Transcript Highlights:

• So we came up with the APP arterial preservation program, where we fund the arterials, the major arterials
• So we came up with the APP arterial preservation program where we fund the arterials, the major arterials

Bills: SB5989

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• So we came up with the APP arterial preservation program, where we fund the arterials, the major arterials
• So we came up with the APP arterial preservation program where we fund the arterials, the major arterials

Summary: The committee first met in brief executive session and advanced Senate Bill 5989 without recommendation to the Ways and Means Committee. Staff explained the bill would redistribute sales tax on aircraft fuel, affecting general fund revenue, which was why it was better suited for Ways and Means. The motion passed by voice vote. The committee then heard a presentation from Transportation Secretary Julie Meredith on WSDOT’s 2025 work and 2026 priorities. She highlighted agency reorganization, safety initiatives, preservation needs, bridge strikes and storm damage, ferry service improvements, major projects such as Revive I-5, the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project, fish passage work, and preparations for the World Cup. Members praised the department’s communication and work, and asked about additional paving and preservation funding; Meredith said WSDOT had prepared projects that could be advanced if more money were available. Washington State Ferries Assistant Secretary John Vizina and staffer Jenna Forty followed with a detailed briefing on vessel and terminal preservation. They described the aging fleet, the need for new hybrid-electric vessels, the governor’s proposed funding for three additional ferries and life-extension work on older vessels, and the importance of terminal upgrades such as Fauntleroy. Senators asked about service contingency planning, the cost and timing of hybrid versus diesel vessels, and whether additional vessels would require rebidding; staff said hybrid-electric construction is the fastest path and that any expansion would depend on statutory direction and legal review. The committee then heard from local government representatives on preservation and storm recovery. The Association of Washington Cities and the Transportation Improvement Board described city road and bridge needs, limited local funding, and the importance of sustained preservation investment and programmatic grants. County representatives from the Washington State Association of County Engineers, Snohomish County, and the County Road Administration Board discussed the December flooding, road washouts, bridge damage, and recovery costs, emphasizing that counties face large preservation backlogs and need state and federal help for repairs and resiliency.

Transcript Highlights:

• None of those are being regulated. None of those are being checked.
• And so regulation inspection is very important for consumer protection.
• I'm not going to read them regulation.
• So, that's the mom and pop store with the two pumps is $100.
• </c> that's the that's the mom and pop store that's the that's the mom and pop store with<00:15:32.480

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government met for its third meeting, approved the minutes, and heard a budget presentation from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Department representatives Brandon Reid, Lee Macintosh, and Mark Bolan outlined the agency’s funding mix and requested support for several priorities in House Bill 500, including continuation of existing items, county fair grants, and an additional $5 million for the new economic development fund. They also discussed a capital request to replace two aging scale trucks, noting the vehicles are from 2002 and 2006 and have become unreliable and expensive to repair. The department emphasized several additional needs: funding to begin regulating and inspecting electric vehicle charging stations through the weights and measures division, retention and recruitment funding after losing 108 employees over three years, and a request to pay off tobacco-related debt service so more money can flow through the tobacco formula. They also cited House Bill 417, filed by Speaker Osborne, as supporting farmland preservation, saying the agency has a program ready but needs funding to implement it. Officials said the farm-to-food-banks and rural mental health items in the budget were acceptable as reduced by the tobacco formula. Members asked questions about pump inspection fees and staffing losses. The department said the inspection fee is $100 per station, not per pump, and that the same fee applies even to larger stations. On retention and recruitment, officials said the cost of turnover is significant but they did not have a dollar estimate. No votes were taken beyond the motion to approve the minutes, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Buying a firearm at a gun show or gun store... or having it be given to you does not come with that same
• Under current law, she cannot go into a store, pass a background check, and purchase a rifle for home
• BECAUSE IN FEBRUARY 2017, NICHOLAS CRUZ WENT INTO A GUN STORE IN CORAL SPRINGS AND PURCHASED AN MMP 15
• LINDA CRUZ, HIS MOTHER CALLED THE OWNER OF THAT GUN STORE AND BEGGED HIM NOT TO ALLOW HER SON TO PURCHASE
• It has proven wrong because the idea of Regulating behavior, and that's really what we're wrestling with

Keywords: sales tax reduction, budget cuts, boating safety, water treatment, municipal utilities, school safety, medical malpractice, firearm purchase age, cursive writing instruction, first responder support, veto overrides, veterans funding, infrastructure projects

Summary: The Florida House convened for regular business, with Speaker Perez announcing historic budget plans including the largest state tax cut in Florida history - a permanent 0.75% sales tax reduction from 6% to 5.25%, saving Floridians nearly $5 billion annually. The House will propose a budget lower than both the Governor's proposal and last year's budget. Several bills passed including Lucy's Law (boating safety), water access facilities funding, municipal utility rate corrections, hazardous walking conditions for schools, and medical malpractice 'Free Kill Law' repeal. The controversial firearm purchase age bill (HB 759) passed 78-34, lowering the minimum age from 21 to 18, despite emotional opposition citing the Parkland shooting. Other bills addressed cursive writing instruction, peer support for first responders, and government sunset reviews. Multiple veto override motions were approved unanimously, reinstating funding for veterans programs and infrastructure projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what regulations some not um etc.
• This is called they have no regulation. Minnesota is referred to as not having a regulation.
• </c> into what the the licensing regulation into what the the licensing regulation we<00:28:59.440><c
• </c> looking at regulating those professions. looking at regulating those professions.
• ,</c> afternoon, Ray went to the pet store, afternoon, Ray went to the pet store, got<01:35:19.199><c

Bills: HF362 , HF2590 , HF2760 , HF3444

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: massage therapy, Asian bodywork therapy, massage therapist, Asian bodywork therapist, licensure, professional licensing, health occupations, Department of Health, commissioner of health, advisory council, protected title, unlicensed practice, scope of practice, consumer protection, background check, professional liability insurance, continuing education, credentialing examination, state preemption, municipal regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• That's about the size of a typical big-box store, which means we need to get ahead of this Get ahead
• We're falling behind on regulating AI.
• Our regulations are Our regulations are woefully inadequate when it comes to a lot of technology.
• And as we let regulation opportunities slip away, the way that we would if we failed to override this
• And we understand the need to regulate these types of advancements in technology while leaving space

Transcript Highlights:

• that regulate brownfields.
• that regulate brownfields.
• They don't want regulations. something. They don't want regulations.
• </c> and take it out, it must be stored away. and take it out, it must be stored away.
• And so um there is a regulations.

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with a prayer by Pastor Jeremy Ward and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Sophia Woods. A quorum was established with 27 senators present, and the Senate adopted routine motions to excuse absent senators, dispense with the previous day’s journal, and allow bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The chamber also referred Executive Message 69, appointing Brandy Williams to the Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards and Education Commission, to the Committee on Confirmations. The Senate received several Judiciary Committee reports. House Bills 41 and 149 and Senate Bills 230, 87, 169, 238, and 233 were reported favorably, with amendments on Senate Bills 87, 169, and 233. Those measures received second reading and were placed on the calendar for the next legislative day. The Senate also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 31, commending Mackenzie Grace Stigel, and Senate Joint Resolution 32, recognizing the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science for its national ranking; guests from the school were welcomed in the gallery. The Rules Committee report was then adopted by a 33-0 vote, setting a special order calendar that included Senate Bill 71 on administrative rules, along with several other bills on dredging, county subdivisions, legislative matters, public corruption, rural hospital investment, minority affairs, campaign finance, and natural resources. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 71, the “sound science” bill, which would limit state agencies from adopting environmental rules more stringent than federal law and require science-based standards where federal law is absent. Senator Coleman-Madison offered an amendment to preserve stronger scientific and causal standards, arguing the bill could weaken protections in heavily burdened communities; the amendment failed on a roll call vote of 25 nays to 1 yea. Senators then continued debating the bill’s effect on ADEM’s authority, emergency rulemaking, federal standards, and environmental enforcement in Alabama.

Transcript Highlights:

• speaker used regulating.
• This is one area that's not regulated.
• I don't think that this should be something where we're basically regulating these...
• It's also—and we don't, I know Senator Dixon talked about regulation.
• That's a trigger for her—but without regulation, we don't have a lot of data.

Summary: The committee heard several bills from Senator Umberg and Senator Allen, with testimony from supporters and opponents before roll-call votes were taken once quorum was established. SB 253, the annual State Bar fee bill, would keep fees unchanged while requiring two-year notice for substantial changes to the bar exam, including vendor changes, and returning to an older delivery method for the upcoming exam; it was presented as a response to recent State Bar problems and the February bar exam failure. SB 25, the Pre-Merger Notification Act, would require certain merger parties to provide California’s attorney general the same Hart-Scott-Rodino materials filed federally, so state antitrust review can occur in parallel with federal review; supporters said this would reduce delay and uncertainty, while members questioned whether it would add another layer of review. SB 36 would strengthen price-gouging enforcement after the January 2025 Southern California firestorms by requiring rental-listing platforms to report suspected gouging, expanding consumer and prosecutor remedies, and allowing warrants in housing-related cases; supporters said it would close loopholes, while opponents from business groups raised concerns. All three bills were later approved on roll call, with SB 36 and SB 413 placed on call before final passage and SB 253 and SB 25 moving forward on committee votes. The committee also heard SB 413, which would streamline access to juvenile case files in certain civil cases brought by or on behalf of the youth who is the subject of the file, allowing attorneys to use heavily redacted records without first petitioning the juvenile court. Supporters, including Los Angeles County counsel and county associations, said the current petition process is costly, slow, and routinely granted, creating delays in civil litigation and court congestion. Opponents, including the Youth Law Center, argued the bill would weaken longstanding juvenile confidentiality protections by bypassing judicial review and could expose sensitive information unnecessarily. After discussion about redactions, sealing, and the scope of access, the bill was passed on a do-pass-as-amended vote. Finally, Senator Wahab presented SB 436, which would extend the notice period for nonpayment of rent from three days to 14 days. Supporters, including tenant advocates, legal aid groups, and several local governments, argued the change would reduce unnecessary evictions, give renters more time to obtain assistance or a paycheck, and help prevent homelessness. Opponents, including apartment associations, property owners, and the California Association of Realtors, said the bill would burden landlords, especially small owners, and could unintentionally affect commercial leases; members also raised concerns about repeated late payment and the lack of stronger guardrails. The author said she would work on clarifying commercial coverage and safeguards, and the bill remained under discussion as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• This conference report relates to the Fantasy Contest Act, regulation and taxation.
• The legislation establishes a regulated adult-use cannabis retail market in Virginia.
• So no longer will VDACS be regulating intoxicating hemp.
• So I would encourage a yes vote to regulate this industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• As a reminder, these regulate when law enforcement can and cannot cover their face.

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not attempt to regulate usage.
• We're dumping those inside of a grocery store.
• We're dumping those inside of a grocery store.
• <01:30:46.760><c> and</c><01:30:46.880><c> some</c> regulated and some regulated and some unregulated
• </c> when they come out we go into the store when they come out we go into the store we<02:29:08.160>

Committee: House Energy & Environmental Protection

Summary: The House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection opened its first hearing of the session and heard testimony on several energy and environmental bills. On HB 470, relating to noise and leaf blowers, the Department of Health supported the bill’s intent to reduce noise pollution but raised concerns about using decibel limits alone and suggested using dBA measurements; testimony also noted the bill would regulate future sales rather than current use, and there were three additional testimonies, two in support and one in opposition. No questions were raised before the committee moved on. The committee then heard HB 742 on transit-oriented development, which would require HCDA to prepare a programmatic EIS for Ewa, Kapalama, and West Oahu improvements. UH supported the bill, HHFDC said it was already preparing a master plan and programmatic EIS for the Ewa area, and HCDA explained that the projects are already underway or completed, including infrastructure work funded by prior appropriations. Supporters said the bill would streamline environmental review and potentially reduce costs for future housing, while HCDA emphasized the work is already in progress. On HB 340, concerning a streamlined grid-ready home interconnection process and related cost recovery, DCCA provided comments, the Attorney General suggested changing a deadline to a specific date, and the PUC said it wanted to study the matter further while still meeting the 180-day reporting requirement. Solar and clean energy groups strongly supported the bill as a way to speed interconnection and advance grid-interactive technologies, while Hawaiian Electric supported the goal of more DERs but opposed the process, saying its interconnection performance has improved and that collaboration would be preferable to legislation. Members asked about newer technologies, UL 1741, and ratepayer impacts, and the Consumer Advocate said removing the cost-recovery section would alleviate its concerns. The committee also heard HB 243, requiring PV- and EV-ready new residential construction, which the Hawaii State Energy Office described as a cost-saving no-brainer because installing these features during construction is much cheaper than retrofitting later. The hearing then shifted to HB 350, expanding the water-heater systems that can satisfy building-permit requirements to include heat pump water heaters alongside solar hot water systems. The Energy Office supported the bill, Solar Ray supported the concept but asked for amendments to align efficiency standards and noted the bill’s removal of a 15-year lifespan limit for solar thermal systems, and Hawaii Solar Energy Association raised questions about how heat pump performance should be measured and whether PV-plus-heat-pump combinations should qualify. Committee members asked about impacts on smaller homes and ADUs, and the discussion remained focused on technical standards and possible amendments; no votes or final actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because, according to your rules and regulations, they're not. OK?
• Patient safety and responsible regulation.
• I think that it needs to be regulated with proper packaging. if you have kids, lock it up.
• You know, and the legislators that want to regulate this more.
• It's not any of the regulators; it's us. If it wasn't for us, nobody would be here.

Transcript Highlights:

• should pay for the regulation of their industry.
• Speaker, is the industry does not choose the regulations; the legislature does.
• tape after red tape and regulation after regulation and have a bloated bureaucracy to pay for it, or
• And what I was going to say is that the store in Portland, Oregon that I'm speaking about, store number
• Now, this might be addressed in regulation. The second question, Mr.

Bills: HB2720 , HB2073 , HB2681 , SB5467 , SB5820 , SB5863 , SB5892 , SCR8406 , HB2487 , HB2711 , SB5816 , SB5919 , SB5995 , SB6278

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, approved the prior day’s minutes, and then moved through caucuses and a series of transportation, elections, energy, historical records, cannabis, abortion-access, and fiscal bills. Members repeatedly emphasized that several measures were supplemental or technical updates to existing law, while others involved larger policy disputes over taxes, fees, clean energy, election security, and reproductive health. The chamber also received Senate messages on other bills and briefly recessed for caucus during the day. The most prominent action was final passage of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6005, the supplemental transportation budget, after adopting a technical amendment and a larger striker amendment. Supporters highlighted preservation and maintenance funding, rail investments, ferry maintenance, road safety, and continued work on major projects statewide; opponents largely reserved comments or noted concerns about future needs. The House passed the bill 93-0 with five excused. The House also passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2711 on transportation resources, after adopting a technical amendment that removed the aircraft tax and delayed an RV-related tax change; supporters said it protected businesses and jobs, while opponents objected to trade-in treatment and other tax changes. That bill passed 83-10. On elections, the House considered Senate Bill 5892 to protect the voter registration database. An amendment to reduce penalties from a felony to a civil infraction and remove the emergency clause failed, while the committee amendment passed 50-34. Supporters said the bill was needed to safeguard sensitive voter data and clarify access; opponents argued it created conflicts with federal law and imposed excessive penalties on local election officials. The bill then passed 57-36. On energy, Substitute Senate Bill 5982 updating consumer-owned utility provisions drew debate over carbon capture, resource adequacy, data centers, and clean energy policy. Amendments on carbon capture and blackout-triggered termination failed, while an amendment preserving cogeneration exceptions passed; the bill then passed 57-37. The House also passed Senate Bill 5863 on preservation and inspection of state historical records, after rejecting an amendment to require longer retention but adopting the committee amendment; supporters stressed preserving the history of residential habilitation centers and the value to families seeking records. Substitute Senate Bill 5874, allowing the Employment Security Department to waive penalties for minor employer reporting errors, passed unanimously. Engrossed House Bill 2681, raising cannabis license fees while removing an escalator, passed 52-42. Finally, Substitute Senate Bill 5917 on access to abortion medications saw several failed amendments from opponents seeking to narrow, reframe, or add fiscal limits to the bill; supporters said it preserved flexibility to ensure access and avoid waste, and the bill passed 57-36.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:57.279><c> applicable</c> and types of regulations applicable and types of regulations applicable
• </c><01:09:16.319><c> and</c> as well as getting into regulating and as well as getting into regulating
• </c><01:31:57.679><c> are</c> across the road, the regulations are across the road, the regulations are
• </c> of this of this area, uh the regulations of this of this area, uh the regulations are<01:32:06.560
• He said this simplifies the process through state regulations and federal regulations, and that they've

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Our batteries use an iron-air chemistry by which we store and discharge electricity by reversibly rusting
• Our battery doesn't degrade in power, but we do lose some ability to store energy over time.
• :12.960><c> and</c><01:17:13.199><c> the</c> Regulators recognized this issue and the Regulators recognized
• ,</c> are needful uh for utility regulation, are needful uh for utility regulation, including<01:36:28.000
• Why wouldn't we just leave it under the guise of the PUC to let them regulate it?

Bills: HF4059 , HF76

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, financing, sustainability, environmental policy, renewable energy, Minnesota Climate Innovation Financing Authority, earned incentive release credit, release credits, supervised release, corrections, Minnesota Department of Corrections, sentence reduction, good time, prison time, incarceration, violent offenses, murder, criminal sexual conduct, sex offenses

Transcript Highlights:

• But, you know, it was hard to do the grocery store from here.
• recommendations from the individuals at the universities was to go through what they call their Handshake app

Committee: Joint Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• We want them to do a safe, tested, regulated store that generates tax revenue. could do is sunset this
• </c><00:07:23.759><c> store</c><00:07:24.240><c> that</c> safe, tested, regulated store that safe, tested
• , regulated store that generates<00:07:24.960><c> tax</c> generates tax generates tax revenue.<00:07:
• And it hurts our liquor store distributors and our liquor stores, who generate a significant amount of
• </c> that money to deal with regulating that money to deal with regulating cannabis<00:27:30.880><c>

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Securities Regulation. Securities Regulation.
• ,</c> write about uh, securities regulation, write about uh, securities regulation, digital<00:16:41.600
• </c><00:17:45.760><c> blockchain</c> the United States regulates blockchain the United States regulates
• </c> and um and yet be basically um regulated and um and yet be basically um regulated by<00:23:56.559
• </c> stable coins as a form of stored value. stable coins as a form of stored value.

Summary: The commission met on November 12 and first approved the September 17 and October 15 draft minutes unanimously after brief discussion. Members also identified themselves for the record, including a new member from Bumpsk Bank, a staff attorney from the Secretary of State’s Bureau of Securities Regulation, a prior crypto commission participant, and a uniform law commissioner involved in tokenization projects. The main presentation was by UNH law professor Seth Orinberg, who discussed the federal GENIUS Act and the pending Clarity Act and how they affect New Hampshire’s options in the digital asset space. He described the GENIUS Act as governing payment stablecoins/stable tokens, defining them as blockchain-based assets used primarily for payments, redeemable for a fixed amount of national currency, and required to maintain stable value. He said the law creates three possible state roles: hosting federally qualified issuers, becoming a state qualifier for issuers up to a $10 billion threshold, or exploring state-backed issuance as a sovereign. He noted that the state-qualification path would require conforming legislation, examination capacity, and coordination with Treasury, while the sovereign-issuer theory is legally uncertain and may become a test case. Orinberg also outlined the core compliance framework he said applies to covered issuers: 100% reserve backing in high-quality liquid assets, monthly public reserve reporting, no yield or interest-like rewards, segregation of reserve assets, immediate redemption at face value, and anti-money-laundering/know-your-customer obligations. He then turned to the Clarity Act, describing it as a broader market-structure bill that would create categories such as digital asset, digital commodity, digital security, and ancillary asset, with self-certification procedures for issuers. He said the two federal laws together would separate payments from investments, preempt inconsistent state standards for covered payment stablecoins, and likely reshape the boundaries of state authority over digital assets.

Transcript Highlights:

• Contaminated near several of our bases now as a hazardous waste, so our state can regulate that.
• We must regulate the worms, Mr. Mr. Chair. It's all about the worms.
• Chairman, to my knowledge, they have not changed anything as to what can be stored at width.
• Recently, fairly recently, changed the amount of material that could be stored in web.
• One little thing missing from your time on a little law, SB 53 in 2023, making it illegal to store it

Committee: House Radioactive & Hazardous Materials Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:19.360><c> Those</c> neighborhood grocery stores. Those neighborhood grocery stores.
• </c><00:32:30.799><c> are</c> outside of your local grocery store are outside of your local grocery store
• </c> lack of federal regulation. lack of federal regulation.
• </c> regulators cannot quietly retire regulators cannot quietly retire critical<02:26:50.479><c> power
• </c><05:11:26.638><c> the</c> expensive, but they have regulated the expensive, but they have regulated

Transcript Highlights:

• Like what institution would regulate development, and how, and under what rules, right?
• and governance in those regulation and governance in those important<00:27:11.520><c> areas.
• </c> regulations with height restrictions. regulations with height restrictions.
• Those regulations have never been reopened since it was originally created.
• </c> up uh regulations up uh regulations &gt;&gt; because<01:47:15.520><c> you</c><01:47:15.840><c> wouldn't

Bills: HB1739 , HB1741 , HB2606 , HB2362 , HB2608 , HB2294 , HB2431 , HB2375 , HB2582 , HB2585 , HB2231 , HB1601 , HB2424 , HB1956

Committee: House Water & Land

Summary: The committee on Water and Land met on February 19, 2026, and the chair opened by emphasizing strict time limits and that all bills would be deferred if the agenda was not completed before the noon session. The first major measure discussed was HB 1739 HD1, which would preempt county land-use authority in transit-oriented development areas. The Department of Planning supported the bill, saying it could promote state-funded TOD and infrastructure, while the city and county’s position was raised in questioning. Unite Here Local 5 opposed the bill, arguing it would strip counties of self-determination, disrupt state-county policy collaboration, and remove a check on unrestrained development. Committee members pressed the supporters on whether the bill was really about higher density and whether it would override local zoning and sustainability concerns. The committee then heard testimony on HB 1741 HD1, a housing bill described by supporters as reducing inclusionary housing mandates and increasing supply. Grassroots Institute of Hawaii argued affordability mandates reduce overall housing production and raise market-rate prices, while a Zoom testifier said the bill would improve housing stability, health, and community outcomes for working families, kupuna, and young residents. Members asked about the bill’s needs assessment and who would conduct it, with a witness saying the counties would likely contract it out but that the bill did not clearly specify the reviewer. HB 2668 HD1, dealing with water heating systems, drew testimony from the Hawaii State Energy Office and industry representatives. Supporters generally backed adding heat pumps to the law, but one solar-water-heater industry witness asked for amendments to remove or extend the current 15-year statutory life limit for solar water heaters and to update outdated standards and variance rules. A Kauaʻi Climate Action Coalition witness opposed the existing solar-only structure, arguing heat pump water heaters are cheaper, align with climate goals, and should be allowed without a variance. The Energy Office said the current law already allows variances in some cases, suggested adding high-efficiency heat pump water heaters to the exemption, and said the 15-year figure may be too short, with 18 years mentioned as a possible alternative. The committee also briefly moved through several other bills, including HB 2606 HD1 on off-site construction and HB 2362 HD1 on housing, with no notable testimony or action recorded in the excerpt.