Transcript Highlights:

• I come to you with over 30 years of solid waste and recycling experience, with at least a couple of those
• I come to you with over 30 years of solid waste and recycling experience with at least a couple of those
• decades being directly related to appliance recycling and the proper management running solid waste
• of the solid waste facilities.
• Jason Schmeltzer, on behalf of the Solid Waste Association of North America and Californians Against

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These surcharges can be up to 10 to 15% of an average monthly wireless bill.
• The money is a surcharge on all phone bills. The NPRC controls that.
• The money is a surcharge on all phone bills. The NPRC controls that.
• Emergency surcharge. Great. Okay. Can you read that 238 or 232 number?
• This surcharge increase for the 911 is absolutely critical to the state.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I view this as a really great bill to avoid government waste.
• of falling into this game of just stalling from um litigants like Meta from trying to just kind of waste
• state resources in an kind of waste state resources in an effort<00:05:50.640> to<00:05:50.760
• And that would be funded through a surcharge on existing 911 telephone call services.
• There's an existing fee on all cell phones in Minnesota. surcharge on existing 911 surcharge on existing

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• uh municipal solid waste and RDF facilities that uh produce RDF and recover materials out of the waste
• Solid waste and RDF facilities that produce RDF and recover materials out of the waste stream.
• > waste<01:45:42.520> management<01:45:42.920> tax use of solid waste management tax
• waste management tax on the solid waste management tax collections. collections. collections.
• not<01:50:00.320> included solid waste taxes, they're not included solid waste taxes, they're

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Tribal Solid Waste Program and public. Tribal Solid Waste Program and public.
• <02:33:39.560> waste solid waste solid waste um<02:33:41.840> when<02:33:42.040> it<
• regulating solid waste. regulating solid waste.
• Solid Waste Program. Solid Waste Program.
• um above you with the solid waste? um above you with the solid waste?

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• major solid waste facilities. major solid waste facilities.
• committee statute requiring that solid committee statute requiring that solid waste<00:36:12.120
• <00:38:31.560> waste<00:38:31.760> facility benefit of a solid waste facility benefit
• <00:44:04.440> waste against the public need for solid waste against the public need for solid
• <00:49:21.560> siting solid waste industry to pursue siting solid waste industry to pursue

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Many municipalities across the state impose a franchise fees on solid waste management services.
• It's not a tax, a franchise fee on solid waste. So that is 48% of our general fund budget.
• This bill does not prevent local governments from extending or expanding their exclusive solid waste
• Furthermore, HB 5057 allows an existing third party solid waste provider displaced by a new franchise
• municipal authority to conduct to contract with solid waste service providers.

Transcript Highlights:

• The city made the following. ...to the solid waste fund. This is a repeat finding.
• Additionally, $3,600 was due to the street fund from the solid waste fund as of December 31, 2023.
• Fund to the solid waste fund. So it seems like the...
• weren’t transferred to general fund, or vice versa from general fund to solid waste.
• weren't transferred to general fund, or vice versa from general fund to solid waste.

Summary: The committee began with prayer and approval of the January 8 minutes, then received updates on delinquent private water and sewer reports. Staff reported that for the 2022 reports, 19 of 43 entities had had their turnback reinstated, while 24 remained in escrow; for the 2023 reports, 59 of 64 entities had filed, leaving five outstanding. The committee also filed a report on Adona, where staff said the city had made enough progress toward substantial compliance with municipal accounting laws to discontinue withholding turnback, and the committee adopted that recommendation. The bulk of the meeting focused on municipal accounting noncompliance cases. Gum Springs and Denning were presented with extensive repeat findings involving budgets not adopted by ordinance or resolution, missing or incomplete bank reconciliations, inadequate receipts and disbursement records, payroll issues, and improper handling of Act 833 funds or other city money. Both cities’ mayors and recorders-treasurers testified about efforts to correct records, obtain training, and work with the Municipal League; the committee voted to start the 60-day turnback-withholding clock for both and then filed the reports. Fargo was deferred because no city representative was present. Additional reports included Green Forest, Elaine, Strong, Brooklyn, Mineral Springs, Rondo, Waldo, Columbia County, and several private water and sewer entities. Strong drew significant concern over missing garbage-bag revenue, improper fund transfers, and deficit balances; the committee deferred that report to the March meeting. The committee also heard investigative or referred reports on the Faulkner County Fair Association, Brooklyn payroll direct-deposit fraud, and other entities with questionable disbursements or recordkeeping. In several cases, staff recommended filing the reports after responses were received; in others, the committee deferred action when responses were lacking or representatives were absent. The meeting ended with a motion to defer a Cross County Rural Water matter so the entity could appear at the next meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• waste permitting in do with solid waste permitting in municipalities<00:47:22.760> but<00:47:
• <00:48:52.200> waste typical Bill topics will be solid waste typical Bill topics will be solid
• um<04:15:38.479> and hazardous waste and solid waste um and hazardous waste and solid waste
• <04:26:30.680> Waste of active Solid Waste of active Solid Waste landfills<04:26:32.680>
• So there's a slide there that kind of describes solid waste.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held an introductory orientation for members, many of whom were new or newly assigned to the committee. Leadership emphasized that the committee is intended to operate in a nonpartisan, collaborative way, and members introduced themselves and described their backgrounds in farming, gardening, food service, environmental work, water and waste issues, veterinary work, and related fields. Several members noted personal ties to homesteading, livestock, orcharding, food security, landfill concerns, and animal welfare, while others said they were eager to learn the committee’s work. The chair then reviewed committee procedures and expectations. Members were told the committee would generally meet on Tuesdays, with hearings starting around 10 a.m. and often running until about 4:30 p.m., and that absences, substitutes for executive sessions, and email communications would be handled through House rules and the committee’s email system. The chair also covered decorum rules for live-streamed meetings, including professional dress, limiting food and drink at the table, and giving full attention to witnesses. Members were reminded that legislative emails are subject to public records laws and that the committee may soon transition to a new email domain. The chair also explained logistics such as bill folders, committee room storage, and emergency procedures for evacuation or shelter-in-place. No bills were debated or voted on in this meeting, but the chair noted that the committee already had roughly two dozen bills pending, including animal welfare, landfill, policy, and cat-and-dog related measures. Members were told to expect a broad mix of topics beyond agriculture, including solid waste and animal-related legislation.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, it is a smaller surcharge on that next 5%.
• So, surcharges are applying to roughly the top 6%, with a 6% surcharge on the top 1% and a 2% surcharge
• So, surcharges are applying to roughly the top 6%, with a 6% surcharge on the top 1% and a 2% surcharge
• Those folks would also face these surcharges.
• Those folks would also face these surcharges.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the second time we've brought this bill, and it is called An Act relative to surcharges on moving
• An Act relative to surcharges on local insurance premiums.
• And that would have a surcharge for seven years. And so that's why we're here today.
• How many accidents do you cover that doesn't involve surcharges, because as we keep on hearing, costs
• And so how many of these accidents are without surcharges? I see people paying out of pocket.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on a wide range of auto insurance and vehicle-related bills. Testimony focused heavily on autonomous vehicle regulation, auto insurance rating by ZIP code, rental car liability coverage, and surcharge thresholds for minor accidents. Representative Polito supported a bill to regulate autonomous vehicle testing and deployment, arguing for school-zone restrictions, slower speeds, a remote kill switch, and minimum insurance requirements to protect the public. Representative Mendez and Senator Payano testified for legislation to reduce racial and socioeconomic inequities in auto insurance pricing by limiting the weight insurers may place on territorial loss costs, while the Mass Insurance Federation and Consumer Federation of America offered opposing and supporting views, respectively, on the fairness and actuarial impact of geographic rating. The committee also heard support for a bill to remove inspection-sticker violations from license-point calculations, and for a bill to raise the damage threshold for insurance surcharges and minor/major accident classifications. A substantial portion of the hearing addressed House Bill 1301 on rental car liability. Enterprise Mobility, the American Car Rental Association, and a small Massachusetts rental company supported the bill, saying personal auto insurers should be primary when their insureds drive rental cars, that Massachusetts is an outlier compared with most other states, and that the change would reduce costs and simplify claims handling. The Mass Insurance Federation opposed the bill, arguing that current Massachusetts law already clearly makes the vehicle owner’s policy primary and that shifting liability would raise costs for private-passenger policyholders. Committee members asked detailed questions about how rental coverage works, whether premiums or rental rates would change, and how other states handle the issue. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to adjust surcharge rules for at-fault accidents, with sponsors arguing that repair costs and vehicle values have risen sharply and that the current thresholds are outdated. Members discussed how the point system affects drivers, whether the proposal should apply cumulatively or per incident, and how Carfax and out-of-pocket repairs factor into consumer costs. At the end of the hearing, the chair noted written testimony could still be submitted and, during a brief personal privilege, recorded support for two underinsurance bills, H. 1109 and S. 748. The committee then moved and seconded a motion to adjourn, and the hearing ended without any votes on the bills themselves.

Transcript Highlights:

• I believe that individual has some pretty solid experience from Minnesota, specifically.
• So then it's up to the hospital or the provider to have to waste them.
• to have to waste them that's costly<00:34:14.800> as<00:34:14.960> well<00:34:15.639><
• We couldn't utilize that for any other patients; we actually have to waste that medication.
• , and that's a waste on our system. medication um it's build to them right medication um it's build to

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• continuing to reduce medication waste continuing to reduce medication waste and<01:10:00.000>
• but it's not where you think the waste but it's not where you think the waste is.<01:30:23.920><
• I think the waste in our public is.
• we're covering people that we're wasting we're covering people that we're wasting money,<01:31:27.120
• There programs is incredibly wasteful.

Bills: HF2435

Keywords: healthcare, dementia services, public health funding, opioid prevention, women's health, community health boards, mental health, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• they're both in solid waste management. they're both in solid waste management.
• <01:38:39.440> waste<01:38:39.760> management back to these solid waste management
• to<01:43:47.280> the solid waste districts to the solid waste districts to the municipalities
• read solid waste for which >> So it should read solid waste for which the<01:47:12.960> municipality
• solid waste the municipality or solid waste management<01:47:15.199> district<01:47:15.600>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• some cover crops, some agroforestry, doing some work to get composting made out of, you know, food waste
• food waste um we are doing some food waste um we are doing some reforestation<01:09:55.440> projects
• battery manufacturing industry, a lithium-ion battery recycler, a collector, a representative from the waste
• continued discussion around whether we can accomplish what needs to be accomplished without a customer surcharge

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Energy and Environmental Protection Committee met on February 13, 2025, after a brief recess for a concurrent hearing. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including HB 332 on recycling and lithium-ion batteries, HB 256 on environmental protection and federal air standards, HB 348 on single-use plastics in lodging establishments, HB 810 on noise pollution and helicopter-related civil actions, HB 505 on Red Hill coordination, HB 975 on carbon sequestration incentives, and HB 974 on utility financing and step-in agreements. Testimony was generally supportive on HB 256, HB 348, HB 505, HB 975, and HB 974, while HB 332 drew both support and opposition, including concerns from the Consumer Technology Association about battery recycling policy. On HB 975, OPSD supported the program but urged language to prevent use for carbon offsets, and the committee discussed how the program would be monitored and reimbursed. On HB 974, the chair summarized extensive amendments addressing reserve fees, revenue definitions, trust funds, default procedures, and customer credits, while noting the Consumer Advocate’s changed view that a reserve fee may not be constitutionally required. In decision making, the committee adopted amendments and recommended passage for HB 332, converting it into a working group to study recycling of small- and medium-format lithium-ion batteries, with members from state agencies and industry and a note that an appropriation may be needed. HB 256 was passed with amendments to clarify compliance with federal law unless standards become more stringent. HB 348, HB 810, and HB 505 were each passed as is. HB 975 was passed with amendments, including language to prevent use of the program for carbon offsets and a note that dollar amounts would be blanked out and addressed in the committee report. HB 974 was also passed with amendments after the committee reviewed the proposed changes and discussed the reserve fee issue. The committee additionally noted that HB 1476 had previously been deferred and would remain deferred, and the meeting concluded with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, the 988 fund is sustained by a surcharge that Cal OES administers.
• I mean, just one question here as far as that surcharge is concerned, because I heard the surcharge is
• So the funding didn't go down; the surcharge went down.
• But what we'll do is calculate the per-line surcharge necessary to meet that funding need.
• So, access the surcharge. The surcharges, from what I understand, we're not able to bill up.

Summary: The hearing focused on California’s 988 suicide and crisis lifeline and the broader crisis response system, with members and witnesses emphasizing both the system’s life-saving role and the risks posed by funding gaps, rising demand, and uneven local implementation. Opening remarks highlighted the personal impact of suicide and the need to strengthen crisis response so calls are answered quickly and linked to appropriate care rather than defaulting to 911, emergency rooms, or law enforcement. State officials described the AB 988 five-year implementation plan, which sets goals around public awareness, equitable access, high-quality call/chat/text response, and better integration with ongoing behavioral health services. State agencies reported progress on infrastructure, coordination, and related behavioral health investments. CalHHS said California has expanded mobile crisis teams, crisis stabilization units, and youth behavioral health supports, and is preparing additional public awareness and grant programs tied to Proposition 1. DHCS explained that 988 is funded through a federal SAMHSA grant and the AB 988 surcharge, while Medi-Cal separately funds mobile crisis services; officials said the mobile crisis benefit is active in 53 counties and that statewide expansion remains a work in progress. Cal OES described the statewide technical buildout, including network infrastructure in all 11 crisis centers, interoperability with 911, and a pilot of next-generation routing and call-handling tools. The 988 California Consortium said call volume continues to rise sharply, missed calls remain a major concern, text/chat capacity is limited, and centers need more stable funding, better reimbursement, and stronger feedback loops with the state. County and community witnesses stressed that local systems need more flexible, sustained support to match the demand. Lake County described a peer-led rural mobile crisis model that has reduced law enforcement holds and increased housing placements, but said county-run mobile crisis teams still cannot reliably access 988 surcharge dollars and face reimbursement problems from Medi-Cal and commercial plans. Santa Clara County reported strong performance metrics, rapid call answer times, and a broad continuum of mobile crisis services, but said staffing and funding are strained and commercial reimbursement remains slow. The Mental Health Association of San Francisco said the peer-run warm line complements 988 by offering non-emergency support and warm handoffs, but recent budget changes forced cuts to Spanish-language service, federation support, and hours. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; members mainly asked questions about surcharge levels, budget timing, coordination among agencies, data collection, and how to improve collaboration with frontline crisis centers.

Transcript Highlights:

• It eliminates the 25% surcharge on customers outside city limits and reduces the rate differential cap
• With the terms of bond covenants that are in effect as of July 1, 2024, and then those surcharges must
• To comply with the new changes to the extraterritorial surcharge statute.
• Cities are allowed to collect a utility surcharge, which we just talked about, on these properties, and
• That you just heard would eliminate authority to impose that surcharge.

Bills: S0936, S1724, S1014, S1498

Keywords: temporary door locking device, emergency safety, building code, training programs, fire exit security, utility services, municipal agreements, public meetings, rates and fees, public service commission, municipal utility, water service, wastewater service, property owners, annexation, civil action, community associations, condominium, homeowners associations, structural integrity

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and took up four bills. First, it considered SB 1724 on municipal utility services. Senator Martin offered a late-filed delete-everything amendment that would require annual customer meetings for extraterritorial utility customers, cap use of gross utility revenues for general government at 10%, eliminate a 25% surcharge on customers outside city limits, reduce the rate differential cap from 50% to 25%, remove municipal natural gas utilities from the bill, and preserve certain existing bond-related surcharges until debt is retired or refinanced. The League of Cities raised implementation concerns about the July 1, 2026 effective date and the need for rate studies and budget adjustments. The amendment was adopted and the committee reported CS/SB 1724 favorably. The committee then heard SB 936 on temporary door locking devices from Senator McLean. The bill would define temporary door locking devices, allow them to be installed at any height, require the Florida Building Commission to add standards to the Florida Building Code, and require their use to be incorporated into safety plans, drills, and training. With no opposition or amendments, SB 936 was reported favorably. Next, the committee considered SB 1014 by Senator Mayfield, which would prohibit municipalities from refusing water or wastewater service solely because a property owner will not annex, and would require service expansion when a property is near a municipal main line, not served by another utility, and the utility has capacity. A committee amendment narrowed the bill to properties near a main line and reduced the distance threshold from 2,000 meters to one-half mile. The Florida League of Cities opposed the bill as amended, citing concerns about property size, annexation conflicts, enclave creation, and possible revenue impacts, but the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee heard SB 1498 on community associations from Chair Bradley. A strike-all amendment revised technical provisions on video conference recordings, turnover inspection reports, SIRS references, and electronic voting, and added two major policy changes: requiring associations to provide records to law enforcement and prosecutors and creating a second-degree misdemeanor for willful refusal, and prohibiting mandatory club or amenity fee schemes controlled by developers or third parties that generate profit beyond proportional expenses. Testimony in support described homeowner disputes involving concentrated board control, lack of transparency, and mandatory fees in communities such as Rosedale. The amendment was adopted and CS/SB 1498 was reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, Senator Bracey Davis asked to be recorded voting in the affirmative on tabs 1, 2, and 3, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• What we know is that there's massive fraud, waste, and abuse in the system.
• approve proposed settlements paid from the patient's compensation fund, removing a requirement for surcharges

Transcript Highlights:

• So you had said that there is a surcharge to Medicaid.
• So you had said that there is a surcharge to Medicaid.
• The surcharge itself is a 3.75% amount.
• , a premium surcharge.
• And this wouldn’t have any direct impact on how much you’re paying in surcharges.

Bills: SB241, SB145, HB2

Keywords: child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level

Transcript Highlights:

• suspension of an enforcement action against a regional water supply, sewer, wastewater treatment, or solid
• waste disposal service for certain violations.
• , relating to the funding mechanism for the regulation of workers' compensation. ...authorizing surcharges
• This allows them to go directly to the prosecution to request any warrants, as opposed to having to waste

Bills: SB4, SB23, SB3, SJR2, SJR85, SB34, SB60, SB75, SB706, SB1814, SB1220, SB523, SB565, SB1253, SB840, SB764, SB2383, SB2155, SB1535, SB1405, SB1423, SB1566, SB1804, SB1728, SB1816, SB1952, SB1948, SB2037, SB2068, SB1455, SB213, SB243, SB627, SB646, SB670, SB896, SB917, SB1184, SB971, SB1255, SB1261, SB1283, SB1358, SB991, SB1733, SB21, SB231, SB739, SB1252, SB1371, SB664, SB40, SB9, SJR1, SB687, SB1332, SB458, SB482, SB927, SB984, SB651, SB1620, SB2124, SB2448, SB841, SB843, SB402, SB2662, SB2053, SB2332, SB2112, SB745, SB1247, SB1789, SB27, SB207, SB2938, SB1901, SB1227, SB1248, SB912, SB1321, SB2143, SB2145, SB1497, SB1239, SB2180, SB1388, SB1662, SB1951, SB1537, SB493, SB378, SB1020, SB1018, SB992, SB958, SB920, SB1350, SB1762, SB552, HCR109, SB2185, SB4, SB23, SB3, SJR2, SJR85, SB34, SB60, SB75, SB706, SB1814, SB1220, SB523, SB565, SB1253, SB840, SB764, SB2383, SB2155, SB1535, SB1405, SB1423, SB1566, SB1804, SB1728, SB1816, SB1952, SB1948, SB2037, SB2068, SB1455, SB213, SB243, SB627, SB646, SB670, SB896, SB917, SB1184, SB971, SB1255, SB1261, SB1283, SB1358, SB991, SB1733, SB21, SB231, SB739, SB1252, SB1371, HB2970, HB 109, SB2308

Keywords: property tax, homestead exemption, school funding, state aid, constitutional amendment, elderly, disabled, ad valorem taxation, school district funding, SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption