Transcript Highlights:

• We also want to note that changes to prior appropriated funds, particularly for easement funding, could
• funds, changes to prior appropriated funds, particularly<00:47:02.000><c> for</c><00:47:02.319><c> easement
• </c><00:47:02.800><c> funding,</c><00:47:03.280><c> could</c> particularly for easement funding, could
• particularly for easement funding, could have<00:47:04.800><c> um</c><00:47:05.280><c> an</c><00:47:

Summary: The conference committee on the Environment budget for Senate File 2077 met to introduce members and staff, then walked through the Senate and House budget spreadsheets side by side. Nonpartisan staff explained that the Senate budget was built around a smaller general fund increase and more use of environmental and dedicated funds, while the House met its target through several reductions, including cuts to DNR, PCA, and Board of Water and Soil Resources appropriations. The committee reviewed major agency items for the Pollution Control Agency, DNR, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Zoo, and other accounts, including operating adjustments, permit-related funding, and transfers between funds. Several major differences were highlighted. For the PCA, the Senate included operating adjustments, permitting efficiency funding, composting grants, outreach funding, and a closed landfill investment fund approach that repeals an expiring statutory appropriation, while the House instead extends that appropriation for four more years. For the DNR, the Senate included operating adjustments, groundwater and AIS fee increases, aquatic invasive species funding, trail grants, outdoor schools for all, abandoned watercraft enforcement, and a sustainable foraging task force; the House had fewer of these fee and policy items and used reductions to meet its target. The committee also noted Senate-only policy provisions on outreach to diverse communities, field citations and mercury certification for skin-lightening products, disabled veteran license fee changes, and a moratorium on foraging rulemaking until July 1, 2027. Agency testimony followed. The MPCA commissioner praised both chambers for recognizing core agency work and urged adoption of operating adjustments, the closed landfill fund access, and the air appropriation increase. The DNR assistant commissioner supported operating adjustments, groundwater and AIS fee increases, and the veteran license proposal, but raised concerns about the Senate’s foraging task force language, saying it overweights consumptive users and could limit the agency’s ability to manage foraging without clear data. He also noted support for the land transfer funding and said the agency would continue working with the committee on unresolved issues. No votes were taken in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• :32:43.000><c> in</c> eliminate your TABOR refund check in eliminate your TABOR refund check in perpetuity
• , but in case that didn't perpetuity, but in case that didn't pass,<01:32:45.600><c> just</c><01:32:45.760
• c> concerning the extension of the concerning the extension of the conservation<04:52:14.640><c> easement
• ><04:52:14.960><c> tax</c><04:52:15.200><c> credit</c><04:52:15.440><c> through</c> conservation easement
• tax credit through conservation easement tax credit through income<04:52:15.840><c> tax</c><04:52:16.080

Transcript Highlights:

• opportunity and the privilege, I suppose, of selling future development rights through a conservation easement
• think, Senator Smith's question, would this open the door to allowing golf courses on conservation easements

Bills: S0544 , S0636 , S0848 , S0546

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Keywords: golf courses, best management practices, fertilizer regulation, Department of Agriculture, environmental protection, certification, beach management, beach erosion, beach nourishment, coastal resilience, shoreline protection, critical erosion, critically eroded beach, Florida DEP, Department of Environmental Protection, coastal flooding, compound flooding, storm surge, inlet management, coastal engineering

Transcript Highlights:

• When they did that easement on that property, it was harvesting 40,000, uh, Charlie L. can probably knows
• When they did that easement on that property, it was harvesting 40,000, uh, Charlie L. can probably knows
• to so that it to secure an easement to so that it would<03:57:59.199><c> be</c><03:57:59.319><c> a</
• </c> here um so when they did that easement here um so when they did that easement on<03:58:09.199><c
• </c><03:59:12.479><c> um</c> lack of enforcement of the easement um lack of enforcement of the easement

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• But if, for whatever reason, your 10% larger rebuild was impeding a traditional access easement to the
• rebuild without a coastal development permit, potentially bypassing bluff setbacks, public access easements

Summary: The committee considered several coastal, climate, and air quality measures. Senator Laird presented SCR 136 marking the 50th anniversary of the Coastal Act and Coastal Conservancy Act, and SJR 12 opposing the federal offshore oil and gas leasing program; both drew broad support from environmental groups, local governments, and other advocates, with no opposition heard. Senator Padilla presented SB 10, requiring state climate plans to include gender impact assessments, with supporters arguing climate harms fall disproportionately on women and LGBTQ+ people; the bill also drew no opposition in the hearing. Senator Padilla also presented SB 675 to restructure the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District board and expand public transparency, while supporters cited severe air quality problems and opponents raised concerns about unfunded mandates, consultation, and impacts on local permitting and economic development. Senator Allen presented SB 1229 to limit disaster-rebuild coastal permit exemptions when replacement structures would newly impede coastal access or sensitive protections, with supporters saying it would prevent investor abuse of post-disaster rebuilding rules. After testimony, the committee took up the measures and recorded votes. SCR 136, SJR 12, SB 10, SB 675, and SB 1229 all advanced on party-line or near-party-line votes, with some members voting no on the more regulatory measures. The consent calendar was also approved, including ACR 157, SB 899, SB 949, SB 963, SB 1008, SB 1207, SB 1428, and SJR 5. All of the listed measures were sent onward, generally to Appropriations, and the committee concluded its hearing after the roll calls.

Transcript Highlights:

• Failure to understand boundary and title law, resulting in misidentifying boundary locations or easement
• He misidentified where an easement was supposed to be, and this resulted in the people who would become

Committee: House Business

Transcript Highlights:

• opportunity and the privilege, I suppose, of selling future development rights through a conservation easement
• think, Senator Smith's question, would this open the door to allowing golf courses on conservation easements

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources heard and approved several bills. SB 636 by Sen. Leek would create additional pathways for counties and municipalities to obtain critically eroded beach or area of critical state concern designations, with the sponsor and supporters describing it as a forward-looking beach management approach that could improve access to state and federal funding. Questions focused on whether the bill imposed an unfunded mandate and how it would affect existing designations; the sponsor said it was voluntary and not retroactive. Pepper Uchino of the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association supported the proactive concept but stressed that funding remains the central issue. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered CS/SB 544 by Sen. Truenow, which transfers the Golf Course Best Management Practices Certification Program from DEP to FDACS. The sponsor said the move would improve continuity and encourage more golf courses to enroll in BMPs, while maintaining existing environmental requirements and enforcement through DEP if problems arise. Senator Smith and an opponent from the Florida Springs Council questioned whether golf courses are truly agricultural and raised concerns about water quality protections and possible tax or land-use implications; supporters from the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association said the bill does not change taxation or existing nutrient reporting requirements. After a technical amendment, the bill was reported favorably, with Senator Smith voting no. CS/SB 848 by Sen. Truenow, dealing with stormwater treatment and water quality enhancement areas, was also amended and reported favorably. The sponsor said the bill clarifies the difference between permanent, secured water quality credits and stormwater allocations, and the amendment would allow WQEAs to address new stormwater rule requirements until rulemaking is complete and make public-land reviews forward-looking only. A representative of Resource Environmental Solutions supported the measure and said it would help create a reliable market for water quality credits. The committee then approved CS/SB 546 by Vice Chair Mayfield, which strengthens public notice requirements for the sale or exchange of state conservation lands and extends similar notice requirements to water management districts; conservation groups and Sen. Smith supported the bill as a transparency measure. Finally, DEP presented its State Park Amenities Report, estimating nearly $759 million in repair and maintenance needs over 10 years and $1.39 billion in contemplated new construction and development across the state park system. The committee took no further action and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• STR5 House draft 1, the Senate notes that these resolutions both have importance in relation to easements
• STR5 House draft 1, the Senate notes that these resolutions both have importance in relation to easements

Transcript Highlights:

• roadway project costs impacted by inflation, which has caused significant increases to property and easement
• utility chooses to install its infrastructure in the public right-of-way instead of acquiring its own easement

Bills: HB3713 , HB3953 , HB4055 , HB4272

Committee: House S/C on Telecommunications & Broadband

Keywords: telecommunications, local exchange companies, universal service fund, rate maintenance, business expansion, broadband access, internet service, multiunit residential properties, urban areas, affordability programs, fiber-optic cables, public land, construction permits, environmental impact, notification requirements, municipal projects, infrastructure, facility relocation, public right-of-way

Transcript Highlights:

• we're working through some technical details relating to things like utilities, road alignment, and easements
• utilities, road to things like utilities, road alignment,<00:03:53.760><c> and</c><00:03:54.000><c> easements
• </c> alignment, and easements. alignment, and easements.

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• the ways you do that, back to tariffs, is if we keep those tariffs in place at that 15% level in perpetuity
• So if you have still doing better on the income side and potentially some easement on the housing side

Summary: The committee was convened to review Idaho’s economic outlook and general fund revenue projections for fiscal years 2025-2028, with members instructed to submit “homework” revenue estimates by noon the next day so staff could compile committee averages and medians for deliberations and a final recommendation to JFAC. Opening remarks emphasized the committee’s constitutional charge, the use of the binder materials and online packet, and that the committee would meet again the next day to discuss and vote on the revenue projection recommendation. Staff and agency presentations focused on the state’s budget and revenue picture. Legislative Services Office staff described structural imbalance concerns, noting that statutory spending changes and earmarked sales tax distributions have crowded out flexibility, while cash reserves remain substantial. The Division of Financial Management’s economist explained the official revenue forecast, including revised treatment of sales tax and tax relief fund accruals, and said the forecast largely held steady overall even as corporate and individual income tax categories shifted. She also discussed the impact of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act on SALT deductions and said recent corporate collections had rebounded sharply, suggesting timing and behavior changes rather than a broad economic downturn. Outside economists and labor experts painted a generally stable to positive economic picture. Zions Bank’s economist said the Federal Reserve is likely near the end of major rate cuts, long-term rates and mortgage rates remain elevated, tariffs have risen sharply, but inflation has not yet shown broad tariff-driven acceleration; he described the national labor market as slowing but not contracting and said 2026 could be a rebuilding year. The Idaho Department of Labor reported that Idaho’s unemployment remains historically low, job growth is steady, wage growth is moderating from overheated pandemic-era levels, and the state’s labor market remains healthier and more balanced than the national picture. The committee also heard from Idaho Power’s economist, who began a presentation on broader economic conditions and utility-related demand trends before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows for the early release of conservation easements on small lower non-functioning wetlands that
• also includes a provision that would allow water management district to release conservation least easements

Transcript Highlights:

• First, all the regulatory hurdles have been through, and all the easements are in place.
• regulatory hurdles have been through.<00:23:57.360><c> All</c><00:23:57.520><c> the</c><00:23:57.760><c> easements
• All the easements are in place. through. All the easements are in place.

Bills: HB0120

Committee: House Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• projects involving children, specific requirements for acquisitions, restorations, and conservation easements
• and</c> Acquisitions Restorations and Acquisitions Restorations and conservation<00:15:54.240><c> easements
• </c><00:15:55.240><c> funding</c> conservation easements funding conservation easements funding acknowledgement

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, conservation easements have been doing that since the 1970s.
• Well, conservation easements<01:24:53.679><c> have</c><01:24:53.840><c> been</c><01:24:54.000><c> doing
• </c><01:24:54.239><c> that</c><01:24:54.880><c> since</c><01:24:55.360><c> uh</c> easements have been
• doing that since uh easements have been doing that since uh the<01:24:55.600><c> la</c><01:24:55.840
• uh and that is a way to keep easements uh and that is a way to keep forest<01:25:18.880><c> as</c><01

Summary: The meeting was called to order, the Pledge of Allegiance was led, and the clerk called the roll, establishing a quorum. The committee approved the prior minutes after correcting the date and changing a reference so that a draft-legislation note attributed to Representative Wlette was corrected. After that, the chair introduced a carbon presentation by Mr. Charlie Lebec and invited members and guests to move closer to view the slides. Mr. Lebec’s presentation focused on forest carbon science and forest carbon offset markets, with emphasis on how forests store, sequester, and emit carbon. He explained greenhouse gases and the relationship between atmospheric CO2 and temperature, then defined key terms such as carbon storage, sequestration, flux, sinks, and sources. He also described forest carbon pools, noting that soils contain a large share of forest carbon, and discussed how forest age affects storage and sequestration, arguing that younger forests often sequester carbon faster while older forests store more carbon overall. He also addressed how harvested wood products can continue to store carbon, responding to a question from a member about mass timber and carbon sinks. The presentation included regional comparisons showing New Hampshire’s forest density, carbon storage, and sequestration relative to other New England states, and noted that New Hampshire forests offset more than 30% of the state’s annual greenhouse gas emissions from nonforest sources, while Maine and Vermont offset even larger shares. Mr. Lebec said eastern forests are generally carbon sinks, unlike some western forests affected by wildfire, and stressed that forest management, soil protection, and forest age all influence carbon outcomes. No votes or substantive policy actions were taken beyond approving the minutes; the meeting was primarily informational.

Transcript Highlights:

• authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to release certain sewer line easements
• authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to release a certain sewer line easement
• authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to lease a certain sewer line easement

Transcript Highlights:

• The energy project has all required environmental permits, safety permits, easements, and licenses to
• And although some projects express delays due to easement issues or maybe local jurisdictions or other
• And although some projects express delays due to easement issues or maybe local jurisdictions or other

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• state, or local property to perform mitigation work tied to approved plans, not just within existing easements
• This is essential because wildfire ignition risk often originates outside of recorded easements and rights-of-way
• If, you know, if there is a tree on an easement that falls or, you know, on someone's land that falls

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 55, which would expand New Mexico’s solar market development income tax credit from 10% to 30% after the federal solar credit expired, raise the per-credit cap from $6,000 to $15,000, and keep the existing overall $30 million cap with a sunset in 2032. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the bill would help stabilize the residential solar sector, protect jobs, and support consumers, small businesses, small agriculture, and tribal communities. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, though some members raised questions about fiscal capacity and the bill’s impact. The committee passed SB 55 on a 7-4 vote. The committee then took up House Bill 267, the Wildfire Mitigation and Liability Act, on a committee substitute. The bill would require utilities to file and maintain wildfire mitigation plans, obtain PRC approval, and receive a rebuttable presumption in civil actions if they substantially comply; it also includes access provisions for mitigation work on private and public property, cost recovery, damage limits, and a one-year statute of limitations. Utilities and co-op representatives supported the bill as a way to reduce wildfire risk and address rising insurance costs, while insurers, OSI, and wildfire-victim advocates opposed it, arguing it overly limits liability, shifts losses to homeowners and insurers, and does not fully compensate victims. Several committee members expressed concern about the liability standards, deemed approval, access to property, and the short limitations period, but the bill ultimately passed on an 8-3 vote after the chair corrected the motion and revote. Next, House Bill 320, the Industrial Carbon Reduction Act, was presented. It would create production incentives and capital grants for industrial materials made at least 40% cleaner than the industry average, with clawbacks for underperformance and competitive review by EDD and Environment. Supporters from the gas company and chambers of commerce said it uses performance-based incentives to encourage cleaner manufacturing, attract investment, and create jobs. One member raised an anti-donation clause concern, but the sponsor said the bill’s performance requirements and clawbacks address that issue. The committee passed HB 320 on a 10-1 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 104, a follow-up to last year’s wildlife agency reform bill. It would replace vetoed language by creating a process for a governor’s removal of a wildlife commissioner that includes notice, a hearing, and direct review by the New Mexico Supreme Court, while keeping the governor’s removal authority for cause. Ranching, angling, outfitter, and conservation groups supported the bill as a bipartisan fix that adds accountability and avoids political retaliation. Members asked about the removal process and direct Supreme Court review, and some who had initially been skeptical said the testimony changed their view. The bill was moving forward with support at the end of the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• large legacy operation, especially lots of private range that's gotten in trouble, there are some ag easement
• programs that will pay you for an easement to not use a piece or to manage it specifically.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> easement, a right away or timber rights. easement, a right away or timber rights.
• They're not a specific easement because forest management is a fluid process.
• And management plans are a easement.
• They're not a specific easement guide.
• Whether it's a conservation easement, whether it's a stewardship easement, whether it's a stewardship

Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development