Transcript Highlights:

• It's cheaper to truck your cattle up there, pay 120 bucks a month, than to feed them hay, you know.
• It's cheaper to truck your<01:07:54.880> cattle<01:07:55.119> up<01:07:55.280> there
• 55.599> pay<01:07:56.160> 120<01:07:56.400> bucks<01:07:56.559> a your cattle
• up there, pay 120 bucks a your cattle up there, pay 120 bucks a month<01:07:56.960> than<01:07

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, if you are a small dairy farmer who's got 50 head of cattle and you want...
• So, if you are a small dairy farmer who's got 50 head of cattle and you want... Chair. I'm sorry.
• got<00:42:55.480> 50<00:42:55.800> head<00:42:55.960> of<00:42:56.040> cattle
• <00:42:56.760> and<00:42:56.880> you<00:42:56.960> want Who’s got 50 head of cattle

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I do imagine livestock cattle things, maybe less kids are there. 30 to 40 people in opposition or
• 00.960> livestock courses but um I do imagine livestock courses but um I do imagine livestock cattle
• 03.040> less<00:56:03.359> kids<00:56:03.599> are<00:56:03.839> there cattle
• thing maybe less kids are there cattle thing maybe less kids are there so<00:56:04.118> [cough]

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land met on February 3, 2026, and heard testimony on several bills, with the chair emphasizing a two-minute limit and noting that bills would die if the hearing ran past noon. For HB 1848, the Commission on Water Resource Management and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development both supported the measure with technical, non-substantive amendments. Testimony focused on requiring early consultation about water availability in district boundary amendment petitions, with water officials explaining that the petitioner should submit a written statement reflecting consultation and that the goal was to identify water constraints earlier in the development process. The Land Use Commission’s representative opposed the bill, arguing that water availability is already addressed through existing environmental review and agency consultation, that the issue had been raised and rejected before, and that the proposal could create unnecessary delay or litigation. The committee then heard HB 1728 on rainwater catchment systems. The Commission on Water Resource Management said it acknowledged the bill’s intent but deferred to counties and other regulatory agencies, including the Department of Health, on regulatory implications. Hawaii Realtors testified in support. No vote was taken during the portion of the hearing shown. For HB 1652 on storm water management systems, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association opposed the bill, arguing it would weaken protections created by Act 281 (“Sharkey’s Law”) and increase drowning risk for children by exempting certain water features from safety requirements. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii supported the bill, saying the language clarifies and better balances child safety with practical green stormwater infrastructure, including depth-based limits and exemptions for certain agricultural ponds. The Hawaii Farm Bureau also supported the agricultural pond exemption, saying such ponds are used for irrigation, livestock, and fire control and are generally away from the public. A private testifier, Allison Schaers, opposed the bill and described her daughter’s drowning in a detention basin, arguing that poor maintenance can turn stormwater features into dangerous hazards. The hearing ended without any recorded committee action or vote in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So to use the very diplomatic term incentivize, which is more of a nice way of saying cattle prod, if
• which which is more of a a nice way of which which is more of a a nice way of saying<01:26:15.520> cattle
• > if<01:26:16.880> you<01:26:17.120> want<01:26:17.280> people saying cattle
• prod, if you want people saying cattle prod, if you want people to<01:26:18.639> not<01:26:18.960

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But also to organics diverting away from organics and also use in agriculture for cattle feed.
• and also um use in agriculture<00:13:20.560> for<00:13:20.880> for<00:13:21.360> cattle
• agriculture for for cattle agriculture for for cattle feed.<00:13:24.079> This<00:13:24.639

Bills: HF1587, HF2293, HF2218, HF1208, HF1482

Keywords: HF1587, Cass County, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, DNR, condemnation, eminent domain, state land, surplus land, public waters, tribal land transfer, federally recognized Indian Tribe, tribal ownership, land conveyance, no consideration, land appropriation, natural resources, U.S. Highway 2, Section 27 Township 145 North Range 28 West, land return, Tribal sovereignty

Transcript Highlights:

• My family raises soybeans, corn, hogs, bottle calves to market weight, cattle, and raise baby doll sheep
• <01:15:26.639> to<01:15:26.760> Market<01:15:27.040> weight<01:15:27.280> cattle
• Hogs bottle Cavs to Market weight cattle Hogs bottle Cavs to Market weight cattle and<01:15:27.960

Bills: HF47, HF434, HF1503, HF1702

Keywords: telecommunications, installation, certification, safety, underground utilities, HF434, cervidae, deer, elk, moose, chronic wasting disease, CWD, wildlife importation, animal health, biosecurity, zoo, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, AZA, USDA exhibitor, species survival plan

Transcript Highlights:

• field after the harvest between the corn rows, for example, and they can provide a forage source for cattle
• a forage example and they can provide a a forage source<01:37:42.840> for<01:37:43.159> cattle
• <01:37:43.760> and<01:37:44.000> of<01:37:44.119> course source for cattle and
• of course source for cattle and of course sometimes<01:37:44.920> they<01:37:45.119> actually

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• What happens if we have something to affect our cattle, our limited dairy, our hog farms?
• /c><00:58:48.680> to<00:58:48.799> affect<00:58:49.039> ner<00:58:49.559> cattle
• <00:58:50.559> our have something to affect ner cattle our have something to affect ner cattle

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Dear Chair Fraser and Chair Halkerston, my name is Georgia Gallardo, and I'm representing Kerkhoven Cattle
• My husband, Thomas, and I own Kerkhoven Cattle Butcher, a small meat processing facility in Kerkhoven
• We started Kerkhoven Cattle Butcher in 2019.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee met to approve the April 7, 2026 minutes and then held a hearing on the economic impact of Operation Metro Surge and related ICE enforcement activity. Testifiers described broad effects on cities, small businesses, workers, and schools, and several speakers voiced support for House File 4477, which would create a targeted state relief program for affected businesses and communities. Metro Cities said member cities reported unexpected burdens on public safety, public works, emergency management, and other local services, and its board adopted a policy supporting state assistance for those costs. Northstar Policy Action presented data arguing the operation contributed to higher unemployment, reduced hours, lost wages, and business losses, including a reported $106 million in lost wages from reduced hours and an estimated $18 million per week in taxpayer costs. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said the city incurred nearly $1 million in direct costs and estimated small businesses lost about $16 million per week, with major drops in foot traffic and sales, especially among immigrant-owned neighborhood businesses. Other testimony emphasized impacts outside the metro area and on specific communities. Georgia Gallardo of Kerkhoven Cattle Butcher said rural small businesses also suffered, citing reduced sales and weekend traffic. The Minnesota Council of Latino Affairs reported that Latino-owned businesses support thousands of jobs and have seen sales declines of 40% to 90%, while WomenVenture and the Minnesota CDFI Coalition said CDFIs were seeing urgent demand for flexible relief and described businesses delaying hiring, reducing hours, or pausing expansion. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruly said federal agents’ conduct during the surge undermined trust, created public safety concerns, and led to overtime and other local costs, while also noting he supports federal immigration enforcement in principle. Fridley Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Lewis said the district lost 112 students since December, still had 72 not returned, and had to rapidly create a virtual learning option for students who did not feel safe attending in person. Across the hearing, witnesses argued the disruption was statewide, not limited to Minneapolis-St. Paul, and that state relief was needed to prevent business closures, job losses, and longer-term damage to communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• When it comes to forest management, having grown up here in New Mexico, going up to the Cattle scout
• we see less water, our springs struggling to continue, and significant damage caused by mismanaged cattle
• to consider the cost of inaction: less water in the Southwest, more conflicts over water, further cattle

Transcript Highlights:

• But they said, well, the closest thing we can look at is that grazing cattle. Right?
• transformation achieved entirely through the implementation of the Soil Health Principles and using the cattle
• In the most recent case, it was primarily the cattle growers who were opposing the removal.

