Video & Transcript Research : 'mitigation districts'
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CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Apr 21st, 2026
Natural Resources and Water
Transcript Highlights:
- and my district that I believe Midpen has been working on, or Peninsula Open Space District, one of
- Ochoa Bogh's district residents.
- And it's an unfair tax on the residents that live in that district that are funding the mitigation in
- My district is not on the coast.
- District, the Leavenheim Municipal Water District, and the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, in support
Summary:
The committee heard SB 1393, an omnibus update to the Fish and Game Code covering steelhead trout and Dungeness crab management. The author and supporters said the bill would strengthen the steelhead trout report card program, extend and refine Dungeness crab management, and clarify vessel transit rules in closed crab fishing areas. The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, and other supporters said the measure implements long-standing task force recommendations and supports both conservation and coastal fishing communities. There was no opposition, and the bill was moved forward on a 4-0 vote to Appropriations.
The committee also heard SB 1250, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning and asset management, set performance targets, and coordinate with wildlife agencies. Supporters from conservation, animal welfare, land trust, and local government groups said the bill would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, improve public safety, and better integrate crossings, culverts, and fencing into routine highway projects. The California Building Industry Association moved to a neutral position after amendments clarified the bill would apply to transportation right-of-way planning and not create exactions on private property. Members discussed the bill’s relationship to Caltrans planning authority and existing funding, and it was passed to Appropriations on a 4-0 vote.
Senator Gonzalez’s SB 1268, which would codify the state’s Outdoors for All initiative, also received broad support from environmental justice, conservation, parks, and recreation groups. Testimony emphasized inequitable access to parks and nature, especially for low-income communities and communities of color, and said the bill would make the initiative more durable by placing it in statute. The chair and members spoke in favor of expanding outdoor access, and the bill was approved on a 3-0 vote with some members not yet voting.
The committee then heard three Western Joshua tree bills from Senator Ochoa Bogh. SB 1061 would streamline relocation of limited numbers of trees without fees in certain cases; SB 1062 would require proportionate or tiered mitigation fees for public utilities and agencies; and SB 1063 would create an expedited, fee-free permitting path for basic residential utility and wildfire-hardening projects. Supporters, including local water agencies, counties, and farm and business groups, said the current law imposes heavy costs on desert residents and ratepayers. Opponents, including wildlife and conservation organizations, argued the bills would weaken protections for a species they said is threatened by climate change and habitat loss, and noted that existing administrative processes are already addressing fees and permitting. After amendments, opposition was withdrawn on SB 1061 and SB 1062, and both bills advanced on 3-0 votes to Appropriations; SB 1063 remained under discussion in the portion provided.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
April 2, 2025 - 04:00 PM
Transcript Highlights:
- This amends the charter of the North Springs Improvement District, a special water district in Broward
- There's an exception for it in districts and this Representative Chambliss: local water district that
- Requires DEP or water management districts to verify the availability or lack thereof of mitigation banking
- , and requires all mitigation banks in the state to provide quarterly reports of mitigation credits to
- And so while the wetland mitigation process and wetland mitigation banks in particular are not a perfect
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Apr 21st, 2026
Natural Resources and Water
Transcript Highlights:
- For example, there's a project between your district and my district that I believe Midpen has been working
- And I just bring that up because this district is Senator Ochoa Bogh's district, and she's trying to
- Ochoa Bogh's district residents, and it's an unfair tax on the residents that live in that district that
- District in support.
- Jack Wherson, on behalf of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the Levenheim Municipal Water District
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy Oct 10th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- We had a mitigation bank in the San Luis Rey. It's all spent out now.
- We can also be more creative in terms of the mitigation.
- where we mitigate.
- where we mitigate.
- On the mitigation side, I think we're doing our best, at least at the poor, to reduce, Mitigation side
Summary:
The hearing of the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy focused on infrastructure, pollution, climate resilience, public health, access, and economic impacts of sea level rise in California, with an emphasis on San Diego and the Bay Area. Chair Tasha Boerner Horvath opened by describing the committee’s purpose, the state’s sea level rise action planning, and the need for better monitoring and early warning systems. She also referenced her prior bills AB 66 and AB 72, which supported Scripps research on coastal bluff collapse warning capabilities. Assembly Members David Alvarez and Jessica Caloza later joined and emphasized that sea level rise affects not only coastal communities but inland areas as well, and that the issue should inform future legislative and budget decisions.
In the first panel, Dr. Mark Merrifield of Scripps Institution of Oceanography described observed sea level rise of roughly 0.8 to 0.9 feet since the early 1900s, with acceleration expected by mid-century and potentially much greater rise by 2100 depending on emissions. He highlighted flooding, groundwater rise, beach and cliff erosion, salinization, and risks to transportation, sewage, ports, and national security. Dave Gibson of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board discussed how sea level rise affects wastewater systems, stormwater, contaminated sites, wetlands, and coastal groundwater basins, and said the board is requiring climate adaptation planning, updating stormwater permits, and seeking more flexible state permitting and mitigation tools. Members and witnesses also discussed the need for better mapping, more monitoring, and more state funding, especially if federal support from NOAA and other agencies declines.
The second panel addressed public health, equitable access, and local economies. Ramon Chiras of Un Mar de Colores described how sea level rise, pollution, and access barriers threaten the Tijuana River Valley and Imperial Beach, especially for underserved communities and youth programs that rely on safe, welcoming access to the ocean. He stressed the cultural and spiritual importance of coastal access and the need for water safety and environmental education. Jessica Fane of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission explained that the Bay Area faces major economic exposure from sea level rise, citing a regional estimate of $96 billion in adaptation costs versus $230 billion in potential losses from inaction, and said BCDC is working with local governments under SB 272 on shoreline adaptation planning, funding, and regulatory innovation. Members discussed the tension between environmental permitting and the need to move projects faster, including the possibility of planned retreat in some areas and the use of simultaneous permitting and longer-term state authority to streamline adaptation work.
In the final panel, Philip Gibbons of the Port of San Diego described the port’s climate adaptation efforts and its vulnerability assessments under AB 691. He said the port manages state tidelands, supports maritime commerce and recreation, and is already seeing flooding at king tides and during El Niño events, including storm-drain backflow and damage to bikeways and parks. He explained that future sea level rise could inundate major port areas and disrupt operations, underscoring the need for continued planning, mitigation, and infrastructure investment. The hearing did not take formal votes, but it concluded with a clear call for more science, funding, coordination, and regulatory streamlining to prepare California’s coast and nearby communities for worsening sea level rise impacts.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Natural Resources Committee Jun 22nd, 2026
Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- lead agencies and tribes to develop feasible mitigation.
- The mitigation is also a lot simpler than described.
- You take away the requirements of mitigating the impacts.
- CEQA is unique in that it requires mitigation.
- , two resource conservation districts, and a large amount of non-districted land without surface water
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Natural Resources Committee Jun 29th, 2026
Natural Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Jake Schultz on behalf of the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District, East Bay Regional Park District
- Lisa Tanaka, South Coast Air Quality Management District.
- Lisa Tanaka, South Coast Air Quality Management District.
- By the Air District. Or CARB. So it's only adopted.
- Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Natural Resources Committee Jun 22nd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- lead agencies and tribes to develop feasible mitigation.
- The mitigation is also a lot simpler than described.
- CEQA is unique in that it requires mitigation.
- , two resource conservation districts, and a large amount of non-districted land without surface water
- , two resource conservation districts, and a large amount of non-districted land without surface water
Summary:
The committee heard several bills, with SB 1350 by Senator McNerney presented first. The measure would expand California’s use of renewable hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, with supporters emphasizing grid reliability, clean-energy goals, in-state investment, and construction jobs. Support came from labor, clean-energy, municipal utility, and local government representatives; NRDC Action Fund withdrew opposition after amendments, while a few groups remained opposed or neutral. The committee later took a roll call and SB 1350 passed out on a due pass recommendation.
The committee also heard SB 1180 by Senator Allen, which would set operational rules for the Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund created under SB 54, including clearer eligible uses, transparency, technical assistance, and access for tribes and smaller community groups. Environmental justice, ocean, conservation, and local government groups strongly supported the bill, saying it would ensure the fund addresses plastic pollution’s public health and environmental harms. Industry and manufacturing groups opposed unless amended, arguing the bill should stay tightly tied to plastic waste reduction and not broaden into source-reduction policy. After quorum was established, the committee approved SB 1180 on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations.
SB 1326 by Senator Wahab was then heard to strengthen tribal consultation and tribal cultural resource protections under CEQA by recognizing tribal registers and requiring feasible avoidance or mitigation measures when tribes identify resources. Tribal representatives and supporters said the bill would better protect sacred sites and tribal knowledge, while cities, counties, utilities, builders, and rural county groups opposed unless amended, citing implementation concerns, possible litigation, and uncertainty for infrastructure and housing projects. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass recommendation to Appropriations.
Finally, SB 954 by Senator Blakespear was presented as a cleanup of last year’s SB 131 advanced-manufacturing CEQA exemption, narrowing eligible projects and adding guardrails such as setbacks, air-quality limits, tribal consultation, labor standards, and habitat protections. Environmental and labor groups supported the bill as a needed correction to an overly broad exemption, while business, manufacturing, housing, and local-government groups opposed, warning it could make the exemption unusable and slow investment. Members debated the balance between environmental protection and manufacturing competitiveness, and the committee voted SB 954 out on a due pass recommendation to the Labor and Employment Committee; the transcript then moved on to SB 1031 on compostable plastics, which was introduced but not acted on in the portion provided.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Natural Resources Committee Apr 21st, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm with District Council 16.
- It will require regular ongoing staff work at districts, at all districts.
- that, you know, how it varies from district to district.
- that, you know, how it varies from district to district.
- VMT mitigation fund.
Summary:
The committee hearing centered first on AB 1243, the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, which would direct CalEPA to identify major fossil fuel companies, study California’s climate damages, and assess fees on the largest polluters to fund resilience, recovery, and related projects. The author and supporters argued the bill would make polluters help pay for climate harms, protect taxpayers, create jobs in construction and clean energy, and dedicate at least 40% of funds to disadvantaged communities. Support testimony came from environmental justice groups, labor, youth advocates, health organizations, and many individual witnesses, while opponents from the building trades, chambers of commerce, petroleum, and business groups warned it would raise fuel and consumer costs, threaten refinery jobs, and create legal and economic uncertainty. Committee members debated the bill’s impact on affordability, jobs, refinery closures, and whether cap-and-trade already addresses climate funding needs. The committee ultimately voted to give AB 1243 a due pass recommendation to the Judiciary Committee, with the roll left open.
After AB 1243, the committee moved to another bill on wildfire mitigation and related resilience work. The author said the measure addresses a long-running wildfire problem and accepted committee amendments, describing the bill as a response to increasingly severe wildfire seasons and the need to help communities stay safe and rebuild after disasters. The transcript cuts off as that presentation begins, so no final action on the second bill is shown in the excerpt.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee Apr 21st, 2026
Energy, Utilities and Communications
Transcript Highlights:
- But in particular, the local school district goes over a cliff.
- In particular, the local school district goes over a cliff.
- The fee, the mitigation fees. The mitigation piece, not the wildfire fund.
- They would be paying the wildfire mitigation fees, yes.
- mitigation requirements into the scope of the project.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Insurance Committee Mar 19th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- County District Attorney to combat scammers targeting wildfire victims.
- Obviously, I see you a lot in our district.
- I will probably see you again in the district this weekend.
- They recognize that a home that's mitigated is...
- I'll tell you the three things that we need to focus on in the Legislature: mitigation, mitigation, mitigation
Summary:
The committee first heard AB 597, a bill to strengthen consumer protections for disaster survivors who use public adjusters. The author and the Department of Insurance said the measure would cap public adjuster fees at 15% for claims tied to declared disasters, require clearer contracts, prohibit solicitation during emergency conditions, and allow consumers to rescind contracts that were solicited during prohibited periods. Insurance industry groups supported the bill, while public adjuster representatives opposed it as written but said they were willing to work on revisions. The committee approved the bill and re-referred it to Appropriations; the roll call was ultimately recorded as 16-0.
The committee then held its fourth oversight hearing on the Department of Insurance’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy, with Commissioner Ricardo Lara giving an extensive update on wildfire-related market reforms and consumer protections. He said the recent Southern California wildfires had not derailed the strategy and described actions including advance claim payments, a one-year moratorium on residential non-renewals in affected areas, a new fraud strike team, smoke-damage claim guidance, additional living expense protections, and a consumer claims tracker. He reported more than $12.1 billion in claims paid, over 37,000 claims filed, and more than 7,000 survivors assisted directly. He also discussed related bills and reforms, including AB 597, SB 495, SB 547, SB 429, SB 616, AB 888, and AB 2026.
Members questioned the commissioner about the Fair Plan’s growing exposure, the $1 billion assessment, rate increases, non-renewals, underinsurance, and whether the reforms would actually stabilize the market. Lara said the assessment was already approved, that policyholders would not be hit with one large bill because insurers have two years to recover costs, and that the department was pushing insurers to use catastrophe modeling and reinsurance tools in exchange for commitments to write more policies in wildfire-distressed areas. He said the department expects to see market stabilization by 2026, though he emphasized the timeline depends on insurer participation, implementation of the new regulations, and future disaster activity. Members generally expressed support for the goals of the strategy while pressing for clearer expectations for consumers and faster action on mitigation and market reform.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee Apr 21st, 2026
Energy, Utilities and Communications
Transcript Highlights:
- This, in a lot of ways, is really the ultimate district bill.
- But in particular, the local school district goes over a cliff.
- In particular, the local school district goes over a cliff.
- They would be paying the wildfire mitigation fees, yes.
- mitigation requirements into the scope of the project.”
Summary:
The committee heard several energy, water, and utility bills. SB 919 by Senator Grayson would extend the biomethane monetary incentive program through 2030 and authorize additional funding to support renewable natural gas projects by reducing interconnection costs. Supporters said high interconnection costs and the current tax treatment are major barriers to methane reduction projects; opponents, including TURN and environmental groups, raised ratepayer cost concerns and objected to rate-basing and additional public funding. The author said amended language would remove the rate-basing provisions and instead urge the CPUC to act quickly on its pending decision.
SB 931 by Senator Laird would reauthorize the Community Impact Mitigation Program for the Diablo Canyon plant through 2030 to continue funding local emergency preparedness, fire protection, public safety, and school district costs. The County of San Luis Obispo and labor groups supported the bill, while TURN opposed it as a statewide ratepayer subsidy that could be funded from existing PG&E revenues instead of higher rates. Members discussed the bill in the context of the 2022 Diablo Canyon extension deal and the possibility of a future longer extension.
SB 1215 by Senator Cortese would direct the CPUC to set deployment targets for EV charging in multifamily housing and evaluate progress, with amendments aimed at affordability and limiting system upgrade costs. Supporters said renters are largely locked out of home charging and that prior utility programs proved cost-effective; no opposition testified. SB 1359 by Senator Stern would require more deliberate CPUC review before major gas system investments, emphasizing electrification and non-pipeline alternatives. Gas utilities and several industry groups opposed it, arguing it could undermine the obligation to serve, create safety and reliability risks, and change the regulatory compact.
The committee also heard SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar, presented by Senator Gonzalez, which would establish a statewide low-income water rate assistance program upon appropriation. Water agencies, environmental groups, and local governments supported the measure, while one member expressed concern that it lacked a funding source and could not overcome Proposition 218 limits; the bill was moved to Appropriations and the roll was left open. Finally, SB 1098 by Senator Perez would restrict the use of long-running memorandum and balancing accounts by investor-owned utilities, require exceptional circumstances for new accounts, and add sunset and cost-sharing requirements. Consumer advocates and large energy users supported tighter oversight, while the utilities and business groups opposed the bill as too rigid and potentially harmful to flexibility for wildfire, emergency, and safety-related costs.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Senate Legislative Session Mar 26th, 2026 at 12:10 pm
Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- General lady from district 30 is recognized. Thank you, Mr. President.
- I have one of the largest mosques in the state within my district.
- Their analysis showed that it reduced or mitigated Premium increases.
- A lady from District 30 is recognized. Thank you, Mr. President.
- I have one of the largest mosques in the state within my district.
Bills:
SB65, SB248, SB330, SB378, SB844, SB1330, SB1410, SB1475, SB1476, SB1565, SB1618, SB1623, SJR39, SJR47, SB2084, SB1655, SB1679, SB2174, SB1775, SB1873, SB1204, SB1884, SB1916, SB1937, SB1447, SB1500, SB2007, SB2074, SB1944, SB2018, SB1984, SB2026, SB2045, SB2049, SB2062, SB2112, SB2118, SB2127, SB2134, SB2135, SB2139, SB2154, SB1195
Keywords:
SB65, naloxone, Narcan, opioid overdose, overdose reversal, opioid antagonist, emergency opioid antagonist, substance abuse services, harm reduction, public health, overdose prevention, good samaritan, civil immunity, criminal immunity, controlled substances, addiction treatment, fentanyl, opioid crisis, school overdose response, first aid
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Senate Legislative Session Mar 26th, 2026 at 08:30 am
Oklahoma Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I received no emails, no calls from my district or anybody else about this bill.
- She has family residing in Senator Mann's district and is here on spring break and has decided to endeavor
- The senator from District Six has a follow-up question. Thank you, Mr. President.
- Once the district attorney files charges or when someone's booked in jail?
- I believe it is once the district attorney files charges.
Bills:
SB65, SB248, SB330, SB378, SB844, SB1330, SB1410, SB1475, SB1476, SB1565, SB1618, SB1623, SJR39, SJR47, SB2084, SB1655, SB1679, SB2174, SB1775, SB1873, SB1204, SB1884, SB1916, SB1937, SB1447, SB1500, SB2007, SB2074, SB1944, SB2018, SB1984, SB2026, SB2045, SB2049, SB2062, SB2112, SB2118, SB2127, SB2134, SB2135, SB2139, SB2154, SB1195
Keywords:
SB65, naloxone, Narcan, opioid overdose, overdose reversal, opioid antagonist, emergency opioid antagonist, substance abuse services, harm reduction, public health, overdose prevention, good samaritan, civil immunity, criminal immunity, controlled substances, addiction treatment, fentanyl, opioid crisis, school overdose response, first aid
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
House of Representatives Second Regular Session of the 60th Legislature Day 7 Feb 11th, 2026 at 01:30 pm
Oklahoma House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I am Alicia Haynes Simmons, newly elected from House District 97.
Bills:
HB4274, HB3076, HB4358, HB3312, HB3288, HB3885, HB3147, HB4299, HB4265, HB4266, HB3011, HB3143, HB3144, HB3881, HB3519, HB3522, HB3530, HB2976, HB4459, HB3142, HB4316, HB4338, HB4230, HB3985, HB3883, HB4335, HB3416, HB3417, HB3418, HB3619, HB3624, HB3463, HB4423, HB3342, HB3645, HB3647, HB3887, HB4430, HB4431, HB2964, HB3834, HB4193, HB4272, HB3277, HB3148, HB3651, HB3323, HB4287, HB4105, HB3304, HB3345
Keywords:
HB4274, Oklahoma schools, interdistrict transfer, open transfer, school enrollment, military families, active duty, National Guard, Reserve orders, military installation, residency requirements, district of choice, public school transfer, student transfer, special education, IEP, Section 504, military housing, base housing, electronic enrollment
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
House Chamber - Tue Feb 10, 2026, 12:00PM HST - Day 12
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Bills:
HR11, HB1872, HB2171, HB2161, HB2416, HB2518, HB2617, HB2159, HB2606, HB2362, HB2385, HB2476, HB1923, HB2444, HB1608, HB1967, HB1968, HB2502, HB1782, HB2357, HB2445, HB1870, HB1838, HB2137, HB2208, HB2458, HB1972, HB2007, HB2160, HB2343, HB2315, HB2505, HB1857, HB469, HB1452, HB814, HB1621, HB1880, HB1831, HB1572, HB2119, HB2139, HB2459, HB2194, HB2561, HB2017, HB1931, HB1700, HB1719, HB1726, HB1737, HB1742, HB2049, HB2383, HB2116, HB2446, HB2249, HB2255, HB2320, HB2360, HB2581, HB2443, HB1531, HB2622, HB9, HB2290, HB2291, HB2235, HB2263, HB2498, HB1579, HB1728, HB1900
Keywords:
808 Elite, youth football, American Youth Football National Championships, AYF, Hawaii football, youth athletics, sports recognition, commendation, House resolution, student-athletes, sportsmanship, teamwork, state pride, Hawaii youth sports, national championship, early learning, apprenticeship, child care, education funding, workforce development
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation Apr 23rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- The local fire district is over here.
- Mitigation at Cal OES.
- But I'm engaged in flood mitigation, seismic mitigation, coastal hazards, and specifically managing FEMA
- But I'm engaged in flood mitigation, seismic mitigation, coastal hazards, and specifically managing FEMA
- 95 districts across the state that really is emblematic... ...the 95 districts across the state that
Summary:
The hearing focused on California wildfire resilience, with the first panel discussing statewide funding, policy, and strategic priorities, and the second panel shifting to home hardening and defensible space. The LAO outlined the state’s wildfire risk, the large increase in resilience spending in recent years, and the fact that most funding has been one-time rather than ongoing. Testimony emphasized that wildfire risk varies greatly by region, that the state must balance response spending with prevention, and that success should be measured more carefully than by acres treated alone. Witnesses also noted the importance of local, federal, utility, and Proposition 4 funding sources, as well as the need for long-term maintenance and strategic prioritization rather than scattered projects.
