Transcript Highlights:

• want to prioritize regulations and investments that protect communities from wildfires, flooding, drought
• want to prioritize regulations and investments that protect communities from wildfires, flooding, drought

Summary: The committee heard several bills, with SB 1350 by Senator McNerney presented first. The measure would expand California’s use of renewable hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with supporters emphasizing grid reliability, clean-energy goals, in-state investment, and construction jobs. Support came from labor, clean-energy, municipal utility, and local government representatives; NRDC Action Fund withdrew opposition after amendments, while a few groups remained opposed or neutral. The committee later took a roll call and SB 1350 passed out on a due pass recommendation. The committee also heard SB 1180 by Senator Allen, which would set operational rules for the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund created under SB 54, including clearer eligible uses, transparency, technical assistance, and access for tribes and smaller community groups. Environmental justice, ocean, conservation, and local government groups strongly supported the bill, saying it would ensure the fund addresses plastic pollution’s public health and environmental harms. Industry and manufacturing groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill should stay tightly tied to plastic waste reduction and not broaden into source-reduction policy. After quorum was established, the committee approved SB 1180 on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. SB 1326 by Senator Wahab was then heard to strengthen tribal consultation and tribal cultural resource protections under CEQA by recognizing tribal registers and requiring feasible avoidance or mitigation measures when tribes identify resources. Tribal representatives and supporters said the bill would better protect sacred sites and tribal knowledge, while cities, counties, utilities, builders, and rural county groups opposed unless amended, citing implementation concerns, possible litigation, and uncertainty for infrastructure and housing projects. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations. Finally, SB 954 by Senator Blakespear was presented as a cleanup of last year’s SB 131 advanced-manufacturing CEQA exemption, narrowing eligible projects and adding guardrails such as setbacks, air-quality limits, tribal consultation, labor standards, and habitat protections. Environmental and labor groups supported the bill as a needed correction to an overly broad exemption, while business, manufacturing, housing, and local-government groups opposed, warning it could make the exemption unusable and slow investment. Members debated the balance between environmental protection and manufacturing competitiveness, and the committee voted SB 954 out on a due pass recommendation to the Labor and Employment Committee; the transcript then moved on to SB 1031 on compostable plastics, which was introduced but not acted on in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Historic drought, as Heath has mentioned, we haven't started building back our herd—the smallest number
• important issue, especially because we are already facing challenges in our production of food due to drought

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• happening is that the land mass of the Earth is no longer functioning as a carbon sink, with the droughts
• The cycle of droughts and floods we're seeing certainly makes life harder on farmers, lest we forget

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• y'all know, Central Texas is growing rapidly, and we're in the midst of what many are calling the new drought
• Unfortunately, due to drought and increased population growth, groundwater levels across the state are

Bills: SB467, SB325, SB867, SB994, SB1052, SB1237, SB1449, SB1531, SB2063, SB2172, SB2173, SB2520, SB2529, SB2538, SB2541, SJR46, SJR84

Keywords: SB 467, Texas property tax, ad valorem tax, homestead exemption, residence homestead, fire damage, house fire, destroyed home, temporary tax relief, appraisal district, chief appraiser, local taxing unit, tax rollback, tax refund, Tax Code Chapter 11, prorated exemption, homestead improvement, disaster relief, property tax exemption, residential property

Transcript Highlights:

• our state, we see these impacts firsthand, whether it's devastating wildfires, long-term persistent drought
• New Mexico is in a drought, experiencing higher frequency and intensity of wildfires.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been in about four years of drought over there in Burnet County, and I remember waking up about
• We've been in about four years of drought over there in Burnet County, and I remember waking up about
• However, station Data also is informative for droughts, heat waves, tornadoes, fire, wind, winter storms
• However, station data also is informative for droughts, heat waves, tornadoes, fire, wind, winter storms
• However, station data also is informative for droughts, heat waves, tornadoes, fire, wind, winter storms

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness hearing convened in Kerrville with quorum, public testimony limited to three minutes and invited testimony to 10 minutes. Leaders from both chambers, along with the lieutenant governor and speaker, framed the hearing as an unprecedented joint effort focused on learning from the July 4 flood, honoring victims, and identifying actions to reduce future loss of life. The committee also heard opening remarks about decorum, logistics, and the intent to continue work in future sessions. The first panel included Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, Emergency Management Coordinator William B. Thomas IV, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr., Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice, Upper Guadalupe River Authority representative William Rector, Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk, and Real County Judge Bella Rubio. They described the flood as sudden and catastrophic, with Kerr County reporting 108 deaths and two missing. Local officials emphasized that they received no timely warning of the scale of the event, that responders and volunteers acted heroically under extreme conditions, and that communications, cell coverage, and rural emergency resources were strained. Several witnesses said the county’s existing alert systems were limited by geography, sparse broadband, and the speed of the flood. Testimony focused on possible improvements, including real-time flood gauges and predictive monitoring, stronger rural emergency management staffing and training, better interoperability and alerting tools such as IPAWS, CodeRED, WENS, and sirens, and expanded broadband and radio coverage. Kerrville asked for a flood warning system before next summer and state help for stormwater, floodplain, and disaster recovery funding. UGRA described its past and current flood-warning and mitigation efforts, including gauge funding, a new software-based flood prediction project, and consideration of additional retention dams. Kendall and Real counties highlighted successful or needed alerting and evacuation practices, while also stressing the difficulty of funding and maintaining such systems in small rural counties. Members asked detailed questions about the timeline of the flood response, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and whether regional consolidation or additional infrastructure could improve future preparedness.

Transcript Highlights:

• Water takings like happening in my district in Northern California, where an emergency drought declaration
• , even though we have plentiful rainfall and snowpack these days, the drought declaration is still in
• , even though we have plentiful rainfall and snowpack these days, the drought declaration is still in
• , even though we have plentiful rainfall and snowpack these days, the drought declaration is still in
• Severe drought and powerful winds made firefighters' jobs even more difficult.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• continues to grow at an exceptional rate in South Texas as we continue to add population, our ongoing drought

Bills: HJR40

Keywords: Medicaid, healthcare access, Affordable Care Act, federal funding, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• Fire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, which authorized the issuance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> UTAH, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, TEXAS HAS FAR WORSE DROUGHT ISSUES ON A REGULAR BASIS THAN FLORIDA SO

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• allow flexibility for us to make sure that we can fortify ourselves against things like flood or drought
• allow flexibility for us to make sure that we can fortify ourselves against things like flood or drought
• California is facing more extreme storms, deeper droughts, and less reliable snowpack.
• These changes will help California capture more water during wet periods and better prepare for drought

Summary: The Assembly met in session, established a quorum, approved dispensing with the previous day’s journal, and then took up a long third-reading file. Early procedural actions included moving AB 1589 to the inactive file and continuing reconsideration items. The chamber then considered a series of bills largely focused on immigration enforcement, detention, worker protections, child care, voting access, and related public services. Several immigration-related measures passed, including AB 2393 on damages for false imprisonment/arrest, AB 1994 on an immigrant victims’ rights and resources card, AB 1929 on health plan investment disclosures, AB 1633 imposing a tax on for-profit detention facilities, AB 1650 requiring decals on rental vehicles used for enforcement, AB 1655 protecting CalWORKs benefits when a child is detained, and AB 1896 disqualifying people who participated in immigration enforcement from certain public employment. AB 2230, which would bar immigration enforcement near polling places and child care facilities, also passed after extensive debate. Supporters framed these bills as accountability and protection for vulnerable communities; opponents argued they targeted federal law enforcement, were unnecessary, or raised constitutional concerns. AB 1851 on statewide school mental-health guidance also passed unanimously. After the midday recess, the Assembly returned and continued with more bills tied to immigration impacts and child welfare. AB 2379 passed with urgency, requiring child care providers to be informed of constitutional rights and trained on protections when confronted by immigration enforcement. AB 2460 passed to update school behavioral-health referral protocols for students affected by immigration enforcement trauma. AB 2495 passed to expand prohibitions on employer immigration-related threats, and AB 2662 was presented as a way for California to monitor and document federal enforcement actions and report on their community impacts. Throughout the day, the floor featured repeated exchanges over whether the bills addressed real problems or were political messaging, but the measures that came to a vote generally advanced with majority support.

Transcript Highlights:

• affecting agriculture, including changing precipitation trends, flooding rains on fields, and future drought
• fields followed by in the of those fields followed by in the future future future um,<01:33:42.280> drought
• so<01:33:43.400> are<01:33:43.520> there<01:33:43.680> different um, drought
• And so are there different um, drought.

Bills: HF4470, HF2418, HF3417, HF3365, HF3463

Keywords: HF4470, Melissa Hortman, memorial, statue, memorial garden, State Office Building, Capitol Mall Design Framework, capital investment, appropriation, Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board, Department of Administration, public art, commemorative monument, landscaping, artist selection, family consultation, Minnesota legislature, state building site, capital appropriation, political subdivisions

Transcript Highlights:

• islands are exposed to high winds, flash flooding, tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and drought
• flooding tsunamis hurricanes earthquakes wildfires<01:12:41.760> and wildfires and wildfires and drought
• climate<01:12:44.679> change<01:12:45.000> means<01:12:45.520> increased drought
• climate change means increased drought climate change means increased weather weather weather extremes

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: At the joint hearing on SB 951 SD2, the committees heard testimony on a child protection measure requiring mandatory child abuse and neglect reports to include military status and to improve communication between DHS and the Department of Defense. The U.S. Department of Defense testified in support and described its coordinated community response process for abuse reports, saying the bill would help ensure child safety and better coordination with DHS. DHS was initially absent, later appeared, and said it supported the measure but was still working with DOD on implementation details and staff training. Members asked about how DHS becomes involved and whether there were gaps in the current process. The chair recommended passage with technical amendments, including changing the effective date to 7/1/25 and conforming related language, and both committees adopted the recommendation by vote. The Public Safety committee then heard SB 1377 SD2, which would create a Veterans Cemeteries Board within the Office of Veterans Services in the Department of Defense to provide guidance, education, and technical assistance to state veteran cemeteries. DOD supported the bill and explained that county-run cemeteries must meet National Cemetery Administration standards to remain eligible for federal reimbursements and grants; witnesses described past compliance problems at several cemeteries, including one still not compliant in Hilo, and said the board would help counties prepare for future site visits and improve oversight without taking over operations. Members asked about costs, reimbursement amounts, and whether the state would assume cemetery operations; DOD said the current reimbursement process runs through the state to the counties and that direct takeover would be costly. The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the bill with amendments. The committee also heard SB 1382, which would make intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a National Guard member performing duty a class C felony. The Hawaii National Guard and HPD supported the bill, citing incidents during the Maui response where Guard members encountered noncompliant and sometimes physically confrontational individuals while assisting police and protecting impacted areas. Testimony emphasized that Guard members are often unarmed and should receive protections similar to first responders. One witness opposed the bill, but the committee moved forward and adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass with amendments. Finally, the committee took up SB 1379 SD2 on emergency preparedness and Community Readiness Centers. Hawaii Emergency Management supported the bill, and supporters said it would create a statewide framework for resilience hubs that can provide supplies, action plans, and refuge during disasters. Testimony highlighted recent hurricanes, wildfires, and other hazards, and argued the measure would complement existing county efforts rather than replace them. County of Hawaii testimony opposed the bill, raising concerns about overlap and cost, while members asked about estimated expenses and implementation. The discussion ended with questions about planning and whether the bill would enhance existing programs; no final vote was captured in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• outside our permanent fencing, so in order to maximize our forage utilization, especially during droughts
• order to maximize our forage utilization especially<01:36:38.880> during<01:36:39.400> droughts
• ><01:36:40.400> uh<01:36:40.520> we<01:36:40.639> utilize especially during droughts
• uh we utilize especially during droughts uh we utilize dozens<01:36:41.480> of<01:36:41.600><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• attention to, and that it's something that is causing, you know, more frequent, intense storms, floods, droughts
• :48.000> intense<00:30:48.440> storms<00:30:48.919> floods<00:30:49.519> droughts
• frequent intense storms floods droughts frequent intense storms floods droughts that's<00:30:50.799

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Statewide heavy rainfall events and droughts have become more common.
• 00:19:44.480> and Statewide heavy rainfall events and Statewide heavy rainfall events and droughts
• <00:19:45.200> have<00:19:45.360> become<00:19:45.679> more droughts have become
• more droughts have become more common<00:19:47.799> consecutive<00:19:48.480> wet<00:19

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They also develop a lot of water resources and, as we all know, with the drought conditions throughout
• They also develop a lot of water resources and, as we all know, with the drought conditions throughout
• They also develop a lot of water resources and, as we all know, with the drought conditions throughout
• They also develop a lot of water resources and, as we all know, with the drought conditions throughout
• They also develop a lot of water resources and, as we all know, with the drought conditions throughout

Bills: HB2284

Keywords: energy assistance, low-income households, electricity costs, Hawaii home energy assistance program, energy efficiency, 910, house, all

