Transcript Highlights:

• Lastly, the Sunset staff completed their evaluation of the Texas Lottery Commission as directed at the
• During the September meeting of the Sunset Commission, we adopted a motion directing Sunset staff to evaluate
• Members, we received this evaluation on January the 6th.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's really designed to evaluate different locations on the landscape, and we look at different depths
• It's really designed to evaluate different locations on the landscape, and we look at different depths
• This is at the core of the work that we do, and the goal is to evaluate and promote nitrogen fertilizer
• a BMP list and then go back and evaluate a BMP list and then go back and evaluate if<00:21:37.799
• <00:22:53.279> it's<00:22:53.400> an rigorous extensive evaluation it's an rigorous

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• as<00:09:28.480> we<00:09:28.600> did<00:09:28.760> the<00:09:28.920> evalu
• ><00:09:29.519> ation<00:09:29.839> so<00:09:30.000> we in need as we did the evalu
• ation so we in need as we did the evalu ation so we did<00:09:30.279> use<00:09:30.480> that
• Then once we see all of the bids for those locations from internet service providers, we will evaluate
• and look at the next round um evaluate and look at the next round um and<00:26:39.399> try<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Another item is legislation directing electric utilities to evaluate the cost and feasibility of installing
• And the utilities will continue to evaluate GETs projects in biennial transmission plans going forward
• The electric utilities that own significant transmission are required to incorporate and evaluate SGET
• The utilities will continue to evaluate GETs projects in biennial transmission plans going forward.
• And the utilities will continue to evaluate GETs projects in biennial transmission plans going forward

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee is tasked with evaluating the preparedness of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to
• Next, we will evaluate the long-term sustainability.
• Next, we will evaluate the long-term sustainability of Texas Parks and Wildlife Fund 9, the game, fish
• And so I'm, as I evaluate options and... To agree to fix it, other things might not be.
• Next, we will evaluate—no, excuse me—we will cover livestock shows, county fairs, and rodeos.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• our staffing and come in and evaluate How we were doing pretty much everything.
• The next part that I was going to ask you is on – you mentioned – Evaluation contract, and how long is
• You mentioned the evaluation. The evaluation, I'm sorry, yes.
• Are you talking about the staffing compensation evaluation?
• What would be the metric by which LFC would evaluate whether or not you're doing that? Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• to give you a quick rundown of where we are with sea level rise, what the most recent scientific evaluations
• Sea level rise, what's the most recent scientific evaluations have been, and just briefly introduce some
• All of this is going to need to be re-evaluated in coming years, given the sea level threat.
• All of this is going to be need to be re-evaluated in coming years, giving the sea level threat.
• So the coastal plans and the municipal stormwater permits will have plans that will evaluate that, and

