Transcript Highlights:

• news; New York has had a major debate on this, from the governor to the White House, on charging a fee
• I think what this is more focused on is having a congestion fee out of the blue.

Bills: SB 1079, SB 1243, SB 1504, SB 1579, SB 1708, SB 1844, SB 1851, SB 1879, SB 1921, SB 1951, SB 2237, SB 2238, SB 2406, SB 2407

Keywords: SB 1079, Texas, county government, commissioners court, Local Government Code, Chapter 263, surplus property, salvage property, data storage device, hard drive, electronic media, digital records, confidential information, protected information, privacy, records retention, information security, data destruction, device disposal, sensitive data

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Committee on Local Government was marked by significant discussions on multiple bills aimed at enhancing governance and protecting taxpayer interests. Among the notable legislations was SB1951, where Senator Paxton emphasized reforms to reduce erroneous penalty notices imposed by appraisal districts, eliminating the financial incentive for such penalties. The session concluded with public testimonies that highlighted the importance of transparency and accountability in taxpayer dealings. Additionally, Senator Middleton presented SB1504 and SB2237, focusing on the operational frameworks of local authorities and executive severance payments, respectively, both of which sparked considerable debate among committee members.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a gate fee to the company, and they have to pay for the tow and the storage up to that point.
• to charge you a fee for storage, they have to have someone on call who will answer your call within
• I had to go somewhere first and then go to the storage. Upon arrival, you pay the gate fee.
• And once again, if the company doesn't want to do this, they just forfeit the storage fee.
• Again, if the company doesn't want to do this, they just forfeit the storage fee.

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on May 18, 2026, with a quorum present and first took up Senate Bill 431 by Senator Foil. As amended, the bill requires tow companies handling non-consensual private-property tows to have someone available to release vehicles within 90 minutes on weekends if they want to charge storage fees for Saturday and Sunday. Senator Foil and Louisiana State Police explained the bill was narrowed to address weekend access to towed vehicles while not mandating businesses stay open; if a company does not provide weekend access, it cannot charge weekend storage fees. Committee members asked about how the process would work, and a representative from Riverside Towing opposed the bill, citing safety concerns, the burden on office staff, and the bill’s limited application to private-property tows rather than police-initiated tows. Despite the opposition, the committee adopted a motion to report SB 431 favorably without objection. The committee then considered House Concurrent Resolution 96 by Representative Adams, which urges the Office of Motor Vehicles to provide educational materials on proper roundabout use. Representative Adams said the resolution was intended to help drivers in smaller parishes and growing areas where roundabouts are common but confusing to many motorists. Representative Spell supported the measure, noting similar issues in his district, and Representative Phelps asked whether roundabout instruction is included in driver education. The committee reported HCR 96 favorably without objection. At the end of the meeting, members made brief personal remarks recognizing a new DOTD staff member and a visitor from the Florida Women’s Republican group. The committee then adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• seeking to increase the portion the treasurer's office receives of the unclaimed property administration fee
• adding the Department of CareerTech and Technology Education on the allowables to charge processing fees

Bills: HB1739, HB1784, HB1889, HB2116, HB2206, HB3625, HB2939, HB3028, HB3265, HB3313, HB3413, HB3414, HB3415, HB3416, HB3417, HB3418, HB3420, HB3588, HB3748, HB3721, HB3852, HB4132, HB4263, HB4303, HB4311, HB4428, HB4429, HB4434

Keywords: retirement, law enforcement, disability benefits, pension system, Oklahoma, education reform, local control, student outcomes, curriculum changes, school funding, public retirement systems, pension, retirement benefits, cost-of-living adjustment, COLA, inflation adjustment, CPI-U, Consumer Price Index, firefighters pension, police pension

Transcript Highlights:

• , or whether a newly opened facility in Spanish Springs would also have to pay a fee.
• So it would not change the $500 fee at all. It would only change the $200 fee.
• So the businesses, the corporations that are affected by the $500 fee would not be touched.
• As many of you know, there's a compounding effect of fees at the state and local government level.
• And one of the things we do here is that the state license fee has gotten very high.

Bills: AB568, SB90, SB133, SB147, SB229, SB233, SB240, SB245, SB280, SB378, SB393, SB417, SB434, SB494, SB495

Keywords: higher education, Nevada System of Higher Education, operational expenses, instructional expenses, public funding, education funding, teacher grants, classroom supplies, instructional support, specialized personnel, civics education, Nevada Center for Civic Engagement, funding, youth programs, civic involvement, Southern Nevada, Clark County, Las Vegas Valley, regional planning, economic resiliency

Transcript Highlights:

• In 2005, the Texas occupation code in 2303.155 set impound and storage fees at $20 per day and capped
• based on changes to the consumer price index for impound and storage fees.
• So currently, impound and storage fees have increased to $22.85 per day and the notification fee is still
• Based on CPI estimates, prices should be for impound and storage fees, $30.57 per day and $76.43 for
• Um, this bill addresses long overdue adjustments to impoundment storage and notification fees, which

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition to the monthly late fee, a mobile home park may not charge a daily late fee of more than
• , high-level nuclear storage.
• “That above-ground storage is a very important distinction because the above-ground storage is the contemporary
• on underground storage.
• There is no underground storage.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then approved journal corrections and recognized visiting students from Underwood School. The chamber also handled several conference committee appointments after failing to concur with Senate amendments on House bills 1022, 1049, 1229, and 1029, and after the Senate failed to concur on House amendments to Senate bills 2010 and 2113. The House then concurred in or passed a series of amended measures, including House Bills 1481 (dental insurance loss ratio and reporting), 1511 (physician guidance on abortion law, with an emergency clause), 1562 (mandated reporter training), 1197 (correctional facilities study), 1095 (child protective services liaison work group), 1317 (barber licensing board changes), 1549 (corrections facility grants and reentry-related provisions), 1354 (appraiser evaluations), 1374 (open meeting exemption for township supervisors during on-site inspections), 1355 (abbreviated notice for administrative rulemaking), 1025 (advanced nuclear energy study), 1470 (Game and Fish fee changes), 1592 (Lignite Research Council updates), and 1375 (alcohol service/photo ID provisions). Final passage votes were recorded on each bill, with most passing comfortably and some drawing notable opposition, especially HB 1470 and HB 1549. The House spent substantial time on Senate Bill 2011, the Highway Patrol appropriation. Members discussed shifting one-time funding from the general fund to the Electronic Motor Carrier Permit Fund, including body armor, preliminary breath tests, an emergency vehicle course, resurfacing, fleet costs, and handgun/taser replacement, while also noting a federal grant and no new FTEs. Questions focused on salary-line increases and the new-and-vacant FTE pool, with Appropriations explaining that those dollars had been moved back into agency budgets from OMB. The bill passed 84-6. The House also passed Senate Bill 2013, the Commissioner of University and School Lands appropriation, after discussion of Trust Lands operations, unclaimed property staffing, and distributions from the Common Schools Trust Fund; one member was excused for a conflict, and the bill passed 67-22. Senate Bill 2023, the Racing Commission appropriation, passed 65-25 after a brief explanation of the agency’s responsibilities and funding. A major policy debate centered on Senate Bill 2385, which revises mobile home park regulation. Supporters said it creates receivership procedures if a license is revoked, requires clearer tenant notices, limits certain fees, and strengthens protections against eviction and utility overcharges. Two members were excused from voting due to conflicts tied to mobile home park ownership, and the bill passed 84-4. Another extended debate occurred on Senate Bill 2159, which allows the State Energy Research Center to study nuclear-related projects with approval from the Industrial Commission and consultation with the radioactive waste advisory council. Supporters said it is meant to help study advanced nuclear energy while preserving existing prohibitions on high-level radioactive waste storage; opponents raised concerns that the language could weaken prior protections and open the door to waste-related research or storage. The transcript ends during that debate, before a final vote on SB 2159 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill clarifies that the towing and storage operators may charge a daily administrative fee, but
• , towing storage?
• , towing storage?
• fees when retrieving their cars.
• yard and gets their car is going to end up with 50 significant storage fee.

Summary: The Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee heard four bills. HB 37 by Rep. Nix addressed the removal, storage, and cleanup of damaged electric vehicles, allowing towing and storage operators to charge an administrative fee when EVs are stored under enhanced safety standards such as a 50-foot separation or protective barrier. The sponsor and towing industry witnesses described post-crash battery fire risks, while Tesla and Enterprise Mobility raised concerns that the bill was too broad and could lead to triple storage charges even when battery damage is not present. Members largely supported the concept, though some urged further narrowing; the bill was reported favorably after debate. HB 401 by Rep. Tant would cap inmate health care compensation at 110% of the Medicare reimbursement rate for Jefferson County, with the sponsor and Sheriff Matt McNeil saying the measure would help a fiscally constrained county control rising outside medical costs and encourage providers to contract in advance. With no opposition or debate, the bill was reported favorably. The committee also considered HB 4003 by Rep. Benaroch, a local bill for Marco Island that creates a special-election process for council vacancies when the council fails to act; an amendment extended the election window to 130 days and required the governor to call the election if the council does not do so within 30 days. The amendment was adopted and the bill was then reported favorably. Finally, HB 407 by Rep. Snyder would modernize the Martin County Health Care Fund and define indigency criteria for county-funded indigent care, including residency, income, asset, and Medicaid eligibility limits. County and hospital representatives supported the measure, and one member suggested comparing the bill’s indigency definition with existing criminal indigency standards for consistency. The bill also was reported favorably, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• 493 um relating to tolling and storage 493 um relating to tolling and storage of<00:13:06.160>
• that don't pertain to anything having to do with storage, and so there were extra fees that were sometimes
• that don't pertain to anything having to do with storage, and so there were extra fees that were sometimes
• other fees that that could be added onto other fees that that could be added onto to<00:16:53.240>
• > added extra uh fees that were sometimes added extra uh fees that were sometimes added on<00:

Keywords: Roll Call 00:23 Roll Call Approval of Minutes 00:57 HB 664 Discussion 01:26 HB 664 Vote 08:25 HB 682 Discussion 10:46 HB 682 Vote 12:12 HB 493 Discussion 13:00 HB 493 Vote 20:20 HJR 5 Discussion 21:14 HJR 5 Vote 25:08 Kavis and Sherriff’s Inspection Discussion 27:40 Admin. Reg Consideration 35:40, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met with a quorum, approved prior meeting minutes, and then took up several transportation-related measures. House Bill 664, concerning work zone safety, was amended by the committee to clarify that a peace officer may issue a citation based on images from an automated speed enforcement device. Representative John Blanton said the bill was prompted by the 2019 death of Jared Lee Helton in a work zone and is intended to slow drivers, protect workers, and improve safety. The bill would allow automated devices to transmit speed and rear license plate images to an officer, require active worker presence and warning signage with flashing lights, keep the $500 fine, and direct fines to the work zone safety fund. After questions about whether citations would be mailed and whether a worker must be present, the committee adopted the amendment and reported HB 664 favorably with expressions of opinion that it should pass. House Bill 682, sponsored by Representative Ken Upchurch, was also amended by a committee substitute and reported favorably. The bill gives cable operators and broadband providers the same reimbursement treatment as other public utilities when their facilities must be relocated for construction projects. House Bill 493, sponsored by Representative Steve Pollock, was taken up next and, after a committee substitute was adopted, was reported favorably. Pollock described the bill as a transparency measure for towing and storage, creating a certification process through the Transportation Cabinet, requiring public rate sheets, and setting rates to be reasonable and customary in Kentucky. The substitute removed an initial $1,500 cap, extended notice timing to up to five days in some cases, and clarified fees related to investigations and fatalities. Senators asked about regional differences in towing rates, and Pollock said the cabinet would consider different situations and that posted rates would govern. House Joint Resolution 5, designating honorary road and bridge names, was amended by both a committee substitute and committee amendment and then reported favorably. Representative Josh Branscum said the resolution honors various Kentuckians and is especially in memory of Russell County Deputy Joshua Fipps, who was killed in the line of duty in September 2024. The committee approved the resolution and a title amendment. Later in the meeting, Senator Armstrong asked to be recorded as voting aye on HB 664, HB 682, and HB 493. The committee also received an update from Transportation Cabinet IT Director Heather Stout on the CAVIS system, including improved performance, upcoming integration with KY ELT, centralized lien management, online boat renewals, permanent fleet plates, rolling replating changes, temporary tag printing, insurance modernization, and an electronic sheriff’s inspection system expected to reduce fraud and streamline transfers. No vote was taken on the CAVIS update, and the committee also began consideration of a referred administrative regulation on hazardous materials endorsement requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Or because I have a storage unit next to it.
• While California does not have a specific late fee law, the courts have upheld only those late fees that
• California only regulates self-storage rental fees during a local state of emergency, when they are subject
• Storage pricing has lagged inflation over the past decade, and the average rent for a storage unit today
• fees went up.

Summary: The committee heard several bills from Senator Umberg and Senator Allen, with testimony from supporters and opponents before roll-call votes were taken once quorum was established. SB 253, the annual State Bar fee bill, would keep fees unchanged while requiring two-year notice for substantial changes to the bar exam, including vendor changes, and returning to an older delivery method for the upcoming exam; it was presented as a response to recent State Bar problems and the February bar exam failure. SB 25, the Pre-Merger Notification Act, would require certain merger parties to provide California’s attorney general the same Hart-Scott-Rodino materials filed federally, so state antitrust review can occur in parallel with federal review; supporters said this would reduce delay and uncertainty, while members questioned whether it would add another layer of review. SB 36 would strengthen price-gouging enforcement after the January 2025 Southern California firestorms by requiring rental-listing platforms to report suspected gouging, expanding consumer and prosecutor remedies, and allowing warrants in housing-related cases; supporters said it would close loopholes, while opponents from business groups raised concerns. All three bills were later approved on roll call, with SB 36 and SB 413 placed on call before final passage and SB 253 and SB 25 moving forward on committee votes. The committee also heard SB 413, which would streamline access to juvenile case files in certain civil cases brought by or on behalf of the youth who is the subject of the file, allowing attorneys to use heavily redacted records without first petitioning the juvenile court. Supporters, including Los Angeles County counsel and county associations, said the current petition process is costly, slow, and routinely granted, creating delays in civil litigation and court congestion. Opponents, including the Youth Law Center, argued the bill would weaken longstanding juvenile confidentiality protections by bypassing judicial review and could expose sensitive information unnecessarily. After discussion about redactions, sealing, and the scope of access, the bill was passed on a do-pass-as-amended vote. Finally, Senator Wahab presented SB 436, which would extend the notice period for nonpayment of rent from three days to 14 days. Supporters, including tenant advocates, legal aid groups, and several local governments, argued the change would reduce unnecessary evictions, give renters more time to obtain assistance or a paycheck, and help prevent homelessness. Opponents, including apartment associations, property owners, and the California Association of Realtors, said the bill would burden landlords, especially small owners, and could unintentionally affect commercial leases; members also raised concerns about repeated late payment and the lack of stronger guardrails. The author said she would work on clarifying commercial coverage and safeguards, and the bill remained under discussion as the hearing continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• It fixes an injection fee.
• And a suspension of fee assessments when a cap is met for a storage facility would only suspend the 12
• So then they want to compare what that two-cent fee may be in Texas to a 19-cent fee here.
• Storage shall be based on the area of review on file with the Department for the storage facility.
• , a 10-cent injection fee.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They don't pay their rental fee. And then the owner of the storage facility has to deal with it.
• Not thinking about a storage unit while they're getting Aunt Jan moved to be thinking about a storage
• We currently run many storage auctions. Last year, we lost the towing and storage ads.
• If somebody, if there's an application fee, is there a breakdown in that fee?
• If somebody, if there's an application fee, is there a breakdown in that fee?

Summary: The Judiciary Committee considered a long agenda of claims bills, housing and business measures, and court-administration legislation. It reported favorably several claims bills, including SB 20 for J.N., a minor, SB 14 for the estate of Pennial Janvier, SB 10 for Sidney Holmes, SB 8 for Marcus Button, SB 22 for Eric and Jennifer Miles, and SB 26 for Kristen and Leah McIntosh. Members also approved SB 520 on curators of estates, SB 386 on self-storage lien-sale notices, SB 362 on reusable tenant screening reports, SB 316 creating series LLCs in Florida, and SB 1650 and SB 1652 on vexatious litigants and related public-records issues. SB 248, expanding eligibility for private school and homeschool students to participate in FHSAA sports at public schools, also passed after amendment. Most of the claims bills were described as settled cases with amounts above sovereign-immunity limits, and several senators spoke in support of compensating victims of catastrophic injury or wrongful conviction. SB 10 drew comments about the 34 years Sidney Holmes spent incarcerated after a wrongful conviction, and SB 8 prompted discussion about the long delay in resolving Marcus Button’s injuries from a 2006 school-bus crash. SB 26 was presented as an uncontested claim arising from a DACS employee’s fatal crash that severely injured two teenage girls, and the committee adopted an amendment placing funds for the minor claimant into trust. The policy bills drew more substantive debate. SB 386 would let self-storage operators use websites instead of newspaper ads for lien-sale notices, with newspaper representatives opposing the change and storage-industry witnesses supporting modernization and lower costs. SB 362 would let renters reuse tenant screening reports for 30 days, with the sponsor saying it would reduce repeated application fees. SB 316 would authorize series LLCs while adding record-keeping protections, and SB 1650/1652 would broaden Florida’s vexatious-litigant rules and create a public-records exemption for certain stricken filings. SB 248 passed over concerns from private-school and public-education witnesses about instructional time, funding, and fairness in athletic participation. All measures were reported favorably, with recorded votes ranging from 7-2 on SB 248 to unanimous or near-unanimous support on the other bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• for what should be stored in a storage unit.
• and an agreement with a storage unit, those storage units have to go back and notify the current renters
• It would go to pay off any late fees or any fees due, but above that, it would go back to the individual
• have a problem charging a late fee of no more than $20.
• We don't charge exorbitant late fees.

Transcript Highlights:

• CarbFix is an Icelandic company that does carbon storage, but carbon storage via mineralization, which
• PaintCare is funded through a fee on new paint sales.
• Costs will be internalized with no fee to consumers.
• Consumers are still paying a fee. Consumers are still paying a fee.
• Retailers are still collecting that fee.

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The committee’s interim work session focused first on carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), with presenters from industry, nonprofits, and state agencies describing Washington’s geologic potential, the role of basalt formations, and the difference between point-source capture, direct air capture, utilization, and permanent storage. Industry and project developers emphasized that Washington has major opportunities to reduce industrial emissions, create jobs, and support hard-to-electrify sectors, while state agencies explained current policy touchpoints in the Cap and Invest Program, emissions exemptions for permanently stored CO2, and the Clean Energy Transformation Act. Several presenters urged clearer statutory and regulatory pathways, including rules for pore space, subsurface rights, pipeline siting, and long-term liability; others cautioned that CCUS should be limited to real emissions reductions and not treated as a substitute for broader clean energy measures. Committee members asked about public comment opportunities, whether mineralized carbon would qualify for exemption under the Climate Commitment Act, the energy intensity of capture systems, aquifer protection, and liability if storage later proves problematic. Ecology said it is developing guidance through a public engagement process running through late June and that mineralized or otherwise permanently stored CO2 would likely qualify if it meets the 1,000-year permanence standard. DNR and outside experts also discussed trust lands, water rights, and the need for additional geophysical surveys and test wells. The panel did not take any votes or formal actions. The second half of the meeting turned to hazardous waste and extended producer responsibility. Ecology reviewed existing product stewardship programs for electronics, paint, batteries, and mercury lights, and described how moderate risk waste and household hazardous waste are currently collected through county facilities and events. Ecology said the electronics program is its best model, while the mercury lamp program is currently in transition after the prior stewardship organization exited and a new organization is seeking approval. Ecology recommended that future EPR programs have clear producer and product definitions, full producer funding, convenience standards, annual reporting, and strong enforcement authority. Local government witnesses from King County and Douglas County described rising costs, access barriers in rural areas, and the need for stable funding and flexible local delivery models. King County said it collected over 3 million pounds of hazardous products in 2025 and argued that EPR could reduce costs for ratepayers and improve equity. Douglas County stressed that rural residents are willing to participate when services are available, but travel distance and operating costs make access difficult. An industry representative supported narrowly scoped stewardship programs like PaintCare but warned that broad household hazardous waste EPR systems can become difficult to administer and may require legislative revisions if responsibilities are not clearly defined. No votes were taken on the hazardous waste topic either.

Transcript Highlights:

• It fixes an injection fee.
• And a suspension of fee assessments when a cap is met for a storage facility would only suspend the 12
• Yeah, but I'm talking about the fees, this fee.
• Yeah, so it's going to go to the parish based off of the prorated fee of how much of that storage facility
• , a 10-cent injection fee.

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 480, which would allow anchoring in certain waterways, specifically Oyster Bayou, with restrictions to protect oyster leases and require a person to remain on board. After brief explanation from the sponsor, Representative DeWitt moved favorable and the bill was reported favorable without objection. House Bill 510, which would have prohibited importation of captured carbon dioxide into Louisiana for sequestration, was discussed briefly. The sponsor said the proposal appeared to conflict with federal law and interstate commerce concerns, and he asked to voluntarily defer the bill. The committee agreed, and HB 510 was deferred. The committee also heard House Resolution 279, urging the state to study geothermal energy policy; after questions about geothermal technology and possible overlap with CCS infrastructure, the resolution was adopted on a 10-3 roll call vote and reported favorable. The bulk of the meeting focused on House Bill 1152, as amended, dealing with the Carbon Dioxide Geologic Storage Trust Fund and a proposed injection fee for carbon sequestration projects. The amendment would set the fee at 19 cents per ton, with 12 cents going to the state trust fund and 7 cents going directly to affected parishes, while retaining existing fund caps and adding evacuation routes as an eligible local expenditure. Industry groups and local government representatives both testified: industry warned the proposal was rushed, could create uncertainty, and might hurt Louisiana’s competitiveness; parish officials argued locals need a meaningful revenue share, transparency, and bargaining power because they will bear emergency-response burdens. Members raised questions about the fee structure, exemptions for state lands and parish agreements, and whether the local share would continue for the life of a project. The bill remained under discussion at the end of the transcript, with talk of creating an off-session task force or working group to continue negotiations for next year.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I was going To say is the fees would prohibit fees on certain things.
• And how much money are these fees?
• , you will be charged an extra fee.
• From what the fees and the services you described, we're going to remove the fee from the screening and
• President, but not in storage as a storage facility. facility.

Bills: SB273, SB37, SB100

Keywords: SB273, appropriations, general fund, hold harmless, local government finance, municipal revenue, county revenue, correctional facility, jail contract, private prison, detention facility, immigration detention, revenue bonds, clawback, child welfare, juvenile justice, protective services, school improvement, New MexiCare, aging services

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:44.879> that with a larger scale battery storage that with a larger scale battery storage
• through the use of the battery storage through the use of the battery storage and<00:04:10.640><
• <00:09:22.200> projects<00:09:22.640> would energy storage projects would energy storage
• developer you know with a storage developer you know with a storage project<00:11:56.600> would
• electric grid including energy storage electric grid including energy storage of<02:08:20.719>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the Mitigation Fee Act governs how local jurisdictions impose impact fees, and to charge an impact
• And 75% of the battery storage that is industrial-sized battery storage now in the state has shifted
• and expert fees associated with that.
• That invites— And collect attorney fees and expert fees associated with that.
• Why are we talking about the battery storage?

Summary: The committee heard a series of housing, local government, and governance bills, with most of the discussion focused on housing production, permitting, and local accountability. SB 1003, by Senator Grayson, would create an Infrastructure Partnership Financing Program to help local jurisdictions and developers jointly fund infill housing infrastructure; it drew support from housing advocates and senior housing groups, while Senator Seyarto questioned whether the state would actually fund another program. The bill was moved on a 3-1 vote and remained on call. SB 1014 would require local jurisdictions to provide good-faith estimates of on-site and off-site improvements within 30 business days of a preliminary application and limit later surprise requirements; Habitat for Humanity, SPUR, and other housing groups supported it, while the City of San Mateo and local government associations raised concerns about accuracy and timing. It passed 4-2 and remained on call. SB 1036, which would require credit under the Mitigation Fee Act for prior site uses when redeveloping a site, passed unanimously to the Senate floor. SB 1145 would streamline CEQA and federal reuse review for qualifying projects at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station; it drew broad labor and local support, but housing and legal advocates sought stronger affordability and enforceability provisions. The bill passed 6-0 to the Committee on Environmental Quality. The committee also considered SB 908, which would streamline permits for energy-code-compliant residential window replacements and limit local design restrictions and HOA barriers. Supporters said the bill would let homeowners and affordable housing providers reduce energy costs, while opponents argued it could override local design standards; it passed 3-1 and remained on call. SB 1172, the Local Tax Savings Act, would add guardrails and transparency to local tax-sharing and consultant agreements; it was supported by the City of Shafter and the League of California Cities and passed 4-0 to Revenue and Taxation, remaining on call. SB 1283 would expand ministerial approval for EV charging stations to include canopies and on-site energy storage systems and require local ordinance updates by 2027; EV industry groups supported it, while cities and counties warned about safety, liability, and local review. Members discussed battery storage safety and litigation concerns, and the bill passed 4-0 to Judiciary, remaining on call. The committee also heard SB 1379, which would separate the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner offices and create an independent medical examiner in response to in-custody death concerns. Supporters cited high death rates, settlements, and the need for independent investigations, while the sheriff’s association and county representatives argued the change would be costly, duplicate services, and override local control. The bill passed 4-1 to Public Safety and remained on call. Finally, SB 1414 would create an independent redistricting commission for San Bernardino County; supporters said it would improve transparency and remove conflicts of interest, while the county opposed the estimated $2 million cost and noted its existing advisory commission. Members generally supported independent redistricting, and the bill was discussed but no final vote was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:46:15.640> tank for owners of underground storage tank for owners of underground storage
• <00:46:26.240> tank<00:46:26.559> system storage tank system storage tank system but<00
• And then there’s one other fee, and it’s called the all-other-oil fee in the bill, or in the statute,
• result in the gas and Diesel fee result in the gas and Diesel fee dropping<00:52:56.760> it
• increase of total import fee increase of total import fee Revenue<01:04:44.359> all<01:04

Keywords: 928, house, all

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's based on the fee per barrel. Mr.
• The EIB could grant a fee increase. However, Mr.
• So that's going on 25 million tons of storage.
• The long-term storage stewardship fund is funded by a $0.10 per metric ton fee, and it covers post-closure
• This 10 cent fee is consistent with other states' fees, including Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• CarbFix is an Icelandic company that does carbon storage, but carbon storage via mineralization, which
• There is no fee for consumers on the covered products.
• Costs will be internalized, with no fee to consumers.
• Consumers are still paying a fee. Retailers are still collecting that fee.
• It is driven by consumer behavior, storage, and time.

Summary: The committee held an interim work session focused first on carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS), then on hazardous waste and extended producer responsibility (EPR). On the CCUS topic, industry and nonprofit presenters described point-source capture, direct air capture, mineralization, and geologic sequestration, emphasizing Washington’s basalt formations and state trust lands as strong candidates for storage. They argued that CCUS can help hard-to-abate industrial sectors, support jobs and investment, and provide a pathway for compliance, while also noting the need for clearer permitting, subsurface rights, pipeline authority, and storage infrastructure. Ecology and Commerce staff explained current state policy touchpoints, including Cap-and-Invest offsets and exemptions for permanently stored CO2, the public comment process underway to define “thousand-year” permanence, and how CCUS might fit within the Clean Energy Transformation Act without counting emitting generation as non-emitting. Some presenters supported more state action and primacy over federal permitting, while others warned about costs, energy use, uncertain capture performance, and the need to ensure real net greenhouse gas reductions and long-term liability protections. Members asked about public meetings, whether mineralized carbon would qualify as exempt under the Climate Commitment Act, the timeline for Ecology guidance, aquifer and water-quality concerns, energy intensity of capture systems, and liability if storage later proves problematic. Responses said Ecology’s guidance process is already underway, public meetings will be virtual, mineralized carbon would likely qualify if it meets the permanence standard, and EPA rules require storage in deep saline formations below drinking water aquifers. Industry speakers said capture energy use varies by source and concentration, and one presenter noted that some states use trust funds funded by injectors to address long-term liability. The second half of the session shifted to hazardous waste and EPR. Ecology staff reviewed existing product stewardship programs for electronics, paint, batteries, and mercury lights, and described moderate risk waste and household hazardous waste management in Washington. They highlighted that E-Cycle and PaintCare are producer-funded, that the battery stewardship program will begin in 2027, and that the mercury lamp program is in transition after its prior stewardship organization exited, prompting enforcement notices and a pending replacement plan. Ecology recommended best practices for future EPR programs, including clear producer and product definitions, full producer funding, convenience standards, annual reporting, and strong agency enforcement and plan approval authority. Local government speakers from King County and Douglas County described rising collection costs, equity and access barriers, rural travel distances, and the need for stable funding and flexible local implementation. King County said it collected over 3 million pounds of hazardous products in 2025 and supports EPR as a way to shift costs from ratepayers to producers, while Douglas County emphasized that rural residents will participate when services are accessible and that future systems should account for geography and local infrastructure.