Transcript Highlights:

• But yeah, they were part of the process.
• They were part, not—they didn't take a position on either of the bills.
• </c> they were part of the process. they were part of the process.
• </c> additional cost if any, on their part. additional cost if any, on their part.
• So, I think the first part of right fit.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is before we part of the year.
• c><01:00:40.320><c> this</c> And the big part of this And the big part of this is<01:00:42.200><c> a<
• </c> part of the plan. part of the plan.
• And yes, this does raise revenue, and it's part of the governor's budget because part of this budget
• </c> I would just like to highlight the part I would just like to highlight the part about<01:47:44.200

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I was very pleased to be part of that endeavor.
• They live in this part of the state for a reason.
• I understand the part that you explained. I think the part that I need clarity on...
• I understand the part that you explained.
• I think regardless of which public sector union you're part of or what you're part of, or what you're

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several guest introductions before moving into a long special-order calendar. The chamber first considered two claims bills: SB 6/HB 6507 for relief of L.E. through the Department of Children and Families, described as compensation for severe injuries after DCF returned the child to unsafe parents, and SB 26/HB 6509 for the estate of Mark Legata, involving catastrophic injuries tied to FDOT negligence. Both bills were substituted with their House companions and passed overwhelmingly. Members then approved several policy bills focused on child welfare, education, and professional regulation. CS/CS/SB 42/HB 47 required child protective investigators to consider certain medical diagnoses before proceeding in abuse cases; CS/SB 206/HB 851 expanded autism-related training and incentives for teacher preparation programs; SB 556/HB 453 allowed Special Olympics participation to satisfy PE requirements for students with disabilities and clarified marching band credit; SB 688 reestablished licensure and regulation for naturopathic doctors; SB 878/HB 1347 addressed clinical laboratory personnel shortages by aligning more closely with federal CLIA standards; and SB 914/HB 867 clarified that licensed occupational therapists may perform dry needling. Each of these measures passed, most by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The chamber also approved bills on court administration, public records, financial disclosure, and child welfare. SB 326/HB 131 modernized rules for curators of estates; SB 758/HB 625 updated the composition of the Justice Administrative Commission, with an amendment broadening the judicial member to a judge or senior judge; SB 830 created a public records exemption for certain local government executives and their families; SB 964/HB 6011 revised how gifts and honoraria are reported and, via amendment, restored a percentage-based reporting option for financial disclosures; and SB 1002 clarified that acute or chronic parental drug abuse can constitute harm or neglect and allow courts to order assessment and services. These bills all passed, with SB 830 drawing the most opposition among them. The most contentious debate centered on CS/CS/CS/SB 354, the Blue Ribbon Projects bill, which would create a framework for very large planned communities with substantial conservation set-asides. Supporters argued it would provide a new growth-management tool and economic opportunity, while opponents warned it was too broad, lacked specificity, weakened local control, and could be exploited by large developers. After extensive debate and an amendment limiting data centers in commercial areas, the bill was temporarily postponed rather than brought to a final vote. The Senate also passed SB 530 on lottery operations, SB 1632/HB 1471 on foreign law and domestic terrorist designations after a lengthy and divisive amendment debate over references to Sharia law, and SB 21/HB 218 on land-use regulations tied to hurricane recovery, which preserves SB 180 restrictions in storm-affected counties while lifting them later for unaffected counties.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> deaths are only part of the story. deaths are only part of the story.
• Minnesotans everywhere want to be part of the solution.
• Minnesotans everywhere want to be part of the solution.
• So this is part of this part the exhibit 4 is part of a filing in the state of Wisconsin, um related
• </c> So this is part of this part the exhibit So this is part of this part the exhibit 4<01:38:37.679

Bills: HF3668, HF2779, HF2771

Keywords: gun violence, public health, Department of Health, prevention, criminal justice, health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> would be part of SNAP. would be part of SNAP.
• And we are the only state that also doubles meat and dairy as part of that program.
• </c> that also doubles meat and dairy as part that also doubles meat and dairy as part of<00:27:57.760
• That's a cruel part of our everything.
• And part the residential services also.

Keywords: Roll Call - 00:10 Discussion on SCR 61 – 01:46 Vote on SCR 61 – 11:33 Discussion on SR 18 – 12:30 Vote on SR 18 - 30:01 Discussion on Ky Residential Autism Services – 32:34 Questions & Comments – 56:56, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 61, sponsored by Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer and Representative Matt Lockett. The resolution, as amended by committee substitute, would create a legislative task force tied to the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) framework to study Kentucky health policy, including Medicaid drug approvals, preventive and alternative therapies, holistic health education, oversight and transparency in health care, and research into integrative approaches. Supporters said the goal was to address chronic disease and reduce over-medication, while emphasizing the effort was not intended as an attack on agriculture or the pharmaceutical industry. The resolution received favorable expression and passed the committee 9-0. The committee then heard Senate Resolution 18 from Senator Neal, urging Kentucky to maximize participation in the federal SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program. Testimony from Jessica Klein of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy and Secretary Eric Friedlander explained that SNAP E&T provides job training, education, and support services for SNAP participants, and that the program is federally matched and does not require additional General Assembly funding in the normal course. Members discussed how the program works, whether it could create new state costs, and how it fits with efforts to connect food assistance, workforce development, and local agriculture. Questions also focused on whether SNAP spending can be steered toward healthier foods and farmers markets, including Kentucky’s Double Dollars program, which was described as helping participants buy produce, meat, and dairy at participating markets and some retailers. Several members expressed support for the workforce goals but asked for more information on fiscal impacts and purchasing data. Secretary Friedlander said the SNAP E&T funds are separate from nutrition benefits, and that the state match generally comes from employer, university, or workforce partner contributions rather than new state appropriations. Senator Herron explained her vote in favor by saying the program could help people gain education and employment and reduce reliance on SNAP over time. Senate Resolution 18 was then adopted by the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I left out the part that I said to him, if you wait 21 days, the primary is happening.
• Chair, thank you for your testimony. part of my life for a long long time and part of my life for a long
• Could you state the last part of that for me, please? Mr.
• <00:29:13.760><c> partisan</c> part partisan part partisan perspective<00:29:15.880><c> um</c><00:29:
• </c> but they are doing many things as part but they are doing many things as part of<00:48:44.599><c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• is a part of an adequate<00:33:12.960><c> education.
• Should a nurse be part of the nurse. Should a nurse be part of the base<01:23:38.159><c> cost?
• So that's all part of superintendent services.
• superintendent</c> that's all part of superintendent that's all part of superintendent services.<01:
• So that was part of the program. &gt;&gt; It was. So that was part of the program.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Legislative Oversight Committee met to review statewide education improvement and assessment issues under RSA 193-C:8-a, with the chair focusing on curriculum frameworks, academic standards, and resource elements tied to the state’s adequate education statutes. The chair walked through the statutory relationship between minimum standards for public school approval, academic standards, and local control of curriculum, noting that New Hampshire law requires curriculum frameworks to guide what students should know and be able to do while leaving districts flexibility in instruction. He also raised concerns that some subject areas appear to have current frameworks or standards while others do not, and suggested the committee may need to consider an amendment creating a curriculum frameworks and academic standards coordinator at the Department of Education. Nate Green, director of the Division of Education Analytics and Resources, explained that the terms “academic standards” and “curriculum frameworks” have evolved over time and are often used interchangeably, but can mean different things depending on the subject area. He said the state’s more prescriptive standards largely developed after No Child Left Behind, especially in math, ELA, and science, while older or less-tested subjects such as arts, physical education, and health often retained looser framework-style documents. Green outlined one possible approach of standardizing terminology, but also said New Hampshire could instead define curriculum frameworks separately as a combination of standards, curriculum, and instructional approaches. He emphasized that state standards must support statewide consistency and assessment, while local districts retain control over how they teach. Committee members discussed how these distinctions affect different grade levels and subjects, using examples from math and science to show that minimum standards are broad while academic standards are more specific and grade-level based. Green described how science standards are organized by physical science, life science, and earth/space science across grade bands, while math standards are more directly tied to individual grades. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported during this portion of the meeting; the discussion remained informational and exploratory as members considered whether statutory language or departmental organization should be updated.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:41.360><c> of</c> it's been one of my favorite parts of it's been one of my favorite parts
• And so, like I say, the first part is just clerical. The second part is raising that from 5 to 10.
• </c><01:33:05.760><c> of</c> consistent and uh really are part of consistent and uh really are part of
• None of which are part of the bill.
• Uh none of which are part of program. Uh none of which are part of the<02:01:38.560><c> bill.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We share a part of Fort Lauderdale.
• a part of another committee... ...of having a committee that meets with a committee that's a part of
• And I want to be a part.
• Why specifically are they a part of this bill?
• So we are passing this part of the bill, the third part, which is going to require a feasibility study

