Transcript Highlights:

• Agricultural use could be pasture land.
• Agricultural use could be pasture land.
• Agricultural use could be pasture land.
• abandoned strip mine lands or strip mine<00:07:43.400><c> lands</c><00:07:44.240><c> even</c><00:07:
• </c><00:08:54.920><c> so</c> be used as production uh crop land so be used as production uh crop land

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and took up House Bills 640, 641, and 790. HB 640 would authorize the Energy and Environment Cabinet to adopt regulations to control invasive non-native plant species, with testimony focusing on the threat posed by species such as callery pear/Bradford pear to native plants, forest health, and the economy. Members asked whether the bill itself would ban Bradford pears; the sponsor clarified that it would not directly ban them, but would give the cabinet regulatory authority. The bill received a favorable expression by roll call. HB 641 addressed coal combustion byproducts, explaining that the bill would help preserve landfill space by allowing these materials to be reused as special waste in places such as abandoned strip mines or underground mines, and would clarify that reclaimed land could qualify for agricultural use such as pasture, hay, or crop production. Members raised concerns about groundwater and runoff; the sponsor and another member argued that placing the material under cover would reduce exposure compared with open piles currently sitting at power plants. After discussion, the bill passed with favorable expression, with a few members passing on the vote. HB 790, as amended by committee substitute, was described as substantially narrowed from its original form. The substitute removed setback requirements and instead required construction certificate holders for solar merchant electric generating facilities to report federal and state incentives used for siting, construction, and operation, with the cabinet compiling and submitting an annual report to the General Assembly. The committee approved the substitute and the bill passed with favorable expression. At the end of the meeting, members were also reminded of a later TVA energy update meeting and the chair noted ongoing work on Senate Bill 89, with possible future action and a special meeting if revised language is ready.

Transcript Highlights:

• Not a trust fund, not a fortune, but land—rough, vast, stubborn land.
• Land held in common, public land. Land that doesn't give much unless you work for it.
• These lands are not idle and they are not empty.
• up to 2,500-acre lots of land. of, meaning sell up to 2,500-acre lots of land, without ever telling
• We all know that he's super passionate about public lands.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are four categories of land that are classified and assessed on current use: open space lands,
• farm and agricultural lands, timber lands, and designated forest land.
• That land is a lot of land... ...agricultural lands, timber lands, and designated forest land.
• So in certain conditions, cities can do land swaps. This bill can do land swaps.
• In counties like Thurston, where nearly all of the land that's CARA is, nearly all of the land in Thurston

Summary: The Senate Local Government and State Parks Committee heard several bills focused on local government finance, land use, and public safety. SB 5903 would deem a cemetery district commissioner elected if only one qualified candidate files, with sponsor Senator Cortez saying it would save ballot-printing costs and local resources; there was no testimony in opposition. SB 6037 would create or modify a voter-approved option for cities and towns to form a single-city fire protection district, adjust levy and notice rules, allow administrative service contracts with the city, and clarify commissioner elections; Senator Cortez and multiple city and fire officials said it would give communities more flexible, locally controlled funding tools for fire service, while committee members asked about how it would work and the fiscal impact. SB 5983 would exempt certain current-use land transferred to a government entity for right-of-way from rollback taxes when the transfer is tied to development conditions and stays within a 20% acreage limit; Senator Leas described it as helping a family farm avoid an unfair tax bill, and there was no testimony on the bill. The committee also heard SB 5995, which would remove the 2031 sunset on the prohibition against using port funds to buy fully automated marine container cargo handling equipment. The sponsor and labor witnesses argued the bill protects jobs, keeps public dollars from underwriting automation, and still allows zero-emission, human-operated equipment; port and labor representatives testified in strong support, while the sign-in sheet showed substantial public interest both for and against. SB 6016 would change how urban growth area swaps treat critical aquifer recharge areas, making the rules for annual and periodic updates more consistent and allowing swaps if they do not increase net CARA acreage within the UGA; the sponsor, Commerce, housing, business, and development interests said it was a technical fix that supports housing and consistency, while one witness warned it could weaken groundwater protections and create litigation risk. Finally, the committee heard SB 6066, which would let counties, cities, towns, or WSDOT designate “accident risk zones” on roads with repeated crashes, require a public hearing and engineering review, double certain traffic penalties in the zone, and dedicate half the extra revenue to safety improvements before dissolving the zone. Supporters from cities, counties, and Pasco said it could help address dangerous intersections and fund fixes, though several witnesses raised liability and implementation concerns and asked for further stakeholder work. No votes were taken in the transcript; the chair closed each hearing after testimony and sign-in counts were noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1517, relating to public lands, authorizes BLNR to lease public lands for recreational residential
• </c> auction basically equated to the land auction basically equated to the land value<00:16:38.720><
• and Natural Resources lands.
• </c> land and natural resources lands land and natural resources lands appropriates<01:26:30.320><c>
• Quit putting it on Native Hawaiian lands and Crown lands.

