Transcript Highlights:

• In 2024 alone, we participated in 78 contested electric and water utility cases and participated in 44
• Residential And small commercial consumers in the water utility matters, is that?
• Texas taxpayers have an issue with the water utility, they can call up your office.
• Uh, we are in need of another hydrologist for the water well program.
• We have a mobile demonstration unit, a water heater demonstration. We take those to schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Colorado has been a leader in helping with our clean water and our tail water, our waste waters that
• ><c> waste</c><00:18:01.520><c> waters</c> and our tail water, our waste waters and our tail water, our
• </c> that go back into the state's waters. that go back into the state's waters.
• drinking water projects.
• This is not the water for funding. This is not the water projects<00:19:06.799><c> bill.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Imagine your water and sewer bill on time for years, only Imagine paying your water and sewer bill on
• Existing law allows water and sewer providers, under the jurisdiction of the PUC, a four-year look-back
• The water utility properly provided usage data to the wastewater utility for billing purposes, but the
• you this: a performance-based return on equity framework for investor-owned electric, natural gas, water
• Expanding these provisions to natural gas, water, and wastewater sectors, with entirely different rate

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, guest recognitions, and a quorum call before moving into committee reports and floor action. Committees reported a number of bills and resolutions, including measures from Local Government, Energy, Health, Judiciary, Appropriations, Rules, and Finance. The chamber also announced caucus and committee meetings, then recessed and later reconvened for final consideration of legislation. Several bills passed the House finally, including House Bill 2299 on body cameras for county probation officers, House Bill 167 designating a scenic byway along Allegheny River Boulevard, House Bill 95 requiring disclosure when content or advertising is generated or substantially modified by artificial intelligence, House Bill 1944 expanding medical amnesty and Good Samaritan protections on campuses, House Bill 2443 creating a child victim recovery fund, House Bill 246 updating references from the Public Welfare Code to the Human Services Code, and House Bill 2586 establishing title protection for music therapists. The House also adopted House Resolution 463 recognizing Korean-American Citizenship Day, House Resolution 499 recognizing Juneteenth Independence Day, and House Resolution 547 directing a study of electronic monitoring as an alternative to incarceration. The House spent significant time on amendments to House Bill 133, which concerns reinstatement of parental rights, and House Bill 138, which addresses parental incarceration and termination of parental rights. Both bills received bipartisan amendments adding guardrails and exceptions, and the amendments were adopted unanimously. The chamber also debated House Bill 2224, the Fair Act, with multiple amendments on utility rates, return on equity, and scope; some amendments were adopted, several tied votes failed, and the bill was left amended for reprinting. House Bill 2544, dealing with school administrators’ rights and negotiations, saw an amendment to allow individual bargaining, but that amendment failed and the bill was agreed to. The session ended with a correction to the record on House Bill 1944, a motion to recommit several bills to Appropriations, and adjournment until June 22, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• that needs to go in place, but also because of the symbiotic relationship in terms of how you use water
• At the same time, it uses a lot of water and energy.
• The ability to use the water out of a data center that's treated, and then you have to have super clean
• water to put through electrolysis, but you can use some...
• Data centers need millions of gallons of fresh water a day that can deplete a healthy aquifer.

