Transcript Highlights:

• embedded in nature, wildlife, ranching, range, and noxious weed management, and working with government entities
• Amen. ...and working with government entities, too numerous to mention.
• applied the irrigation district exception broadly to the Percy-eligible irrigation and drainage entities
• to amend Sections 59-1302 and 13A.G to replace 'irrigation district' with 'irrigation or drainage entity
• ' to clarify that all Percy-eligible irrigation and drainage entities are included in the exemption.

Summary: The Senate convened with 33 members present, heard prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the corrected journal, and welcomed several student and constituent visitors. The chamber then moved through committee reports and gubernatorial appointments, including confirmations for Salvador Cruz as director of the Department of Finance, Clayton Steele to the Board of Environmental Quality, Carl Ray and Kenneth Long to the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board, and Alan Kavanaugh to the Commission of Pardons and Parole for two terms. In each case, senators spoke in support of the nominees’ qualifications and public service, and the committee reports were adopted by voice vote. The Senate also received House Bills 493 and 514 for referral, and introduced Senate Bills 1248 through 1251, which were referred to the Judiciary and Rules Committee. The main piece of legislation considered on the floor was Senate Bill 1221, which clarifies the Percy retirement work-limit exemption by replacing “irrigation district” with “irrigation or drainage entity” so the exception applies consistently to eligible water-related organizations. Supporters said the change would help retain experienced retired workers and avoid confusion in administering the rule. The bill passed the Senate by a 33-0 vote, with two senators absent, and was transmitted to the House. During miscellaneous business, senators made announcements about a church service, an Idaho Realtors reception, a Kratom presentation for majority members, and a Bible study. The Senate also recognized additional guests in the gallery before adjourning until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• there's been a confusion between policy changes to specific taxpayer funding towards one particular entity
• is a specific— this case is all about a specific funding request of taxpayer dollars towards one entity
• taxpayer dollars funding request of taxpayer dollars towards<00:07:52.560><c> one</c><00:07:52.800><c> entity
• c> wasn't</c><00:07:54.080><c> just</c><00:07:54.879><c> a</c><00:07:55.520><c> a</c> towards one entity
• that wasn't just a a towards one entity that wasn't just a a uh<00:07:57.120><c> a</c><00:07:57.440>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• independent office that works outside of agencies and is just monitoring all public and private entities
• primary goal: it's an independent oversight authority that would make sure that any public or private entity
• would make sure that any public<00:02:36.560><c> or</c><00:02:36.760><c> private</c><00:02:37.080><c> entity
• </c><00:02:37.440><c> that</c><00:02:37.760><c> receives</c> public or private entity that receives public
• or private entity that receives taxpayer<00:02:38.599><c> dollars</c><00:02:39.560><c> would</c><00:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But what have you found as far as these entities that are, you, you?
• I would think that if there was a collaboration between those entities...
• So this allows entities to put water use in a quote-unquote bank.
• And so you had to get that down after they merged these different entities together.
• No one entity can tell another one what to do.

Summary: The Water Topics Overview Committee met with a quorum and heard updates from Department of Water Resources Director Reese Haas and Lieutenant Governor/State Water Commission Chair Michelle Strinden on statewide water funding, major projects, and two legislative studies requested in House Bill 1020. Haas reviewed the status of the Northwest Area Water Supply and Southwest Pipeline projects, noting NAWS construction is expected to move water by fall and Southwest’s Hebron-Rugby expansion phase one is in final design with bids expected next month. He also summarized the department’s budget outlook, including Resources Trust Fund and Water Project Stabilization Fund balances, the effect of oil price volatility and stripper well exemptions on revenues, and the status of project buckets, carryover, lines of credit, regionalization, bid trends, and administrative/process updates. Committee members asked about project prioritization, municipal funding demand, maintenance expectations, replacement versus deferred maintenance, and whether the 2025 session may have underfunded municipal water supply needs. Haas said the commission uses the same high/medium/low prioritization process across all buckets, reviews maintenance plans as part of policy, and is seeing strong demand in the municipal bucket. He also explained that the department’s 14-year projection is based on the next seven legislative sessions and that the state faces a projected $1.3 billion shortfall over that period if all planned projects are funded under current assumptions. Deloitte then presented draft findings from the cost-share policy study and the governance/finance study. For cost share, Deloitte said the model shows a roughly $1.3 billion shortfall over 14 years and about $1.8 billion through 2031 under current policy, and offered seven options including tighter eligibility for replacement projects, state funding caps for the Mouse River and Red River Valley projects, a priority-based cost-share scale, timing shifts, use of existing lines of credit, and delayed reimbursement timing. For governance, Deloitte outlined draft options for Southwest, NAWS, and Red River ranging from maintaining current structures with stronger planning to transferring ownership or adding formal oversight, and recommended broader use of performance metrics, long-term financial planning, and clearer decision trees. No votes or formal actions were taken; the commission discussed the scenarios and the studies will return in revised form later in the spring.

Transcript Highlights:

• within the state to smaller entities within the state to report<01:05:19.039><c> uh</c><01:05:19.680
• had to give up their license 20 entities had to give up their license in<01:13:40.600><c> their</c>
• Madam Chair and Representative B, what this would do for entities that are buying under $7.5 million
• that are licensed with us the entities that are licensed with us currently<01:37:50.400><c> that</c>
• uh they make up about 140 141 entities uh they make up only<01:38:02.239><c> n</c><01:38:02.840><c>

Bills: HF1063

Keywords: grain buyers, grain dealer, grain elevator, agriculture, financial reporting, audit, CPA review, independent accountant, financial statement, balance sheet, cash flow, nonpublic data, licensee oversight, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, grain purchase volume, insolvency, nonpayment, warehouse chain, fiduciary duties, producer protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Are actually owned by the private entities themselves.
• , there's no mechanism in this credit for the pass-through entity to claim the credit, even if one of
• , there's no mechanism in this credit for the pass-through entity to claim the credit, even if one of
• of a pass through entity there's no mechanism<00:35:21.359><c> in</c><00:35:21.520><c> this</c><00:35
• to claim the credit pass through entity to claim the credit even<00:35:25.280><c> if</c><00:35:25.599

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But there's a certainty for those entities that are receiving those allowances.
• But there's a certainty for those entities that are receiving those allowances.
• needed to help these entities given what's happening federally.
• Eligible entities for the MDI include the manufacturers as a part of this program.
• Our members are regulated entities under cap and invest.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, it addresses exempt entities and entities that may qualify as a payment stablecoin issuer
• The bill before you expands representation on the commission for those entities to include those entities
• There are no additional entities beyond the prior SB 878 discussion in this segment.
• There are no additional entities beyond the prior SB 878 discussion in this segment.
• or the transfer of responsibilities under the license to another entity by contractual arrangement.

Summary: The committee first confirmed six appointees in a single vote, then took up a series of bills, most of them reported favorably. The early debate centered on SB 208, a land-use bill by Sen. McLean that would require development fees to reflect review costs and create more objective compatibility standards for residential development denials. An amendment adding housing-related provisions, including an OPAGA study of urban development boundaries, drew extended discussion over the Everglades and local control; it was adopted, while a late-filed amendment on rural boundaries was withdrawn. The bill was then reported favorably after supporters and opponents, including Miami-Dade and housing groups, weighed in. The committee also favorably reported SB 686 on agricultural enclaves after amendments adding conservation, wildlife corridor, and Everglades-related protections, with one amendment specifically preserving stronger protections in counties covered by the Northern Everglades/Indian River Lagoon plan. Several criminal justice and public records measures also advanced. SB 436 would add resisting an officer with violence as a qualifying prior offense for battery enhancement and include certain felony battery offenses in prison release reoffender status. SB 830 would extend public-records protections to county and city administrators and related family information. SB 990 would authorize protected cell captive insurers in Florida. SB 600, on bail bonds, drew the most debate: an amendment by Sen. Rouson preserved the current treatment of charitable bail organizations’ deposits, with supporters arguing nonprofits help low-income defendants and critics saying the bill should distinguish commercial and nonprofit bonding; the amendment was adopted and the bill reported favorably. SB 914 on dry needling and SB 1434 on infill redevelopment also passed, the latter with an amendment removing a 10% markup requirement for buyback provisions. The committee then moved through a large education and health agenda. SB 1504 would let high school students who complete an insurance/personal finance elective qualify later for a customer service representative license. SB 1718 would expand educator preparation and temporary certification options. SB 7038 was a broad education package covering tuition waivers for Florida State Guard members, residency rules, consumer protections, dual enrollment, grading, and college funding; amendments clarified workforce licensure and exempted certain dental training from new licensure rules. SB 1092 on podiatric medicine added definitions and restrictions for cellular/tissue-based products. SB 1138 on qualified contractors created a pre-application review program for certain local governments, with historic-preservation carveouts. SB 186 on student health and safety required seizure-training and action plans in schools, and SB 560 on child welfare streamlined psychotropic-medication procedures for children in state care while adding youth advisory meetings and insurance-data review. SB 902, a broad Department of Health bill, addressed medical marijuana facility setbacks, practitioner discipline, autism microcredentials, marriage and family therapy licensure, a neurofibromatosis grant program, and family home health aide delegation; it passed after two amendments. Finally, SB 218 on land-use regulations limited hurricane-recovery restrictions to affected counties, SB 1002 expanded child-neglect definitions tied to parental drug abuse, SB 1474 tightened biosolids land-application rules, SB 1708 eased out-of-state veterinary licensure by endorsement, and SB 314 established a Florida regulatory framework for payment stablecoins aligned with federal law. Most measures were reported favorably by committee vote after brief testimony or no debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• Stakeholder groups and entities that are neither in support nor in opposition will be allowed to give
• If a measure has more than two entities in a neutral category, only two will be allowed to speak for
• in Mexico, that means it's going to open up the doors for other entities as well.
• However, recently multiple entities in California have been informed that state statutory authority is
• As a public trust entity, it must adhere to the Bagley-Keene Open Meetings Act.

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee met with a quorum and first approved a consent calendar containing AB 341, AB 1098, and AB 1316, sending those measures to the Human Services, Judiciary, and Appropriations Committees respectively. The committee then heard AB 977, which would require CSU to audit surplus land and work with California tribes to identify three regional burial sites for Native American remains that cannot yet be repatriated. Supporters, including tribal leaders and archaeology groups, said the bill is needed to honor ancestors and address the large number of remains still held by CSU; CSU said it is committed to repatriation but had no formal position. The bill passed to Appropriations on a 5-0 vote. Members also heard AB 1093, creating a California-Mexico higher education exchange program, and AB 1035, expanding the California College Promise to cover tuition for students pursuing community college bachelor’s degrees. AB 1093 drew support for strengthening cross-border educational and economic ties, but some members raised concerns about border-region sewage problems and the bill’s budget implications; it was held for later consideration. AB 1035 received strong support from community college leaders and faculty who said it would help low-income and first-generation students complete workforce-focused bachelor’s degrees, but several members questioned whether it would stretch Prop. 98 funding and whether the state should prioritize broader affordability concerns. AB 1035 passed to Appropriations on a 3-2 vote. The committee next approved AB 922, which would let the University of California keep access to federal criminal-history information for hiring background checks, avoiding delays and added costs if statutory authority is required. UC said the bill is needed to maintain safety and hiring operations, and it passed to Public Safety on a 5-0 vote. AB 1346, protecting military dependents from losing in-state residency status because of family travel, also passed unanimously to Military and Veterans Affairs. AB 1212, allowing UC to use low-income housing tax credits to build affordable housing for faculty and staff on UC land, drew support from UC and labor groups but opposition from members concerned about preferential access to public resources; it was held for later action. Finally, the committee approved AB 500 and AB 684, both aimed at increasing transparency around UC admissions policy changes and UC BOARS decision-making, sending AB 500 to Education and AB 684 to Governmental Organization, each on 5-0 votes. The hearing then moved on to AB 1122 on dual enrollment, with the author and witnesses presenting the bill as a way to expand college access for high school students.

Transcript Highlights:

• and other entities that could provide<00:07:09.919><c> case</c><00:07:10.319><c> management</c><00:07
• In 1995, we rolled out capitated managed care initially with 11 entities, mostly for profit, a couple
• </c><00:17:34.160><c> that</c> the consultant chosen is an entity that the consultant chosen is an entity
• This makes it very difficult to know who the ultimate parent owner is of a health care entity that is
• </c> the real estate that an entity the real estate that an entity previously<01:16:19.199><c> owned<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It would be a body that uses data analysis and research, draws upon existing sources and entities to
• We have several entities that work on healthcare workforce planning, but there's no collaboration or
• coordination of these different entities, and so that's what this Workforce Council would do.
• </c> um financing uh we have several entities um financing uh we have several entities that<00:08:33.440
• There's not going to be any super intelligent entity that comes up.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , a non-private entity.
• And what y'all are saying, with the amendment, at the administrative office of a government-run entity
• I mean, that's just a private agreement between two private entities, a St. Jude charity hospital.
• But, I mean, that's just a private agreement between two private entities, I would believe. Okay.
• The one entity that they weren't sure of, and then they got clarification before they left the board.

Summary: The House Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations met for its final meeting of the session and took up SB 312 by Senator Talbot, a bill concerning labor organizations, employee dues and fees, withdrawal from unions, collective bargaining agreements, and related notice and reporting requirements. The author explained the bill would require annual notice to employees of their right to join or refrain from joining a labor organization, allow dues deductions to be authorized and revoked electronically, and require stoppage of deductions at the nearest possible payroll period after notice. The committee first adopted a technical amendment set, then considered a larger amendment set that shifted the withdrawal request to the employer, required the employer to notify the labor organization, placed the burden of proving notice compliance on the labor organization, and made the labor organization responsible for certain administrative costs. Supporters said the bill protected employee choice and could reduce taxpayer-funded administrative burdens; opponents argued the amendments created confusion, unnecessary bureaucracy, and unclear invoicing and cost-shifting procedures. Testimony came from business and labor representatives on both sides. Jim Patterson of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry supported the cost-shifting language as a way to protect taxpayers and public employers. Matt Wood, Peter Robbins-Brown, and Larry Carter, representing labor groups, said they had worked for months to reach a simpler opt-in/opt-out framework and objected to the new amendments as adding complexity and uncertainty. Several members questioned why police, firefighters, and later mass transit employees were exempted; the author and others said those exclusions were tied to federal law or because those groups had not requested inclusion. After debate, the committee adopted the large amendment set and then adopted a separate technical amendment adding mass transit employees to the exemption list. On the bill itself, members continued debating whether the measure was necessary if unions already allow members to opt out and whether the bill should apply only to public employees such as teachers and school workers. The committee ultimately voted to report SB 312 with amendments. The motion passed on a roll call vote, with several members voting no, and the meeting adjourned afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so the entity that would be purchasing this land would pay for the notice to run in that newspaper
• Am I correct in that we just contracting with one entity to take be responsible for gathering all this
• Is it the cost to set up that one entity?
• that we're talking about a total investment, a total fiscal cost. to the state of $150,000 to one entity
• There's more than just that one entity, but overall, that's where that money goes.

Bills: HB2894, HB3418, HB3415, HB3413, HB3414, HB3416, HB3417, HB3419, HB3420, HB1739, HB1752, HB1979, HB2941, HB2992, HB3075, HB3086, HB3177, HB3269, HB3278, HB3279, HB3497, HB3644, HB4432, HB3720, HB3849, HB3882, HB3919, HB3941, HB4118, HB4141, HB4268, HB4342, HB4428, HB4429, HB4434

Keywords: HB2894, Oklahoma Rural Jobs Act, rural jobs, rural investment, tax credit, capital investment tax credit, state tax credits, economic development, rural fund, rural investor, qualified investment, eligible business, Department of Commerce, rural business, investment certification, tax liability, credit cap, workforce development, small business finance, rural development

Transcript Highlights:

• Allowing us to trade those obligations among different load-serving entities would be more efficient
• while still having the... ...entities would be more efficient while still ensuring the system has enough
• We can offer additional resources to the central procurement entity.
• The load-serving entities need to call on that resource.
• If you're participating in this program, there's compensation from the load-serving entity.

Summary: The committee heard several energy, telecommunications, and regulatory bills. SB 929 by Senator Jones would require the California Energy Commission chair to appear annually and report to the Legislature on the commission’s activities, plans, and outreach; it was presented as a low-cost oversight measure and drew no opposition. SB 1138 by Senator Padilla would let load-serving entities trade hourly resource adequacy obligations under the CPUC’s slice-of-day framework to reduce overprocurement and lower ratepayer costs; supporters said it could save tens of millions of dollars, while questions focused on reliability and whether savings would reach customers. SB 913 by Senator Becker would create a clearer pathway for customer-sited distributed energy resources, such as home batteries and smart thermostats, to participate in resource adequacy markets; supporters said it would unlock existing clean capacity and reduce costs, and members asked about reliability, opt-in participation, and compensation for homeowners. The committee also heard SB 1197 by Senator Niello, which would move California to permanent standard time if federal law allows, with testimony from a sleep medicine physician supporting the health and safety benefits of ending the time switch and opposition from golf industry representatives who urged a broader analysis of economic, recreational, and public safety impacts. Members debated whether the 2018 voter approval required another vote and whether Congress would need to act. SB 1265 by Senator Richardson would codify and expand the Go Green financing program by creating a new fund and allowing broader partnerships beyond current IOU service areas; supporters said it would expand access to clean energy financing statewide. SB 1337 by Senator Richardson would create a working group to coordinate fuel transition policy and refinery-related issues following SB 237, with supporters emphasizing the need for better interagency coordination and some members asking how it would avoid duplicative work. The committee also considered SB 1191 by Senator Ochoa Bogh, which would extend the California High-Cost Fund A and B programs for rural telephone service through 2033; supporters said the surcharge-funded program is essential for affordable service and emergency connectivity in remote areas. After discussion, the committee adopted amendments where offered and voted all of the bills out of committee, generally on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, with SB 1265 receiving one no vote. Several bills were held on call briefly and then later passed when the committee reconvened, and the hearing adjourned after all listed measures were reported out.

Transcript Highlights:

• police officers specifically, for a long time were unprotected in their jobs, and this was a needed entity
• The problem has been in the past, though, that these cities or entities would leave these open-ended.
• So if either entity, but let's just say the city, is not negotiating in good faith, they can go ahead
• as you alluded to a little bit, Representative, is that with a municipality knowing that public entities
• And part of the job of that professional is to research the budget of the entities involved, maybe the

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But the other key thing that we did is those entities that do have over $1 million in annual receipts
• So, what we're saying is if you're a properly run entity, you've been audited twice in a row, a completely
• ><00:04:14.600><c> that</c><00:04:15.000><c> do</c><00:04:15.200><c> have</c> did is those those entities
• is if you're if you're a<00:04:35.440><c> properly</c><00:04:35.840><c> run</c><00:04:36.040><c> entity
• run entity, you've been audited<00:04:37.440><c> twice</c><00:04:37.880><c> in</c><00:04:37.960><c>

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:10 Attendance Roll Call: 00:15 SB 133 Discussion: 00:52 SB 133 Vote: 05:01 SB 226 Discussion: 06:10 SB 226 Vote: 09:36 SJR 62 Discussion: 10:22 SJR 62 Vote: 12:55 SB 261 Discussion: 13:42 SB 261 Vote: 18:19 SB 262 Discussion: 19:10 SB 262 Vote: 26:36 Adjournment: 28:02, 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we would be more likely to be the entity to do that.
• We are the statutory entity for the state of Alabama for state scholarships.
• We would be more likely to be the entity to do that.
• We are the statutory entity for the state of Alabama for state scholarships.
• "As of when the agency was started, there were regulations that we would be the entity to do that.

