Video & Transcript : 'conservation futures program' :
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NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Taxation and Revenue Feb 6th, 2026 at 08:37 am
House Taxation & Revenue
Transcript Highlights:
- When incentive programs like this are about to expire, these programs can install or move to another
- It does not create a new program. It does not loosen the rules.
- that administer other grant and loan programs for the... ...programs that administer other grant and
- loan programs for these projects.
- The Board of Finance has an emergency funding program. You all have recently... ...funding program.
Committee:
House House Taxation & Revenue
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- bill that we've been working on since the summer to merge my office with the Office of Species Conservation
- I worked at the Office of Species Conservation. It's my first job out of law school.
- The commission has also done a large landowner program and has worked on deer hunting with the hunting
- The commission has also done a large landowner program and has worked on deer hunting with the hunting
- Does he answer to the governor and whatever a future governor wants to have as his agenda, or does he
Committee:
Senate State Affairs
Summary:
The committee began with a silent roll, confirmed a quorum, and recognized page Drew Brown, who spoke briefly about his interest in law enforcement and asked Senator Den Hartog about the hardest part of being a senator. The committee then considered the gubernatorial appointment of Callie Younger as administrator of the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources. Younger described her background in public lands and natural resources, the office’s work on rural energy grants, nuclear policy, and permitting reform, and answered questions about a proposed merger with the Office of Species Conservation; the committee said it would likely vote on her appointment at a later meeting.
The committee introduced two RS measures from Senator Anthon. RS 33435 would reinforce civics and patriotism in public education, including codifying existing American history and government credit requirements and adding complementary instruction tied to the nation’s founding, in connection with America 250; it was introduced by voice vote. RS 33460 would make a narrow change for smaller irrigation districts of 15,000 acres or less to help fill board vacancies where farm consolidation has left fewer resident landowners eligible; it was also introduced by voice vote.
The committee then heard Senate Bill 1300, which would require Senate advice and consent and gubernatorial appointment for the directors of Fish and Game, Transportation, and Parks and Recreation. The sponsor argued the change would improve accountability and align those agencies with others, while opponents from the Idaho Wildlife Federation, Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association, Trout Unlimited, Friends of Idaho State Parks, and others said it would politicize wildlife and parks management, conflict with the 1938 Fish and Game initiative, and potentially jeopardize the Harriman State Park agreement. After debate, the committee voted to send SB 1300 to the floor with a do pass recommendation, with Senator Ruchti recorded as voting no.
Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 1301, which would allow licensed breweries under the small-brewer threshold to operate two remote retail taproom locations instead of one. The sponsor and brewery owners testified that the current limit restricts growth, jobs, and community investment, while the bill would support measured expansion without changing tax or regulatory oversight. The committee voted to send SB 1301 to the floor with a do pass recommendation, and the meeting adjourned.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session May 22nd, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Today I'm presenting AB 1579, which aims to expand the current Children's Crisis Pilot Program to include
- Today I'm presenting AB 1579, which aims to expand the current Children's Crisis Pilot Program to include
- In the ensuing proceeding, the PUC adopted the community renewable energy program, but unfortunately,
- AB 1813 makes needed changes to the community renewable energy program to ensure that California has
- a robust community renewable program that expands access to solar to all Californians while providing
Summary:
The Assembly convened, initially lacked a quorum, then completed the roll call and prayer, adopted routine procedural motions, and moved through the daily file with many bills passed and retained or passed outright. Early measures included AB 2417 on community college faculty retirement information, AB 1579 expanding the Children’s Crisis Pilot Program, AB 2041 on emergency medical services reporting, AB 1547 on a UC medical school feasibility study in Kern County, and AB 1552 directing higher education segments to report on civic engagement and democracy education. The body also took up SB 73, an urgency elections-security bill, where supporters argued it would protect ballots, voting systems, and election workers from interference, while opponents said it could be unconstitutional, partisan, and overly restrictive of local and federal investigations. SB 73 passed with urgency and immediate transmittal to the Senate.