Summary: The committee heard several public hearings on tax and housing-related bills. HB 2451 on local tax increment financing was briefed as a negotiated trailer bill adding new limits and consultation requirements for increment areas, including restrictions on using areas that already have needed public improvements, earlier sunset rules, more detailed project analysis, and stronger notice, mediation, and arbitration procedures for affected taxing districts. Supporters from cities, ports, and fire districts said the bill rebalances the process and protects impacted jurisdictions; the hearing then closed. HB 2322 would change the alternative jet fuel tax incentive program by replacing the current production-capacity trigger with a fixed effective period beginning in 2031 and ending in 2046, while clarifying carbon-intensity requirements. The sponsor said the change adds certainty and supports cleaner aviation fuel. A refinery representative supported the program but asked for clarification to include Pierce County or define “blender,” while a climate-health opponent argued the bill subsidizes continued fossil-fuel combustion and should be rejected. HB 2590 would revise the limited equity cooperative definition and exempt such cooperatives from WUCIOA unless they opt in, while preserving the property-tax exemption requirements; supporters said it would reduce red tape and better fit cooperative housing, while members raised concerns about unintended restrictive membership rules and asked for fair-housing guardrails. HB 2655 would create a new sales and use tax exemption for construction and equipment at certain new data centers in eastern Washington, subject to labor, wage, apprenticeship, employment, and sustainability requirements. Supporters framed it as a jobs and clean-energy opportunity tied to hydrogen development and regional competitiveness, while opponents said it was a subsidy for large corporations and could strain water, power, and public revenues. The committee then moved to executive action and advanced HB 1983, the second substitute for HB 1974, the substitute for HB 2334, HB 2367, and the substitute for HB 2650, all with due pass recommendations. Amendments were adopted on HB 1974 and rejected on HB 2367; the other bills were advanced without amendment. Votes were recorded on each measure, with HB 1974 passing 10-4, HB 2334 passing 13-1, HB 2367 passing 11-3, and HB 2650 passing 14-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have members who are concerned about environmental impacts, impacts on water, impacts on land and
• 00:13:58.399><c> impacts,</c><00:13:59.120><c> impacts</c><00:13:59.600><c> on</c><00:13:59.839><c> water
• ,</c> environmental impacts, impacts on water, environmental impacts, impacts on water, impacts<00:14
• </c><00:14:48.399><c> our</c><00:14:48.639><c> land,</c><00:14:49.040><c> our</c><00:14:49.279><c> water
• ,</c> natural resources, our land, our water, natural resources, our land, our water, etc.<00:14:50.399

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee of Land and Resource Management, HB 3898 by Raymond relates, the authority of the Texas Water
• Development Board to provide financial assistance to certain counties in the brackish water.
• HB 3901 by Darby Lindsey, the exemption of transfer certain rates from in water and certain disclosure
• HB 3995 by Chalkslay relating to certain regulation, landscaping, and water conservation practices by
• HB 4025 by Zena, the Authority of the Railroad Commission to require water pollution abate plans for

Transcript Highlights:

• proposed this amendment is that in the process on the federal government level, um, the rules were watered
• proposed this amendment is that in the process on the federal government level, um, the rules were watered
• We have the Board of Water Supply. Good morning, Chair and members.
• My name is Kathy Mitchell with the Board of Water Supply, and we strongly support House Bill 505 HD1.
• so um appreciate the introducer waters so um appreciate the introducer bringing<01:29:32.159><c> this

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Energy and Environmental Protection Committee met on February 13, 2025, after a brief recess for a concurrent hearing. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including HB 332 on recycling and lithium-ion batteries, HB 256 on environmental protection and federal air standards, HB 348 on single-use plastics in lodging establishments, HB 810 on noise pollution and helicopter-related civil actions, HB 505 on Red Hill coordination, HB 975 on carbon sequestration incentives, and HB 974 on utility financing and step-in agreements. Testimony was generally supportive on HB 256, HB 348, HB 505, HB 975, and HB 974, while HB 332 drew both support and opposition, including concerns from the Consumer Technology Association about battery recycling policy. On HB 975, OPSD supported the program but urged language to prevent use for carbon offsets, and the committee discussed how the program would be monitored and reimbursed. On HB 974, the chair summarized extensive amendments addressing reserve fees, revenue definitions, trust funds, default procedures, and customer credits, while noting the Consumer Advocate’s changed view that a reserve fee may not be constitutionally required. In decision making, the committee adopted amendments and recommended passage for HB 332, converting it into a working group to study recycling of small- and medium-format lithium-ion batteries, with members from state agencies and industry and a note that an appropriation may be needed. HB 256 was passed with amendments to clarify compliance with federal law unless standards become more stringent. HB 348, HB 810, and HB 505 were each passed as is. HB 975 was passed with amendments, including language to prevent use of the program for carbon offsets and a note that dollar amounts would be blanked out and addressed in the committee report. HB 974 was also passed with amendments after the committee reviewed the proposed changes and discussed the reserve fee issue. The committee additionally noted that HB 1476 had previously been deferred and would remain deferred, and the meeting concluded with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many waters cannot quench it. Torrance Many waters cannot quench it.
• ,</c> no electricity, no heat, no water, no electricity, no heat, no water, betraying<02:08:18.800><c
• Waters, each control 20 minutes.
• ,</c> alongside ranking member Waters, alongside ranking member Waters, Chairman<03:36:49.040><c> Flood
• </c><04:40:12.000><c> and</c> worked with Representative Waters and worked with Representative Waters

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, February 9, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> water, energy, and transportation. water, energy, and transportation.
• But with that water being gold, we've got to be able to look out for Wyoming's water.
• What I'm hearing is you don't care about water. JAC must not care about water.
• </c> water. JAC must not care about water. water. JAC must not care about water.
• </c> adjudication of interstate water rights. adjudication of interstate water rights.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Senator Waters.
• I have happy today questions Senator Waters and then Senator Ros.
• Seconded by Senator Waters.
• </c> as amended seconded by Senator Waters as amended seconded by Senator Waters discussion<01:59:07.159
• And I think Senator Waters should take it out. We got to take it out, Senator Waters.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The water quality data collected by students is utilized by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to
• complement and inform state surface water assessments of the Red River.
• The bill requests $170,000 a year in funding out of the Clean Water Fund.
• </c> students who had never been on water students who had never been on water paddling<00:40:31.440>
• The various things, such as We Are Water that we're doing on water stewardship issues, or the things

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In the infrastructure: does this site have water? Does it have sewer? Does it have electricity?
• Because of its location, or is it one of the other things such as water and sewer?
• If you don't have electricity and you don't have water, you don't have economic development.
• All those things are important, but if you don't have electricity and you don't have water, you don't

Transcript Highlights:

• Her name is Maxine Waters, not to be confused with Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
• We realize... ...the work that we're in is uncharted waters.
• Like, you know, where do you pick up the sewer line or the water line, and where does the utility have
• Caitlin Johnson, with Political Solutions, on behalf of the California Water Association, in support.
• Sarah Brennan, with the Whiteman Group, on behalf of Cal Water, in support.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met as a subcommittee at first because a quorum was not initially present, then later established a quorum and heard several bills. The main special-order item was AB 1795 (Gibson), which would create statewide standards for testing, inspection, and remediation of wildfire smoke damage in homes, with CalEPA and public health agencies developing science-based standards and insurers required to follow new claims-handling timelines. Supporters, including Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and wildfire survivors, said the bill would bring consistency and safety; insurers and consumer groups generally supported the concept but sought further amendments on scope, standards, and claim handling. The committee voted do pass as amended and refer AB 1795 to Appropriations, with the roll held open for later additions. The committee also considered AB 1576 (Ortega) on the Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund, which would make changes intended to reduce litigation and employer assessments while preserving the program’s purpose of encouraging hiring of workers with prior disabilities. Labor-side witnesses supported the bill as a reform step, while business, public entity, and insurance groups opposed it, arguing it did not address the core structural problems and that a trailer bill was a better vehicle for broader reform. AB 1576 was voted do pass to Appropriations, with the roll held open. AB 1931 (Papan) would create an optional limited-lines license for utilities to offer home protection products for repairs to appliances and utility service lines. Support came from HomeServe, utilities, and industry groups, who said the bill would clarify current law and add consumer protections such as training, disclosures, and a free-look period; there was no opposition in the room. The committee passed AB 1931 to Appropriations. AB 2361 (Pacheco) would limit vicarious liability for peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing platforms like Turo while preserving insurance coverage requirements; supporters said it would align California with other states, while consumer attorneys opposed it as reducing accountability and consumer recovery. The committee passed AB 2361 as amended to Appropriations. AB 2098 (Kalra), heard later, would require employers to allow leave for workers to attend treatment for occupational injuries during work hours, subject to notice and business-necessity limits; labor groups supported it and business and insurance groups sought narrower standards. It was also voted do pass to Appropriations. The committee then completed roll-call add-ons and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• To prevent against the most common types of fire and water damage.
• We estimate some $31 billion in need over the next 20 years for water, stormwater, wastewater, and solid
• $6 million for the Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools program, which would help districts with lead and water
• Districts with lead and water projects.
• My name is Rebecca Springer, and I am the Water Resources Manager for the City of Ellensburg.

