Transcript Highlights:

• We do have on Molokai solar water heaters. We have a few solar PVs.
• They had a solar hot water contractor that we did a few there, um, solar PV.
• to finance community solar, right?
• to finance community solar, right?
• </c> utility so that uh the community solar utility so that uh the community solar project<01:50:07.159

Transcript Highlights:

• Trust lands cannot be mortgaged or used as collateral versus federal leases and BIA approval for uses
• Federal agencies administer fragmented grant and leasing programs without centralized coordination, causing
• Long waits for title status reports stall business site leases, and missed federal grant deadlines hinder
• Renewable and manufacturing: Navajo Nation shifting from coal to renewable energy by developing solar
• And so now, in certain areas of the Navajo Nation, you see solar panels going up.

Summary: The committee began with a series of presentations highlighting tribal communities as part of rural economic development. Representative Mae Peshlakai described Legislative District 6, emphasizing its large geographic size, the eight tribal nations within it, and the cultural and scenic importance of the Navajo Nation and other tribes. Governor Stephen Roe Lewis then presented on the Gila River Indian Community, focusing on its history, Hohokam heritage, water rights, the MAR-5 aquifer recharge project, cultural traditions, and the importance of collaboration with state lawmakers. Members praised the presentations and noted the need for greater attention to tribal issues in the legislature. The committee then took up SB 1016, with a strike-everything amendment that moved the property-owner petition requirement earlier in the process for municipal improvement districts and allowed certain notice and protest requirements to be waived. Supporters, including the mayors of Camp Verde and Clarkdale, said the change would improve transparency, reduce financial risk for small towns, and help rural communities build needed infrastructure such as wastewater systems, water lines, and housing-related improvements. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and passed SB 1016 on a 5-0 vote, with one member present and one absent. Next, the committee considered SB 1401, the Workforce Housing Accelerator Act, using a strike-everything amendment that would allow municipalities to create expedited plan review and permitting for qualified workforce housing projects and exempt project proceeds from the state portion of the prime contracting sales tax. Habitat for Humanity representatives said the measure would lower carrying costs and help build more affordable homes, while one member noted the tax exemption would reduce general fund revenue but supported the bill as a targeted tradeoff to address housing shortages. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1401 by a 5-1 vote. The meeting concluded with Representative Myron Sosec’s presentation on barriers to economic development on the Navajo Nation and other tribal lands. He discussed lower workforce participation, higher unemployment and poverty, limited access to capital, trust-land financing barriers, dual taxation, infrastructure deficits, and delays caused by federal and tribal review processes. He also highlighted Navajo economic strategies such as loan guarantees, renewable energy development, and tourism investments, and urged state action on tax reform, matching funds, and annual tribal field hearings. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This requires that lands within the agricultural district that have solar energy facilities must also
• that the appropriate certifying body be the Department of Agriculture, and that additionally only solar
• energy facilities on lands only solar energy facilities on lands with<00:03:48.480><c> soil</c><00:03
• It is restating the new condition upon which the agricultural lands can be used for solar facilities
• It is restating the new condition upon which the agricultural lands can be used for solar facilities

Summary: The committees first heard SB 443, which would require agricultural-district lands with solar energy facilities to also be certified as being used for a farming operation. DLNR, the State Energy Office, and the Agri-Business Development Corporation all supported the bill but recommended changes, including shifting the certifying authority from DLNR/BLNR to the Department of Agriculture. The Attorney General also recommended replacing the certification requirement with a condition that the land be used for a farming operation, citing the lack of a clear statutory framework for certification. The Hawaiʻi Farmers Union supported the measure but suggested using existing county agricultural dedication processes and raised concerns about conversion of agricultural land. The committees adopted amendments reflecting the Department of Agriculture as the certifying body and the Attorney General’s proposed language, then passed SB 443 with amendments. The committees then took up SB 79, relating to historic preservation reviews for state affordable housing projects. DLNR State Historic Preservation and DHHL supported the bill with amendments, including striking a redundant section and conforming the language to existing law. The committees agreed to those changes, and after a brief recess and decision-making, Water and Land, Housing, and Hawaiian Affairs each voted to pass SB 79 with amendments. The record notes that some members were excused and that the committees adopted the chair’s recommendations. Later, the joint Housing and Water and Land hearing considered SB 26, SB 867, and SB 1170. SB 26 would create an affordable housing land inventory task force within HCDA; HHFDC supported it, while HCDA suggested an alternative approach involving county coordination. The committees amended the bill to incorporate OPSD’s proposed language, add legislative and county representatives to the task force, and include an appropriation for the Mayor Wright project, then passed it with amendments. SB 867, which creates a working group to inventory water resources and streamline well permit approvals for affordable housing, drew broad support and was amended to specify the Department of Health director rather than the Clean Water Branch chief; it also passed with amendments. SB 1170, which would exempt certain Maui affordable rental housing projects from chapter 205A, drew support from housing interests but concern from the Attorney General that it could be unconstitutional; the AG suggested narrowing the bill to disaster recovery and limiting its scope. Testifiers also discussed the Weinberg Court Apartments project and other redevelopment concerns, but the transcript ends before final action on SB 1170 is completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's because that's close access to coal or gas or wind or solar.
• Like, I don't have solar here because I'm going to build solar in southern Utah or Arizona, where it's
• Like, we don't or gas or wind or solar.
• here because I'm have I don't have solar here because I'm going<00:57:06.480><c> to</c><00:57:06.559
• ><c> build</c><00:57:06.720><c> solar</c><00:57:07.040><c> in</c><00:57:07.200><c> southern</c><00:57

Committee: Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> get a solar panel on my roof. get a solar panel on my roof.
• It just says solar and say renewable. It just says solar and wind, wind, wind, &gt;&gt; right?
• </c><01:31:09.360><c> panels</c> solar panel or a series of solar panels solar panel or a series of solar
• </c> solar panels period. solar panels period.
• Uh that's rental and lease commercial. Uh that's rental and lease and<02:34:04.319><c> lease.

Transcript Highlights:

• powered with no more than 12 volts of direct current, and the battery is continuously recharged by solar
• So I was reading The pamphlet here, and ultimately you want it through solar. I really like this.
• With Virgin Galactic's desires in mind, so we leased that to Virgin Galactic.
• These are solar-powered, very large UAVs. The picture on page 17 is from AeroVironment last year.
• On page 23, we're working on a two-year lease with Sirius Technologies.

Committee: House Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• The leasing and subsequent compliance.
• Solar and wind facilities do not meet these definitions.
• Solar and wind facilities do not meet these definitions.
• The State Land Department now uses a solar map that prioritizes solar projects over other land uses.
• This bill suspends the preference on solar.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically on the front side, so when we do a lease for a monthly oil and gas lease sale, we're simply
• leasing the right to lease on state trust lands.
• When we issue a lease, it's within a week. We do the lease sale, they transfer the money.
• , you do have a couple of areas where we're leasing to them just like we would lease to an agricultural
• Leases not wealth.

Transcript Highlights:

• The leasing and subsequent compliance.
• of land and the provision about automatic renewal of leases.
• Solar and wind facilities do not meet these definitions.
• The State Land Department now uses a solar map that prioritizes solar projects over other land uses.
• This bill suspends the preference on solar.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, guest introductions, and a proclamation recognizing March as International Women’s Celebration Month. Members also welcomed guests from several school districts and the Arizona FFA. The chamber then moved through first readings of numerous Senate bills and took up several motions, including reconsideration of HB 2169 and referral of HB 210 and HB 2103 to an additional Committee of the Whole for further amendment. In Committee of the Whole, the House advanced HB 2100 and HB 2103 with technical amendments and due-pass recommendations. It then considered a series of bills on Calendar 2, including HB 2048, HB 2364, HB 2415, HB 2775, HB 2833, HB 2862, HB 2870, HB 2995, and HB 4067. Debate centered on election administration, sovereignty and international organizations, private school regulation, law enforcement face coverings, domestic violence and coercive control, and voter roll categories. HB 2862 drew the most procedural attention, with a division vote on a substitute amendment; the House rejected a motion to replace the adopted amendment, and the report was later adopted. On Calendar 3, the House considered education bills. HB 2093, which repeals the requirement for K-12 health education to include mental health instruction, prompted extensive debate over student suicide prevention, school counseling, parental responsibility, and whether schools should provide mental health support; it received a due-pass recommendation by a 27-22 division vote. The House also advanced HB 2313, which was described as responding to a Tucson Unified School District work stoppage tied to a political protest, and HB 2423, HB 2478, and other education measures after amendments and, in one case, withdrawal of an appropriations amendment. The session continued into HB 2830 as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• The majority of site control will be at 85% of land leases for the project to be obtained.
• Majority of site control will be at 85% of land leases for the project to be obtained, with an effective
• It means essentially if the wind project site has reached a lease agreement of 85% before November 1,
• think the smallest one we've seen is 1.1 tip height, which is currently industry standard for most solar
• Solar farms from non-participating assets and property lines, and we've seen everything in between.

Bills: HCR1030 , HB1370 , SB893 , SB2 , SB1589

Summary: The House first took up Senate Bill 893, a conference committee report on property and critical infrastructure. The bill would bar foreign principals from countries designated as foreign adversaries from owning agricultural land or other land, especially within 10 miles of military installations or critical infrastructure, and also restrict certain state software purchases tied to adversarial countries. Members asked about how later-designated adversary countries would be covered and about the delayed effective date, which was explained as giving current owners time to divest. The conference report was adopted without objection, and the bill then passed the House 89-0. The chamber then considered Senate Bill 2, another conference committee report on wind energy setbacks. The measure would establish statewide setback standards for industrial wind turbines, including 2.5 tip heights from occupied dwellings and 1.5 tip heights from nonparticipating property lines, with exceptions for projects that had already secured most site control or queue positions before the effective date and for small community-scale systems. Supporters said it was a compromise that at least put some protections into statute, while opponents argued it weakened earlier House language and eliminated county local-control options. After debate, the bill failed on a 20-67 vote. Later, the House voted 60-19 to override the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 1589, allowing it to become law notwithstanding the governor’s objections. The session also included prayers and announcements, including updates about Representative Cantrell’s hospitalization and a note that the Senate had adjourned sine die. The House then adjourned sine die for the second regular session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2975, state land solar score mass — Natural Resources.
• HB 2323, warranties leased vehicles; leased definition. HB 2330, line siting factors.
• Sunrun, $1.25 million settlement over deceptive solar sales practices.
• Sun Run, 1.25 million settlement over deceptive solar sales practices.
• Deceptive solar safety... ...that wasn't there. Deceptive solar sales practices.

Transcript Highlights:

• to provide for definitions, to provide for reporting requirements, to provide for entering into a lease
• The stuff that's required in the bill: the lease agreements, the, you know, what are you wanting it to
• So it requires hospitals to turn over lease agreements, master leases, subleases, licenses, occupancy
• Are we talking about the lease of a main campus facility like Glenwood, or there could be situations
• where the hospitals are leasing just clinic space or other, you know, not necessarily...

Bills: HB414 , HB786 , HB1041 , HB1052 , HB1118 , HB1139 , HB1182 , HB1185 , HB1214 , HB1217 , HB1231 , SR63 , SCR27 , SB5 , SB194 , SB415 , SB433 , SB451 , SB462 , SB516

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: healthcare, criminal convictions, employment, background checks, prohibited offenses, Medicaid, claim payments, extrapolation, provider audits, medical freedom, discrimination, access, medical intervention, child protection, confidentiality, multidisciplinary teams, child advocacy centers, public records, investigations, hospital

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also requires that competitive bidding be used in leasing these facilities, and the PUC must
• approve those leases either in a rate case or a contested hearing.
• Additionally, the leases must include a clause allowing for changes based on PUC rule or order.
• These generators sit there, and the leases are ongoing.
• Ag landowners and leases play a vital role in our state's economy and food production.

Bills: SB231 , SB667 , SB689 , SB825 , SB965 , SB992 , SB1059 , SB1220 , SB2368 , SB2601

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• To achieve this ambitious goal, Travis County is seeking a long-term lease agreement with HHSC to use
• Right, it's a 99-year lease. Yes, sir. Travis County would own it.
• This bill is really specific to a lease of state property to county property, but we're doing that step
• Okay, and then just so I understand more, is this, the purpose of this bill is to simply lease the land
• We would have the 99-year lease to control it, but we'd be responsible for everything from the demolition

Bills: HB5141 , HB4638 , HB2264 , HB2035 , HB4813 , HB4408 , HB2684 , HB1621 , HB2300 , HB216 , HB3829 , HB4466 , HB1747 , HB2284 , HB3614 , HB2587 , HB3219 , HB3318 , HB5147 , HB4014 , HB216

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: lease, state property, public purpose, Travis County, Health and Human Services, pharmaceutical initiative, drug distribution, healthcare services, generic drugs, advanced pharmaceuticals, cost savings, mental health, patient discharge, medical records, health care professionals, substance use, family involvement, chemical dependency, treatment facilities, minor admissions

Summary: The Committee on Public Health met with a quorum and heard public testimony on a long agenda, with members repeatedly reminded of a two-minute limit for witnesses. Several bills were voted out favorably, including HB 2588 on cottage food, HB 1639 on cancer incidence and female firefighters, HB 2581 on a reporting form for contracted services for pregnant women, and SB 922 on electronic disclosure of certain sensitive medical information. Those measures generally passed on party-line or near-unanimous votes, while HB 216 on itemized medical statements was left pending after the committee substitute was withdrawn. The committee also left pending HB 5141, HB 4638, HB 2035, HB 4813, HB 2264, HB 4014, and HB 3829 after hearing testimony and questions. The final item introduced in the excerpt was HB 4408 on health care market transparency and corporate consolidation, but the discussion was cut off before testimony or action was completed. A major theme of the hearing was mental health diversion and access to treatment. HB 5141, by Rep. Howard, would allow Travis County to use vacated Austin State Hospital property for a local mental health jail diversion center; law enforcement, the Travis County sheriff, county judge, and urban counties group all testified in support, describing the lack of alternatives for people in crisis and the burden on jails and emergency rooms. Members asked about eligible offenses, bed capacity, and whether the facility would serve only Travis County, and the bill was left pending. HB 2264, by Rep. Schoolcraft, would create a friends-and-family form for loved ones to provide information to providers during emergency mental health treatment; NAMI and hospital groups supported it, while one neutral witness and several members raised concerns about patient control, credibility of information, and liability protections. The bill was also left pending. The committee also heard multiple psychedelic-therapy and drug-policy bills. HB 4813 would speed Texas rescheduling of Schedule I substances if the FDA reclassifies them, with testimony focused on psilocybin and MDMA and their potential use for PTSD and depression; members questioned whether the bill was too broad and how state rescheduling works, and it was left pending. HB 4014 would direct HHSC to study psychedelic therapies, building on prior state research, and witnesses said Texas should prepare regulatory and clinical infrastructure before FDA approval; it too was left pending. HB 2035 would require parents to be informed that they may seek substance-use treatment for a child even if one facility turns them away, prompted by a constituent’s account of a fatal fentanyl overdose after receiving incorrect advice; it was left pending. HB 4638 would extend and expand the Texas Pharmaceutical Initiative board and timeline, with the author saying the program is still in early implementation and needs more time, and it was left pending as well. Other bills addressed public health administration and animal welfare. HB 3829 would require a study of the animal-friendly account and its grant process for spay/neuter funding, with the author arguing that the current application and reimbursement process is too burdensome for shelters and nonprofits; no opposition was heard and the bill was left pending. HB 2581 and HB 1639 were reported favorably, while HB 216 drew discussion about enforcement of itemized medical billing and was held after the committee substitute was withdrawn. Throughout the hearing, members also discussed broader concerns about homelessness, competency restoration waitlists, jail overcrowding, and the need for more treatment options outside the criminal justice system.

Transcript Highlights:

• Solar farms make energy.
• For example, the community solar...
• And Representative, we haven't, because, again, community solar would be a generation source.
• You know, community solar has had interconnection problems.
• When we hear about these solar farms or solar power facilities that went out, for instance, since in

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• , but the mine needs a permit and a lease.
• have a valid lease.
• We only make sure they have a valid lease.
• New Energy Equity is a solar company.
• New Energy Equity is a solar company, a commercial solar company.

Committee: Joint Energy Development and Transmission Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 407 by Morales of Harris relating to the municipality of county requirements for solar energy devices
• HB 414 by Leo Wilson relating to unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental lease, advertisement for
• sale, rental or lease, or conveyance of real property, including the removal of certain unauthorized
• HB 431 by Cortez relating to the regulation of the property owners association installation of solar

Transcript Highlights:

• Other ones want to lease town property for solar arrays, and they're limited by being able to do this
• Other ones want to lease town property for solar arrays, and they're limited by being able to do this
• Lease agreements are still possible. This does not stop leases. Lease agreements can still happen.
• Lease agreements are still possible. This does not stop leases. Lease agreements can still happen.
• the leasing option.

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• And attempting to address that with hydro, solar, and other tools.
• So there are two big changes: one, that the DE includes solar—not just wind, but solar too; and then
• Having a huge solar field next to us, it's just not something. We're used to.
• I saw a couple of comments about the inclusion of solar.
• how tall those solar fences are, and that's handy from the University of Minnesota.

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the solar energy systems tax exemption. the solar energy systems tax exemption.
• </c> you know a lowinccome community solar you know a lowinccome community solar project<05:21:48.240
• There's a handful of the two solar.
• </c><05:55:34.320><c> reduces</c> the meter solar reduces the meter solar reduces uh<05:55:36.400><c>
• If you want solar, go for want solar?

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy