Video & Transcript : 'environmental bond' :
Page 249 of 500
FL
Florida 2026 Regular Session
Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Mar 26th, 2025
Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Other items within the Department of Environmental Protection: $598 million for wastewater and drinking
- I just would like to recommend that in any case we be as environmentally healthy as possible, and that
- So if I'm an insurer and I'm worried about environmental factors like flooding and hurricanes, am I prohibited
- So as the son of an environmental engineer who built water and waste... I'll weigh in.
- So as the son of an environmental engineer who built water and wastewater treatment plants and put fluoride
Summary:
The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government heard a presentation on its 2025-2026 budget recommendations and adopted the proposal as a recommendation to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. The chair highlighted major funding items including more than $1.2 billion for water quality and Everglades work, citrus recovery, food bank and pantry grants, wastewater and drinking water loans, beach restoration, flood and sea level rise projects, rural land protection, disaster loans, state facilities repairs, SLERS, accounting system replacement, and continued funding for My Safe Florida Home. Staff were authorized to make technical adjustments, and members were told final proviso project lists would be printed later in the week.
The committee then considered several bills and reported them favorably, including SB 796 on DEP general permits for distributed wastewater treatment systems to help local governments address failing septic-related water quality problems; SB 1162 expanding boating improvement and water access facilities programs; SB 466 implementing the Florida Museum of Black History task force’s selection of West Augustine as the museum site; SB 178 creating a FAMU agronomic study on viable crops for land taken out of production; CS/SB 678 allowing pawnbroker transaction forms to be printed or digital; and CS/SB 736 updating the Brownfields program, with a technical amendment adopted. Testimony on these bills was generally supportive, with speakers from affected industries, local governments, and advocacy groups.
The committee also took up CS/CS/SB 700, the comprehensive Florida Farm Bill, which included technical agency changes and major policy provisions such as restrictions on additives to public water supplies, labeling requirements for meat, milk, poultry, and eggs, drone-related protections for farmland, disaster recovery loan updates, an honest services registry for charities, FFA scholarship and school infrastructure provisions, and a mechanism for state purchase of former solar-converted agricultural land. The water-additive provisions drew extensive debate and testimony from supporters and opponents, including dental professionals, public health advocates, and groups arguing for medical freedom and local control. Despite the controversy and a no vote from Senator Arrington, the bill was reported favorably. Finally, SB 1226 creating a regulatory framework for pet insurance was also reported favorably, and the committee adjourned after members recorded additional votes on several bills.
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- health care providers in terms of their, we serve as a conduit and help them access the tax-exempt bond
- market if they're interested in issuing a bond.
- We are the nation's largest bond counsel, including representing the state of California, and also working
- And we are the nation's largest bond counsel, including representing the state of California, and also
- And we are the nation's largest bond counsel, including representing the state of California, and also
Committee:
Senate Rules
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES Feb 12th, 2026
LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES
Transcript Highlights:
- We also referred this to the prosecutor and the Attorney General, and it was also certified to the bond
- This finding was referred to the prosecutor, the Attorney General, and was also certified to the bond
- finding was referred to the Prosecutor Attorney, the Attorney General, and was also certified to the bond
- was referred to the prosecuting attorney and the Attorney General, and it was also certified to the bond
- was referred to the prosecuting attorney and the Attorney General, and it was also certified to the bond
Summary:
The committee opened with prayer and approved the January minutes, then heard a series of audit reports with findings. The Department of Human Services report described theft and fraud involving false benefit claims, including about $8,000 in Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, about $5,800 in Medicaid benefits, and an altered state warrant for nearly $610,000 that was cashed by an auto body shop in California; it also noted asset-control problems and an error in sales tax paid on exempt vehicle purchases. Members asked whether the fraudulent business had been flagged or notified to other agencies, and DHS said the matter had been referred to law enforcement but no broader notification to California officials was known. The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism report cited missing museum receipts of nearly $3,500 and issues with change funds at Daisy State Park and War Memorial Stadium, including a missing $100 drawer fund and an $80 overage; officials said they were considering cashless operations at War Memorial Stadium and provided an update that the museum theft investigation was still ongoing, with misdemeanor time limits expired but felony investigation still possible. The Department of Corrections report found unauthorized fuel-card purchases totaling about $4,500 and a delayed disaster-recovery test for offender management software; Corrections said staffing had been increased for fuel-card oversight and that a full production disaster-recovery test was now scheduled after DIS upgrades were completed. The Department of Veterans Affairs report found four Fayetteville Veterans Home employees were paid for hours not worked, with additional unapproved overtime totaling more than $6,600, a duplicate vendor payment of nearly $1,000 that was refunded, and many overtime instances lacking proper approval; the department said it had tightened overtime approval policies statewide.
The committee also received a special report on law enforcement agencies’ compliance with Arkansas’s racial profiling policy requirement. Legislative Audit said it had received responses from 203 of 383 agencies and forwarded updated policies to the Attorney General, while identifying 180 agencies that had not responded and were deemed out of compliance. Members asked what happens if agencies still fail to respond and requested a list of nonresponding agencies; staff said their role is limited to collecting and forwarding policies, and the committee agreed to receive the list. All reports were filed or reviewed without objection, and the meeting adjourned after announcing the next meeting date and a possible room change due to building work.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- up some of the calculations of interest, which the current bill 338 from last year was based on the bond
- levy equalization number that was derived from the bond levy.
- Bond levy equalization number that was derived from the bond levy equalization fund, which we terminated
- It also clarifies and makes more consistent language regarding the necessity to bond, so that if, for
- The district can then at that point in time go ahead and bond for that and see if that can be taken care
Committee:
House Education
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- , as well as environmental permitting; dedicated court resources for the project; third-party streamlining
- Streamlining for Environmental Quality, California Environmental Quality Act regulations, as well as
- environmental permitting; dedicated court resources for the project; third-party streamlining.
- Quality Act, streamlining environmental permitting, court resources, third-party streamlining, all of
- You know, streamlining CEQA, California Environmental Quality Act, streamlining environmental permitting
Committee:
House Transportation
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Transportation Feb 27th, 2026 at 02:30 pm
Transportation
Transcript Highlights:
- And there's an environmental benefit to that.
- going to primarily focus in my comments on those provisions, but the bill also deals with the environmental
- greater than $2 million per biennium, which fits with the executive order 2102 that deals with environmental
- State agency reporting under the Environmental Justice Council regarding environmental justice, environmental
- And then finally, the narrowing of the environmental justice acts related to CCA spending to only covered
Committee:
Senate Transportation
Keywords:
vehicle ownership, insurance, title transfer, consumer protection, motor vehicle, oil tanker, tank vessel, restricted waters, Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, Rosario Strait, Admiralty Inlet, Discovery Island, New Dungeness, tug escort, pilotage, marine safety, spill prevention, oil transport, petroleum shipment
WY
Wyoming 2026 Regular Session
Senate Minerals, Business & Economic Development Committee, February 27, 2026
Minerals, Business & Economic Development
Transcript Highlights:
- Uh, Todd Parfett, director of the Department of Environmental Quality.
- And then the last thing is that it ensures that there aren't any adverse environmental or public health
- or public health impacts environmental or public health impacts as<00:29:39.120><c> a</c><00:29:39.360
- </c><00:30:04.000><c> It'll</c><00:30:04.320><c> just</c> environmental standards.
- It'll just environmental standards.
Keywords:
energy transmission, load growth, Wyoming energy authority, transmission planning study, public utilities, regional cooperation, energy, funding, grants, loans, coal, natural gas, mineral processing, economic development, stable token, liquidity, trust account, Wyoming, fund distribution, financial regulation
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Energy Finance and Policy Committee 3/18/25
Energy Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- So, really running across the state, and as I mentioned, speaking today, Flo Environmental Systems will
- they'll be environmental systems they'll be demonstrating<00:07:39.599><c> their</c><00:07:39.720><c
- I'm the co-founder of Flo Environmental Systems and the chief financial officer of Flo Environmental
- systems co-founder of Flo environmental systems and<00:09:23.760><c> the</c><00:09:23.880><c> Chief<
- systems of a Minnesota environmental systems of a Minnesota based<00:09:28.079><c> energy</c><00:09:
Committee:
House Energy Finance and Policy
Keywords:
energy, economic development, funding, renewable resources, Clean Energy Economy Minnesota, air ventilation, geothermal, school financing, Minnesota Climate Innovative Finance Authority, geothermal energy, renewable energy, construction funding, Como Zoo, energy efficiency, HF2162, Minnesota, planning grants, renewable development account, clean energy, Department of Commerce
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Ways and Means (03/04/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm the administrator of the Oil Remediation and Compliance Bureau at the Department of Environmental
- She is our fund manager, section supervisor at the Department of Environmental Services, the Oil Fund
- Those systems have regulations that are enforced by the Department of Environmental Services, so gas
- Services SO gas stations Environmental Services SO gas stations they<00:52:05.880><c> have</c><00:52
- </c> some adjustments to the uh environmental some adjustments to the uh environmental uh<01:33:07.560
Summary:
The committee first held a public hearing on HB 660, which would require historic horse racing facilities to pay 10% of HHR winnings to host communities as mitigation. Representative Om said the amendment was intended to leave charities and the state whole while funding local costs tied to large gaming facilities. Supporters argued the measure would address future municipal expenses, while opponents said host towns have not reported current problems and that the bill would single out one industry. Members questioned the 10% rate, whether the proposal was retroactive, and whether it would apply to existing facilities; the sponsor said it would apply to facilities already in place or later added. The hearing was then closed without any vote recorded in the transcript.
The committee then opened a hearing on HB 658-FN, which raises reimbursement caps and adjusts fees for the Oil Discharge and Disposal Cleanup Fund and the Oil Pollution Control Fund. Representative Malloy introduced the bill, and Representative Aly explained the funds as a state-backed insurance mechanism for oil spill cleanup and prevention, including replacement of leaking home heating oil tanks for low-income homeowners. Bob Scully of the Energy Marketers Association supported the bill, saying the fee structure helps fund remediation and tank replacement, though costs are ultimately passed on to consumers. Department of Environmental Services officials Robert Bishop and Jennifer Marts described the bill as extending the fee collection for 10 years, changing reporting dates, increasing the cap for low-income tank replacement, and rebalancing fees based on an actuarial review.
DES testified that the actuarial study found the fund needed to remain solvent and that home heating oil releases are the largest category of new releases, with the fuel oil fee otherwise needing to rise by more than 200% to cover projected costs. The board instead proposed a smaller increase and adjusted other fees accordingly, while maintaining a reserve to cover the first days of a major coastal spill before federal funds become available. Members asked about the basis for the fee changes, the role of the actuarial review, and the statutory language governing who pays the fees. The transcript ends during this hearing, with no final committee action or vote shown.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- There's also various revenue bonds and interfund loans.
- </c> obligation bonds. obligation bonds.
- And so, it would be the developer bonds.
- Um, the bonds are defeased after a certain amount of time, 20 years, I guess.
- </c><00:31:58.920><c> after</c><00:31:59.200><c> a</c> Um, the bonds are defeased after a Um, the bonds
Committee:
Senate Taxes
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Conference Committee on SF2298 5/17/25
Transcript Highlights:
- Line 98 is the debt service obligations for housing infrastructure bonds.
- for the life of those housing bonds.
- Um, this would have a fiscal bonds.
- </c><00:05:17.280><c> Chair,</c><00:05:17.520><c> that</c> bonds. So and with that, Mr.
- Chair, that bonds. So and with that, Mr.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 3/3/26
State Government Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- What is the impact to the state bond rating with the massive level of fraud that we have?
- So, to the first question, we have, you know, we meet regularly with all of the bond rating agencies
- </c> structure the impacts of the state bond structure the impacts of the state bond rating<00:48:01.599
- I appreciate giving us some insight on the state's bond rating with regard to fraud.
- I appreciate giving us some insight on the state's bond rating with regard to fraud.
Committee:
House State Government Finance and Policy
Keywords:
Safe at Home, address confidentiality, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, victim privacy, survivor protection, confidential address, protected address, secret address, identity protection, residential confidentiality, program participant, nondiscrimination, court disclosure, protective order, service of process, driver's license, state ID
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- in lieu of Proposes a surety bond in lieu of STRF.
- So if that's the case, an insurance method, a surety bond...
- With respect to the surety bond piece, I know other states do often rely on a surety bond type of concept
- The surety bond would be the insurance premium, and the bond premium would be paid by the institution
- Page 57 of the report also looks at the surety bond issue.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:32:29.880><c> impacts</c><00:32:30.200><c> from</c> demand and environmental impacts from demand
- and environmental impacts from increased<00:32:30.840><c> water</c><00:32:31.480><c> consumption</c>
- I am the chief strategy officer at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, or MCEA, and I want
- impacts um and and I would environmental impacts um and and I would I'd<01:04:34.760><c> leave</c><01
- It's a very big environmental move. I believe in recycling and all that stuff, but later. So, yeah.
Committee:
House Taxes
HI
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:31:38.559><c> They're</c> they're calling the bond. They're they're calling the bond.
- bond bond to<00:31:42.159><c> make</c><00:31:42.399><c> sure</c><00:31:42.559><c> that</c><00:31:42.720
- So the what the bond amount is.
- ><c> you</c><00:32:47.840><c> know</c> performance bond can be you know performance bond can be you know
- >> Yes, performance bonds.
Bills:
SB2024 , SB896 , SB2613 , SB494 , SB2391 , SB2125 , SB2614 , SB2615 , SB3262 , SB3325 , SB3118
Committee:
Senate Education
Keywords:
charter schools, public-private partnership, school facilities, education funding, community need, education, capital improvement, reporting, transparency, technical expertise, public school land transfer, Department of Education, DOE, land conveyance, fee simple title, tax map key, TMK, Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, Act 139
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- </c><00:02:42.200><c> And</c><00:02:42.360><c> then</c> of capital improvement bonds.
- And then of capital improvement bonds.
- And section capital improvement bonds.
- </c> authority general obligation bonds. authority general obligation bonds.
- </c><00:50:58.520><c> must</c> striking the sentence uh the bonds must striking the sentence uh the bonds
Committee:
Senate Taxes
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- While we did pay off the bonds, we did not choose to follow this path, and that's fine.
- While we did pay off the bonds, we did not choose to follow this path, and that's fine.
- While we did pay off the bonds, we did not choose to follow this path, and that's fine.
- The first is for state bond debt service.
- As things stand now, with the debt service relieved, the bonds have been paid off.
Committee:
Senate Taxes
MO
Missouri 2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement Apr 28th, 2026
Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement
Transcript Highlights:
- By far, research has shown that a portfolio's mix, the mix of stocks versus bonds versus private markets
- So as rates rise, bond prices fall.
- can see U.S. stocks, as measured by the S&P, up almost 13 percent per year, whereas long-duration bonds
- Again, public equities increasing, fixed income—whether it be long-duration bonds, core bonds, TIPS—modestly
- Again, public equities increasing fixed income, whether it be long duration bonds, core bonds, tips,
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement held an informational hearing on the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS) to review its long-term financial condition, funding status, investment performance, experience study results, and possible legislation. MOSERS staff explained that the plan is a statutorily created defined benefit system covering state employees, several colleges and quasi-governmental entities, with an 11-member board and outside actuarial and investment consultants. They reported the June 30, 2025 valuation showed a funded ratio of 55.4%, assets of about $9.6 billion, liabilities of about $17.4 billion, and a FY27 actuarial employer rate of 27.44%, which the board raised to a 32% minimum contribution rate under a policy adopted in 2023.
MOSERS attributed the funding decline over time to several factors: reductions in the assumed investment return from 8.5% to 6.95%, mortality assumption updates, a move from open to closed amortization, and especially weak payroll growth and a shrinking active workforce. Staff said the minimum contribution policy is intended to accelerate UAL paydown and could bring the plan to 80% funded by 2037 rather than 2041, assuming all assumptions are met. The committee also discussed the recent experience study, which kept the investment return assumption at 6.95% and made only modest assumption changes, and a proposed 2026 bill package (SB 1557 and SB 1054) that would automatically refund small balances under $1,000 to terminated non-vested members and add auto-escalation to the deferred compensation plan.
A substantial portion of the hearing focused on investment strategy and why MOSERS has lagged some peers. The investment consultant said historical underperformance was driven mainly by asset allocation choices that emphasized a more risk-balanced, diversified portfolio with less public equity exposure than peers during a period when equities performed very strongly. He said the board adopted a more equity-oriented allocation in 2024 and is phasing it in over eight quarters, with recent short-term results improving and the portfolio outperforming its policy benchmark. Members also asked about the effect of inactive members, the rationale for the higher employer contribution, and whether the current board should be held responsible for past decisions; MOSERS officials emphasized that the current board is trying to correct course and that pension funding changes take time. The hearing also touched on ongoing litigation against a former private equity manager, Catalyst Capital, with MOSERS saying it has spent about $20 million in legal fees so far and that the case remains on appeal. The committee took no formal vote and adjourned after the informational presentation and questions.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- But I can, you know, I can drive on the roads in Texas if I have a bond with the state that takes care
- For insurance, if we tweak that and just say, hey, or you can get a bond for the project.
- Bonding, generally in the past—and we've worked through bonds—is a very specific... ...project.
- process because a bond, typically, you've got to have a lot of input data.
- That has to be pushed back to Wednesday, and that generally doesn't work well with bonds.
Bills:
HB139 , HB1818 , HB1942 , HB1959 , HB2221 , HB2254 , HB2563 , HB2067 , HB2275 , HB3211 , HB139
Committee:
House Insurance
Keywords:
HB 1818, Texas Insurance Code, Texas Department of Insurance, commissioner of insurance, health maintenance organization, HMO, insurer, utilization review, preauthorization, prior authorization, medical necessity review, health care services, medical care, insurance regulation, insurance examination, regulatory oversight, confidential records, public information exception, Chapter 843, Chapter 1301
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
Senate Energy and Natural Resources (02/04/2025)
Energy and Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- The need for environmental review has escalated.
- </c> it affects our whole environmental it affects our whole environmental permitting<00:49:41.640><c
- </c> more than adequate Environmental more than adequate Environmental Protection<01:49:14.320><c> thank
- </c><02:01:36.960><c> impacts</c> What are the environmental impacts?
- What are the environmental and public health impacts?
Committee:
Senate Energy and Natural Resources