Transcript Highlights:

• We have 16 megawatts of battery storage, and we've operated battery storage, uh, for about 3 years now
• Uh, in that move, uh, we're also looking for a, a long duration storage option.
• All these will be the start of a long duration storage.
• storage if we have access to renewable energy.
• It provides the long-term storage.

Transcript Highlights:

• Safe storage is an essential start.
• We Safe storage is an essential start.
• <00:17:58.400> homicides storage laws, gun- rellated homicides storage laws, gun- rellated
• Furthermore, in terms of safe storage.
• <00:26:00.960> And requirements for safe storage. And requirements for safe storage.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4893, a school safety and gun violence prevention bill, and first adopted a DE1 amendment before hearing the bill. The author and supporters described the measure as a layered approach to school safety, combining increased funding for student support personnel, required school safety plans, and anonymous threat reporting systems. They cited research from the Violence Prevention Project and other sources arguing that many school shooters are insiders, often show warning signs, and frequently leak plans beforehand, making early intervention and trusted adults in schools important. Members and testifiers also discussed the bill’s firearm storage provisions. Representative Green explained that the bill would require firearms on school property and in vehicles to be unloaded and locked, and would limit or remove principals’ discretion to allow firearms in school buildings, while preserving access for trained school security personnel. Supporters said the bill would improve clarity and safety for schools, while a representative from private schools raised concerns that the language could limit flexibility and create staffing and accountability problems for non-public schools, prompting discussion of possible amendments. Several student and organizational testifiers supported the bill, including students from Edina High School, Education Minnesota, the Minnesota School Counselors Association, and the Children’s Defense Fund Minnesota. They emphasized the impact of gun violence on students’ mental health and learning, the value of anonymous reporting systems, and the need to invest in counselors, social workers, psychologists, and nurses. No final vote on the bill was taken in the portion provided, but the committee did adopt the DE1 amendment and continued discussion of possible changes, including with the BCA and school safety center.

Transcript Highlights:

• BASICALLY WHAT WE HAD WAS A COMPANY COME TO US AND SAY HEY WE WILL BILL YOU ANOTHER STORAGE RESERVOIR
• SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WATER SUPPLY THERE IS ALSO STORAGE PLAN SO YOU CAN GROW THE WATER HIGH AND HAVE
• THAT NORTHERN STORAGE IS ABOVE GROUND AND BELOW GROUND.
• BASICALLY THERE IS TEN UNDERGROUND AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY SYSTEMS ON THE BOOKS GETTING PLANNED
• THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH LAND FOR THE WATER STORAGE AREA TO MEET THE NEED?

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's going on 25 million tons of storage.
• That's where you want to put this type of... into long-term storage. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Large initiatives across the entire nation that studied CO2 storage and how to best do it.
• The same would apply to carbon storage. And, uh, Representative Dixon. Dr.
• And Farmington for a storage site that we developed for Tallgrass Energy.

Transcript Highlights:

• by asking CARB to include a strategy in the next scoping plan update to support beneficial carbon storage
• The California Energy Commission has projected that we need 52,000 megawatts of energy storage by 2045
• To reach this goal, we'll need a variety of types of energy storage.
• To meet electricity demand, we'll need a variety of types of energy storage, large and small, across
• And the bill says that a gravity-based energy storage well has lost its mechanical integrity shall be

