Transcript Highlights:

• have two primary source of cyber forces have two primary source of cyber forces and<00:13:09.760
• They partner joint force headquarters.
• They came and joined forces with our cyber operations forces for that event.
• I'm also a member of John Risville's cyber task force, and part of our baseline subcommittee is we're
• I'm also a member of John Risville's cyber task force, and part of our baseline subcommittee is we're

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Commission on Cybersecurity met remotely on January 8, 2026, approved the minutes from October 27, 2025 by voice vote, and confirmed a quorum was present. The main presentation came from the Minnesota National Guard’s cyber coordination cell, with Lieutenant Colonel Brian Morgan describing the unit’s mission to prepare Guard cyber forces for state or federal cyber support, including domestic emergencies like the St. Paul ransomware incident and broader federal activations. Morgan outlined three main lines of effort: optimizing cyber force training for likely threats, building relationships with state, federal, academic, and local partners, and equipping deployable incident-response tools. He said the coordination cell is not itself the incident response team, but serves as the planning and coordination office for military cyber response, maintaining equipment at Cedar Street Armory that can provide out-of-band connectivity and be deployed quickly. He also described partnerships with Minnesota IT Services, CISA, the FBI, Metro State University, and international/state partners such as Norway and Croatia, along with participation in major exercises and conferences. The presentation emphasized the St. Paul response as a model for coordination, noting the Guard’s role in mission coordination, operational support, public affairs support, and lessons learned. Morgan said the Guard has conducted more than 200 engagements with partner institutions in 2024-2025 and uses outreach to educate counties and other entities on how to request Guard cyber support, comparing the process to requesting assistance for a fire or flood. In response to a question from Representative Bonner, he highlighted the long-standing relationship with Metro State University and its practical role in training cyber personnel, including operational technology training and a credit-transfer pathway toward a master’s degree.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:26:56.480> out too many dedicated people are forced out too many dedicated people are
• forced out of<00:26:56.880> education<00:26:57.520> entirely<00:26:58.480> due<00
• We're<00:40:08.240> tasked<00:40:08.640> with<00:40:08.800> taking<00:40:09.119>
• care<00:40:09.280> of<00:40:09.359> them We're tasked with taking care of them
• We're tasked with taking care of them every<00:40:09.760> day,<00:40:10.000> and<00:40:

Bills: HF3422, HF3461, HF2904

Keywords: state grants, grant oversight, grants management, executive agencies, Minnesota Department of Administration, commissioner of administration, fraud prevention, waste prevention, grant monitoring, financial reconciliation, grant compliance, state government, public funds, grant recipients, competitive grants, grant administration, administrative oversight, monitoring visits, grant policy, legislative leave

Transcript Highlights:

• It does not promise that cities and counties won't be forced to cut services.
• Those are real choices that local governments may be forced to make.
• Will local governments be forced to raise fees? Will sales tax increase?
• A just society does not force homeowners and renters into opposing camps.
• The most powerful force in the world is love. Love never fails.

Summary: The Senate took up Committee Substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 2F, a proposed constitutional amendment to expand homestead property tax relief, lower the assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, and limit county and municipal ad valorem tax revenues to specified uses. Senator Avila presented the measure as a major property tax reform intended to provide relief to homeowners and restrain local government spending, while opponents argued it would shift costs to fees, services, and state appropriations and could harm local budgets, public safety, schools, and other services. Several senators also raised concerns about the ballot language and the lack of a completed fiscal analysis. The chamber considered and rejected multiple amendments. Senator Sharif’s income-based “circuit breaker” amendment failed, as did Senator Smith’s sunset clause amendment and Senator Berman’s amendment to rewrite the ballot statement for greater accuracy. During questioning, Avila said the revised language was meant to preserve flexibility for local governments and that future legislatures could set implementing procedures and, if necessary, prohibit certain local expenditures by general law. He also confirmed that the proposal would not affect refinancing or portability, and said the measure would not prevent local governments from continuing to fund many services such as libraries, parks, animal control, code enforcement, mosquito control, public housing, county health departments, and elections. Debate on final passage was extensive. Supporters described the proposal as overdue relief for homeowners and a way to force local governments to prioritize spending, while critics called it a risky tax shift that could reduce local revenue by billions and force cuts or higher fees. Some senators emphasized concerns about public safety funding, mental health and social services, and the accuracy of the ballot summary; others argued the measure would give voters a chance to decide on property tax reform. After debate, the resolution was rolled over for third reading and the Senate continued discussion, but the transcript provided does not include a final vote on the joint resolution.