Summary: The hearing of the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy focused on infrastructure, pollution, climate resilience, public health, access, and economic impacts of sea level rise in California, with an emphasis on San Diego and the Bay Area. Chair Tasha Boerner Horvath opened by describing the committee’s purpose, the state’s sea level rise action planning, and the need for better monitoring and early warning systems. She also referenced her prior bills AB 66 and AB 72, which supported Scripps research on coastal bluff collapse warning capabilities. Assembly Members David Alvarez and Jessica Caloza later joined and emphasized that sea level rise affects not only coastal communities but inland areas as well, and that the issue should inform future legislative and budget decisions. In the first panel, Dr. Mark Merrifield of Scripps Institution of Oceanography described observed sea level rise of roughly 0.8 to 0.9 feet since the early 1900s, with acceleration expected by mid-century and potentially much greater rise by 2100 depending on emissions. He highlighted flooding, groundwater rise, beach and cliff erosion, salinization, and risks to transportation, sewage, ports, and national security. Dave Gibson of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board discussed how sea level rise affects wastewater systems, stormwater, contaminated sites, wetlands, and coastal groundwater basins, and said the board is requiring climate adaptation planning, updating stormwater permits, and seeking more flexible state permitting and mitigation tools. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for better mapping, more monitoring, and more state funding, especially if federal support from NOAA and other agencies declines. The second panel addressed public health, equitable access, and local economies. Ramon Chiras of Un Mar de Colores described how sea level rise, pollution, and access barriers threaten the Tijuana River Valley and Imperial Beach, especially for underserved communities and youth programs that rely on safe, welcoming access to the ocean. He stressed the cultural and spiritual importance of coastal access and the need for water safety and environmental education. Jessica Fane of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission explained that the Bay Area faces major economic exposure from sea level rise, citing a regional estimate of $96 billion in adaptation costs versus $230 billion in potential losses from inaction, and said BCDC is working with local governments under SB 272 on shoreline adaptation planning, funding, and regulatory innovation. Members discussed the tension between environmental permitting and the need to move projects faster, including the possibility of planned retreat in some areas and the use of simultaneous permitting and longer-term state authority to streamline adaptation work. In the final panel, Philip Gibbons of the Port of San Diego described the port’s climate adaptation efforts and its vulnerability assessments under AB 691. He said the port manages state tidelands, supports maritime commerce and recreation, and is already seeing flooding at king tides and during El Niño events, including storm-drain backflow and damage to bikeways and parks. He explained that future sea level rise could inundate major port areas and disrupt operations, underscoring the need for continued planning, mitigation, and infrastructure investment. The hearing did not take formal votes, but it concluded with a clear call for more science, funding, coordination, and regulatory streamlining to prepare California’s coast and nearby communities for worsening sea level rise impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• It includes the establishment of the site evaluation committee, which includes moratorium language, which
• establishment of the site evaluation establishment of the site evaluation committee<00:27:39.520
• , and I asked the governor, "So, what will happen if the budget doesn't go through to your site evaluation
• 00:34:22.240> to<00:34:22.639> your<00:34:23.200> sighting<00:34:23.599> evaluation
• <00:34:24.240> committee um to your sighting evaluation committee um to your sighting evaluation

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Environment and Agriculture Committee met in executive session on SB 302, a bill requiring background checks for solid waste facility owners. The chair announced a staffing change, noting Representative Comtois was no longer vice chair and Representative Barber would serve in that role. The chair then explained that the committee had before it an amendment incorporating Senator Pearl’s updated language and additional technical changes requested by DEES Director Whimsat for FBI background-check requirements, and a separate amendment offered by Representative Patenza that would add language from the budget bill relating to a site evaluation committee, moratorium provisions, and harms-and-benefits language. Representative Patenza argued that the governor’s solid waste and site evaluation language had been developed over years with the committee, the governor’s office, and DEES, and should be moved into a standalone bill so it would not be lost if the budget failed. She said she had been told by Senator Roseford that the budget language would be placed into a separate House bill, and several members supported having a standalone vehicle as a backup. Representative Bixby, Haskins, Gruber, and others said they favored keeping the work alive in a separate bill, while Representative Scully said he disliked non-germane amendments and would vote only for the base bill and the chair’s amendment. Representative Barber asked for clarification on why the amendment was considered non-germane, and the chair and Representative Patenza explained that the budget-related policy had not had a separate public hearing. Members discussed legislative procedure, including whether the committee should recess to allow a hearing on the non-germane amendment and then return to act on SB 302. After discussion, the committee took a show of hands and overwhelmingly favored recessing the executive session to Tuesday, May 13 at 10:00 a.m. in LOB room 301-303, so a separate hearing could be held on Representative Patenza’s amendment before further action on SB 302.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill surrounds the evaluation and disposition of cases regarding people who have physical and/or
• actually review board the uh Bill actually surrounds<00:09:53.839> the<00:09:54.000> evaluation
• <00:09:54.680> and<00:09:54.839> ultimately surrounds the evaluation and ultimately
• surrounds the evaluation and ultimately the<00:09:55.640> disposition<00:09:56.640> of
• the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and other industry representatives, and the objective is to evaluate

Keywords: Roll Call 00:39 Approval of Minutes 01:45 SB 136 Discussion 02:51 SB 136 Vote 07:14 SB 43 Discussion 08:49 SB 43 Vote 20:02 SB 38 Discussion 20:45 SB 38 Vote 35:50 SJR 66 Discussion only 37:08 Admin. Reg. Review 41:10, 958, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met with a quorum, approved the March 4 minutes, and then took up several Senate measures. Senate Bill 36, dealing with cleanup language for CAVIS and electronic submission of liens and satisfactions, was amended by committee substitute to require lien holders to begin using electronic title and registration systems starting July 1, 2026. After questions from members and testimony from county clerk Jason Denny and title-industry representative Tom Underwood, the committee adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably with the substitute attached. The committee then considered Senate Bill 43, which updates the medical review board process under KRS 186.444. Senator Donald Douglas and Senator Jimmy Higdon described the bill as a response to complaints about fairness and transparency in medical review cases, including a constituent example involving a disabled veteran whose VA medical clearance was rejected. The bill changes who may serve on the board, adds flexibility and transparency, shifts reimbursement language to allow the Transportation Cabinet to set costs by regulation, and includes provisions aimed at broadening participation by qualified health care providers. Members discussed the role of school resource officers, the use of family affidavits in reporting, and the need to keep costs down; the committee adopted the substitute, approved a title amendment, and reported the bill favorably. Senate Bill 38, concerning stop-arm violations on school buses and the use of cameras and enforcement procedures, also received a committee substitute and was reported favorably. Senator Greg Elkins and supporters said the bill is intended to address widespread illegal passing of stopped school buses and to help fund stop-arm cameras, while critics raised concerns about automated enforcement and the role of a live officer. Members cited survey data and personal stories about school-bus safety, and the sponsor explained that school resource officers would work with local law enforcement on citations, which are contemplated as civil penalties. The committee also heard discussion-only testimony on Senate Joint Resolution 66, which would create a task force on aviation, aerospace, and logistics economic development; no vote was taken on the resolution because it had just passed the Senate and had not yet been formally received by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's saying we're going to substitute our judgment for the Commerce Clause, and we're going to circumvent
• It's saying we're going to substitute our judgment for the Commerce Clause, and we're going to circumvent
• that is within the same corporation 6,000 miles away, that we would have to receive a report on and evaluate
• Reducing the tax in the first year allows time to evaluate and adjust for revenue impacts while giving

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on HB 135, introduced by Representative Michael Harrington. He said the bill would codify a portion of the New Hampshire Constitution to bar New Hampshire businesses from being required to collect sales or use taxes for other states unless Congress mandates it, arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair decision created an onerous compliance burden for businesses. He described the patchwork of state and local sales tax rules, thresholds, and product exemptions as extremely complex and said the bill was intended to push the issue back toward Congress and the courts. Members questioned whether the bill’s reference to a “foreign government” would apply to other U.S. states, whether the proposal would conflict with the Supremacy Clause, and whether it would create standing for businesses to challenge Wayfair. Harrington responded that “foreign government” meant any government other than New Hampshire, that he believed the state could challenge the decision in court by passing a law contrary to Wayfair, and that businesses were already being harmed by compliance costs. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill was an unfunded mandate or simply a private compliance burden, and Harrington argued that the state itself would not be collecting the taxes, but businesses would still face recordkeeping and administrative costs. Sam Garland of the Department of Justice then testified. He said the department was not taking a formal position on the bill, but offered technical comments. Garland acknowledged that Wayfair created significant compliance burdens and noted that states have become somewhat more uniform, with all states now having a $100,000 economic nexus threshold, though not all use the 200-transaction threshold and local tax variation remains substantial. He said the department’s concerns were legal, describing the issue as uncharted constitutional territory involving both vertical and horizontal federalism. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as we start to look at the ones that are evaluating our service territory, I mentioned those detailed
• And as we start to look at the ones that are evaluating our service territory, I mentioned those detailed
• They're not just kind of coming up with an idea; they're actually evaluating a real project.
• So I don't really have a way to evaluate until they go through that process what it is.
• about the totality of what the requests are, but I wanted to share a little bit about how we're evaluating

