Transcript Highlights:

• All right, pipe down. Pipe down. All right, pipe down. Delegate from Newport News, Delegate Simon.
• Somewhere down the line.
• The meeting schedule for today, Day 51, as we begin winding down: the Committee on Labor and Commerce
• Meeting schedule for today, day 51, as we begin winding down. schedule for today, Day 51, as we begin
• winding down, the Committee on Labor and Commerce will be meeting a half hour after adjournment.

Keywords: March 05, 2026 - Regular Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > down.
• Plus storm surge, plus Plus storm surge, plus the<00:23:40.600> winds. the winds. the winds.
• It came down from a cave. protected it. It came down from a cave.
• to the down there.
• down there. down there.

Bills: SCR21, SCR75, SCR50, SCR149, SCR47, SCR163, SCR169, SCR170

Keywords: healthcare, rural clinic, feasibility study, access to care, community health, Volcano community, Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation, emergency services, health assessment, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, health care, interdepartmental collaboration, public awareness, support services, education, health insurance, affordable healthcare, working group, Hawaii Health Plan, Medicaid expansion

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, power plants, oil wells, and wind and solar facilities.
• How is consumption significantly down? No.
• That's down from 15 billion in 2005.
• What decides what happens to the land once you decide to shut down? Thank you.
• down.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard SB 1259, which would require refineries to provide advance closure and remediation planning information, and SB 1425, which would authorize the High-Speed Rail Authority to create a permit process for encroachments in its right of way. The committee also held an informational hearing on California electricity reliability and the future of the Strategic Reliability Reserve. The chair opened by noting the hearing room change, testimony limits, and that the committee would proceed without a quorum at first, then later established quorum for votes. On SB 1259, Senator Blake Spear argued the bill would give communities and state agencies needed information to plan for refinery closures, cleanup, and land reuse, comparing the requirement to estate planning. Supporters, including Benicia City Councilmember Carrie Birdseye and UC Santa Barbara professor Ranjit Schmook, said the bill would help communities facing refinery closures avoid being left without information and better prepare for redevelopment and remediation. Opponents, including the Western States Petroleum Association, the State Building and Construction Trades Council, and business groups, argued the bill could send negative market signals, create conflicts with federal reporting, and potentially accelerate refinery closures. The committee passed SB 1259 on a 7-3 vote, later reopening the roll and recording additional votes before moving it out as amended to Appropriations. On SB 1425, Senator Cortese and sponsor Robert Pearsall said the bill would help the High-Speed Rail Authority manage utility, broadband, drainage, and vegetation encroachments along the project corridor and reduce delays. Labor and construction groups supported the measure as a way to add certainty and speed project delivery. Utilities and local agencies, including LADWP, Southern California Gas, Southern California Edison, PG&E, and others, opposed unless amended, saying the bill needed clearer language on emergencies, existing agreements, and potential impacts on their own rights of way and service obligations. After discussion about emergency language and utility coordination, the committee passed SB 1425 as amended to Appropriations on a 10-3 vote. In the oversight hearing, CEC, CPUC, CAISO, and DWR officials reported that California’s summer reliability outlook is better than in prior years, with substantial new procurement, storage, and demand-response resources added since 2020. They said the state is projected to meet its summer reliability standard and has not needed a flex alert for three straight years, but cautioned that extreme heat, fire, hydro conditions, and federal policy uncertainty still pose risks. Officials emphasized that the current Strategic Reliability Reserve remains important as a backstop, while longer-term planning must address rising demand from electrification and data centers and the eventual retirement of emergency resources.

Transcript Highlights:

• And just to my left, I am joined by all the way down, Representative Higgins, Representative Tyler, and
• And if you think back to the summer of 2022, we passed that landmark wind legislation.
• We're going to skip down to her because I understand she's under some time constraints.
• It would also keep costs down for ratepayers.
• How will we simultaneously safely wind down the gas system and vigorously wind up the electrical system

