Transcript Highlights:

• Such criminal activity includes fuel theft, overweight and off-route fuel trucks, unregulated fuel depots
• Such criminal activity includes fuel theft, overweight and off-route fuel trucks, unregulated fuel depots
• and aligns this offense with the offense language in Senator Hinojosa's larger, more comprehensive fuel
• Members, the House added an acceptable amendment replacing the term delivery device with delivery systems
• The acceptable amendment replaces the term delivery device with delivery systems.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, received the House message that HB 35 had passed, and heard a gubernatorial message submitting Trinity River Authority board appointments for Senate confirmation. The chamber also adopted a slate of Senate resolutions by voice vote and later postponed reading and referral of bills and resolutions until the end of the calendar. Several members introduced bills with brief explanations before the Senate took them up under suspension of the regular order. The body then considered and passed a series of measures, often by wide margins, including SB 2846 on wildlife disease control and quarantine authority; CS SB 1224 requiring school superintendents or directors to report certain employee misconduct to local law enforcement; CS SB 2310 on transparency for degree and transfer requirements at public colleges; SB 1502 limiting school districts’ ability to exceed voter-approval tax rates after a failed TRE; CS SB 1141 on notice requirements before full adversary hearings in child-protection cases; CS SB 2568 exempting certain flood-control reservoirs from TCEQ permitting; SB 1524 on confidentiality of information about weapons in foster homes; CS SB 2925 creating a task force on modernizing manufacturing; CS SB 2269 on dispute resolution and enforcement for long-term care facilities; CS SB 1266 on Medicaid provider enrollment and disenrollment notices; SB 243 on migrant labor housing standards; SB 2200 on overweight vehicles transporting hazardous materials; CS SB 2480 on the Texas Physician Health Program; CS SB 1585 restricting government contracts with companies tied to foreign adversaries; CS SB 2357 establishing maternal health training; and SB 1551 requiring accessible AED placement in public schools. The Senate also debated more contested bills. CS SB 2019, which would extend vaccine exemption rules to medical and veterinary students, advanced only partway after a divided vote. CS SB 1442, directing a study on veterinary telemedicine relationships, and CS SB 1241, which would allow the Higher Education Coordinating Board to study alternative college entrance exams, prompted extended questioning about agency authority and whether changes should return to the legislature before taking effect. CS SB 2753, which would integrate early voting and election day voting into a single in-person voting period, was amended and passed to engrossment despite opposition. CS SB 2201, dealing with gang and foreign terrorist organization intelligence databases, and CS SB 2514, creating a DPS hostile foreign adversaries unit, drew detailed debate over civil liberties and national security. CS SB 2422, aimed at limiting Texas Medical Board discipline related to COVID-19 treatments and practices, also advanced after lengthy discussion and a close vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Washington State Supreme Court held that the costs of utility facility relocation may not be paid with fuel
• In other words, the fuel at the over 400 owned charging stations by the state of Washington at owned
• It's free fuel. Nobody else gets that. I certainly don't want that.
• Chairman, that free fuel is not fair fuel.
• Let's go to the Capitol or a state-owned facility to get some free fuel.

Bills: SB5750, SB6148

Keywords: electric vehicles, charging fees, state facilities, sustainability, infrastructure, regional transit authority, RTA, transit bonds, general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, bond maturity, debt limit, 25-year cap, regional mobility grant program, public transit financing, transportation funding, Washington RCW, bond issuance, municipal finance, infrastructure finance