Summary: The hearing covered House Bill 2284, which would create the Hawaii Home Energy Assistance Program in the Department of Human Services to help qualifying households pay energy bills and direct the Public Utilities Commission’s public benefits fee administrator to provide information and assistance to recipients. Testimony from the Division of Consumer Advocacy, DHS, and the Public Utilities Commission was in support. A committee member asked about how the program would interact with existing TANF-related energy assistance and whether rules could be adjusted to avoid duplicative benefits; DHS said logistics would need to be worked out and that the agencies would make the rules. The committees noted the bill’s $1.5 million appropriation and moved it forward with amendments, including blanking out amounts and noting them in the committee report. Both committees voted to pass HB 2284 with amendments, with the recommendation adopted. The committee then heard House Bill 2486, relating to plug-in or balcony solar. DCCA, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, and the Public Utilities Commission stood on prior testimony in support of the bill’s intent. Multiple advocates and organizations, including Carbon Cashback Hawaii, 350 Hawaii, Bright Saver, Sierra Club of Hawaii, and others, testified in support, arguing that plug-in solar would lower electricity bills, expand access for renters and condo residents, and reduce emissions. Several speakers urged the committee to remove or avoid registration, reporting, feed-in tariff, interconnection fee, and other requirements they said would create barriers. Bright Saver testified that the systems are safe and would not back-feed during outages. No vote was taken on HB 2486 during the excerpt. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1568, which would prohibit the importation or storage of LNG in the state and the construction of related infrastructure. State agencies including the Consumer Advocate, Hawaii State Energy Office, Public Utilities Commission, and Hawaiian Electric opposed the bill, with the Energy Office arguing LNG would perpetuate oil use on Oahu and expose the state to price volatility. Supporters included Life of the Land, Sierra Club of Hawaii, Greenpeace Hawaii, 350 Hawaii, Earthjustice, Our Hawaii, and others, who argued LNG would lock Hawaii into another fossil fuel dependency, create major infrastructure costs and safety risks, and undermine the state’s renewable energy goals. Several testifiers cited climate and affordability concerns and urged the committee to reject LNG. The excerpt ends during testimony on HB 1568, before any committee action or vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are experiencing more common summer droughts, which may constitute a growing crisis in coming years
• :18:49.359> more<04:18:49.600> common<04:18:50.159> summer<04:18:50.479> droughts
• experiencing more common summer droughts experiencing more common summer droughts which<04:18:51.520
• 19:34.800> change<04:19:34.960> and<04:19:35.199> long-term<04:19:35.760> drought
• climate change and long-term drought. climate change and long-term drought.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 163FN, dealing with requiring current, verifiable evidence of a species’ presence before land-use restrictions are imposed for habitat protection. Members discussed an amendment that had been worked on with agencies and stakeholder groups. Fish and Game testified that, while the amendment improved the bill, the agency still opposed it because of concerns about citizen science, how the proposal would apply to public versus private property, and how the transition to DES would work. Representative Darby argued the amendment was ambiguous, lacked a full hearing, and did not clearly address record verification or private-property access issues. The amendment passed 8-7, and the committee then voted OTPA 8-7, with a minority report noted. The committee then moved to HB 1752FN, which would create a chain of custody for timber and carbon credits. Representative Davis presented an amendment saying it would help law enforcement investigate timber theft and add transparency to New Hampshire’s carbon registry by identifying buyers of carbon credits. Supporters said the change would impose little burden and align with practices in other states. Opponents, including Representative Darby, Representative Vale, and the state forester from DNCR, said the carbon market is complex, the amendment was not fully vetted, and a hearing with all stakeholders was needed; they also raised fiscal-note concerns. The amendment passed 8-7, and the committee then voted OTPA 8-7, again with a minority report. Finally, the committee opened a hearing on HB 1019, which would add an active water treatment professional to the state water well board. Representative Peter Petrino and Representative Wendy Thomas said the board should include expertise on contamination risks and treatment technologies, citing concerns about arsenic, radon, and PFAS in private wells. The chairman of the Water Well Board testified in opposition to the bill as drafted, saying the board supports the general idea of licensing water filtration work but does not currently have authority or rules to oversee that field and believes the proposal would put “the cart before the horse.” Members questioned whether the board’s current mandate even covers filtration systems, and the discussion ended with those concerns unresolved.

Transcript Highlights:

• impacts on lakes, and right now there's never been a more obvious time to go and look and see what the drought
• The cumulative impacts accelerate during times of drought, and even limited exterior additions increase
• > done<05:58:18.160> to<05:58:18.400> New<05:58:18.558> Hampshire the drought
• has done to New Hampshire the drought has done to New Hampshire lakes.<05:58:20.240> The<05:58
• during times of drought during times of drought and<05:58:26.080> even<05:58:26.400> limited

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• New Mexican who has sat along a river, grateful to see its waters flow, especially during a time of drought
• during<00:13:57.199> a<00:13:57.440> time<00:13:57.600> of<00:13:57.760> drought
• ,<00:13:58.560> it especially during a time of drought, it especially during a time of drought
• Meade and the increasing risk of Meade and the increasing risk of prolonged<04:13:04.960> drought
• due to climate change, prolonged drought due to climate change, there<04:13:07.120> is<04:13:

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, December 15, 2025, 1012, house, all