Transcript Highlights:

• Meadows thanked the committee for passing House Bill 423 related to prior authorization reforms, saying
• bring a consistent approach to every hospital throughout the Commonwealth, to where maybe a security guard—and
• this is just presumptuous, okay—so maybe a security guard takes it and throws it in a garbage can, says
• bring a consistent approach to every hospital throughout the Commonwealth, to where maybe a security guard—and
• this is just presumptuous, okay—so maybe a security guard takes it and throws it in a garbage can, says

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00:00 Roll Call: 00:00:09 SB 64: 00:01:20 SB 73: 00:05:33 HB 662: 00:09:40 HB 320: 00:20:17, 958, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met with a quorum and first approved Senate Bill 64, as amended, on a 14-0 vote. The bill was described as a copper theft prevention measure aimed at protecting key infrastructure assets, including telecommunications and electrical highway infrastructure. Testimony in support came from Senator Brandon Storm and representatives from Charter Communications and law enforcement, who said copper theft and related vandalism are damaging fiber and other infrastructure across the state. A committee substitute was adopted before the vote. The committee then considered Senate Bill 73, relating to sexual extortion. Senator Julie Rocky Adams and Kentucky Youth Advocates testified that sextortion is a fast-growing crime against children and that the bill would make sexual extortion a felony, create civil remedies for victims, and require school-based education and resources. The bill passed 15-0 and was reported favorably for floor consideration. House Bill 662, relating to personally identifiable information, was also approved after discussion and a committee substitute. Representative John Blanton said the bill would help protect judges and certain medical review personnel from public disclosure of personal information while preserving provider access needed for appeals and communications. The Kentucky Medical Association supported the concept but stressed the need to preserve provider-facing information so doctors can conduct peer-to-peer reviews and appeals. The bill passed 15-0 with one pass vote. House Bill 320, relating to controlled substances on hospital property, was taken up for discussion only and no vote was taken. Representative Mike Klein and a St. Elizabeth nurse testified that hospitals are seeing illicit drug use and trafficking on campus and argued for a drug-free zone to protect staff, patients, and visitors. Committee members raised concerns about how the bill would apply to unconscious overdose patients, lawfully prescribed medications, emergency situations, and whether possession should be treated differently from trafficking. The chair ruled a motion out of order because the item was for discussion only, and the bill remained under consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• . authority. authority.
• And it guards against the collapse of the medical side.
• When authorized, it's to edibles.
• </c> credit union authority. credit union authority.
• </c> &gt;&gt; Closing comments from the author. &gt;&gt; Closing comments from the author.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> Transportation would allow them guard Transportation would allow them guard rails<00:36:54.560><
• the Pu sorry the Public lag authorizes the Pu sorry the Public Utilities<00:38:46.119><c> Commission
• SB 1008 authorizes the counties to adopt ordinances to enforce accessible parking space requirements
• the court as part of the authorizes the court as part of the person<00:54:41.200><c> sentencing</c><
• imaging detector systems, authorizes the Department of Transportation to implement an additional 25

