Transcript Highlights:

• to a religious organization when it's a neutral benefit.
• to a religious organization when it's a neutral benefit.
• If you guys are unfamiliar with this, this has been a great benefit to the state.
• If you guys are unfamiliar with this, this has been a great benefit to the state.
• If you guys are unfamiliar with this, this has been a great benefit to the state.

Bills: SB1307 , SB1425 , SB1826 , SB1365 , SB1696

Committee: Senate Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism

Summary: The Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism Committee heard a presentation from Tourism Director Amy Blackburn on the Oklahoma Tourism spring 2026 marketing campaign. She described the agency’s new advertising contractor, spending plans split between in-state and out-of-state markets, and campaign themes centered on Route 66, state parks, fishing, Western heritage, and spring travel. She said the campaign’s goal is to increase visitation, bookings, park revenue, and traffic to TravelOK.com, and noted the use of data tools to track marketing performance. The committee then considered several Senate bills. SB 1307, by Sen. Daniels, would remove language that could bar religious organizations from receiving neutral public benefits or grants; it passed 7-1 after questions about church-state concerns. SB 1425, also by Sen. Daniels, repealed an obsolete healthcare workforce assistance board/program and passed 9-0. SB 1826, by Sen. Reinhart, removed the sunset on the Oklahoma Local Development and Enterprise Zone Incentive Leverage Act; members discussed reporting and oversight, and it passed 7-1. SB 1365, by Sen. Fricks, was amended to add an emergency clause and to raise from $25,000 to $75,000 the threshold for Tourism Department retail purchases exempt from the Central Purchasing Act, with testimony that it would help stock gift shops and support local vendors; it passed 8-0. SB 1696, by Sen. Coleman, created a Commerce Department grant program to help cities and counties recruit new residents through local incentives advertised on MakeMyMove.com; members raised concerns about sunsets, audits, and overlap with other incentives, and the bill passed 5-3.

Transcript Highlights:

• don't think it's just regarding the finishing of work, but it's regarding the fact that all the benefits
• Madam Chair, this bill is about prohibiting the assignment of benefits by property owners.
• does the work, gets them into the home, assigns the benefits,...
• that does the work, gets them into the home, assigns the benefits, ...contractor, a contractor that
• does the work, gets them into the home, assigns the benefits, and says, “I will go after, and I will

Summary: The Consumer Protection and Business Committee met on February 4, 2026, and removed House Bill 2629 from consideration. The committee received briefings on House Bill 2428, which would require insurers to give 30 days’ written notice before an individual life insurance policy lapses for nonpayment and to notify policyholders of the right to designate a third party for lapse notices; an amendment clarified the notice requirements and proof-of-delivery language. The committee also reviewed House Bill 2399, which would prohibit assignment of post-loss property insurance benefits, and House Bill 2087, which would enact the Washington Travel Insurance Act and regulate travel insurance products, producers, retailers, and administrators. Members also noted they had already been briefed on House Bills 2483 and 2477 before taking executive action after caucus. House Bill 2428 was amended and passed out of committee unanimously with a due pass recommendation. Supporters said it would help prevent unintentional life insurance lapses and protect consumers, especially older policyholders and families relying on coverage later in life. House Bill 2399 also advanced, but only after a divided vote of 8-7; supporters described post-loss assignments as predatory and harmful to insured homeowners, while opponents argued the bill was too broad and could hinder homeowners who use contractors to repair damaged property and resolve insurance disputes. House Bill 2087, as a proposed substitute, was reported out with a due pass recommendation by a 12-3 vote. Members said the substitute reflected stakeholder and Office of the Insurance Commissioner work to resolve conflicts in the underlying travel insurance framework and add guardrails for consumers. House Bill 2483, dealing with data broker registration, was amended several times to narrow exemptions, add Department of Licensing implementation details, and make the registry public; it then passed 8-7 after debate over privacy, public safety, and whether the bill was too limited or too broad. House Bill 2477, which concerned appraisal-related liability and reports, was amended to clarify appraiser liability and intended users, then passed unanimously with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Employers can then choose to provide wage replacement benefits for either birth or adoption, caring for
• Right now, Louisiana doesn't offer any clear framework for this benefit, and this simply gives employers
• This amendment prohibits payment of benefits from being considered as wages in lieu of workers' compensation
• benefits and provides that such payment of benefits shall not interrupt claim prescription.
• benefits and provides that such payment of benefits shall not interrupt claim prescription.

Committee: House Insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• And here we define net public benefit: net public benefit exists if potential benefits for a proposed
• benefits.
• benefits.
• benefits.
• benefits.

Summary: The Solid Waste Subcommittee met to discuss proposed amendments to HB 171 and HB 215. For HB 171, Representative Gerna outlined technical changes to a landfill moratorium bill: DES would be allowed to accept applications only to review them for completeness, a notwithstanding clause would override automatic approval timing rules, the word “fully” would be removed, and an unnecessary reference to perennial water bodies would be deleted. Members raised concern about whether applications deemed complete during the moratorium would still have to comply with later changes in law or rule. Director Mike Whap of DES said applicants would likely need to amend applications if policy changes occurred, and suggested the bill could explicitly state that later changes apply to pending applications. The subcommittee generally supported the revised language and agreed the amended bill could go directly to executive session, though one member said the underlying legislation was ill-advised but preferred the amended version over the original. The committee then turned to HB 215, which would create a two-stage landfill siting review centered on a “net public benefit” determination before full technical review. Representative Gerna explained that the amendment would define net public benefit, require an independent third-party assessment paid for by the applicant, and set up a process for selecting the contractor from a list submitted by the applicant, with DES and the host community involved and the commissioner choosing if no agreement is reached within 60 days. Members asked how “host community” would be defined; DES said it would generally mean the municipal governing body, though that body could appoint others. The amendment also broadened the factors considered in both harms and benefits, including human health, property values, tourism, recreation, wildlife, local economic benefits, and infrastructure improvements. The discussion also added a provision directing DES to consult with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources as needed when reviewing the third-party assessment. Director Whap said interdepartmental consultation is normal and that DES would likely adopt rules to guide the process. Members questioned whether the new framework would be too vague or burdensome for applicants, but Whap said it would not be designed to stack the deck against applicants and that the process should provide clearer, more balanced criteria. No votes were taken during the meeting, and the subcommittee appeared to continue refining the amendment language before further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• These complexities do not benefit safety and add thousands of dollars in costs.
• We'll also talk about cities and towns and how their residents can benefit financially if we do more
• We benefit by cheaper bills and utility benefits from having a diversified, more reliable grid.
• DERs provide benefits that are economy-wide.
• They're a holistic approach to creating energy and affordability benefits for all Bay Staters.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Summary: The hearing focused broadly on solar policy and several related bills, especially S. 2269, S. 2270, H. 3520, H. 3521, and related measures on distributed energy resources, municipal solar caps, permitting reform, and tax credits. Testimony from the Air Force supported S. 2232, which would exempt federal military installations from renewable energy production caps and net metering limits to support energy resilience at bases like Hanscom. Most other witnesses argued that Massachusetts needs to speed up rooftop, municipal, and community solar deployment to address high electricity prices, federal tax credit rollbacks, grid reliability, and climate goals. A major theme was streamlining permitting through automated or “smart” solar permitting, including a statewide platform managed by DOER. Permit Power, SEIA, Vote Solar, 350 Mass, and others said current local permitting is fragmented and costly, and that instant permitting could reduce soft costs and speed installations. Several witnesses also urged changes to interconnection rules, including flexible interconnection, remote inspections, and faster utility approval timelines. Some speakers raised concerns about small towns lacking staff to meet short deadlines and suggested a state-hosted platform to reduce the burden on municipalities. Another major topic was lifting caps on solar deployment. Municipal officials from Lexington and Cambridge said the 10-megawatt municipal cap and regional caps are blocking shovel-ready projects and should be removed, including for behind-the-meter municipal solar and MBTA-community housing. Other witnesses described additional limits on project size, net metering, and residential tax credits, and called for making the state residential solar credit refundable and larger. Several speakers also supported virtual power plants, distributed energy resource targets, solar canopies, microgrids, and expanded access for affordable housing, tenants, and low- and moderate-income customers. No votes were taken. Committee members asked questions about permitting timelines, grid modernization, the rationale for caps, balcony solar, and interconnection delays, and witnesses said they would follow up with additional information where needed. The hearing ended with broad support from industry, municipal, environmental, and advocacy groups for advancing the solar and distributed energy bills, while some witnesses opposed provisions they viewed as overly restrictive, such as mandatory SMART participation for all solar projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the one kind of good benefit that have was being taken away.
• So, the one kind of good benefit that have was being taken away.
• So, the one kind of good benefit that have was being taken away.
• So, the one kind of good benefit that have was being taken away.
• So, the one kind of good benefit that have was being taken away.