Transcript Highlights:

• Army and all forces in the Special Operations Command.
• I'm an American Special Forces soldier. I will do all that my nation requires of me.
• I will not bring shame upon myself or Special Forces. I will never leave a fallen comrade.
• If the minor is being forced, then they're being held against their will.
• I don't have any way of perhaps proving that I'm being forced to do it.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and heard several announcements and recognitions, including remarks from the new Democratic caucus leader, Senator Berman, who emphasized bipartisan work on education, health care, the environment, and family issues. The chamber also recognized military leaders, an intern, and guests connected to later bills. No committee reports or executive messages were on the desk at the start of the session. The Senate then took up a series of bills, many of them with House companion substitutions and technical amendments. Major measures included the Pam Rock Act on dangerous dogs, which passed 36-0; a local government land regulation bill that was amended after questions about quasi-judicial hearings, impact fees, and county costs, then passed 26-8; a vessels/boating bill that incorporated related legislation and passed 35-0; a blood clot screening and treatment bill creating the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act, which passed 36-0; a fleeing or eluding law enforcement bill, amended to remove vehicle impoundment in the House version, which passed 36-0; a concealed carry/firearms bill for certain law enforcement and military personnel, which passed 33-3; and a timeshare management bill, which passed 36-0. The chamber also passed a disability history and awareness instruction bill, the Evan B. Hartzell Act, after extensive debate about language and the meaning of disability versus “unique abilities”; it received 35 co-sponsors and passed 35-0. Other bills passed included manufacturing and related fee legislation, public education on background screening requirements, utility service restrictions, educational opportunities for military children, Medicaid oversight, health facilities authorities, and veteran and spouse nursing home beds, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on human trafficking, waste management, Bright Futures, mammogram coverage, Parkinson’s disease, and others.

Transcript Highlights:

• taxpayers Americans should not be forced taxpayers Americans should not be forced to<03:43:02.000
• force on AI, which completed its work last December.
• colleagues including the speaker's task colleagues including the speaker's task force<03:45:57.840
• In fact, Biden administration policies are forcing this baseload power offline.
• According to the bipartisan House task force report on artificial intelligence, new AI models are developed

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, February 13, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• course, forced labor. course, forced labor.
• <04:06:51.680> to families should not be forced to families should not be forced to navigate
• <05:11:29.280> to change, they will all be forced to change, they will all be forced to retire
• We shouldn't be forcing institution.
• Speaker, the American our force. Mr.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, April 27, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Every year since I've been serving in the House, we have discussed the need to increase our labor force
• and enter the... ...employability skills and enter the workforce, thereby helping Alabama's labor force
• When challenged, the principal is tasked to improve those... ...challenged the principal to go get those

Bills: SB140, HB102, SB133, SB34

Keywords: Coach Safely Act, youth athletics, noncompliance penalties, Department of Public Health, youth athlete, dual enrollment, high school, community college, university, educational access, high school credit, violence prevention, conflict resolution, mediation, public education, high school graduation, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that you have to go out, uh, with the state funding and then the federal funding to complete, um, tasks
• Maybe a task force could result from that, Madam Chair, um, from the summit because you will have a perfect
• audience, um, to pull that together as maybe a topic that could be entertained and then a task force
• And but I do know that they're using up all of our Housing stock and it's forcing our lower income employees
• They have very little low income, which is forcing, I guess, to your point, forcing people out of the

Transcript Highlights:

• He took the old Air Force strip out there.
• The old Air Force strip, and out there was tons of acreage.
• Force.
• This is another recommendation taken directly from the Teacher Vacancy Task Force members, who had direct
• It's in line with the Teacher Vacancy Task Force recommendations.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation, and adopted the previous day’s journal. Members then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with remarks highlighting UTRGV’s growth, degree production, research expansion, medical school, and role in serving the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas. The chamber also recognized the doctor of the day and adopted additional resolutions, including one for Denton County Days at the Capitol and another recognizing Texas HBCU Day. The Senate gave extensive recognition to outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp through Senate Resolution 368. Senators from both parties praised his long public career, leadership of the A&M System, support for regional universities, and bipartisan approach. The resolution was adopted after multiple members added their names. The chamber also heard from advocates with the Texas Streets Coalition, and received gubernatorial nominations for the State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. On legislation, the Senate passed several major bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to address teacher vacancies, bilingual certification testing, paid leave options, classroom removals, and appeal rights, then passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment on parents’ right to direct a child’s education, advanced on a 22-9 vote. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, aimed at preventing foreign influence and intellectual property theft at public institutions of higher education, passed unanimously. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the business entities bill, also passed after debate over corporate governance and shareholder protections. Senate Bill 857, authorizing law enforcement to tow certain vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed despite some concern about towing abuses during disasters. The Senate also took up Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536 on dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, but the transcript ends as that bill is being laid out.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fans can't sue; they're forced into arbitration, and an address that has changed, I believe, four times
• Fans can't sue, they're forced into arbitration, add an address that has changed, I believe, four times
• Force, all in strong support.
• Force, all in strong support.
• As a result, many trained doctors are forced into positions well below their expertise or are unable

