Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, members, Beth Olasso, on behalf of the Agricultural Energy Consumer, Consumer, The utilities
• Madam Chair, members, Beth Olasso, on behalf of the Agricultural Energy Consumer, Consumer, That's rare
• It may no longer be subject to certain customer protections.
• The CPUC's consumer guide calls it a guarantee. The state should honor it.
• The house will sell for less and cause financial distress to the owner.

Summary: The committee heard several energy and utilities bills, with testimony largely focused on wildfire mitigation, affordability, clean energy planning, and utility accountability. AB 706, by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, would create a fund to support projects that use forest biomass waste from wildfire mitigation and forest restoration; supporters said it would reduce open burning and emissions while providing reliable renewable power, and the bill later passed 13-0. AB 39, by Assembly Member Zbur, would require larger cities and counties to adopt electrification planning strategies for transportation and buildings; it drew broad support from clean energy, labor, environmental, and local government advocates and passed 9-0. AB 1167, by Assembly Member Berman, would restrict investor-owned utilities from charging ratepayers for lobbying, promotional advertising, and similar shareholder-benefit expenses; supporters framed it as an affordability and transparency measure, while utilities argued the bill was overly broad and already covered by existing rules. It passed 7-0, with some members not voting and the roll left open. The committee also considered AB 1417 on offshore wind community funding transparency, which was amended to remove new fees and instead require reporting on developer support for local and tribal community capacity-building; opposition was withdrawn and the bill passed 9-0. AB 367, by Assembly Member Bennett, would require water districts in high fire-risk areas of Ventura County to have backup power, full tanks during red flag warnings, and hardened facilities; water agencies opposed unless amended due to cost and liability concerns, but the bill passed 10-0. The consent calendar, including multiple additional measures, was approved 11-0. Other bills drew more divided testimony. AB 745 would allow securitization to finance utility undergrounding and prohibit a return on equity for undergrounding projects; supporters said it would lower ratepayer costs, while utilities warned it would effectively discourage undergrounding and could raise other rates. The bill passed 7-4 and was left on call. AB 1423 would apply reliability standards to publicly funded EV chargers installed before 2024; supporters said taxpayers should get functioning chargers, while charging-network representatives objected to retroactive requirements and possible conflicts with existing agreements. It passed 13-0. AB 388 would create a narrow exception to utility regulation to facilitate green hydrogen projects using private power lines; supporters said it would unlock low-cost renewable hydrogen and jobs, while utilities raised concerns about customer protections and grid planning. It passed 12-0. The committee also began hearing AB 825, which the author said would address the high cost of financing major transmission and generation buildout, but the transcript cuts off before the full presentation and action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:41:24.520> and spread and passed on to the consumer and spread and passed on to the consumer
• ,<01:45:58.280> our important because the consumer, our important because the consumer, our
• <02:33:58.200> plan to whether it's like a Farm Bureau plan to whether it's like a Farm Bureau
• Um that means the use of our financial Um that means the use of our financial resources<03:09:57.640
• <03:13:42.120> and<03:13:42.320> physicians financially and physicians financially and

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on detecting random imperfections found on bullet casings and analyzed by NIBIN, a program of the Bureau
• What kind of time-consuming process are we talking about? So things of that logistical nature.
• Other than, you know, we're looking at this as a way to protect children from accidental injury or death
• children from accidental as a way to protect children from accidental injury or death I don't think
• resources behind it that this work cannot happen without the legislature putting financial resources

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Emerging Firearm Technology met to review its work on intentional microstamping and personalized firearms and to discuss draft recommendations for a final report. The co-chairs summarized testimony received from manufacturers, advocates, law enforcement, and officials from New Jersey, New York, and California. For microstamping, the discussion focused on how the technology could help trace spent casings, its limits in forensic use, and concerns about wear, tampering, implementation costs, and whether it would burden lawful gun owners. For personalized firearms, members reviewed testimony about biometric smart guns, their current commercial availability, higher cost, and potential benefits for preventing accidental shootings and unauthorized use, especially involving children and suicide prevention. Commissioners expressed a range of views. Several supported microstamping as a crime-solving tool and endorsed a recommendation that the legislature direct a feasibility and viability study, set standards and training, fund implementation, and create penalties for tampering. Others opposed microstamping, arguing it has not worked in other states, may not reduce crime, and could impose costs on manufacturers and owners. On personalized firearms, most commissioners supported encouraging the technology, but there was disagreement over whether to create a temporary sales tax exemption; some favored an incentive to promote adoption, while others opposed any tax subsidy for firearms or questioned whether the data justified it. The co-chairs said they would draft a report reflecting the majority consensus and circulate it for review before a final vote at a later meeting, likely in July. The commission also discussed which executive branch agency should conduct the microstamping feasibility study, with the Attorney General’s office and EOPSS mentioned as possibilities. The meeting ended with agreement to reconvene for final votes on the report and recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Next is LR 111, Bureau of Conveyances.
• <00:33:50.480> of<00:33:50.720> priority species protection of priority species protection
• But in my view, it's like these there aren't revenues coming back financially for protecting watersheds
• aren't revenues coming back financially aren't revenues coming back financially for<01:57:18.960
• for protecting watersheds but the for protecting watersheds but the revenues<01:57:21.079> are

