Transcript Highlights:

• How do you supply electricity for all this industry that is in such a big rush when you cannot get the
• How do you supply electricity for all this industry that is in such a big rush when you cannot get the
• And what a retail sale is of electricity is if an end, if the purchaser of the electricity, electricity
• They oversee the transmission of electricity through the interstate electricity grid.
• "generation, you know, they're competing in a sense for the same supply parts that an electric utility

Summary: The committee held its first meeting on artificial intelligence and data centers, established a quorum, and heard introductory remarks from Majority Leader Hogue and the chair about the committee’s charge. Members said the goal was to build a factual foundation on AI, hear from experts and stakeholders, and develop practical North Dakota-focused recommendations rather than simply produce a large volume of bills. Legislative Council also reviewed interim committee rules and procedures before the informational presentations began. Staff and NCSL presenters then gave overviews of AI concepts and the state and federal policy landscape. The background memo and presentations covered AI categories and terms, state laws in areas such as consumer protection, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, chatbots, children’s safety, health, education, and government use, as well as data center siting and economic impacts. NCSL described a growing number of AI bills introduced and enacted across the states, with comprehensive laws in places like Utah, Colorado, Texas, California, and Illinois, and noted recurring issues around transparency, privacy, liability, and protections for minors. A major focus of the discussion was federal preemption and the tension between state regulation and national AI policy. NCSL said a recent White House executive order and related federal framework seek a light-touch, innovation-friendly national standard, with possible challenges to state laws and possible funding conditions tied to compliance, though no broad federal preemption has yet been enacted. Members asked about Commerce Clause concerns, industry pushback, oversight models, and whether AI policy is bipartisan; presenters said the issue cuts across party lines, with broad agreement on child safety and deepfake restrictions but more disagreement on broader regulatory approaches. No votes or formal actions were taken at the meeting, and the committee recessed briefly for technical issues during the second presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's new uses for electricity like heat pumps and electric vehicles.
• </c><00:09:43.600><c> and</c><00:09:44.000><c> electric</c> electricity like heat pumps and electric
• electricity like heat pumps and electric vehicles.<00:09:45.200><c> And</c><00:09:45.360><c> then</c>
• </c> electricity has to come from someplace. electricity has to come from someplace.
• </c> Dakota Electric, which I know Mr. or Dr. Dakota Electric, which I know Mr. or Dr.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The first topic is the Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council and an update on their work.
• All right, well, you created us about four years ago, and our goal is to accelerate electric vehicle
• And when we talk about electric vehicles, we mean battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell electric
• One is the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.
• Or is it just set in stone on 150K until electricity runs out?

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

Transcript Highlights:

• But when I was overproducing and I was pushing electricity back out on the grid, I knew the electric
• When he was overproducing and pushing electricity back out on the grid, he knew the electric company
• </c> make that electricity available quickly. make that electricity available quickly.
• </c> when it talks about existing electric when it talks about existing electric energy<00:58:34.799>
• </c><03:03:23.439><c> So</c> For electric distribution utilities. So we'll start with HB 266.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CenterPoint Energy is a combined. gas and electric delivery companies serving 2.8 million electric customers
• The class A's, class A. utilities such as telecommunications, broadband, electric, gas lines.
• This is Leon Whitley from Aqua Water Supply.
• John Whitley, Aqua Water Supply Corporation, front and center. Jeremy Moore.
• But, we're losing between 15 to 20 percent of our drinking water supply in our pipe networks.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's the entire supply chain.
• </c> electric rate payers. electric rate payers.
• </c> were still producing electricity. were still producing electricity.
• </c> electricity generation. electricity generation. &gt;&gt; Thank<05:03:27.440><c> you.
• So, if all of the supply in New supply.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the CEO of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
• Rural electric cooperatives Rural electric cooperatives are not-for-profits.
• That represents a 40% increase in electricity cost.
• Clean energy already supplies half of New Mexico’s electricity and has helped lower power costs.
• I am nervous, because I've already seen electric costs go up.

Bills: SB12, SB36, SB92, SB120, SB133, SB151, SB18, SB96

Keywords: tax credit, physician, healthcare, income tax, rural health, quantum technology, infrastructure, economic development, New Mexico, corporate tax, research and development, innovation, affordable housing, gross receipts tax, tax deduction, construction materials, multifamily housing, low income, journalism, local news

Transcript Highlights:

• And particularly for accepting suggested languages from CUB in order to protect electric rate payers
• My name is Ryan Hentges, and I'm the CEO of Dakota Electric Association, located in Farmington.
• Dakota Electric is a not-for-profit electric cooperative that serves over 115,000 members across Dakota
• The data center industry is committed to paying its full cost of service for electricity.
• As we continue to invest in our power grid to serve a growing electric load.

Bills: HF2928, HF2912, HF2297

Keywords: water appropriation, data centers, environmental review, energy conservation, permit application, carbon-free energy, geothermal energy, renewable energy, Macalester College, appropriation, sustainability, solar energy, pollinator programs, license plates, agrivoltaics, environmental sustainability

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> electricity bill. electricity bill.
• The National Electric Code, the NEC, is designed to isolate the power supply from the load, and that's
• </c> the power supply and the house. the power supply and the house.
• I'm not an electrical engineer.
• uh</c> electric vehicle but uh electric vehicle but uh No.

Bills: SF0095, SF0107, SF0112

Keywords: driver's license, motor vehicle services, third-party providers, Wyoming, regulatory compliance, motor vehicle, registration, license plate, electronic system, State Department of Transportation, county treasurers, vehicle fees, public records, license plates, replacement cycle, vehicle registration, motor vehicles, state fees, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• California's resource adequacy program ensures sufficient electricity supply to meet customer demand.
• For the past few decades, electricity demand has remained fairly stable.
• We know that demand for electricity is growing.
• We know that demand for electricity is growing.
• shortage or problem, and in the effort... ...supply shortage or problem.

Summary: The committee heard several energy, telecommunications, and regulatory bills. SB 929 would require the California Energy Commission chair to appear annually and report to the Legislature on the commission’s activities, plans, and outreach; the author said it would improve oversight without raising rates or fees. SB 1138 would let load-serving entities trade hourly resource adequacy obligations to reduce overprocurement and lower ratepayer costs; supporters said it could save hundreds of millions, while questions focused on CPUC concerns, grid reliability, and whether savings would reach customers. SB 913 would expand participation of customer-sited distributed energy resources, such as home batteries and smart thermostats, in the resource adequacy market; supporters said it would unlock existing clean capacity and reduce costs, and members asked about reliability, opt-in participation, compensation, and how to handle partially charged batteries. SB 1197 would move California to permanent standard time, with the author and a sleep medicine witness arguing it would improve health and safety, while opponents from the golf industry raised concerns about economic, recreational, and public safety impacts and whether voter approval would be required. SB 1191 would extend the California High Cost Fund A and B programs for rural telephone service through 2033, with supporters emphasizing affordability and emergency access in rural areas. SB 1265 would codify and expand the Go Green financing program under the Treasurer and CAFA, and SB 1337 would create a working group to coordinate fuel-transition policy and refinery-related issues across state and local agencies. Members generally supported the bills, though several raised implementation and coordination questions. Concerns included whether SB 1197 would require another vote of the people, whether SB 1138 could create unintended market or reliability problems, whether SB 913 could affect local generation needs or depend on customer readiness, and whether SB 1337 would duplicate existing fuel-transition bodies. Authors and witnesses responded that amendments and existing safeguards would address many of those issues, and that the measures were intended to improve efficiency, affordability, and coordination. The committee ultimately voted to advance all seven bills, with each receiving a do pass recommendation, some as amended and some to different policy committees or Appropriations. Final recorded votes were overwhelmingly in favor, with SB 1197 receiving one no vote and SB 1265 receiving one no vote; the other measures passed unanimously or near-unanimously. All bills were reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• You may choose to buy an electric car. You may choose to eat less meat.
• Thank you. ...had to be fed an unending supply of Greek youths.
• And yet this conversation about burning trees, woody biomass for electricity, has lingered.
• supply, and our board typically why we did not want biomass as part of our electricity supply.
• -based battery supply chain for electric vehicles and clean energy storage systems.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused mainly on two subjects: expansion of the Massachusetts bottle bill and bills to remove woody biomass from state clean-energy and greenhouse-gas programs. On the bottle bill, supporters from municipal, environmental, public health, and local government groups argued that the 5-cent deposit is outdated, redemption rates have fallen, and expanding coverage to more beverage containers—especially water, sports drinks, and small alcohol bottles—would reduce litter, cut plastic waste and microplastics, and save cities and towns money. Several speakers also backed raising handling fees for retailers and redemption centers, and some supported restoring a Clean Environment Fund so unclaimed deposits would support recycling-related purposes. Opponents, including the Massachusetts Beverage Association and the National Waste and Recycling Association, argued that curbside recycling and transfer-station systems are more convenient, that the targeted containers are valuable to local recycling programs, and that the proposal would shift costs onto consumers and municipalities. Committee members questioned witnesses about redemption rates, handling fees, the 2014 ballot question, and whether the bill had changed from prior sessions. The biomass portion drew strong support from Springfield officials, state legislators, environmental advocates, and public health groups. They said woody biomass should not count as clean energy because burning wood produces particulate pollution and carbon emissions, and they warned that current law contains a loophole that could help finance the proposed Palmer Renewable Energy biomass plant in Springfield. Witnesses emphasized Springfield’s air-quality and asthma burdens, the public health impacts of PM2.5, and the need to close the loophole before a January 1, 2026 deadline. One forest-industry witness supported a separate bill promoting modern wood heat with pollution controls, arguing it is cleaner than older wood systems and has minimal ratepayer cost, while noting that those credits would be affected if the governor’s broader energy affordability bill repeals the alternative energy portfolio standard. No votes were taken during the hearing. The chairs managed testimony by alternating between the bottle bill and biomass topics, asking speakers to keep remarks brief and to note when they agreed with prior testimony. Several legislators also testified in support of the bills, and committee members asked follow-up questions on deposit levels, retailer handling fees, recycling economics, and the public-health rationale for the biomass restrictions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our municipal electric departments are famously competitive with their rates.
• We need to, of course, make sure that we have a safe and reliable electric grid.
• It means that we're buying less supply. I'll leave you with just two more statistics.
• In 2025, compared to 2024, we had 20% fewer new electric vehicles on the road.
• It's more than 5% of our annual electric needs coming from that one project.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing at UMass Amherst on Governor Healey’s fiscal year 2027 budget, focusing on energy/environment-related transportation issues and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The chairs and members opened with thanks to UMass, university leadership, court officers, and legislative staff, and Chancellor Javier Reyes highlighted UMass Amherst’s research, workforce, sustainability, and transportation contributions, including energy research, transit operations, and partnerships with MassDOT. The hearing then moved to MassDOT and MBTA testimony on the administration’s transportation funding package, including House 2, the FY26 Fair Share supplemental, and a proposed four-year Chapter 90 authorization. MassDOT officials described the budget as part of a broader multi-year transportation investment strategy, citing funding for operations, snow and ice removal, regional transit authorities, the MBTA, the Merit Rating Board, sustainable aviation fuel credits, micro-transit and last-mile grants, unpaved road improvements, bridge and pavement work, and housing-related transportation infrastructure. They emphasized workforce expansion, capital delivery capacity, safety improvements, and local aid, including the new lane-mile-based Chapter 90 formula intended to benefit rural communities. Officials also discussed major projects and programs such as Grant Central, culvert and unpaved road grants, work zone speed cameras, congestion hotspot fixes, the Sagamore and Bourne Bridge projects, and MBTA operating support and safety upgrades. Testimony from the MBTA and rail/transit staff focused on improved ridership, service frequency, accessibility, and safety, including progress on the Green Line Train Protection System, reduced delays, expanded bus and commuter rail service, and the South Coast rail extension. Regional transit authorities reported increased ridership and described new fare-free, connectivity, and community transit grants. Aeronautics testimony covered airport capital work, drone and data programs, sustainable aviation fuel efforts, and workforce development in aviation maintenance. Committee members then asked questions, especially about Western Massachusetts priorities, Chapter 90 funding, bridge repairs, snow and ice costs, Cape Cod bridges, Buzzard’s Bay rail, and Compass Rail/West-East Rail. Officials said several federal rail grants were moving forward, that Sagamore Bridge procurement would begin soon, and that the administration remained committed to pursuing federal funding and multi-year transportation investments.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also provide... ...on fuel supply chain disaster preparedness.
• With respect to the grid, we work closely with the Tampa Electric Company in Tampa.
• We've worked with them to harden our power supplies, especially to our fuel terminals.
• Tampa Electric has been a great partner.
• As far as electrical grid goes, Florida Power and Light sources the power on the seaport.

Summary: The Transportation Committee heard SB 356 by Senator Wright, which would create an opt-in framework allowing counties and municipalities to designate certain roads for utility-terrain vehicles (UTVs) under local conditions, including driver licensing, insurance, and speed-limit restrictions below 55 mph. Senator Wright said the bill would give law enforcement clearer authority and mirror the local-option approach used for golf carts. Supporters included a retired Volusia County sheriff and county commissioner, who argued UTVs are safer than golf carts and are already being used on roads, while opponents from the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association and Honda warned that UTVs are designed for off-road use, lack federal safety standards, and pose crash and tire-blowout risks on public roads. Several senators raised safety concerns, especially about speed and crash severity, but the committee ultimately voted to report SB 356 favorably. The committee then held a lengthy discussion on seaport infrastructure and funding, beginning with a moment of silence for JaxPort COO and former FDOT employee James Bennett. FDOT presented data showing Florida’s 16 deepwater seaports generate major cargo volume, jobs, and economic impact, and described state funding programs such as FSTED, SPI, and the construction aggregate grant program. Port representatives from Port Everglades, PortMiami, Port Tampa Bay, and the Port of Palm Beach described record cargo and cruise activity, major capital projects, and the need for continued state and federal support for dredging, bulkheads, cranes, rail, and terminal expansion. Senators asked about ROI, trade shifts, intermodal connections, fuel and LNG availability, leverage and reserves, and operational risks such as flooding, sea level rise, and channel depth; port officials emphasized resiliency, private partnerships, and long-term master planning. The committee also confirmed appointees to the Tampa Hillsborough County Expressway Authority and the Tampa Port Authority in one vote, with no objection. Finally, FDOT presented the statewide mapping programs work group report required by SB 1662, explaining that coordinated statewide use of LiDAR and aerial imagery could reduce duplication, improve emergency management and planning, and support insurance and storm-damage assessment. FDOT recommended a formal statewide coordination program, shared procurement and cost-sharing agreements, dedicated staffing, and statutory updates to Chapter 334 to support interagency agreements and recurring funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• in supplies.
• Thank you for your time. supplies for their students by the supplies for their students by the middle
• </c> spend money out of pocket on supplies spend money out of pocket on supplies for<00:04:42.000><c>
• </c> their personal money on school supplies their personal money on school supplies for<00:05:18.720
• </c> stock of Supply excuse me stock supply stock of Supply excuse me stock supply of<00:51:53.400><c

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Who pays the electric bill on my house? You do? Who pays the electric bill on your house? I do.
• And capitalism must be driving that supply and demand.
• That's how we add the supply. But Kansas are getting them, too.
• or electric vehicle charging.
• We support— Or renewable energy, or electric vehicle charging.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to the access by a certificated telecommunications provider to the rights of way and poles of an electric
• McMullen Counties to jurisprudence. 146 Senate Bill 1261 by Perry relating the financing of water supply
• Senate Bill 1270 by Hughes relating to itemized billing for health care services. and Supplies to Health
• customer by certain electric utilities to business and commerce.
• Senate Bill 1312 by Cook relating to the disconnection of electric service by certain entities. during

Bills: SJR36, SJR3, SB616, SB565, SB384, SB5, SJR52, SJR53, SJR54, SJR55, SCR18, SCR19, SCR22, SB27, SB29, SB35, SB1151, SB1152, SB1153, SB1154, SB1155, SB1156, SB1157, SB1158, SB1159, SB1160, SB1161, SB1162, SB1163, SB1164, SB1165, SB1166, SB1167, SB1168, SB1169, SB1170, SB1171, SB1172, SB1173, SB1174, SB1175, SB1176, SB1177, SB1178, SB1179, SB1180, SB1181, SB1182, SB1183, SB1184, SB1185, SB1186, SB1187, SB1188, SB1189, SB1190, SB1191, SB1192, SB1193, SB1194, SB1195, SB1196, SB1197, SB1198, SB1199, SB1200, SB1201, SB1202, SB1203, SB1204, SB1205, SB1206, SB1207, SB1208, SB1209, SB1210, SB1211, SB1212, SB1213, SB1214, SB1215, SB1216, SB1217, SB1218, SB1219, SB1220, SB1221, SB1222, SB1223, SB1224, SB1225, SB1226, SB1227, SB1228, SB1229, SB1230, SB1231, SB1232, SB1233, SB1234, SB1235, SB1236, SB1237, SB1238, SB1239, SB1240, SB1241, SB1242, SB1243, SB1244, SB1245, SB1246, SB1247, SB1248, SB1249, SB1250, SB1251, SB1252, SB1253, SB1254, SB1255, SB1256, SB1257, SB1258, SB1259, SB1260, SB1261, SB1262, SB1263, SB1264, SB1265, SB1266, SB1267, SB1268, SB1269, SB1270, SB1271, SB1272, SB1273, SB1274, SB1275, SB1276, SB1277, SB1278, SB1279, SB1280, SB1281, SB1282, SB1283, SB1284, SB1285, SB1286, SB1287, SB1288, SB1289, SB1290, SB1291, SB1292, SB1293, SB1294, SB1295, SB1296, SB1297, SB1298, SB1299, SB1300, SB1301, SB1302, SB1303, SB1304, SB1305, SB1306, SB1307, SB1308, SB1309, SB1310, SB1311, SB1312, SB1313, SB1314, SB1315, SB1316, SB1317, SB1318, SB1319, SB1320, SB1321, SB1322, SB1323, SB1324, SB1325, SB1326, SB1327, SB1328, SB1329, SB1330, SB1331, SB1332, SB1333, SB1334, SB1335, SB1336, SB1337, SB1338, SB1339, SB1340, SB1341, SB1342, SB1343, SB1344, SB1345, SB1621, SJR57

Keywords: dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement, enforcement suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• electrical generation electric electrical generation facilities<00:45:26.000><c> uh</c><00:45:26.160
• It doesn't even have a customer, but they're going to build a building, supply electricity, supply cooling
• It doesn't even have a customer, but they're going to build a building, supply electricity, supply cooling
• </c><01:44:04.719><c> or</c> treat taxes on electricity or treat taxes on electricity or electricity<
• </c> west to sell electricity. west to sell electricity.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> supply of m musical energy to your ears. supply of m musical energy to your ears.
• </c> same amount of electricity. same amount of electricity.
• </c> every motan who pays an electric bill. every motan who pays an electric bill.
• </c> John Gouki with Star Power Electric. John Gouki with Star Power Electric.
• ><c> electrical</c><01:30:56.320><c> business</c><01:30:56.560><c> in</c> Electric um small electrical

Bills: HF2986, HF3555

Keywords: virtual power plant, VPP, distributed energy resources, DER, demand response, load management, grid modernization, peak demand, peak shaving, battery storage, energy storage, solar photovoltaic, solar panels, electric vehicles, smart thermostats, heat pumps, aggregator, public utilities commission, PUC, rate recovery

Transcript Highlights:

• California's resource adequacy program ensures sufficient electricity supply to meet customer demand.
• So, for example, in San Francisco, the peak is in the winter because a lot of homes have electric heat
• For the past few decades, electricity demand has remained fairly stable.
• We know that demand for electricity is growing.
• shortage or problem, and in the effort... ...supply shortage or problem.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><05:02:08.000><c> That's</c><05:02:08.240><c> not</c> supplying electricity.
• That's not supplying electricity.
• </c> New Hampshire's restructured electricity New Hampshire's restructured electricity supply<05:10:54.280
• </c><05:14:36.880><c> supply</c><05:14:37.280><c> market</c> restructured electricity supply market restructured
• </c><05:14:54.000><c> cost</c> electricity supply at the lowest cost electricity supply at the lowest

Keywords: 1189, house, all