Summary: The Assembly Natural Resources Committee met with some initial delay while waiting for quorum, then approved the consent calendar items SB 234, SB 484, and SB 839. The committee heard several bills focused on wildfire mitigation, biomass use, climate resilience, and geologic hazard mapping. Members and witnesses repeatedly emphasized the need to balance climate, air quality, public health, and land management goals, with testimony both supporting and opposing biomass-related proposals. SB 88 (Caballero) would direct state agencies to support beneficial uses of forest and agricultural biomass, including biochar and low-carbon energy. Supporters argued it would reduce open burning, improve air quality, and create rural economic opportunities; opponents, including environmental groups, argued woody biomass energy is costly, polluting, and harmful to forests and communities. The bill passed as amended to Appropriations. SB 653 (Cortese) defining environmentally sensitive vegetation management also passed, with supporters describing it as a voluntary framework to align wildfire fuel reduction with biodiversity and habitat restoration; no opposition was heard, and a member requested to be added as a coauthor. The committee also approved SCR 50 (Stern), which urges state climate agencies to define maladaptation and develop criteria for reviewing climate-related policies and investments, and SB 567 (Limón), a pilot program to study converting idle oil wells into gravity energy storage wells. SB 567 drew support from the sponsor and labor/local government witnesses, while the Water Replenishment District opposed unless amended, citing groundwater protection concerns in key basins and asking for additional safeguards. Finally, SB 831 (Limón) passed, clarifying the scope of geologic hazards to include conditions tied to climate change and natural disasters such as post-fire debris flows, subsidence, and coastal erosion. All measures were reported out of committee, with several absent-member votes later added to complete the roll.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, we do have some projects we're looking at for direct aquifer storage and recovery.
• So an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project that retained water and charged the aquifer would be
• , as opposed to recharge, I'm talking about just reservoir storage.
• You can't rely on that for long-term water storage, but you can have the same reservoir with storage
• And then storage Y at the bottom that stores water for water supply.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• putting a cover over a salt storage putting a cover over a salt storage facility<03:21:11.840>
• um the best practices in salt storage. um the best practices in salt storage.
• municipalities already have salt storage municipalities already have salt storage facilities.<03
• salt storage facilities. salt storage facilities.
• Um, we have proper storage.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ANA HIGGINS SELF STORAGE ASSOCIATION WAIVING IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
• NOT THINKING ABOUT A STORAGE UNIT WHILE THEY'RE GETTING AUNT JAN TO BE MOVED CLOSER TO THEM.
• THEY CANCELED HER CREDIT CARDS AND THE STORAGE UNIT IS ABOUT TO BE SOLD.
• I AM ANA HIGGINS I REPRESENT THE SELF STORAGE ASSOCIATION.
• WE CURRENTLY RUN MANY STORAGE AUCTIONS. LAST YEAR WE LOST TOWING AND STORAGE ADS.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A couple other kind of just things when we’re talking fuel cycles: storage, consolidated interim storage
• So storage and transportation typically, those are those dry storage casks.
• This kind of gives used fuel storage in context.
• Is it the same now, 10 years after being in storage, as it was when it was put into storage?
• So there was all... ...10 years after being in storage, as it was when it was put into storage.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The idea is that that development, whether it be wind, solar, battery storage, state reforestation area
• I mean, is battery storage going to be allowed on state reforestation areas?
• They are often paired up with battery storage facilities.
• They are often paired up with battery storage facilities.
• THEY ARE OFTEN PAIRED UP WITH BATTERY STORAGE FACILITY.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the prior day’s journal, and then recognized several guest groups, including the Shenendehowa High School girls varsity cross country team and tennis champion Jolie Chichak, as well as the Downsville Central School Student Council. Senator Tedisco introduced the Shenendehowa athletes, highlighting their state and federation championships and strong academic records, and Senator Oberacker introduced the Downsville students. The chamber extended courtesies to the guests. The Senate then moved through the calendar, passing a series of bills and resolutions. Among the measures approved were a bill designating Overdose Awareness Day, a real property tax bill, a public authorities bill, several education-related bills, a private housing finance bill, a workers’ compensation bill, and a labor law bill. Some items were laid aside before later being taken up, including the cannabis bill and the environmental conservation bill. Votes were largely unanimous or near-unanimous, with a few recorded negatives on certain bills. The most extensive debate centered on Calendar 261, Senator May’s environmental conservation bill concerning renewable energy installations and transmission on state reforestation lands. Senator Walczyk and others questioned whether the bill would allow solar, wind, battery storage, tree cutting, herbicide use, and reduced environmental review, while supporters argued the bill was mainly about transmission corridors, climate goals, and preserving flexibility for DEC oversight and mitigation. After debate, the bill was restored to the non-controversial calendar and passed 42-13. The Senate also passed Calendar 353, Senator Ramos’s labor law bill addressing class action wage recovery and statutory damages. Supporters said it would clarify the law so workers can recover full wages in class actions, while opponents warned it could encourage litigation against small businesses over technical payroll errors. The bill passed 47-8. The Senate then completed the calendar and adjourned until March 4, 2026, with intervening days as legislative days.