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held public hearings on several bills. On Substitute Senate Bill 5690, the committee heard staff explain that WSDOT would be required to give utility owners advance notice of planned fish barrier removal projects and Dig Once projects, seek federal funding for utility relocation costs when available, and report back to the Legislature by December 15, 2026. Supporters, including the prime sponsor, sewer and water districts, PUDs, and a remote testifier, said the bill would help utilities plan for costly relocations and potentially reduce impacts on ratepayers. WSDOT said it supported the intent but raised concerns about the bill’s fiscal impact and whether federal funding for these costs is still available. The public hearing closed with testimony recorded as 46 in favor and none opposed. The committee then heard Engrossed Senate Bill 5746, which would create or continue an advisory process within the state’s EV Coordinating Council to address property crime affecting EV charging infrastructure. Staff said the bill is substantively the same as a version previously passed by the Senate, with technical updates, and would require recommendations, reporting, and limited confidentiality protections for proprietary information. The prime sponsor argued that vandalism and theft at charging stations undermine public infrastructure and that the bill would bring together relevant stakeholders. Testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, with one recorded opponent. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 5750, which would authorize state facilities to charge privately owned electric vehicles a fee for electricity and deposit the revenue into the motor vehicle fund. The sponsor said the bill would make charging at state facilities fairer by recovering costs from private EV users, rather than providing free fuel. Staff noted the bill is permissive and that fiscal impacts and revenue would be indeterminate. The hearing closed with strong support and a small amount of opposition recorded. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6148, which would increase the maximum term for regional transit authority bonds from 40 years to 75 years, affecting Sound Transit. Supporters, including Sound Transit and transit advocates, said the longer term would align with federal financing rules, help manage cash flow, and accelerate delivery of long-lived infrastructure such as tunnels and bridges without raising taxes. Opponents argued the bill would increase long-term debt costs and shift burdens to future generations, and questioned Sound Transit’s financial management. The hearing closed with substantial pro and con testimony recorded, and the committee adjourned after the public hearings.

Transcript Highlights:

• At slide 11, you'll see the extent to which motor fuel taxes, both fuel and diesel fuel, play a role
• Some states have rolled out programs like delivery surcharge calls.
• They said, any third-party delivery surcharge from Amazon or any deliveries that come through UPS, Walmart
• Here, New Mexico is the fourth lowest fuel tax in the nation.
• In the top 10 cheapest diesel fuel tax in the nation.

Transcript Highlights:

• to a lack of clarity in current law, these counties are sometimes required to pay taxes on transit fuel
• to a lack of clarity in current law, these counties are sometimes required to pay taxes on transit fuel
• and 8655 of the Revenue and Taxation Code to explicitly include county-run transit systems in the fuel
• Senate Bill 359 corrects an inequity in the administration of diesel and fuel tax law that is having
• The underlying statute had not been updated to reflect the modern structure of transit service delivery

Summary: The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee met after several delays while waiting for the Senate to finish its floor session, and the chair announced the committee would begin once a quorum was established. The committee then heard a series of tax-related bills, with most measures being held for suspense except SB 87, which was voted out. The chair also welcomed newly appointed committee member Assembly Member Juan Carrillo. SB 359 would clarify that county-run transit systems qualify for existing sales and use tax exemptions on transit fuels such as diesel and compressed natural gas. Senator Nilo and Placer County testified that the bill would correct an inequity affecting counties operating their own transit services, especially rural counties, and would not create a new state revenue loss because the tax had not been consistently collected. Support came from the California Transit Association and the California State Association of Counties; the bill was sent to suspense. SB 603 would allow county boards of supervisors in disaster-affected counties to extend by up to three years the five-year deadline for transferring a property tax base-year value to replacement property. The author and supporters, including the California Assessors Association and the California Association of Realtors, said the measure would give local governments flexibility to address post-disaster rebuilding delays. SB 293 would extend the deadline for filing intergenerational property transfer claims from six months to three years for disaster-impacted homeowners, with testimony focused on helping families in Altadena and preserving generational homes after the Eaton Fire; the committee discussed possible refinements and the bill was held in suspense. SB 353 would extend the farm-to-food-bank tax credit through 2032, with support emphasizing food security, waste reduction, and the program’s documented results; it too was sent to suspense. SB 723 would raise the threshold for property tax exemptions on low-value properties, with the author arguing it would reduce administrative costs and ease burdens on small businesses, and the committee asked for technical work before the bill was held in suspense. SB 785 would create a $5,000 tax credit for durable medical equipment used by children with complex medical conditions, with supporters saying it could prevent hospitalizations and help families keep medically fragile children at home; it was also sent to suspense. SB 87, which would extend the sales tax exemption for volunteer fire department fundraising activities for five more years, passed the committee on a 5-0 vote and was sent to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the main fuel provider in California is First Element Fuel.
• By replacing fossil fuel, mostly diesel engines, with hydrogen fuel cells, we projected a 43% reduction
• By replacing fossil fuel, mostly diesel engines with hydrogen fuel cells, we projected 43% reduction
• Even a hydrogen fuel cell bus is a battery-electric hydrogen fuel cell bus.
• Even a hydrogen fuel cell bus is a battery electric hydrogen fuel cell.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the main fuel provider in California is First Element Fuel.
• Even a hydrogen fuel cell bus is a battery-electric hydrogen fuel cell bus.
• Even a hydrogen fuel cell bus is a battery-electric hydrogen fuel cell.
• Even a hydrogen fuel cell bus is a battery electric hydrogen fuel cell.
• fuels, too.