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee held a hearing on Proposed Substitute House Bill 2295, the supplemental capital budget. Staff said the proposal totals nearly $911 million, including about $400 million in bonds and $511 million from other state and federal sources, with much of the increase over the governor’s proposal coming from Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funding. Major spending areas include housing and homelessness, K-12 construction, human services facilities, and CCA-funded clean energy, decarbonization, and habitat restoration projects. The chair said the committee would not take amendments at the hearing and planned to vote out the budget on Thursday, with a technical fix striker expected. Testimony was largely supportive of the House proposal, with many witnesses asking the committee to preserve or increase specific items in final negotiations. Housing advocates urged support for the Housing Trust Fund, manufactured housing preservation, and projects such as Alliance Place, Cloverdale Cottages, Cherry Street Village, Somos, and the Thrive Center. Education and public facility witnesses backed investments in school seismic safety, small district modernization, Healthy Kids Healthy Schools, community college and university maintenance, and projects at Cascadia College, WSU, CWU, and UW. Health and human services testimony supported behavioral health, Tubman Center, HealthPoint, pregnant parenting treatment, and the Yakima Behavioral Health Hub. Natural resources, climate, and infrastructure witnesses praised funding for Flood Plains by Design, community forests, trust land transfer, salmon recovery, the Skokomish land purchase, and the Lower Columbia River dredging project. Several local governments and organizations requested additional support or Senate-level funding for specific projects, while Climate Solutions cautioned against using CCA dollars to backfill existing obligations. The committee heard no votes during the hearing, and the chair closed by saying the budget would be executed on Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• Infrastructure hookups such as municipal-level water and sewer to an area like that, with the understanding
• This makes other agencies, other governmental agencies, public utilities, and water sewer districts subject
• Yeah, and I would mention I'm still in talks ongoing between Master Builders and the water sewer districts
• Yeah, and I would mention I'm still in talks ongoing between Master Builders and the water sewer districts
• What we're looking for, again, with that balance, moving forward with the special purpose water and sewer

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee waived the five-day notice rule and then took up two House bills. HB 2418 would tighten and expand permit-review timelines for residential projects, including requiring “procedural completeness” determinations, adding excluded time periods, extending timeline and refund requirements to certain fee-charging state and local entities, creating review deadlines for special purpose districts and public utility districts, and requiring local governments to designate a permit responsible official and a single point of contact. The sponsor said the bill was intended to improve predictability and reduce delays in permitting; builders and housing advocates strongly supported it, while sewer and water districts and county representatives raised concerns about incomplete referrals, staffing shortages, business-day versus calendar-day deadlines, and the cost of implementing the new contact requirements. The committee heard testimony but took no final vote on the bill in the transcript. HB 2451 would revise Washington’s local tax increment financing program. Staff explained that the bill adds guardrails and transparency, changes notice and hearing requirements, adjusts the assessed-value cap for increment areas, adds public safety facilities to eligible improvements, requires more detailed project analyses and annual reporting, and creates a negotiation/mediation/arbitration process for impacts to taxing districts. The sponsor said the measure was a carefully negotiated compromise intended to address junior taxing district concerns without creating an opt-out. Supporters from the Port of Tacoma, fire chiefs, cities, and counties said the bill improves the earlier TIF framework by strengthening the but-for test, notice, and participation rules, while counties still expressed concern about cumulative impacts and asked for future opt-out discussions. No final committee action was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• to ask, though, about the ramifications of certain industries and their impact on our air, on our water
• But as far as water, tell me about the water use.
• What's the water use generally associated with quantum computing? Mr.
• There's no cooling needs related to water because they require these dilution refrigerators.
• there any other technologies in this package that have ramifications on large amounts of energy or water

Bills: SB151, HB8, SB177

Keywords: corporate income tax, franchise tax, gross receipts tax, tax credit, tax deduction, controlled foreign corporation, CFC, bonus depreciation, interest expense, apportionment, unitary group, high-wage jobs tax credit, local journalism, news media, newspaper printer, physician incentive, health care workforce, affordable housing, multifamily housing, construction materials

Transcript Highlights:

• The funding that we receive for the soil and water conservation districts, on the screen.
• The funding that we receive for the soil and water conservation districts, it's kind of our starting-out
• that the moisture that we do get can actually get down to the ground and be useful for the surface water
• And then when we were up in Taos, it was Taos at the Water and Natural Resources Committee, In fact,
• it was Taos, at the Water and Natural Resources Committee, we had a presentation on Senate Memorial 2

Summary: The House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee met on February 3 and first took up House Bill 153, the Low Carbon Construction Material Rebate Act, with a committee substitute that added an Environmental Product Declaration program and shifted administration to the Environment Department. Sponsor Representative Dixon said the bill would create rebates for buyers of lower-carbon construction materials, support local manufacturers, and reduce industrial emissions. Support came from the New Mexico Home Builders Association, Sierra Club, and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. Some members questioned whether the bill would actually lower housing costs or instead create future price pressure once subsidies expire, and raised concerns about rulemaking and whether some materials would be incentivized even without state help. The committee voted 7-4 to do pass the committee substitute and do not pass the original bill. The committee then heard House Bill 154, which would broaden and decouple New Mexico’s advanced energy tax credit definitions from federal law and add fusion energy and related components as eligible advanced energy products. Representative Dixon said the change would give the state more flexibility to include emerging technologies while keeping the existing credit structure and cap intact. The Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, a Santa Fe fusion company, a Los Lunas economic development official, and an online fusion company all testified in support, arguing the bill would provide certainty, attract investment, and help build a local supply chain. One member suggested future consideration of nuclear fission, while another questioned whether some renewable technologies were still appropriate, but the committee ultimately voted 9-2 to do pass HB 154. House Bill 184, a technical fix to the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund, was then presented by Representative Small. The amendment adopted by the committee delayed the three-year moving average for distributions by one year and extended the time to use funds from two years to three years, with the sponsor saying this would better reflect the fund’s growth and give projects more time to complete. Witnesses from Western Resource Advocates, conservation districts, and Conservation Voters New Mexico supported the measure, saying it would strengthen successful outdoor, watershed, and conservation programs. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill unanimously. Finally, the committee heard House Memorial 20, which would create a study group to examine barriers to renewable energy transmission and project development. The sponsor said the goal was to bring agencies, stakeholders, and possibly courts together to identify ways to speed up renewable infrastructure while preserving environmental review and public input. Sierra Club, Western Resource Advocates, Defenders of Wildlife, and the League of Women Voters supported the memorial, but several members said it should be broadened to include all energy infrastructure or more clearly address transmission, permitting, tribal, federal, and military coordination. In response to those concerns, the sponsor asked to roll the memorial for further discussion and possible revisions rather than advancing it that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• part of California's history since 1850, safely guiding ships through the tricky and often dangerous waters
• We are lucky to have them here with us, and we are lucky to have them in our waters.
• They cut off, with a blockade, all food, all water, all gas, anything that you would need to survive.
• Weirs are structures that allow for temporary impounding of water to assist in water deliveries to farms
• They do not restrain water in anywhere near the same amounts or for the same length of time as dams,

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, observed a moment of silence for Pope Francis, and later held a separate remembrance ceremony for the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Members and guests heard extensive remarks in support of HR 25, which was adopted by voice vote after 70 co-authors were added. Speakers from both parties and several caucuses emphasized historical truth, remembrance, and solidarity with Armenian Californians, and the chamber also observed a moment of silence for the genocide victims. On the floor, members also passed AB 789 on health insurance rate oversight, ACR 56 recognizing Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, AB 652 on San Diego County Air Pollution Control District alternates despite opposition from one member over regional balance concerns, AB 1414 protecting renters from mandatory internet provider subscriptions, AB 931 regulating litigation finance agreements, AB 890 easing residency rules for foster youth moving counties, AB 40 clarifying emergency reproductive health care coverage with urgency, AB 322 encouraging school-based health and mental health reimbursement programs, and AB 639 narrowing the definition of dams for certain weir operators. Most measures passed by wide margins, including several unanimous votes. The consent calendar, including AB 1149, AB 484, AB 859, AB 1105, and AB 1384, was adopted without objection. The Assembly also handled procedural motions, committee notices, and bill re-referrals earlier in the day. The house then announced upcoming committee meetings and adjourned until Thursday, April 24 at 9 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• He then asked one more question of Miss Barnhart about whether she had any frozen water for livestock
• He then asked one more question of Miss Barnhart about whether she had any frozen water for livestock
• Representative Smith asked Miss Barnhart whether she had any frozen water for livestock that morning.
• Miss Barnhart said she had to go out that morning and unchip and open the water for all the cattle.
• Miss Barnhart said she had to go out that morning and unchip and open the water for all the cattle.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, everybody knows the concerns: water, the electricity rate going up.
• </c><01:26:01.440><c> And</c><01:26:01.679><c> I</c> they use a lot of water also.
• And I they use a lot of water also.
• Uh the local adequate supply of water.
• </c> money from the water authorities now? money from the water authorities now?

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum of 28 senators present. The body agreed to excuse absent senators, dispense with reading and adopt the previous journal, and allow bills and committee reports to be introduced throughout the day. The presiding officer also recognized several guests on the floor and in the gallery, including an intern from the Lieutenant Governor’s office and guests of Senator Chambliss. Committee reports focused on confirmations for Alabama State University’s Board of Trustees. Patricia Anne Jones (Confirmation 79), Angela Star (Confirmation 80), and Bobby Singleton (Confirmation 78) each received favorable committee reports and were confirmed by the full Senate, with roll-call votes showing unanimous or near-unanimous support. The chamber spent considerable time in lighthearted debate and personal remarks during Singleton’s confirmation before adopting the motion and confirming him. The Senate also adopted Senate Joint Resolution 81 commending the Coach Safely Foundation for youth sports injury mitigation, and several other resolutions honoring individuals and organizations, including Johnny Williams, Jim America, Senior Trooper Hunter Woodruff, and retired Army Colonel Shawn Thomas Prricett. A resolution encouraging Alabama public high schools to form a consortium was also adopted. On local bills, the Senate passed Senate Bill 243 regarding Jefferson County and House Bill 532 regarding Shelby County, both by using the previous roll and with no opposition. The Rules Committee then reported a special order calendar for the 22nd legislative day, which the Senate adopted 30-0. The special order calendar included bills on the Board of Funeral Services, the Public Service Commission, tax abatements, electric utilities, child support, dogs, school lands, Chambers County, and real property. The first special-order bill taken up was Senate Bill 107 by Senators Figures and Gudger, concerning the Alabama Board of Funeral Services. Senators discussed the bill’s purpose of funding the board’s increased duties, the effect on funeral home license fees, and an amendment offered by Senator Bell to reduce certain fees. The amendment was adopted, and the bill was explained as not affecting pre-need funeral arrangements. Debate continued as members asked questions about costs to families and funeral homes, but the chamber had not yet reached final disposition of the bill by the end of the excerpt.