Transcript Highlights:

• It could be long duration battery storage.
• We will look to extend that storage once we want to extend beyond 2033 and 2034.
• The 1994 law authorizes cask storage and also put the nuclear moratorium in place.
• Generating Station onsite waste storage Generating Station onsite waste storage and<01:41:27.760
• <01:43:03.239> carbon in Minnesota battery storage carbon in Minnesota battery storage carbon

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You're talking about storage tanks. What kind of storage tanks are storage whatever facility?
• What does that entail when you said storage? Storage of what?
• Mike Ewalt: Okay, I didn't mention storage tanks, but I did say solar with storage.
• Almost all the solar facilities being built have battery storage with them.
• Chair: Geothermal, there is no need for batteries or any kind of storage.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Committee on Transportation, Culture, and the Arts heard several resolutions, with most public testimony focused on Senate Concurrent Resolution 159 and Senate Resolution 129, which urge continued U.S. support for the Ukrainian military. Testimony on those measures was largely opposed, with witnesses arguing Hawaii should prioritize local needs such as homelessness, infrastructure, and cost of living over additional aid to Ukraine; one support testimony was noted from the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Despite the opposition, both committees recommended passage with technical, nonsubstantive amendments, and the recommendations were adopted. The committees also considered transportation-related resolutions. Senate Concurrent Resolution 182 and Senate Resolution 152 would initiate a summer streets pilot program, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 200 and Senate Resolution 180 would ask AMPO to coordinate a transportation management training program. Testimony on the summer streets proposal included support and opposition, with one witness saying community input should be gathered through existing district and community meetings rather than creating a pilot. The training-program measure drew opposition from a witness who argued it would add unnecessary bureaucracy. Both pairs were recommended for passage, with the summer streets resolutions passed unamended and the training-program resolutions passed with technical amendments. In the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee, Senate Concurrent Resolution 18 and Senate Resolution 14, concerning relocation of the Pearl City post office to Navy property, were recommended for passage with technical amendments. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate Concurrent Resolution 136 and Senate Resolution 150, which call for a geothermal energy working group. Supporters included the State Energy Office, PUC, consumer advocate, and others, though the energy office asked to move the report deadline to 2027. Opponents raised concerns about cost, health impacts, environmental risks, and Native Hawaiian representation. The chair proposed amendments to add a Native Hawaiian member, the consumer advocate, and the House and Senate energy committee chairs, clarify participation by utility, geothermal, and nonprofit representatives, and extend the report deadline to 2027. The resolutions were then recommended for passage with amendments, and all recommendations were adopted before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:44.879> that with a larger scale battery storage that with a larger scale battery storage
• through the use of the battery storage through the use of the battery storage and<00:04:10.640><
• <00:09:22.200> projects<00:09:22.640> would energy storage projects would energy storage
• developer you know with a storage developer you know with a storage project<00:11:56.600> would
• electric grid including energy storage electric grid including energy storage of<02:08:20.719>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It establishes the Carbon Dioxide Geological Storage Fund.
• shall be based on the area of review on file with the Department of the Storage Facility.
• shall be based on the area of review on file with the Department of the Storage Facility.
• Storage shall be based on the area of review on file with the Department for the storage facility.
• On a million tons of storage, that's $70,000.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• facilities into mixed-use, transit-oriented... ...form former naval weapons storage facilities into
• And 75% of the battery storage that is industrial-sized battery storage now in the state has shifted
• Why are we talking about the battery storage?
• The storage unit is for the areas where there's no electricity grid.
• The storage unit is for the areas where there's no electricity grid.

Summary: The committee heard a series of housing, local government, and governance bills, with most of the discussion focused on housing production, permitting, and local accountability. SB 1003, by Senator Grayson, would create an Infrastructure Partnership Financing Program to help local jurisdictions and developers jointly fund infill housing infrastructure; it drew support from housing advocates and senior housing groups, while Senator Seyarto questioned whether the state would actually fund another program. The bill was moved on a 3-1 vote and remained on call. SB 1014 would require local jurisdictions to provide good-faith estimates of on-site and off-site improvements within 30 business days of a preliminary application and limit later surprise requirements; Habitat for Humanity, SPUR, and other housing groups supported it, while the City of San Mateo and local government associations raised concerns about accuracy and timing. It passed 4-2 and remained on call. SB 1036, which would require credit under the Mitigation Fee Act for prior site uses when redeveloping a site, passed unanimously to the Senate floor. SB 1145 would streamline CEQA and federal reuse review for qualifying projects at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station; it drew broad labor and local support, but housing and legal advocates sought stronger affordability and enforceability provisions. The bill passed 6-0 to the Committee on Environmental Quality. The committee also considered SB 908, which would streamline permits for energy-code-compliant residential window replacements and limit local design restrictions and HOA barriers. Supporters said the bill would let homeowners and affordable housing providers reduce energy costs, while opponents argued it could override local design standards; it passed 3-1 and remained on call. SB 1172, the Local Tax Savings Act, would add guardrails and transparency to local tax-sharing and consultant agreements; it was supported by the City of Shafter and the League of California Cities and passed 4-0 to Revenue and Taxation, remaining on call. SB 1283 would expand ministerial approval for EV charging stations to include canopies and on-site energy storage systems and require local ordinance updates by 2027; EV industry groups supported it, while cities and counties warned about safety, liability, and local review. Members discussed battery storage safety and litigation concerns, and the bill passed 4-0 to Judiciary, remaining on call. The committee also heard SB 1379, which would separate the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner offices and create an independent medical examiner in response to in-custody death concerns. Supporters cited high death rates, settlements, and the need for independent investigations, while the sheriff’s association and county representatives argued the change would be costly, duplicate services, and override local control. The bill passed 4-1 to Public Safety and remained on call. Finally, SB 1414 would create an independent redistricting commission for San Bernardino County; supporters said it would improve transparency and remove conflicts of interest, while the county opposed the estimated $2 million cost and noted its existing advisory commission. Members generally supported independent redistricting, and the bill was discussed but no final vote was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other point is for geothermal energy storage. The current law...
• Chairman, states that electric energy storage facilities are not eligible.
• the current law The other point is for geothermal energy storage.
• Chairman, states that electric energy storage facilities are not eligible.
• It is unclear whether that means geothermal energy storage is not eligible.

Bills: HB111

Summary: The committee heard a long series of House bills, with most measures laid out by Senate sponsors and then left pending after brief public testimony. Early bills focused on construction and licensing issues, including HB 305 on prompt payment for public construction audits, HB 5093 on restoring public access to notary contact information, HB 2037 on updating landlord-tenant repair and security deposit rules, HB 4214 on a centralized public information request contact database, and HB 5435 exempting higher education institutions from a 90-day notice requirement for certain public-private partnership projects. Testimony was generally supportive on these bills, and no votes were taken; each was left pending. The committee also considered several transparency and regulatory bills. HB 111 would expand the Public Information Act to certain nonprofit state associations and narrow some attorney-client and working-paper exceptions, with supporters arguing it would improve oversight of public funds and critics questioning the scope and thresholds. HB 5129 would protect occupational license holders’ personal identifying information from disclosure without consent, HB 4350 would allow peace officers to redact personal information from online real property records, HB 4748 would authorize multiple-award state purchasing contracts, and HB 4765 would clean up code enforcement officer licensing rules. HB 4134 would allow motor vehicle creditors to charge limited fees for electronic payment options while requiring a free alternative, and HB 1043 would direct a study of blockchain-based property title records; both drew testimony, with some concern about the practical effects and vendor implications of the blockchain study. Several bills addressed insurance, workforce, and digital-asset regulation. HB 3520 would reduce the insurance coverage required for transportation network companies during the period when a driver is en route to pick up a passenger, drawing support from Texans for Lawsuit Reform and opposition from trial lawyers who argued the higher coverage better protects the public. HB 3320 would create a self-insurance pool for religious institutions, with TDI explaining it would still be regulated but operate under a special statutory framework. HB 4233 would modernize rules for digital asset service providers by removing certain auditor-access requirements and updating reporting and licensing provisions. HB 3923 would reduce bachelor’s-degree requirements for some state jobs, though Every Texan argued low pay, not degree requirements, is the main driver of turnover. HB 4518 would create a legal structure for decentralized unincorporated nonprofit associations tied to blockchain governance; business law experts opposed it as unnecessary and potentially risky, while crypto advocates supported it. Finally, HB 1803 would join an interstate compact for dentists and dental hygienists, with supporters citing workforce shortages and opponents saying Texas already licenses quickly and that the compact could weaken state oversight. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly closed testimony and left bills pending, and a quorum was eventually established before later items were heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• Access to safe, temporary firearm storage for people who need it.
• Because of local restrictions, San Francisco has no FFL storage options.
• Access to temporary firearm storage can save lives.
• I do not have storage in the house, and what do I do?
• I do not have storage in the house and what do I do?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A couple other kind of just think when we're talking fuel cycles: storage, consolidated interim storage
• So storage and transportation, typically those are those dry storage casks.
• This kind of gives used fuel storage in context.
• Is it the same now, 10 years after being in storage, as it was when it was put into storage?
• So there was all... 10 years after being in storage, as it was when it was put into storage.

Summary: The meeting opened with remarks about the value of public engagement and the quality of questions from the group, followed by a series of technical presentations from Idaho National Laboratory staff. Joe Renovitz described recent nuclear regulatory changes tied to presidential executive orders, including NRC Part 53 for advanced reactors, the forthcoming Part 57 for very small reactors, and DOE updates to reactor authorization standards. He emphasized efforts to align DOE and NRC processes, use risk-informed and performance-based licensing, support reactor deployment for AI/data centers and national security, and use AI to speed communications and crosswalks between DOE and NRC requirements. In response to questions, he said there was no plan to merge agencies, but rather to improve coordination and public outreach through groups like GAIN and NEI. David Tolman then discussed the nuclear fuel cycle, including uranium mining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel storage, transportation, disposal, and reprocessing. He explained high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), why it is needed for advanced reactors, and DOE’s HALEU Availability Program and related investments in enrichment, transportation, deconversion, and supply chain development. He also covered spent fuel management, the possibility of centralized storage or a fuel-cycle campus, the Center for Used Fuel Research, and ongoing work on high-burnup cask testing and reprocessing technologies. Tolman described aqueous, pyrochemical, and fluoride-volatility reprocessing approaches, noting the advantages and waste characteristics of each, and said several companies are working with INL on these technologies. Ashley Shields presented INL’s AI and nuclear work, focusing on the Genesis initiative and the Prometheus effort to use AI to design, license, build, and operate reactors with far less human intervention. She described INL’s broad use of generative AI tools, the need to manage large volumes of legacy technical data, and applications in reactor design, materials discovery, autonomous laboratories, and digital twins. Shields said AI is being used to reduce the enormous documentation burden in nuclear licensing and to support autonomous or remotely operated reactor demonstrations, while stressing that humans remain in supervisory roles. In discussion, she addressed data security, model access, and the continued need for software engineers. The session then recessed briefly and resumed with Mitch Kerman beginning a presentation on critical minerals and materials.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:16:11.040> incentive energy storage incentive energy storage incentive grants<00:16:13.839
• The electric panel upgrade grants, the energy and storage incentive grants, the St.
• of these sites continues and storage of these sites continues and repealing<00:18:47.440> this
• their act together and created a storage their act together and created a storage facility<00:43
• from solar we're now seeing storage from solar we're now seeing storage we're<01:01:34.280> seeing

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• > Minnesota<00:09:53.760> High storage protections to Minnesota High storage protections
• Safe storage our agencies to enforce.
• and update our gun storage laws.
• <00:21:56.880> and we must normalize safe gun storage and we must normalize safe gun storage
• about storage of loaded firearms?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all