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation heard several bills on March 11, including measures on harbor vessel requirements, transportation funding, clean fuels, water carriers, parking enforcement, and electric mobility. For SB 1402 SD1 on vessels in state commercial harbors, testimony was split: the General Contractors Association of Hawaii and the Longline Association supported it, while Hol Holo Charters and one individual opposed it, saying the bill should be more specific about tourboat operators. For SB 1473 on central services assessments, SB 321 on privately owned roads, and SB 419 on insurance coverage for child passenger restraint systems, the committee heard brief testimony with no noted objections or actions beyond moving through the agenda. For SB 1009 SD2 on parking, the bill would create fines for misuse of disability and EV parking spaces and direct the revenue to the Safe Routes to School special fund. Support came from Ulupono Initiative, Climate Protectors Hawaii, the Disability Communication Access Board, and others, while the Retail Merchants of Hawaii supported the bill’s intent but questioned using the fines for Safe Routes to School, and Hawaiian Electric suggested directing EV-related fines to the EV charging system subaccount instead. Hawaii Appleseed supported the measure but raised concerns about the size of the fines and possible impacts on low-income residents. The committee asked questions about enforcement when EV chargers are inoperable; DAGS indicated the stalls could be used and would not be enforced in that situation. For SB 1120 on a clean fuel standard, the Department of Transportation supported the measure but asked for the implementation date to be delayed by one year and requested an independent Hawaii-specific economic impact study due before the next session. Support also came from several transportation, airline, and industry groups, while Tim Rhymer and Frank Schultz opposed it. The committee then heard SB 21 on water carriers, which would authorize a PUC inflationary cost index adjustment mechanism and exemptions; DOT, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Young Brothers, and the Hawaii Harbors Users Group supported it, while Frank Schultz opposed. Finally, the committee heard SB 117 on electric mobility, which would expand and rename the rebate program, set age limits and operating rules for e-bikes and electric motorcycles, require insurance for electric motorcycle operators, and make conforming changes. Testimony was largely supportive, including from DOT, the Hawaii Bicycling League, the Queen’s pediatric trauma center, and Ulupono Initiative, though one testifier warned that the bill’s wattage definition could unintentionally capture some pedal-assist e-bikes. No votes were taken on the individual bills in the portions shown, and the transcript ended with the committee continuing its hearing agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> like to just publicly thank the author like to just publicly thank the author of<01:40:17.360><c
• . authority. authority.
• </c><03:50:34.560><c> access</c> federal immigration authorities access federal immigration authorities
• </c> Oversight Authority won't function. Oversight Authority won't function.
• Um, I want to be clear, though, that zoning authority is vested in the state.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Can we put<00:11:59.519><c> guard</c><00:11:59.839><c> rails</c><00:12:00.160><c> in</c><00:12:00.320
• ><c> place</c><00:12:00.480><c> to</c><00:12:00.800><c> protect</c><00:12:01.120><c> the</c> put guard
• rails in place to protect the put guard rails in place to protect the data?

Bills: SB223, SB271, SB223, SB271

Keywords: expungement, nonviolent felony, criminal record, restoration of rights, human trafficking, SB271, Alabama, municipalities, city fees, town fees, franchise fees, utility franchise, natural gas, manufactured gas, gas utility, public streets, public places, right-of-way, municipal consent, gross receipts tax

Transcript Highlights:

• their physical and all those things, we're going to have information so that they're not caught off guard
• nothing in the policy currently that requires anything like that. ...so that they're not caught off guard
• But let's, we'll have a change in the guard.

Summary: The Student Academic Success Subcommittee met to discuss Florida’s current “sports choice” rules and high school NIL policy, then heard and passed HB 151. FHSAA officials and Sarasota County Schools staff explained eligibility rules for student-athletes, including GPA, age, semester limits, physicals, insurance, and the different participation options for traditional public, charter, home education, Florida Virtual, and private school students. Members focused on how controlled open enrollment works, whether private school students can play at public schools and vice versa, transfer timing and capacity limits, recruiting restrictions, and the role of local district policies. Sarasota officials said about 400 students in their county participate through non-traditional athletic arrangements, and FHSAA said statewide there are 5,460 non-traditional student-athlete forms on file out of roughly 280,000 student-athletes. The committee then reviewed Florida’s high school NIL framework. FHSAA said students in grades 9-12 may enter NIL deals, with no income cap, but they are barred from agreements involving adult entertainment, alcohol, tobacco/vaping, cannabis, controlled substances, gambling, weapons, political or social activism, and NIL collectives. Students must have a written contract and cannot use school logos or uniforms without permission. FHSAA said about 25 students statewide had NIL deals so far, and Sarasota was first to file. Members raised concerns about recruiting, taxes, financial literacy, mental health, and whether students should be treated as employees, while district staff said they provide education and financial literacy resources but do not review contracts. After the discussion, the committee took up HB 151 by Rep. Abbott. The bill allows students at FHSAA-member private schools to participate in sports at another member school when their own school does not offer that sport, and it removes the current 200-student enrollment limit. An amendment clarifying the private-school language was adopted without objection. A public witness from a small private school supported the bill, saying it would let the school join FHSAA without losing local athletic access for its students. Despite some members raising fairness and funding concerns, the bill passed on a 15-0 vote and was reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Animal Health Commission has legislative authority to regulate.
• The authorized personnel staff manages the authorized personnel program, uh, to develop and enhance veterinarians
• The Texas Animal Health Commission authorizes Texas veterinarians engaging in activity that is part of
• Uh, they also, we also authorize, uh, veterinarians issuing certificates of veterinary inspection, uh
• Uh, we have the Texas Agriculture Finance Authority.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have authority over all utilities for planning for an adequate grid.
• It's to give the Commission, local authorities, and DEP kind of a heads-up of what's coming down the
• It's to give the Commission, local authorities, the DEP, kind of a heads-up of what's coming down the
• This year we're on track to have over 100 launches from our Space Coast.
• So could you maybe explain FDOT's authority and process in vetting MPO projects? Great.

