation district supervisor elections by shifting administration to the Secretary of State and updating petition and ballot procedures after a crowded, ballot-short election. Finally, HB 505 streamlined certification and renewal rules for commercial applicators, pesticide salespersons, and agricultural consultants, including a technical amendment to keep unexpended pesticide-fund money in the fund; it too was reported favorably with amendments. After the bills, Commissioner Strain gave a lengthy update on the state of agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture. He highlighted continued pressure on shrimp from low-cost imports, currency shifts, and inadequate domestic marketing and cold storage, as well as ongoing seafood labeling enforcement and testing. He also discussed feral swine damage, drought and wildfire concerns, fertilizer and diesel cost increases, crop acreage trends, and export efforts for rice and timber, including Louisiana wood pellets used in the United Kingdom. LSU Ag Center Dean Matt Lee followed with a presentation on the center’s research and extension work, emphasizing its statewide network, high research ranking, and the economic return from agricultural science, especially in sugarcane variety development. He said LSU Ag Center research has helped Louisiana maintain strong sugar production and supports producers across the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• But once you remove this whole batch of it, ...with accredited attorneys, but once you remove this whole
• batch of agency, does that mean they're doing a lot of waiting and there's not enough people out there

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But if you want to make a small batch of whiskey, rum, or other spirits for personal use, you're committing
• adds honey to the list of approved ingredients recognizing the growing popularity of craft and small batch

Transcript Highlights:

• As you know, I've got concrete batch plants next door to houses, and there's a lot of disruption and
• If I can get a bill through your committee to limit the proximity of a concrete batch plant to a residential

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

Transcript Highlights:

• CIF and the Department of Education to rigorously examine the feasibility of modifying the current wet
• CIF and the Department of Education to rigorously examine the feasibility of modifying the current wet
• Just a couple of weeks ago, we were at 107 degrees, and the wet bulb reading was 88.9.
• This means taking them off the field, putting them in an air-conditioned building, getting them cool, wet

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And essentially, we all have Mediterranean climates, generally temperate climates, wet season, dry season
• And essentially, we all have Mediterranean climates, generally temperate climates, wet season, dry season
• And essentially, we all have Mediterranean climates, generally temperate climates, wet season, dry season
• And essentially, we all have Mediterranean climates, generally temperate climates, wet season, dry season

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Climate, Crisis, Resource, Energy, and Transportation opened its first hearing with Secretary Wade Crowfoot of the Natural Resources Agency, who reviewed the Newsom administration’s climate and natural resources record and highlighted investments in wildfire resilience, water supply and conveyance, coastal adaptation, conservation, tribal land return, parks access, and streamlined project delivery. He emphasized California’s exposure to drought, wildfire, heat, and sea level rise, described progress on 30x30 conservation and nature-based solutions, and said the administration is focused on completing major projects and speeding up permitting. Members from both parties praised his engagement and the administration’s work with tribes, while also pressing him on wildfire home hardening, federal cuts to NOAA and other agencies, and the need to codify some executive actions. Crowfoot said the state has had to backfill some lost federal capacity, especially in flood forecasting and coastal monitoring, and argued that prevention and resilience investments remain essential even if they are hard to measure. The Legislative Analyst’s Office then presented a budget framework stressing that the state budget is precariously balanced despite strong revenues, with the Governor’s proposal relying on borrowing and reserves while out-year deficits remain large. LAO staff urged the committee to apply a high bar to new spending, prioritize immediate health and safety needs, consider alternative funding sources and phased or reduced proposals where appropriate, and avoid creating additional future budget pressure. They said the Proposition 4 climate bond proposals generally appeared consistent with the bond and reasonable, but noted that departments still face implementation delays because of emergency regulation requirements and that the Legislature may want to weigh in on broad program areas such as disadvantaged communities, home hardening, and outdoor recreation. The chair said the LAO’s framework matched the committee’s priorities and asked how climate and environmental spending affects broader health and human services outcomes; LAO responded that the programs have real human and environmental impacts and should be judged by priority rather than across-the-board cuts. The hearing then turned to the water resilience portion of Proposition 4. Department of Finance and agency staff outlined proposed funding for flood control, water recycling, stormwater, dam safety, groundwater management, and State Water Project repairs, while LAO staff said the overall approach was consistent with the bond and noted some categories would not spend heavily until later years because agencies are still developing guidelines and capacity. Members questioned the pace of implementation, the use of emergency regulations, and the need to ensure funds reach disadvantaged communities; staff said AB 107 should speed grant delivery and that agencies are building tracking systems for the bond’s 40% vulnerable-community target. The committee also raised concerns about the reliability of projected Salton Sea lithium revenues, with Finance explaining that forecasts have been delayed by low lithium prices, uncertain project timelines, and permitting and technology risks. Finally, staff described the sustainable groundwater management grant program as focused on implementation projects, with scoping underway and priorities likely to include subsidence, corrective actions, and projects that improve groundwater conditions on the ground.