Bills: SB79, HB379, SB253, HB278, HB438, HB233, SB79, HB379, SB253, HB278, HB438, HB233

Keywords: sex-based terminology, gender identity, male, female, man, woman, boy, girl, single-sex spaces, women's rights, privacy, safety, fairness, anti-discrimination, vital statistics, birth certificate, intersex, DSD, differences in sex development, transgender

Transcript Highlights:

• So, like I said, there were loan entities that had forgiven consumers' loans, and insurance had paid
• </c> said, there were uh loan um entities said, there were uh loan um entities that<00:09:13.279><c>
• >> Madam Chair, uh, the doctor has lost his license and is not by our office but by other entities.
• /c><00:19:14.320><c> but</c><00:19:14.480><c> by</c><00:19:14.720><c> other</c><00:19:15.120><c> entities
• </c> not by our office but by other entities. not by our office but by other entities.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm hoping that this Council will be an entity that we can explore.
• This Council will be an entity that we can explore to have more growth in New Mexico, landing these jobs
• bill is that the work of this Council would draw on important work that's being done across other entities
• New Mexico, including at the Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Department. done across other entities
• It would draw on that, and it would also feed back into the work that those entities are doing.

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: During the legislative meeting, House Bill 287 was discussed, which proposes the establishment of a permanent Health and Human Services Committee to oversee the state's $14.4 billion expenditure in this area. An amendment to the bill was adopted, which clarified funding and operational details. Public comments were solicited, but no one spoke in opposition. The committee ultimately voted, with some members expressing concerns about budget implications, but the motion to pass the bill as amended was made and seconded, with several members opposing it. House Bill 371 was also addressed, which focuses on creating an Acequia Infrastructure Fund to support land grant and Acequia communities. The bill aims to provide a financial mechanism for these communities to access funds for infrastructure projects without relying on capital outlay requests. The committee discussed the bill's implications, potential funding sources, and the need for further amendments regarding representation and oversight. A motion to pass the bill was made, with some opposition noted, particularly regarding the lack of specificity in the bill's provisions. Lastly, Senate Bill 143 was presented, which seeks to raise the caps on inspection fees under the Egg Grading Act, among other agricultural regulations. Supportive testimony was provided by representatives from agricultural organizations, emphasizing the need for updated fee structures. The committee engaged in discussions about the bill's implications for consumers and the agricultural sector, ultimately moving towards a vote to pass the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• support paid internships for our students, and it provides grants to schools, nonprofits, and tribal entities
• So would government entities be able to participate? City, county, state agencies. Madam Chair.
• So my question is, would any of that $50,000 per year be going to the private entities or would it all
• Will this be coordinated by Workforce Solutions or by another entity?
• , the state funds, flow to our department, then we would put out the internship funding to those entities

Summary: The committee first addressed a procedural dispute over House Bill 280, with one member arguing it had already been heard and tabled in another committee earlier that day. The chair ruled the bill was properly before the House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee because it had been assigned there and published in the notice. HB 280 would create a three-year pilot program to support paid internships for students through grants to school districts, nonprofits, and tribal entities, with the Department of Workforce Solutions administering the program, collecting data, and reporting outcomes. Supporters said it would help build a sustainable funding source for school-year internships, expand access in rural and tribal communities, and connect internships to graduation credit and workforce pathways. Committee members asked about administrative costs, student selection, matching funds, program duration, and whether government entities and land grants could participate. The bill was described as flexible enough to allow different local program designs, including stipends or payroll arrangements. The committee voted do pass on HB 280. The committee then heard House Memorial 46, which honors the Hurley family, especially Major General Patrick Hurley and his son Wilson Hurley, for military service and public contributions to New Mexico. The memorial highlighted Patrick Hurley’s service in World War I and World War II, his diplomatic roles, and his decorations, as well as Wilson Hurley’s military service and later career as an artist. There was no opposition, and the memorial received a do pass recommendation. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 270, a public works apprenticeship bill that would require contributions to apprenticeship and training programs or the Public Works Apprentice and Training Fund on most public works construction projects, while exempting trades with no approved program. Supporters argued the bill would close loopholes, strengthen workforce development, and ensure contractors benefiting from public projects contribute to training. Opponents from asphalt, utility, and contractor groups said they already support existing training programs, warned the bill could raise costs and create participation problems for contractors without access to suitable programs, and noted the Transportation Committee had already considered the bill earlier that day. Sponsors responded that the earlier Transportation action was a procedural glitch and that the bill was a cleanup measure to make the existing law more effective and fair. After extended debate over costs, workforce shortages, and the effect on highway contractors, the committee voted do pass on HB 270 by a 5-3 tally.