Summary: The committee heard introductory remarks from Chair LaMarca and members, then received presentations on electric utility planning, transportation infrastructure, and broadband deployment. Public Service Commission staff explained how Florida’s utilities plan for reliability and cost through 10-year site plans, demand forecasting, and economic dispatch. The presentation emphasized Florida’s residential-heavy load, growing EV demand, expanding solar and battery storage, continued reliance on natural gas combined-cycle plants, and the role of nuclear power. Members asked about energy efficiency, rates, renewable options beyond solar, cybersecurity, grid resilience, data centers, and small modular nuclear reactors; the witness said efficiency programs are reviewed every five years, utilities must balance reliability and affordability, and large new loads like data centers generally must pay for their own infrastructure needs. Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue described FDOT’s five-year work program, decentralized district structure, and funding mix, noting that the agency is predominantly state-funded and prioritizes maintenance and preservation before expansion. He highlighted record investment levels, major congestion-relief projects, toll-road revenues, seaport and airport partnerships, spaceport investments, workforce and equipment needs, and emerging technology such as advanced air mobility. Members asked about project timing, MPO planning, rail and ferry funding, airport governance, winter storm preparedness, and flooding/sea-level rise; Perdue said faster delivery depends on resources, local governments lead transit operations with FDOT as a capital partner, and coastal and drainage projects are designed around storm surge and resiliency. The Office of Broadband reported on six grant programs supporting infrastructure, community facilities, digital connectivity, and future digital capacity and broadband expansion. Director Leo Garcia said the office has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars across most counties, leveraged significant private investment, and focused heavily on rural areas. He noted that broadband efforts are intended to support telehealth, education, workforce development, and economic growth, and said the state has reduced the number of unserved locations from more than 400,000 to a projected 170,000 after current awards are completed. He also said the office needs additional budget authority for the upcoming digital capacity program and that the larger federal/state broadband deployment program will be used to reach remaining unserved and underserved areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• You can see the author was Jamie Becker-Finn. There's a little table on the top right.
• </c><00:14:25.959><c> to</c><00:14:26.279><c> transfer</c><00:14:26.759><c> it</c> legislative authority
• to transfer it legislative authority to transfer it between<00:14:27.440><c> different</c><00:14:27.720
• the authority to say whether<00:15:24.040><c> or</c><00:15:24.240><c> not</c><00:15:25.000><c> um</c
• We've heard a lot, especially on the East Coast, and then I saw, I think, a blip the other day about

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'd like to ask you to welcome the Foxborough Fire Department Honor Guard for the presentation of
• As they process out, I want to again thank the Foxborough Fire Department Honor Guard, members of Local
• Commissioner Sean Jenkins, SORB Chair Megan McLaughlin, State Police Colonel Jeffrey Noble, National Guard
• Our agencies, including MEMA, the National Guard, and State Police, work side by side with our fellow
• Are those the folks who had arrest authority before that no longer would have arrest authority?

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held its sixth public hearing on the Governor’s FY27 H-2 budget proposal, focused on public safety and judiciary agencies, at the Foxborough Community Center. After opening remarks and local welcomes, the committee heard testimony from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), led by Secretary Gina Kwan, who described the $1.72 billion budget as a 4% increase over FY26 and emphasized readiness, local partnerships, and support for core operations rather than expansion. She highlighted ongoing work on firearms-law implementation, State Police academy reforms, DOC’s new strategic plan, disaster response, hate-crime prevention, and planning for major 2026 events including the World Cup, Marathon, and America’s 250th anniversary. Members also raised concerns about State Police capacity, DNA backlog reporting, academy boxing/training reforms after a trooper’s death, ICE coordination, diversity in public safety leadership, the disaster relief fund, crime lab funding, reentry programming, and whether OEMS should move from DPH to EOPSS; Kwan said she would keep an open mind on some issues but was not ready to commit to an OEMS transfer. The committee then questioned EOPSS officials and the State Police colonel on several operational matters. The colonel said the academy boxing program remains suspended and likely will not return in its prior form, pending an IACP review, and that future training will likely emphasize jujitsu-style control techniques. He also said the State Police uses the civil service exam, with current advancement scores ranging from 83.72 to 98.78 for the most recent class, and acknowledged the need to improve recruitment, preparation, and diversity. On the DNA and sexual assault kit backlog, EOPSS said it supports extending the statute of limitations and is working with the courts and crime lab to identify and collect lawfully owed DNA. On disaster preparedness, officials said the new disaster relief fund is being developed with MEMA and A&F, is currently capitalized at $14 million with another $14 million expected, and should be designed to respond flexibly to different regional needs. They also said the crime lab increase is largely to cover core operations and a structural deficiency rather than expansion. Several members focused on public safety coordination and staffing. Questions from legislators from Bristol, Plymouth, Cape Cod, and elsewhere stressed the need for State Police to absorb additional forensic work if county resources shift, and to maintain strong communication with local chiefs and federal partners. Rep. Holmes pressed EOPSS on racial and gender diversity in the department and State Police; Kwan and Colonel Noble said diversity has improved but will take time to show up in senior leadership, and they pointed to internships and hiring practices as ways to broaden the pipeline. The hearing also included discussion of the World Cup security plan, with Kwan saying planning has been underway for about 18 months through 14 working groups and that current staffing and overtime resources appear sufficient for now. After EOPSS concluded, the committee recessed briefly and then began testimony from district attorneys, led by Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden, who said prosecutors are seeking a 10% budget increase to address staffing and salary pressures, especially the widening pay gap between assistant district attorneys and newly hired public defenders after recent CPCS funding increases.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh nothing in the bill authority.
• </c><00:15:57.040><c> receipt</c> annual town meeting to authorize receipt annual town meeting to authorize
• </c> it respects clear statutory authority. it respects clear statutory authority.
• It does this by authorizing solutions.
• under the community already authorized under the community power<00:22:22.559><c> law.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, there are federally authorized... The bill authorizes this.
• Coast Guard at a counter-narcotics unit out of San Diego, and I am currently in a lawsuit with the State
• River authorities are not really steady. By government.
• River authorities have contract lobbyists.
• it because it has to be expressly authorized.

Bills: SB 5, SB 11, SB 12

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, human trafficking, trafficking victim, compelling prostitution, affirmative defense, criminal defense, coercion, force fraud or coercion, sexual exploitation, victim protection, Penal Code, Texas criminal law, prosecution, party liability, affirmative defense statute, survivor rights

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 5, which Senator Perry described as a ban on intoxicating THC consumer products while preserving legal CBD, CBG, hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil products. Perry argued that most retail THC products are already illegal under federal law, that the industry has used loopholes and misleading labeling to sell high-potency products, and that regulation would be ineffective because chemists can quickly alter formulations. He also said the bill would steer people with medical needs toward the Texas Compassionate Use Program (T-Cup), which he and other supporters described as the proper physician-guided alternative. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly discussed the distinction between legal hemp-derived products and intoxicating THC products, and Perry said the bill would not touch non-consumable hemp uses such as fiber and clothing. Invited testimony came from law enforcement and medical witnesses who supported the bill. Texas Police Chiefs Association representative Steve Dye, Kaufman County District Attorney Early Wiley, and Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne all said regulation would be too costly, too complex, and ultimately unenforceable, while a ban would be clearer and easier to enforce. They cited overloaded DPS labs, the need for expensive private testing, limited police and prosecutor resources, and the difficulty of keeping up with constantly changing cannabinoids and out-of-state products. Hawthorne and Wiley described raids and investigations involving warehouses, retail stores, cash seizures, and products they said were marketed to young people and often mislabeled or imported from other states. They also said the bill would help law enforcement by creating a clearer legal line and protecting legitimate CBD/CBG businesses. Dr. Lindy McGee, speaking for the Texas Medical Association and Texas Pediatric Society, testified that retail THC products pose serious risks to children and adolescents, including addiction, impaired brain development, psychosis, suicide attempts, self-harm, accidental toddler ingestions, and possible long-term cognitive effects. She said there is no effective medication treatment for THC addiction comparable to nicotine cessation tools, and she supported restrictions such as child-resistant packaging, no marketing to minors, and age limits, while opposing criminal penalties for possession by minors. Senators asked follow-up questions about brain development, memory, dementia risk, pregnancy, and cardiovascular effects. No vote was taken during the portion provided, and the committee continued with invited testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The authorized employee counts indicate the number of positions that are legislative authorized.
• </c><01:18:53.040><c> the</c> footnote number two to authorize the footnote number two to authorize the
• caught off guard, so caught off guard, so &gt;&gt; someone<01:49:45.440><c> wants</c><01:49:45.600><c
• The JAC did adopt the governor's recommendation to authorize $30 million in borrowing authority from
• </c><02:39:20.080><c> $30</c> the governor's wreck to authorize $30 the governor's wreck to authorize

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What I have found also is when the officers interact with the inmates, their guard is down to an extent
• Their guard is down to an extent, what is needed, but I see them open up as well.
• One member doesn't have any authority to distribute this money.

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on March 25 for what was described as its last regular meeting, with a possible special meeting the following week. The committee first took up Senate Bill 1112, adopting a Livingston strike-everything amendment that appropriates $1 million from the special services fund in fiscal year 2027 to the Department of Corrections for holistic, studio-based rehabilitative programming and requires a report on spending, self-harm, discipline, and recidivism by June 30, 2028. Supporters from Art of Our Soul testified that the trauma-informed art and music therapy program has reduced disciplinary violations, self-harm, and mental health watches, and members described it as a rehabilitation effort with documented benefits. The bill, as amended, received a due pass recommendation by a 16-2 vote. The committee then considered Senate Bill 1776, which would expand AHCCCS coverage for traditional healing services to include urban Indian organizations. AHCCCS testified neutrally but said the change would require a waiver amendment, would not qualify for 100% federal match, and would carry an estimated $1.3 million general fund impact. The sponsor argued the bill would align Arizona with federal policy and correct an omission of urban Indian organizations from the existing waiver. After discussion about costs and whether the bill should proceed with a committee of the whole amendment, the committee gave SB 1776 a do pass recommendation by a 9-6-2-1 vote, with several members expressing concern about AHCCCS growth and the funding source. Senate Bill 1537, which would rename the Peace Officer Training Equipment Fund as the Public Safety De-escalation and Life Safety Fund and repeal its advisory commission, failed. Testimony explained that the commission has not met in years and that the bill was largely a cleanup measure, but the Arizona Police Association opposed the change and some members wanted the commission reformed rather than repealed. The committee voted it down 6-9, with members split over whether the fund should remain tied to its current structure. The committee next adopted an amendment to Senate Bill 1584 that shifted a $1 million appropriation for Department of Corrections recruitment and training from the general fund to the Peace Officer Training Equipment Fund. Supporters said DOC remains understaffed and that the training/recruitment program has worked elsewhere; some members questioned whether the fund could legally be used for that purpose, but the amendment passed and the bill received a do pass recommendation by a 10-5-2-2 vote. Finally, Senate Bill 1673, which funds the law enforcement crime victim notification system, was amended to reduce the appropriation from $5 million general fund to about $2.595 million from the victim compensation fund. Testimony from the Arizona Sheriffs Association, victim notification vendors, and Phoenix officials emphasized the program’s importance, while others argued the amendment would raid victim compensation resources. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed, and the committee adjourned after noting the next calendar had not yet been posted.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I have found also is when the officers interact with the inmate, right, their guard is down to an
• So this is... ...their guard is down to an extent, which is needed, but I see them open up as well.
• One member doesn't have any authority to distribute this money.

Bills: SB1112, SB1517, SB1537, SB1584, SB1673, SB1776

Keywords: mental health, hearings, acquaintance witnesses, patient rights, treatment evaluation, barbering, cosmetology, appropriation, funding, licensing, board operations, peace officer, training, public safety, traffic offenses, judicial system, corrections, recruitment, state budget, crime victims

Transcript Highlights:

• Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen keep awake in vain. It is..." ...build it.
• Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchmen keep awake in vain.
• And I'm just curious about the thought process with JFAC on limiting spending authority for dedicated

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House convened with roll call, prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the journal and received gubernatorial and Senate messages, including signed House bills and several Senate bills and House bills returned for enrollment or referral. Committee reports moved a number of measures forward, including bills on agriculture, education, revenue and taxation, state affairs, and appropriations, along with House Concurrent Resolution 35 recognizing Idaho athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics and House Joint Memorial 21 concerning tungsten, both sent for printing. The House introduced a large slate of new bills, including measures on tax refunds for erroneous sales tax payments, county commissioner vacancy procedures, codifier’s corrections, open meetings, data centers and water use, compliance with law, tax exemptions for information technology equipment, historic preservation, state office vacancies, administrative rules, abortion trafficking, irrigation districts, education strategic performance plans, and several appropriations and policy bills. The chamber also placed many bills on the third reading calendar and later returned some items to committee or general orders, including House Joint Memorial 19, House Bills 828 and 862. A major portion of the meeting was floor debate and passage of several budget and policy bills. The House suspended rules and passed House Bills 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, and 835, with debate focusing on maintenance and enhancement budgets, dedicated funds, one-time expenditures, agency consolidations, cybersecurity, and transparency in JFAC budgeting. House Bill 866 covered constitutional officers; House Bill 867 covered general government and military pay; House Bill 868 funded PERSI enhancements; House Bill 869 restored cuts for the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired; House Bill 870 funded OITS cybersecurity and Health and Welfare IT consolidation; House Bill 871 funded the State Tax Commission; and House Bill 835 limited non-cognizable spending authority. Most bills passed with recorded votes, though several drew significant opposition over spending levels and use of federal or dedicated funds. The House also heard announcements about upcoming committee meetings and possible floor action later in the week, and members introduced visitors in the gallery. The chamber adjourned by motion until 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Supreme Court, and this is another instance of the courts, A, stepping into an area where they have no authority
• So, you know, what I heard was the old guard.
• And what I heard today was that those who have benefited the old guard, of which I have a personal understanding

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from February 17 and 18 and agreed to hold RS 33446 at the sponsor’s request. It then considered RS 33-144, a memorial urging the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit Obergefell v. Hodges. The sponsor argued the issue belongs to the states, cited Idaho’s constitutional definition of marriage, and said the memorial was needed because the federal ruling had effectively nullified Idaho’s amendment. Members questioned the need for the memorial given Idaho’s existing constitutional language and discussed federalism, equal protection, and the historical wording in the RS. A substitute motion removed language referring to “Anglo-American legal tradition,” and that amended RS 33-144 was introduced, with Representatives Haas and Church recorded as voting no. The committee next heard RS 33-421, a proposal to codify rules for large electric loads and require new large users, such as data centers, to bear more of the infrastructure and study costs rather than shifting them to existing ratepayers. The sponsor said the measure was intended to protect Idaho consumers and ensure growth pays for growth. Members asked about effects on existing large-load customers, utilities’ involvement, and whether the bill was moving ahead of the Public Utilities Commission. The RS was introduced after discussion. The main item of the day was H.J.R. 10, a proposed constitutional amendment on Idaho endowment lands that would prioritize revenue-generating uses while also addressing public access and traditional uses such as timber, grazing, mining, and recreation. The sponsor said the amendment would protect long-term revenue and public access without changing the trust beneficiaries, while opponents from logging, mining, county government, and the Department of Lands warned it could create legal ambiguity, invite litigation, and conflict with the state’s fiduciary duties under the Idaho Admissions Act. Supporters from recreation and outfitting groups said it would provide stability and better recognize recreation as an economic use. After extended testimony, a motion to hold the resolution in committee failed 6-8, and the motion to send H.J.R. 10 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation then failed on a 7-7 tie, ending the meeting without advancing the resolution.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Commission found there was insufficient evidence to authorize industrial use.
• and Navajo DOT are constantly working on trying to fix fences that have been sifted over and cattle guards
• , Navajo DOT are constantly working on trying to fix fences that have been sifted over and cattle guards

Bills: HM45, HB276, HB300

Keywords: Taos County, Questa, produced water, treated produced water, water reuse, water quality control commission, freshwater conservation, rural communities, acequias, Indian nations, tribes, pueblos, water rights, industrial water use, data centers, artificial intelligence, AI, quantum computing, economic development, renewable energy

Summary: The committee first heard House Memorial 45, which asked the Water Quality Control Commission to promptly hear a petition seeking consideration of the beneficial reuse of treated produced water. The sponsor and supporters argued that produced water could help conserve freshwater, support agriculture and rural communities, and potentially aid compact obligations with Texas and industrial users. The committee also heard extensive opposition from acequia leaders, environmental groups, and residents who said the science is not yet sufficient, the water contains unknown or proprietary contaminants, and the memorial could pressure regulators or shift pollution burdens to other communities. After questions focused on the meaning of a memorial, the status of the petition, and the role of the Produced Water Research Consortium, a motion to table HM 45 passed, with members explaining they wanted the petition in hand before acting. The committee then took up House Bill 276, which appropriates $3.3 million to NMSU for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to support celebration of the 400-year anniversary of winemaking in New Mexico. Supporters described the bill as a statewide agritourism and economic development effort tied to New Mexico’s long wine history, with marketing, signage, and tourism promotion intended to benefit wineries across the state. Members asked about the funding source, the anniversary date, and whether the effort would include wineries outside the south; the sponsor said the campaign would highlight wineries statewide. The committee voted do pass on HB 276. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 300, which would appropriate funds for the care and management of free-roaming horses and related domestic horse management, with an emphasis on tribal and local herd-control efforts using fertility control and trained community members. Supporters said the program would help address overpopulation, grazing impacts, and roadway safety, while opponents questioned relocation plans and whether the money should be spread across more counties. The sponsor and expert witness said trained personnel were already in place and the funds would support implementation. After discussion, the committee voted do pass on HB 300. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would meet again Saturday to hear House Bill 207.

Bills: HB145, HR1, SB29, SB37, SB193, SB58, SB64, HB195, HB234, HB279, HB287, HB292, HB303, SB30, SB35, SB40, SB43, SB48, SB96, SB143, HJM1, HM7, HM17, HM4, HM22, HM23, HM24, HM26, HM2, HM16, HM32, HM13, HM47, HM20, HM51, HM1, HM31, HM35, HM36, HM46, HM53, HM54, HM39, HM29, HM43, HM59, HM11, HM14, HM21, HM34, HM50, HB332

Keywords: high-wage jobs, tax credit, job creation, New Mexico, economic development, House Resolution 1, HR1, House investigatory subcommittee, special committee, legislative investigation, subpoena power, public corruption, criminal activity, Zorro ranch, Santa Fe County, public accountability, government oversight, impeachment power, children and vulnerable persons, public funds

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think we can all uh guard rails.
• the</c><00:51:40.559><c> amendment,</c> Louis, the author of the amendment, Louis, the author of the
• ,</c> if you want to ask my uh co-author, if you want to ask my uh co-author, Representative<02:37:10.240
• ><c> Representative</c> authorizes swing beds for Representative authorizes swing beds for Representative
• There's nothing wrong with authority.

Keywords: 1183, house