Transcript Highlights:

• So if I have a heart attack or a stroke out on my cattle farm, which I really wish I was there today

Summary: The Missouri House Legislative Rules Committee held a rare public hearing on House Bill 2243, sponsored by Rep. Bryant-Wolfen, which would repeal a local sales tax exemption for certain industries that was enacted in a prior omnibus bill tied to the Wayfair-related tax changes. The sponsor argued the exemption shifted revenue away from counties and onto local residents, and said the bill would restore local tax collections that had been lost without a guaranteed replacement. Several members questioned whether the proposal amounted to a tax increase on manufacturers and whether it could deter investment or job growth; the sponsor responded that the tax burden had already been shifted to Missourians and that other pro-business reforms could address competitiveness. Supporters from Iron County, St. Genevieve County, and Adair County testified that the exemption had reduced local revenue for roads, law enforcement, ambulance, and 911 services. They described budget shortfalls, service cuts, and the impact on counties that had already approved local sales or use taxes by voter approval. One Iron County commissioner said the loss of revenue had forced higher property tax levies and reduced ambulance coverage, while St. Genevieve officials cited large drops in monthly sales tax receipts and rising costs. Adair County officials said the exemption affected revenue from large solar and wind projects and argued that the taxes were intended to support local infrastructure and schools. Opponents, including Associated Industries in Missouri, argued the exemption was originally adopted to keep Missouri’s tax system uniform and compliant with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Wayfair framework for out-of-state sellers. They warned that removing the exemption could create a $35 million annual burden on manufacturers and potentially jeopardize broader local use-tax collections if the state’s system were challenged again. Committee members also discussed the possibility of requiring local voter approval or a replacement revenue source before changing the exemption. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the chair said he planned to execute the bill later in the week.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we also have in Cypress Creek. ...So we also have landowners that are watering their cattle along

Bills: HB5208, SB863, SB1243, SB1624, SB1965, SB2660, SB2702, SB2885

Keywords: water filtration, public drinking water, health and safety, well maintenance, water quality, Edwards Aquifer, water conservation, reclaimed water, aquifer storage, environmental protection, public utility agency, dissolution, local government, regulatory framework, municipal authority, Texas Water Bank, Texas Water Trust, water rights, water banking, instream flow

Transcript Highlights:

• I was raised on a cattle ranch at the intersection of Brooks, Duval, and Jim Wells County, which is located

Transcript Highlights:

• It's safe to say that I am now drinking cattle one martinis only now it not because effect.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Founded in 1884, Reeves County is a proud community of founded as a camp for cattle drives traveling

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• when the water, 500,000 gallons that y'all want to dump in it, is flowing, how are we to get to our cattle
• when the water, 500,000 gallons that y'all want to dump in it is flowing, how are we to get to our cattle

Summary: The committee heard testimony first from the Texas General Land Office and School Land Board. GLO officials described the agency’s role in managing more than 13 million acres of state lands and mineral interests for the Permanent School Fund, overseeing the Alamo, coastal programs, veterans’ services, and federal disaster recovery. They said the agency has generated about $6 billion for the Permanent School Fund since Commissioner Buckingham took office, and that its disaster recovery portfolio is about $14 billion across multiple events, with more than 22,000 housing units rebuilt or reconstructed since Hurricane Harvey. Members asked about land purchases such as Brewster Ranch, rare earth mineral leasing, SpaceX-related beach access, and whether the lands are public access lands; GLO staff said the holdings are managed to maximize revenue for education, that most land is leased rather than open to public access, and that they are coordinating on coastal access and compliance. On the School Land Board, members sought clarification on the difference between GLO-managed lands and the Permanent School Fund Corporation’s investment role, and staff explained that GLO generates the revenue while the separate corporation invests it. No votes or formal actions were taken. The Board for Lease of University Lands then testified. University Lands officials explained that they steward 2.1 million acres of surface and mineral interests in West Texas for the Permanent University Fund, which supports UT and Texas A&M institutions. They said a 2025 lease sale produced about $50 million in bonus revenue from 28,000 acres, and described the Board for Lease’s role in approving lease forms, lease sales, and development agreements. Members asked about the size and use of the PUF, how distributions work through UTIMCO, whether PUF money can be used for athletics, and how the land is managed; the witness said the fund is a constitutional endowment, the land is largely leased rather than sold, and distributions are generally used for buildings, labs, and other permanent structures, with some institutions also using a portion for operations. No votes or formal actions were taken. The committee then took up municipal utility districts. Testimony from a law firm, the Texas Municipal League, Fort Bend County Commissioner Vincent Morales, and Johnson Development largely supported MUDs as a financing tool for infrastructure tied to growth. Witnesses said MUDs help fund water, sewer, drainage, roads, parks, and related infrastructure, allowing development to proceed without shifting costs to existing taxpayers and helping keep housing affordable. They emphasized that MUDs are created with disclosure to homebuyers, are subject to the Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act, and are overseen by TCEQ for bond issuance and related financial stress tests. Members questioned whether MUDs are taxing entities, whether they can be created inside city limits or ETJs, how much control cities and counties retain, and whether MUDs are becoming permanent local governments; witnesses acknowledged they levy taxes and debt, can exist within city limits with city consent, and often function as long-term local entities. The committee did not take any formal action during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The shufflebine farm sells about 500 head of cattle and calf, about a thousand registered Angus cows
• Their outstanding production of cattle and cows across the U.S. is no small feat.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know up in northwest Louisiana, where I live next to Cattle Lake, one of the theories is that Cattle