Bills: HF3396

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: property tax, task force, assessment, state revenue, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• We had to make capacity for certain things, senior SNAP benefits.
• And that benefit is more than what we've done.
• Benefits were cut. We borrowed from the pension funds. You name it.
• We made a decision about what benefits state workers more. And the benefit is greater on 80-20.
• We made a decision about what benefits state workers more. And the benefit is greater on 80-20.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 152, which would create a low-income telecommunications assistance program and continue support for rural broadband operations and maintenance through the State Rural Universal Service Fund. Senator Padilla and Office of Broadband Access and Expansion Director Jeff Lopez said the bill responds to the loss of federal affordability support and would help low-income households pay for broadband, while also preserving funding for rural carriers and maintenance. Supporters included the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the New Mexico Exchange Carrier Group, tribal telecom representatives, and several rural providers, who said affordability is the main barrier to service and that the bill would help families, students, and rural communities. A few witnesses opposed parts of the bill, arguing that the ARS funding should be redirected entirely to broadband affordability and that legacy POTS-line support should sunset. Committee members asked about ETC requirements, satellite and wireless options, rural density, and the sunset provision; the sponsor said the sunset on ARS would be removed and that stakeholder discussions would continue in the interim. The committee voted due pass on the Senate Finance Committee substitute for SB 152. The committee then took up Senate Rules Committee substitute for Senate Bill 132, which would add software planning and replacement to the state’s equipment replacement fund. The sponsor and expert said state agencies now rely heavily on software for core services and that planning for software alongside hardware would improve efficiency, security, and long-term sustainability. There was no opposition, and the committee voted due pass on the substitute. The meeting then shifted to a lengthy discussion of Senate changes to House Bill 2, the budget bill. Senate Finance staff described roughly 300 changes, including additional funding for fire response, early childhood, housing, health care, quantum initiatives, public safety, courts, transportation, education, and several social service programs. Members questioned cuts or reallocations affecting state employee pay, public school capital outlay, the state fair redevelopment, CARA, personal care services, the Office of Child Advocate, and other items. The presenters repeatedly defended the Senate’s use of funds as a way to preserve reserves while prioritizing health care, housing, education, and other recurring needs, and said reserves would remain above the target level even with the changes discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Which will be used to benefit Texans instead.
• And then at the bottom of that page, there's the benefit of the ERCOT donation as well.
• Um, and that customer class, Will get a benefit of a little over $8 million, resulting in a net benefit
• By donating it, you're going to create a benefit to Houston ratepayers.
• It would hugely benefit the credit card companies, and that's kind of on the other bill.

Bills: SB231 , SB584 , SB600 , SB668 , SB841 , SB986 , SB1003 , SB1244 , SB1625 , SB1960 , SB1963 , SB1964 , SB2026 , SB2056 , SB2368

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• But as we're moving up benefiting that.
• And in case any of long-term benefits.
• </c> support of them because it benefits support of them because it benefits them.<00:27:11.200><c> Living
• The air that gets is pure and more clean, we benefit from.
• Those have other benefits on fertilizer.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> not agree that there is a double benefit not agree that there is a double benefit for<00:46:02.000
• benefits for our economy, our environment, and our people.
• This will benefit aviation, ground and marine transportation, utility sectors as well, and the state
• the state in a profound way and benefits the state in a profound way and I<01:17:51.719><c> would</c
• from uh being higher income uh benefited from uh being higher income uh have<01:34:00.400><c> been</

Committee: House Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• And then also we want to provide ratepayers with the best benefit.
• benefits.
• ratepayer benefits.
• The program benefits the entirety of the state.
• Those benefits have to be concentrated within the IOU territories.

Transcript Highlights:

• they benefit?
• In addition to climate, I just want to note that TENs have other significant benefits.
• Significant benefits.
• And those benefits are going to people who are in higher income brackets, right?
• ACA 9 is about structural changes to the CPC for the benefit of consumers.

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:

• That would benefit from a program of this sort.
• So overall, the net environmental benefit wouldn't be very large.
• It will have no benefit from it.
• The benefits are narrowly concentrated, but the costs are widely shared.
• The benefits are narrowly concentrated, but the costs are widely shared.

Transcript Highlights:

• can access those benefits is really important.
• North Dakota that are qualified for SNAP benefits can access those benefits is really important.
• In the middle, we have the child care workforce benefit.
• That employer provides a monthly paid benefit of $150 or $300. The state then matches that benefit.
• Chairman, I think that would be useful to know because if the hospital can benefit or the state can benefit