Transcript Highlights:

• beginning, and then if more information is necessary, it incentivizes the submitter that the second batch
• beginning, and then if more information is necessary, it incentivizes the submitter that the second batch
• beginning, and then if more information is necessary, it incentivizes the submitter that the second batch
• beginning, and then if more information is necessary, it incentivizes the submitter that the second batch
• beginning, and then if more information is necessary, it incentivizes the submitter that the second batch

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills on water, land, housing, permitting, and historic preservation. For SB 746/SD2/HD1 on invasive species, DLNR and the Department of Agriculture supported the intent but warned that a bounty approach for coconut rhinoceros beetle could have unintended consequences, divert resources from biocontrol research, and be vulnerable to abuse; Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the measure. The committee also heard SB 1541 on the WoE water system, with testimony from ADC, Kunia Village Title Holding Company, and Farm Bureau in support, emphasizing the importance of the system for agriculture and the high cost of water on lands already dedicated to farming. The most extensive discussion was on SB 66, relating to building permit review and county permitting authority. DPP opposed the bill, saying the problem is not just agency review time but the broader permitting process, including applicant corrections, outside-agency review, staffing shortages, and low pay that make it hard to fill vacancies. DPP said it already meets or beats existing review deadlines for residential permits and is using tools like electronic plans and AI to help applicants submit better plans. Several supporters, including Iron Workers Local 625, an individual witness, and Hawaii Food Industry Association, backed the bill but urged a pilot program or other safeguards; some also asked for broader permit coverage beyond single-family homes. Committee members questioned DPP about whether applicant correction time should count against the clock, whether self-certification could be used, and whether the state should fund any new mandate. The committee then took up SB 26 on affordable housing, with HHFDC, OPSD, and HCDA in support and no opposition noted. Finally, on SB 1263 relating to historic preservation, HHFDC and DLNR supported the bill, while OHA offered comments and requested amendments, especially on the new risk-based review process for high-, medium-, and low-risk areas. OHA said the new procedure should be implemented carefully and allowed more time, describing it as a pilot that should be done well to be useful while still protecting cultural and historic resources. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to take me, you know, X amount of months, and so you can expect your first batch in three
• months and then your next batch in three months and then another three months.
• It's going to take me, you know, X amount of months, and so you can expect your first batch in three
• months and then your next batch in three months and then another three months.
• months and then your next batch in three months and then another three months.

Bills: HF25, HF1, HF428

Keywords: pregnancy support, women's health, maternity homes, nonprofit organizations, grant funding, abortion, family services, Office of Inspector General, inspector general, legislative audit, fraud prevention, waste and abuse, public funds, grant oversight, state grants, grant management, whistleblower protection, retaliation, subpoena power, data practices

Transcript Highlights:

• But still on all other types of watercraft that you're not expected to get wet while in transit or operating
• Obviously, because you could get wet very easily, but you also go overboard very easily.
• You could get wet very easily, but you also go overboard very easily, and a lot of those PFDs require

Summary: The committee first adopted the 2025 minutes, then took up House Bill 727, which would allow burning untreated, unpainted dimensional lumber such as two-by-fours. The bill was presented as a narrow exemption to existing restrictions on burning construction debris, and it was reported favorable without objection. Members then heard from DEQ Secretary Courtney Burdett on House Bill 697, the department’s sunset/recreation bill. She outlined DEQ’s work on permit modernization, interagency coordination, field inspections, spill response, criminal investigations, environmental education, and small business assistance. Members raised issues including a large waste-tire site, an oil spill response, and a stormwater discharge issue at Smitties. The committee praised DEQ’s responsiveness and reported the bill favorable without objection. House Bill 758, dealing with DEQ fees, was then considered. The bill and amendment package would update and increase various permit and program fees, add annual or biennial CPI-based adjustments, and remove outdated provisions, with the stated goal of aligning revenues with expenditures and reducing reliance on the state general fund. Several industry and landowner groups supported the measure, and the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorable. The committee also advanced House Bill 726, which increases penalties for abandoning vessels and related gross littering. Members discussed how abandoned boats are identified, owner notice procedures, registration versus title issues, hurricane-related losses, and protections for older or distressed owners. Wildlife and Fisheries said the bill targets intentional dumping and that existing law allows case-by-case discretion for true hardship situations. The bill was reported favorable. House Bill 756, concerning personal watercraft, was also reported favorable after testimony that it would require reasonable suspicion for vessel stops, align state rules more closely with federal boating safety standards, and update provisions on accident reporting and inflatable PFDs. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 767, which creates recreational alligator hunting license and lottery fees contingent on separate legislation authorizing the season. Supporters said the measure would help create a recreational opportunity while generating conservation funding, but landowners and commercial harvesters warned the fee may be too low, the proposal may be moving too quickly, and recreational harvest could affect commercial operations and landowner interests. After extensive discussion, the committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill favorable. House Bill 964, authorizing a state property transfer in Caddo Parish, was also reported favorable, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then, for the delivery of wet water, for example, this is not what we do.
• that's really on paper that this that this the distribution happens on paper then for the delivery of wet
• I've been through three long wet periods. And I've seen that river run big.

Bills: SB1137, SB1176, SB1287, SB1335, SB1336, SB1445, SB1677

Keywords: underground utilities, utility locating, dig safe, call before you dig, 811, excavation safety, damage prevention, one-call center, locate request, white lining, large project coordination, buried infrastructure, subsurface utilities, utility marking, locator wire, locator strip, interactive positive response system, landlord duties, apartment community, mobile home park

Transcript Highlights:

• But still on all other types of watercraft... ...that you're not expected to get wet while in transit
• Obviously, because you could get wet very easily, but you also go overboard very easily.
• You could get wet very easily, but you also go overboard very easily, and a lot of those PFDs require

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We looked for shells and then decided to sit down on wet sand. decided to sit down on wet sand.
• This is about them now trying to take our wet sand that we know is public.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every bottle of L81 originates from small batches of a secret family recipe, still hand-blended by Fielding
• 01:11.920><c> originates</c><01:01:12.480><c> from</c><01:01:12.720><c> small</c><01:01:13.040><c> batches
• </c><01:01:13.520><c> of</c><01:01:13.760><c> a</c> L81 originates from small batches of a L81 originates
• from small batches of a secret<01:01:14.400><c> family</c><01:01:14.799><c> recipe.

Keywords: Convene 00:00:00 Calendar/2nd Readings 00:05:55 Report of Committees 00:07:26 Orders of the Day/HB 419 00:09:02 HB 103 00:12:30 HB 276 00:37:54 HB 188 00:43:39 HB 189 00:47:11 HB 258 00:53:52 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 00:58:16 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 01:11:11 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 01:13:29 ConC/Rules Report 01:17:06 Adjournment 01:18:20, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's wet. It helped, but it probably wasn't the best solution had we had an alternative.
• It's wet. It helped, but it probably wasn't the best solution had we had an alternative.

Summary: The Senate Emergency Management Committee held its first meeting and adopted committee rules for the 2025-26 session. SB 1020 was pulled from the agenda for a future hearing. The committee heard SB 1001, which would direct the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to issue standardized identification cards for essential utility workers so they can more easily access evacuation zones during emergencies. The author and supporters, including Rowland Water District and the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority, described a breakdown during the 2025 Eaton Fire when utility crews were denied access despite having credentials, causing delays in shutting off water at damaged homes. No opposition was present, and members broadly supported the bill as a practical emergency response measure. The committee voted 8-0 to pass SB 1001 to the Senate Public Safety Committee, with the measure held on call until all members voted. The committee also heard SB 1153, a wildfire preparedness bill from Senator Caballero. The bill would require urban retail water suppliers in high-risk areas to include wildfire-specific response procedures in their emergency response plans, and it includes findings clarifying that public water systems are not designed to function as wildfire suppression systems. The author accepted committee amendments clarifying that the bill does not limit liability for negligence, and witnesses from water agencies and industry groups supported the measure, citing the need for better planning and the financial strain of post-fire claims. Members discussed the balance between improving preparedness and avoiding language that could create a liability safe harbor or shift responsibility away from needed infrastructure investments. The committee voted 8-0 to pass SB 1153 as amended to the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, also held on call until all members voted. A consent item, SB 870, was also approved. After the committee reconvened and all members present voted, SB 870, SB 1001, and SB 1153 each received unanimous 8-0 votes and were reported out of committee. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we can lose people because time after time this drug, if it's in that 30% and you got a batch with
• So we can lose people because time after time this drug, if it's in that 30% and you got a batch with
• So we can lose people because time after time this drug, if it's in that 30% and you got a batch with
• There’s batch numbers, there is traceability, there’s a two-stage clean room.
• There’s batch numbers, there is traceability, there’s a two-stage clean room.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are batch uploads... One is that it no longer requires a one-on-one check.
• There are batch uploads that are possible now.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we have our herd share batch of customers that we deliver to once a week.
• times a week there and then we have our herd share um times a week there and then we have a herd share batch