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster. Laura Sori of the Department of Conservation and Energy said the agency has inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the earthquakes, found no permit violations, and is requiring monthly reporting of daily injection data. LSU and Tulane researchers explained that the swarm includes about 50 earthquakes detected by USGS since December 2025, including a 4.9 magnitude event on March 5, and that better monitoring is needed because Louisiana has very limited seismic station coverage. Dr. Cynthia Ebinger said her temporary array has detected more small quakes than USGS, that the pattern looks more like a swarm than normal aftershocks, and that the data suggest pressure changes in the subsurface, though no definitive cause was identified. Keith Hall of LSU described how other states responded to suspected induced seismicity with more monitoring, more frequent reporting, injection limits or moratoria, and “traffic light” systems that escalate regulatory responses as seismicity increases. Members asked about depths, fault locations, possible links to injection or fracking, and whether more monitoring and data-sharing should be pursued; several speakers said Louisiana likely needs a denser monitoring network and more structured data collection. A Texas geoscientist, William Berger, also testified that Texas uses large-scale data analysis and AI to study injection-related seismicity and argued for secure sharing of operator data to improve forecasting and risk management. The committee then took testimony on UAV and drone incursions over Barksdale Air Force Base. GOSEP said the incident was logged in WebEOC and the common operating picture, but that Barksdale did not request direct GOSEP resources and that the matter was handled through law enforcement channels. Louisiana State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose, but confirmed multiple drone sightings on the morning and evening of March 9 and continued monitoring for several days. State Police said they have created a task force with the Police Chiefs Association, Sheriffs Association, GOSEP, and LSP, and that officers are receiving FBI-related training to help detect and, where authorized, mitigate drones. Members discussed whether the activity was nefarious, what counts as an incursion, and the need for better public education about drone restrictions near military and critical infrastructure sites. No formal action was taken, but members said the issue will continue to be tracked alongside pending legislation. Finally, the committee received a one-year update on the merger of GOSEP with the Louisiana National Guard and Military Department. Major General Thomas Freelieu and Brigadier General Jason Maffus said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, shifted administrative functions to the Military Department, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance. They said the agency has modernized its common operating picture, returned staff to in-person work, and continued statewide preparedness exercises. Freelieu highlighted Guard missions including cyber expansion, the new Air National Guard cyber squadron at Jackson Barracks, modernization of the 159th Fighter Wing, and ongoing support for homeland security missions in New Orleans and Washington, D.C. Maffus said GOSEP’s core mission remains emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, and that the merger is intended to make state support to parishes faster and more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• an association for everything: the brung goers, you know, the co-ops, the Sun Sweet, you know, the cattle
• The brungers, you know, the co-ops, the Sun Sweet, you know, the Cattle Range Association, my family's

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.