Cal Fire leadership and other witnesses stressed that California’s wildfire problem is not uniform: forested areas, chaparral, and wildland-urban interface communities require different strategies. In Northern California and forested watersheds, speakers emphasized fuels reduction, prescribed and cultural burning, strategic fuel breaks, watershed protection, and maintaining forest health. In Southern California, testimony focused on wind-driven fires, ember intrusion, ignition prevention along roads and power lines, and the limits of large-scale vegetation clearing. Several witnesses argued that the state should invest where it can leverage local and regional partnerships, support capacity-building programs like Regional Forest and Fire Capacity, and improve data systems to track treatment effectiveness and project outcomes.
Members repeatedly pressed witnesses on how to prioritize limited funds, asking what should be done more of, less of, and first. The chair argued that protecting homes and communities through hardening and defensible space should be a major priority, especially near structures, while also acknowledging the need for broader landscape work and watershed protection. There was discussion of incentives such as insurance discounts, property tax treatment, and community certification for hardened homes, along with the need for multiple payers rather than relying on the state alone. Cal Fire reported new and expanding data tools, including treatment trackers, defensible space inspection dashboards, and a fuels treatment effectiveness program that evaluates whether nearby treatments affected wildfire behavior. No votes were taken because the hearing was informational only.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Nov 17th, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- You know where we can help mitigate.
- I'm from the McKinley County District 6; I represent that portion of the district.
- I'm a State Senator from District 32.
- So, the legislature should consider whether wildfire mitigation management, whether wildfire mitigation
- We are investing in mitigating the risk.
FL
Florida 2026 5th Special Session
Appropriations Feb 5th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Physically, from an infrastructure standpoint, how would you say my district, my Senate district of 600
- I've talked to you about doing mitigation projects.
- I actually lived in his district.
- So, of course, the local governments are spending more in my district than they are in your district.
- More in my district than they are in your district, and it looks excessive and bloated.
Summary:
The committee took up four bills before moving to a broader discussion of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Trust Fund. SB 434, which would prohibit counties from increasing a home’s assessed value because the owner installed wind mitigation measures, was presented as a homeowner protection measure and reported favorably. CS/SB 110, clarifying that certain 98-year-or-longer residential leaseholders remain eligible for the homestead exemption even if the lease ends at death, was also reported favorably without opposition. SB 856, requiring online real estate listing platforms to display estimated ad valorem taxes using prescribed calculation methods and not the current owner’s tax bill, drew supportive testimony from property appraisers, Zillow, and local government groups; members emphasized transparency for buyers, especially first-time homebuyers, and the bill was reported favorably.
The committee then spent most of the meeting on SPB 7040, which would recreate and extend the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund through December 31, 2027. Supporters, including the Division of Emergency Management, argued the fund is needed for hurricanes, flooding, other disasters, and rapid response operations, and said the extension preserves legislative oversight that would otherwise lapse. Opponents from advocacy and policy groups argued the fund has been used too broadly, especially for immigration-related detention and enforcement activities, and criticized the lack of tighter guardrails and transparency. They cited deaths in detention facilities, the use of emergency dollars for non-disaster purposes, and concerns about political favoritism and public accountability.
Director Kevin Guthrie testified at length in support of the extension, explaining that the fund is used for natural, man-made, and technological emergencies, that reimbursements from federal and other sources are returned to the fund, and that the state has used it for hurricanes, flooding, civil unrest, international evacuations, and immigration-related operations under Operation Vigilant Sentry. He said the division has sought federal reimbursement for some expenses and that the fund helps the state respond quickly when emergencies arise. Members questioned the size of the fund, the amount spent on immigration-related activities, the status of federal reimbursements, and whether lawmakers should have more oversight or unannounced access to detention facilities. The bill discussion remained ongoing in the portion provided, with no final vote on SPB 7040 shown in the transcript excerpt.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Select Committee on Wildfire Prevention Jun 12th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Is that going to trickle down into local mitigation and prevention plans?
- We've got the multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plans.
- We've got the multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plans.
- Other communities to best mitigate risk from future wildfires.
- Please support whatever you can to mitigate that.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Community Affairs Feb 4th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- NEXT LET'S TALK ABOUT HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM. GRANT PROGRAM.
- FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE GRANT.
- HURRICANE LOSS MITIGATION IS THE STATE MITIGATION PROGRAM, 100 PERCENT HOW HOST I'M SORRY 100 PERCENT
- THESE ARE THE EXAMPLES OF THE MITIGATION PROJECTS. AND THE MITIGATIONS.
- IT >> MY LAST QUESTION IS ON ELEVATIONS AND THE MITIGATION PROJECT.