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's the difference between a consumer taking a known risk versus an unknown risk because consumers
• their kids, the aunts who want to protect their nephews, and the sisters who want to protect their brothers
• Customs and Border Protection requirements.
• It will reward responsible businesses who are following the law and protect Arizona consumers.
• Transparency protects everyone: consumers, law enforcement, and responsible businesses.

Bills: HB2746, HB2750, HB2765, HB4036

Keywords: trade offices, committee, Arizona commerce authority, stakeholder input, efficiency, Arizona-Sonora, Sonora, Mexico, trade commission, cross-border trade, bilateral trade, international trade, economic development, foreign relations, border economy, investment, infrastructure, business exchange, academic exchange, legislative commission

Transcript Highlights:

• It also protects privacy.
• It also protects privacy.
• And it also protects its own.
• protection.
• protection.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Extraordinary litigation and protecting statewide public safety wo years ago that fund was zeroed out
• What we are seeing now is distribution and To the poor consumer, any consumer of marijuana in Oklahoma
• So we are turning our attention there for more of a consumer protection unit so that we can shut down
• the illegal distribution so that those who elect to consume marijuana at least are not consuming toxins
• It's just really not if we really want to say we want to protect children.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• protection districts. protection districts.
• nation in title protection. nation in title protection.
• Wyoming remains only one of two states in the United States that does not have laws to protect consumers
• Wyoming remains only one of two states in the United States that does not have laws to protect consumers
• Um, and by reporting fraud, it is certainly, uh, obviously an important consumer protection tool that

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The chairman opened by explaining that the committee would hear proposed interim topics and then rank them by written submissions rather than debating them one by one. The Public Service Commission presented two topics: an educational session on small water utilities, citing maintenance needs, water-quality compliance, and difficulty accessing capital, and a review of civil penalties for pipeline safety violations because Wyoming’s statutory penalties are far below federal levels and could affect compliance and funding. Members and outside presenters then outlined a range of additional topics. Representative Campbell proposed work on fire protection districts and EMS districts, focusing on financial stability, mill levies, and possible county authority to combine districts and levies. He also raised public records at meetings, corporate filing fees, and fraudulent corporate filings. The Community College Commission proposed updating annexation statutes so communities can join community college districts more easily, especially where current mill-levy rules create funding issues. Senator Crago supported the fraudulent corporate filings topic and noted related technology-based solutions and overlap with blockchain issues. Other proposals included CPA “Pathways” licensing changes to address a shortage of accountants, a review of public meetings and public records laws, continuation of the electricity study with emphasis on grid reliability and large-load capacity constraints, and a broader review of the public meetings and records act. Ashley Harpstreith of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities supported extending municipal audit deadlines and described a statewide shortage of auditors and CPAs. Healthy Wyoming proposed studying health coverage options for low-income working adults, including state-sponsored or cooperative models. Representative Chestek proposed making most nonpartisan county offices elected on a nonpartisan basis. No votes or final selections were taken in the portion provided; the committee mainly heard testimony and discussed whether topics should be assigned to this committee or another one.

Transcript Highlights:

• And this allows for the consumer fraud section of the Attorney General's office to address that.
• Ariel has actually done that, and she's worked with the Office of Financial Services to do that.
• Relative to critical infrastructure protection, to provide for critical infrastructure that needs protection
• And because I believe if we're buying stuff from America, we're going to protect ourselves.
• Louisiana-based operations, having those protections in place as well.

