Transcript Highlights:

• floor about, during my time and specifically over the last 10 years, how we have gotten so much better bond
• floor about, during my time and specifically over the last 10 years, how we have gotten so much better bond
• We started doing the necessary things to make sure that our bond ratings and this state was looked at
• We started doing the necessary things to make sure that our bond ratings and this state was looked at
• We started doing the necessary things to make sure that our bond ratings and this state was looked at

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance, then established a quorum and approved the journal. The House clerk communicated that the House had passed House Bills 34 and 306 and requested concurrence. The State and Local Government Committee reported Senate Bills 20 and 68 favorably, and several new bills and resolutions were introduced, including measures on Kentucky-grown agricultural procurement, an endowed research fund, unemployment insurance, postsecondary education, wrongful conviction compensation, massage therapy, local fiscal reporting, and a resolution honoring John and Debbie Rogers. The main floor action was on Senate Joint Resolution 23, as amended by Senate Committee Substitute 1, declaring Kentucky a “food is medicine” state and directing state agencies to advance food-as-medicine initiatives. The sponsor described the resolution as a statewide framework to connect nutrition, health care, agriculture, and local food systems, emphasizing partnerships with the Kentucky Hospital Association and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, better health outcomes, and support for Kentucky farmers and rural communities. Senators from Taylor and Callaway spoke in support, citing local examples and the goal of building Kentucky-based solutions rather than importing them. The committee substitute was adopted by voice vote, and the resolution then passed 35-0. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 56 honoring Elder Nathan Craig and Sister Amy Craig, and Senate Resolution 33 honoring Robert E. “Bob” Pernell, Sr. Senate Resolution 22, honoring Brian J. Hat, was likewise adopted. After the day’s business, the Senate recessed for meetings of the Rules Committee and the Committee on Committees. Later, the Committee on Committees referred Senate Bills 1-4 to Education, Senate Bill 48 to Judiciary, and Senate Bills 84 and 102 to Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection. Several members made announcements about upcoming committee meetings and events, including the VMAP committee, Judiciary, the Kentucky Japan Caucus, the Kentucky Israel Caucus, and an American Cancer Society action day.

Transcript Highlights:

• we're able to manage all of the expenses and sustain growth through capital investment through revenue bonds
• But this airport system can subsidize some of the other Capital investment through revenue bonds that
• But again, um, we believe because we have a source for federal funding, um, as well as our revenue bond
• But again, um, we believe because we have a source for federal funding, um, as well as our revenue bond
• But again, um, we believe because we have a source for federal funding, um, as well as our revenue bond

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation met on March 20, 2025, first on two bills and then on a series of resolutions. On SB 597, relating to administrative driver’s license revocation, the Department of the Attorney General and other agencies supported extending the deadlines for written review decisions because chemical testing results, especially from neighbor islands, can take longer to return. One individual testified in opposition. The committee amended the bill to set the review-decision deadlines at 14 and 28 days, deferred the effective date to July 1, 3000, and recommended passage with amendments by vote. The committee then heard SB 1285 SD2, a highway safety measure that would create an impaired-driving offense, establish automatic license suspension procedures, and amend related administrative processes. The Attorney General’s office raised concerns about the new infraction structure and recommended deleting that section, while the Public Defender opposed the bill, arguing it could create due process problems and unnecessary burdens on the courts. DOT and several advocacy groups supported the measure, and one individual testified in support of lowering the BAC limit to 0.05. The committee adopted extensive amendments, including deleting several sections, revising revocation language for refusals to test, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 3000, then passed the bill with amendments. In the later resolution hearing, the committee heard measures on Maui road projects, the Kulani Hako Bridge replacement, enforcement against improperly registered out-of-state vehicles, a proposed extension of the Skyline rail to West Oahu, a proposal to transfer airport regulatory authority to DOT, a golf-ball safety resolution, and a restricted parking pilot program in West Oahu neighborhoods. Testimony was generally supportive on the Maui road, bridge, vehicle-registration, and golf-ball measures, while DOT opposed the airport-corporation task force resolution and several groups offered mixed views, including calls for public-sector union representation if a task force were created. The committee also heard support and concern on the Skyline extension resolution, with members noting the need for transit options that better serve West Oahu. At the end of the meeting, the committee adopted the resolutions it took up in decision-making, including the Maui road measures, the bridge resolution, the vehicle-registration resolution, and the Skyline-related resolution, with the airport-corporation and parking-zone measures also heard before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mentioned strategy because today you want us to talk about economic development funds, bond funds,
• First, I'm going to talk about the economic development bond funds.
• I'm going to talk about the economic development bond funds.
• On the EDF bond funds, how come they haven't been dispersed even though they have been committed?
• Are we issuing bonds for KPDI? Are we doing the same kind of EDF programs? We made the decision.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Budget Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Protection, Energy and Environment, and Tourism met for its fourth meeting and approved the February 10 minutes. The committee then heard a presentation from the Cabinet for Economic Development, led by Secretary Jeff Noel, with staff from the cabinet and Kentucky Innovation. The presentation focused on the cabinet’s strategy, including workforce, entrepreneurship, innovation, infrastructure, and placemaking, and emphasized a goal of supporting higher-wage jobs while tailoring programs to urban, non-urban, and rural “heritage communities.” The cabinet reviewed several funding tools and programs, including economic development bond funds, EDF funds, KBI, the Kentucky Innovation Pool, KSTC-related startup and commercialization programs, veteran workforce programs, and Bluegrass State Skills Corporation training funds. Officials said many projects take years to close and that funds are often committed before they are actually disbursed because reimbursements occur after project completion. They also said Kentucky is less competitive than before because of changes in tax policy and that EDF funds are increasingly important to remain competitive with other states. Members asked about whether previously allocated money remained available, whether some funds could be clawed back, and the status of the Blue Oval project. The cabinet said it is oversubscribed, with some committed dollars likely to go unused and be reoffered to other projects. On Blue Oval, officials said progress had been made and described negotiations tied to repayment and job creation requirements. They also discussed the Ford/SK loan structure, saying the companies may assume the full $250 million obligation and that repayments would be required if job targets are not met. The presentation closed with discussion of workforce coordination and the need to connect economic development projects with training and support systems, including possible ripple effects for rural suppliers and related businesses.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our original bond was $3,480,000.
• <00:46:08.640> was<00:46:09.800> $3,480 original Bond was $3,480 original Bond was
• um planning and approval by bond um planning and approval by taxpayers<00:54:16.920> went<00:
• This would be the most recent construction bond project in my area, and this refund would be for the
• project recent uh uh construction Bond project in<00:55:51.960> in<00:55:52.200> the<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• uh<00:37:06.440> the So the first credit I'm going to talk about is the school building bond
• Those levies that go to pay off those bonds are the levies that are eligible for this particular credit
• When the credit was first created, it covered 40% of the cost of those bonds to the individual taxpayer
• Those levies that go to pay off those bonds are the levies that are eligible for this particular credit
• When the credit was first created, it covered 40% of the cost of those bonds to the individual taxpayer

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Tax Committee met to hear a House Research presentation from Jared Swanson on Minnesota’s property tax system. Before the presentation, the chair announced that the committee would put the governor’s budget on hold until the department could provide the information needed for a proper hearing. The committee then approved the prior meeting minutes without objection. Swanson gave an overview of how property taxes are structured and collected in Minnesota, explaining that the state uses a levy-based system in which local governments set levies and counties collect and distribute payments. He described the property tax cycle, the difference between referendum market value and net tax capacity, and how classification rates shift tax burdens among property types. He also outlined the state general property tax, noting it is split between commercial-industrial property and seasonal recreational property, and reviewed how Minnesota compares with other states, with residential taxes generally around the middle and commercial-industrial taxes relatively higher. The presentation also covered major property tax relief and aid programs. Swanson explained three broad relief mechanisms: shifting burdens through exclusions and classification rates, state-paid credits and refunds, and state aid to local governments or levy reductions. He discussed local government aid (LGA), township aid, and county program aid (CPA), including their funding levels, formulas, and general-purpose nature. Members asked why some cities receive no LGA and how the funds may be used; Swanson said cities with strong tax bases often receive zero aid and that the money generally can be used for the same purposes as property tax revenue. No votes were taken on the presentation itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bond. >> Yes, sir. Would you like me to take attendance? >> I'll go ahead and get it started.
• Bond, would you please take the roll? >> Yes, sir.
• Bond. All right, let's dispense with the approval of minutes from our last meeting.
• So, sidewalk repair, issuance of bonds, cost of elections, costs associated with employees and equipment
• That it would not approve any loans or bonds or disperse any funds for loans or bonds for the programs

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Prop. 4, where I'll start, the Governor's budget proposed $2.1 billion in 2026-27 from the climate bond
• That bond did initiate with the Legislature.
• That bond did initiate with the legislature.
• The good news is that California voters, back in 2014, passed Proposition 1, which was a water bond that
• As a result of the bond, is there any feasible area reservoir development plan under planning?

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Through bonding, loans, and other measures to spread the risk over time that is incurred by the utilities
• of affordable housing, homeless population, wildfire risk, flooding risks, all of that affects our bond
• And we've got these great bonds for affordable housing, for park space, for climate change, and it makes
• All that talk about our bond ratings means you think you're interested in treasure or anything like that
• We could have wildfire bonds, wildfire bonds, second home assessments, tax assessments.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• requests that we've discussed in this committee prior, which is our RFA bonding authority as well as
• <00:17:51.039> and<00:17:51.200> then<00:17:51.360> our<00:17:51.600> bonding
• committee um and then our bonding committee um and then our bonding requests<00:17:52.400> that
• ><00:17:55.120> uh committee prior which is our RFA uh committee prior which is our RFA uh bonding
• authority as well as our East bonding authority as well as our East Grand<00:17:56.720> Forks

Bills: HF858, HF2577, HF2576

Keywords: bioincentive payments, agriculture, job creation, environmental compliance, financial reporting, waste handling, sewage sludge, PFAS regulation, environment, record retention, fertilizer disposal, pesticide disposal, environmental impact, safety regulations, burning prohibition, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• mentioned i spent about six years as deputy director for the state board of finance understand the bonding
• How many contractors do you have in the state of New Mexico that are able to bond out for a school project
• How many contractors do you have in the state of New Mexico that are able to bond out for a school for
• Point being, there's not a lot of competition whenever these guys can't bond out.
• Bond out. I'm not—I don't know what we have to do to resolve that problem, you know.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and I think there's more work we need to do on that in this coming legislative year from the climate bond
• And just to finish on that thought, as was mentioned earlier, the climate bond, which was Prop. 4, was
• Fifty million dollars of that Prop. 4 bond were allocated for cross-border rivers.
• So the Prop 4 bond dollars are for both waters. We will be going through a public process.
• I think back to Prop. 1 bond dollars, and we were able to quickly get things out...

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly Environmental Quality/Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials informational hearing focused on the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis, with members from both parties emphasizing that the problem is long-running, cross-border, and severe enough to require federal, state, local, and binational action. Opening remarks described the crisis as an environmental and public health emergency affecting beaches, air and water quality, marine life, tourism, and residents’ quality of life in South Bay communities. Assembly Member Boerner and Senator Jones both stressed the need for continued funding and cooperation, while Senator Padilla said the issue is underappreciated because of where it occurs but has major public health, economic, and educational consequences. Congressman Mike Levin’s office reported more than $650 million in federal funding secured for infrastructure and cleanup, along with federal legislation and requests for CDC and EPA involvement. Supervisor Paloma Aguirre gave a detailed overview of county efforts and the scope of the crisis, citing decades of sewage flows from Tijuana, nearly four years of beach closures, and the county’s expanded water-quality monitoring. She said the county is pursuing warning signs, an air purifier distribution program, an epidemiological study, soil testing, an economic impact study, and a feasibility analysis to remove the “hot spot” near Saturn Boulevard, which she described as a key local source of airborne pollution. She also pointed to binational funding for treatment plant upgrades and said the county is seeking state support, including from Proposition 4 cross-border river funds, to expand relief and mitigation efforts. Scripps researchers Dr. Sarah Giddings and Dr. Kimberly Prather presented scientific findings on water and air transport. Giddings described a high-resolution forecast model that predicts wastewater movement and beach closure risk up to five days ahead, using real-time observations and showing about 72% accuracy against county measurements. Prather said the main exposure route is through air, not just water, and reported that turbulence at the river hot spot aerosolizes pollutants, with hydrogen sulfide and other gases spiking at night and dropping when river flow is diverted. She said the team has identified thousands of gases and linked measurements closely to odor complaints, while also noting that air purifiers can reduce indoor exposure but are not a permanent solution. Dr. Paula Stigler Granados added that community health surveys and CDC assessments show widespread symptoms, sleep disruption, anxiety, and daily life impacts, especially during nighttime odor events. She said her team has found more than 900 contaminants in river water and 106 chemicals uniquely associated with the Saturn Boulevard hot spot, with passive air sampling showing similar chemical fingerprints in nearby homes. The panel discussion ended with questions about standards and accountability, and witnesses and legislators agreed that the crisis requires updated air-quality standards, more health research, and continued coordination to reduce exposure and address the source of pollution.

Transcript Highlights:

• Time to bond, to make memories, to say hello and goodbye.
• Time to bond, to make memories, to say hello and goodbye.
• In that moment, it wasn't just a piece of mail; it was a reminder of a bond that I still grieve.
• And so that's the only thing with this limited service plan, and they are under bond conditions.
• And so that's the only thing with this limited service plan and they are under bond conditions.

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB 116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB 1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability, perinatal bereavement, healthcare, hospital training, bereavement support, maternal care, fetal demise, stillbirth, neonatal death, parent-child relationship, involuntary termination, family law, child welfare, child protection, HB 388, HB388

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with a quorum and took up several House and Senate bills, with public testimony limited to two minutes per witness. The committee first heard HB 2358, a cleanup bill requested by HHSC that would repeal outdated training and conference requirements for long-term care facility surveyors and certain providers; there were no witnesses, and the bill was left pending. The committee then heard HB 18, the rural hospital stabilization bill, which would create financial assessment tools, a rural hospital finance office at HHSC, an academy for rural hospital officers, multiple grant programs, enhanced Medicaid reimbursement tied to average cost, OB/GYN add-on payments, expanded pediatric telehealth connectivity, and a rural pediatric mental health program. Senator Perry and witnesses from TORCH, a rural hospital, AARP Texas, and ARCHI strongly supported the bill as a way to stabilize rural hospitals, improve OB access, and address workforce and financial pressures. Committee members discussed rural hospital closures, low-volume quality metrics, system affiliation, and the need for predictable monthly reimbursement; the bill was left pending after testimony and questions. The committee next heard HB 37, which would create a perinatal bereavement care initiative for families experiencing stillbirth, neonatal death, or intrauterine fetal demise, including counseling, staff training, and access to cooling devices, with possible grants and a recognition program for hospitals. Senator Huffman explained the bill, and several witnesses testified in support, sharing personal stories about infant loss and the importance of time with the baby, trained staff, and cuddle cots or similar devices. A neonatologist also supported the bill while suggesting clarification that hospitals should not be penalized if state funding is unavailable and recommending use of regional advisory councils to help implement training. Public testimony was then closed and the bill left pending. The committee also heard HB 879, which would create a streamlined licensing pathway for veterans with medical or nursing experience to practice in Texas, and HB 913, which would add new state hospitals to statute and split the North Texas State Hospital into two separate hospitals with their own superintendents; both bills had no opposition testimony and were left pending. Later, the committee heard SB 2744, a heart disease screening bill that would update the 2009 Texas Heart Attack Prevention Act to require insurance coverage for coronary CT angiography with plaque analysis, including soft plaque detection, as a preventive screening tool. The author and invited witnesses argued the technology is more effective than calcium scoring alone, can identify patients before symptoms appear, and could save lives at a cost comparable to or lower than colonoscopy. An insurance industry witness opposed the bill, arguing the technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for universal screening and that the mandated coverage and payment level would raise costs; the bill was left pending after testimony. Finally, the committee heard HB 1151, a parental rights bill clarifying that refusing psychotropic medication or psychiatric treatment is not neglect unless the child is harmed. Supporters, including parent advocates and attorneys, said the bill would protect parents from CPS overreach and preserve medical decision-making authority, while one witness urged broader attention to physical causes of behavioral issues. Public testimony was closed and HB 1151 was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Securitization allows for reduced cost to taxpayers because it provides a bond financing mechanism rather
• In comparison, long-term 30-year AA-rated municipal bonds are currently yielding under 5%.
• the bill also contemplates, the fund could be used to potentially support the issuance of a revenue bond
• approach here would be to utilize Prop 4 capital as an equity cushion, essentially a reserve that bond
• Briefly, let me highlight one critical element which will enable these revenue bonds to be successfully

Summary: The committee heard several energy and utilities bills, with testimony largely focused on wildfire mitigation, affordability, clean energy planning, and utility accountability. AB 706, by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry, would create a fund to support projects that use forest biomass waste from wildfire mitigation and forest restoration; supporters said it would reduce open burning and emissions while providing reliable renewable power, and the bill later passed 13-0. AB 39, by Assembly Member Zbur, would require larger cities and counties to adopt electrification planning strategies for transportation and buildings; it drew broad support from clean energy, labor, environmental, and local government advocates and passed 9-0. AB 1167, by Assembly Member Berman, would restrict investor-owned utilities from charging ratepayers for lobbying, promotional advertising, and similar shareholder-benefit expenses; supporters framed it as an affordability and transparency measure, while utilities argued the bill was overly broad and already covered by existing rules. It passed 7-0, with some members not voting and the roll left open. The committee also considered AB 1417 on offshore wind community funding transparency, which was amended to remove new fees and instead require reporting on developer support for local and tribal community capacity-building; opposition was withdrawn and the bill passed 9-0. AB 367, by Assembly Member Bennett, would require water districts in high fire-risk areas of Ventura County to have backup power, full tanks during red flag warnings, and hardened facilities; water agencies opposed unless amended due to cost and liability concerns, but the bill passed 10-0. The consent calendar, including multiple additional measures, was approved 11-0. Other bills drew more divided testimony. AB 745 would allow securitization to finance utility undergrounding and prohibit a return on equity for undergrounding projects; supporters said it would lower ratepayer costs, while utilities warned it would effectively discourage undergrounding and could raise other rates. The bill passed 7-4 and was left on call. AB 1423 would apply reliability standards to publicly funded EV chargers installed before 2024; supporters said taxpayers should get functioning chargers, while charging-network representatives objected to retroactive requirements and possible conflicts with existing agreements. It passed 13-0. AB 388 would create a narrow exception to utility regulation to facilitate green hydrogen projects using private power lines; supporters said it would unlock low-cost renewable hydrogen and jobs, while utilities raised concerns about customer protections and grid planning. It passed 12-0. The committee also began hearing AB 825, which the author said would address the high cost of financing major transmission and generation buildout, but the transcript cuts off before the full presentation and action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• from now in courtroom. 2 D I was in a a say supposed to verify the immigration status of someone at bond
• going to be considered. >> Under Mister under 903 point 0, 4, 6, at someone who's done a number of bond
• and to and hold a separate hearing to identify the source of funds that might be used to post that bond
• to drug trafficking case will do that all day long and save some of going to post a million dollar bond
• for it including amendment for E verify including amendment that requires source of funds to post bond

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Well, this session typically is what we call a bonding year or a capital investment year.
• we >> Well, this session typically is what we call<00:04:13.439> a<00:04:13.599> bonding
• 13.920> year<00:04:14.080> or<00:04:14.239> a<00:04:14.400> capital call a bonding
• year or a capital call a bonding year or a capital investment<00:04:15.120> year.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• hearing the sunset of the cold case task force, the sunset of the cash and professional cash bail bonding
• :47.679> professional<00:24:48.240> cash<00:24:48.640> bail<00:24:48.960> bonding
• ,<00:24:50.000> and and professional cash bail bonding, and and professional cash bail bonding

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened, led the pledge, and completed a roll call showing a quorum with 55 members present and 10 excused. The journal from Tuesday, January 27, 2026, was approved as corrected. The Speaker then moved into announcements and introductions, with several members briefly joking about the sign-up process and fines for failing to sign up in advance. Announcements highlighted a range of visiting groups and upcoming committee meetings. Members recognized the Colorado Council of Authorities/911 communications officials, Rooted Christian Academy sixth graders, physical therapy advocates, CASE Member Day at the Capitol, and community college representatives. Several members also announced committee schedules, including Judiciary hearing sunset bills and House Bill 1058, a DORA sunset hearing, a capital development committee meeting, and a Health and Human Services SMART Act hearing. There were also invitations to a Colorado Mesa University reception and a Treasury open house for unclaimed property. At the end of the session, the Speaker announced appointments to the House ethics committee: Representatives McCormick as chair, Soper as vice chair, Woodrow, Mabrey, and Garcia Sander. The Majority Leader then moved that the House stand in recess until later in the day, and the motion carried.

Transcript Highlights:

• regards to the Governor, I'm hoping that at some point there's a recognition that when we do water bonds
• , the question—and I've been intimately involved in working on water bonds—is you need to know what's
• Newsom recognizes that we're going to need some new tools in the toolbox, and the public supports water bonds
• We're going to need to do another water bond in the near future, and if we have the plan, that's going

Summary: The committee heard several water- and environment-related bills. SB 72, by Senator Caballero, would modernize the California Water Plan and set long-term water supply targets, including an interim goal of 9 million acre-feet of additional water by 2040. Supporters from water districts, local governments, business groups, and agricultural interests argued the bill is needed to address climate-driven shortages, protect the economy, and improve planning for droughts, flooding, recharge, recycling, storage, and conveyance. Opponents, including environmental and conservation groups, argued the bill could overstate demand, increase costs, and make it harder to protect instream flows and ecosystems. The committee discussed the science behind the 9 million acre-feet target and the need to balance water supply planning with fish and ecological needs. SB 72 passed on a do-pass motion to Appropriations. SB 369, by Senator Padilla, would require a local skilled and trained workforce for all Salton Sea restoration work. The author and sponsors said the bill would protect workers exposed to hazardous conditions at the Salton Sea, create good local jobs in Imperial County, and ensure long-term workforce standards for publicly funded restoration projects. Support came from labor organizations, contractors, and other regional stakeholders; no opposition testified. Members emphasized the region’s high unemployment and the importance of workforce development. The bill passed on a do-pass motion to Labor and Employment. SB 697, by Senator Laird, would update the stream system adjudication process by allowing the State Water Board to use modern technology, such as stream gauges and digitized records, when investigating water rights claims, while still allowing field investigations when needed. The author said the process has not been updated since 1976 and should be streamlined. After amendments addressed stakeholder concerns, there was no opposition testimony. The committee asked whether the bill would affect pre-1914 water rights, and the author said it would not. SB 697 passed as amended to Judiciary. The committee also approved consent calendar items SB 599, SB 609, and SB 765 earlier in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 5671 allows the Johnson County Special Utility District to issue bonds.
• County, as a rural water corporation, became a special utility district to save money on tax-exempt bonds
• what you're talking about, removing some of that strenuous language and allowing our SUDs to issue bonds
• bill is left pending. uh, removing some of that strenuous language and allowing our suds to issue bonds

Bills: HB3115, HB5671, HB5693, SB790, SB1055, SB1302, SB1504, SB1625, SB1663, SB2692

Keywords: Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater, water wells, domestic well, livestock well, exempt well, metering device, well meter, groundwater conservation district, Special District Local Laws Code, Water Code, Section 36.117, groundwater regulation, water rights, aquifer management, municipal utility, retail public utility, groundwater export, water supply contract, election

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard testimony on a series of water, utility, and groundwater-related bills. Early items included HB 5693, which would let Drainage District 7 hold board elections in November of odd-numbered years when a countywide election is occurring, and HB 5671, which would update the Johnson County Special Utility District by clarifying board eligibility, allowing bond issuance, and removing redundant TCEQ approval language to reduce costs and delays. Both bills were left pending after brief testimony from bill sponsors and local witnesses. The committee also heard SB 1504, which would update the Gulf Coast Authority to allow video-conference participation in meetings, and SB 1302, aimed at closing a TCEQ permitting loophole that allowed dischargers with prior denials or suspensions to reapply through an automated process without meaningful review. SB 2692 drew substantial discussion: it would change the signature threshold for outside-city-limits customers appealing municipal utility rates to the PUC by customer class. Valero supported the bill as a way to avoid requiring large-volume users to gather signatures from unrelated residential customers, while the City of Corpus Christi opposed it, arguing that lowering the threshold to one customer could trigger expensive appeals costing $500,000 to $1 million. A PUC witness said such cases are increasing and that the agency would need additional staff under the fiscal note. SB 790, creating a simplified PUC complaint process for small water and wastewater billing disputes, and SB 1663, expanding TCEQ notice requirements for nearby residents when groundwater contamination is discovered, were also heard and left pending. Additional bills included HB 3115, clarifying that the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District cannot require meters on exempt domestic or livestock wells; SB 1055, raising the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District’s production fee cap from 1 cent to 7 cents per 1,000 gallons; and SB 1625, requiring private water and wastewater utilities to report cybersecurity incidents to TCEQ and DIR. The committee then took up pending business and adopted a substitute for SB 7, which made several changes to water fund use, eminent domain coordination, and EDAP-related provisions, and voted 10-0 to report it favorably. The committee also adopted a substitute for HB 2347, a county water conservation program bill, and reported it favorably 9-1. HB 5675 and SB 2476 were each reported favorably 10-0. The meeting concluded with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• enforcing the criminal laws of this state and are responsible for overseeing our county jails, bail bonds
• Bonds, um, making it so that you can pull down the bonds and cry.
• 33655 by Alcott relating to the increasing the threshold of voter approval for the school district bond

Transcript Highlights:

• The same thing with the CFC bonds, and that is the bonds that were used to finance the construction,
• <02:20:45.439> that CFC bonds and that is the bonds that CFC bonds and that is the bonds that
• we'll need to secure the loan in the way that we need bond counsel for a bond sale.
• that we need Bond Council for a bond that we need Bond Council for a bond sale<02:47:37.960>
• reimburse bonds.

Keywords: 912, senate, all