Transcript Highlights:

• the amount of water used for residential lawn watering, replacing infrastructure, as well as new technologies
• That's before the Civil War, before the telephone or the typewriters, before what we now call technology
• Well, over the past 50 to 60 years, technology has evolved. has come about that they didn't have when
• I propose this: to begin with, technology like desalination and recycling of the water from sewage because
• While the state is investing in these new water technologies, I'm just going to throw my weight behind

Bills: HB1523, HB2109, HB2694, HB3525, HB3898, HB4646, HB5188, HB5219, HB5320, HB5651, HB5655, HB5659, HB5662, HB5672

Keywords: aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• state-of-the-art, amazing facilities with top-notch equipment and medical professionals. cutting-edge technology
• Lastly, I would just note that technology investments are critical to the long-term stability of these
• to you first for approval before making investments in any kind of technology that they have?
• , and confidentiality procedures conform with HIPAA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology
• The underlying technology is outdated and requires modernization of both infrastructure as well as the

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a cybersecurity task force and a technology advisory council, which Senator Koran and I are part
• Data and trust are not about technology but about people, and cybersecurity is simply security for our
• <00:05:15.039> but<00:05:15.199> about<00:05:15.440> people not about technology
• but about people not about technology but about people and<00:05:16.400> cyber<00:05:16.759><
• These cities generally have very minimal technology and lack even the basic minimum hardware and software

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you look at other western states that have fire risk, their use of mapping technology is much more
• We have seen a great increase in light pollution due to changes in technology over the past 26 years,
• To become more effective, the act must reflect the current technology and incorporate the current best
• interested in science ensures a future supply of talented scientists and engineers to keep our technological
• This gives us a chance to start to build in the newest technology that keeps us.

Transcript Highlights:

• quickly tell you whether or not there's a change in expenditures, fees, tax revenue, information technology
• 12.639> sector<00:16:13.639> um<00:16:13.839> so<00:16:14.120> this of Technology
• big Tech sector um so this of Technology big Tech sector um so this committee's<00:16:14.959> interest
• But as you can imagine, with technology and all the concerns with that these days, this could be something
• needs to be reinstituted because there could be a committee just on doing all the stuff related to technology

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee met for an introductory session focused on committee organization, staff roles, and an overview of the committee’s jurisdiction. Members and staff introduced themselves, and the chair explained that one member was absent due to a meeting with the governor. House fiscal staff member John Walls reviewed the committee’s budget spreadsheet and explained the agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction, including the Supreme Court, Board of Civil Legal Aid, Court of Appeals, district courts, Guardian ad Litem Board, Tax Court, Uniform Laws Commission, Board of Judicial Standards, Board of Public Defense, Human Rights Commission, Office of Appellate Counsel and Training, and the Competency Restoration Board. He also explained how fiscal notes work and how costs or revenue impacts are tracked for bills. Nathan Hopkins then described the committee’s broad civil law jurisdiction, covering areas such as property, torts, contracts, civil rights, consumer protection, employment, family law, remedies, statutes of limitations, damages, burdens of proof, due process, and attorney general enforcement. He also outlined the committee’s role in government data practices under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, emphasizing the distinction between transparency and privacy and noting that bills affecting Chapter 13 are often re-referred to this committee. Ben Johnson added that he handles appropriations and court-related policy provisions, with most budget drafting expected later in the session. A member asked about the Competency Restoration Board, and Johnson explained that it was created to address cases involving criminal defendants found incompetent to proceed, with the goal of coordinating placements and services to restore competency rather than serving as long-term civil commitment. The chair also noted the importance of privacy and technology issues, mentioning past bipartisan work on body cameras, license plate readers, and drones. The meeting ended with a brief announcement about a law school for legislators program and an invitation to attend upcoming Zoom sessions, after which the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:18.800> and research evolving technologies and research evolving technologies and important
• and technologies. and technologies.
• That also means that if new funding, new technologies, or increased response capacity become available
• <01:08:48.480> or<01:08:48.799> increased<01:08:49.359> response technologies or
• increased response technologies or increased response capacity<01:08:50.480> become<01:08:50.880

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 1166, uh, disability services technology 1166, uh, disability services technology and<00:09:50.399
• 22:02.559> and Disability services technology and disability services technology and advocacy
• The continued funding will provide the necessary staff and technologies for the upcoming biennium.
• The continued funding will provide the necessary staff and technologies for the upcoming biennium.
• reassessments,<00:54:03.839> and technology to conduct reassessments, and technology to conduct

Bills: HF2434

Keywords: healthcare, personal care assistance, worker retention, disability services, state funding, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You technology are working properly. You technology are working properly.
• Today, they act information technology. Today, they act information technology.
• Today, they act as pretty much the uh technology as pretty much the uh technology as pretty much the
• Also it would create a technology quality assurance board which technology quality assurance board which
• Uh with that I would ask for technology. Uh with that I would ask for technology.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• technology if you guys have questions. technology if you guys have questions.
• <00:15:15.760> and our office of enterprise technology and our office of enterprise technology
• This technology plays a very adviserss.
• <01:00:16.720> revolution technological revolution technological revolution to<01:00:18.640>
• <01:09:15.120> Um success intervention technology. Um success intervention technology.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There was no ongoing technology.
• <04:25:19.040> oh<04:25:19.439> okay technology oh okay technology oh okay yeah<04:25:22.760
• That funding was Guardian RFID technology that we are still in the process of deploying.
• That funding was Guardian RFID technology that we are still in the process of deploying.
• The technology is still in the process of deploying.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Agriculture Commissioner on the department’s major divisions and staffing. He described the Office of the Commissioner, Agricultural Development, Pesticides, Regulatory Services, Weights and Measures, Animal Industry, Plant Industry, and Soil Conservation, noting that many programs are federally funded or supported by dedicated fees and fines. He said the department has 44 full-time positions plus one DoIT employee shared with other agencies, and that HR services are now contracted through Administrative Services. He also explained that Soil Conservation is administratively attached to the department and funded through Moose Plate grants and county contributions, not direct state funding. Members asked about specific program functions and issues, including weights and measures inspections, animal health, bird flu response, internships, invasive species, and the Big E/New Hampshire building. The commissioner said weights and measures covers nearly all commercial measuring devices and products sold by weight, and that inspectors are currently part-time police officers, though the department is discussing removing that requirement. He said the department is actively involved in bird flu monitoring, including regular calls with USDA and the state veterinarian and collecting milk samples from dairy farms. On invasive species, he focused on Japanese knotweed and bittersweet, saying the department has only one staff person working on the issue, mainly as a coordinator with DOT and towns, and that eradication is extremely difficult. He also said the department does not run student internships and refers inquiries to UNH Cooperative Extension. The committee discussed budget and revenue issues, including three new general fund positions, one of which is the assistant commissioner and another a biological scientist for invasive species. The commissioner said the department had been in “triage mode,” that an assistant commissioner was needed because of workload, and that the department is a net positive to the General Fund each year. He said some fees and fines have not been updated in decades and would require legislation to change, including a proposed $5 fee for each animal database certificate to help fund a system that costs about $250,000 annually to maintain. In response to questions about budget reductions, he said the department protected personnel, reduced the cost-of-care fund, fair grants, and land preservation funding to about $25,000 each, and did not plan to buy new vehicles or computers. He also said he could not support including the $50,000 Conservation District resilience grant program in his budget under the current reduction targets, though he remained hopeful it might be funded another way.

Transcript Highlights:

• An act to amend the State Technology Law in relation to requiring governmental entities to implement
• It is at least 10 decibels less of noise for helicopters that need the GCNP quiet aircraft technology
• Quiet Aircraft Technology designation. And this also applies to seaplanes. Thank you. Thank you.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The New York State Senate Finance Committee met with Senator John Liu presiding for Chair Liz Krueger, joined by members of the majority and minority. The committee considered a broad agenda of bills covering agriculture, public health, technology, taxation, corrections, education, housing, transportation, and civil rights. Among the measures discussed were a youth agriculture entrepreneurship summer employment program, a Bronx asthma study commission, a statewide multi-factor authentication requirement for governmental entities, a tax on noise emissions from certain helicopter and seaplane flights, a requirement that state events serving alcohol include New York-produced alcohol, a veterans and service members alternative resolution program, packaging reduction and recycling infrastructure legislation, limits on certain debt-collection practices involving foreign sovereign debt, commissary rules in correctional institutions, school energy performance contract recovery periods, a senior rent cap tied to income, a dental health demonstration project, farm succession planning, Operation SNUG gun violence prevention grants, expanded breast cancer screening coverage, direct Medicaid billing for creative arts therapists, a vacant storefront registry, academic credit for volunteer firefighters and EMTs, a plan to expand wheelchair-accessible vehicles outside New York City, STAR exemption notification, restrictions on certain tropical hardwoods in state contracts, a PSC guidebook on gas and electric rate making, gender-affirming care coverage and anti-discrimination provisions, and state leave for Civil Air Patrol members on airport-assigned missions. Most of the meeting focused on the packaging reduction and recycling infrastructure bill, which drew extended debate. Supporters said the bill had been revised after months of discussion with industry, included waivers for food safety and federal-law conflicts, and could save local governments money through producer responsibility funding. Opponents argued it would raise costs, harm food packaging flexibility, threaten food safety, and hurt manufacturers and small businesses, citing examples from dairy, meat, and coffee businesses. The sponsor’s representative said the bill had been updated and that some small businesses would be exempt, while acknowledging not all concerns were resolved. The committee also discussed the fiscal impact, with testimony that upfront state costs would be reimbursed and localities could see savings. Several other bills prompted brief policy discussion, including the helicopter/seaplane noise tax, where staff explained it would be assessed per ticket or up to $200 per flight and exempt quieter aircraft meeting DOT standards, and the sovereign debt/claims bill, where a senator warned it could drive financial activity out of New York. The committee also heard concerns about the packaging bill’s effect on New York food manufacturers and the availability of waivers. After discussion, the committee voted to report the bills; the transcript indicates the measures passed, generally with some members recorded as without recommendation or opposed, and all listed bills were moved to the floor before the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• From notary services, homebound delivery services, passport services, technology training, and augmentation
• Louis County, and how were we going to convert from a card system to modern technology using computers
• things that they’re not used to, and the thing of people my age coming in that didn’t have computer technology

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Local Government held a public hearing on Senate Substitute No. 2 for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1023, sponsored by Senator Justin Brown. The bill would expand the existing authority for certain public library districts to ask voters to approve a local sales tax, with county-specific provisions: St. Charles County would have to reduce property tax levies to offset sales tax revenue, and Cass and Johnson counties would be limited to a 0.33% rate and would eliminate property tax levies if the sales tax is adopted. The bill also includes a provision allowing circuit courts to collect a civil case filing surcharge of up to $15 for law library maintenance, and a Kansas City Public Library fiscal-year flexibility provision was also described. Supporters from several library systems and the Missouri Library Association testified that the bill would give libraries more flexibility to diversify revenue, reduce reliance on property taxes, and protect voter-approved library sales taxes from legal uncertainty tied to county reclassification. Witnesses from St. Charles County said the measure would let local voters decide whether to fund library services through sales tax, property tax, or a mix, while a Marshall Public Library representative said the bill would help preserve a voter-approved sales tax affected by unrelated litigation. A Kansas City Public Library representative said the fiscal-year change would improve budget timing. One committee member questioned the fairness of shifting library funding to sales tax, especially for nonresidents, while other members spoke in support of libraries and their community services. No one testified in opposition. The chair closed the public hearing and announced the committee plans to executive the bill on Monday at noon, with notice to be sent by email. A representative also criticized the tone of the senator’s response during questioning, but said he still supported the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• which is New World, was bought out... ...we are with, which is New World, was bought out by Tyler Technologies
• And Tyler Technologies actually, and we learned this during the transition, Tyler Technologies actually

Summary: The Legislative Joint Auditing Committee met to approve prior minutes and receive reports from several subcommittees and audits. The executive committee reported that audit and special reports were scheduled for presentation, one requested report remained outstanding, and staff had reviewed circuit-court caseload assignments in Benton County’s 19th West Judicial District. The committee also heard that Arkansas legislative audit financial statements and audits for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 received clean opinions with no internal-control findings, and that the report was accepted. The counties and municipalities report covered delinquent private water and sewer audits, with many entities reinstated after filing required reports, and reviewed current and deferred reports; several reports were referred to prosecutors, the attorney general, or the Government Bonding Board. The education audit report covered 57 school district audits, with three districts—Camden Fairview, Forest City, and Eudora—deferred until the June meeting because of findings and referrals. A substitute motion amended the report to file the Nettleton School District report, and the amended report passed. The state agencies report noted findings at the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Transportation and Shared Services, including duplicate payments, collateral issues, record-keeping problems, and missing vehicle logs; the committee filed five reports. The committee then reviewed the City of Pine Bluff’s 2024 financial audit. The city received clean opinions overall, but the management letter identified serious issues in the mayor’s office, Parks and Recreation, and Finance, including unaccounted-for receipts, altered invoices, unallowable and questionable purchases, missing equipment, and weak cash-receipting and reconciliation procedures. City officials, including the mayor and department heads, testified that the problems largely involved prior activity, said they had terminated involved employees, referred matters to law enforcement, and described corrective steps such as a forensic audit, new procurement and accounting procedures, electronic receipting and payments, and software upgrades. After questions from members, the committee voted to file the Pine Bluff report and adjourned, with the next meeting set for June 4-5, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• whether or not you have had any interactions with them to figure out how we might apply some of that technology
• Yeah, that's the only point I wanted to make: there's some technology where they're already claiming
• So it seems to me it's the technology we ought to be looking into. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• methods like in-person delivery, mail, or electronic transmission, and even references obsolete technology
• Technologies like facsimile transmission.
• filings through any method approved by the Secretary of State, increasing flexibility in adapting to technological

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of the committee, the next item increases funding for operating expenses related to information technology
• The next item is Legislative Council funding for the information technology-related items, service contracts
• The second one-time item is for capital assets for information technology equipment, including tape library

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House Appropriations Government Operations Division met to consider House amendments to Senate Bill 2001, the budget for the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly. Representative Meyer and Legislative Council staff reviewed the House changes, which included higher lodging funding tied to a prior bill, an increase for North Dakota legislators’ forum dues, a transfer of $290,000 for public printing from the Secretary of State to Legislative Council, a $650,000 reduction tied to the nuclear energy study because that funding was already provided elsewhere, and a new section allowing legislative space on the 15th floor of the Capitol to be used for additional Legislative Council employees. John Bjornson explained the 15th-floor space proposal and said staff would work with Facility Management and CTE to address relocation needs and timing, with CTE’s move potentially delayed until after its busy school-year period if necessary. The committee then reviewed the Senate version of the bill in more detail. Staff walked through the Legislative Assembly budget items, including per diem and compensation adjustments, lodging and mileage estimates, IT and audio/video funding, and dues increases for national and state legislative organizations. Members asked about mileage assumptions and the emergency clause, and staff said the emergency language is standard and allows flexibility for transfers, carryovers, and other budget actions. The committee also reviewed the Legislative Council budget, including funding for 25 new FTEs, interim travel, IT costs, professional services, public printing, and one-time items such as equipment and term limits consulting, while the advanced nuclear energy consulting item was removed in the House version. After discussion, the committee adopted the House amendment to Senate Bill 2001 and then voted to do pass the bill as amended. Both motions passed on roll call, and the amended bill was sent to the full Appropriations Committee. Near the end of the meeting, Representative Paula gave notice that she would bring a separate amendment later on the Industrial Commission budget related to homelessness grant funding, noting it would not use SIF or general fund dollars.

Transcript Highlights:

• Court Automation Fund to the Unified Judicial System in the amount of $8,173.25 from the Advanced Technology
• and Data Exchange Fund to the Unified... ...from the Advanced Technology and Data Exchange Fund to the
• The Alabama Department of Forensic Science received $800,000 for fentanyl testing technology.

Bills: HB186, HB185, HB184, HB183, HB181, HB312, HB405, HB182, HB460

Keywords: Alabama budget, general fund appropriations, fiscal year 2026, state budget, appropriations act, HB186, executive branch funding, legislative branch funding, judicial branch funding, debt service, capital outlay, corrections, Medicaid, public health, mental health, transportation, education, law enforcement, tourism, veterans affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• holding this position, I received my PhD in environmental engineering at MIT, where I studied technologies
• holding this position, I received my PhD in environmental engineering at MIT, where I studied technologies
• included in there are definitions for the kind of geothermal energy that we currently don't have the technology
• to tap—that hot resource that there is a growing effort to create such technology.
• Buildings utilizing gas and other fossil fuels use obsolete building technology that results in unnecessary

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on several climate and utility-related bills, especially H. 3449/S. 2292 to expand the municipal fossil fuel-free building demonstration program from 10 to 20 communities and related home rule petitions for Somerville and other municipalities. Witnesses from Somerville, Salem, Worcester, Cambridge, Newton, Arlington, Wellesley, Watertown, and the Massachusetts Municipal Association argued that local governments should be allowed to opt into fossil fuel-free or net-zero building standards, citing climate goals, environmental justice concerns, housing production, and data showing all-electric construction can cost about the same as or less than mixed-fuel construction. Committee members repeatedly pressed witnesses for cost data and asked for written follow-up, while also discussing whether strong environmental standards affect housing supply; witnesses responded that the main housing constraints are financing and that they would provide more data from local projects and state studies. A second major topic was H. 3564, which would require gas companies to provide municipalities with detailed multi-year pipe replacement plans, allow local review and objections, and limit reimbursement for projects not previously disclosed except in emergencies. Municipal leaders and advocates said the bill would improve coordination of street work, reduce disruption and costs, and help cities plan for electrification, network geothermal, and non-pipeline alternatives. Testimony from Wellesley, Cambridge, Arlington, Newton, and others emphasized repeated problems with last-minute gas main work, the need for advance notice, and the value of municipal participation in planning gas system retirement and alternatives. The committee also heard testimony on the “tactical transition” bills, S. 2249/H. 3539, aimed at managing the gas-to-clean-energy transition. Supporters from Gas Transition Allies, Rewiring America, and 350 Mass said the bills would require joint gas-electric planning, create an advisory council, eliminate subsidies for new gas hookups, shift investment toward repairs and clean alternatives, protect workers through retraining, and make utility plans more transparent. They argued these changes would reduce ratepayer costs, avoid stranded gas assets, and support orderly decarbonization. In addition, HEET testified on H. 3541, which would update greenhouse gas accounting to better reflect methane’s short-term climate impact, and H. 3543, which would establish a framework for managing shared thermal resources and thermal energy networks; committee members asked several questions about the meaning, ownership, and consumer-cost implications of the proposed “thermal commons.” No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• community correctional facility, $10 million for security perimeter upgrades, $4.5 million for technology
• community correctional facility, $10 million for security perimeter upgrades, and $4.5 million for technology
• Short recess. 4.5 million for uh doare u in LNR under 4.5 million for uh doare u in LNR under technology
• <00:55:26.400> We've<00:55:26.640> included technology modernization.
• We've included technology modernization.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The technology is proven, deployed at scale in Europe since the 1980s, with several smaller projects
• The technology is proven, deployed at scale in Europe since the 1980s, with several smaller projects
• The technology is proven, communities.
• Um, and so we can take that time to see where the technology takes us to get that last 10%.
• time to uh see where the technology time to uh see where the technology takes<00:54:02.880> us

Bills: HF4560, HF4559, HF2317, HF3179, HF4880, HF2862, HF4374

Keywords: Public Utilities Commission, PUC, energy regulation, utility regulation, electric utility, public utility, rate case, multiyear rate plan, decoupling, rate decoupling, greenhouse gas, social cost of carbon, environmental cost, resource planning, certificate of need, distributed renewable energy, interconnection, budget billing, electronic filing, contested case