Summary: The Senate Select Committee on Hydrogen Energy held an informational hearing on California’s hydrogen leadership, with the chair framing hydrogen as a complementary clean-energy pathway for hard-to-electrify sectors such as heavy-duty trucking, transit, rail, ports, industrial uses, and backup power. The first panel of private-sector witnesses from the California Hydrogen Business Council, Bosch, Hyundai, and Sierra Northern Railway described existing deployments in California, including hydrogen buses, trucks, fueling infrastructure, and the nation’s first hydrogen fuel cell switcher locomotive. They emphasized that the technology is commercially ready but scaling is constrained by permitting delays, high fuel and equipment costs, infrastructure gaps, and uncertainty around federal support and incentives. Witnesses urged stable state policy, targeted investment, and concentrated deployment in high-impact corridors such as ports and freight hubs. Committee members also asked about labor standards, community engagement, and the current size of the hydrogen vehicle fleet in California and abroad. The second panel focused on air quality, climate, safety, and public health. Testimony from CAPCOA, the Coalition for Clean Air, the California State Building and Construction Trades Council, and a UC Berkeley researcher argued that hydrogen fuel cells can reduce diesel-related pollution and health harms when used in the right applications, especially in ports, rail yards, warehouse corridors, transit depots, and backup power for facilities like data centers. Witnesses cautioned that hydrogen should be used selectively, produced as cleanly as possible, and paired with early community engagement, safety planning, and environmental justice protections. The researcher cited projected reductions in NOx, particulate exposure, premature deaths, and health costs under broader hydrogen adoption. Committee members discussed workforce training, apprenticeship programs, and how to balance near-term costs with long-term infrastructure value. The final panel provided public-sector updates from SamTrans, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the Port of Long Beach, and First Public Hydrogen Authority. SamTrans described its transition to a large hydrogen bus fleet and said the loss of expected ARCHES funding created a major infrastructure gap; it asked the state to protect transit funding, restore a sales tax exemption for zero-emission buses, and address axle-weight rules. GoBiz said the state should focus on creating demand, reducing costs, and streamlining permitting, while acknowledging the disruption caused by the federal cancellation of ARCHES funding. The Port of Long Beach reported hydrogen truck deployments, port incentives, and a planned public fueling station, but said high costs, fuel shortages, and uncertainty have slowed momentum. First Public Hydrogen Authority described efforts to aggregate municipal demand and support new green hydrogen production projects, stressing the need for long-term market signals and financing. Committee members repeatedly emphasized the need for state support, infrastructure investment, and a diversified fuel strategy to keep hydrogen deployment moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senate Bill 172, an act relating to utility fuel adjustment.
• Senate Bill 172. >> Senate Bill 172, an act relating to utility fuel adjustment.
• peaks and valleys and the spikes<00:10:52.480><c> of</c><00:10:52.640><c> the</c><00:10:52.880><c> fuel
• </c><00:10:53.279><c> adjustment</c> spikes of the fuel adjustment spikes of the fuel adjustment searchcharge
• spikes and help people who these fuel spikes and help people who are<00:14:27.360><c> desperate</c><