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on several climate and utility-related bills, especially H. 3449/S. 2292 to expand the municipal fossil fuel-free building demonstration program from 10 to 20 communities and related home rule petitions for Somerville and other municipalities. Witnesses from Somerville, Salem, Worcester, Cambridge, Newton, Arlington, Wellesley, Watertown, and the Massachusetts Municipal Association argued that local governments should be allowed to opt into fossil fuel-free or net-zero building standards, citing climate goals, environmental justice concerns, housing production, and data showing all-electric construction can cost about the same as or less than mixed-fuel construction. Committee members repeatedly pressed witnesses for cost data and asked for written follow-up, while also discussing whether strong environmental standards affect housing supply; witnesses responded that the main housing constraints are financing and that they would provide more data from local projects and state studies. A second major topic was H. 3564, which would require gas companies to provide municipalities with detailed multi-year pipe replacement plans, allow local review and objections, and limit reimbursement for projects not previously disclosed except in emergencies. Municipal leaders and advocates said the bill would improve coordination of street work, reduce disruption and costs, and help cities plan for electrification, network geothermal, and non-pipeline alternatives. Testimony from Wellesley, Cambridge, Arlington, Newton, and others emphasized repeated problems with last-minute gas main work, the need for advance notice, and the value of municipal participation in planning gas system retirement and alternatives. The committee also heard testimony on the “tactical transition” bills, S. 2249/H. 3539, aimed at managing the gas-to-clean-energy transition. Supporters from Gas Transition Allies, Rewiring America, and 350 Mass said the bills would require joint gas-electric planning, create an advisory council, eliminate subsidies for new gas hookups, shift investment toward repairs and clean alternatives, protect workers through retraining, and make utility plans more transparent. They argued these changes would reduce ratepayer costs, avoid stranded gas assets, and support orderly decarbonization. In addition, HEET testified on H. 3541, which would update greenhouse gas accounting to better reflect methane’s short-term climate impact, and H. 3543, which would establish a framework for managing shared thermal resources and thermal energy networks; committee members asked several questions about the meaning, ownership, and consumer-cost implications of the proposed “thermal commons.” No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• are property managers, all leaders in the industry. recognize some of those leaders who have been down
• I don't know if you can even pin it down, but I'm just curious of all the lawsuits.
• Later down in the document, I have an HOA in my district that's got a 500-page rules document for their
• But also wind up becoming the go-to person once a person has bought a house.
• spoke with a broker last night who said in his area, it's not uncommon to see transactional fees. wind

Bills: HB406

Keywords: local economic development, notification, workforce development, municipal agreements, county contracts, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• wind power energy industry in Minnesota. wind power energy industry in Minnesota.
• voice and people would just quiet down voice and people would just quiet down to<00:15:44.560>
• I looked down.
• the nicest person you'll meet down the nicest person you'll meet down there
• it got down it got down to<00:38:17.839> people<00:38:18.560> that<00:38:18.960>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, we'll go down to the panel first. Jeff Rassner? Yes. Well, that's close to you.
• Let's say somebody builds a 1,000 megawatt wind farm.
• And if we knew when the wind would blow, that would make things a lot easier for dispatchable resources
• Do your batteries like this, and your wind not, or where are you on this?
• This information can sometimes trickle down to the customer, although it doesn't always need to.

Bills: SB388, SB455, SB917, SB925, SB1006

Keywords: dispatchable generation, electricity, natural gas, ERCOT, energy credits, utilities regulation, renewable energy, arbitration, insurance contracts, surplus lines, Texas law, insurance policy, boiler inspection, boiler safety, inspection report deadline, certificate inspection, authorized inspector, inspection agency, Health and Safety Code, board of boiler rules

Transcript Highlights:

• We've been down six speech teachers for three years, and this year we're down eight.
• down the process of getting into the system.
• We are here to shut that down.
• This will wind up the public hearing. Thank you. This will wind up the public hearing.
• We're going to wind it down on this one. Thank you, everyone.

Bills: HB441, HB445, HB477, HB441, HB445

Keywords: speech-language pathology, licensure, clinical supervision, educational qualifications, healthcare assistant, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, THC, delta-8, delta-9, delta-10, consumable hemp products, psychoactive cannabinoids, cannabinoid regulation, hemp licensing, ABC Board, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, retail hemp sales, wholesale hemp distribution, hemp tax

Transcript Highlights:

• Jeremy Wind. Welcome to the committee.
• <00:08:05.480> Please Wind. Welcome to the committee. Please Wind.
• My name is Jeremy<00:08:12.000> Wind.
• I'm proud to be the Jeremy Wind.
• ,<01:02:05.600> but come down, but come down, but if<01:02:07.240> if<01:02:07.360>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The biggest one is solar and wind farms.
• And in our situation, the federal government is heavily subsidizing. subsidizing wind and solar farms
• One major grazing lease loss, one bad season, and it all comes crashing down.
• How much is the global market satisfying the wheat market that is pulling that price down?
• point, as far as infrastructure goes, we had around 94 gins in our service area in 2012, and we're down

Bills: HB43, HB519, HB1275, HB1592, HB2842, HB3088, HB3479, HB4163, SB823, HB609

Keywords: agriculture, finance, young farmers, financial assistance, pest control, honey production, beekeeping, food safety, local regulation, bovine producers, dairy farms, permits, bovine tuberculosis, public health, wildlife management, disease prevention, alert system, Texas A&M, white-tailed deer, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• > Um<00:18:02.960> and<00:18:03.280> you<00:18:03.440> know was solar and wind
• Um and you know was solar and wind.
• Bidirectional EVs, what is going to happen to the offshore wind? Beats me.
• could you could you elaborate a down could you could you elaborate a little<00:23:11.600> bit
• I just wrote that down. I didn't read your notes.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hurricane Helene had max wind speeds at 140 miles an hour.
• However, max winds were around 120 miles an hour.
• So there are ways looking down the line.
• We can get high wind-velocity shutters on your homes and better shingles.
• Oftentimes you develop a mission or a task, and usually it comes down to our lane.

Summary: The committee received a program review from the Florida Division of Emergency Management on the 2024 hurricane season and FEMA reimbursement process. Deputy Director Keith Pruitt described the impacts of Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, including major storm surge, flooding, tornadoes, debris removal, power restoration, flood-control deployments, sheltering, and logistics missions. He emphasized that Florida’s approach is “federally funded, state managed, locally executed,” and said the division has already obligated large amounts of public assistance funding and mitigation dollars while continuing to work on remaining missions and reimbursements. A major focus of the discussion was how local governments can better document and vet debris-removal and other disaster costs so they are eligible for FEMA reimbursement. Chair DiCeglie and other senators raised concerns about local planning, commercial debris collection, and whether counties and municipalities that spend money up front will be reimbursed. Pruitt explained that eligibility depends on documentation, scope of work, insurance, and FEMA rules, and that the state’s FROC process is intended to help counties identify eligible work before costs are incurred. He also said commercial debris may be eligible in some cases but is not guaranteed, and that counties should coordinate early with FDEM and FEMA. Senators also asked about possible FEMA reforms, the age of outstanding reimbursement claims, and a proposed state fund to advance money to fiscally constrained counties while they wait for FEMA payments. Pruitt said Florida’s system is a national best practice, but that more county-level training and clearer coordination would help reduce de-obligations and audit problems. He said the reimbursement-advance idea is still being developed, and that the state continues to look at ways to streamline mitigation through programs like Elevate Florida. The committee took no formal action beyond hearing the presentation, and the meeting adjourned after closing comments from senators praising FDEM’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had high winds that laid down the crop, and then we had hail and all these events, you know, created
• We're not particularly worried. down. Tight profit margins. With a down. Tight profit margins.
• We had high winds<00:26:18.960> that<00:26:19.279> laid<00:26:19.520> down<00:26
• that laid down the crop and then winds that laid down the crop and then we<00:26:21.919> had
• We had high winds that laid down the crop, and then we had hail, and all these events created a situation

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• More stubborn to come down.
• Price is down, volume is a little up.
• And as that recovery winds down, we expect that our GRT growth from construction can wind down as well
• They see their liabilities coming down for the future and so they're bringing down their cash balance
• Liabilities are coming down for the future, and so they're bringing down their cash balance with us.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> It would potentially go down. >> It would potentially go down.
• It's a gas, wind, solar, nuclear.
• So I'm and I'm down to work and now.
• <01:18:11.160> the going to be 10 to 15 years down the going to be 10 to 15 years down the
• We just punting the ball down the road.

Bills: HF4308, HF4153, HF4703, HF4711

Keywords: HF4308, Monticello nuclear plant, Prairie Island, renewable development account, RDA, nuclear waste, spent fuel, dry cask storage, utility tax, commercial-industrial property tax, state general levy, property tax exemption, residential heating fuels, natural gas tax exemption, electricity sales tax exemption, year-round sales tax exemption, distributed solar energy standard, solar mandate, community solar, grid modernization

Transcript Highlights:

• are seen as a way either of paying down are seen as a way either of paying down that<00:47:04.400
• <04:02:44.840> energy which prohibits offshore wind energy which prohibits offshore wind energy
• initiatives and offshore wind initiatives and offshore wind initiatives<04:19:19.720> including
• <04:23:06.199> industry the office of offshore wind industry the office of offshore wind industry
• they do show a graph and they break down they do show a graph and they break down all<05:16:57.440

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, I apologize for a little bit of the long-winded introduction, but I really wanted to set the stage
• <00:07:58.720> introduction,<00:07:59.120> but bit of the long-winded introduction,
• but bit of the long-winded introduction, but I<00:07:59.440> really<00:07:59.599> wanted
• rain and wind event that impacted<00:13:54.000> communities.
• <01:17:55.520> to EOC and then from the EOC down to EOC and then from the EOC down to community

Bills: HB2437, HB1815, HB1614, HB1613, HB1612, HB2411, HB2597, HB2583, HB2474, HB1863, HB2590, HB1813, HB1838, HB2138, HB1967, HB1576, HB2139, HB1605, HB2113, HB812, HB1831, HB1707, HB2561, HB1805, HB2469, HB2472, HB2387, HB1658, HB1661, HB1664, HB1859, HB2276, HB2335, HB1656, HB2116, HB2272, HB2273, HB2340, HB2158, HB2339, HB2489, HB2159, HB2171, HB2338, HB2005, HB1952, HB1872, HB1676, HB2384, HB2614, HB20, HB1776, HB1565, HB2310, HB1975, HB1801, HB1668, HB2114, HB1972, HB1546, HB1518, HB1131, HB2208, HB2156, HB2268, HB2622, HB2581, HB2498, HB2443, HB1577, HB2033, HB2031, HB2023, HB1969, HB1973, HB1974, HB2315, HB2343, HB2501, HB2505, HB816, HB1562, HB1591, HB1853, HB1854, HB1871, HB1965, HB1966, HB1537, HB1541, HB276, HB2606, HB2270, HB1920, HB1756, HB1727, HB1718, HB1715, HB1713, HB1711

Keywords: arts education, student engagement, cultural literacy, public schools, funding, State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, SFCA, Performing Arts Grants Program, arts grants, culture and the arts, history and the humanities, King Kamehameha Celebration Commission, Works of Art Special Fund, one percent for art, public art, art in public places, relocatable works of art, DBEDT, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, DAGS

Transcript Highlights:

• due to the wind that blew down<00:43:20.079> utility<00:43:20.480> lines<00:43:20.720>
• That's then it came down, it skipped.
• <00:56:56.720> The move that ball down the road. The move that ball down the road.
• Sorry to be so long-winded. I states. Sorry to be so long-winded.
• We asked him did he need down.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then spent much of the meeting recognizing members of the Falmouth Police Department and related support personnel. Representatives and senators described the department’s response to a May 17, 2025 shooting between two vehicles, saying officers secured the area, apprehended suspects, and prevented further harm within about 30 minutes. They also recognized Officer Jonathan Bis for helping rescue a person from a burning storage facility on May 3, and honored Chaplain Abram Croer and police administrator Marilyn Belure for their support roles. Members praised the officers’ service and presented citations; one member also noted the recent flooding in Falmouth and the strain on local responders. The committee also observed a moment of silence for a firefighter who died after a vehicle crash while responding to a call. The committee then recognized Sergeant Major Jimmy Thorne, USMC (Ret.), with a lengthy citation for his military service and community involvement. The citation highlighted more than three decades of service, including Vietnam, Lebanon, Somalia, multiple injuries, exposure to Agent Orange, and numerous decorations such as the Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal. Speakers also noted his continued civic work in Williamstown and Grant County. Thorne thanked the committee, said enlisting in the Marine Corps and moving to Kentucky were two of his proudest decisions, and received a committee coin. Members and guests offered additional remarks about his character and service. Finally, Brigadier General Charles Jones and Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson gave an update on spring storm response and recovery. They said Kentucky has had three declared disasters and one undeclared event this year, with 113 of 120 counties affected in the last 12 months, including February flooding, April flooding, and May tornadoes; a January ice storm appeal was denied. Gibson emphasized the rising frequency and cost of disasters, citing about $350 million in public assistance over the first 10 years of the period reviewed versus about $2 billion in the last five years. He reported on sheltering, disaster recovery centers, FEMA and SBA assistance, and said about $57 million in individual assistance had been paid and nearly $69 million obligated, while public assistance projects were still moving through review and payment.

