Transcript Highlights:

• This law establishes that the residential class has to pay the lowest percentage share of the tax levy
• I do think that it is not unexpected for them to be paying at the 175% split.
• If you get meals in the ski area, you have to pay for that. Anything else you get, you buy for.
• If you get meals in the ski area, you have to pay for that.
• You pay for the parking if you get a parking.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hybrid hearing on 17 late-file and miscellaneous bills, with testimony focused on several local tax and fee proposals. The first major item was H. 4687 for Watertown, which would permanently continue a special property tax classification allowing the city to maintain a 50% residential minimum factor and a 175% commercial shift. Watertown officials and local legislators said the measure is needed to prevent an estimated 18% residential tax increase when the current temporary authority expires, arguing that the city’s commercial growth and 1988 tax rules have created an unintended burden on homeowners, especially seniors. Committee members asked about the regional business impact, whether major taxpayers might leave, and why a permanent change was sought instead of another short extension; Watertown officials said the policy had not deterred commercial growth and that the city’s fiscal planning and stabilization funds were being used for schools, infrastructure, and bond rating support. The committee also heard H. 4435 from Charlemont, which would authorize a local tax on commercial recreation services. Town officials described Charlemont as a small rural community with a large visitor burden from skiing, rafting, and other recreation, saying police, fire, and EMS costs rise sharply during peak seasons and that the tax would help shift some of those costs to visitors rather than local residents. A committee member questioned the legal structure of taxing recreation services versus goods, but the town said the proposal was modeled on the meals and rooms tax and had local business support. Finally, testimony was taken on H. 4722, promoting fair tax treatment for zero-emission vehicles, especially electric school buses and Class 3-8 trucks. Supporters, including EV advocates, a school transportation company, and Rep. Gentile, said the bill would cap sales and excise taxes on EV vehicles at the level of comparable diesel vehicles to remove an unintended tax penalty, keep revenue neutral, and support the state’s climate goals while helping school districts and private bus operators manage higher upfront costs. Rep. Gentile also spoke in support of H. 4755, which would amend Sudbury’s means-tested senior property tax exemption so the town would not need new special legislation if the program is renewed again in the future. No votes were taken, and the hearing concluded after public testimony and committee questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I do want to clarify that when a cruise ship uses one of our facilities, they are already paying
• They are paying dockage fee, which is the fee to tie up to our pier, and then they pay a per-head passenger
• </c><00:28:58.480><c> a</c> facilities, they are already paying a facilities, they are already paying
• </c><00:28:59.760><c> They</c><00:28:59.919><c> are</c><00:29:00.080><c> paying</c><00:29:00.320><c>
• They are paying dockage port entry fee.

Bills: SB2816

Keywords: enterprise zones, economic development, innovation enterprise, job creation, Hawaii, 910, house, all

Summary: The committees heard House Bill 2195, HD1, which would replace the existing transit accommodations tax on cruise ships with a per-passenger infrastructure fee collected by the Department of Transportation and deposited into a new cruise ship special fund. Testimony included support from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and comments from the Tax Foundation of Hawaii warning that the bill should remain narrowly tied to harbor-related uses to avoid potential Tonnage Clause issues. The Department of Transportation testified that cruise-related harbor work includes pier repairs, dredging, terminal upgrades, and shore power, and said a dedicated revenue stream would help prioritize cruise infrastructure needs. The Attorney General’s office said it had submitted written comments but did not address questions about the litigation or constitutional background. Members questioned whether the new special fund was necessary when the existing harbor special fund already finances similar improvements. DOT said the funds overlap and suggested the bill could be amended to use the harbor special fund with a separate cruise subaccount, while still preserving a dedicated revenue stream and separate accounting. DOT also said it currently collects port entry, dockage, and per-head passenger fees from cruise ships and that existing cruise-related expenditures from the harbor special fund have not been challenged. The chair ultimately recommended moving HB 2195 forward as introduced, while continuing discussions about the fund structure and awaiting further clarity from the Attorney General and DOT. In decision-making, the committees voted to pass HB 2195, HD1, as is. They also voted to pass House Bill 916, HD1, relating to the low-income housing tax credit, which would allow certain state low-income housing tax credits to offset state transient accommodations taxes in the same county and make Act 129 of 2016 permanent. Both the Committee on Tourism and the Committee on Economic Development and Technology adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass HB 916, HD1, unamended. The hearing was then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• $316 million in state funding through which we're able to leverage $1.2 billion for our hospitals and pay
• So we're paying, even if the percentage of the tax remains the same, the amount of tax that we pay increases
• And I'll take, for instance, on a lot we have on Forest Street, that's a half acre that was paying about
• So out of that $800 a year that they pay overall for property tax, I think the city sees less than $50
• I was lucky I could pay for it.

Bills: SB101, SB58, SB55

Keywords: SB 101, Health Care Delivery and Access Act, repeal of repeal, sunset repeal, delayed repeal, health care, healthcare, access to care, medical services, provider regulation, state health law, New Mexico, SB58, metropolitan redevelopment, redevelopment property, property tax exemption, payments in lieu of taxes, PILOT, municipal redevelopment, local government

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 101, which would repeal the July 1, 2030 sunset on the Health Care Delivery and Access Act and make the hospital provider-tax program permanent. The sponsor, the Health Care Authority secretary, and the New Mexico Hospital Association said the program has generated substantial federal Medicaid matching funds and has supported hospital workforce, quality, and infrastructure investments, especially in rural areas. Members asked why the sunset existed originally and whether federal changes under H.R. 1 would phase the program down; the secretary explained the sunset was meant as a review point, but that federal law now prevents creating a new similar program if this one expires. The committee heard support from hospital and business representatives, no opposition, and voted due pass 7-0. The committee then considered Senate Bill 58, as amended, which extends the property tax abatement period for metropolitan redevelopment areas from a fixed seven years to up to 14 years. The sponsor and Albuquerque redevelopment officials said the change would give local governments more flexibility to structure projects based on financial need, while still preserving current tax payments and encouraging redevelopment of blighted or underused areas. Several supporters, including realtors and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber, argued the longer window would improve certainty for developers and help spur housing and other reinvestment. Some members raised concerns about lost revenue for schools and whether the tool could be overused, but were told the program applies only in designated redevelopment areas and is intended to leverage future higher assessments. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended 7-0. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 55, which increases New Mexico’s state solar tax credit from 10% to 30% after the federal credit was reduced, and raises the individual cap from $6,000 to $15,000 while keeping the overall annual program cap at $30 million. The sponsor and numerous solar industry, business, and clean-energy advocates said the change is needed to prevent layoffs, stabilize the rooftop solar market, support local jobs, and preserve grid and affordability benefits for customers. Members asked about permitting, certification, consumer protection, and whether battery storage was included; the sponsor said the bill covers rooftop solar only, the credit is refundable, and EMNRD certifies systems before credits are issued. The committee heard broad support, no opposition, and voted due pass 7-0 before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• , an allocation that did. ...a total of $1.56 billion for teacher pay, an allocation that did not exist
• And then we had agency employees, contract nursing, and you have to pay them quite a bit more.
• And then we had agency employees, contract nursing, and you have to pay them quite a bit more.
• , retired law enforcement, and you tried to put them in elementary and middle schools for an hourly pay
• And I do want to take a step back when it comes to the global conversation about teacher pay.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K-12 Education received a presentation from the Governor’s Office of Policy and Budget and the Department of Education on the Governor’s fiscal year 2026-27 education budget. Shelby Salmons outlined the overall budget framework, and Commissioner Stasi Kamoutsis highlighted major education investments, including $486 million for VPK, $30.6 billion for K-12 education, a $761.1 million increase in FEFP funding, the highest per-student funding level to date, and $201 million more for teacher pay flexibility. The presentation also emphasized school safety, mental health, civics education, and the Guardian Program, along with continued funding for TEACH, HIPPY, Help Me Grow, and civics debate and literacy initiatives. Members asked about how the mental health allocation would be used, counselor staffing ratios, school closures and whether the department intervenes, oversight of school choice and voucher-funded schools, and the Guardian Program’s pay structure and effectiveness. Senators also raised concerns about the FISH school capacity report, data collection, teacher pay, professional development, AI and tutoring technology, and whether the budget adequately supports mental health services and school safety. The Commissioner said many funding decisions are left to districts, that the department stands ready to assist, and that the Guardian Program has been successful and expanded over time. During public testimony, Pinellas County School Board member Laura Hine said her district spends far more on safety and mental health than it receives in state categorical funding, and urged the committee to consider full-day VPK funding, arguing it has improved third-grade reading outcomes in Pinellas. Senators followed up on district flexibility and local spending choices. The committee took no substantive vote on the budget presentation and adjourned after thanking the department for its recommendations and partnership.

Transcript Highlights:

• what career you want or if you've been accepted to a college if you don't know how you're going to pay
• To provide brief background, school districts are responsible for selecting, paying for, and maintaining
• for the increased services that will be required. on new development activities to help pay for the
• Like if we, my very simple brain thinks the point of impact fees is to help pay for the costs that a
• Either the legislature is going to pay for it, or why are they there?

Bills: SB5841, SB5922, SB5858, SB5943

Keywords: financial aid, postsecondary education, student support, application process, higher education access, school transportation, school buses, pupil transportation, transportation vehicle fund, school district finance, fund transfer, reimbursement schedule, depreciation schedule, zero-emission buses, electric school buses, bus electrification, charging stations, fueling stations, vehicle replacement, major repairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:28:14.640><c> for</c> should should be the ones um paying for should should be the ones um paying
• </c> should be their responsibility to pay should be their responsibility to pay for<01:32:00.800><c>
• So who would pay for those upgrades, and how much would it cost?
• We know who's going to pay for it.
• </c> of that would be and who's going to pay of that would be and who's going to pay for<04:38:58.080

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So they're not paying tolls, they're not paying road tax, they're not paying registrations, etc. 36.1%
• <00:31:02.480><c> not</c><00:31:02.640><c> paying</c> paying road tax, they're not paying paying road
• You don't pay the fee. it. You don't pay the fee.
• But how do we pay for it?
• </c> patients just pay for these services? patients just pay for these services?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• No upfront, you know, you're going to pay so much per hour or anything like that.
• They didn't pay their tax.
• They didn't pay their tax.
• I represented a company that ended up paying $5 billion.
• And so they don't have to pay that tax going forward.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1142, which would clarify the Secretary of State’s authority to issue certificates of good standing to series LLCs and make each series searchable on the Secretary of State’s website. The sponsor said the bill was needed to preserve a long-standing practice and keep Missouri business-friendly, and witnesses from the Missouri Chamber and a law firm supported it as a simple clarification. No opposition was presented, and the hearing concluded without a vote in the transcript. The committee then took up House Bill 3347, sponsored by Rep. Murphy, which had two parts: one establishing requirements for political subdivisions entering contingency-fee legal contracts, and another addressing a Kansas City ordinance restricting sales of small liquor bottles in certain areas. Supporters of the legal-contract portion argued that local governments should coordinate with the Attorney General on contingency-fee cases involving statewide issues, citing opioid, PFAS, environmental, and other multi-jurisdictional litigation as examples where attorney fees and fragmented local action created delays and inefficiencies. Opponents, including the Missouri Municipal League, Missouri Association of Counties, and private attorneys, argued the bill would add bureaucracy, delay cases, undermine local control, and potentially freeze out smaller communities; they also raised concerns about vague language, a 45-day review period, and retroactive effects on existing contracts. On the alcohol portion, industry witnesses supported the amendment, saying the Kansas City proposal was discriminatory, unsupported by data, and would hurt retailers and tax revenue. After the hearing, the committee moved into executive session and unanimously voted House Committee Substitute for Senate Bills 907, 1154, and 1272 do pass and do pass with consent, after adopting a technical substitute. The transcript then returned to HB 3347, where testimony continued on both the legal-contract and alcohol provisions, but no final committee vote on HB 3347 appears in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I'm still paying for that. So, thank you.
• </c><00:07:52.560><c> So,</c><00:07:53.280><c> thank</c> I'm still paying for that.
• So, thank I'm still paying for that. So, thank you. you. you.
• all those obligations plus pay the staff for, you know, that period of time.
• </c><00:18:51.440><c> the</c> pay all those obligations plus pay the pay all those obligations plus pay

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Joint Fiscal Committee met on March 20, 2026, approved the minutes, and adopted the consent calendar after removing two items for separate discussion: FIS 26048 from the Department of Safety and FIS 26053 from the Department of Environmental Services. The committee then adopted both of those items after brief questioning. Safety explained that a $2 million transfer would reduce its lapse, though it still expected a lapse of just under $4 million. Members, especially Senator Gray, emphasized concern about lapses and the need to track them closely given prior-year shortfalls. On the Environmental Services item, members discussed the Heavy Falls dam removal. The commissioner said the dam is old, not grounded in bedrock, and does not meet current safety standards, so removal was the practical option because replacement funding was unavailable. He said the aquatic resource mitigation fund and Army Corps of Engineers support made the removal feasible, and that the town had been involved in discussions for years. The committee adopted the item. The committee also adopted a Department of Transportation item, with staff noting high snowfall and a roughly 25% vacancy rate but saying contractors and bonus incentives had allowed plowing operations to continue. A Judicial Council item was then adopted, with the director saying it would likely be his last appearance this fiscal year. The committee next reviewed information materials on YDC claims administration, where DOJ staff said current spending would leave about a $10 million buffer into the next fiscal year and described reduced staffing and ongoing claims work; no action was taken. The committee then heard audit presentations for the Liquor Commission and Lottery Commission. The Liquor Commission audit reported seven findings, including a material weakness on reconciliations, issues with NextGen data/reporting, gift and promotional card controls, procurement and leasing practices, and one nonconcurrence on whether certain purchases were exempt from bidding requirements; members discussed whether attorney general review or legislation might be needed. The commission said it had completed a year-end reconciliation and was about 70% reconciled through February. The Lottery Commission audit reported three internal control comments, all concurred with by the lottery, focused on written procedures, filling the controller position, annual risk assessments, disaster recovery testing, user access controls, and training compliance; the lottery said it was hiring to reduce reliance on one employee and had no unresolved findings. The committee took no vote on the audit materials and adjourned after setting the next meeting for April 17 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Went to the office, said, "How do I pay everything in advance?" And it was kind of a downer.
• Went to the office, said, "How do I pay everything in advance?" And it was kind of a downer.
• </c> Went to the office, said, "How do I pay Went to the office, said, "How do I pay everything<00:18
• Thank you, &gt;&gt; Pay it within 30 days. Sorry.
• So, if I pay it chair.

Bills: HF4141, HF3951

Keywords: housing authority, criminal penalty, assault, public safety, redevelopment, submetered utility service, tenant rights, digital payment, eviction protection, housing policy, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm mandated by law to pay out their lump-sum payments.
• costs exceed our budget, that's when we're coming back and asking for the right amount of funds to pay
• I'm mandated by law to pay out their lump sum payments.
• Some of it, of course, goes to paying overtime to backfill behind posted positions, but some of it is
• And you also have people moving... ...was actually paying for these centralized costs.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, when you don't put the resources in to pay along the way to make improvements, repairs
• a lot to go to San Francisco where they'll pay admission fees for the same kind of experiences.
• more, and smaller companies pay less.
• pay less.
• The pay has never been adequate.

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of budget proposals, beginning with Exposition Park. Park leadership described the 160-acre state property’s historic role, growing visitation, and major upcoming events, including the FIFA World Cup fan fest and the 2028 Olympics. The governor’s proposal sought $96.5 million for utility replacement, site improvements, code compliance, accessibility, and public safety/traffic systems, plus $1.698 million for operational sustainability. The LAO said the proposals had merit but suggested the Legislature could consider downscaling some work given the budget condition. Members generally supported the requests, emphasizing deferred maintenance, public access, and the park’s statewide importance; both Exposition Park items were held open. The California Science Center requested funding to open and operate the new Air and Space Center, a major expansion featuring the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The LAO supported the proposal but suggested the Legislature consider alternative funding sources such as admission fees, higher parking fees, or private funds. Members debated whether the state should continue to fund operations without charging admission, with the Science Center explaining its public-private funding model and warning that fees could sharply reduce attendance, especially for underserved communities. The item was held open. The committee also reviewed continuation funding for the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation’s consumer protection and debt collection programs. DFPI and Finance said the requests would extend existing expenditure authority and were not General Fund asks. The LAO supported limited-term funding but urged cumulative reporting or a sunset-style review before permanent funding. Members pressed DFPI on outcomes, workload, and the high cost of the debt collection licensing program, noting that the number of licensees was far below early estimates and that assessments on the industry were substantial. Public commenters from the debt collection industry echoed those concerns, while others supported DFPI’s consumer protection work. The committee then heard a Board of Registered Nursing request for $1.4 million to fund eight special investigators. The board said complaint volume has risen with licensee growth and more complex cases, and members asked about complaint outcomes, regional caseloads, med spa oversight, viral complaints, and bias-related complaints. The board explained its investigation, probation, and intervention processes and said most cases reaching the Attorney General result in discipline. That item was also held open. After public comment on additional agenda items, the committee voted on several vote-only items. Items 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 17 were approved 4-0. Items 7, 9, and 14 were also approved, with the chair correcting the tally to 4-0. The hearing then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And because of that, we pay them a 50-cent fee for every single license plate purchased.
• And users have to pay that no matter what. You don't get a choice.
• the standard license plate don't have to pay that 50-cent fee.
• When it comes to our career technical educators, the private market pays a lot more.
• Federally, we are required, if a child comes to us with a special need, we have to pay that.

Summary: The House convened, approved the journal, and received messages from the Senate, including enrolled Senate bills sent for the Speaker’s signature and Senate Bill 1326 filed for first reading. Committee reports advanced several bills, including House Bill 850 to Health and Welfare and multiple business, health, and state affairs measures to second reading. House Resolution 26, reviewing certain administrative rules, was sent to Judiciary, Rules and Administration for printing. On the floor, the House passed Senate Bill 1314, a budget rescission measure cutting regional behavioral health director positions and regional behavioral health boards; one member opposed it, warning of a disconnect between local communities and the state council. The House also passed House Bills 716, 648, 846, 825, 815, 717 as amended, 668 as amended, 750 as amended, 847, 848, 849, and 681. These bills addressed highway and local road funding, chemotherapy parity coverage, license plate fee changes tied to the Idaho Heritage Trust, school transportation reimbursement for a charter school, vehicle registration penalties, child custody interference enforcement, programmable money protections, judicial and legislative branch maintenance budgets, career ladder movement for CTE and pupil services staff, and elimination of the statute of limitations for certain child sexual abuse crimes. The House also adopted House Joint Memorial 17, which urges the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider Obergefell v. Hodges; the memorial drew sharp debate over marriage, federalism, and LGBTQ rights and passed 44-26. House Concurrent Resolution 33, creating an interim effort involving education, the attorney general, and the 988 line to address sex torsion and youth protection, also passed by recorded vote. Several bills were held on the third reading calendar, and the House recessed and later reconvened to continue floor action and committee scheduling announcements.

Transcript Highlights:

• You pay a fee, and then you pay any appropriate excise taxes for selling fuels.
• It's the customer who pays the bill. So we are looking at an idea where... ...measures.
• It's the customer who pays the bill.
• Customers in Ferry County pay $741 per remaining customer, and we're the lowest-income county.
• And the other customers share the burden of the cost to pay for those that are energy burdened.

Bills: HB2426, HB2606

Keywords: pollution control, efficiency, appeals process, environmental regulation, hearing board, data protection, privacy, performance measures, reporting requirements, office of privacy, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• sales tax for all materials; the employees pay income tax from institutes.
• Slot attendant jobs are good-paying jobs.
• One corporation pay tax benefits for the state, it's just a giveaway.
• cell tax and also materials and pay salaries here.
• pays 40% of the medical leave contribution, as we presently require them to.

Bills: H4975

Keywords: federal tax changes, OBBBA, revenue impact, pass-through entities, state budget, tax relief, high-income earners, opportunity zones, 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Have you had many complaints about pay-day loans or the way it's structured right now?
• Or buy now, pay later products.
• I ended up paying off the loan, which ended up being $575. This is crazy.
• The borrower is working solely to pay off interest and fees, never the principal.
• lender, or do you pay for other needs?

Bills: SB5976, SB6111, SB6250, SB6257, SB6289, SGA9060, SGA9169, SGA9265, SGA9266

Keywords: commercial email, spam regulations, online marketing, privacy, consumer protection, SB 6111, Washington Protecting Children Online Act, online child safety, minor privacy, age verification, parental consent, social media regulation, digital platforms, user-generated content, content moderation, online harms, youth protection, data privacy, geolocation, targeted advertising

Transcript Highlights:

• They're having to use levy funding to pay for basic education issues.
• They're having to use levy funding to pay for basic. How can we help our school districts out?
• They're having to use levy funding to pay for basic education issues.
• The state should pay for this unfunded mandate, not take money away from MSOC.
• For the record, my pay for summer out of pocket.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several education-related bills. Senate Bill 6130 would move public high schools’ voter registration events from Temperance and Good Citizenship Day in January to National Voter Registration Day in September, with schools offering Future Voter registration to eligible students in history or social studies classes. The sponsor, Sen. Krishnadasan, and supporters from King County Elections, Pierce County, OSPI, and the Legislative Youth Advisory Council said the change would better match student interest and improve youth civic engagement at no fiscal cost. A senator asked about community service opportunities, and the sponsor said that could potentially fit within existing community service recognition programs. Senate Bill 6247 would expand financial oversight and training for school districts, especially those in financial distress or binding conditions. It would require additional ESD involvement, add WASDA training on budgeting and financial health for school directors, and impose stronger consequences for knowing financial misconduct, including future employment bars and state reimbursement of certain unrecovered damages. Sen. Dozier said the bill responds to district financial problems, including Prescott School District. OSPI supported the bill, while the Association of Educational Service Districts, WSSDA, and WEA raised concerns about ESDs being placed in an oversight role, the need to align the bill with other pending training legislation, and whether some enforcement duties should instead rest with the state auditor. Senate Bill 6268 would require OSPI to keep an online record of final special education community complaint decisions for 20 years instead of the current five years on its website. OSPI supported the bill, saying it would improve transparency and help families, educators, and policymakers identify patterns and understand how complaints are resolved; the sponsor said the retention period may be amended. Advocates from Washington Autism Alliance, The Arc, and parent advocates testified in favor, saying the records help families avoid repeated disputes and reveal systemic issues. Senate Bill 6278 would change how PESB reviews teacher and principal preparation programs and adjust student-teaching field placement plan submission timing; the sponsor said the goal is to ensure educators are better prepared, and PESB testified neutral, saying many of the review elements already exist and the bill would add flexibility. The committee also heard Senate Bill 6260, a budget-savings bill affecting public education. It would lengthen school bus depreciation to 15 years, withhold up to 1.9% of MSOC funds to pay for the High School and Beyond Plan platform, and reduce Running Start funding from 1.4 to 1.2 FTE. OFM supported the bill as part of the governor’s budget approach, but many testifiers opposed it, arguing it would cut district resources, keep older buses on the road longer, shift costs to schools, and reduce access to Running Start—especially for low-income, rural, and technical-program students. School district, college, PTA, counselor, and student witnesses said the current 1.4 FTE model has expanded access and completion, while supporters of the bill emphasized state budget pressures and said the changes would preserve other priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• more than a specified dollar figure or to pay more than a specified rate per unit of electricity.
• more than a specified dollar figure or to pay more than a specified rate per unit of electricity is
• And enter into a contract where they're paying for a capability that doesn't yet exist.
• Of those, we're still paying off the debt for two of them.
• Of those, we're still paying off the debt for two of them.