The Assembly then approved a long series of policy bills, many with unanimous or near-unanimous votes, including AB 1554 on California Earthquake Authority transparency, AB 1584 on civil rights duties at the Air Resources Board, AB 1592 on the California Indian Cultural Center, AB 1629 on direct payment to dentists, AB 1645 on prison visitation physical-contact rules, AB 1688 on foster care notice and accountability, AB 1699 on prescribed and cultural burns, AB 1738 on virtual final inspections for single-family homes, AB 1741 on charging sexual battery during a residential break-in as a wobbler, AB 1802 on mitigation lands endowments, AB 1813 on community renewable energy program changes, AB 1899 creating a youth homelessness prevention office, AB 1904 on a credentialing apprenticeship program, AB 1941 on organized metal theft, AB 2043 on drone-attack prevention for mass gatherings and critical infrastructure, AB 2054 on paid family leave for military relatives, AB 2081 on home-based Medi-Cal care, AB 2116 on predatory lending, AB 2122 limiting bench warrants for vehicle-code infractions, AB 2176 on student housing coordination, AB 2187 on tribal public-contract exemptions, AB 2221 on charitable fundraising processing deadlines, AB 2232 on advance parole hearing reporting, AB 2235 on confidentiality of judges’ home addresses, AB 2250 on cannabis/hemp enforcement cleanup, and AB 2266 on electricity. Most measures were described as support or bipartisan bills and passed with little or no opposition.
A few bills drew notable debate or recorded opposition, including AB 1813, AB 2122, and SB 73, though all ultimately passed. After finishing 35 items, the Assembly announced it would return the following week with a much larger file, noted upcoming floor amendment deadlines, and adjourned until Tuesday, May 26 at 1 p.m. A post-adjournment vote change was also recorded, changing Assembly Member Dixon’s vote on AB 2041 from aye to no.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Special Committee on Rural Issues Mar 25th, 2026
Special Committee on Rural Issues
Transcript Highlights:
- I feel so bad for the Conservation Department; they don't hardly have any acres.
- You know, and I feel so bad for the Conservation Department; they don't hardly have any acres.
- And I don't deal with a lot of agricultural conservation land within the city boundaries.
- I'm a conservative. We worked hard.
- I know that they do have future meetings to have discussions on that.
Committee:
House Special Committee on Rural Issues
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development May 21st, 2025
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- To address this, the 87th legislature created the two programs, the Small Business Disaster Loan Program
- and the microbusiness disaster loan program to offer loan cost to bridge loans while businesses wait
- We have other disaster relief programs.
- A big part of the original creation of this program. Happy to answer any questions.
- The Texas Realtor's Professional Standards Program has done its job.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development May 21st, 2025
Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- To address this, the 87th Legislature created two programs: the Small Business Disaster Loan Program
- At the recommendation of the Governor's Office, SB 1361 combines two programs into one.
- We have other disaster relief programs.
- I know you were a big part of the original creation of this program.
- The Texas REALTORS® Professional Standards Program has done its job.
Keywords:
SB 1361, Texas disaster recovery loan, small business loan, micro-business loan, community development financial institution, CDFI, economic disaster assistance, post-disaster financing, business recovery fund, Texas Economic Development Bank, zero-interest loan, working capital, payroll support, health benefits, job retention, declared disaster, small business relief, microenterprise, franchise exclusion, private equity-backed business
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- Du Bois grant program. I'm... ...grant program, the W.E.B. Du Bois grant program.
- So let's talk future meetings and visits that we're doing.
- Future meetings, I think, is easy enough.
- So let's talk future meetings and visits that we're doing.
- So future meetings, I think, is easy enough. We've got parole.
Summary:
The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met on January 12 to continue its review of DOC classification practices, with Senator Brownsberger and Representative Hunt co-chairing. After brief discussion of the prior hearing, members said there would likely be another opportunity for additional testimony, including possible video testimony from people inside facilities. The main presentation for the day was DOC’s classification system and a UMass Chan study of whether the system predicts institutional misconduct and whether overrides affect its accuracy or create racial/ethnic bias.
DOC officials described the objective point-based classification system, its history, and the role of discretionary and non-discretionary overrides. They said the system is designed to balance public safety and reintegration, with initial classification emphasizing offense history and reclassification emphasizing institutional adjustment. DOC reported that, in the current population, about 16% are classified to maximum security, 74% to medium, and 10% to lower security. They also reviewed the non-discretionary restrictions that keep people out of minimum or medium security, and said discretionary overrides are used less often than the National Institute of Corrections’ suggested ceiling and are reviewed within six months.
UMass Chan researchers said their analysis used historical DOC data from 2019 to 2022, focused mainly on about 7,600 male reclassification cases, and found that the scored custody level accurately predicted institutional misconduct. They said the tool performed well on standard statistical measures, but predictive accuracy declined after overrides were applied, with overlap appearing between minimum and medium groups. In a supplementary analysis, they said the loss of accuracy was driven primarily by non-discretionary restrictions rather than discretionary overrides. They also said the study did not find evidence of racial or ethnic bias in the tool itself, and that DOC’s current system is comparatively more lenient than many other states.