Summary: The committee first heard an update on North Dakota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and Continuum of Care funding. Jennifer Henderson of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency reported that homelessness remains driven by tight housing markets, low incomes, rising rents, and barriers to rental assistance, public benefits, and disability determinations. She said the state’s one-time North Dakota Homeless Grant is serving all regions but reaches far fewer households than the former Rent Help program, and that aging homelessness, shelter staffing shortages, and limited affordable units are growing concerns. Members discussed the need for more housing supply, better coordination with Health and Human Services, landlord engagement, reentry housing, and possible continued one-time funding for the $10 million Homeless Grant and $25 million Housing Incentive Fund. Henderson also warned that federal Continuum of Care funding is uncertain, with HUD expected to issue a new notice June 1 and possible shifts away from permanent supportive housing toward transitional housing and other models. The committee then took testimony on accessibility of government services for people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing. Paul Olson of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind described the school’s services for infants, children, and adults, including screenings, mobility training, assistive technology, and outreach across the state. He said the agency works closely with Vocational Rehabilitation and is also involved in improving website and document accessibility, especially for PDF materials. Public testimony highlighted barriers such as inaccessible CAPTCHA systems, online forms, driver’s license requirements on job applications, and limited transportation in rural areas. A deaf resident urged broader use of video remote interpreting and video relay services, along with training so people know how to use them effectively. Finally, Kay Larson presented the final report on the child care provider licensing study. The report recommended streamlining North Dakota’s child care licensing structure into three provider types plus a preschool designation, while preserving health and safety standards and maintaining eligibility for child care assistance. The committee discussed simplifying training and qualification rules, revising ratio and group-size requirements, and adjusting age bands for infants and toddlers. The report also noted that some changes would require statutory amendments and later administrative rule changes, with a transition period likely extending through 2029. No formal votes were taken in the transcript, but the committee accepted the updates and scheduled follow-up presentations for a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's talk about the benefits of the food as medicine approach.
• So are they using their SNAP benefits for that food, or are they using their benefits for other things
• Would use their SNAP benefits currently.
• Because we administer the SNAP benefits, we already have the processes in place to do electronic benefits
• And the benefit of this, you're going to be passing something with no benefit, okay?

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Transcript Highlights:

• states are no longer taking the benefits.
• He said Idaho is currently not taking the benefit.
• He said the bill is relatively simple because it protects the dollars from Social Security benefits of
• He said Idaho is currently not taking the benefit.
• He said the bill is relatively simple because it protects the dollars from Social Security benefits of

Transcript Highlights:

• The benefit of these arterial bus rapid transit projects is that they're on existing roadways, but they
• </c><00:05:06.800><c> of</c> substructures the the the benefit of substructures the the the benefit of
• I think part probably the benefit of the program is that it comes when there's not a project, and so
• I think part probably the benefit of the program is that it comes when there's not a project, and so
• </c><00:59:05.920><c> of</c> uh talk a lot about uh the benefit of uh talk a lot about uh the benefit

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• The benefits of newborn important.
• </c> reimbursement by pharmacy benefit reimbursement by pharmacy benefit managers<00:55:25.119><c> or
• ,</c> paid for providing pharmacy benefits, paid for providing pharmacy benefits, but<01:10:18.640><c
• </c> essentially acts as a pharmacy benefits essentially acts as a pharmacy benefits administrator<01
• </c><01:10:45.199><c> like</c> does not provide any benefits like does not provide any benefits like

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• from this program, so it truly does benefit all students.
• from this program, so it truly does benefit all students.
• This new law provides an opportunity to deliver significant additional benefits to these students for
• And what's alarming to me is that STOs' tax credits largely benefit those who already have the means
• I support students in Arizona, and I think that we should enable students in Arizona to benefit from

Committee: House House Ways & Means Committee of Reference

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee first heard SCR 1028, a voter-referral constitutional amendment that would require a two-thirds legislative vote for state fee and assessment increases set by agencies, closing what supporters described as a loophole that has allowed fee hikes without direct legislative approval. The sponsor argued the measure would restore accountability and prevent agencies from using fees as a workaround for tax increases, while opponents from business and economic groups warned it would make agencies less responsive, delay needed adjustments for inflation and program costs, and shift costs to taxpayers or reduce funding for services. After debate, the committee returned SCR 1028 with a do pass recommendation by a 5-3 vote, with one member absent. The committee then took up SB 1142, which would have Arizona opt into a federal tax credit program for donations to scholarship-granting organizations and set eligibility requirements for those organizations. Supporters said the program would bring in private dollars at no state cost, expand school choice, and help students with tutoring, special needs, transportation, and other educational expenses; they also argued that if Arizona does not opt in, donations could flow to other states. Opponents, including the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, said the federal program was not yet fully written, lacked guardrails, and could further strain public schools by diverting resources away from the majority of students who remain in district schools. The committee returned SB 1142 with a do pass recommendation by a 5-3 vote, with one member absent, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• and qualify for them for benefits and keep them in their home.
• the benefit.
• They don't qualify for the benefit the way that the statute is written.
• They don't qualify for the benefit.
• They don't qualify for the benefit.

Bills: HF3727 , HF3684 , HF3467

Committee: House Veterans and Military Affairs Division

Keywords: veterans property tax, homestead exclusion, disabled veteran, totally and permanently disabled, service-connected disability, property tax relief, market value exclusion, surviving spouse, family caregiver, county veterans service officer, Minnesota property tax, assessment year 2027, homestead tax benefit, veterans tax exemption, DD214, VA disability rating, veterans, veterans affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, grant standards