Summary: The Committee on Utilities held an informational hearing on data centers in Missouri, with the chair explaining that the goal was to hear from three speakers with different perspectives and allow committee questions, but no public testimony. The first witness, Matt Edelow of the International Union of Operating Engineers and Columbia-Jefferson City Area Building Trades Council, spoke in support of data center development for its construction jobs, long-term employment, tax revenue, and local economic benefits. He said the Montgomery County projects had already put about 200 Missourians to work, described the facilities as using closed-loop water systems and generator noise levels that he said would be limited by setbacks and acoustics, and urged local hire and apprenticeship requirements. Committee members asked about water use, noise, cybersecurity, labor, and tax revenue, and he said one project could generate about $13.1 million annually at full buildout. The second witness, Rob Dixon of Ameren Missouri, testified that Senate Bill 4 and the Public Service Commission’s large-load tariff provide strong protections for existing customers. He said large data center customers must sign long-term contracts, pay 100% of interconnection costs, post collateral, pay at least 80% of contracted demand, and face exit and reduction fees, with load-shedding rules applying to them like other customers. Dixon said Ameren’s planning process includes engineering reviews and MISO review before projects proceed, and that the utility’s integrated resource plan calls for 5.3 gigawatts of new generation by 2030, with 2.2 gigawatts of signed large-load agreements already in place. He also said large customers can help spread fixed grid costs and put downward pressure on rates, and noted that the protections apply to investor-owned utilities, not co-ops or municipal utilities. The final witness, John Kaufman of the Consumers Council of Missouri, argued that the current protections are not strong enough and that data centers could raise rates through construction work in progress, stranded generation costs, and other risks if projects change or technology shifts. He urged greater consumer protections, including more upfront financial security from data centers, reconsideration of construction work in progress policies, and possibly requiring data centers to bring their own power in some cases. Committee members debated his claims about SB 4, QIP, and rate impacts, with some members saying the law already contains clawbacks and consumer-benefit requirements, while others echoed concerns about transparency and public understanding. The hearing ended without any votes or formal action, and the chair said the committee would continue the discussion in future meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Not necessarily a failure rate, but how is that evaluated?
• Talk a little bit, please, about how that list is put together and how it's evaluated. Mr.
• The housing sub-cabinet was convened to evaluate housing barriers and identify coordinated statewide
• The housing sub-cabinet was convened to evaluate housing barriers and identify The housing sub-cabinet
• was convened to evaluate housing barriers and identify coordinated statewide solutions to support housing