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several local government bills. HB 2006 would extend the deadline for certain rural counties that collect a sales and use tax for economic development to designate industrial land banks under the Growth Management Act. Supporters, including the sponsor and Kittitas County representatives, said the bill would help counties identify industrial land for job growth and economic development; Futurewise opposed it, citing concerns about large industrial land banks and impacts to agricultural lands. HB 2244 would let a city that forms a fire protection district after July 1, 2026, keep its levy rate without reducing it by the district’s levy, and would also allow online notice and interlocal contracting for fire services. City and fire officials supported it as a practical tool to fund fire service, while one witness opposed the broader trend of appointed taxing authorities. The committee also heard extensive testimony on HB 2316, which would limit shrub-step vegetation inside urban growth areas from being treated as wildlife habitat, critical area, or conservation area, and would bar related mitigation or replacement requirements. Tri-Cities officials, builders, housing advocates, and the sponsor argued the bill would reduce delays and costs for housing and development on already designated urban land, while conservation groups, tribal representatives, and some individuals opposed it as a broad rollback of habitat protections and a harmful precedent for ecosystems and wildlife. No vote was taken on the bills during the hearing. HB 2103 would expand public utility contracting authority so cities, utilities, and joint operating agencies could enter “capability” contracts for renewable or non-emitting generation projects, including nuclear, renewable hydrogen, and fusion, and repeal certain price-limit restrictions. Supporters said it would align older contracting law with the Clean Energy Transformation Act and help utilities plan for future power needs; opponents warned it would shift risk to ratepayers and revive concerns tied to the WPPSS nuclear debacle. The committee also heard HB 2388, which would classify pivot-corner solar and agrovoltaic facilities on agricultural land as distributed energy resources and accessory uses; the sponsor and supporters said it would help meet energy needs without harming productive farmland, while Futurewise asked for clarification to avoid unintended loss of agricultural land. The hearing then returned to HB 2103 for additional testimony, with the same basic split between utility and clean-energy supporters and ratepayer or anti-nuclear opponents.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then people are, you know, having to pay. I talked to our local Chamber of Commerce.
• They had to pay thousands of dollars. I know, I looked at our website.
• And then you just have to pay out thousands of dollars.
• Senator Berger is happy to pay. My bill is identical to many that have been filed.
• Yeah, you're paying website developers more money to attend to them first. Okay. Thank you.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Under our current framework, customers pay for all the costs of infrastructure projects, and then they
• pay an average 10% to the utility so they can profit.
• For example, by linking executive pay to disconnection rates, that could pressure utilities to avoid
• They should not be forced to pay for stranded assets of wealthy, well-performing companies.
• They should not be forced to pay for stranded assets of wealthy, well-performing companies.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard several bills focused on utility rates, wildfire safety, carbon capture, methane reduction, large energy users, low-income energy programs, and clean energy supply chains. Early items included SB 613, which would direct state agencies to prioritize reducing methane emissions from imported fossil fuels, and SB 614, which would allow California to move forward with carbon dioxide pipeline safety rules and potentially lift the state’s moratorium on new CO2 pipelines. Both bills drew support from advocates and industry-related witnesses, with no opposition registered at the time they were presented, and the committee indicated it would vote once quorum was established. After quorum was called, the committee took up SB 57, which would require the Public Utilities Commission to establish tariffs for large energy users such as data centers to prevent cost shifts to other ratepayers and address stranded infrastructure costs. Supporters argued the bill would protect affordability and encourage clean energy use, while opponents, including utilities and business groups, warned it could create uncertainty and interfere with existing regulatory processes. The committee also heard SB 256 on wildfire mitigation and emergency response, including undergrounding, PSPS communication, and removal of abandoned lines; supporters emphasized the need for stronger action after recent fires, while utilities raised concerns about duplicative requirements and public disclosure of sensitive infrastructure information. Both SB 57 and SB 256 were approved on roll calls. The committee then heard SB 647, which would expand and standardize oversight of low-income energy savings programs and performance metrics, with strong support from community advocates and some neutral or “tweener” positions from utilities that sought further work on data collection and implementation. SB 787 followed, proposing a state strategy to coordinate supply chains and workforce development for clean energy industries including EVs, building decarbonization, and offshore wind; it received broad support and no opposition. The committee also considered SB 332, a study bill on utility ownership models and affordability reforms, which drew strong support from consumer and climate advocates but opposition from utilities and business groups concerned about bias, investor signals, and executive compensation provisions. The consent calendar was later approved, and several bills were reported out with votes or held open for absent members to add on.