Summary: The House Committee on Commerce met on May 18, 2026, with a quorum present and the chair noting it was the committee’s last meeting of the session. The committee first considered Senate Bill 254, which would prohibit certain excess debit card surcharges and authorize enforcement by the Attorney General. After adopting technical amendments and a committee amendment requiring written notice before a private right of action, the bill was reported favorably as amended. The committee then took up Senate Bill 80 on broadband administration fees and GUMBO program closeout. Members questioned the proposed increase in administrative and contractor fees, the timing of project completion, and how withheld reimbursements would work for utility damage. After adopting several amendments, including cleanup language and a provision to restore the reimbursement process, the bill was reported favorably as amended, though the Louisiana Telecommunications Association voiced concerns about the withholding language and lack of a clearer fault-determination process. The committee next considered Senate Bill 469, updating the Louisiana Underground Utilities and Facilities Damage Prevention Law. Technical amendments were adopted, along with amendments clarifying that the bill’s 30-day notice to utility owner-operators is separate from existing GUMBO notice requirements and creating a rapid dispute-resolution process involving the Office of Broadband, the utility operator, and the local governing authority. Testimony from broadband and municipal stakeholders emphasized the need for quicker responses to excavation damage and better enforcement, while some witnesses raised concerns about the late amendment and the need for clearer recourse and standards. The bill was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 468, dealing with fuel rewards programs and fuel discount limits, was also amended to allow such discounts while capping them at $1 below the advertised price; it was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 131, concerning attorney’s fees and costs in professional licensing disciplinary proceedings, drew testimony from a cosmetology board representative and the Pelican Institute. Supporters argued the bill would curb incentives for boards to generate revenue through enforcement and give licensees a fairer opportunity to resolve cases; board testimony noted that some boards already have fee caps and that enforcement actions are relatively limited. After adopting an amendment clarifying when a licensee is the prevailing party, the bill was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 251 on critical infrastructure protection also received technical amendments and several substantive changes, including adding ports and airports to the definition of critical infrastructure, clarifying “significant access,” adding a knowledge requirement, and adjusting exemptions and enforcement timing; it was reported favorably as amended after testimony from State Armor representatives about foreign adversary threats. Finally, House Resolution 253 was introduced to create a task force to study how post-2005 building code additions and inspection requirements affect residential construction costs, with the sponsor explaining the goal was to gather industry input and return recommendations next session.

Transcript Highlights:

• to conduct a performance audit and issue a report on the services, process, and wait times in the Bureau
• The clerk will read a summary of the bill: This bill provides for consumer sales for trailers.
• encourage inmates to accept responsibility for the consequences of their actions and to provide financial
• This legislation protects the rights of homeowners in planned communities and community associations
• We're told that this bill protects workers, but we should also consider what happens to future workers

Summary: The House began with ceremonial recognitions, including guests of Representatives Benham and Warren and a farewell acknowledgment for longtime floor staffer Michelle Martin, who is leaving House service for a role in the Senate. The chamber then took up caucus and committee announcements, recessed several times, and later returned to consider a series of committee reports and bills. House and Senate bills were reported from Rules, Appropriations, and Judiciary, including referrals of several measures to committees. The House adopted House Resolution 515 unanimously, urging Congress to review Major Richard D. Winner’s actions for possible Medal of Honor recognition. It also adopted House Resolution 208, directing a performance audit of services, wait times, and processes in the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services; supporters said it would help improve services for Pennsylvanians with vision impairment, while the vote was 201-1. The chamber then passed several bills with amendments, including measures on foster care youth benefits, AI companion safeguards, prison industry enhancement program administration, memorial bridge designations, firefighter and EMS donation options through PennDOT renewals, horse-racing background checks, and fertility preservation coverage. Several bills reached final passage. House Bill 1239, limiting homeowners associations from restricting rooftop solar installations, passed 109-93. House Bill 2146, amending the Sunshine Act to tighten the 24-hour agenda notice rule while preserving limited exceptions, passed 193-9 after debate over transparency and local-government flexibility. House Bill 2558, banning non-compete agreements for broadcast workers, passed narrowly 103-99 amid objections from Republicans and concerns about impacts on local broadcasters and contract rights. Senate Bills 971 and 972 also passed finally, dealing with township audit deadlines and municipal memorials for first responders. The House also approved House Bill 2412, funding state-related universities for fiscal year 2026-27, by 155-47 after debate over Penn State’s campus closures, accountability, and per-student funding differences; House Bill 2413, appropriating funds to the University of Pennsylvania, passed 195-7. The chamber then moved several bills back to Appropriations, signed Senate Bills 971 and 972, and adjourned until the next scheduled session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section four on page 27 deals with protections for pregnant and parenting students.
• financially, emotionally, and mentally. financially, emotionally, and mentally.
• ><01:01:57.760> aid essential to ensuring financial aid essential to ensuring financial aid reaches
• myself who came up without the financial myself who came up without the financial privileges<01:
• weren't taught how to navigate financial weren't taught how to navigate financial systems<01:19:

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2312 and first adopted the DE1 amendment, after which the amended bill was discussed. Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through the spreadsheet and explained the bill’s higher education budget changes, including increases for state grants and tribal college assistance, unchanged funding for several existing programs, and reductions or eliminations for items such as state work study, summer academic enrichment, student loan counseling, concurrent enrollment, and the student parent support initiative. Staff also noted transfers to special revenue funds, the cancellation and reappropriation of ALS research funding, and a new licensing/registration revenue item. The committee was told the bill met the committee’s zero target overall, with a net general fund change of zero relative to the February forecast, while also adding some non-general fund expenditures for program licensing and registration. Members asked several questions about the transfers and specific line items, including whether any new special revenue accounts were being created, the foster care wraparound services line, and the treatment of the University of Minnesota and Centric Care partnership. Staff explained that the transfers generally did not create new accounts, that some items were not in the base, and that the U of M/Centric Care partnership was a one-time appropriation in the prior bill but was now being built into the base at a different amount. The University of Minnesota section also included new or continued funding for medical school development, health training restoration, emergency assistance grants, ALS research, and a weather resiliency program, while the Mayo Foundation section eliminated funding for Mayo Medical School and the Mayo family medicine residency program. The policy portion of the DE1 was then introduced. It included a maximum tuition and fee amount for state grants, direct appropriation of emergency assistance grants to Minnesota State, a juvenile justice appropriation for Metropolitan State University, and the ALS research reappropriation to the University of Minnesota. It also contained repealers for unfunded programs, including a delayed repealer for the student parent support initiative. In the higher education policy article, the bill would allow Minnesota State to offer applied doctoral degrees in cybersecurity, make technical changes to hunger-free campus and sexual misconduct procedures, extend pregnant and parenting student protections to private institutions, allow OHE to retain up to 10% of certain competitive grants for administration, consolidate reports, change the state grant formula so negative FAFSA contributions count as zero, and reduce the state grant lifetime credit cap from 180 to 120 credits. The Northstar Promise provisions would limit tuition and fees to resident rates and require MnState, and request the University of Minnesota, to ensure eligible students receive the benefit.

Transcript Highlights:

• They do expect consumer spending to remain one of the primary drivers of GDP growth, with a negative
• So, inflation: the consumer price index for September 2025 increased by 3 over the previous year, making
• reducing the real purchasing power consumers have.
• The high-level summary of the General Fund Financial Summary And what this just illustrates is revenues
• I'll close out my presentation with the general fund financial outlook on slide 26, and I want to take

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Randy Shindelar, and I am the chief financial officer at Arip Companies and Sterling Specialty
• /c><00:03:09.360> am<00:03:09.440> the<00:03:09.599> chief<00:03:09.840> financial
• Shindelar and I am the chief financial Shindelar and I am the chief financial officer<00:03:10.640
• ,<00:21:21.200> green environmental, social, consumer, green environmental, social, consumer
• Bureau of Lab Labor Statistics, there Bureau of Lab Labor Statistics, there are<00:44:03.839> approximately

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Jennifer Olri, and I am the registration bureau administrator, formerly of the title bureau
• My name is Jennifer Olirri, and I am the registration bureau administrator, formerly of the title bureau
• the Turnpikes Bureau. the Turnpikes Bureau.
• administrator of the title bureau. administrator of the title bureau.
• Um, we do have an abandoned consumer.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can work with Farm Bureau on that number.
• So, in following up on Representative Bartleman's question about protections, what protections would
• We're going to have annual financial audits.
• If the Farm Bureau plans require, are the Farm Bureau plans required to pay all medically necessary health
• But I am here, and I represent the Florida Farm Bureau.

Summary: The Health Care Facilities and Systems Subcommittee met with a quorum present and took up five bills. The first, CS/HB 1119 on pediatric readiness in hospital emergency departments, would require hospitals with ERs to adopt evidence-based pediatric care policies, train staff, designate a pediatric emergency care coordinator, complete the National Pediatric Readiness Assessment, and meet minimum equipment and planning standards. Members discussed transport to the closest appropriate facility and implementation concerns, but the bill passed 16-0. The committee then approved HB 677, which would add standard fertility preservation services to the state group insurance program for employees undergoing chemotherapy, and CSHB 497, which would authorize nonprofit agricultural organization medical benefit plans for Florida Farm Bureau members, aimed at improving affordable coverage for farmers and ranchers. HB 677 passed 16-0, and CSHB 497 passed 18-0 after questions about membership, regulation, disclosures, and how the plan would compare with ACA coverage. The subcommittee also approved PCS/HB 791 on surrendered newborn infants, allowing infant safety devices at hospitals, EMS stations, and fire stations as an alternative safe-haven option. Members discussed alarms, unmanned stations, and whether churches should be included; the bill passed 18-0. Finally, HB 1529 on home health aides for medically fragile children was amended and passed 18-0. The bill seeks a federal waiver so compensation for parents serving as home health aides does not count against Medicaid eligibility, and the amendments added reporting of adverse incidents, set work-hour limits, and protected certain other benefits. The chair closed by emphasizing the committee’s role in implementation oversight and fixing problems after enactment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
• SPEAKER, I YIELD MYSELF SUCH TIME AS I MAY CONSUME.
• I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
• I yield myself such time as I may consume.
• Programs like Medicare and Medicaid, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and funding for HBCUs, Black

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 24, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bureau administers all of the business and policy administration over state and federal financial
• unfunded in this bureau. That's it. unfunded in this bureau. That's it.
• Um, this is largely our child protection bureau and all the services that we provide.
• Um this is largely our child protection Um this is largely our child protection bureau<01:25:06.880
• <01:25:39.520> child<01:25:39.840> protection the child protection child protection

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have two other bureaus.
• Our third bureau is the Labor Market and Information Bureau.
• Our third bureau is the Labor Market and Information Bureau.
• Our third bureau is the Labor Market and Information Bureau.
• /c><01:30:22.920> the bureaus um the first Bureau the bureaus um the first Bureau the unemployment

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This project represents a critical investment in environmental protection, public health, and regulatory
• The Merrimack River serves multiple downstream communities, and CSO reduction protects water quality
• It's there for a reason, and that's to protect public land, right? A couple of things.
• It's a symbol of the fragile ecosystems we have a responsibility to protect.
• You are consumed by grief for a person you haven't met yet, but already love with your whole heart.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. Representative David Linsky supported HB 3383, which would designate the song “Roadrunner” as the official rock song of Massachusetts, describing its Boston roots and cultural significance. Representative Sean Garberle supported HB 3335 on public access to historical records, arguing that records from state institutions should be released after 75 years and that families and researchers should be able to identify people buried in unmarked graves at former state institutions. Representative Rodney Elliott and Lowell officials supported HB 4138, authorizing easements for a Lowell sewer separation project; they said the project is needed for Clean Water Act compliance, will reduce combined sewer overflows into the Merrimack River, and must proceed quickly to meet SRF and consent-decree timelines. Committee members asked about Article 97, the location and scope of the easement, environmental justice impacts, and minority/small business participation in construction. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate 2183 and its House companion, which would elevate the Massachusetts National Guard to a cabinet-level position reporting directly to the Governor. Senators Mike Moore and John Velis, along with the National Guard Association’s Matthew McKenna, argued the change would reduce bureaucracy, improve communication and readiness, and reflect the Guard’s broad domestic and military missions. Velis cited the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home tragedy as an example of a breakdown in communication, while committee members said they wanted more information, including input from the Governor’s office and Guard leadership, before acting. The committee noted the distinction between state-controlled and federalized Guard missions and said it would continue reviewing the issue. Senator Liz Miranda and a large panel of survivors, advocates, and Northeastern law students testified in support of S. 2174 and S. 2177, which would create an office and task force on unsolved homicides, allow families to petition for case review after three years, require written responses, and establish a tip line, database, and dedicated funding. Witnesses described long-standing lack of communication, low clearance rates, and the disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Senator Becca Rausch also testified on S. 2210, extending public records law to the governor and Legislature, and S. 2207, creating stronger information-governance and records-retention standards; she said both would improve transparency and reduce waste. The transcript does not reflect any votes taken during the hearing, though chairs repeatedly indicated support for moving some bills favorably and said the committee would continue reviewing the National Guard proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• Their indifference to pain, suffering, death, and financial loss defies explanation.
• It's cloaked in language to protect doctors. HB 99 is a flawed bill.
• That is not due to a lack of commitment to patient protection or accountability.
• It protects patients' rights, which is what we really want.
• and our clinics, and instead we're providing protection—well, we're providing them some protection,

Bills: HB99, HJR5, HM39, HB206, HB213, SB41, SB153, SB165, SB261, SB264

Keywords: medical malpractice, malpractice reform, patient's compensation fund, PCF, health care liability, tort reform, damage caps, punitive damages, hospital liability, physician liability, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, outpatient facility, ambulatory surgical center, urgent care, free-standing emergency room, insurance surcharge, superintendent of insurance, New Mexico hospitals, medical review process