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including interns, Denim Day awareness, and a resolution honoring Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Senators also paid tribute to former Senator Karen Johnson Gendron with a moment of silence. The chamber then moved to special-order bills after routine announcements that no committee reports, governor’s messages, or House messages were on the desk. The first major bill, SB 138/HB 687 on transportation offenses involving death, increased penalties for repeat DUI/BUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide offenses and added warnings and misdemeanor penalties for refusing lawful breath or urine tests. After a brief amendment and questions about attorney rights and prior impairing-substance language, the bill passed 37-0. SB 306 on Medicaid providers followed, requiring broader provider access, including after-hours availability and more primary care access for Medicaid enrollees; it also passed 37-0. The chamber then took up the major condominium reform bill, SB 1742/HB 913, addressing post-Surfside safety, reserve funding, milestone inspections, budgeting, reserve flexibility, manager regulation, conflicts of interest, and condo sale rescission periods. Senators from both parties praised the sponsors for extensive stakeholder work and the bill passed 37-0 after multiple amendments. The final major item was SB 7016/HB 1205 on constitutional amendments and petition-gathering rules, with sponsors arguing the bill was needed to combat fraud in the 2024 petition process and opponents warning it would burden citizen initiatives. The Senate adopted the House bill and then considered numerous amendments on petition circulator rules, submission deadlines, invalid-signature thresholds, voter notification, and related enforcement provisions; several amendments were adopted, and the substitute was later withdrawn, leaving the chamber to continue on the underlying bill and remaining amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• That part is not the concern.
• That part is not the concern. group. That part is not the concern.
• Um, probation officers are part of that study.
• :32.480><c> is</c><01:50:32.880><c> the</c> think the contentious part is the think the contentious part
• </c><02:17:59.599><c> Senator</c> penalty part of the bill. Senator penalty part of the bill.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So that part I understand.
• So that part I understand.
• </c><00:56:05.440><c> of</c> sweat it makes no change this part of sweat it makes no change this part
• </c><00:56:53.240><c> out</c> figure that part out figure that part out but<00:56:55.720><c> I</c><00
• </c> getting this mechanism to be a core part getting this mechanism to be a core part of<02:26:26.359

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The executive session focused primarily on HB 563, which revises the school funding formula, especially the adequate education grant amounts for special education students and the treatment of fiscal capacity disparity aid. Representative Ladd moved OTPA on Amendment 06508, explaining that FY 26 would largely hold the current formula steady, while FY 27 would increase several per-pupil amounts, including base cost, free and reduced-price meals, English language learner aid, and special education differentiated aid. He said the special education change was based on estimated case loads across disability categories and that the amendment also reinstates fiscal capacity disparity aid, using a formula intended to better assist property-poor communities. Several members supported the amendment as a step in the right direction, saying it better recognizes special education costs and separates property wealth from low-income student counts. Others raised concerns about the lack of time and the absence of a printed spreadsheet showing how the fiscal capacity disparity aid would affect each town. In response, sponsors said the spreadsheet existed, that the LBA had copies, and that the amendment would help about 40 target towns, while Manchester would be the main community receiving less under the new formula because of prior shifts in the extraordinary needs grant. Discussion also covered the broader impact of the bill, with members noting that about 200 of the state’s 245 cities and towns would see an increase and 45 a decrease under the proposed FY 27 changes. Supporters argued the bill was a compromise given limited revenues and that it should move forward so it can be considered by the full House and then Finance. No final vote on the amendment or bill was taken in the portion provided, and the chair indicated the committee was still deciding whether it had enough information to proceed.

Transcript Highlights:

• You said that part of the teacher licensing process is at odds with Catholic values.
• Nonpublic schools are part of the solution to Minnesota's education crisis.
• </c><00:42:50.720><c> of</c> people non-public schools are part of people non-public schools are part
• This aid is not part of or political; it does not favor rural over urban or suburban.
• </c> make up that difference um that's part make up that difference um that's part of<01:45:34.040><c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because one of the big parts... We get the rest of it to make up for it.
• Because one of the big parts is this incremental financing for communities.
• So, you know, we are part of the funding package to complete that.
• The second part, manufacturing, that it's, so we are sourcing materials.
• So I really think that should be a very explicit part of our campaign.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And, like, say, part of this is their K-9 team that's part of this.
• Could I have him come up and potentially he could address that part? Absolutely.
• But they are not being pushed out, carved out, because they're the critical part of this unit.
• So my next question is, is it anticipated that this is going to be part of the budget this year?
• I would think that that would be a part of what would be in the grant application process.

