Video & Transcript Research : 'arbitrary assessment'
Page 234 of 439
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- The EPA published its draft sewage sludge risk assessment fairly recently, and it was focused on PFOA
- The EPA draft risk assessment relies on models, where it's linear.
- This table is from the risk assessment, and it's a portion of that table.
- So the draft risk assessment, the fact that it doesn't only look at those two and one at a time, and
Summary:
The committee hearing focused on biosolids, sewage sludge, and PFAS contamination, with the opening remarks and first three presenters arguing that land application of municipal sludge poses serious risks to soil, water, livestock, and human health. Representative Shaw cited EPA and state data on detected pollutants and PFAS in biosolids, while Denise Travick Poyer described her background in chemical engineering and PFAS work and said the EPA’s draft sewage sludge risk assessment shows unacceptable risk at very low PFOS/PFOA levels. She urged source reduction, more testing, and consideration of total organic fluorine, and noted examples from Michigan where industrial pretreatment and source reduction reduced PFAS in biosolids. Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Larry Woolley and Investigator Dana Ames presented a case study of alleged runoff from land-applied biosolids affecting a ranch, with high PFAS readings in soil, water, fish, cattle tissue, and a stillborn calf, and said the county and state had pursued investigations, lawsuits, and legislative responses. Sandra Trawick of Save Oklahoma Farms and Ranches argued that Oklahoma’s biosolids program relies heavily on Class B sludge, that current rules are outdated, and that land application exposes farms and rural communities to pathogens, chemicals, odors, flies, and runoff; she cited examples from Maine, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, and Oklahoma to support calls for stronger regulation or a ban.
After the testimony, members asked about sampling methods, lab testing, EPA limits, and whether the cited PFAS blood levels were comparable to the soil and sludge measurements. Witnesses said the Johnson County samples were collected by a Texas A&M PhD contractor and tested at a single lab, and they explained that the EPA’s 4 parts per trillion figure applied to municipal drinking water standards. Questions also addressed whether sludge is incorporated into soil; Trawick said it had often been left on the surface, though she had seen better disking after public scrutiny. Members asked how biosolids compare with manure and feedlot waste, and witnesses responded that municipal sludge is more contaminated because it includes industrial, hospital, and household waste streams, unlike animal manure. The committee then moved to alternative solutions, hearing from Doug McKinney of Advanced Microbial Solutions, who promoted biological sludge removal using bacteria to reduce sludge volumes and avoid land application, citing cost savings for wastewater plants and correctional facilities. Jason Jepsen of Eden Energy followed with a pitch for an eight-stage waste-to-energy system that converts mixed waste into clean energy, biochar, and reusable products, framing waste as an asset and presenting his company’s technology as a no-land-application alternative.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee Aug 1st, 2025
Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee
Transcript Highlights:
- the hospital for the HDA was funded through the provider tariff, through the hospital provider assessment
- What needs assessment will be done? What is the extent of the problem?
- So it's trying to, one, have a good assessment of what the risk is, right?
- We have a pretty detailed process for Trying to assess risk, reach out to other states, reach out to
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Human services finance bill, HF3, passes MN House during 2025 special session 6/9/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- encourages the counties to evaluate how they can save money more creatively for more of these crucial assessments
- 00:16:15.040>
of <00:16:15.120>these <00:16:15.360>crucial <00:16:16.040>assessments - <00:16:17.040>
There more of these crucial assessments. - There more of these crucial assessments.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
April 8, 2025 - 03:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- This bill adjusts the maximum assessment cap for inflation, provides a 10% cap on annual assessment increases
- , and allows the maximum assessment to adjust up or down annually based on inflation and requires a referendum
- 18, follow-up audit of the town in May next month, 18 months after the release of its report, to assess
Summary:
The Ways and Means Committee met on April 8, 2025, and first took up several local bills that were presented briefly and then approved without public opposition. HB 4035 would merge the Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District and the Lee County Mosquito Control District, contingent on approval by voters in both districts at the 2026 election; it passed 15-0. HB 307 would extend to county property appraisers the same authority tax collectors already have to use salary savings for employee bonuses or incentives, and it passed 17-0 after testimony from property appraisers and their associations in support. HB 4047 and HB 4049 would adjust assessment caps for the Fort Pierce Farms Water Control District and the North St. Lucie River Water Control District, respectively, with inflation indexing, annual increase limits, and referendum approval requirements; both passed unanimously. The committee also adopted an amendment to the committee substitute for HB 1169, a broader water management district bill covering quorum and meeting rules, lobbying restrictions, ad valorem taxing authority for certain capital projects by referendum, budget reporting, bidding preferences, and additional oversight and funding information; the amended bill passed 16-0 and was reported favorably with committee substitute.
The final and most heavily debated item was HB 4079, which would dissolve the Town of White Springs and return it to unincorporated Hamilton County. The sponsor argued the town had a pattern of mismanagement, including financial problems, audit findings, canceled elections, and public safety concerns, and said dissolution would lower taxes and preserve services through the county. Committee members asked about the town’s finances, audits, law enforcement, fire protection, debt, and whether the county could absorb services and liabilities. Public testimony was sharply divided. Supporters of dissolution cited audit findings, alleged illegal gambling operations, double taxation for law enforcement, high administrative costs, and intimidation at meetings. Opponents, including current and former town officials and residents, said the town had made progress, had corrected audit issues, maintained reserves, and was working to restore services and governance; they asked for more time and pointed to an upcoming election. No vote was taken on HB 4079 in the portion provided.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Human Services Committee Apr 8th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- This includes assessing prevention services capacity statewide and ensuring counties have the guidance
- waive a program requirement that would harm a survivor or their children, the outdated structure for assessing
- because he could not provide sufficient information about his sponsors, and the county worker did not assess
- instructions on the current application could be updated, and county workers trained about how to assess
Summary:
The Assembly Committee on Human Services heard a long agenda of bills focused largely on child welfare, foster care, child care, CalWORKs, mandated reporting, and public benefits. Early items included AB 890, which would ease county transfer rules for nonminor dependents in extended foster care; AB 461, which would replace punitive truancy-related penalties with supportive services for families; and AB 753, which would create an interim associate teacher pathway to help address the child care workforce shortage. Testimony on these bills emphasized barriers faced by foster youth, low-income families, and child care providers, and members expressed support for the general policy direction.
The committee also heard AB 926 on foster care visitation, AB 563 on early childhood planning and reporting, AB 601 on standardized mandated reporter training, AB 1074 on CalWORKs reunification aid, AB 822 extending the Commission on the State of Hate, AB 970 creating a Los Angeles County mandated reporter pilot, AB 1161 protecting public benefits during disasters, AB 1172 allowing trained staff to administer emergency seizure medication in community care settings, and AB 363 expanding CalWORKs student supports and work-study. Witnesses generally supported these measures as ways to reduce trauma, improve reunification, modernize reporting and training, and expand access to services. County welfare and child welfare groups, advocacy organizations, and providers largely testified in support, while some bills drew concerns from county representatives about implementation or needed amendments.
Several bills were voted out of committee, often unanimously and sometimes as amended, including AB 926, AB 563, AB 601, AB 1074, AB 822, AB 970, AB 1161, and AB 1172; AB 1172 was reported on call. The committee also took up consent items and later voted on subcommittee-held bills AB 461, AB 753, and AB 890, leaving them on call. At the end of the hearing, the committee heard AB 1211, which would protect CalFresh benefits from federal cuts and require a feasibility study on increasing benefits and eligibility; testimony stressed rising food insecurity and the economic importance of food assistance, but the transcript ends before a final vote on that bill.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Can you give us an assessment of where you think the keys grants are?
- Have you been led to believe that even though some of these end dates are in 2029, what is your assessment
- So what we require in this project is we have what's called a utility assessment report, which is an
- PIG, which is stands for Pipeline Inspection Gauge, they are hydrostatic tested, there are direct assessments
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- environment, so how much we can tailor. something specific to CYFD and for other agencies needs to be assessed
- then it is prescriptive about what CYFD should do in response, specifically conducting a family assessment
- potential risks, make referrals to services, and then proceed to an investigation if the family assessment
- which this legislation does that is it sets up a system in which, within 60 days, the department will assess
AL
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Remembering Senator Kari Dziedzic / The First Day of Session / Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Minnesota Jan 20th, 2025
Minnesota Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And to keep that good independence, to properly assess things, you have to be the one that is going to
- keep that good Independence<00:23:23.520>
to <00:23:23.840>properly <00:23:24.520>assess - <00:23:24.919>
things Independence to properly assess things Independence to properly assess
Summary:
The program covered the start of the 94th Minnesota Legislature, where the evenly split Senate adopted a bipartisan power-sharing agreement, Senate Resolution 1, by unanimous support. The agreement, reached in honor of the late Sen. Kari Dziedzic, sets up co-presiding officers, co-chairs and evenly split committees, and will remain in place until one party gains a majority. Republican Sen. Jeremy Miller and DFL Sen. Bobby Joe Champion were elected as co-presiding officers under the arrangement.
A major segment focused on fraud, waste, and abuse in Minnesota and proposals to strengthen oversight. DFL Sen. Gerson discussed a bill to create an independent Office of Inspector General to oversee public and private entities receiving taxpayer dollars, arguing it would fill a gap and work alongside existing agencies such as the Office of the State Auditor, the attorney general, and the BCA. He said the issue has bipartisan concern and that the bill is intended to protect taxpayer money and the people who rely on public programs.
Republican Sen. John Jasinski also said fraud is a serious problem, citing cases such as Feeding Our Future, child care assistance, and Medicaid-related fraud, and arguing that every dollar matters and stronger checks and balances are needed. He expressed support for anti-fraud efforts if they are independent and bipartisan, and pointed to the House’s new fraud oversight committee as a promising step. State Auditor Julie Blaha added that her office focuses on local government accountability, said workforce shortages are a major challenge, and emphasized that tips from the public and public employees are often the best way fraud is detected.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Jul 1st, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- There was an assessment that was done last year by a nonprofit, Sage, which is an acronym of which I
- But they did an assessment.
- An acronym of which I cannot remember right now, but they did an assessment to see the number of for-profit
Summary:
The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard several housing-related bills. SB 996 by Senator Padilla would let manufactured homeowners opt to title their homes as real property, with supporters saying this would improve access to conventional mortgages, consumer protections, and lower-cost financing. SB 866 by Senator Blakespear would require cities and counties to include homelessness-related information in their annual housing element reports, with supporters saying the bill would improve transparency, regional coordination, and accountability around homelessness funding and services.
The committee also heard SB 1090 by Senator Perez, which would impose a temporary moratorium in Altadena on certain state housing density laws after the Eaton Fire. Supporters, including Supervisor Catherine Barger and many Altadena residents, argued the bill would protect fire survivors from speculative investors and give families time to rebuild and return home. Opponents argued the bill could limit tools that homeowners need to finance rebuilding and could reduce future housing production. After extensive testimony, the committee passed SB 1090 to the Assembly Local Government Committee on a 10-0 vote.
SB 1388 by Senator Durazo would create an Affordable Housing Risk Reduction Program to help affordable housing providers reduce insurance costs through technical assistance and risk-mitigation support. Supporters said rising insurance premiums are threatening the viability of affordable housing developments and existing units. The committee also reconsidered and then voted on SB 1092, which was taken up only for reconsideration and final vote; after a split vote, the bill ultimately passed the committee. Final recorded votes showed SB 866 and SB 996 passing unanimously, SB 1388 passing with one no vote and one not voting, and SB 1092 passing 7-5 after reconsideration.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee Jul 1st, 2026
Housing and Community Development
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- It also requires controllers to conduct a data protection assessment for each of their processing activities
- that presents a heightened risk of consumer harm before beginning such process and makes this full assessment
- to the many folks who have weighed in and co-sponsored this amendment during the course of our assessment
Summary:
The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, recognized several guests in the chamber, and adopted a resolution congratulating Coleman-Nee on election as National Commander of the Disabled American Veterans. It also took up several local and personnel matters, including a sick leave bank for Emily Cullick and later Paul Stavarski, and local bills affecting the town of Weston and a Dorchester housing/library procurement exemption; those measures were advanced to third reading or engrossment as appropriate. The chamber also suspended Joint Rule 12 to refer several House petitions to committees.
The main business was Senate No. 2516, the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act, which came before the Senate on a Ways and Means substitute (Senate Document 2608). Senators Creem, Moore, Charles, Feingold, Keenan, and others spoke in support, describing the bill as a comprehensive consumer privacy measure with data minimization rules, limits on sensitive data, protections for minors, and strong Attorney General enforcement. Several amendments were debated, with many rejected or withdrawn, while some were adopted, including provisions on geolocation data protections, opting out of targeted advertising, affiliate and merger/acquisition protections, internal operations exemptions, parental access to child data, and a Ways and Means amendment. A number of other amendments on employee data, union data, loyalty programs, AI training, reporting, and related issues were either not adopted or held/withdrawn.
After the amendment process, the Senate adopted the amended Ways and Means substitute and ordered the bill to a third reading. The bill was then passed to be engrossed on a roll call vote of 40-0. The Senate also adopted an order to adjourn to the following Monday at 11:00 a.m. and to dispense with printing a calendar. The session adjourned in memory of Darrow Logan Alexander of South Boston.
MO
Transcript Highlights:
- If you're a mining operation and your total market value is $100 million, and you're assessed at 33%
- If you're a mining operation and your total market value is $100 million, and you're assessed at 33%
- was a cheap price to pay, to be honest with you, compared to what would have happened under the assessment
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee Apr 22nd, 2026
Revenue and Taxation
Transcript Highlights:
- would say, is really on the notification side of the bill, to ensure our members, before they're assessed
- reassessment when they rebuild after disaster, so long as the replacement property is substantially... ...assessment
- This bill aligns the building code standards with the assessment standards for these fire victims.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Health Policy Oct 7th, 2025
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Courts, Corrections and Justice Sep 23rd, 2025
Courts, Corrections & Justice Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- They're assessed and given the medical treatment and housing and watched.
- Those teams will go into the jail and conduct individual needs assessments that focus on social determinants
- For an individual to receive them, they have to do a needs assessment and a transition plan with us and
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- And Section 19 repeals the Assessment and Monitoring Program for Long COVID and related conditions.
- But these sections direct DHS to seek federal approval for an assessment on hospitals and then also a
- What I want to share with you is that it is not well known that through an assessment, people with Long
Bills:
HF2435
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Additionally, it imposes a potentially convoluted and subjective rating system to make these assessments
- beliefs or backgrounds, with the tools to find and evaluate reliable information, to think critically, assess
- Core courses like mine are already subject to rigorous assessment to ensure that they meet the learning
Keywords:
living expenses, higher education, student support, homeless students, financial aid, grant program, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, workforce development, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, competency-based education, baccalaureate degree, cost of attendance, dual credit, computer science, course credit, foreign language requirement, curriculum review, governing board, faculty council
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Um, can you give us just, uh, an assessment based on your expertise at ERCOT of, uh, congestion challenges
- Um, any of the panelists, do you disagree with that assessment of the case?
- So elaborate a little bit about the other things that would would play into your assessment of what is
Bills:
HB 551, HB 1281, HB 1378, HB 1617, HB 2868, HB 2881, HB 3374, HB 4439, HB 4726, HB 4732, HB 4878, HB 4914, HB 4921, HB 4958, HB 5200, HB 5318, HB 5360, HB 5402, HB 5568, HB 5573, HB 5623, HJR 218
Keywords:
political contributions, address privacy, Texas Ethics Commission, election transparency, campaign finance, international organizations, World Health Organization, jurisdiction, state law, enforcement, United Nations, World Economic Forum, attorney general, Texas attorney general, state sovereignty, legal enforcement, Texas Attorney General, electric energy storage, municipal regulation, county regulation
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs Apr 7th, 2025
S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- evaluating the availability of surplus federal, state, and local government buildings and land, assessing
- excess or surplus lands available at any level of government as the author described, and then make assessments
- Chairman, for some clarity, the council seems to be, um, To be oversight for the assessment group.
Bills:
HCR7