Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:20:00.160><c> waste</c><00:20:00.559><c> bills</c> and a few other hazardous waste bills and
• a few other hazardous waste bills that<00:20:01.039><c> were</c><00:20:01.200><c> also</c><00:20:01.600
• I've also been involved in permitting household hazardous waste recycling facilities, building them,
• waste uh, recycling household hazardous waste uh, recycling facilities,<00:28:54.000><c> building</c
• or hazardous waste facility permits must subject themselves to a criminal background check.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Abandoned waste attracts additional dumping, creates fire hazards, blocks sidewalks, harms local businesses
• Abandoned waste attracts additional dumping, creates fire hazards, block, Abandoned waste attracts additional
• In cities like Oakland, we see firsthand how abandoned debris creates fire hazards, blocks sidewalks,
• Without real consequences, repeat offenders continue to dump waste and communities continue to suffer
• Good afternoon, Leila Romero, on behalf of League of California Cities and Californians Against Waste

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard a series of bills focused on driver accountability, curb management, privacy, illegal dumping enforcement, rail coordination, billboard signage, and high-speed rail development. SB 953 by Senator Nilo would add DMV points for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter cases dismissed through diversion; the author and supporters, including a victim’s mother and CHP representatives, argued it would ensure fatal conduct is reflected in driving records, while no opposition testified. SB 1292 by Senator Richardson would let certain cities use stationary cameras or sensors to enforce curb use in designated zones with human review of citations; supporters said it would help manage modern delivery and loading activity, while one privacy group remained cautious but noted the committee amendments improved the bill. SB 1228 by Senator Rubio would create a permanent compliance path for a small number of existing redevelopment-era LED advertising displays; supporters said it preserves local revenue and existing signs, while the outdoor advertising industry opposed it over federal compliance and fairness concerns. SB 1013 by Senator Cervantes would tighten ALPR privacy and security rules, require DOJ audits, training, and a 30-day retention limit; privacy advocates supported it as a needed enforcement measure, while law enforcement groups opposed the retention cap and hot-list limits as too restrictive. SB 1218 by Senator Arreguín would block DMV registration renewal for vehicles with unpaid illegal dumping fines, modeled on parking citation enforcement; local officials and city representatives strongly supported it as a deterrent, and no opposition was heard. SB 1136 by Senator Blakespear would require rail agencies to better coordinate service to major events and integrate fares and schedules; transit and rail advocates supported it, with some agencies taking a work-with-author or neutral position. SB 1425 by the committee chair would create a permit process for new encroachments on high-speed rail right-of-way; supporters said it would help protect and manage the corridor, while utilities and a city raised concerns about rights-of-way and enforcement language. SB 1411 by Senator Stern would expand high-speed rail authority to pursue public-private partnerships and early works, removing a project cap; supporters from Metro, labor, and rail groups said it would help leverage funding and advance the project, while Merced-area agencies remained cautious but noted amendments. Most bills were moved on committee votes, generally along party lines or with broad support, and several were left on call after roll calls.

Transcript Highlights:

• Abandoned waste attracts additional dumping, creates fire hazards, blocks sidewalks, harms local businesses
• Abandoned waste attracts additional dumping, creates fire hazards, block, Abandoned waste attracts additional
• dumping, creates fire hazards, blocks, sidewalks, harms local businesses, and disproportionately impacts
• In cities like Oakland, we see firsthand how abandoned debris creates fire hazards, blocks sidewalks,
• Without real consequences, repeat offenders continue to dump waste and communities continue to suffer

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• And all of their subordinate officers are required to stop waste, fraud, and abuse wherever it's found
• President Trump has outlined a very bold vision for reducing waste in federal government spending, and
• Yes, I will work with you especially on a lot of the hazard systems. Thank you. Also for you.
• But I will say this the the the cleanup of the of the legacy waste sites Is one of the the handful of
• Does it make sense for the federal government to manage and waste taxpayer dollars on a species that

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Keywords: nuclear energy, permitting process, energy production, public lands, national parks, uranium imports, legislative bills, infrastructure development

Summary: The committee meeting was dominated by discussions on a variety of legislative bills including major topics such as nuclear energy advancement, the effects of regulatory hurdles on energy production, and proposals to improve national park staffing and maintenance. Members expressed concerns over the federal government's handling of uranium imports and the necessity for maintaining a robust domestic nuclear supply chain. Efforts to streamline permitting processes to facilitate more efficient energy project development were also a focal point, alongside public testimony from stakeholders in the energy and environmental sectors. The meeting highlighted the urgent need for infrastructure development to meet rising energy demands while addressing climate change impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• waste, but they can't place... ...and the battery and they don't have one place that they can—it's hazardous
• waste, but they can't place it in a particular... they don't have a place to put that hazardous waste
• Waste-processing facilities create one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.
• I'm Heather Trim with Zero Waste Washington, in favor of the bill.
• The waste stream created by the cannabis industry is gross.

Bills: SB6053 , SB6134 , SB6147 , SB6106 , SB6045 , SB6135 , SB6128 , SB6282 , SB6068 , SB6303 , SB6290

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: SB 6053, domestic workers, domestic worker rights, labor protections, minimum wage, overtime, private household employment, nanny, home care worker, personal care provider, housekeeper, cleaner, cook, gardener, household manager, wage theft, retaliation, anti-discrimination, immigration status, privacy rights

Transcript Highlights:

• It's really a health hazard; some of them are leaking gasoline. ...They're leaking fuel or leaking wastewater
• People are just living on a boat out there and dumping their trash and their waste.
• The derelict boats represent navigational hazards.
• The issue with these navigational hazards is that vessels are being abandoned, and without proper day
• And if they are not showing proper lighting or any lighting, this creates an enormous hazard for navigation

Bills: HB4538 , HCR89 , HCR142 , SCR1 , SB2139

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Keywords: vessel registration, derelict vessels, waterways, removal fee, Parks and Wildlife Department, General Land Office, HCR 89, official state gun, cannon, Texas state symbol, Texas Revolution, Battle of Gonzales, Come and Take It, Alamo, San Jacinto, Twin Sisters, Angelina Eberly, Texas history, historical preservation, heritage tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 599 by Assembly Member Connolly, an act relating to hazardous waste.
• It is wasteful. We do not have the funds for this.
• Assembly Bill 864 by Assembly Member Ward, relating to hazardous waste.
• Assembly Bill 1046 by Assembly Member Bains and relating to organic waste. Dr.
• that food that has been in contact with that hazardous packaging.

Summary: The Assembly met on May 23, 2025, established a quorum after a roll call, and proceeded through a long House of Origin floor session with prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and routine parliamentary actions. Early in the day, a motion by Assembly Member Gallagher to suspend the rules and take up AB 12 immediately failed on a 18-39 vote. The chamber then moved through the daily file, with many measures passing by wide margins, often with bipartisan support and little or no opposition. Among the notable bills discussed were measures on law enforcement oversight and records access (AB 847), CalFresh data-sharing exemptions (AB 593), campus-area housing for students and staff (AB 893), insurance and wildfire hardening updates (AB 1), missing middle housing code changes (AB 6), tribal peace officer status in a pilot program (AB 31), utility bill analysis before new mandates (AB 61), fairgrounds funding (AB 258), Diwali as a state holiday (AB 268), labor and worker organizing rights (AB 288), algorithmic price-fixing and antitrust enforcement (AB 325), elections and jail voter information (AB 331), protections for judges and court personnel (AB 343 and AB 352), school construction procurement (AB 361), school-zone speed limits (AB 382), transit worker protections (AB 394), blue carbon coastal mitigation (AB 399), K-9 standards for law enforcement (AB 400), livestock carcass composting (AB 411), translation of housing materials (AB 413), immigrant educational rights notices (AB 419), gun violence restraining order implementation (AB 451), special education and child care measures (AB 560 and AB 563), cannabis tax relief (AB 564), and disability access protections for businesses (AB 649). Several bills addressed housing, energy, public health, and public safety, and many authors emphasized affordability, transparency, and administrative efficiency. The session also included several ceremonial or recognition items, including ACR 73 declaring Italian American Heritage Month, which was adopted by voice vote after 65 coauthors were added. Most measures were approved overwhelmingly, though a few drew some dissent, including AB 421? no—AB 399 passed 42-30, AB 450 passed 49-6, AB 461 passed 49-8, and AB 621 passed 58-0. The transcript ends partway through AB 772, which was introduced as an educational equity bill addressing cyberbullying after school hours, but the remainder of that item is not included in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a hazardous substance tax exemption for pesticides that are stored in Washington, but that are
• That hazardous substance tax revenue did increase, but the review found that beneficiaries of this tax
• preference as one intended to provide tax relief to this particular ownership or possession of a hazardous
• That hazardous substance tax revenue did increase, but the review found that beneficiaries of this tax
• substance tax revenue collected across all taxpayers. of the $370 million in annual hazardous substance

Summary: The committee met on December 3, 2025, with a quorum present and approved the September 17 minutes. Members first voted to suspend the 2026 JLARC lodging tax expenditure report for one year, based on staff’s explanation that the report is self-reported, not verified, and less useful than State Auditor accountability audits; the motion passed. The committee also approved renaming the JLARC I-900 subcommittee to the “Committee to Hear SAO Performance Audits,” while keeping the opening script noting that the performance audit process exists under Initiative 900. The committee then heard follow-up updates on two prior performance audits. The Department of Health presented a draft strategic management plan in response to findings on hospital inspections, complaints, adverse event review, and hospital data access. JLARC staff reiterated that 72% of hospital inspections were late, that DOH did not verify third-party inspection standards or review adverse event reports, and that complaint data suggested possible language-access barriers. DOH said it concurred with the recommendations, had improved on-time inspection compliance to about 49%, planned annual updates starting in July 2026, and would work on accreditation oversight, complaint-language access, and data accessibility, though members pressed for firmer deadlines and questioned the three-year timeline for language access improvements. The Liquor and Cannabis Board also reported on its cannabis market study recommendation. JLARC staff said the agency’s data were incomplete and unreliable, limiting oversight of production, recalls, tax collection, and diversion. LCB said it had improved its current CCRS system but still relied on self-reported data, and it presented a decision package for a new traceability system estimated at about $9 million over three fiscal years. LCB described a plant-tagging and serialization approach tied to production, processing, testing, and retail, but acknowledged it did not currently have sufficient staff to fully implement the system without additional funding. The committee also received briefings on JLARC’s recommendation-tracking tools and the 2024 public records reporting summary, including a high-level review of agency response rates, request volumes, costs, and litigation. Finally, JLARC presented the proposed final report on the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, concluding that OPDP meets its statutory responsibilities and has high user satisfaction, but that its mandate should be updated to better match its current capacity and focus; the committee adopted the report for distribution. The meeting then moved into the 2025 tax preference performance reviews, where JLARC staff summarized nine reviews and noted that the Citizens Commission on Tax Preference and Performance Measurement endorsed all 17 legislative auditor recommendations, with comments on seven. Early reviews discussed included natural gas transportation fuel preferences, travel agent and tour operator B&O rates, nonprofit low-income housing development, multipurpose senior centers, disabled veteran adaptive housing, and trade convention attendance, with staff and commissioners generally recommending continuation of some preferences, modification of others, and improved objectives or performance measures where needed.

Transcript Highlights:

• the school, where, of course, that could create a different kind of danger and a different kind of hazard
• declares that the operation of a commercial vehicle by an unauthorized alien is an imminent safety hazard
• I don't have much to say because, frankly, this bill is a waste of time.
• In reality, all this bill is going to do is hurt the state's economy and waste city resources.
• Regardless, it will end in hundreds of pointless investigations that will go nowhere, wasting time as

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><03:23:46.160><c> waste,</c><03:23:47.040><c> you</c> you're producing a hazardous waste, you you're
• producing a hazardous waste, you have<03:23:47.520><c> to</c><03:23:47.680><c> comply</c><03:23:48.080
• waste.
• </c><03:59:22.960><c> Our</c> batteries and other hazardous waste.
• Our batteries and other hazardous waste.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• We have hazardous materials.
• The waste boundary and state protection considerations—this is the high-level radioactive waste prohibition
• remains hazardous.
• I have five decades of work on nuclear waste issues.
• New Mexico is also home to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Summary: The Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee met to review prior minutes and hear a series of presentations on advanced nuclear technology and state readiness. The committee approved the April 21, 2022 minutes. Nucleon’s William Bridge outlined the advanced nuclear landscape, distinguishing near-term light-water SMRs from more advanced Gen 4 reactors and microreactors, and emphasized that fuel supply, especially HALEU, remains a developing supply chain. He said light-water designs are the most deployable in the near term, while advanced reactors may be better suited for industrial heat applications and could face a 2- to 3-year delay from fuel availability. Representatives from NASEO described how other states are supporting advanced nuclear through task forces, roadmaps, pilot programs, financing tools, workforce and supply-chain efforts, and regional coordination. They highlighted the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative and stressed that states are focusing early on emergency preparedness, community engagement, waste management, affordability, and consumer protections. They also noted that some states are creating nuclear-ready community programs and cost-recovery guardrails, while public utility commissions are examining long-term lifecycle costs and rate impacts. North Dakota agencies then outlined their potential roles. The Public Service Commission said it would likely be involved in public-interest review, siting, and rate regulation, but noted current statutes may not fully address long-term nuclear projects, co-location, or decommissioning. The Department of Environmental Quality said it would continue to regulate radioactive materials and likely support emergency planning, while fission reactor oversight remains federal. The Department of Emergency Services said it would serve as the lead off-site preparedness agency, needing a radiological emergency program, training, exercises, equipment, and possibly industry funding. The Department of Water Resources said North Dakota has sufficient surface water, especially from the Missouri River, but that water planning would be important; it did not recommend statutory or budget changes at this time. The committee recessed for lunch after these presentations, with no additional votes or actions taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the hazardous substance tax.
• You just mentioned the hazardous fuel tax and reminded me that we're talking here about commerce on our
• It redirects tax revenues on aircraft fuels from hazardous substance tax, petroleum product tax, and
• Counties rely heavily on it to manage our household hazardous waste programs.
• Yeah, under current law, revenues from the hazardous substance tax are going to MTCA.

Summary: The committee began with a work session on aircraft fuel taxes, hearing from WSDOT Aviation about the FAA’s aviation fuel tax rules, Washington’s compliance history, and the potential consequences of noncompliance. WSDOT said the state has collected roughly $210 million in aviation fuel taxes since the federal compliance period began, and that FAA has questioned some of the state’s claimed offsets. Members asked about the federal authority behind the rules, who pays the taxes, and whether Boeing is affected. The committee then moved to public hearing on several bills tied to aviation fuel tax revenue. SB 5989 would redirect a small share of state sales and use tax on aircraft fuel to the aeronautics account and require reporting on airport project funding. Supporters, including port, airport, and pilot groups, said it was a measured step toward FAA compliance and airport investment; the bill’s staff summary said it would reduce general fund revenue and increase DOR costs. SB 5898 would redirect hazardous substance, petroleum products, and oil spill-related taxes on aircraft fuel to the aeronautics account. Supporters said it would bring Washington into compliance and help airports, while Ecology, counties, and ports warned it would significantly reduce MTCA and related environmental funding. SB 6240 would create a new noise and air quality mitigation account funded by a portion of hazardous substance tax revenue; airport and aviation groups opposed it as duplicative or noncompliant with FAA rules, while community and environmental advocates from Sea-Tac area cities supported it as a needed mitigation source. The committee also heard SB 6244, which would extend a hazardous substance tax exemption for certain pesticides used in Washington agriculture through 2038. Agricultural and logistics witnesses supported it as important for food security, storage, and competitiveness, and staff said it would have a small revenue loss and administrative cost. SB 6231, a governor-request bill, would repeal the sales tax exemption for data center refurbishments while keeping the exemption for original server equipment; OFM and local government groups supported it as a revenue-raising budget measure, while data center, labor, and business representatives opposed it, warning of lost investment, jobs, and competitiveness. SB 6228 would repeal the preferential B&O rate for prescription drug resellers; OFM supported it as an outdated preference, but pharmacies, wholesalers, and business groups argued the cost would be passed through to pharmacies, hospitals, insurers, and patients and could worsen pharmacy closures. The committee then heard SB 6220, which would narrow and clarify a property tax exemption for nonprofit low-income homeownership property by allowing temporary community use and preserving the exemption when property is transferred to another exempt nonprofit. The sponsor said the bill was intended to let a community land trust host local performances without jeopardizing affordable housing plans. Finally, the committee heard SB 5880, which would allow blood and breath toxicology results to be admissible if tested by ISO/IEC 17025-certified labs, in addition to the state toxicologist process. Seattle’s city attorney supported it as a way to reduce a long toxicology backlog and speed DUI cases, while counties raised concerns about shifting costs to local governments and creating unequal access based on local resources. No votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• That particular project consisted of 75 acres of hazardous tree removal around our access roads.
• And you had said there's a lot of waste, more than a million pounds, right?
• But again, I can't necessarily go out and apply hazard mitigation funds to a specific landowner.
• Hazardous fuels reduction side.
• Tree removal is also going to be a precursor and a model to address hazardous fuels reduction.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles, most of the fuel that's going into that car's tank comes out as waste
• It's almost 80% of gasoline that goes into a tank yet is removed as mostly heat waste, but also tires
• creating what's called rolling resistance, and then also air resistance are the biggest drivers of that waste
• , and other waste streams.
• circumstances, primarily when law enforcement deems the vehicle to be in an accident or a traffic hazard

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session on electric vehicles, renewable fuels, hydrogen, and related transportation investments, followed by public hearings on several bills. Agency presenters from WSDOT, Commerce, and Ecology described the Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council’s work, Washington’s slowing EV adoption growth, charging infrastructure gaps, and programs such as NEVI, ZEVIP, and a new medium- and heavy-duty incentive program. Members asked about fast-charging standards and whether higher-capacity chargers could be supported. Commerce also outlined renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuel efforts, including the Office of Renewable Fuels, hydrogen and SAF modeling, technical assistance, and the Cascadia Sustainable Aviation Accelerator’s partnerships and funding. WSDOT then discussed hydrogen investments in transit, aviation, backup power, and corridor planning, while Ecology explained the alternative jet fuel programmatic environmental impact statement, its scope, timeline, and how it will support future project review. In the public hearing on Substitute House Bill 2114, the committee heard testimony supporting a no-fee replacement process for defective license plates within two years of issuance, with optional fee waivers later; the sponsor and county auditors said peeling or unreadable plates are a real customer-service problem, especially in eastern Washington. The hearing on House Bill 2111 concerned allowing the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project toll facility bond retirement account to keep its interest earnings instead of sending them to the general fund; the prime sponsor said it is a straightforward fix requested by the state treasurer. Substitute House Bill 1823 would update Transportation Improvement Board statutes by replacing “non-motorized” with “active transportation” and removing obsolete references; TIB said it is a cleanup bill that aligns statutes with current grant practices and complete streets policy. The committee also heard House Bill 2495, which would let the City of Seattle direct immediate impoundment of unattended vehicles blocking streetcar operations, similar to existing authority for Sound Transit. Seattle’s streetcar manager said blocked tracks cause frequent delays and that the bill would reduce waits for police authorization and restore service faster. Public testimony and sign-in counts were noted for each bill, but no votes were taken in the transcript, and the meeting concluded after the final public hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• , ...habitats and water quality, and to ensure that new development is safe from coastal hazards like
• The Coastal Act is also the state's primary mechanism for addressing sea level rise hazards.
• So when it comes to our hazardous waste regulations...
• So when it comes to our hazardous waste regulations and the authorities there, the primary challenge
• There is a fee per ton of contaminated soil if it meets the characteristics of hazardous waste.

Summary: The Assembly Select Committee on Regulatory Authority held its first hearing to examine how California’s regulatory framework affects housing production, affordability, and timelines. Chair Pacheco and Assemblymember Haney framed the discussion around the state’s housing shortage and the need to reduce costs while maintaining environmental, safety, and community protections. The first panel featured housing experts and industry representatives who argued that state regulations, code complexity, utility constraints, and agency review processes add substantial cost and delay to development. Bill Fulton described overlapping state and local land-use authorities and the tension among housing, coastal protection, climate, and wildfire goals. CBIA’s Chris Ochoa and California Apartment Association representative Bob Raymer said building codes, energy mandates, and agency processes have materially increased per-home costs, and they urged more centralized affordability analysis and greater scrutiny of regulatory impacts. The Bay Area Council’s Louis Marante called for a statewide cost target for housing and stronger timelines and accountability for state agency reviews. The second panel brought in state agencies to explain their roles. HCD said its housing element enforcement, streamlining laws, and technical assistance have helped increase production, shorten entitlement timelines, and improve compliance by local governments. CARB said SB 375 is a planning law that does not directly regulate land use, and argued that regional housing assumptions in sustainable communities strategies are not being fully implemented on the ground. The Coastal Commission said it works with local governments to balance coastal protection, sea-level-rise risk, and housing, and noted recent guidance and pilot efforts to streamline housing approvals in the coastal zone. The Energy Commission said its building energy standards are designed to be cost-effective and save consumers money over time, though they can add some design and documentation complexity. Fish and Wildlife and DTSC both emphasized early engagement and collaboration to reduce delays while protecting natural resources and public health; DTSC said it is refining vapor intrusion guidance and using brownfield grants to support redevelopment. The State Water Resources Control Board said it uses general orders and basin planning to provide predictable permitting while balancing water quality, water rights, and housing needs, and noted billions in grants and loans for water infrastructure and site remediation that can support housing affordability. In response to questions from Assemblymember Haney, several agencies described ongoing coordination across departments, including regular meetings among HCD, CARB, the Coastal Commission, and transportation agencies, as well as broader interagency efforts to reduce redundancies and identify pinch points in project delivery. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; the main outcome was informational testimony and discussion of possible future reforms to improve coordination, predictability, and affordability in state regulatory processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we've also learned that one in six Texans live or work in a flood hazard. area.
• Since receiving jurisdiction, we've received six applications for treated produced waste, excuse me.
• Currently 752 dams are classified as high hazard meaning that failure could result in the loss of life
• design criteria. because at the time, they were a low hazard, and they were out in the country doing
• And every time they change one from low hazard to high hazard, our target goes up a notch.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Paint currently costs about 50% of the household hazardous waste collection cost.
• By diverting the paint from household hazardous waste streams, the model helps conserve valuable landfill
• So even cans that aren't recycled will have this tax on it. hazardous uh waste collection cost.
• And hazardous uh waste collection cost.
• </c><01:35:30.080><c> helps</c> hazardous waste streams, the model helps hazardous waste streams, the

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1196 on waste facilities by Senator Sharif. SB 1196 on waste facilities by Senator Sharif.
• means of solid waste disposal.
• their waste, managing their waste inside the boundaries of their county, as opposed to sending it out
• That waste-to-energy is their best way of controlling their waste, managing their waste inside the boundaries
• out of a waste-to-energy facility.

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met and first took up CS/SB 1422, as amended, which focused on coral reef protection and surface waters. The strike-all amendment redesignated coral reefs as critical natural infrastructure, emphasized their role in disaster mitigation and climate resilience, and was described as helping streamline permitting and access to federal restoration funding. Audubon Florida waived in support, and the committee adopted the amendment and then reported the bill favorably. The committee then considered SPB 7034, a rule ratification related to DEP’s minimum flows and levels recovery strategy for the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers and Priority Springs. Senators questioned the rule’s effects on consumptive use, funding, and whether utilities or taxpayers would bear costs. Several speakers from the Florida Springs Council and local river advocates opposed the rule, arguing it delays restoration and relies too heavily on a single long-term wastewater reuse project, while DEP and utility representatives supported it. The committee approved the bill as a committee bill and reported it favorably, with Senator Smith voting no. Next, the committee heard CS/SB 1510, which made changes to DEP-related programs including springs basin management action plans, septic system requirements, resilience cost-share eligibility, permitting procedures, and land acquisition governance. A late-filed strike-all removed biosolids provisions and other items, and the main public concern centered on a 60-day delay before B-MAP changes take effect, which opponents said could delay springs restoration and allow conventional septic systems to be installed before new restrictions apply. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also passed CS/SB 1196, which restricts new ash-producing incinerators and waste-to-energy facilities within two miles of certain federally authorized water impoundment areas, after debate over impacts on local waste disposal options and environmental protections; and CS/SB 912, the Safe Battery Collection and Recovery Act, which creates a producer stewardship framework for battery collection and recycling, with support from industry and recycling groups citing battery fires and growing waste-stream concerns. Finally, the committee recommended confirmation of Gary Jennings to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• , industrial waste, and construction and demolition waste as feedstocks for making this type of fuel.
• Finally, on the toxic hazards associated with using construction and demolition waste, which is something
• construction</c> Waste Industrial Waste and construction Waste Industrial Waste and construction and
• </c> arsenic chromium and lead in this waste arsenic chromium and lead in this waste much<00:17:54.799
• wood waste components along with green waste that contains invasive species plants and pests and to

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Summary: The Committee on Economic Development and Technology heard testimony on HB 976, a measure related to incentives for renewable fuels, including renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel. Supporters said the bill would help close the cost gap between renewable and conventional fuels, strengthen Hawaii’s energy security, support climate goals, and encourage local economic development. Testifiers from Pono Pacific, PAR Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric, Hawaiian Airlines/Alaska Airlines, the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Pacific Biodiesel, Aloha Carbon, and others described ongoing or planned projects, local feedstock development, and potential benefits for agriculture, waste diversion, and emissions reductions. Several testifiers also discussed proposed amendments. The Hawaii Renewable Fuels Coalition said it wanted to remove the import tax credit, eliminate the aggregate cap increase to avoid additional state funding, and revise local-production language to rely on a carbon-intensity threshold rather than location-based preferences. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii raised technical concerns about the bill’s administration, including prorating credits if the cap is exceeded and the feasibility of a 30-day filing window. Some supporters urged keeping solid waste, including construction and demolition debris, as eligible feedstock, while Energy Justice Network opposed that approach and also urged removing GMO-related language and waste-based feedstocks because of environmental and toxic emissions concerns. Opposition testimony focused on the bill’s cost and feasibility. Energy Justice Network and Ted Metros argued the measure could become a large subsidy for a refinery and questioned whether Hawaii has enough land and water to produce meaningful quantities of biofuel locally. Metros also criticized the refundable credit structure and said the state should not bear the cost for what he described as a benefit largely tied to tourism and imported fuel. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the chair later noted the committee had received 13 testimonies in support, 18 in opposition, and seven comments, and then invited further discussion on cost allocation and lowering caps to broaden participation.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:47:04.160><c> index</c><00:47:05.359><c> hazard</c> individual PAS and a hazard index hazard
• They take in waste and waste water that contains PFAS, and their waste water itself that comes out of
• Now, the waste disposal ourselves.
• </c> by its very nature, they take in waste. by its very nature, they take in waste.
• </c><01:09:58.239><c> waste</c><01:09:58.640><c> water</c> They take in waste and waste water They take

Committee: Joint Natural Resources & Energy