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Budget Section’s Commerce and Legal Services Division met to review the Department of Commerce base budget for the 2027-29 biennium and to receive an update on Commerce programs. Legislative Council staff first walked the committee through the “blue sheet” base budget summary, explaining the major line items, the large share of federal grant authority in Commerce’s budget, and the continuing appropriations that support several Commerce funds. Members asked how grant funding is coordinated across agencies, and staff said collaboration varies by program but is strong in areas like UAS and LIHEAP. Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken then presented on current activities, focusing heavily on grant administration, transparency, and economic development programs. Members questioned how grant applicants are selected, whether Commerce tracks applications and return on investment, and how long grant awards take to reach recipients. The commissioner said Commerce uses scoring criteria, outside reviewers, a minimum 30-day application window, and typically completes awards within two to three months. A lengthy exchange followed over whether Commerce should open some grants only to intended recipients versus running competitive application processes; Commerce said it follows best-practice grantmaking and that its attorney in the Attorney General’s office approved that approach. Commerce also highlighted the North Dakota Development Fund, citing long-term investment and job creation results, examples such as Red Trail Energy, Packet Digital, Valiance, Corvent Medical, child care loans, and the Automate ND program. Members asked about acceptable failures, lessons learned, regional economic development coordination, and the expansion of the fund into non-primary sectors. Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howell then outlined a statewide workforce ecosystem review, a new governor’s workforce sub-cabinet, and three task forces focused on simplifying entry, warm handoffs, and data integration. She discussed the in-demand occupations list, Workforce Pell, apprenticeships, and efforts to better connect students with employers and higher education. Commerce also briefly reviewed housing programs and a new housing sub-cabinet. No votes were taken; the committee simply received testimony, asked questions, and adjourned after setting up the next meeting to hear the Attorney General budget in June.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the two years of evaluations, if those are satisfactory or better, the superintendent is then able
• They complete ten evaluations over the course of the year while the individual teaches.
• They complete 10 evaluations over the course of the year while the individual teaches in the desired
• If those evaluations are satisfactory or better, the superintendent is then able to submit a letter of
• They must achieve acceptable scores on seven walkthroughs and two formative evaluations.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So when we receive that application, we evaluate it and judge it based upon that school and the work
• The nature of the evaluation that must occur requires that for each entity you wish to provide services
• Whereas this year, as we're evaluating them.
• But every single application we receive is evaluated by myself and my team, and we make a determination
• However, we have not adopted any sort of request for it based upon the actuary evaluation that we received

Transcript Highlights:

• assessments are used for accountability, school grades, student progress, graduation, and teacher evaluations
• that is one area, of course, that the statewide assessments inform school grades, where schools are evaluated
• since 2017, due to a change in state law, that is not a requirement that must be used in teacher evaluation
• However, by law, it is no longer part of a requirement of teacher evaluation.
• However, by law, it is no longer part of a requirement of teacher evaluation.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Pre-K through 12 Education received a Department of Education presentation from Deputy Commissioner Juan Copa on Florida’s K-12 assessment system, including FAST progress monitoring, end-of-course exams, science, writing, alternate assessments, English language acquisition testing, and VPK progress monitoring. Copa reported year-over-year gains in ELA and mathematics, noted that end-of-course and science results also improved, and explained how assessment data are used for school grades, third-grade promotion, graduation requirements, and other accountability measures. He also reviewed the independent study required by SB 1048, which recommended keeping PM3 as the primary accountability measure, proceeding cautiously on further test-length reductions and remote testing expansion, and using PM1/PM2 only as supplemental evidence in limited cases. Committee members focused on whether the new system is improving student outcomes enough, what supports teachers and schools need to use the data effectively, and how Florida compares nationally. Chancellor Dr. Burns said the department is emphasizing implementation of the new standards, high-quality instructional materials, coaching, professional learning, collaboration, and school improvement support, and also pointed to resiliency education standards and mental health supports. Copa said Florida’s latest NAEP results remain mixed but still generally outperform the nation in some grades, while members pressed for more information on best practices, other states’ approaches, and how districts are using the data. Several members requested follow-up information, including the independent review report, breakdowns of PM1/PM2/PM3 results by grade and subgroup, details on VPK outcomes by provider type and full-day versus half-day programs, and data on use of the CLT versus SAT/ACT for graduation concordant scores. The committee also discussed third-grade retention outcomes, computer-based testing, district assessment calendars, and whether some districts still administer additional local testing. No votes were taken on legislation, and the meeting adjourned after Senator Davis moved to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• status, feasibility, and utility of a personalized firearm technology tax incentive program, an evaluation
• recommendations, together... ...of a personalized firearm technology tax incentive program, an evaluation
• Our smart gun has undergone rigorous evaluation to meet all applicable safety requirements for handguns
• Our smart gun has undergone rigorous evaluation to meet all applicable safety requirements for handguns
• firearm experts they already employ in law enforcement and public safety to assist with independent evaluation

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met for its fourth hearing on emerging firearm technology, focused on personalized firearms and related privacy issues. Co-chairs noted the commission’s charge to study personalized firearm incentives, risks from digital manufacturing codes and AI, and the costs of requiring personalized firearm and microstamp technologies, and said the report deadline is being extended to July 31. They also announced the next public hearing for April 17 at 11:00 a.m., limited to Massachusetts residents. The first witness, Kai Kloepfer of Biofire, described the company’s personalized 9mm smart gun and argued it is designed to prevent unauthorized use through biometric authentication, local encrypted data storage, no wireless connectivity, and automatic disarming when released. He said Biofire opposes any mandate requiring personalized firearms, calling such mandates a de facto gun ban that would stifle innovation, limit consumer choice, and burden a still-developing market. He said the company has a patent portfolio, has received thousands of pre-orders, is shipping in all 50 states, and is approved for sale in Massachusetts; he also said the gun costs about $1,500, is currently sold online, and is intended mainly for home defense. Members questioned him about sales, manufacturing, battery life, repairability, transfer of ownership, possible expansion to other firearms, and whether microstamping could be incorporated. A Massachusetts firearms roster official, Michaela Dunn, explained the state’s testing and approval process for handguns and confirmed that the Biofire firearm is now on the Massachusetts roster and commercially available for retail sale in the state. Kate Crockford of the ACLU of Massachusetts testified only on facial recognition, warning that commercially available systems show significant demographic bias and that Massachusetts lacks comprehensive biometric privacy protections. She urged passage of pending data privacy and biometric privacy bills, including the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act and related measures, before any broader use of biometric verification in firearm laws. Commissioners discussed privacy concerns, and Biofire said its system is zero-knowledge and would likely comply with stronger biometric privacy laws. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported beyond the scheduling announcement and the extension effort.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so I also feel that the attorney should basically be evaluated by another attorney and not necessarily
• This bill also specifies performance evaluation criteria for certified school counselors, and the criteria
• three years of teaching experience, earn a highly effective rating on their most recent performance evaluation
• what Representative Sapp stated, though, the concern he had, that will be addressed based on the evaluation
• But if they're doing a good job, this is going to, the evaluations will show that, correct?

Summary: The Education Administration Subcommittee heard and advanced six bills. The first, PCS/HB 1073 by Rep. Koster, would give individual school board members timely, free access to district documents and budget information, require agendas and supporting materials to be kept as public records, and prohibit school districts from requiring or incentivizing nondisclosure agreements. Testimony from a Volusia County school board member and a former educator described difficulty obtaining records and concerns about NDAs; some members raised chain-of-command concerns, while others argued the bill was needed for transparency. The bill passed 15-3. The committee then approved HB 4049, a local bill for Jacksonville/Duval County that changes how the Duval County School Board’s attorney is selected, and OGSR/HB 7021, which extends and clarifies the public-records exemption for education examination and assessment instruments through 2031. HB 4049 passed 17-1 after debate over whether the board should use the city’s general counsel process; HB 7021 passed unanimously with no debate. Members also approved CS/HB 753 on school counselors, which removes certain certification barriers while keeping degree and counseling requirements in place and allows districts to choose whether to require the removed certificates. Supporters said the bill could help address counselor shortages and free counselors to focus on students; it passed 18-0. Finally, HB 157 created a School Teacher Training and Mentoring Program for D- and F-rated schools, using high-performing current or retired teachers as mentors with stipends funded from an existing allocation. Members discussed mentor limits, funding, and oversight, but the bill passed unanimously, 18-0. The meeting adjourned after committee members recognized visiting officials and students.

Transcript Highlights:

• transmission projects that facilitate the delivery of electricity across our state, the criteria would evaluate
• with these types of bills in the past has been that the further out in the future you're trying to evaluate
• supplemental multi-decade transmission planning criteria, essentially, that would be utilized in the evaluation
• This will just be an additional evaluation that would be, you know, additional.
• And there will be a contested case at the PUC to evaluate need.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and took up a long list of pending House bills, most of them on motions by Senator King or Senator Campbell. The committee adopted committee substitutes and favorably reported numerous bills, including HB 252, HB 700, HB 1500, HB 1545, HB 1562, HB 1732, HB 267, HB 2213, HB 2221, HB 2520, HB 2818, HB 3016, HB 3214, HB 3250, HB 3512, HB 3623, HB 3689, HB 3833, HB 4063, HB 4395, HB 4690, HB 4751, HB 5331, HB 3824, HB 4464, HB 4468, and HB 5247. Most of these were sent to the local and uncontested calendar, while some, including sunset and other significant measures, were reported to the full Senate. HB 146 was the only bill reported out on a divided vote, passing 6 ayes to 4 nays. Several bills received brief explanation of committee substitute changes. HB 3016, dealing with rental car collision damage waivers and stolen vehicles, was amended to change a cooperation standard from “fully cooperate” to simply “cooperate.” HB 3689, a major ESF/TWA financing bill, was described as making technical changes to align terminology with the Comptroller’s authority and to avoid creating state debt or new liability. HB 5247, a capital cost recovery bill for transmission in the Permian Basin, was revised to clarify how the new mechanism fits with existing Utilities Code provisions and to add a 2035 expiration date. HB 3824, the battery fire safety bill, also received technical changes to align terminology with industry usage. The committee heard public testimony on several pending measures. HB 3069, which would direct the PUC to develop supplemental multi-decade planning criteria for transmission certificates in ERCOT, drew support from industry, environmental, and manufacturing witnesses who said it would help address congestion costs while balancing consumer protections; the bill was left pending. HB 5196, requiring state agencies to adopt and post telework policies and use written telework agreements, received both support and concern: supporters said it would preserve productivity and retention, while a senator raised concerns about notice and family logistics; it was left pending after testimony. HB 3112, allowing closed deliberations on cybersecurity policy details, was laid out and left pending after brief discussion. HCR 102, supporting federal nuclear tax credits, drew testimony from nuclear industry and energy advocates, who argued the credits are essential for existing plants, new nuclear development, grid reliability, and U.S. competitiveness; the resolution was left pending, with discussion about whether the language should focus more exclusively on nuclear. HB 705, creating a cosmetology licensure compact, was supported by industry, employers, and compact experts as a mobility tool that preserves state authority; HB 3516, expanding a public information exemption for Railroad Commission administrative law judges and technical examiners, and HB 3388, authorizing group property and casualty coverage for personal lines, were also heard and left pending. At the end of the meeting, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must ensure that climate risk remains part of the Superfund site evaluation
• remedial action without the unnecessary time and expense of feasibility studies or alternatives evaluations
• I think that, you know, a competitive bid process for folks to come in and evaluate it would, I think
• So, you know, I think an RFP for folks to come in. and look, you know, first an asbestos evaluation and
• Riddell said, and that is there are very known ways to evaluate what the risk is at the site. and how

Keywords: presidential nominations, EPA, environmental policy, Fish and Wildlife, committee meeting

Summary: The committee meeting focused on the presidential nominations of Brigadier General Brian Nesvick as Director of Fish and Wildlife and Jess Kramer and Sean Donahue as assistant administrators at the EPA. Each nominee presented their qualifications and experiences in their respective fields, with an emphasis on their commitment to uphold the laws passed by Congress. The discussion highlighted the nominees' dedication to addressing environmental issues and their proactive stances on regulatory matters. After deliberation, votes were held to report the nominations favorably, despite some members voicing concerns regarding their qualifications and potential conflicts with environmental interests.

Transcript Highlights:

• flexibility for districts and instructional personnel by authorizing districts to design personal evaluations
• , but require student performance to make up half of the evaluation establishes a three-year teachers
• When we talk about the performance evaluation, I just want to ask the rationale behind this.
• We based our teacher evaluation on the data and indicators based on the student performance.
• instance, school districts could choose to measure growth from PM 01:00PM 3 or use other measures to evaluate

Keywords: 999, senate, all