Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to focus just for a moment on how an LCFS can reduce carbon in the diesel engine sector, but
• ChargePoint and a plethora of other charging companies offer readily available software and hardware
• We offer software-optimized fleet management, which uses software to manage and optimize various aspects
• They had to redesign the engine. The second really point that Pat alluded to is it’s not scalable.
• They had to redesign the engine. The second really point that Pat alluded to is it's not scalable.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy heard testimony on several transportation and clean-fuel bills. Supporters of H. 3535 argued for delaying or pausing enforcement of Massachusetts’ zero-emission vehicle sales mandate, saying the current ACC2 timeline is unrealistic given low ZEV sales, limited charging infrastructure, dealer inventory concerns, and potential economic impacts on dealerships, consumers, and tax revenue. Opponents of that approach, including automakers and clean transportation advocates, said the state should stay on course with electrification and that the mandate is necessary to meet climate goals. The committee also heard support for H. 3570/S. 2326 to update vehicle emission standards for municipal and utility fleets, with municipal utility representatives saying current electric truck technology, charging access, and costs make the rules impractical for critical public services. A major portion of the hearing focused on S. 2246, the Freedom to Move Act, which would require MassDOT and regional planning agencies to set vehicle miles traveled reduction goals and align transportation spending with climate targets. Supporters said the bill would better coordinate transportation planning, encourage transit, biking, and walking, and help Massachusetts meet emissions goals while saving money and improving public health. Some committee members raised concerns that the bill could duplicate existing transportation climate mandates and could disadvantage rural residents who must drive long distances; witnesses responded that the bill is meant to add coordination and flexibility, not impose a one-size-fits-all solution. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3448, which would set deadlines to electrify school buses and public fleets and create programs for private fleet electrification. Advocates said fleet electrification is a practical way to cut emissions, improve air quality, and save money over time, especially for schoolchildren exposed to diesel exhaust. Several witnesses also supported low-carbon fuel standard bills H. 3576 and S. 2251, arguing they would reduce fuel carbon intensity and generate revenue for charging and clean-fuel investments. Others, including a coalition opposed to private jet expansion, objected to the bills’ treatment of sustainable aviation fuel, saying it is not scalable, is expensive, and could create land-use and food-supply tradeoffs. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the hearing excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Six fire engines per month until all contracted engines have been delivered.
• Engines, as Chief Sholen mentioned, Engine changes, mission changes.
• It costs more than a fire engine.
• So it's not just Type 1 fire engines. It's not Type 3 fire engines. It's all of them.
• For the city of Fullerton, one example of our engine: we built an engine in 2019.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have been waiting years for fire engines to show up. We have Type 3 fire engines.
• We have Type 3 fire engines.
• Engines, as Chief Shulam mentioned, engine changes, mission changes.
• So it's not just type one fire engines. It's not type three fire engines. It's all of them.
• For the City of Fullerton, one example of our engine: we built an engine in 2019.

