Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, just a few examples, which is in the PowerPoint also in the full report, you know, it
• in the full report the PowerPoint also in the full report you<00:06:57.600><c> know</c><00:06:57.680>
• recently found in Newfound Lake.
• recently found in Newfound Lake.
• They are in rivers, and so the Blackwater River was the first in the state reported with that.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in in support.<00:04:03.680><c> Thank</c><00:04:03.840><c> you.
• </c><00:13:47.519><c> in</c> um I guess logistical hurdles in in um I guess logistical hurdles in in
• and calming study to evaluate the effectiveness of certain traffic mitigation and calming devices in
• League, all in support.
• </c> in support. And oh, we have two more. in support. And oh, we have two more.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard and then voted on several concurrent resolutions. HCR 71, asking the Coalina Golf Club to work with the Department of Transportation to prevent golf balls from reaching Fington Highway, drew no opposition in testimony; a member thanked the golf club for cooperating after a constituent’s windshield was struck, and the measure was passed unamended. HCR 19 HD1, supporting Taiwan’s international participation and a U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement, received only DBED testimony in support and was passed with technical amendments. HCR 163, urging the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to establish an annual Pacific Island culture and arts festival, was supported by DBEDT and the foundation itself, which said it would welcome such a festival subject to funding and staff resources; it was passed unamended. In the later joint session, HCR 70 on accelerating sustainable aviation fuels received support from the Hawaii Renewable Fuels Coalition, while DOT said it is already working on clean fuels through its greenhouse-gas reduction efforts and that the resolution would mainly require a more targeted progress report; the measure passed, with one no vote in the joint committee vote. HCR 123, on a restricted parking zone pilot program in West Oahu neighborhoods, had no oral testimony and was passed with technical amendments. HCR 57, on a traffic mitigation and calming study in Waipahu, also had no testimony and was passed unamended. HCR 112, urging Honolulu to adopt a pedestrian-first policy, drew broad support from public health, planning, bicycling, and student witnesses, though one testifier urged coordination with existing county plans; it passed unamended. HCR 177, encouraging a summer streets pilot program, also passed unamended. For HCR 203, urging Maui County to prioritize planning for the Kihei North-South Collector Road, the chairs proposed technical amendments to correct the responsible agency from the Planning Department to the Public Works Department, and the measure passed with those amendments. Across the meetings, the committee repeatedly noted when there were no further questions or testimony, and each resolution was adopted by the committee after the stated recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the process.
• Many members benefit from these dollars in EDAP, in rural... ...and urban communities.
• we were being very frugal in how we worked on this budget. $43 billion is in Article 11.
• There are a lot of things I would like to have in here that are not in here.
• We deeply appreciate the inclusion of $934.5 million in HB 500 to help mitigate this burden.

Bills: SB1, HB500, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, state budget, mental health funding, education funding, infrastructure improvements, public safety, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyone here in support of the HCR? Anyone here in opposition?
• in here, but we did this in several other places.
• Next up in support. Next up in support.
• Next up in opposition. Anyone else here in support?
• Next up in, well, was there anyone else in opposition? Okay, next in support.

Summary: The House Committee on Health and Mental Health heard testimony on several measures. HCR 42, sponsored by Representative Perkins, urged Congress to support programs aimed at reducing prescription drug costs for Medicaid and Medicare patients. The sponsor said it would help elderly and low-income residents, while Representative Dahl argued the referenced program could cost more than other pharmacy options and criticized the resolution. No one testified in support or opposition, and the hearing on HCR 42 was closed. The committee then heard SB 878, a pharmacist practice act bill sponsored by Senator Fitzwater. The bill would make permanent several pandemic-era pharmacy practices, including pharmacist administration of certain vaccines, medication therapy plan authority, dispensing of some medical devices and supplies, over-the-counter availability of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine with warning labels and standardized procedures, and nonprofit pharmacy emergency waivers. Supporters said it would improve access, especially in rural areas, reduce delays in treatment, and help pharmacies remain open. Opponents raised concerns about vaccine authority shifting away from the governor, the safety of over-the-counter hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, and whether pharmacists should be treated as equivalent to physicians. The Missouri Pharmacy Association, Walmart, and Walgreens testified in support, and the hearing was closed without a vote. The committee also heard two resolutions. HCR 538, by Representative Hruza, would designate May 2026 as ALS Awareness Month and encourage support for research and advocacy. Members generally supported the resolution, with comments about the severity of ALS and the importance of early communication supports; no opposition was presented. HCR 4661, also presented by Representative Hruza, would encourage awareness and screening for chronic kidney disease, especially among high-risk patients, and promote public-private education efforts around urine albumin-to-creatinine testing. Testimony emphasized the prevalence and cost of kidney disease and the value of early detection. The committee took no votes on these measures and adjourned after the hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cummings Station in Salmon, or actually in Carmen, CCM Cummings Station in salmon or actually in Carmen
• We lost in that time about $11.5 million just in that spring in research.
• We lost in that time about $11.5 million just in that spring in research.
• It's in PDF and in PowerPoint.
• So I can tell you with a a fair degree of certainty that we will not restore trapping in those areas

Summary: The committee heard two main presentations. First, University of Idaho representatives Rob McQuaid, Matt Powell, and Dean Dennis Becker described the university’s land-grant mission and its work in agriculture, natural resources, extension, research, and workforce training. They highlighted the Morrill, Hatch, and Smith-Lever Acts; the university’s colleges and research stations; the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station; 4-H; the CAFE dairy research facility; the deep soil ecotron; the wildfire, forestry, and policy analysis programs; and the university’s role in veterinary, forestry, and agricultural education. Members asked about quagga mussels, New World screwworm, chronic wasting disease, federal and state funding cuts, and the status of the CAFE project. The university officials said they were willing to assist on invasive species issues, but emphasized not duplicating or diluting agency work, and they described significant impacts from federal funding delays and state cuts. No votes were taken. The committee then heard testimony from Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse on Idaho’s position regarding ICE’s 287(g) partnership programs. He argued that participation should remain voluntary and locally controlled, and explained the differences among the jail enforcement, warrant service officer, and task force models. He said local agencies already cooperate with ICE in limited ways, but mandatory participation could create staffing, liability, and community-trust problems. Members asked about costs, detention standards, administrative versus criminal warrants, liability exposure, and whether deputies lose local control under task force arrangements. Hulse said the programs vary in cost and complexity, that ICE housing standards can be burdensome, and that local sheriffs should decide based on resources and community needs. The committee also discussed the number of Idaho agencies currently participating and the compensation and exit provisions in the agreements. No formal action or vote was taken. In a later segment, the committee heard testimony from the Idaho Wool Growers Association and sheep producers on the long-running domestic sheep and bighorn sheep conflict. Stan Boyd reviewed prior legislation and litigation involving bighorn sheep transplants, notice requirements, and “hold harmless” protections for permittees, while Harry Solon described how forest closures and bighorn-related decisions reduced his family’s sheep operation and forced layoffs. The testimony focused on the economic and family impacts of the closures and lawsuits, and on the history of state efforts to protect grazing permittees. No committee action was recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• In '23, there was very little need... ...in the first year.
• wildfire mitigation plan implementation costs, in general rate cases rather than through off-cycle applications
• In terms of available funding in the DIVA account, um...
• I think when you put something in statute in perpetuity, changing it in the future is inflexible.
• We had a very high heat wave in '21, and actually... In 2020, we had a very high heat wave in '21.

Summary: The hearing was an informational budget session on energy agency proposals, with no votes taken. Early discussion focused on Proposition 4 climate bond implementation, including funding for demand-side grid support, offshore wind development, and transmission financing. The Department of Finance said the budget includes allocations for demand-side grid support and offshore wind, but not yet for the $325 million transmission financing piece pending a required study. The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged the Legislature to consider whether to wait on offshore wind funding, whether to keep shifting funds into demand-side grid support, and how to direct future transmission financing. Members also raised concerns about local technical assistance for offshore wind, Salton Sea priorities, and the need for more information before final decisions. The California Energy Commission and CPUC then reviewed the broader energy package. The CEC highlighted the demand-side grid support program’s growth, distributed energy backup assets, long-duration storage, hydrogen grants, and the SIRP clean energy reliability program. CPUC testimony emphasized affordability, wildfire mitigation costs, rooftop solar cost shifts, and efforts to reduce rates while maintaining reliability and clean energy goals. Members questioned CPUC staffing, delays in proceedings, coordination with the CEC and CAISO, and the impact of rate increases on customers. The agencies also discussed the AB 3264 transmission financing study, with CPUC saying work on the study had already begun and was on track for the July 1 deadline. Several trailer bill and implementation items were also discussed. The committee reviewed a proposal to extend the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program surcharge, with members split over whether it should be handled in budget trailer bill language or policy legislation; the administration said the surcharge supports a critical program serving about three-quarters of a million Californians. The committee also heard a CPUC data-sharing proposal to allow nondisclosure agreements for transmission and reliability data, which members generally supported as a technical fix. DWR explained a proposal to clarify language for the Electricity Supply Strategic Reliability Reserve so it can potentially sell three gas-fired units it owns, and the CEC presented a federal transmission grant proposal tied to grid-enhancing technologies and ratepayer cost recovery. Finally, the committee discussed California Lifeline and possible broadband pilot reforms in light of uncertainty around federal Universal Service Fund support, with CPUC saying it is exploring a statewide standalone broadband option for eligible customers.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:56.000><c> both</c> Latina in the nation to serve in both Latina in the nation to serve in
• 16.079><c> social</c> in fully in civic, economic and social in fully in civic, economic and social life
• In 19 in determination, and vision.
• box, in politics, in business, and in their homes.
• If that's the price that everyone was sold on in the committee, then this should be a fair amendment.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• here in Austin, the capital city, or in many other...
• I just find it interesting that this state spends billions of dollars in border security, trying to mitigate
• up from 4% in 1990. ...was 15% in 2021, up from 4% in 1995.
• Put him in the county jail, and I can be back in business in an hour.
• in.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• into account when we look at changes in costs or changes in price.
• So in one time, when in the 1930s,...
• So I don't know whether you have any concerns in our policies in California.
• So even in wildfire, you want to be in one of those houses.
• in both DSGS and ELRP.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy heard six budget-related items and took no votes, holding all items open for a future hearing. The first item concerned a climate bond expenditure plan for the California Transmission Accelerator Revolving Fund under SB 254. GoBiz, IBank, and the Department of Finance described a request for nearly $26 million and 10 limited-term positions to develop financing strategies and evaluate transmission projects, while the LAO said the proposal was broadly consistent with Prop. 4 but noted that the Legislature may want to provide more direction on program design. Senators questioned how the proposal would lower ratepayer costs, protect state funds, and ensure accountability for billion-dollar transmission projects. The second item covered trailer bill language to redirect funding among demand-side reliability programs. Finance proposed moving $22 million from the DEPA program to DSGS for summer 2026 and using CalSHAPE interest funds for ELRP or an equivalent CPUC program in 2027-28, with CEC and CPUC coordinating the transition. Senators and LAO questioned why CalSHAPE funds should not continue supporting schools, and several members argued DSGS has been more successful and should continue rather than be shifted to ELRP. CEC and CPUC explained that DSGS and ELRP serve different reliability functions and do not address public safety power shutoffs. Public commenters, including school groups and clean energy advocates, split between extending CalSHAPE for school HVAC/plumbing projects and preserving or expanding DSGS. The committee also heard on petroleum market oversight implementation under SBX1-2 and ABX2-1, with the CEC and its Division of Petroleum Market Oversight requesting additional staffing to support inventory monitoring, refinery resupply analysis, and market oversight. Senators pressed for details on investigations, refinery margins, gasoline price spikes, and the transportation fuels transition plan, while staff said the draft plan would be released soon and that DPMO’s work on branded versus unbranded gasoline remains ongoing. Finally, the CPUC presented three additional proposals: implementing AB 1207’s climate credit reforms, studying large-load/data center cost impacts under SB 57, and preparing for regional market participation under AB 825. The LAO repeatedly cautioned that some of these requests may go beyond statutory minimums and urged the Legislature to decide how much policy direction and staffing it wants to provide. Public commenters supported DPMO funding, opposed ending CalSHAPE, and strongly favored continued DSGS funding over a new ELRP structure.

Transcript Highlights:

• &gt;&gt; Come on in.
• </c> here and experts in the in this field here and experts in the in this field and<00:15:10.240><c>
• For me, my mom, she was my person who mitigated a lot of the negatives that happened in my childhood.
• in childhood those<00:28:17.039><c> can</c><00:28:17.279><c> be</c><00:28:17.440><c> mitigated</c><00
• </c><00:30:17.919><c> in</c> Thursday, March 12th at 9:00 a.m. in Thursday, March 12th at 9:00 a.m. in

Keywords: 00:00 - Call to Order/Roll Call 01:10 - Discussion of 26RS HB 669 08:25 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 669 09:25 - Discussion of 26RS HCR 36 13:15 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HCR 36 14:05 - Discussion of 26RS HB 686 29:20 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 686 30:10 - Adjournment, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I had a case where the mom lived in my district, and in the system, 12 teenagers were put in an unlicensed
• Senator McMorrow: In Detroit, in my district, homicides dropped nearly 19% in 2025 and 34% from 2023.
• In Detroit, in my district, homicides dropped nearly 19% in 2025, and 34% from 2023.
• Leadership invested in him. He invested in others.
• In Lansing, as we see the reduction here, from when Advance Peace came in 2022, where we had 20, In 2022

Summary: The Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety met with a quorum and adopted the June 4, 2026 minutes. The committee first took up Senate Bill 712, adopting the S-2 substitute, which expands residency requirements to include adjoining districts and removes a provision allowing a district to appoint someone employed by the district. The committee then reported SB 712 to the floor. It also considered House Bills 4025 and 4026, described as safe storage tax exemption bills; the committee heard one supportive written card and reported both bills to the floor, each on a 5-1 vote. The committee next heard testimony on Senate Bill 885, which would create a statewide Parent and Child Legal Representation Commission and Office within LARA to address child protective legal representation. Senator Singh and Alicia Moon of the Michigan Supreme Court described the current county-by-county system as uneven, with attorney shortages, inconsistent pay, and limited specialized training. They said the bill would set standards for training, caseloads, client contact, and compensation, while requiring public comment and future appropriations before implementation. Testimony and written cards from a broad range of organizations and judges supported the measure, and the committee reported SB 885 to the floor on a 6-0 vote. The committee then heard extensive testimony on Senate Bills 1015 and 1016, which would create an Office of Community Violence Intervention and Prevention within MDHHS and establish a grant program to support community violence intervention efforts statewide. Sponsors and witnesses from Force Detroit, D-Live, Seize the Smoke, Advance Peace, public health, law enforcement, and advocacy groups described CVI as a public health and public safety strategy that reduces shootings, supports survivors, and saves public costs. Several witnesses cited local data showing reductions in shootings and homicides in Detroit and Lansing, while one witness from the Michigan Sheriff's Association opposed the bills as written. The committee voted to report both SB 1015 and SB 1016 to the floor, each on a 5-0 vote with one pass, and then adjourned after additional testimony and reading of support cards.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a split in the version that is being substituted in.
• I've got sheets in your...
• We don't live in a state where there's water where there needs to be in every place.
• I think it's 7,200 miles of pipes in the ground in Houston or Harris County.
• In care to start with.

Bills: HB3077, HJR2, HJR7, HJR7

Keywords: alcohol, taxation, reporting requirements, sales, distribution, death tax, inheritance tax, estate tax, property transfer, constitutional amendment, water fund, Texas water supply, state revenue, infrastructure, HJR 7, Texas Legislature, quorum, majority quorum, two-thirds quorum, legislative procedure

Transcript Highlights:

• What is it taking in?
• In the wind industry, 20-some years ago, we put in the first turbines in the state.
• And they're only... ...years ago we put in the first turbines in the state.
• place in the state.
• There's SEQR, but in the DEC and in SEQR, DEC is the lead authority in SEQR as opposed to a generation

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications met under Chair Senator Kevin Parker and considered several bills related to clean energy, transmission, storage, schools, and microgrids. Bill 1456, which would require certain watercraft, aircraft, and trains to be zero-emissions and direct NYSERDA studies and incentives, was discussed as technology-neutral and advanced with one no vote to the Finance Committee. Bill 286, increasing statewide energy storage capacity, drew concerns about battery safety, fire risk, and volunteer fire department training, but was advanced to the floor with two no votes. Bill 2482, the Go Green Schools Act, would let schools convert to renewable energy and keep savings for school operations; it advanced to the floor despite concerns about siting solar on school grounds. Bill 2485 on expanding electric transmission lines and Bill 5510 directing NYSERDA to develop microgrid recommendations were both advanced to the Finance Committee, each with one no vote. The committee then heard testimony from Marguerite Wells, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. She argued that wind, solar, storage, and transmission have made New York a leader in clean energy and said renewable energy is increasingly cost-competitive, with much of recent bill increases driven by grid upgrades and gas prices rather than renewables. She also said clean energy helps hedge against volatile fossil fuel prices, pointed to community solar and offshore wind as savings and reliability tools, and said the state’s permitting and interconnection processes have improved. Members questioned Wells about farmland use, decommissioning, recycling of solar and wind equipment, battery storage safety, local control, and misinformation. Wells said utility-scale projects require decommissioning plans and financial assurances, farmland must be restored under agricultural guidelines, and recycling capacity is developing. On battery storage, she said New York has rigorous codes and monitoring requirements, that not all storage is lithium-ion, and that state-level permitting is appropriate for large facilities. Several senators raised concerns about fires, contamination, winter performance, and siting projects in densely populated areas or on farmland, while others emphasized farmland protections and the value of renewable projects to host communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that somewhere else in the NRS already in terms of this office?
• statutes in 232.
• So in year one, it is $706,000 in year one and $1.4 million in year two.
• As always, testimony can be provided in person here in Carson City, via video conference in Las Vegas
• in the queue.

Bills: SB507

Keywords: SB507, Nevada, governmental administration, Office of Nevada Boards Commissions and Councils Standards, Department of Business and Industry, professional licensing boards, occupational licensing, regulatory fees, state account, nonreverting fund, Commission on Postsecondary Education, taxicab, taxi technology fee, Nevada Transportation Authority, Taxicab Authority, transportation network company, TNC, rideshare, Uber, Lyft

Transcript Highlights:

• And I believe that's a great in expanding a potential industry for us here in the state.
• You wouldn't see it in state.
• But it's sunny here in Florida. You can come to be in that in the ocean right away.
• Florida came in with the help of people here in the legislators.
• I read somewhere in this.

Transcript Highlights:

• Two of those directors will now have terms ending in July of 2029 and one will have a term ending in
• Members, Senate Bill 1191 ensures fairness in high school GPA calculations by requiring a standardized
• in that proposed area.
• Thank you for being a lead on this in the legislature and particularly in the Senate.
• The Senate stands in order.

Bills: SJR27, SB7, SB27, SB57, SB66, SB140, SB293, SB413, SB437, SB467, SB506, SB510, SB512, SB571, SB710, SB785, SB800, SB850, SB863, SB865, SB904, SB905, SB973, SB974, SB1191, SB1281, SB1300, SB1362, SB1494, SB1504, SB1522, SB1567, SB1579, SB1580, SB1723, SB1760, SB1838, SB1923, SB1946, SB1957, SB1964, SB2121, SB2167, SB2221, SB2321, SB2368, SB2373, SB2407, SB2431, SB2477, SB2587, SB2615, SB2807, SB2965, SB2986, SB3039, SB3047, SB3070, SB1, SB8, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB17, SB21, SB30, SB37, SB260, SB268, SB331, SB379, SB441, SB447, SB457, SB509, SB568, SB650, SB763, SB1198, SB1405, SB1506, SB1540, SB1566, SB1610, SB1637, SB1660, SB1833, SB2018, SB2024, SB2155, SB2217, SB2308, SB2337, SB2601, SB2753, SB2778, SB2878, SB2900, SB2972, SB3059, HB4, HB145, HB300, HB493, HB2011, HB2067, HB2516, HB2525, HB2885, HB2974, HB3071, HB3372, HB3556, HB3595, HB5138, HB5246, HB40, HB46, HB119, HB705, HB1545, HB2017, HB2963, HB3642, HB3909, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SCR12, SCR39, SB2023, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB507, SB1434, SB1772, SB2016, SB1122, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB209, SB2429, SB1085, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB636, SB2056, SB884, SB1200, SB1845, SB2458, SB801, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB2797, SB2076, SB2876, SB1640, SB1449, SB1181, SB1234, SB2926, SB2841, SB1528, SB1854, SB317, SB1250, SB2082, SB1237, SB2819, SB629, SB2608, SB1602, SB2009, SB867, SB640, SB1698, SB2680, SB913, SB1071, SB1086, SB1087, SB1483, SB1444, SB1553, SB1556, SB1703, SB2133, SB2297, SB2298, SB2622, SB2955, SB2334, SB1367, SB2044, SB2363, SB2565, SB1888, SB3036, SB3057, SB3043, SB3063, SB3035, SB203, SB2688, SB2522, SB2459, SB2655, SB2251, SB1884, SB2928, SB2566, SB2549, SB2553, SB2919, SB1944, SB1232, SB1798, SB2603, SB2607, SB2683, SB1319, SB3045, SB3071, HB796, HB1523, HB5294, HB748, HB3395, HB180, HB3171, HB146, HB5596, HB5694, HB1135, HB3225, HB186, HB1449, HB3793, HB112, HB104, HB3336, HB3520, HB3320, HB5663, HB2399, HB111, HB3483, HB4580, HB3748, HB632, HB4730, HB5690, HB5689, HB3385, HB4359, HB5381, HB123, HB5606, HB1057, HB3664, HCR141, HCR40, HCR59, SR695, SCR54, HCR153, HCR166, HCR168, SJR27, SB7, SB57, SB66, SB140, SB293, SB413, SB437, SB467, SB506, SB510, SB512, SB571, SB710, SB785, SB800, SB850, SB863, SB865, SB904, SB905, SB973, SB974, SB1191, SB1281, SB1300, SB1362, SB1504, SB1522, SB1567, SB1579, SB1580, SB1723, SB1760, SB1838, SB1923, SB1946, SB1957, SB1964, SB2167, SB2221, SB2321, SB2368, SB2407, SB2477, SB2587, SB2615, SB2807, SB2965, SB2986, SB3039, SB3047, SB3070, HB40, HB119, HB705, HB1545, HB2017, HB2963, HB3642, HB3909, SB17, SB21, SB509, SB1198, SB1506, SB1833, SB2155, SB2601, SB2778, HB300, HB2011

Keywords: judicial conduct, state commission, judicial misconduct, commission membership, constitutional amendment, water infrastructure, financial assistance, Texas Water Development Board, water supply, environmental sustainability, school safety, emergency operations plan, multihazard plan, mandatory drill, disaster preparedness, emergency response, students with disabilities, impairments, special education, Section 504

Transcript Highlights:

• He's presenting in another committee.
• bring the capital stack in.
• Whoops, I've got $350 in fees in addition because of X, Y, Z? Mr.
• All in favor?
• I wasn't in the other committee. I'm in this committee.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House Revenue and Taxation Committee met on March 5, 2026, and first introduced RS 33580, a sales tax/sales price proposal. Representative Shepherd said it was intended to address a late-session problem involving the tax commission seeking to retroactively tax and penalize businesses for a practice they had long followed under their understanding of current law. The committee voted unanimously to introduce the RS. The committee then heard House Bill 760, which would expand Idaho’s property tax exemption for workforce and affordable housing to allow partnerships between Idaho-based nonprofits and for-profit developers, with county commissioners given the option to approve the exemption. Testimony from the sponsor and Dominium emphasized that the bill is optional for counties, requires annual certification that rents remain at or below 60% of area median income, applies only prospectively, and is intended to increase housing supply without an additional state appropriation. Supporters including the Boise Metro Chamber, Idaho Realtors, and the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry said it would help employers, workers, and local housing supply. The committee voted to send HB 760 to the floor with a due pass recommendation, with Representatives Monks, Ehlers, and Rasor recorded in opposition. Finally, the committee considered RS 33471, a DOGE Task Force recommendation to phase out general fund support for the Commission on Hispanic Affairs starting July 1, 2028, while leaving the commission intact and shifting it toward private funding. Members questioned why the commission was singled out and whether removing a state tax credit contribution option would make private fundraising harder; the sponsor said taxpayers could still contribute privately and that the measure was intended to reduce state funding over time. After a failed substitute motion to return the RS to the sponsor, the committee voted to introduce RS 33471, with Representatives Birch and Gannon recorded in opposition. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To be successful in that in there, you know, making money in their production of food and also in keeping
• An apparent give an example of nitrogen reduced in projects in the Springs B maps.
• in the panhandle as well.
• How many in Florida have roughly 2 million septic tanks in the state?
• In addition, that's fair. >> Some people asked me and I just want to clarify about what you are allowed

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in my letter to you, Mr.
• A couple of things in regards to mitigation, I was talking about the folks on the JFAC committee.
• in a lot of different ways.
• The amount of monies in the budget stabilization fund in excess of the limit imposed in subsection 2B
• But now that one's in a lawsuit in regards to contracts.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House Health and Welfare Committee approved the February 2, 2026 minutes and then introduced RS 33180, the Idaho Prior Authorization Reform Act. Representative Josh Wheeler said the proposal would require insurers to disclose prior authorization rules and criteria, use standardized electronic processes, set decision timelines, ensure appeals are reviewed by appropriately licensed specialists, and protect patients from retroactive denials after approval. Members raised questions about whether the bill would increase administrative burden and whether its physician language could unintentionally exclude advanced practice providers; Wheeler said the intent was to ensure the right specialty reviews the request and that the language may need adjustment. The committee then held an extended discussion on Health and Welfare budget options ahead of JFAC. Members floated a wide range of ideas, including reducing or trimming optional Medicaid services such as adult vision, hearing, chiropractic, and podiatry; using state reserves to soften cuts; tightening Medicaid expansion eligibility or repealing expansion; renegotiating contracts; and increasing audits and fraud, waste, and abuse reviews. Several members argued that cuts should not fall on disability, home- and community-based, or RESHAB services, while others said those programs should be reviewed for overutilization and more precise eligibility tools. There was also discussion of provider reimbursement rates, with some members opposing the 4% reduction and others saying it could be reduced if offset by smaller cuts elsewhere. Members also debated department efficiency and administrative costs, including Medicaid re-evaluations, prior authorization processing, staffing levels, and the possibility of delaying or restructuring large contracts. Representative Kaler raised concerns about Youth Safety and Permanency, suggesting possible savings from repealing the extended foster care age increase, reducing full-time positions, and adjusting employee benefit costs. Representative Healy emphasized that therapy prior authorizations are common in private insurance and said the department should improve timeliness rather than eliminate the practice. The meeting ended with the chair saying Health and Welfare would present its budget the next day and that members could send additional ideas and numbers before then.

Transcript Highlights:

• Always waving in support. Craig Belcher was waving in support. Drew Love waves in support.
• Kerry Hebrank, waving in support. Lisa Miller, waving in support. Oh, I'm sorry.
• Aaron DePetro waves in support. Sam Wagner waving in support.
• , for growth in general.
• This is to avoid any life safety issue that could arise, that we can mitigate in the early stages of

Bills: S0014, S0016, S0024, S0168, S0288, S0548, S0686, S0830, S1138, S1234

Keywords: negligence, settlement, police conduct, municipal liability, personal injury, compensation, injuries, Miami-Dade County, rural electric cooperatives, energy production, Florida law, energy tariffs, regulation, impact fees, transportation capacity, local government, interlocal agreements, growth management, community planning, extraordinary circumstances

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and took up a series of local claims, public records, growth management, permitting, and nuisance bills. It first heard and approved SB 16, SB 14, and SB 24, all uncontested claims bills providing relief related to injuries or settlements involving the City of St. Petersburg and Miami-Dade County. The committee also approved SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives, which narrows statutory language to protect co-op decisions on generation and power purchases while preserving consumer protections, and SB 830, which creates a public records exemption for certain personal information of county and city managers and their families due to reported threats against local officials. Members then considered SB 1138 on qualified contractors and development review, which would create a registry of licensed professionals to help local governments process pre-application reviews and plats more quickly. Local government groups raised concerns about preemption and preserving quasi-judicial authority, while private-provider supporters backed the bill; Senator Sharief voted no, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved SB 168, expanding public nuisance law to include gambling houses and increasing penalties, and SB 686 on agricultural enclaves, which revises the enclave process, adds a public hearing path, limits it to certain residential projects in urban service areas, and was amended to change a date to June 30, 2026 before being reported favorably. The committee next approved CS for SB 548 on growth management and impact fees, which clarifies plan-based methodology, extraordinary circumstances, interlocal agreements, and refund procedures for improper fee collections. Testimony reflected support for clearer standards but also concerns about fee increases and refund administration. Finally, SB 1234 on building permits and inspections was reported favorably; it would extend permit validity, exempt some low-value work from permitting, create a statewide residential permit form, speed review timelines, and expand private-provider use, drawing opposition from a Miami-Dade building official who argued for continued local oversight and support from private-provider advocates. Senator Jones requested to be recorded as voting affirmatively on several tabs and negatively on tab 9, and the committee adjourned after all bills were disposed of.