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, produce what we call refugeive fuel.
• Um it's refugeive fuel there.
• . ...by accepting our refuse-derived fuel.
• And our facility actually pays for that delivery.
• Right. actually pays for that delivery. So we, actually pays for that delivery.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The only thing we’re not doing currently is the IV delivery of these medications, which could be, in
• There is more oversight from a naturopathic medical point of view than any other delivery method that

Bills: SB1095, SB1114, SB1116, SB1162, SB1164, SB1178, SB1179, SB1249, SB1253, SB1346, SB1347, SB1446, SB1561, SB1813

Keywords: gender transition, minors, irreversible surgery, health professionals, puberty-blocking drugs, medical procedures, prohibition, Arizona Revised Statutes, behavioral health, patient brokering, appropriation, state funds, Maricopa County, claims review, medical necessity, American Indian health program, healthcare regulations, healthcare compliance, behavioral health technicians, licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to make a comment that currently with no regulations, an automated truck can have a fuel
• House Bill 3365 allows MyPlates under the TM. to offer optional home delivery for an additional fee.
• Home delivery these days is viewed as the minimum expectation of the modern online shopping customer.
• Bringing home delivery to Texas...
• It is time for Texas to offer home deliveries as an option for new specialty plates.

Bills: HB341, HB469, HB971, HB1624, HB2721, HB2959, HB3365, HB3731, HB3793, HB3861, HB3946, HB3966, HB4348, HB4401, HB4402, HB4924, HB4966, HB5563

Keywords: affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, commercial vehicle, safety standards, enforcement, Texas counties, transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• The carbon intensity of producing these fertilizers can be reduced by replacing fossil fuels as a source
• The program would take effect upon delivery of this report and subsequent legislative appropriation.
• The program would take effect upon delivery of this report and subsequent legislative appropriation.
• This is important because some green fertilizers are used to produce feedstocks for low-carbon fuels
• They can't control fuel prices. They can't control fertilizer prices in the future.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard public testimony on Substitute Senate Bill 5971, which would create a green fertilizer incentive program to support low-carbon nitrogen fertilizer production in Washington. Committee staff and agency witnesses described the bill as implementing recommendations from a prior work group and said the Department of Agriculture and Ecology could develop the program, though Ecology recommended clarifying lifecycle emissions accounting, defining green fertilizer, and tying incentives to emissions reductions. Supporters, including a labor representative, Atlas Agro, NRDC, and TRIDEC, said the bill could reduce emissions, stabilize fertilizer prices for farmers, create jobs, and help Washington capture federal hydrogen tax credits. The committee also heard testimony on Substitute Senate Bill 6097, which would add federally recognized Indian tribes as eligible participants in the Conservation Futures Program; tribal, county, and land trust witnesses said the change would improve conservation partnerships, reduce transaction complexity, and better support stewardship of open space, farmland, and habitat. Public testimony tallies were read into the record for both bills, with strong support and opposition noted on each. After the hearings, the committee took up executive session on three bills. Senate Bill 5919, encouraging fire districts and insurers to create voluntary incentives for wildfire mitigation and agricultural activities, was moved out of committee with a due pass recommendation on a 10-0 vote with one excused. Senate Bill 5816, adding juice grapes as a covered agricultural product under the Agricultural Marketing and Fair Practices Act, was also reported out with a due pass recommendation on a 10-0 vote with one excused. The committee deferred action on engrossed substitute Senate Bill 5838, which concerns membership on the Board of Natural Resources and includes tribal representation; staff explained a proposed amendment would reduce tribal seats to one and alternate east-west representation by term. The chair announced the next day’s hearing would start at 9 a.m. and reminded members to submit any amendments by 6 p.m. that evening.

Transcript Highlights:

• fuel fuel motor fuels roughly 50% of the fuel fuel motor fuels goes<00:08:02.639><c> to</c><00:08:03.039
• additional fuel efficiency.
• additional fuel efficiency.
• </c><00:13:34.959><c> So,</c><00:13:35.680><c> uh</c> fuel, additional fuel efficiency.
• So, uh fuel, additional fuel efficiency.