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on the rising cost and long delivery times for fire apparatus and related equipment, with opening remarks stressing that aging fleets, supply chain problems, and delayed replacements are affecting emergency readiness across California. Cal OES and Cal Fire described statewide procurement challenges, including higher prices, multi-year delivery timelines, two-year encumbrance limits, and the strain on mutual aid when engines remain in service beyond their intended replacement cycles. Cal Fire said it operates 537 engines, with 300 meeting replacement criteria and 243 at least 16 years old, and explained the difference between mandatory contracts and one-time acquisitions. The Department of General Services said vendors have cited labor costs, chassis pricing, and the need for longer production timelines, while also noting that statewide contracts can include nominal price increases but not open-ended price hikes. Local fire chiefs from Santa Barbara County, Los Angeles County, Napa, and Fullerton testified that apparatus prices have risen sharply while delivery times have stretched from under a year to three to five years or more. They described specific examples of engines and ladder trucks costing far more than prior purchases and arriving years later, forcing departments to keep older reserve apparatus in service, spend more on maintenance, and defer other budget priorities. Several witnesses said industry consolidation has reduced competition and contributed to delays and price increases, with Los Angeles County and Fullerton noting they have pursued antitrust complaints and litigation against major manufacturers. Napa also described proprietary parts and software limiting in-house repairs, and Santa Barbara County said a vendor’s unfulfilled delivery promise caused the department to lose its place in line. Members asked about possible solutions, including whether the state should consider manufacturing apparatus itself, whether procurement rules or prototype requirements could be streamlined, whether DGS staffing or contract processes could be accelerated, and whether more stable long-term purchasing commitments would help manufacturers plan production. Witnesses said safety-driven specification changes are necessary but can add time, and that the main bottlenecks are industry capacity, consolidation, and vendor performance. The vice chair raised concerns about how grant funding windows and local matching requirements are affected by multi-year delays, especially for small and rural departments that rely on grants and on used apparatus passed down from larger agencies. No votes were taken; the hearing concluded with committee members indicating interest in possible legislative, regulatory, and antitrust follow-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• she engineer in charge of building aid. she engineer in charge of building aid.
• those factories. uh the basic software those factories. uh the basic software would<03:58:32.720
• > say<04:20:18.080> software<04:20:18.479> design software it's when I say software
• design software it's when I say software design is<04:20:18.880> trivial,<04:20:19.520> it
• And I think software package here.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up SB 209, which would require schools seeking building aid for construction or reconstruction projects to use an owner’s project manager. The chair explained an amendment that would remove the bill’s requirement that the manager be engaged before application and instead revert to current law, while updating the project threshold from the older $1 million figure to a more current amount and clarifying that the manager’s role is to protect the project owner’s interests. Members asked about the cost of hiring a project manager over several years before a project is funded, the 1.5% fee in rule, and whether the rules already define the manager’s duties. The chair said the amendment addressed those concerns by leaving the timing to current law and relying on existing administrative rules for qualifications and responsibilities. The committee then voted 18-0 to adopt the amendment and 18-0 to recommend SB 209 OTPA, placing it on the consent calendar. The committee then moved to SB 99, which concerns allowing students enrolled in career and technical education programs at receiving comprehensive high schools to take additional academic courses there. The chair said the bill was intended to make it easier for students to access CTE without being blocked by scheduling conflicts in their sending schools, and to clarify how agreements between sending and receiving districts would work. He described concerns about the bill’s cost formula, transportation, part-time versus full-time status, and whether the proposal could unintentionally create open-enrollment or athletic-transfer issues. He said the amendment would mirror existing treatment for homeschool and charter school students, use a familiar funding model, and limit participation to students already enrolled in one or more CTE classes at the receiving school. The chair also emphasized that comprehensive high schools already have a statutory definition and that the bill would help more students participate in CTE, which he said currently reaches only a relatively small share of students statewide. He noted that transportation would be covered only when a CTE bus is available, otherwise students would be responsible for arranging travel as under current practice. After brief discussion, the committee voted 18-0 to adopt the amendment and 18-0 to recommend SB 99 OTPA, also placing it on the consent calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• engineers.
• engineers.
• engineers.
• engineers.
• engineers.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• IF YOU HAVE HAD YOUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AND YOU PULLED INTO AN AUTO PARTS STORE THEY HAVE A CHECK
• ENGINE LIGHT AND THEY PLUG A DEVICE INTO THE CAR UNDER THE DASH AND PLUG IT IN AND READ THE CODES ON
• I THINK IN TODAY'S AGE WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE OUR TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE.
• HOW OFTEN DO YOU ALL LOOK FOR OTHER SOFTWARE AND OTHER POTENTIAL LEADS THAT CAN FIT FLORIDA'S NEEDS AND
• MORE SO IF THE DEPARTMENT MAY BE COULD MEET WITH US AND ACTUALLY DEMONSTRATE THEIR SOFTWARE IN FRONT

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an extremely complex engineering and accounting exercise. And I want to...
• Working on these studies, not necessarily the city staff itself, but the hired consultants and engineers
• And for them to be constantly paying consultants and engineers to update it does. make sense for city
• companies from their TML conferences. we can get you an extra income coming into your city. engineers
• Okay, and it also allows for the use of automated software for third-party review. process.

Bills: HB602, HB1322, HB1930, HB2225, HB2304, HB2494, HB3275, HB3810, HB3919

Keywords: affordable housing, land use, zoning, urban planning, community development, housing crisis, mixed-use development, sustainability, municipal utility district, board of directors, qualifications, land ownership, Texas, taxation, residency, municipal approval, subdivision plans, local governance, plats, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• Most things are moving toward platform as a service, software as a service.
• inventory, so they don't know what software they have in their environment.
• So where I am employed, the engineers do all the patching, and we try to automate that.
• It's not about software.
• But we're still dealing with one vendor when it comes to software costs. All right.