Bills: HB1002, HB1250, HB2710, HB3008, HB3045, HB3086, HB3595, HB3678, HB3695, HB3831, HB4107, HB4408

Keywords: stalking, victim notification, law enforcement, harassment, penalties, criminal justice, protection orders, local law enforcement, Public Safety Technology Revolving Fund, grants, state funding, law enforcement technology, Oklahoma Emergency Communications Act, emergency communications, public safety radio, statewide radio systems, land mobile radio, interoperability, Project 25, P25

Summary: The Public Safety Committee met and first held House Bill 3045. It then heard and passed several bills, beginning with HB 1250, which creates a public safety technology revolving fund for Attorney General grants to support the Blue Jay pilot program, a voluntary traffic-stop safety app. Members questioned whether the fund would actually be financed this year and how municipalities would be selected; the author said no funding source was yet identified and the bill was only creating the fund. HB 1250 passed 8-0. The committee also passed HB 2710, creating the Oklahoma Emergency Communications Act and a 15-member board to develop a strategic plan for improving emergency radio communications among state, local, and tribal agencies. The author explained the bill was meant to address communication gaps and interoperability problems, with no fiscal impact. HB 3831, dealing with Oklahoma Task Force One, drew extensive discussion over its funding structure and blank appropriations language. The bill would place the urban search and rescue team in state law and seek a reliable funding source; members discussed the team’s statewide disaster response role, its Tulsa and Oklahoma City bases, and a carve-out excluding wildland firefighting. It passed 8-0. Other measures approved included HB 4408, which sets a protocol for calculating and directing savings from State Questions 780 and 781 into the proper drug diversion account; HB 1002, requiring law enforcement to inform stalking victims about certified domestic violence program advocates; HB 3008, extending the sunset date for the Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence to 2031; HB 3086, requiring the Department of Corrections director to keep the Board of Corrections informed about budgets and inmate deaths; HB 3595, creating a DPS revolving fund for counties and municipalities to buy vehicle-barrier equipment to prevent crowd-vehicle attacks; HB 3678, expanding electronic-harassment protections for public officials to include municipal officials and school board members; HB 4107, establishing penalties for unauthorized activation or misuse of emergency warning sirens; and HB 3695, revising the definition of great bodily injury in a DUI-related context. HB 3595 passed 6-1 and HB 4107 passed 6-2; the other bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously after brief questioning and debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• We discussed this issue in our federalism committee, and this memorial comes from part of those discussions
• Our highest reservoirs, Soldiers Meadows Reservoirs, are part of our surface water collection system
• We started, as part of the water exchange, to talk about pressurized—uh, to replace... ...part of the
• We drilled the first two wells as part of the water exchange.
• ... ...on the water exchange as part of the Snake River Basin Adjudication in the Nez Perce agreement

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Joint Memorial 13, which urges Congress and the Trump administration to codify and follow the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA decision limiting federal jurisdiction over “waters of the United States.” Senator Lakey, attorney Damien Schiff, and Mike and Chantelle Sackett testified that EPA and the Army Corps had overreached in regulating their North Idaho property and that the memorial would help prevent similar federal enforcement. The memorial was moved to the floor with a do pass recommendation and passed by voice vote. The committee then heard House Bill 678, which would allow wolf trappers to use transmitting trail cameras to monitor traps. Representative Shepard and supporters from the Idaho Farm Bureau, Idaho Wildlife Federation, Fish and Game, Idaho Trappers Association, and livestock groups said the bill would make trapping more humane and practical, especially in remote areas and amid wolf management challenges. The Idaho Conservation League supported the intent but asked for an amendment, arguing the bill left unclear how long an animal could remain trapped and removed a minimum standard. The bill was sent to the floor with a do pass recommendation after discussion and passed by voice vote. Next, the committee considered several DOGE Task Force cleanup bills. House Bill 566 repeals the never-implemented STORE outdoor recreation enhancement fund; House Bill 568 repeals obsolete provisions on floating timber and territorial townsite claims; and House Bill 774 repeals minimum fine provisions for illegal hunting of mountain lion, buffalo, and caribou. Each sponsor described the measures as code cleanup with no fiscal impact, and each bill received a do pass recommendation and passed by voice vote. The committee also received a lengthy informational presentation from the Idaho Water Users Association on North Idaho water issues. Presenters from Hayden Lake Irrigation District, Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District, and East Green Acres Irrigation District described aging infrastructure, urbanization, workforce shortages, aquifer conditions, and ongoing water exchange and settlement work, including the Palouse Basin, the Nez Perce-related water exchange, and the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. Members asked about aquifer health and a forthcoming tribal water-right settlement involving the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. The committee then approved minutes from February 16, 18, and 23, 2026, and recessed briefly to accommodate the water presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• So you've been a part of that.
• And so that's not part of this discussion today.
• That's part of the compact, and then there's the rulemaking.
• So this part is really important to understand. So I've handed you...
• This is part of the entity that exists. Okay? So again, it does not change... Okay?