Keywords: This meeting was recovered from a back up copy and uploaded after the original meeting took place., 958, all

Summary: The committee received an update from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on the FY 2025 road fund. Officials reported road fund revenues came in $38.5 million above the enacted estimate, but were down about $11 million from FY 2024, largely because a motor fuels tax rate reduction took effect at the start of FY 2025. Motor vehicle usage tax receipts were stronger than expected, and the cabinet said the road fund ended the year with a $61.6 million surplus, which the budget bill directs to state highway construction. Members also discussed how the motor fuels decline affects formula distributions to cities, counties, and rural/secondary roads, with officials saying about $122.8 million had been planned for revenue sharing but was not distributed because receipts were lower than forecast. Members asked about broader revenue trends, including fuel efficiency, electric vehicles, and the removal of a hybrid fee. Cabinet officials said improved fuel efficiency and CAFE standards reduce gasoline consumption and therefore fuel tax receipts, while EVs and plug-in hybrids are subject to a user fee. They also said toll revenues from the Louisville bridges are covering bills and commitments, though they did not have detailed figures at hand. On project delivery, officials said delays are often caused by right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, and the large volume of projects in the highway plan, and that much of the work happens behind the scenes before construction begins. The committee also reviewed the cabinet’s cash management approach, which was adopted after 2000 to avoid setting aside full project costs all at once and to keep the road fund cash balance above a required minimum. Officials said the balance typically rises in winter and falls in summer as project bills come due, and that the current balance was about $166 million. They also reported that project awards for the year were nearing $998 million and expected to exceed last year’s total. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken beyond approving the prior meeting minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:14:52.639><c> support</c> is actually the food delivery support is actually the food delivery
• Can you explain a delivery support.
• on, it at various points did apply to grocery deliveries or restaurant deliveries, and this was sort
• Aviation fuel tax, about $6 million for aviation gasoline and other special fuels.
• </c><00:21:06.400><c> Um</c> gasoline and other special fuels. Um gasoline and other special fuels.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Simply put, more fuel diversification with alternative fuels helps to reduce overall fuel supply market
• and clean fuels.
• and clean fuels.
• of the diesel fuel pool being met with not fossil fuels, but low-carbon alternative fuels in the form
• and more either molecules, refined fuel or oil... ...fuel and more, either molecules, refined fuel or

Summary: The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications held an oversight hearing on managing the transportation fuels transition, fuel pricing, and supply reliability. Chair Allen opened by discussing prior legislation, including SB 1322 and special session measures, that expanded reporting to the California Energy Commission (CEC) and gave the state tools to study gasoline costs, refinery margins, inventories, and potential supply disruptions. He framed the hearing around refinery closures, rising imports, global conflict affecting crude markets, and the need to balance affordability, reliability, and the state’s long-term clean-fuels transition. CEC Vice Chair Siva Gunda, CDTFA Chief Deputy Director Gentian Droboniku, and DPMO Director Ty Miller presented data showing California’s growing dependence on imported crude and refined products, declining in-state refining capacity, and stable-to-tight inventories that are being supported by higher imports. They said the new transparency laws have improved understanding of the market and pointed to the proposed Gateway Pipeline, marine imports, and distribution constraints as important supply issues. CDTFA and DPMO emphasized that retail margins, especially for branded gasoline, have widened significantly, with large price gaps between branded stations and hypermarts/unbranded stations, and that some of the recent price increases were tied to the Iran conflict while earlier spikes were more consistent with localized market behavior and possible price gouging. DPMO also said it is investigating high-priced branded stations, monitoring algorithmic pricing under AB 325, and continuing to analyze diesel spot-market transparency. The CEC and CARB also discussed the Transportation Fuels Transition Plan and the SB 237 assessment, describing them as efforts to plan for a managed decline in fossil fuel demand while protecting workers, communities, and consumers. They said California’s climate goals remain centered on an 85% greenhouse gas reduction by 2045, with continued use of liquid fuels expected but with lower-carbon alternatives, more efficient vehicles, and alternative fuels playing a larger role. Committee members focused heavily on workforce impacts, the need for concrete transition planning, and whether the agencies could provide a clearer picture of what California’s fuel system will look like under the state’s long-term goals. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Clean fuel standards on transportation motor fuels.
• Uh, I also would like to see the economic and regulatory impact of the Clean Fuel Standard.
• In its Rio Grande water deliveries through the middle Rio Grande to Elephant Butte Reservoir.
• All of this water delivery debt. Has accrued since 2018.
• In the intervening seven years, we've racked up 124,000 acre foot of water delivery debt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Decarbonized gas fuels may offer a pathway.
• This is not a mandate to define or incentivize any specific fuel.
• It's about how much gas California will need in the future, gas or other fuels.
• Then the legislature can determine, okay, do we use liquid fuels? Do we use gaseous fuels?
• and being able to recycle the fuel.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on clean energy, electrification, and grid planning. AB 1813 (Ward) would revise California’s community renewable energy program to better support community solar and storage, especially for renters and low-income customers, by tying credits to avoided costs and requiring at least 51% low-income participation. Supporters said the current CPUC program is unworkable and has stalled development; utilities raised concerns about cost shifts, CCA impacts, and the bill’s late substantive amendments. The bill was discussed but no vote was recorded in the excerpt. AB 2313 (Berman) would create a gas service line replacement alternative program allowing customers facing planned gas line replacement to instead choose electrification and receive an incentive. Supporters argued it would reduce long-term gas infrastructure costs and give customers more choice, while opponents warned it could divert money from safety-related gas replacement work, create affordability issues, and conflict with the recently approved SB 1221 pilot. Committee members pressed the author on safety, funding sources, and renter impacts; the author said the bill includes emergency replacement exemptions and is intended to lower costs for remaining ratepayers. AB 1975 (Schultz) would require the CPUC to develop a grid utilization metric and consider expanded grid management programs to better use existing distribution infrastructure and reduce the need for costly upgrades. Supporters said better utilization could save ratepayers billions and help integrate batteries and flexible load; utilities generally opposed rigid utilization targets but were open to further discussion. The committee passed AB 1975 on a 7-0 vote to Appropriations. AB 2612, on plug-in photovoltaic systems, passed 9-0 to Appropriations after supporters said it would expand access to low-cost solar and utilities requested clarification that they would participate in the standards process. AB 1849 (Pappin) would direct CARB to study the need for decarbonized gaseous fuels in hard-to-electrify sectors and for grid reliability. Supporters framed it as a technology-neutral assessment for sectors like industrial heat and backup power; opponents argued it was biased toward a preferred fuel pathway and duplicated existing state studies. After a lengthy exchange over the lack of a statutory definition for “decarbonized gaseous fuels,” the bill passed 10-0 to Appropriations. AB 2088 (Pappin) would authorize investor-owned utilities to own and operate thermal energy networks, with safeguards for safety, workforce, and ratepayers. Supporters described TENs as efficient, low-emission heating and cooling systems that can use geothermal energy or waste heat; the bill passed 9-0 to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And right now, Boeing is a little behind, Airbus is behind on their narrow-body delivery.
• Airbus is behind on their narrow-body deliveries to a lot of the major airlines.
• And so as those narrow-body order deliveries start happening in the next year to two years, they'll start
• Right now, we are currently in the design of the fuel system and the terminal building.
• or some of the Amazon drone deliveries happening in the DFW Metroplex, there's this thing called the

