Transcript Highlights:

• There wasn't enough pressure in the water to make sure they were meeting the standards for what they
• Having access to that when we test our rocket, we use an insane amount of water—numbers my brain can't
• even comprehend—so having a wastewater system and a water deluge system supports us, but supports industry

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard first from Space Florida President and CEO Robert Long, who described the agency’s role as the state’s aerospace finance and business development authority and spaceport authority. He reported a pipeline of about 187 projects, nearly $7 billion in potential private investment, and roughly 8,000 potential jobs, with 161 projects in the fiscal-year pipeline, up about 30% from the prior year. Long said Space Florida is focusing on workforce development through its Space Florida Academy with 23 school districts, and on target markets including advanced air mobility/eVTOL, flight simulation, and satellite manufacturing. Members asked about infrastructure, federal-state coordination, LNG planning, environmental mitigation, workforce, and how the Legislature’s recent $5 million recurring increase is being used; Long said the funds are mainly supporting staffing, contracted services, and IT improvements to handle growth and move projects through faster. The panel then heard from Blue Origin, Leonardo (through LSN Partners), and Lone Star Data Holdings. Blue Origin said its Florida manufacturing and launch operations have grown far beyond initial commitments, with more than $3 billion invested and over 3,000 employees in the state, and emphasized the need for roads, water, wastewater, and other launch-site infrastructure as launch cadence increases. Leonardo highlighted its TH-73A Navy helicopter program in Milton and a new 70,000-square-foot maintenance facility at Whiting Aviation Park, crediting state, local, and federal partners and noting future potential for its AW-609 tiltrotor aircraft. Lone Star Data Holdings described its satellite-based data storage and disaster-recovery business, said Florida was its first customer, and urged the state to use Florida as a pilot project for protecting data and expanding space-based data infrastructure. Members repeatedly focused on what the state should do next, and the panel’s main answer was continued investment in infrastructure and long-term planning. Specific needs mentioned included road widening, traffic signals, fire suppression, water pressure, wastewater capacity, power, transportation links, environmental mitigation, and LNG-related planning at the spaceport. No formal votes or bills were taken up in the meeting, and the session ended after member questions and comments with a motion to rise and adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Primarily fentanyl is the new cut water use and we're seeing on the silencing but also to other opioids
• year and I talked about one of my concerns was there was a project that was not funded to secure the water
• If you want to do a tax state government, we have the legislature here this week attack our water system

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And you can see the sea capacity increase in the post-secondary water programs about 42%.
• We need to limit waters.
• We've had numerous individuals come to our college and say we need we need employees and we know water

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It tears apart landscapes, consumes enormous amounts of water, and creates major carbon emissions long
• Nobody wants environmental contamination in our landfills, on our soils, in our water, in our air, any
• It's just a little bit of water vapor and some water, you know, that comes out of the creation of this
• heaters, that are, you know, simply water heaters, as well as the tankless propane water heaters so
• that they're not having... ...water heaters so that they're not having to drive out of state anymore.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this is an emerging training and certification that helps more Minnesota kids be safe in the water
• /c><00:04:49.360><c> the</c> more Minnesota kids be safe in the more Minnesota kids be safe in the water
• , whether that's in a pool, whether water, whether that's in a pool, whether that's<00:04:51.480><c>
• We're a specialized method of training kids for water safety and survival, not just strokes and water
• Water and safety and survival, not just strokes and water acclimation.

Bills: HF4712 , HF4801 , HF3756 , HF4860 , HF4931 , HF4289 , HF4460

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: residential pools, swimming classes, certification, private business, health safety, health care, prior authorization, managed care, medical assistance, mental health, substance use treatment, chronic conditions, health insurance, insulin, healthcare access, pharmacy regulations, patient assistance, affordable medication, healthcare, pharmacy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> House Bill 1164, Water Companies, Sewage Disposal Companies, and Water and Sewage Disposal Companies
• Amendment number two strikes provisions related to water company rate consolidation from the bill, adds
• 22.040><c> feasibility</c><00:25:23.000><c> of</c><00:25:23.080><c> requiring</c><00:25:23.640><c> water
• </c> study the feasibility of requiring water study the feasibility of requiring water and<00:25:24.120
• , in in deer that our land, in our water, in in deer that is<01:52:16.440><c> being</c><01:52:16.760>

Keywords: House streaming session for Saturday, March 21, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But water resources is replaced by an equity element.
• Where are water resources found in the rest of this list? Okay, I'll try to get some.
• That's those of my area and a couple of other areas of the state, water is always a challenge.
• </c><00:35:06.800><c> resources</c> again a consolidation so water resources again a consolidation so
• </c> the state, water is always a challenge. the state, water is always a challenge.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, journalized the prayer, and recognized Read Across America Day with a special resolution congratulating the Maryland State Education Association on the program’s 28th anniversary. Senators also welcomed several guests and student groups, including Eleanor Roosevelt High School students, Maryland Federation of Republican Women members for Red Scarf Day, medical shadows from Johns Hopkins, a student page prospect, and a group from Matthew Henson Elementary School. The chamber then took up multiple Finance Committee consent calendars and individual local alcohol-related bills, all of which were reported favorably, adopted without objection, and ordered printed for third reading. Measures included changes to alcohol license fee refunds for uniformed service members, Anne Arundel County license classifications and compensation for liquor board officials, a Baltimore City racetrack license extension, a Cecil County license quota change, and new or expanded licenses for golf courses, sports venues, and barber shop/beauty salon establishments. The Senate also advanced bills on social work licensing, a rural readiness economic development program, a Maryland-Ireland Trade Commission extension, peer-to-peer car sharing insurance rules, telematics-based auto insurance disclosures and appeals, and veteran status notation on public profiles. Several bills were amended before being advanced, generally with technical or clarifying changes and no recorded opposition. Senate Bill 18 would create a provisional social work license; Senate Bill 351 would regulate insurer use of vehicle telematics data; Senate Bill 395 would revise insurance and liability rules for peer-to-peer car sharing; and Senate Bill 197 would alter comprehensive plan elements in land use law. Senate Bill 439, protecting fire and rescue public safety employees from adverse action based on medical cannabis certification, also moved forward without amendment. One measure, Senate Bill 69, which would make permanent the nonprofit navigator position in the Department of Commerce, was discussed at length after a member raised concerns about oversight of nonprofit grant funding. On request, the bill was special ordered to the next day for further consideration. All other bills discussed in the transcript were advanced to third reading by unanimous or near-unanimous voice action, with no recorded roll-call votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cable, electricity, gas, sewer, solid waste, telephone, and water would be included within the county
• For your background, water and sewer districts are local governments run by elected officials to provide
• safe, affordable, and reliable drinking water and sanitary sewer services.
• We need more funding for transportation, more funding for water and sewer, and more funding for other
• For many residents, the disaster did not end when the water receded.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• During the 2025 legislative session, Senate Bill 68, the Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act
• , requires that schools receiving state funding provide drinking water with a lead concentration level
• These are increases that are needed to cover electric, natural gas, water, and sewer.
• Natural gas had an increase of 13% that took effect in September, and water and sewer had an increase
• Some of those are water and sewer projects in different parts of the state.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, Avana Stark, Clean Water Action. plastics threatens the planet and all plastics threatens the
• <00:07:30.080><c> Avana</c><00:07:30.520><c> Stark</c><00:07:30.840><c> clean</c><00:07:31.160><c> water
• </c> Chair Hansen and members of the committee, I'm Avana Stark, state director of Clean Water Action
• Human health and water quality is being hit from every angle: past nitrates, microplastics, the list
• </c><00:15:52.279><c> growing</c> contaminated soil or water growing contaminated soil or water growing

Bills: HF44 , HF2102 , HF2279 , HF2280 , HF2281

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: HF44, Casey Jones State Trail, Pipestone Trailhead, Currie Loop, Minnesota bonding bill, capital investment, state bonds, bond proceeds fund, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, trail rehabilitation, trail reconstruction, recreational trail, bike trail, hiking trail, infrastructure, state trail, Pipestone, Currie, bonding authorization

Transcript Highlights:

• They are not withholding food and water because they just cannot afford it.
• They are not withholding food and water because they just cannot afford it.
• They are not withholding<00:16:08.880><c> food</c><00:16:09.120><c> and</c><00:16:09.360><c> water</c
• food and water because they just<00:16:10.320><c> cannot</c><00:16:10.639><c> afford</c><00:16:10.959
• ,</c><00:24:06.640><c> basic</c> deprived of food, water, basic deprived of food, water, basic necessities

Committee: House Human Services & Homelessness

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 281 SD1, which would define and prohibit torture as a Class A felony. The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office, HPD investigators, and other supporters said the bill is needed because existing laws do not adequately capture torture, especially cases involving children and vulnerable persons. Several testifiers emphasized that starvation is a common method of torture that often leaves little visible evidence, and they urged the committee to restore the original starvation language removed from the measure. The Office of the Public Defender said it did not oppose the bill’s purpose but raised concerns that the language was too broad and could create trial issues, particularly around minors and vulnerable people, and suggested narrowing amendments. The chair indicated the testimony had made a strong impression and said the committee would try to move the bill forward. The committee then heard SB 292 SD1, relating to sexual exploitation and safe harbor protections for survivors seeking medical or law enforcement help. The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office supported the measure, noting that a prior version raised equal protection concerns that were no longer present, and said survivors should be able to seek help without fear of prosecution. Written support was also noted from several advocacy and state groups. Testimony in support focused on retaliation fears, trafficking, and the need for manpower and resources to address exploitation and related crimes. Finally, the committee took up SB 295 SD1, which would increase penalties for violating temporary restraining orders and orders for protection and treat a violation of one as a second offense for the other. The Public Defender’s Office objected to the mandatory jail component, arguing judges should retain discretion and that there was no clear evidence mandatory jail deters violations. The transcript cuts off before any final committee action or vote on SB 295 was recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh storm water management uh street.
• Uh storm water management uh increased<00:24:59.840><c> impervious</c><00:25:00.400><c> services</c><
• ,</c><00:27:42.000><c> sewer,</c><00:27:42.320><c> storm</c> accommodate parking, water, sewer, storm
• accommodate parking, water, sewer, storm sewer<00:27:42.960><c> infrastructure,</c><00:27:43.600><c>
• would sewer and water, local governments would need<00:41:24.240><c> to</c><00:41:24.480><c> allow</

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This includes wastewater treatment, drinking water, storm water treatment, public utility emission reductions
• <01:20:14.440><c> treatment</c><01:20:15.040><c> drinking</c><01:20:15.520><c> water</c><01:20:16.400
• ><c> storm</c> Water treatment drinking water storm Water treatment drinking water storm water<01:20:
• <c> um</c><01:20:17.760><c> treatment</c><01:20:18.440><c> public</c><01:20:19.080><c> utility</c> water
• um treatment public utility water um treatment public utility emission<01:20:20.080><c> reductions</

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, take a sip of water. Mr. Clayman: Mr.
• 11.079><c> Mr</c><00:15:11.320><c> chair</c><00:15:11.600><c> and</c><00:15:11.800><c> members</c> water
• Mr clayon uh Mr chair and members water Mr clayon uh Mr chair and members I'm<00:15:12.519><c> Chris
• bottles things things like 8% for water bottles things things like that<00:52:31.440><c> um</c><00:52
• under the bridge since then so of water under the bridge since then so so<01:20:54.760><c> I'd</c><01

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And in fact, it dilutes and waters down the Republican language of the seriousness to stop fraud in the
• amendment that I originally offered has been amended twice now and then substantially and significantly watered
• </c> Madam President, while I'm disappointed that my amendment was watered down, I'll still be voting
• <02:30:49.400><c> my</c><02:30:49.520><c> amendment</c><02:30:49.880><c> was</c><02:30:50.040><c> watered
• </c><02:30:50.400><c> down,</c> that my amendment was watered down, that my amendment was watered down

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we all love our parks, our environment, value clean water and clean air.
• We just owe it to our constituents to pass this bill, to give them the clean water and air that they
• </c><00:25:45.919><c> and</c> environment, uh value clean water and environment, uh value clean water
• rules, air rules, what uh clean water rules, air rules, what we're<00:26:01.840><c> really</c><00:26
• give them the clean water and air that<00:27:36.799><c> they</c><00:27:36.960><c> need.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to adopt practices to mitigate adverse impacts to water.
• </c><01:08:12.040><c> quality</c> the wrap rules regulate water quality the wrap rules regulate water
• </c><01:08:20.560><c> This</c> mitigate adverse impacts to water.
• This mitigate adverse impacts to water.
• So, um in fact, the our water supply.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in this forum and quote the late great John Denver by saying, "Let's do this for the wind and the water
• </c> soil, and the water. soil, and the water.
• and the wood and those who the water and the wood and those who live<00:27:12.160><c> there,</c><00:
• /c> work with the various stakeholders, work with the various stakeholders, Clean<00:31:20.200><c> Water
• Action and our other various Clean Water Action and our other various partners<00:31:22.520><c> for<

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to open the hearing on Senate Bill 608 and I'm going to recognize Senator Waters.
• Senator David Waters, District 4. Good to see you, Madam Chair, members of the committee.
• Senator David Waters,<02:04:00.880><c> District</c><02:04:01.199><c> 4.
• Good to see you, Waters, District 4.
• She is the masterful person in collaboration, uh, and also both the senator, uh, Senator Waters, and

Committee: House Children and Family Law

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Makoce, a Dakota phrase that can be loosely translated to where the waters reflect the clouds.
• </c><00:02:08.879><c> reflect</c> translated to where the waters reflect translated to where the waters
• The current biennium, the total is 7,000 from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, 6,000 from Clean Water, 3,000
• The current biennium, the total is 7,000 from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, 6,000 from Clean Water, 3,000
• </c> They identify spots with uh storm water They identify spots with uh storm water runoff<01:44:04.000

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all