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The Senate Commerce Committee began by welcoming new page Hayden Carter and recognizing outgoing pages Amanda Olson and Cooper, who each spoke about their experiences and were thanked with gifts and letters of recommendation. The chair praised the pages as examples of Idaho’s future. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1284, the Dietitian Compact, with Senator Cook explaining that it would allow Idaho dietitians to practice more easily across state lines while preserving Idaho’s licensing authority. Several dietitians testified in support, citing improved access to care, continuity for rural and border-area patients, and reduced duplicate licensing burdens. Some senators raised concerns about compact authority, data sharing, fingerprinting, and whether reciprocity would be preferable. After discussion, the committee voted 4-5 and the motion to send the bill to the floor with a due pass recommendation failed, so the bill was held in committee. The committee next considered Senate Bill 1285, which would clarify that homeschool diplomas satisfy education requirements for occupational licensure. Senator Taves said the bill arose from cases where homeschool graduates were denied licenses despite meeting testing and other requirements, and witnesses from Idaho Family Policy Center and Homeschool Idaho supported the measure as a fix for what they described as unnecessary barriers. Members discussed broadening the language to “non-public” schools, making the bill effective immediately, and lowering an age reference from 21 to 18. The committee voted to send the bill to the 14th order for possible amendment rather than directly to the floor. House Bill 512, sponsored by Senator Guthrie, would reinstate an open-book Idaho law exam for professional land surveyors. Guthrie and surveyor witnesses said the exam helps ensure surveyors understand Idaho-specific property and boundary law, protects property owners, and reduces disputes and litigation. Testimony emphasized that surveying is quasi-judicial and that Idaho’s rules differ from other states. The committee approved the bill on a due pass motion and sent it to the floor. Finally, the committee heard a gubernatorial reappointment of Trent Nate to the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange Board; members spoke favorably of his experience, and the chair said the committee would likely vote on the appointment at a later meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so that's going to be the hard part of this job, or the second hard part of this job.
• So if we make this motion, that intent language would be part of that motion. Does that make sense?
• I think oftentimes we're reactive, and this would be part of a proactive campaign.
• Do we need to make a motion regarding that part of the budget? Because I...
• Do we need to make a motion regarding that part of the budget?

Summary: The committee first approved the January 29, 2006 minutes, then moved into discussion and recommendations on several Idaho Millennium Fund-related requests. Members repeatedly emphasized that funding should align with the committee’s prevention-focused mission, especially youth substance abuse prevention, and several members raised concerns about the lack of clear performance measures, oversight, and long-term “home” agencies for some programs. There was also discussion about whether some proposals were more like childcare or system-support efforts than direct prevention, and whether future committees should be bound by multi-year commitments. The committee recommended funding for the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund ($692,240 one-time), the Idaho Safety Assessment Center Coalition ($1 million one-time through the Department of Juvenile Corrections), the Idaho Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers ($3 million one-time through the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance), the Up River Youth Leadership Council recovery center ($150,000 ongoing through Health and Welfare), and a statewide drug awareness media campaign ($5 million one-time through the Office of Drug Policy). Most of these motions included direction that appropriation language should address distribution, oversight, and reporting criteria, and members discussed the need for a state agency to oversee each program. The Children’s Bridge request for $3.5 million one-time was discussed but the motion died for lack of a second. The committee also debated the governor’s recommendation to appropriate $25 million one-time from the Millennium Fund to the Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Medicaid, to mitigate the impact of the updated Medicaid forecast on the general fund. Some members objected that Millennium Fund dollars should not be used for Medicaid, while others supported the transfer as a one-time budget-balancing measure given the state’s fiscal pressures. The motion ultimately passed, with a request that any unused funds be paid back if possible. The meeting ended after a brief question about whether the ongoing portion of the recovery center funding required a separate motion, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the next part of the bill will remove the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act, which is Title 39
• In the process, in the early part of the process, of changing the terminology from spent nuclear fuel
• So this is an important part of the innovations in these advanced reactors.
• Because that's the first part of the process.
• It does not apply to, you know, to other parts of Idaho.

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from January 14 and January 28 by voice vote. It then considered RS 3-2904, a DOGE task force bill to remove obsolete code sections, including provisions related to hazardous waste facility siting and the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act. The sponsor urged caution about unintended consequences and whether the deletions could affect public testimony or shift responsibilities, but the committee voted to introduce the bill without opposition. The main presentation was from Dr. John Wagner, director of Idaho National Laboratory, on energy dominance and security through research, development, and demonstration. He described major changes under the current federal administration, especially executive orders accelerating nuclear energy development, reactor testing, NRC reform, and critical minerals work. He said INL is supporting advanced reactor demonstrations, fuel fabrication efforts, microreactor and small modular reactor projects, used fuel research, and partnerships with private companies and the Department of War, while also noting growing interest from AI/data center companies in nuclear power. Members asked about used fuel storage and recycling, Idaho’s role in attracting nuclear investment, transmission and water constraints, reactor size and siting, timelines, and the relationship between nuclear development and data center demand. Wagner said Idaho’s regulatory certainty, workforce, transmission planning, and state signaling will matter more than any single policy tool, and he pointed to the new Idaho Advanced Nuclear Energy Task Force as a venue for advising the governor on opportunities. The meeting ended with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's in large part, Mr.
• That's in large part, Mr.
• I think the courts need to be part of the discussion.
• We put those two in because we wanted to exclude rooftop; that wasn't part of the discussion.
• We put those two in because we wanted to exclude rooftop; that wasn't part of the discussion.

Summary: The House Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee met on February 3 and first took up House Bill 153, the Low Carbon Construction Material Rebate Act, with a committee substitute that added an Environmental Product Declaration program and shifted administration to the Environment Department. Sponsor Representative Dixon said the bill would create rebates for buyers of lower-carbon construction materials, support local manufacturers, and reduce industrial emissions. Support came from the New Mexico Home Builders Association, Sierra Club, and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. Some members questioned whether the bill would actually lower housing costs or instead create future price pressure once subsidies expire, and raised concerns about rulemaking and whether some materials would be incentivized even without state help. The committee voted 7-4 to do pass the committee substitute and do not pass the original bill. The committee then heard House Bill 154, which would broaden and decouple New Mexico’s advanced energy tax credit definitions from federal law and add fusion energy and related components as eligible advanced energy products. Representative Dixon said the change would give the state more flexibility to include emerging technologies while keeping the existing credit structure and cap intact. The Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, a Santa Fe fusion company, a Los Lunas economic development official, and an online fusion company all testified in support, arguing the bill would provide certainty, attract investment, and help build a local supply chain. One member suggested future consideration of nuclear fission, while another questioned whether some renewable technologies were still appropriate, but the committee ultimately voted 9-2 to do pass HB 154. House Bill 184, a technical fix to the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund, was then presented by Representative Small. The amendment adopted by the committee delayed the three-year moving average for distributions by one year and extended the time to use funds from two years to three years, with the sponsor saying this would better reflect the fund’s growth and give projects more time to complete. Witnesses from Western Resource Advocates, conservation districts, and Conservation Voters New Mexico supported the measure, saying it would strengthen successful outdoor, watershed, and conservation programs. The committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill unanimously. Finally, the committee heard House Memorial 20, which would create a study group to examine barriers to renewable energy transmission and project development. The sponsor said the goal was to bring agencies, stakeholders, and possibly courts together to identify ways to speed up renewable infrastructure while preserving environmental review and public input. Sierra Club, Western Resource Advocates, Defenders of Wildlife, and the League of Women Voters supported the memorial, but several members said it should be broadened to include all energy infrastructure or more clearly address transmission, permitting, tribal, federal, and military coordination. In response to those concerns, the sponsor asked to roll the memorial for further discussion and possible revisions rather than advancing it that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• We spent time familiarizing ourselves with the different parts of the higher education budget.
• So I'm just wondering if that is part of the equation. You're recognized.
• It was Chief Banta, the Chief of Police down in Marion County, who was part of it.
• The union representative was part of it. All the stakeholders were there.
• Part of that agility.