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Delivering this economic assistance to our farmers will be one of the major tasks you will face as Secretary
• Will you be a force for working with both sides of the aisle?
• And I hope that I can be a force multiplier.
• Many of these moves have. force plants to idle or stop production completely.
• They're being forced to make repetitive motions every day, forceful ones.

Transcript Highlights:

• coercive contracts, including forced coercive contracts, including forced arbitration<03:19:53.760
• <03:35:03.760> to the lack of transparency and forced to the lack of transparency and forced
• Forced to nurse other people's children while they ached for their own.
• Many of them were forced Many of them were forced to<07:43:57.840> care<07:43:58.160> for
• Forced to while theirs were stolen.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Goldman Sachs estimates that AI could automate many work tasks, leading to productivity gains.
• Goldman Sachs estimates that AI could automate many work tasks, leading to productivity gains.
• estimates that AI could automate many estimates that AI could automate many work<00:10:20.000> tasks
• Thank you very much. ...to ensure that there's, you know, market forces at work and that customers are
• and voluntary commitments were forces and voluntary commitments were already<01:31:16.239> driving

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But the scale of Cal/OSHA's tasks, the lives lost, and the duration of the problem call for an approach
• But the scale of Cal OSHA's tasks, the lives lost, and the duration of the problem, lives lost and the
• Okay, well, let me read the... ...there's a summary in here that says DIR is tasked with protecting and
• So our BOI is thereby tasked with investigating fatalities and serious injuries that result from a serious
• Who are actually being forced to work in hazardous conditions that are concerning to them?

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• /c><00:13:36.240> take<00:13:36.480> the<00:13:36.639> money service will be forced
• to take the money service will be forced to take the money or<00:13:37.120> do<00:13:37.279><
• This has been a big priority for the governor's healthcare task force.
• Bolley on the governor's healthcare task force.
• One of the things that we were asked to do in the governor's healthcare task force is ask that question

Bills: HB0004

Keywords: medical assistance, birthing centers, healthcare, Medicaid, Wyoming, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It should say task force must make an artist.
• It should say task bit more, please?
• It should say task force<00:19:31.760> must<00:19:32.240> make<00:19:32.400> an<
• <00:19:33.280> And<00:19:33.440> I force must make an artist.
• And I force must make an artist.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ...with the Learning Lab and with, as I say, with other folks in my own district, it's a positive force
• measures, the Office of Civil Rights, which is established within the Government Operations Agency, is tasked
• Additionally, the Office of Civil Rights is being tasked with tracking, reviewing, and advising on complaints
• Additionally, the Office of Civil Rights is being tasked with tracking, reviewing, and advising on complaints
• But obviously the next task is to make sure that when it's finished, it operates and delivers the actual