Transcript Highlights:

• down your home.
• Well, what happens when we bring our line down, but the state doesn't bring its line down?
• When we bring our line down, but the state doesn't bring its line down because it may not have the same
• Well, what happens when we bring our line down, but the state doesn't bring its line down?
• Because... when we bring our line down, but the state doesn't bring its line down because it may not

Summary: The committee first heard AB 13, which would restructure the CPUC to increase legislative oversight, add legislative liaisons, require more detailed and timely reporting on rate-setting decisions, and add a public advocate member. The author and supporters argued the bill would improve transparency, accountability, and geographic diversity in CPUC decision-making amid rising utility rates. Witnesses from TURN, San Joaquin County, SDG&E, and former CPUC Commissioner Loretta Lynch offered support or support-in-principle, while no opposition testimony was presented. Members generally praised the bill’s transparency goals, and AB 13 passed 10-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open for absent members. The committee then adopted the 2025-2026 committee rules and approved three consent items: AB 61, AB 365, and AB 406. The next bill, AB 99, would cap investor-owned utility rate increases above inflation except for specified costs such as safety, modernization, and fuel/commodity costs. The author and supporters, including a representative of the California Senior Legislature, said the bill was needed to protect ratepayers, especially seniors and low-income customers, from repeated rate hikes. Opposition came from utility labor, utilities, the Chamber of Commerce, and others, who argued the bill was too simplistic, could suppress labor costs, and did not account for major cost drivers such as wildfire mitigation, mandates, and net metering. Several members supported moving the bill forward as a starting point on affordability, while others criticized it as overly blunt. AB 99 passed 11-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open. The hearing then shifted to an informational panel on strategies to reduce California transmission costs. A Public Advocates Office staffer described a growing backlog of approved-but-unbuilt transmission projects, rising transmission access charges, and long project timelines driven largely by utility pre-application and construction periods. Panelists from Net Zero California and consulting firms presented research suggesting that public financing or public-private partnership lease models could reduce transmission costs by lowering financing, tax, and capital costs, with estimated savings of up to 57% and as much as $123 billion over 40 years. PG&E’s representative said the utility is already pursuing federal loan guarantees, grants, and a public-private partnership with Citizens Energy, but warned that state ownership could create tax, wildfire-liability, and governance risks. Members asked about the CPUC’s role, the causes of delays, and whether public financing could complement existing competitive solicitation processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Meanwhile, when wind or ice or weight loads move along that line, the steel can deflect or deform in
• ground right tower from from the ground right meanwhile<00:19:55.120> when<00:19:55.440> wind
• or ice or weight meanwhile when wind or ice or weight loads<00:19:58.480> uh<00:19:58.720>
• <00:25:02.480> to<00:25:02.640> only<00:25:02.799> a if we are if we are down
• to only a if we are if we are down to only a couple<00:25:03.360> people<00:25:03.679> a

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Capital Project Overview Committee met at 9:00 a.m. and first approved the September 29 minutes. The committee then considered University System of New Hampshire Capital Project 260001, a $70 million request involving two residence hall renovation projects at UNH. UNH officials said the work is needed to address aging 1970-era buildings, including heating, plumbing, and other deferred maintenance, and to improve student recruitment, retention, and living conditions. Members asked about the construction timeline, which was estimated at about four years, and about enrollment decline, which was estimated at roughly 15% over 10 years. The committee approved the project after discussion, with members noting the buildings’ age and need for repair. The committee next heard Capital Project 26003 from the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for Cannon Mountain. Commissioner Sarah Stewart and staff described an $893,000 tranche, part of a larger effort to address deferred maintenance at the mountain, including guest facilities, lift infrastructure, a passenger ramp for scenic chairlift use, snowmaking improvements, a line replacement, a pump rebuild, and operations equipment. Members asked about the $6 million bonding limit established in 1999, and the department said it appears insufficient and may need updating in the future. The committee approved the Cannon Mountain request. The department also provided an informational update on the Cannon Mountain aerial tramway. Officials said a structural engineering firm is analyzing towers, terminals, and footings, with the goal of confirming the existing infrastructure can support a new tram system and refining bid specifications. They said the work is on track, with an updated cost estimate expected in January and a bid targeted for May. Members asked about the limited number of manufacturers capable of doing the work and whether the project could be delayed; the department said it is in active discussions with the likely bidders and pre-qualifying them. The meeting ended with brief discussion of informational reports, including a question about apparent delays in some New Hampshire Veterans Home projects, which staff said they would follow up on, and the committee adjourned with the next meeting set for March 16 at 9:00 a.m.