Summary: The Information Technology Committee approved the March 26 minutes and received a series of reports from NDIT on major IT projects, the annual report, mainframe modernization, and cybersecurity services. The project portfolio was reported at 116 major projects with a baseline cost of $546 million, overall under budget but modestly behind schedule. Several projects that had been in variance status last quarter were said to have closed, including HHS bed management, vital records modernization, and DOT roadway capital planning. New startup reports were mostly HHS efforts tied to refugee data management, technical debt cleanup, and legacy application decommissioning, while closeouts included HHS, OMB, DPI, and DOT projects with mixed budget and schedule results. In the annual report discussion, NDIT described its service-fund financials, peer-state rate comparisons, records management reporting, and customer satisfaction efforts. Members asked about how revenues and grants flow through the service fund, how NDIT charges agencies for services, and whether customer satisfaction or CSAT scores are tracked and could be reported more regularly. NDIT said it does track service-team CSAT and survey data, and committee members encouraged more regular reporting of those metrics. The committee also discussed application portfolio management, statewide IT planning, and whether agencies should slow new system replacements while the state pursues an ERP system. The mainframe update focused on the state’s ongoing effort to retire legacy systems by about 2030. NDIT and HHS said the work is being managed as a tech-debt program, but progress is slowed by data cleanup, integration complexity, staff retirements, vendor capacity, and federal requirements. Members asked whether there is a coordinated commitment and whether additional vendor support or consultants are needed; NDIT said it is working jointly with HHS and is seeking an RFP to help accelerate modernization. The cybersecurity presentation then shifted to statewide maturity assessments and services. NDIT said it provides endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, security awareness training, threat briefings, and penetration testing, and that assessments are based on CIS controls. Members raised concerns about low participation in the self-assessment process, the lack of mandatory reporting or audit authority, and whether insurance incentives through Enderf or possible State Auditor involvement could improve compliance. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is for implementation as well as licensing of software, which is to support regulatory activities
• This is also a new original contract, and it is for the purchase of software and services needed to implement
• it is for executive search consulting services for their College of Business, as well as their engineering
• And with this year, you're looking at the engine hot section, so that's why the number is so high.
• Both engines or just one? Both engines.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They will pull those software.
• >> Uh, Chairman Cole, I am not a software engineer, but I would argue that if one vendor was able to
• Chair, Representative Johnson, again, I'm not a software engineer and I'm not a software developer, so
• <02:49:10.240> engineer<02:49:10.560> and again, I'm not a software engineer and again
• , I'm not a software engineer and I'm<02:49:10.800> not<02:49:10.880> a<02:49:11.040>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I’m a power systems engineer, and I first just want to say that Third Act is in support of virtual power
• There's a number of software resources that coordinate the discharge of EV batteries and that coordinate
• providers that work closely with the utilities. ...relationships between utilities, software providers
• I think that's—oh, there was something on software, strictly software.
• Many virtual power plants are facilitated by that kind of software company.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no software to install.
• Software that implements the approach we are advocating requires no breakthroughs.
• However, no software development company will respond to a request for proposals to implement this software
• ... ...the reason that some software companies will not start working on this subject unless the bill
• I'm the chairperson of the Boston Center for Independent Living, a software engineer at Google, and a

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills related to open meeting law, municipal meetings, town meetings, and remote participation. Senator Rausch supported S. 2205 and S. 2206, and House companion H. 3382, saying they would make remote participation in public bodies permanent and streamline open meeting law and public records complaint processes to reduce burdens on local officials. Committee members and the senator discussed concerns about complaints being weaponized, the role of the Attorney General, and whether public testimony should be presumed allowed unless a chair limits it with justification. The senator said the bills do not change public records fees and are meant to improve process and transparency. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 3342 and S. 2197, which would modernize municipal meetings, town meetings, and local elections by allowing permanent remote or hybrid participation. Supporters included Wayland officials, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, MAPC, MACC, and others, who argued that hybrid and remote options increase participation, help parents, caregivers, people with disabilities, and residents with travel or work constraints, and have worked well during the pandemic-era extensions. Municipal officials emphasized that a mandate would be costly and difficult for smaller communities because of staffing, technology, room design, cybersecurity, and uneven internet access, especially in western Massachusetts. Committee members asked about equal access, funding, and whether local discretion should remain; the chair said the committee wants a permanent solution beyond emergency rules but must balance access with local capacity. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3328, which would allow remote participation to count toward quorum for statewide appointed bodies such as commissions on women and LGBTQ issues. Supporters argued this would improve regional equity and make it easier for people outside Greater Boston to serve, while committee members noted it is a separate issue from municipal meetings and may be easier to address than broader local-government changes. Another bill, H. 4351, was supported by Rep. Brandy Fluker Reed, who described it as creating an Office of Freedmen Affairs to address longstanding racial wealth disparities affecting descendants of enslaved Americans. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3299 from Common Cause and MASSPIRG in favor of guaranteed hybrid access for public meetings with public participation components, with advocates saying it would improve transparency, accessibility, and civic engagement.

Transcript Highlights:

• They also included software and system updates to the Texas Wholesale Distributor Program and the RxPAD
• , funding to lease copiers, parchment software, and documentation.
• Utilizing DIR's cost in the software will provide us with the analytical data needed to better serve
• Okay, the $300,000 for a new database and software, but then you've got the licensing and maintenance
• The software was bought for $1. I always like bargains.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:21.640> uh fund the development of the software uh fund the development of the software
• We've had to build custom software products.
• We had to revamp those custom software products for the new provisions in the program.
• We've had to build custom software products.
• We've had to build custom software products.

Bills: HF2103, HF2793

Keywords: energy, renewable energy, ammonia, hydrogen, certificate tracking, funding, environment, community solar, energy policy, sustainability, solar garden program, regulation sunset, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Engineering studies are being performed on those structures to ensure that they're going to service us
• Engineering studies are being performed on those structures to ensure that they're going to service us
• Finance has contracts with the engineer, who is, I guess, tier one—the top—then everything goes down
• They put an RFP out to start this project from day one. uh contracts with engineer uh contracts with
• engineer who<00:24:17.600> is<00:24:17.760> the<00:24:18.240> I<00:24:18.480>

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call- 00:00:23 Approve Minutes from January 15, 2026- 00:01:03 Kentucky State Police Update on SERVS- 00:01:47 Adjournment- 00:54:18, 958, all

Summary: The committee received an update from Kentucky State Police on the SERVE radio system project, with David Barker and consultant Brandon Marshall explaining progress across multiple phases. They reported that Mayfield PD fire/EMS and Graves County Sheriff are fully operational on the system, Phase 2 is 77% complete with 48 existing sites finished and 13 new sites pending acquisition, and Phase 3A remains funded but not yet complete. They also said router upgrades are complete, radio dispatch positions and mobile/portable rollout are complete, and microwave replacement is nearly finished, with one remaining site delayed by weather. A major part of the discussion focused on why the project has taken so long and why equipment is being purchased before some sites are built. KSP said the project began as a radio system upgrade but expanded as they discovered additional infrastructure needs, including routers and microwave links that were not in the original scope. They explained that equipment must be purchased in advance to match versions and preserve warranty coverage, and that older existing tower sites are being refurbished rather than replaced to make use of existing public-safety infrastructure. They also said all expenditures are tracked in inventory and accounting records and that the project remains transparent. Members pressed for a master plan and timeline, with Representative Smith arguing the project needs clearer structure and fewer layers of decision-making. KSP acknowledged the need for a timeline, said they had plans but not a full timeline earlier, and stated that if the remaining funding is approved they expect to complete the remaining existing sites and 25 new sites by June 30, 2027. They said 56 new-build sites remain, identified as the yellow-dot sites on the maps, and that some sites may be able to use existing Demar/National Guard tower locations. The committee did not take a vote on the project during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, you know, we've had productive meetings with the operating engineers, and we came to an agreement
• /c> had productive meetings with the had productive meetings with the operating<00:11:13.519> engineers
• and we came to an operating engineers and we came to an agreement<00:11:15.680> that<00:11:16.160
• So there's, I mean, I'm not sure if there's a software issue that could be addressed to do that, but
• issue<00:34:10.240> that<00:34:10.480> could<00:34:10.639> be there's a software

Bills: SB2119, SB3131, SB3069, SB3180, SB2137, SB2993, SB2778, SB2672, SB2014, SB2967

Keywords: reimbursement, public employees, travel costs, government travel policy, finance management, job title, administrative assistant, executive assistant, state personnel, civil service, modernization, employment standards, DAGS, Department of Accounting and General Services, comptroller, civil service exemption, collective bargaining exemption, public works special project branch, specialized public works, information technology modernization

Transcript Highlights:

• I want them to put that shovel in the... ...engineering building.
• And in partnership with Viassette, we started an engineering program. 30% of our software engineers are
• Over half of our students in engineering right now are Hispanic.
• And for every software engineering graduate, we graduate, there's four jobs waiting.
• For every electrical engineering graduate, there's three.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact held an informational hearing in San Diego focused on “Making Sense of California’s Economy: Real Cost Pressures and Household Impacts Facing San Diego.” Chair Salas and Assemblymember Darshana Patel opened by emphasizing affordability, housing, and the importance of bringing state policy discussions into the community. The first panel featured leaders from Cal State San Marcos and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, who described the region’s innovation ecosystem, the university’s role in social mobility and workforce development, and the importance of partnerships with K-12 schools, community colleges, military installations, and industry. They also highlighted regional strengths in life sciences, aerospace and defense, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and venture-backed innovation, while warning that housing costs, federal research cuts, permitting delays, and small-business fragility threaten growth and talent retention. Committee members asked about collaboration among higher education institutions and what state policy changes could help. Panelists said the region’s universities are complementary rather than competitive and stressed the value of public-private partnerships, social innovation, and aligning academic programs with employer needs. On policy, they urged faster permitting, possible regulatory sandboxes, stronger research investment, support for cross-border trade and manufacturing, and more housing affordability to keep workers in the region. The second panel centered on small business and entrepreneurship, with testimony from Hydrostasis founder Dr. Debbie Chen, Amai co-founder Sven Davison, and Asian Business Association San Diego CEO Jason Pagal. Chen described building a hydration-monitoring wearable, the barriers women founders face in accessing capital, and the importance of SBDC, Stella Foundation, and university internship support. Davison described Amai’s edible cup business and how tariffs, supply-chain costs, and financing constraints forced the company to pivot manufacturing plans. Pagal presented survey data showing high relocation intent, difficulty hiring, and low confidence among businesses, and recommended expanded technical assistance, regional cost-of-living adjustments, and small-business affordability zones. During questioning, members discussed targeted procurement and local incentive models, the role of SBDC and other support networks, and how to better tailor state programs to local conditions. Public comment came from the California Southern Small Business Development Corporation, which stressed that access to affordable capital remains a major challenge and noted the volume of loan guarantee requests coming from San Diego. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with closing remarks from both members underscoring the need to use local testimony to shape future state policy and support California’s economy, families, and small businesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so on, in the original budget, you had the grants management software.
• you had the grants management software. you had the grants management software.
• So, grants management software, we were looking for a pre-award and post-award software, and currently
• And the software automated—that only makes sense. All right.
• <01:34:19.440> automated And the and the software automated And the and the software automated

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are looking at having some demos for other AI software potential avenues.
• Just to get used to it, not just for administering jurisdictions, but design professionals, engineers
• ball's in the city's court, if you will—I have not seen a permit software that does it exactly right
• I'm one myself as a licensed civil engineer.
• proven as an economic engine.

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard presentations on a range of housing finance, permitting, and affordability tools. Chattanooga described its affordable housing PILOT program, which uses a per-unit property tax abatement tied to the rent loss from providing affordable units, with a 15-year term and annual compliance monitoring. Committee members asked about the program’s structure, whether it had been used elsewhere, and who was participating; the presenter said the first mixed-income project would bring 278 units with 42 affordable units and that the model was attracting private market-rate developers. Shoreline then described its MFTE and inclusionary zoning approach, emphasizing that longer tax exemption periods and station-area zoning changes had helped spur development, with most current pipeline projects concentrated near light rail stations. The committee also heard from the Municipal Research Services Center and the Department of Commerce on tax increment financing, proportional impact fees, and permit timelines. Commerce explained that TIF can fund public improvements such as roads, utilities, broadband, and some affordable housing or child care facilities, while proportional impact fee guidance is intended to help jurisdictions charge fees more closely aligned with actual project impacts. On permit timelines, Commerce presented its first annual report under recent law changes, using 2024 as a baseline year and noting that reported timelines were generally longer than statutory goals; members asked about outliers, paper versus electronic processing, and whether back-and-forth between applicants and staff was driving delays. Commerce said it would follow up with more data, including on CHIP funding and permit reform practices. Several local governments then shared permitting process improvements. Auburn reported relatively short review cycles and described its move to fully electronic permitting, internal performance standards, and a stock plan program that speeds review for repeated home designs. Bellevue described an AI permitting pilot with a local startup to help with pre-application questions, document triage, and plan review, aiming to reduce incomplete applications and revision cycles. Seattle presented a pilot for accessory dwelling unit co-development in which a mission-driven partner would help homeowners split lots, finance, build, and manage ADUs, with the homeowner eventually buying out the partner and retaining ownership; committee members asked about rent setting, management fees, and default risk, and staff said they would follow up. The committee also heard brief overviews of community land trusts and limited equity cooperatives as permanent affordability models, with presenters urging continued state and local funding support and policy recognition for these approaches.

Transcript Highlights:

• Leah Moncure was a lifelong public servant to the state of Texas and the first woman to become an engineer
• She got a job at an aerospace and automotive, uh, engineering.
• She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom Team Award for that activity, and the engineering in
• She is a deputy voter registrar and she knows that a woman's place is in engineering in the house, in
• AG 4901 by fairly ruling the regulation of platforms for the sale and distribution of software, software