Transcript Highlights:

• Rural and small-town Kentuckians, coal country and river counties, west and east.
• When they notice babies floating down the river, one starts grabbing the babies out of the river.
• </c> walking by a river. walking by a river.
• </c> the river the river one<00:16:00.880><c> starts</c><00:16:01.240><c> grabbing</c><00:16:01.720><
• </c> the river. the river.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources & Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• , and what it meant in California to actually take dams down and return rivers, or restore rivers, both
• South of the mine, the San Juan River flows to the west. is fed by the Animas and La Plata Rivers upstream
• of the mine and the Chaco River downstream of the mine.
• So alluvial groundwater generally flows north to south. and to the San Juan River.
• Potential off-site receptors include the San Juan River and water supply wells located along the river

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> wi the Wind River? wi the Wind River?
• So lands north of the river, non-native ranchers, land south of the river, tribal land, and where we
• ,</c> So lands north of the river, So lands north of the river, non-native<00:26:13.039><c> ranchers,
• </c> river from me and couldn't be disturbed. river from me and couldn't be disturbed.
• </c> Wind River tribes. Wind River tribes.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Tribal Relations

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, houses coming down, people screaming for help, horses floating down the river.
• Uh, just got water in the gas and now we were floating down the river just helpless.
• I mean, this was spot on that river.
• </c> help, horses floating down the river. help, horses floating down the river. you<00:10:40.320><c>
• </c> floating down the river just helpless. floating down the river just helpless.

Committee: Senate Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Louis River.
• Louis River.
• Louis River.
• Louis River. native waters of the St. Louis River.
• Louis River. We'll plan to upper St. Louis River.

Bills: HF2411 , HF2471 , HF1440 , HF1393 , HF1631 , HF1259 , HF280 , HF1281 , HF1459

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Keywords: cultural heritage, funding, White Earth Nation, tribal community, construction, Delano, sesquicentennial, community events, fall of Saigon, Saigon anniversary, Vietnam War commemoration, Vietnamese Minnesotans, Cambodian Minnesotans, Lao Minnesotans, Southeast Asian refugees, Asian American heritage, cultural heritage fund, Minnesota Humanities Center, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, equity funding

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a small one called the Little River, which is where our bulkhead is located.
• We have a lot of river gateway for us.
• Mississippi River.
• Mississippi River.
• Mississippi River.

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• The Red River Board is not against water quality standards.
• And so one other quick example is that we have the Roseau River watershed district.
• </c><01:02:21.520><c> They're</c> the Rosa River wershed district.
• They're the Rosa River wershed district.
• </c> River Basin flood mediation agreement. River Basin flood mediation agreement.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• I yield the balance of my time. the Powder River Basin. These Biden era the Powder River Basin.
• The Powder River Basin does reserves.
• </c> River Basin turns off, so does America. River Basin turns off, so does America.
• And that coal comes from the Powder River Basin.
• </c> villages across the Yukon River basin. villages across the Yukon River basin.

Bills: HB4553 , HJR105 , HJR106 , HJR104 , HR539 , HR672

Keywords: energy, water development, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, flood control, infrastructure, Bureau of Land Management, North Dakota, resource management plan, congression disapproval, public lands policy, HJR106, H.J.Res. 106, Congressional Review Act, CRA, BLM, Central Yukon, Alaska, public lands, land management

Transcript Highlights:

• And these are little captures of water that feed into the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
• , the Cotterway River, the St.
• Francis River, and then eventually the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
• My entire eastern border is the Mississippi River.
• My entire eastern border is the Mississippi River.

Committee: House Conservation and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• The east side is the Tom River.
• The east side is the Tom River.
• The east side is the Tom River.
• The east side is the Tom River.
• </c> and they'd go back to your major river and they'd go back to your major river swamps<00:35:54.880

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• , and the rationale is that, you know, given what's before us and what's happening in the Colorado River
• to really consider the importance of this, particularly now given what's going on in the Colorado River
• </c><00:08:38.159><c> and</c><00:08:38.479><c> the</c> happening in the Colorado River and the happening
• in the Colorado River and the fact<00:08:38.880><c> that</c><00:08:39.839><c> um</c><00:08:40.080><c
• </c> on in the Colorado River Basin. on in the Colorado River Basin.

Bills: SF0050 , SF0068 , SF0084 , HB0087 , HB0029 , HB0061 , HB0090

Committee: Senate Agriculture, State and Public Lands & Water Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Our challenges are that on one side is the Yakima River and the Greenway Trail, and then to the right
• And when I say this project, we're talking about the orange area there, which is a river crossing.
• We are going to set back that river, and that green area is going to be pushed behind that blue area
• We don't want to dump it in the river.
• And then that segregated off the section between the interstate and the river.

Bills: HB2495

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: vehicles, streetcar operation, public safety, urban regulation, transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the Greater Green River and the Powder River on the right.
• That's the Greater Green River and the Powder River on the right.
• That's the Greater Green River and the Powder River on the right.
• That's the Greater Green River and the Powder River on the right.
• That's the Greater Green River and the Powder River on the right.

Committee: Joint Select Water Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• I grew up on the Mississippi River.
• I grew up on the Mississippi River.
• This is the Yellow Medicine River Watershed in, um, that feeds into the Minnesota River.
• </c><00:23:09.679><c> uh</c> this is the yellow Medicine River uh this is the yellow Medicine River uh
• Louis River Estuary.

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I think you're probably from the river parishes, okay? So that red dirt is sandy.
• To be constructed over the Mississippi River connecting Louisiana Highway 1 and Louisiana Highway 30
• This legislation designates the new Mississippi River crossing connecting LA 1 and LA 30 as the Donald
• This proposed location protects Louisiana's role as a gateway to the Mississippi River system, which
• When you build a major river crossing like this, the land around those interchanges becomes extremely

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works met on March 10 and considered a series of highway, bridge, and ferry naming bills, many honoring deceased public servants, veterans, and community leaders. The committee first heard House Bill 346, which redesignates a portion of U.S. Highway 171 as the Speaker Joe Salter Memorial Highway. Members and witnesses from the Secretary of State’s office offered extensive tributes to Salter’s career in education, legislative service, and state government. The bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up House Bill 221, which names a proposed Mississippi River bridge crossing connecting LA 1 and LA 30 as the President Donald J. Trump Expressway. Rep. Eccles argued the naming would help draw attention and funding to a long-discussed bridge project and emphasized toll-free, growth-based financing. Some members questioned the political and practical logic, but the bill was reported favorably on a 12-2 vote, with Reps. Murray and Walters voting no. The committee also reported favorably several other memorial naming bills, including HB 356 for the Elward T. Brady Jr. Memorial Bridge, HB 149 for the Senior Police Officer Trevor Abney Memorial Highway, HB 148 for the Eugene Washington Memorial Highway, and HB 716 naming the Schaumet Ferry Terminal after Michael C. Ginnart Jr. Additional measures were amended and reported: HB 355, designating Highway 10 as the Veterans Park Highway, was amended to add “Memorial Highway” and then reported favorably; HB 657, naming portions of LA 182 for Burrick B.J. Lejeune Jr. and Judge Richard T. Dickey Hike Sr., was amended to remove “Memorial” from the designations and reported as amended; HB 675, naming U.S. 425 in Franklin Parish for Assistant Chief Bill Putt Linder, was similarly amended and reported; and HB 384, naming a portion of U.S. 11 as the Dan de Blanc American Hero Highway, was amended to add “Memorial” and reported with amendments. HB 354, renaming the Magnolia Bridge as the Caleb Easterling Memorial Bridge, drew emotional testimony from the victim’s parents about his death in a drunk-driving crash and was reported favorably. HB 358, naming a portion of LA 433 for Charles R. Bordelon Sr., was also reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, the committee voluntarily deferred HB 129, HB 130, HB 360, and HB 401 to a later agenda. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many of the places that we drive through, be it the Cumberland River going through Harlan and Bell and
• People will have cars on this side of the river when they get there, but once they get across off of
• going through Harlan Cumberland River going through Harlan and<00:14:35.760><c> Bell</c><00:14:36.240
• ,</c><00:15:46.080><c> and</c> over it, crosses the river, and over it, crosses the river, and generally
• </c> have cars on this side of the river have cars on this side of the river when<00:16:31.000><c> they

Committee: Senate State & Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Our challenges are that on one side is the Yakima River and the Greenway Trail, and then to the right
• And when I say this project, we're talking about the orange area there, which is a river crossing.
• and that green riparian area is, as part of this project, we are going to set back that river in that
• and that green riparian area is, as part of this project, we are going to set back that river in that
• We are going to set back that river.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held a work session on two major corridor projects before moving to public hearing and executive session. In the Yakima area, WSDOT, Yakima County, and Ecology described the Interstate 82/east-west connector work as a coordinated effort to add capacity, improve interchanges, and address the Boise Cascade mill site contamination that sits in the project footprint. County and Ecology witnesses said the county is ready to remove wood waste and contaminated material, but the project is stalled pending a draft work plan and a de minimis consent decree; several senators pressed for faster action and clearer direction from Ecology. The committee then heard an update on the SR 3 Belfair freight corridor, where WSDOT said environmental review is complete and the next major step is an access hearing this summer, followed by right-of-way acquisition and construction likely in late 2027 or early 2028. Local and tribal partners emphasized the project’s importance for freight mobility, housing growth, emergency access, and regional economic development. The public hearing was on engrossed substitute House Bill 2711, a transportation resources bill that largely tracks provisions from prior legislation but also adds or changes several tax and account provisions. Staff explained that the bill clarifies fuel tax and peer-to-peer tax distributions, treats trade-in value differently for recreational vessel and luxury vehicle taxes, provides a six-month motor home exemption and penalty waiver for the luxury vehicle tax, allows lease payments to be made over time, exempts tribal members and nonresidents, creates a Preserve Washington account, changes some transfer timing, and repeals the luxury aircraft tax. Testimony was mixed: aviation groups supported repealing the luxury aircraft tax; trucking and some citizens opposed fuel tax and diesel tax increases; Sound Transit, transit advocates, labor, and ferry interests asked for amendments such as 75-year bonding authority, mobile driver’s licenses, ferry funding, and bike education funding. Alaska Airlines and Delta also supported adding mobile ID language. In executive session, the committee advanced several bills, including SHB 1823, SHB 2114, E2SHB 2251, SHB 2323, SHB 2410, EHB 2588, 2SHB 1923, and HB 2495, all with due pass recommendations after adopting amendments where applicable. The committee adopted a striking amendment to E2SHB 2251 adjusting Climate Commitment Act account distributions and a striking amendment to EHB 2588 limiting the ferry district changes to Whatcom County and removing the voter-approval tax provision. It also adopted an amendment to 2SHB 1923 that added further conditions for passenger-only ferry districts, including whale-protection and fare-related provisions. Senator King voted no on E2SHB 2251, objecting that the bill reduced the transportation share of Climate Commitment Act revenues. The chair announced one more executive action meeting would be held Wednesday morning, with amendment requests due the prior day.

Transcript Highlights:

• What makes it unique is its impacts to the Trinity River.
• As the river crosses the aquifer, it loses water.
• Heavy pumping on these 43 wells is right adjacent to the east bank of the Trinity River.
• If it sucks water out of the river, that is water.
• If it sucks water out of the river, that is water out of the river that affects the population of Houston

Bills: SB 2 , SB 5 , SB 10 , SB 9 , SB 7 , SB 17 , SB 4 , HB17 , HB7 , HB7 , HB15 , HB15 , HB27 , HB1 , HB7 , HB15 , HB18 , SB9 , SB7 , SB17 , SB4 , HB17 , HB27 , HB1 , SB8 , HCR13 , SB2 , SB5 , SB10

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's really hard to keep flows in that river.
• , and it'll help our river and our fish in those critically dry years.
• These exemptions further degrade protections to our rivers and streams.
• There's really improvements for flow in the rivers, as I had mentioned.
• I mean, there's a reference to old and middle river flows.

Summary: The committee heard several water, wildlife, and land-use bills. AB 2218 by Assembly Member Calóra would establish a state policy directing agencies to recognize and address water-related inequities affecting tribes; tribal supporters said it is a needed step toward restoring a voice at the table, while water agencies and local government groups opposed it as vague and potentially harmful to water supply reliability. The bill was amended in committee and moved forward on a vote, though it was left on call. AB 2032 by Assembly Member Ransom, the Golden Mussel Response Act, would speed agency response to the invasive golden mussel by streamlining permits and research; it drew broad support and no opposition, and passed the committee unanimously to Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials. AB 1712 by Assembly Member Pacheco would let Santa Fe Springs sell its small, contaminated water system through a protest process instead of a municipal election; supporters said it would avoid major rate hikes and improve reliability, and it was moved to Appropriations, though the vote was left on call. The committee also considered AB 1722 by Assembly Member Hadwick, which would create a clearer self-defense exception under the California Endangered Species Act for people facing dangerous predators. The author and a sheriff described a fatal mountain lion attack and argued rural residents need certainty; Defenders of Wildlife withdrew opposition after committee amendments, and the bill advanced to Judiciary on a vote that was left on call. AB 1613 by Assembly Member Wilson would require an off-highway vehicle safety and stewardship certification course before operating OHVs on public lands starting in 2029. Supporters said it would reduce accidents and educate new riders, while Vice Chair Gonzalez raised concerns about fees, penalties, tourism, and impacts on low-income residents in his district; the bill passed on a split vote and was left on call. Later, AB 1808 by Assembly Member Carrillo would expand local permitting authority for Western Joshua tree projects and reduce or waive some fees for homeowners and public works. Supporters framed it as a way to balance conservation with housing and infrastructure needs, while environmental groups opposed changes they said would weaken avoidance and mitigation protections; the bill passed to Natural Resources and was left on call. AB 1894 by Assembly Member Rubio would address imported water deliveries and groundwater recharge in the context of golden mussel restrictions, with supporters arguing for a statewide, science-based approach that preserves water reliability; it advanced to Appropriations with no opposition. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly emphasized the need to balance competing interests, especially around water reliability, tribal equity, public safety, and environmental protection.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have no opinion on the Winnipesaukee River Basin piece.
• </c><00:05:30.280><c> And</c> the Winnipesaukee River Basin piece.
• And the Winnipesaukee River Basin piece.
• And um, and then it discharges into the Merrimack River at that point.
• </c> Franklin, if you go down down uh River Franklin, if you go down down uh River Road<00:15:09.000>

Summary: The committee held a work session on House Bill 592, which concerns regional conservation and energy resources planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors, and a commission to study transferring ownership of the Winnipesaukee River Basin Program to another authority. Jason Stock of the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Association said his group was fine with the bill as printed, especially after Senate language clarified that habitat stronghold designations are for information gathering and not regulatory purposes. Ted Diers of the Department of Environmental Services strongly supported the bill’s Winnipesaukee River Basin provisions, saying the state’s role in operating the wastewater system is outdated and that the communities are now capable of taking more control; he also supported creating a higher-level engineering/director position to oversee aging infrastructure and help manage a possible transition. Committee members asked about the facility’s location, capacity, costs, staffing, the possibility of private operation, the commission’s membership, and whether the six-month study timeline was realistic. Diers said there would be no state savings beyond administrative time, that the communities already pay the costs, and that a report in six months should provide useful next steps even if it would not resolve everything. The chair closed the work session on HB 592 and announced a brief recess before later action, while a member indicated interest in proposing an amendment to change the commission’s membership.