Summary: The committee met for an oversight update on how one-time and recurring transportation-related appropriations are being implemented. Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics Director Grayson Artees reviewed ARPA and PREP-funded airport and aerospace projects, including completed or nearing-completion work at Will Rogers, Woodward, Ardmore, Tulsa’s air traffic control tower, and multiple hangar, terminal, taxiway, utility, and UAS infrastructure projects statewide. He also discussed one-time FY25 and FY26 appropriations for airport development, the repurposing of an unneeded Lufthansa project allocation into other aerospace projects, and the department’s aerospace education grants, classroom labs, aircraft-build programs, and internship support. Members asked for lists of participating schools and for a clearer overall accounting of the funding; Artees said the department would provide those materials and estimated roughly $400 million has been invested in aerospace and defense since PREP and ARPA, with about $250 million directed to airport infrastructure. The committee then heard from ODOT Secretary Tim Gatz on the Retro Fund, lake and industrial access roads, ports of entry, and the PACT Fund. Gatz said Retro, created in statute and funded with $200 million in both 2024 and FY25, is helping accelerate rural high-impact road and bridge projects; he reported $249 million awarded so far, supporting about $1.4 billion in construction, with most projects expected to be awarded by September 2027. He also described lake and industrial access projects, including work at the Port of Inola, and updated members on ports of entry, internal way stations, and the replacement of the aging OkiPROS permitting system with ProMiles. On PACT, he said the county road and bridge allocations are being administered, but the Tax Commission’s role in distributing the county road share has created unnecessary bureaucracy; he urged a statutory fix so the money can go directly to counties. Members asked for lists of approved lake/recreational projects and for clarification on the Tax Commission issue; Gatz said ODOT would provide the project list and that he would welcome Tax Commission input on a legislative remedy. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the updates and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The cost of fuel has gone up.
• The cost of fuel has gone up.
• We can project fuel usage pretty easily.
• And I am expected to go out and do a pre-delivery inspection at the end of July, with delivery in August
• And I am expected to go out and do a pre-delivery inspection at the end of July, with delivery in August

Summary: The committee met as a study subcommittee on fixed-route public transportation and first approved the December 11 minutes. It then heard detailed presentations from transit leaders in Grand Forks, Bismarck/Mandan, and Fargo about their systems, including route structures, paratransit service, ridership trends, fare changes, funding sources, fleet replacement needs, and operational challenges. Grand Forks described Cities Area Transit’s 17 routes, university shuttle service, expanded paratransit coverage, a 2025 fare increase, and rising costs for labor, fuel, parts, and new buses. Bismarck/Mandan’s Bisman Transit outlined its fixed-route and paratransit operations, recent service expansions approved for April 1, fare structure, ridership recovery since COVID, and major funding streams including mill levies, federal grants, and new local sales tax revenue. Fargo’s MATBUS representative emphasized the importance of continued state support for urban fixed-route transit. Members asked extensive questions about cost per ride, fare increases, school transportation, veteran service partnerships, app-based ticketing, local funding formulas, and whether ride-share or microtransit could replace fixed routes. Transit officials said fixed-route service remains essential because it provides reliable capacity, supports jobs and access to services, and preserves federal funding tied to public transit operations. They also said paratransit is costly but necessary for riders with disabilities, and that vehicle and maintenance costs have risen sharply. Minot’s transit superintendent added context on the state’s existing transit aid formula, explaining that it is weighted more toward rural and paratransit providers and that urban fixed-route systems are seeking a separate, dedicated funding source rather than changes to the current formula. The committee also heard public testimony from North Dakota Protection & Advocacy supporting both fixed-route and paratransit service for disabled riders, and from Minot staff on refurbished buses, CDL driver recruitment, and why the agency is not pursuing full electric buses. Near the end, members discussed whether to recommend additional state funding for the four urban fixed-route systems. A motion passed to have Legislative Council prepare a summary of the subcommittee’s activities for inclusion in the Government Finance Committee’s report to Legislative Management. Members then continued discussing possible recommendations, including a separate funding source for urban fixed-route transit and whether the four urban systems should meet to develop a proposed amount.

Transcript Highlights:

• The fuel, ethanol and biodiesel production incentive program was created.
• was passed in the 81st session, the Texas Department of Agriculture charges 3.2 cents per gallon of fuel
• Biodiesel fuels. OK. Any questions? Yes.
• And, and a lot of that's, uh, based on the fuel that you've got down there, um, and that fuel is, is
• , and so we've got a lot more fuel on the landscape.

Bills: HB294

Keywords: energy efficiency, tax exemption, residential properties, sustainability, real estate

Transcript Highlights:

• We are an agricultural state Food, fuel, and fiber.
• tax collection, like Like bulk fuel purchases.
• They can apply for a rebate of the motor fuel tax that they had in Oklahoma.
• And then we're really paying attention to fuel tax because a volumetric motor fuel tax like Oklahoma
• It's got a one-penny assessment. 19 cents of it is actually the motor fuel tax.

Keywords: 914, all