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an update on the California Education Learning Lab, which the administration wants to move from the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to the Government Operations Agency and fund at $4 million annually. The Learning Lab and a UC Davis faculty lead described intersegmental grants supporting teaching innovation, including an AI-focused project involving UC, CSU, and community college faculty. The Department of Finance supported the proposal as a way to align higher education and workforce efforts, while the LAO recommended rejecting it, arguing the work is hard to scale, overlaps with existing campus and segment-wide professional development, and could be wound down to save General Fund dollars. Members questioned the program’s outcomes, administrative costs, and whether it fills a gap not already covered elsewhere; the item was held open. The committee then considered funding for the new Office of Civil Rights in GovOps to implement AB 715 and SB 48, with a request for $3.5 million in 2026-27 and $2.8 million ongoing. Administration staff said the office has been set up, positions posted, and space and equipment secured, but acknowledged that detailed program guidance cannot yet be developed until subject-matter staff are hired. The LAO had no concerns, but several senators raised concerns about the office’s placement in GovOps, the lack of guidance for schools, the pending litigation and possible follow-on legislation, and whether the staffing structure matches the workload across different discrimination categories. The administration said it would coordinate with the Department of Education, develop outreach and guidance once staff are in place, and shift resources as needed based on workload. The item was held open. After public comment supporting the California Education Interagency Council, the subcommittee voted to approve several vote-only items: items 11 through 17 were approved unanimously, and items 6 through 10 were approved on a 3-1 vote, with Senator Nilo voting no. The committee then heard from the Office of Data and Innovation, which requested five positions and $1.25 million in reimbursement authority to expand its digital service delivery work. ODI described projects using data science and iterative design to improve state services, including reducing unauthorized EBT transactions and forecasting water system outages; the LAO had no concerns, and members expressed support while asking about privacy protections and data safeguards for vendor AI tools. The item was held open. Finally, the Department of Technology presented on the Middle Mile Broadband Initiative, describing progress on the statewide open-access network, including 423 miles already active, more than 70% permitted, and a selected operator, Skyline Technology Solutions, to handle day-to-day operations. The LAO noted most of the $3.8 billion in appropriated funds is already encumbered and raised concerns about the new three-party structure, accountability, and long-term financial sustainability. Members pressed CDT on completion timelines, the need for a two-year extension of the encumbrance period, the legal basis for the operator arrangement, revenue projections, and oversight of the out-of-state operator. CDT said it expects about 5,300 miles completed by December 2026, with some work slipping into 2027, and said it will continue annual reports and quarterly advisory committee updates. The item remained under discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• working with the Learning Lab and with, as I say, with other folks in my own district, it's a positive force
• measures, the Office of Civil Rights, which is established within the Government Operations Agency, is tasked
• Additionally, the Office of Civil Rights is being tasked with tracking, reviewing, and advising on complaints
• accelerator—and what we're able to do, first starting with discovery with the teams who are actually tasked
• But obviously the next task is to make sure that when it's finished, it operates and it delivers the

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations on several GovOps-related budget proposals, beginning with ongoing funding for the California Education Learning Lab. The Learning Lab described its intersegmental grants to UC, CSU, and community college faculty, including AI-related work and a math alignment project, and said the Governor’s proposal would move the program’s home agency to GovOps and restore $4 million annually. The Department of Finance supported the proposal as a way to improve coordination, while the LAO recommended rejecting it, arguing the projects are hard to scale, similar professional development already exists in the segments, and the state should consider saving General Fund dollars. Senators split on the value of the program, with some emphasizing innovation and intersegmental collaboration and others questioning its measurable long-term impact; the item was held open. The committee then reviewed the Office of Civil Rights proposal to implement AB 715 and SB 48 with $3.5 million in 2026-27 and $2.8 million ongoing. GovOps said the office had been set up administratively, positions were being recruited, and it would provide training, technical assistance, and complaint review related to anti-Semitism and other discrimination in TK-12 schools. The LAO had no concerns, but senators raised substantial questions about the office’s placement in GovOps, the lack of guidance while the laws are being implemented, the use of gubernatorial appointees, and whether the staffing structure matches the likely workload across different discrimination categories. GovOps said it would develop guidance, coordinate with CDE, and shift resources as needed once staff are hired, but several members said they were not prepared to support the item as presented; it was also held open. After public comment supporting the California Education Interagency Council, the subcommittee approved vote-only items 11 through 17 and 6 through 10. It then heard from the Office of Data and Innovation on a request for five positions and $1.25 million in reimbursement authority to expand digital service delivery work. ODI described projects such as reducing unauthorized EBT theft and forecasting community water system outages, and said it uses guardrails and contracts to protect sensitive data when working with vendor AI services. The LAO had no concerns, and members generally praised ODI’s small, high-impact role; the item was held open. Finally, the Department of Technology presented on the Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative, reporting that 423 miles are complete, more than 70% of the network has been permitted, and about 5,300 miles are expected to be completed by December 2026, with some work potentially slipping into 2027. CDT said Skyline Technology Solutions had been selected to operate the network and that the third-party administrator, Golden State Net, would continue to support development and later help oversee operations and sales. The LAO noted the project’s progress but raised concerns about the novel three-party structure, accountability, and long-term financial sustainability. Senators questioned the legal basis for the operator arrangement, the revenue outlook, reporting to the Legislature, and whether the network will be self-sustaining; CDT said it expects revenues to cover operations over time and will continue annual and quarterly reporting. The item was left open.