Members and guests raised concerns about overclassification to medium security, the low share of people in minimum, the role of civil commitment restrictions, and whether the data captured historical bias or individual cases where overrides felt subjective. DOC and UMass Chan responded that the study was group-based, not case-specific, and that minimum-security rates are hard to compare across states because Massachusetts’ prison and county systems differ structurally. The commission did not take a vote or formal action, but asked members to send follow-up data questions by the end of the week for referral to DOC and the researchers.
LA
Louisiana 2026 Regular Session
Natural Resources and Environment May 26th, 2026
Natural Resources & Environment
Transcript Highlights:
- and energy to look Urge the state and conservation and energy to look at producing policies that we
- Tanner McGee, Conservation Energy.
- Tanner McGee, Conservation Energy.
- because it was a conservation issue.
- Those are lands that fall under Wildlife and Fisheries conservation.
Committee:
House Natural Resources & Environment
CO
Colorado 2026 Regular Session
Colorado House 2026 Legislative Day 087 Apr 11th, 2026
Colorado House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Adult financial programs, 36.9 FTE. Program Administration, 36.9 FTE, for cash assistance programs.
- Programs.
- </c> of Youth Services Institutional Programs of Youth Services Institutional Programs Program<02:04:
- Office of Future of Work: program costs, 6.5 FTE; state apprenticeship agency, 8.8 FTE.
- Program costs, 15; 4.0 FTE. Program costs, 15; 4.0 FTE.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Tribal and State Relations Committee May 13th, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Tribal and State Relations Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- So all of our programs, regardless if it's a certificate or degree program, include Dakota culture, language
- And a lot of our students stay and work in those programs.
- have access to an opioid treatment program.
- I'm a program director from Protection and Advocacy.
- What life they can make for the future of the children.
Committee:
Joint Tribal and State Relations Committee
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The future of Texas begins in the classroom, as I've said very often.
- So it comes from the Foundation School Program? That's right.
- For the future bill of rights.
- Fine arts programs develop essential.
- I will remain opposed to an ESA program as currently written.
Committees:
Senate Education , Senate Education K-16
Keywords:
teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, SB 26, Texas Property Code, colonia, colonias, Spanish translation, bilingual contract, real estate contract, executory contract, residential property, border county, international border, economically distressed area, consumer protection, language access, translator certified in Spanish
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Floor Session May 28th, 2026
California House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- You know, the elderly parole program is a really good program.
- I'm very supportive of the elderly parole program.
- , but that private program results is still underway.
- The Senate bill had to do with creating neighborhood pilot programs, whole neighborhood pilot programs
- , the CASA program, our shared loves and passions.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Mar 12th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- this committee, I pledge to, as a joint author on this bill, work with the opposition on possible future
- At the state level, affordable housing developers face an uncertain future as the final dollars of the
- We look forward to future conversations with the member.
- But just are we hampering future legislators to say you can't weigh in?
- Hi, I'm not in official opposition, but Natalie Brown with the Planning and Conservation League.
Summary:
The committee heard a series of housing and wildfire-recovery bills, with members repeatedly framing the package as a response to the Los Angeles fires and the state’s broader housing affordability crisis. AB 306, by Assembly Member Schultz, would place a six-year moratorium on new residential building-code updates and local code modifications except for health-and-safety emergencies. Supporters argued it would reduce costs and provide certainty for rebuilding and new housing production, while opponents from environmental, clean-energy, and labor groups warned it would freeze beneficial code improvements, delay innovation, and limit local control. Despite those concerns, several members said they would support the bill while seeking amendments, and the committee voted it out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations.
The committee also approved AB 301, which would require state agencies to follow shot-clock style deadlines for reviewing building permits, and AB 253, which would allow licensed third-party professionals to conduct certain post-entitlement permit reviews if local departments take more than 30 days. Supporters said both bills would reduce delays, lower costs, and speed rebuilding and housing production; some members emphasized that safety reviews must remain intact. AB 301 passed on a due pass vote to Appropriations, and AB 253 passed 8-0 to Local Government.
AB 462, by Assembly Member Lowenthal, would exempt accessory dwelling units in Los Angeles County’s coastal zone from coastal development permit requirements, with the goal of speeding ADU construction for disaster recovery and housing supply. Supporters said ADUs are a proven tool and that the bill would help displaced residents and future coastal disaster areas; one member of the public opposed the bill, arguing ADU proliferation can change neighborhood conditions. The committee sent AB 462 to Appropriations on an 8-0 vote. The final bill discussed, AB 299, would let disaster-displaced families stay in hotels, motels, and short-term rentals for more than 30 days without triggering landlord-tenant rules, mirroring an earlier homelessness-related law; the transcript ended as the author began presenting the bill and its support.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Finance (03/17/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- a permanent program.
- </c><01:02:25.079><c> I</c> I like to be upfront and conservative I I like to be upfront and conservative
- This is a no-cost program to localities, and the supply is ongoing.
- , which is an extremely useful program.
- ><c> program</c><01:12:22.440><c> we</c><01:12:22.560><c> are</c> an extremely useful program we are
Summary:
The House Finance Committee first took up a nongermane amendment to House Bill 71 that would require state vendors, through contract language, to comply with the New Hampshire Patient Bill of Rights. Representative Edwards said the amendment was revised after feedback from the hospital association and DHHS, applies only to new contracts or amendments, and includes a repeal date of November 30, 2026 so it would function only for the current budget cycle. John Williams of Legislative Affairs said the changes reflected work with DHHS procurement staff and with hospital stakeholders, including the removal of the term "addenda" in favor of "amendment" and clarification on prospective application. The committee did not vote on the amendment at that time, noting it would be attached later to HB 71.
The committee then moved into executive session and acted on several bills. HB 67, which converts a pilot program for accessible voting machines in local elections into a permanent program, was amended to remove a $100,000 appropriation and adjust dates; the amendment and the bill as amended both passed unanimously, 25-0, and the bill was suggested for the consent calendar. HB 111, extending the Right-to-Know Ombudsman position, was retained and slated to be incorporated into HB 2 after a unanimous 25-0 vote, with the ombudsman noting the office could expire July 1 if the budget were delayed. HB 164, creating a process for a publicly accessible website for local records retention and access, was also retained for HB 2 by a 25-0 vote because it carries an appropriation.
HB 216 was retained for further work because the committee could not get reliable cost information from the retirement system or the Labor Department; members said the fiscal note looked alarming, though the committee believed the actual cost might be near zero. HB 282, which raises the biennium cap on critical injury benefits for first responders from $500,000 to $1 million without increasing any individual benefit, was voted ought to pass 25-0 and will require a report. HB 619, dealing with solid waste issues and a possible self-funding accounting unit, was retained for HB 2 by a 25-0 vote. HB 650, an annual dedicated-funds cleanup bill that also caps a robotics fund at $1 million, passed ought to pass 25-0 and was placed on consent. Finally, HB 129, defining "evidence-based" in public education, was retained 25-0 while members continued working on language, and HB 133, concerning new resident driver’s license transfer requirements and DMV notices, drew a split policy discussion: the minority raised constitutional, administrative, and fiscal concerns, while the majority moved to retain it for HB 2 consideration.
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
2026 Legislative Session - Day Fifty Three - Thursday, April 16
Missouri House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- accessible and compliant with ADA, but it ensures that bad-faith actors across the state or any in the future
- The potentially very conservative assumptions generate an additional $15 million.
- Conservative assumptions generate an additional $15 million, and we have the opportunity now to generate
- couple truckers in Missouri, and they were like, you know, no, he could not get a CDL, at least the program
- The addition of non-point sources is so broad, I am concerned it could further handcuff DNR in the future
CO
Colorado 2026 Regular Session
Colorado Senate 2026 Legislative Day 099 Apr 23rd, 2026
Colorado Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Without action now, we're allowing current and future generations to suffer dangerous and preventable
- Without action now, we're allowing current and future generations to suffer dangerous and preventable
- :42.640><c> and</c> action now, we're allowing current and action now, we're allowing current and future
- generations to suffer dangerous future generations to suffer dangerous and<00:43:45.520><c> preventable
- </c> for community resilience grant program. for community resilience grant program.
Summary:
The Senate convened, established a quorum, approved the previous day’s journal, and received several committee reports and House messages. Committee reports advanced a number of bills and appointments, including Senate Bill 163, House Bill 1320, Senate Bill 160, House Bill 1210, and several board and commission appointments recommended for the consent calendar. The chamber also received House action on multiple bills, including concurrence in Senate amendments to House Bills 1239, 1262, and 1110, a request for a conference committee on House Bill 1084, and transmission of several other measures to the Revisor of Statutes.
The Senate then took up Senate Joint Resolution 22, designating July 12-18, 2026, as Plastic Pollution Awareness Week. Senator Cutter spoke in support, arguing that plastic pollution harms environmental and human health, disproportionately affects vulnerable communities, and cannot be solved by recycling alone. The resolution was adopted on a 25-9 vote, with several senators recorded in opposition, and co-sponsors were noted. The chamber also recognized guests from the Colorado Society of Enrolled Agents and the National Association of Tax Professionals, as well as visitors from the Colorado School of Mines and former Senator John Evans.
Later, the Senate considered special orders on the consent calendar, including House Bills 103, 1026, and 1051, and adopted the committee reports and the bills. House Bill 1026 was amended and House Bill 1051 was advanced to third reading and final passage. The Senate also took up Senate Bill 117, concerning permissible methods for the sale of lottery tickets. Senator Bridges explained that the bill was intended to respond to lottery rules allowing online sales and credit card purchases, but said the measure had been narrowed in committee and then raised constitutional concerns under Colorado’s prohibition on slot machines outside limited gaming areas. The transcript ends during that debate, before final action on Senate Bill 117 is shown.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Conference Committee: ESSB 5998 Mar 11th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- And members decided to land on something that's a little more conservative.
- One of the larger items in this grouping is funding for an H.R. 1 non-citizen program.
- Just that alone is going to put us in a very difficult position for budgeting in future years.
- We have instituted the millionaires tax, which will in the future deliver free meals for families.
- Those moves help future legislatures in making decisions on how to budget in the future, and because
Summary:
The conference committee on Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5998 met to review the operating budget conference report. House and Senate budget coordinators walked through comparison documents showing the Senate-passed budget, House-passed budget, and the conference proposal, including statewide totals, agency detail, revenue assumptions, transfers, and the four-year outlook. They said the conference budget uses the February 2026 ERFC forecast, includes an $880 million transfer from the budget stabilization account to the general fund, and reflects a four-year net near-general-fund impact of about $800 million, with an ending fund balance of $231 million in 2025-27 and $563 million in 2027-29. They also noted that future collective bargaining agreements are not included in the outlook beyond those already settled.
The briefing highlighted major policy items across the budget, including Working Families Tax Credit expansion, a proposed city and county fiscal health account, changes to Working Connections child care attendance payments, behavioral health facility and staffing adjustments, long-term care funding for certain non-citizen residents affected by federal changes, Apple Health and other health-related responses to H.R. 1, K-12 changes such as free school meals contingent on related legislation, Running Start and transportation depreciation adjustments, higher education administrative reductions, corrections staffing and bed changes, wildfire response funding, and state employee compensation agreements. Members also discussed the budget’s reliance on revenue measures and transfers, including legislation referenced as 2487, 6228, 6231, and 6346.
After the presentation, Senator Robinson moved adoption of the conference report and passage of the bill as recommended by the committee. In discussion, supporters said the budget protected core services and responded to federal H.R. 1 impacts, while opponents criticized the size of the budget, the use of reserves, future outlook assumptions, and reductions in some K-12 and other programs. The committee then voted 4-2 to recommend the conference report and ESSB 5998 to the legislature, with Representatives Gregerson and Ormsby and Senators Robinson and Stanford in favor, and Representative Couture and Senator Gildon opposed.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- How is that tracking with future revenue?
- 1495 Unidentified Speaker: …the centers of excellence program has been a great program that the Judicial
- Unidentified Speaker: …the centers of excellence program has been a great program that the judicial council
- So can you explain this program to us? So there is a... So can you explain this program to us?
- We love the rural public defender program.
Bills:
SB 1
Committee:
Senate Finance
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Special Committee on Rural Issues Mar 25th, 2026
Special Committee on Rural Issues
Transcript Highlights:
- probably still today, utility companies would typically write easements that would allow for the future
- I'm concerned about our energy future and prices, and I'm having a hard time with particular sources
- And I don't deal with a lot of agricultural conservation land within the city boundaries.
- I'm a conservative. We worked hard.
- And I found out a little bit about it earlier today, but I know that they do have future meetings to
Committee:
House Special Committee on Rural Issues
Summary:
The Special Committee on Rural Issues heard House Bill 3375, sponsored by Rep. Koslow, a broad eminent domain reform measure aimed at protecting landowners, especially farmers and ranchers. The bill would create protections for beginning farmers and ranchers, require 15 days’ notice before surveyors enter property, extend the response period in eminent domain cases from 10 days to 60 days, bar eminent domain for wind and solar facilities, require land restoration and maintenance after construction, increase compensation to 125% of fair market value in certain cases, add tax-liability compensation, change treatment of heritage and blight-related compensation, and allow attorney’s fees when a landowner wins a higher award than the condemning authority offered. Members raised concerns about the bill’s scope, its effect on energy development, and several drafting and implementation issues, including surveyor access, maintenance standards, and whether the bill could create conflicts with existing attorney-fee provisions. The sponsor said he was open to changes and noted that an HCS would address some drafting errors and feedback.
Testimony in support came from the Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, a landowner/banker, and attorney Brent Hayden, who argued that landowners are often pressured into quick, low offers and should be treated as partners rather than obstacles. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency, due process, compensation, and restoration standards, and that it would not stop infrastructure development. Hayden described current eminent domain practice as giving landowners little leverage over route selection or restoration and said the bill would create needed discipline for condemning authorities. Several supporters also defended the wind-and-solar restriction as a response to the amount of land those projects can require and to concerns about using eminent domain for generation projects.
Opposition came from the Missouri Energy Development Association, municipal utilities, and MoDOT. Opponents said they agreed some reforms may be reasonable but warned the bill, as written, could increase costs, delay projects, and create litigation risk that would ultimately be passed on to customers and taxpayers. MoDOT said the fiscal impact could be substantial, potentially doubling annual right-of-way spending. Utility representatives also cautioned that the bill could conflict with existing attorney-fee rules and should be aligned with compromise language from other legislation. The hearing ended without a vote or committee action, with the sponsor and witnesses indicating further negotiations and possible revisions were expected.
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> future endeavors. future endeavors. Um<00:47:27.080><c> Mr.
- </c> know, the Department of Conservation know, the Department of Conservation owns.<01:18:15.760><c>
- </c><01:18:19.320><c> purchased</c> and Department of Conservation purchased and Department of Conservation
- </c> does is reins in the cost and future does is reins in the cost and future cost<02:32:24.640><c>
- </c> chairman in committee did a conservative chairman in committee did a conservative explanation<02
Summary:
The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum present, then quickly handled routine business including excusing absent senators, adopting the prior journal, and recognizing several guests in the gallery. The chamber also paused to honor Dr. Mark Sullivan, superintendent of Birmingham City Schools, with a Senate resolution commending him as the Alabama Education Association’s 2025-26 outstanding superintendent of the year. Senator Smitherman and Dr. Sullivan both spoke, with Sullivan highlighting Birmingham’s academic gains, reduced failing schools, and lower chronic absenteeism.
The Senate then processed a series of House messages and confirmations. It concurred in SB 288 on agriculture authorities and SB 317 on the Alabama Commission on the Evaluation of Services, but non-concurred and sent SB 174 on natural resources and SB 32 on solid waste collection fees to conference. The chamber confirmed numerous appointments, including Rex Jones, William Donahue, Jim Massey, Jason Windham, Alexander Atwater, Charles Dean, Steve McKinnon, Bonnie Temple, Shaniqua Johnson-Enam, Dwayne Jenkins, Troy Skipworth, Gloria Watts, Tracy Doughty, Kevin Ball, Joe D. Briggs, Josh Bryant, Dylan Turk, David R. Pruitt III, and Carol Smitherman, with most confirmations passing on near-unanimous rolls.
Committee reports advanced several House bills, including favorable reports on HB 224, 591, 614, 609, 444, 248, 611, 622, 92, and 556, with HB 248 amended. The Senate also adopted a resolution honoring the University of Alabama women’s wheelchair basketball team for winning the 2026 national championship, and another resolution recognizing the seriousness of the national debt and urging Congress to establish regular budget order. A resolution honoring retired Brigadier General Vandiver H. Carter as the 2026 Marion Military Institute Alumnus of the Year and a resolution commending John R. Cooper were also adopted.
In local legislation, the Senate passed HB 635 for Choctaw County, HB 639 for Escambia County, SB 10 for Tuscaloosa County, HB 315 for class one municipalities after adopting a committee substitute and a friendly amendment, and HB 404 for class one municipalities. Finally, the Committee on Rules reported and the Senate adopted a special order calendar for the next legislative day, listing a wide range of bills for priority consideration, including measures on solar power facilities, homestead exemptions, education, guardianships, tax increment districts, legal tender, college tuition, crime victims compensation, motor vehicles, entertainment industry issues, campus chaplains, tax abatements, alcoholic beverage producers, data privacy, constables, insurance, municipal audits, income tax, public high schools, taxation, state health planning, and University of Alabama matters.