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony from Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm about the impact of Act 698 on raw dairy producers. Ballard said the law allowed his farm to expand from one cow to 12, serve about 150 families, increase sales by roughly $50,000, and sell about $10,000 in raw cheese and other products through retail outlets. He argued the law improved farm income, food security, and local supply, and he asked for an optional state inspection/certification path for raw milk producers so they could access USDA grants and other opportunities available to licensed dairies. Committee members asked about herd management, safety practices, bee production, market channels, and whether such certification should remain voluntary; Ballard said he follows Grade A-style sanitation, chills milk quickly, removes sick cows from production, and supports optional training or inspection but not mandatory regulation. Members also raised food safety concerns, especially for children and pregnant women, and Ballard responded that raw milk producers rely on cleanliness, rapid cooling, consumer feedback, and truth in labeling. He said the health department currently inspects commercial dairies but not raw milk producers who do not sell through a cooperative, and he believed state inspection would help producers distinguish themselves and qualify for funding without changing interstate rules. Several members discussed the balance between consumer choice, safety, and possible “mission creep” if the state created a certification system. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container farming as a response to food insecurity and food deserts. Bolden described a three-year workforce and career-technical program built around retrofitted shipping containers, drones, robotics, agribusiness, and AI, with partnerships involving schools, universities, Farm Bureau, UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other entities. He said the model could create year-round local food production, support school cafeterias and community markets, and generate jobs and economic impact, estimating at least four jobs per container and potentially significant regional economic benefits. Members asked about costs, target communities, energy needs, crop types, and implementation timelines; Bolden said the first containers for school sites could be in place by late summer or early fall, with pilot projects already underway in Arkansas and Orlando. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we have our herd share batch of customers that we deliver to once a week.
• times a week there and then we have our herd share um times a week there and then we have a herd share batch

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony on the economic and regulatory effects of Arkansas’s raw milk law, Act 698. Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm said the law helped his family farm expand from 8 to 12 cows and from serving about 75 families to about 150, increasing sales by roughly $50,000 and allowing about $10,000 in raw cheese sales through retail outlets. He argued the law supports small-farm income, food security, and local processing, but said state health agencies still do not inspect raw milk producers unless they sell to a commercial buyer, which he said limits access to USDA grants and other opportunities. He and members discussed safety practices, including rapid chilling, sick-animal removal, sanitation, customer education, and whether any optional state certification or inspection program should be created without adding burdensome regulation. Members asked about herd management, bee production, market channels, and whether raw milk producers should receive training or certification. Ballard said his farm uses Jerseys, removes sick cows from production, sells on-farm and through retail locations, and relies on best-practice guidance from groups such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Raw Milk Institute. Several members expressed support for consumer choice but also raised concerns about food safety, especially for children and pregnant women, and about possible “mission creep” if the state creates a voluntary inspection or training system. The discussion ended without any vote or formal action on the raw milk issue. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terrence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container-based farming as a response to food insecurity, food deserts, and workforce needs. Bolden described a three-year career and technical education model using retrofitted shipping containers to grow food year-round with low water and energy use, paired with training in drones, robotics, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. He said pilot projects are underway or planned with UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other partners, and projected that five regional hubs could create significant economic impact and multiple jobs per container. Members asked about costs, target communities, school partnerships, food desert locations, and whether the model could include aquaponics or protein production; Bolden said the program is intended as a public-private partnership and that the committee could tour a container site once it is operational. The meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.