Transcript Highlights:

• The department is tasked with regulating the legal cannabis market, which includes, among other things
• The department's advertising, products, packaging, and label team, known as Apple, is tasked with reviewing
• Force, a coordinated multi-agency public safety effort responsible for seizing a total of $1.2 billion
• The remaining task is not whether California should protect children.
• The remaining task is not whether California should protect children.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee heard an audit on the Department of Cannabis Control’s oversight of cannabis packaging and labeling, focused on whether products attractive to children are being kept out of the legal market. The auditor said the department’s rules are often vague or subjective, leading to inconsistent enforcement, and that the state relies heavily on licensees to self-police because there is no upfront review before products reach the market. The audit cited examples involving cartoon-like images, bright colors, flavor references, candy-like imagery, strain names, and beverage packaging, and recommended clearer statutory standards, possible pre-approval of packaging, better enforcement tools, and stronger tracking of repeat violators. Assemblymembers and senators largely agreed that child safety is the priority, but differed on the best policy response. Some members argued for clearer legislative limits and even plain packaging, saying products like root beer, cherry pie, and cereal-like designs are plainly appealing to children. Department officials said they had already begun reforms, including a centralized label-review team, a rubric, improved databases, and more attention to repeat violations, while also emphasizing that the illicit and intoxicating hemp markets are major sources of youth exposure and that resource constraints limit inspections. They said they are open to working with the Legislature on more specific standards and additional funding. Public witnesses split between public health and industry perspectives. A pediatrician and public health advocate urged stronger restrictions, including plain packaging, limits on flavors and potency, and a pre-market review system, arguing that vague rules have failed children. Industry representatives said they support youth protections but want bright-line, objective standards so compliant businesses can know what is allowed; they argued that most youth-targeted packaging is in the illicit market and that the legal market needs clearer rules rather than broader bans. No formal vote or committee action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2022, the legislature created three state-funded programs, and they tasked WIFA, along with our board
• In 2022, the legislature created three state-funded programs, and they tasked WIFA, along with our board
• They come to work for us to fulfill a number of task orders.
• And those task orders will outline all of the deliverables, whether that be intellectual property or
• I think that would be market forces and individual choices, but most crops don’t reach that level, and

Bills: HB2024, HB2053, HB2097, HB2116, HB2117

Keywords: stormwater, recharge mapping, water resources, groundwater, appropriation, Arizona, irrigation, non-expansion areas, water management, agriculture, HB2116, Colorado River, litigation fund, water rights, Arizona water law, general fund appropriation, state budget, interstate water compact, Colorado River Compact, water litigation

Summary: The committee began with member and staff introductions, then heard House Bill 2024, which would expand the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority’s water supply development definition to include snowpack augmentation and related planning and facility work. Supporters argued cloud seeding and drone-based silver iodide deployment could increase snowpack and water supply at relatively low cost, while opponents raised concerns about weather modification, uncertainty in the science, and possible environmental or health effects. After debate, the committee approved HB 2024 on a 6-4 vote, with some members expressing reservations and requesting more information before floor consideration. The committee next considered House Bill 2053, which would direct the Arizona Department of Water Resources to update stormwater recharge mapping statewide and provide $100,000 for the work. The sponsor and ADWR said the bill would expand on prior state-land mapping and help identify recharge opportunities on private land; ADWR was neutral and said it could do the technical mapping but could not make legal determinations about appropriable surface water rights. Salt River Project opposed the bill’s language on surface-water rights, arguing that determinations about unappropriated water belong to the courts and that site-specific recharge projects could affect downstream rights. The committee adopted the Griffin amendment and then passed HB 2053 as amended on a 6-4 vote. Chelsea McGuire of WIFA then gave a broad presentation on the agency’s revolving funds, conservation grants, and long-term augmentation efforts, describing past investments, current grant awards, and seven potential augmentation projects under development. She said WIFA’s current budget ask was essentially for no additional cuts, while members asked about costs, project qualifications, and public-private structure. The committee then took up House Bill 2097, which would impose a six acre-feet-per-acre groundwater pumping cap in irrigation non-expansion areas, add reporting and well-measurement requirements, and set a $150 penalty for violations. ADWR said the bill could require additional staffing and that the cap and substitution provisions had technical concerns; environmental groups argued the cap was too high and could still encourage overpumping, while supporters said it would finally place a limit on INA pumping. HB 2097 passed 6-4. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2116, which would appropriate $1 million to the Colorado River Litigation Fund; the sponsor described it as a contingency for ongoing Colorado River negotiations, and the committee moved the bill forward after brief discussion.