Video & Transcript Research : 'Hunting'
Page 22 of 109
MD
Transcript Highlights:
- What it does is it reduces the hunting safety zone in Baltimore City for archery hunting from 100 and
- Um what it does is it reduces<00:58:53.440>
the <00:58:53.720>hunting <00:58:54.080> - the hunting safety zone in Baltimore<00:58:55.680>
City <00:58:56.080>for <00:58:56.359 - >
archery <00:58:56.840>hunting <00:58:57.400>from Baltimore City for archery hunting - from Baltimore City for archery hunting from 100<00:58:58.760>
uh <00:58:59.080>and <00
Summary:
The Senate convened, received an invocation from Pastor Shannon Watkins of Souls One Outreach Cathedral in Cumberland, and welcomed several guests and student pages. The chamber also announced the week’s schedule for the final days of session, including likely double sessions later in the week and a possible Saturday hold. Administrative items included the reading of House messages, a favorable executive nominations report that was special ordered for Tuesday, and the introduction of several House bills and Senate bills on the calendar.
The main floor debate centered on Senate Bill 841, the Utility Relief Reducing Energy Load Information for Every Family Act. Senators discussed energy affordability, ratepayer relief, utility costs, data center growth, in-state generation, and the role of programs such as RGGI, EmPower, and the RPS. Supporters said the bill provides a comprehensive short- and long-term response, including consumer transparency and low-income relief, while critics argued it did not go far enough and should have included stronger relief or pauses on renewable energy mandates. After debate and several explanations of vote, the Senate passed SB 841 by a constitutional majority, 38-affirmative votes.
Earlier in the session, Senate Bill 213 on state procurement transparency and procedures also passed with 40 affirmative votes. After SB 841 passed, the Senate took up House Bill 1532, a conforming companion to the utility relief measure. The committee offered an amendment to align HB 1532 with SB 841, the amendment was adopted without objection, and the bill then passed on third reading. Senators who explained their votes largely echoed the same themes from the SB 841 debate, with some emphasizing the need for more relief and others stressing the bill’s broader policy changes and regional energy-market constraints.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security Feb 18th, 2025
Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security
Transcript Highlights:
- All right, we are going to turn to Tab 3, presentation by Florida National Guard Colonel Jason Hunt with
- Colonel Hunt, you are recognized, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
- Thank you, Colonel Hunt. Do we have any questions? Thank you, Colonel Hunt.
- Yes, Senator Burgess, Colonel Hunt, good to see you, sir.
- I'm also very proud of what we did during the hurricanes that the good Colonel Hunt was talking about
Summary:
The committee took up SB 116 by Senator Burgess, a veterans bill aimed at several FDVA-related changes. The bill would reduce annual nominations to the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame from 20 to 5, expand FDVA’s survey work to assess veterans’ awareness of available programs and their health literacy, add mental health training to the veterans suicide prevention pilot, strengthen coordination and reporting between Veterans Florida and FDVA, direct FDVA to develop a plan for adult day health care facilities statewide, and allow the Florida Veterans Foundation to use a portion of Gadsden flag plate proceeds for administrative costs. Senator Burgess said the measure builds on prior “Forward March” efforts and helps close service gaps for aging veterans and others who may not know about available benefits.
Testimony on SB 116 was uniformly supportive. FDVA leadership said adult day health care could be added at existing facilities such as Port St. Lucie and Lake City, and that the state would need authority and funding to move forward. A veterans legal collaborative, AARP Florida, and Endeavors all voiced support, with speakers emphasizing the importance of better outreach, mental health awareness, and care options that allow veterans to remain at home. The committee then voted favorably on SB 116.
The remainder of the meeting was devoted to agency and stakeholder presentations. Florida National Guard officials described a high operational tempo, deployments at home and abroad, hurricane response efforts, and the need to grow the force and infrastructure. FDVA’s adjutant general reported Florida now has the nation’s second-largest veteran population, rising in-migration of younger veterans, a large and aging Vietnam-era population, strong claims and outreach activity, declining veteran homelessness, and improved suicide prevention outcomes. The Florida Veterans Foundation outlined its emergency relief, dental, transportation, and license-plate-funded programs, while Veterans Florida and CareerSource Florida detailed workforce, apprenticeship, SkillBridge, entrepreneurship, and job-fair programs for veterans and spouses, along with efforts to expand recurring funding and better protect customer information.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Dedicated Funds (10/13/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- . >> And the hunting license fee, I think, has been 250 for quite a long time also. on fish and game
- >> And<00:10:34.399>
the <00:10:34.720>hunting <00:10:35.120>license <00:10 - license fee I think has >> And the hunting license fee I think has been<00:10:37.360>
250 - >> And<00:10:41.519>
the <00:10:41.760>hunting <00:10:42.079>license <00:10- You can't get a license without getting a hunting license first.
- >> And<00:10:41.519>
Summary:
The committee first approved the minutes from the September 24 and September 27 meetings unanimously. It then reviewed a spreadsheet and draft report tracking the status of various dedicated funds, with members deciding which items should be kept active, removed, or flagged for follow-up next year. Several funds were identified as no longer needing action because they had been repealed, terminated, or were already handled elsewhere, including mosquito-related funding, child care licensing, and the prescription drug affordability board item. In other cases, members agreed to keep the fund on the list but remove question marks and add notes for future review or for another committee to address.
A number of funds drew more detailed discussion. Members agreed that the Fish and Game fee increase issue should not be handled by this committee directly, but that staff should notify the relevant sponsor/department that a legislative change would be needed. They also discussed a medical cannabis fund that was running down significantly; the committee agreed to keep it active, note the concern, and send a letter to the department and Representative McDonald suggesting that HHS review whether fees or another revenue source should be changed, with the possibility of a late bill if needed. The lead poisoning prevention fund was also kept, with a note that the department should take action if it wants changes, and the committee discussed a grants-and-aid escrow-related item, concluding it should remain active and be kept on the list.
Members also discussed several legacy or special-purpose funds. They agreed to recommend deleting the broodstock reference, to keep the emergency fund while asking for a better explanation of its funding source, and to retain the building maintenance fund as active. The Recovery Monument fund was identified as inactive and likely eligible for transfer of its remaining $1,000 to the addiction treatment and prevention fund. The Matthew Elliott Trust Fund prompted the most extended discussion; members concluded it should not continue as-is and agreed to draft a letter to the Attorney General recommending that the fund be closed through probate court and the remaining $5,657 transferred to Fund 122, or otherwise handled as unclaimed property if appropriate. The committee also discussed a firemen’s association-related transfer and agreed it should remain, while noting that any broader change would require legislation and a sponsor in the relevant policy committee.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (02/19/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- idea I know I know representative hunt idea I know I know representative hunt doesn't<00:51:37.440
- Representative Hunt, the New Hampshire Municipal Association opposes the bill.
- <00:53:45.720>
New it real short representative hunt New it real short representative hunt - Hi, Chairman Hunt and members of the committee. My name is Devin Quinn.
- Good afternoon, Chairman Hunt and honorable members of the Commerce Committee.
Summary:
The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 437, which would change New Hampshire law on undischarged mortgages by creating a shorter period after which certain old mortgages would be treated as unenforceable. Prime sponsor Representative Bill Boyd said the bill was developed with input from bankers, lawyers, realtors, the Attorney General’s office, and the Banking Department, and he noted a drafting correction needed on line 18. He explained that the proposal would replace current law with a new framework modeled partly on Massachusetts, including a five-year expiration after a stated maturity date and a 35-year period for mortgages without an expiration date. Supporters said the bill would help clear obsolete title defects, reduce costly quiet-title litigation, and make real estate transactions easier for consumers, attorneys, and conveyancers.
Representative Mary Hakken-Phillips, Susan Cole of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, and Michelle Coffin all testified in support, describing the bill as a consumer protection measure. They said undischarged or improperly discharged mortgages often surface during title searches, causing delays, legal expenses, and failed or delayed closings. Coffin and Hakken-Phillips emphasized that many of these cases involve old, effectively obsolete mortgages and that the current process often requires expensive court action even when no one contests the title. Cole described a recent transaction in which a title defect caused a buyer to walk away and later restart the financing process, creating costs for both buyer and seller. A committee member asked about notice to mortgage holders; the response was that the lender bears responsibility for recording and extending the mortgage, and that due process rights would remain if a lender later contested the discharge.
Ryan Hill of the New Hampshire Bankers Association said the banking industry had reviewed the bill and was generally comfortable with it, while requesting a delayed effective date so members would have time to adjust their recording practices. He said the bill’s January 1, 2028 effective date reflected that request. After closing the hearing on HB 437, the committee opened a hearing on House Bill 721, the Gold and Silver Legal Tender Act. Representative Juliet Harvey-Bolia introduced it as a bipartisan economic justice bill intended to recognize gold and silver as legal tender, protect against inflation, and address concerns about trust, taxes, and government taking. She argued that gold is a stable store of value and discussed tax treatment in neighboring states, federal history, and digital gold platforms. The hearing on HB 721 was still in progress when the transcript ended, with the chair limiting questions because of time.
OR
Oregon 2026 Regular Session
Financial Estimate Committee - Drafting Meeting Jul 17th, 2026 at 02:00 pm
Transcript Highlights:
- amendment related to the criminalization of breeding practices and injury and killing of animals, food, hunting
- be impacted—beef, poultry, and pork, commercial seafood production; and recreational fishing and hunting
- tribal governmental agreements or cooperative endeavors and treaty-protected practices involving hunting
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- I take them hunting a lot.
- handle and so this bill would actually allow my children to be involved in shooting sports and in hunting
- It's much easier to handle as much easier to maneuver and much easier to utilize whether it is hunting
Keywords:
elections, Election Code, poll workers, election clerks, presiding judge, alternate presiding judge, polling place, central counting station, county chair, political party, gubernatorial election, vote counting, election administration, Texas elections, precinct officials, ballot counting, county election officials, election integrity, election fraud, Attorney General
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor (3-5-26)
Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor
Transcript Highlights:
- And we're coming into a season, y'all may know, of morels and hickory chickens, which I love to hunt
- which<00:17:26.560>
I <00:17:26.679>love <00:17:27.000>to <00:17:27.120>hunt - <00:17:27.439>
and <00:17:27.520>love chickens, which I love to hunt and love chickens - , which I love to hunt and love to<00:17:28.000>
eat.
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00
Roll Call: 00:26
SB 343 Discussion: 01:00
SB 343 Voting: 02:25
SB 19 Discussion: 03:25
SB 19 Voting: 20:10, 958, all
Summary:
The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor met with a roll call showing members present, then first took up Senate Bill 343, which would extend the Workers' Compensation Funding Commission and preserve the independent funding mechanism for the Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims. The chair explained that the bill would keep the current assessment structure in place beyond its scheduled 2029 expiration and support the department’s independence and budgeting flexibility. The committee voted 11-0 to report the bill favorably.
The committee then heard a presentation on Senate Bill 19, relating to a state mushroom. Senator Scott Madon and Representative Mitch Whitaker introduced students and a biology teacher from Letcher County Central High School, who presented research supporting the indigo milk cap (Lactarius indigo) as Kentucky’s state mushroom. The students described the mushroom’s blue color, ecological role, edible qualities, and possible educational and scientific value, and tied the proposal to Kentucky’s identity as the Bluegrass State. Senators praised the students’ presentation and the effort to involve young people in the legislative process, and one senator asked how to identify edible mushrooms, prompting advice that experience is important and that local mushroom groups can help. The committee then voted 11-0 to report Senate Bill 19 favorably.
Before adjourning, members briefly discussed the presentation and the educational value of involving students, with comments noting the strong participation of young women in science. Senate Bill 324 was on the agenda but was passed over and held for one week. The meeting then adjourned.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 19th, 2025
Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- species habitats and support communities where deer have become so numerous that their recreational hunting
- A targeted tool for a specific situation is not about removing hunting rights or encouraging widespread
- Due to the preserve's proximity to so many homes, public hunting is not as safe. or viable option.
- Furthermore, our past use of selective hunting in controlled areas has not achieved the necessary management
Keywords:
agriculture, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, honey production, beekeeping, food safety, local regulation, bovine producers, dairy farms, permits, bovine tuberculosis, public health, wildlife management, disease prevention, alert system, Texas A&M, white-tailed deer, public safety
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
House Floor Session-Day 15, February 26, 2026-PM
Wyoming House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- > landowner license limits and limited landowner license limits and limited quota<01:51:26.320>
hunt - areas an act relating to game quota hunt areas an act relating to game and<01:51:28.320>
fish. - license limits and limited quota hunt license limits and limited quota hunt areas<01:51:39.199><
- Senate File 66, sponsored by Senator French, Donated Hunting Licenses Amendments, an act relating to
- , trapping, and hunting, fishing, trapping, and conservation<01:54:20.800>
under <01:54:21.040>
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee 2/18/25
Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Also, on the other side of the ledger there, over a million hunting licenses sold each year; angling
- licenses, I should say, 800,000 fishing or hunting licenses; 82,000 registered boats within the state
- Also, on the other side of the ledger there, over a million hunting licenses sold each year; angling
- People are still deer hunting a lot. We didn't see a real decline there.
- I still see people go deer hunting. They still have their shacks.
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
FL House Floor Session - 2026-05-29 (10:00AM Session)
Florida House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The four-month hunting, fishing, and camping holiday is amended to include the firearm accessories that
- And then, of course, as you recognize, we have the sales tax holiday, hunting, fishing, camping, outdoor
- Is there some particular reason why you decided to combine it with the hunting and fishing, camping?
- Was there some particular reason why you decided to combine that with the camping and hunting and fishing
- Your point is a valid one, except that those retailers, particularly the hunting, fishing, camping, and
NE
Nebraska 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Morning Session Apr 7th, 2026
Nebraska Unicameral Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Senator Hunt, you recognized to speak. Thank you, Mr. President.
- Thank you, Senator Hunt. Senator Abel, you're recognized to speak.
- Senator Hunt, you're recognized to speak. Thank you, Mr. President.
- Senator Hunt, you're recognized to speak. Thank you, Mr. President.
- Thank you, Senator Hunt.
Bills:
LB815A, LB838A, LB912A, LB972A, LB1126A, LB962A, LB1114, LB921, LB937, LB803, LB803A, LB1032, LB1032A, LB1075, LB1075A, LB889, LB878, LB933, LB304, LB304A, LB1096, LB1096A, LB1165, LB1165A, LB958, LB958A, LB762, LB1187, LB966, LB929, LB962, LB753, LB788, LB913, LB1055, LB1195, LB429, LB721, LB722, LB727, LB743, LB745, LB749, LB778, LB787
Keywords:
LB815A, LB815, appropriation, appropriations bill, Nebraska Department of Revenue, Motor Fuel Tax Enforcement and Collection Cash Fund, motor fuel tax, gas tax, fuel tax, tax enforcement, tax collection, cash fund, budget, state spending, per diem, salaries, fiscal year, enrollment and review, final reading, Nebraska
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Apr 14th, 2025
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Also, I'm a registered, uh, hunting and fishing guide.
- As a hunting guide, but also going back as a Border Patrol agent.
- A simple practicality of this bill will give 1.7 million Texas hunting license holders an option for
- a better firearm for maneuverability and hunting out in the field and, um, getting in and out of stands
- Thank God that she did not suffer like the other children that were hunted down in that classroom.
Bills:
HB259
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- Commissioner Hunt, my co-chair, is down with a stomach bug.
- So I'm grateful to, to, um, so I'm grateful to, um, I'm grateful to my co-chair Hunt and his team, Aaron
- So I think I'm speaking for Commissioner, you know, my co-chair, Dan Hunt, is, you know, once we get
- So I will get with Commissioner Hunt when he is vertical, and we'll have a conversation about this.
- Hunter Hunt when he is vertical, and we'll have a conversation about this.
Summary:
The Special Commission on Correctional Consolidation and Collaboration met on October 17 with members attending in person and virtually. The commission approved the September 15 minutes and then heard a detailed presentation from DCAM Commissioner Adam Bakey on the correctional facilities portfolio, including the age and condition of DOC and sheriff facilities, deferred maintenance, ADA compliance, decarbonization mandates, and how capital funding is allocated. Bakey said the correctional portfolio includes 36 facilities, with average ages over 50 years, and described how older, rapidly built facilities from the tough-on-crime era now face significant maintenance and replacement needs. He also explained the distinction between catch-up deferred maintenance and ongoing keep-up needs, and noted that construction costs and code thresholds have made projects more expensive.
Commissioners and sheriffs asked about ADA requirements, aging and overcrowded facilities, hazardous materials, parts availability for obsolete systems, plumbing and health risks, and whether a newer, more modern correctional facility should be considered. Bakey said many projects trigger broader code upgrades, that some dormant facilities remain in the portfolio, and that health-care and correctional construction are among the most expensive building types. He outlined current funding, including annual deferred maintenance allocations for DOC and formula-based five-year commitments for sheriffs, plus a new competitive capital program for larger sheriff projects. He also explained the Designer Selection Board and “house doctor” process used to procure architects and engineers.
The commission then shifted to planning its next steps, focusing on public input. Members agreed the next meeting should likely be a public hearing or include public testimony, with possible input from people with lived experience and consideration of facility tours, especially of women’s facilities such as Framingham. Members emphasized the need to define the commission’s scope clearly so testimony stays focused on structural and consolidation issues rather than all correctional policy topics. The meeting ended with plans for the co-chairs to coordinate the public process and a motion to adjourn, which passed without opposition.
AR
Transcript Highlights:
- 52 cents an acre per year to lease the property for 99 years to open it up for public fishing and hunting
- You know, the fact that this would be a WMA, there would be hiking, bird watching, hunting, all of those
- And they want to be able to hunt and fish and hike and ride their bikes or whatever.
- And they want to be able to hunt and fish and hike and ride their bikes or whatever else they want to
- I don't have a dog in this hunt, but I'm listening intently, both from a conservation standpoint and
Summary:
The committee met to consider a series of appropriation, reserve transfer, and grant requests. Early items included temporary appropriations for the Department of Education’s Educational Freedom Account program ($32 million), the State Crime Lab ($476,000), and DFA Assessment Coordination ($90,000), along with a $1 ARPA return from the Department of Health. The committee approved these items after brief questions, including a discussion about contract cost increases at Assessment Coordination and a clarification that the $1 ARPA item was simply an unused-funds return.
The most extensive discussion centered on the Department of Education’s EFA funding. Members questioned the growth in participation, the use of one-time funds and restricted reserves, and safeguards against fraud or improper purchases. Agency officials said about 44,000 students were being funded, that purchases are reviewed and flagged for unusual activity, and that homeschool students are not required to buy a curriculum so long as purchases are eligible and approved. The committee approved the EFA appropriation and related reserve transfer, and officials said the governor’s proposed budget would include the program in the RSA going forward.
The committee also approved a DHS reallocation request and reviewed a building authority loan for a data center power supply replacement. In the federal grant section, members discussed a Department of Agriculture request for Central Arkansas Water to acquire land in the Maumelle watershed. Debate focused on the environmental benefits versus local property-tax and development concerns in Perry County, with testimony from the agency, Central Arkansas Water, and Potlatch about watershed protection, public access, and potential development impacts. After extended discussion, the committee adopted a motion to defer the item to the full Legislative Council and asked the department to remove the Perry County portion from the request, limiting the grant-funded purchase to Pulaski County property. The committee then reviewed remaining items, including a Veterans Affairs pay-plan appropriation, and adjourned.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Local Government Oct 15th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We're hoping that Representative Hall will take the place of Representative Hunt on our committee.
- She is now Senator Hunt. Happy to have you.
- We're hoping that Representative Hall will take the place of Representative Hunt on our committee.
- She is now Senator Hunt. And then could we just quickly introduce staff, please? This is crazy.
- But Representative Hunt, welcome.
Summary:
The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further.
The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package.
Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships Apr 14th, 2025
S/C on Family & Fiduciary Relationships
Transcript Highlights:
- The Chair calls Lauren Hunt.
- My name is Lauren Hunt, I'm with the Texas Real Estate and Probate Institute, which has taken over legislative
- The chair calls Lauren Hunt. It says, "Here you are at the Texas Real Estate and Probate."
- Hunt? Members, not hearing any, thank you, Ms. Hunt. Thank you.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- John Benura, Annie Spillman, Shannon Holmes, Ray Hunt. Two, four, and two against.
- Ray Hunt, two, four, and two against. Balanced here, barren balanced, yeah, yeah.
- Hunt. My name is Ray Hunt.
- Hunt, was it? You represent the Houston Police Officers Union?
Keywords:
electric generation, reliability, ERCOT, Public Utility Commission, penalties, performance requirements, energy policy, construction contracts, compensatory damages, government delays, contractor, legislation, nonprofit donor privacy, membership lists, supporter confidentiality, volunteer privacy, association rights, public records exemption, Texas Public Information Act, government transparency
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce heard Senate Bill 2021 by Senator Johnson, as substituted, on distributed energy resources (DERs). Johnson said the bill was intended to create a regulatory framework for DERs and virtual power plants, address interconnection and registration issues, and prevent regulatory capture as the industry grows. Testimony was split: Texas Electric Cooperatives asked for clarification so co-ops would not be unintentionally excluded from owning or operating DERs; AECT supported the bill as providing needed rules and customer protections; TABA, Texas Solar and Storage Association, Sierra Club, Texas Solar Energy Society, and several others opposed it or raised concerns that it was too utility-centric, imposed red tape, and could burden homeowners and small businesses with registration and interconnection requirements. Johnson repeatedly said the bill was not meant to stop rooftop solar or backup systems and that he was open to specific redlines and further changes. SB 2021 was left pending after testimony.
The committee then took up Senate Bill 2330 by Senator Parker, which would end government payroll deduction for dues to certain public employee organizations, while exempting first responders under Chapters 143 and 147 and making other conforming changes in a committee substitute. Parker argued the bill was about government neutrality, transparency, and employee freedom from coercion, and said organizations can collect dues directly using modern payment methods. Supporters from Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Business Coalition, Freedom Foundation, ABC Texas, and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility said taxpayer-funded payroll systems should not be used to collect dues for private organizations, especially ones involved in political activity. Opponents, including ATPE, Texas Classroom Teachers Association, Texas Public Employees Association, and correctional employees, said payroll deduction is a convenient, secure service that helps professional associations and employee groups, and argued the bill would burden teachers and other public employees.
Several witnesses and senators focused on the bill’s exemptions and whether it treated teachers differently from first responders. Senator Menendez questioned why some public employees were excluded while others were not, and a Houston police union representative said he moved from opposing to supporting the bill after being told the substitute would preserve meet-and-confer deductions under Chapters 143 and 147. Senator Parker closed by saying the bill was not meant to eliminate associations or payroll deduction entirely, only to remove the state as a middleman. SB 2330 was left pending, and the committee then recessed subject to call.
NH
New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session
House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (04/01/2026)
Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Thank you, Chairman Hunt and members of the committee.
- Thank you, Chairman Hunt and members of the committee.
- Thank you, Chairman Hunt and members of the committee.
- Um, we didn't make it down to you last year, Representative Hunt.
- questioning from Representative Hunt. questioning from Representative Hunt.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
JT Business, Financial Services & Trade w/State Government & Tribal Relations Dec 19th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Located on the Kitsap Peninsula, we continue to engage in traditional fishing and hunting practices protected
- In an effort to retain their rights, predominantly focusing on hunting, gathering, and fishing.
- an equitable adjustment for the... in an effort to retain their rights predominantly focusing on hunting
Summary:
The joint House and Senate committee meeting heard public testimony on tentative tribal-state gaming compact amendments for the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe. Staff from the Washington State Gambling Commission explained the compacting process, the role of ex officio legislative members, and that the amendments would next go to the Gambling Commission for a January 8, 2026 vote before possible governor review. The Port Gamble S'Klallam presentation emphasized how gaming revenue supports tribal government services, health care, housing, education, language revitalization, natural resources work, and community investment projects in Kitsap County.
For Port Gamble S'Klallam, the proposed changes include expanded credit and wager limits, more gaming stations and player terminals, language for a second facility, and adoption of an electronic table games appendix similar to other tribes. Members asked about pre-screening for high-limit tables, including how the tribe would define problem gambling and self-exclusion; tribal counsel said internal minimum control standards were still being developed and more detail would follow. A question about green crab removal in Port Gamble Bay was deferred for follow-up because the natural resources director was not present.
The Upper Skagit Indian Tribe described its history, sovereignty, gaming operations, and how gaming revenue supports member programs such as nutrition assistance, education aid, homeownership down payment help, and charitable giving in Skagit County. Its amendment would allow electronic table games after the tribe removed traditional table games due to staffing and cost pressures, with the goal of remaining competitive. Committee members also asked about air quality and smoking-related provisions in the compact; the tribe said it maintains separate smoking and non-smoking areas and supports smoking cessation efforts. Chairs from both chambers closed by thanking the tribes for their contributions to members, local communities, and natural resource protection.