Summary: The Water and Land Committee heard several measures related to DLNR, coastal management, and public lands. SB 561, which appropriates funds for conservation enforcement equipment for the Oʻahu branch of DOCARE, drew broad support from DLNR and multiple organizations, with the chair noting 18 supporters and no opposition. SB 465 would require DLNR to study the carrying capacity of Kīkiʻola Small Boat Harbor on Kauaʻi and report to the Legislature; DLNR supported the intent but suggested the study be timed with an ongoing $41 million capital improvement project. Senator Kouchi explained the bill was meant to close a permit loophole that has allowed operators to increase passenger capacity without additional approval, while one testifier opposed the measure as unnecessary and late. Supporters included county and community representatives, while some written testimony opposed it. The committee also heard SB 1456, which broadens the definition of beach restoration to include work on eroded beaches and degraded dune systems, including sand management, native vegetation, and removal of abandoned materials. DLNR, the University of Hawaiʻi, and other testifiers supported the measure as an administrative update. SB 1460 would require BLNR lease extensions to use updated forms reflecting current leasing practices; DLNR supported it as an administrative bill. SB 1517 would authorize public land leases for recreational residential use by public lottery limited to county residents. DLNR supported the bill, and Chipper Wiman and others testified that it would help preserve Kauaʻi’s historic recreational cabins and create fairness for local families; the committee also heard concerns about older cabins, market-based auction prices, and the need to keep these leases affordable for residents. The committee then heard SB 1511, which would prohibit vessels longer than 75 feet from entering Honoliʻi Bay, with an exemption for government vessels; DLNR and at least one additional testifier supported it. SB 1019 would allow the Ocean Stewardship Special Fund to be used for beach restoration planning and grants to nonprofits for cleanup, but DLNR said that purpose fit better under the separate Beach Restoration Special Fund, and the Ocean Tourism Coalition opposed the bill on that basis. Finally, SB 1457 would authorize DLNR to issue interim rules on commercial and recreational water sports equipment use for up to two years; DLNR described it as an adaptive-management tool for changing conditions, while multiple water-sports operators and residents opposed it, arguing it would reduce public participation, expand agency power, and target the foiling community. The hearing closed with the chair noting heavy opposition to SB 1457, including 88 written testimonies against it and only a few in support.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you can see on this map, each state is home to a land grant, and each dot represents a land grant
• Well, been... ...down at lands.
• And first up is Department of Lands. This is about the Endowment Land Exchange.
• She's on the Land Board, and I see a bunch of Land Board staffers here as well.
• What the land is providing now versus the proposed exchange land? Yes.

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from University of Idaho representatives on the university’s land-grant mission and its role in federalism, followed by detailed overviews of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Natural Resources. Speakers described the Morrill, Hatch, and Smith-Lever Acts, the university’s history, and examples of research, extension, and workforce training in agriculture, engineering, law, forestry, fire science, and youth programs such as 4-H. They highlighted facilities and programs including research stations, the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, the deep soil ecotron, the Wildland Fire Center, the experimental forest, and the policy analysis group, while also noting the impact of federal and state funding delays and cuts on staffing and research capacity. Committee members asked about several current issues, including quagga mussels, screw worm, chronic wasting disease, and the effects of funding cuts. University officials said they were not actively researching some of those wildlife and livestock disease issues but were willing to help if capacity and funding allowed. They also said budget reductions had caused real losses, including layoffs and reduced programs, and that federal grant delays had disrupted research timelines. The committee also raised questions about conflicts of interest and university employees’ outside work; the university said it has annual conflict-of-interest and conflict-of-commitment training and review procedures. The committee then heard from Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse and the Idaho Sheriffs Association on the federal 287(g) immigration partnership program. Hulse argued that participation should remain voluntary and locally controlled, describing the different 287(g) models, the training and liability concerns, and the distinction between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement. He said Idaho agencies already cooperate with ICE in other ways and that mandatory participation could create staffing, legal, and community-trust problems. Members asked about costs, liability, detention standards, and whether deputies lose local control under task force arrangements; Hulse said the answer depends on the specific model and operation, and he emphasized the need for local discretion. Later, the committee took testimony on the long-running bighorn sheep and domestic sheep conflict affecting western Idaho grazing allotments. Idaho Wool Growers representatives and affected ranchers described the history of state legislation, federal litigation, and the closure of grazing areas after bighorn sheep transplants, which they said cut livestock operations in half and caused major financial and personal hardship. They argued that the state and federal agencies had not lived up to assurances that permittees would be held harmless, and they urged continued attention to the issue. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Community land trusts are a viable solution to building affordable housing in which land is held in trust
• Community land trusts are a land trusts.
• ><c> the</c><00:02:32.959><c> upfront</c> Community land trusts reduce the upfront Community land trusts
• Community land trusts affordable.
• </c> land trust homes. land trust homes.

Bills: HF3600 , HF3809 , HF3608

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: housing, community land trusts, competitive development, development programs, Minnesota, HF3809, Minnesota eviction law, landlord-tenant, residential lease, minor child, children in eviction, eviction complaint, defendant prohibition, expedited eviction, expedited hearing, summary eviction, tenant protections, housing policy, civil penalty, nonwaivable lease terms

Transcript Highlights:

• c> which</c> the public land trust seated lands which the public land trust seated lands which is<01:
• </c> public lands including um seated lands public lands including um seated lands or<01:09:53.279><c
• of public land.
• has management control over the land or disposition of the land, their statutes would control.
• Lānaʻi Community Land Trust and Northwest Community Land Trust Coalition in support.

Committee: House Housing

Summary: The Committee on Housing held a public hearing on January 31 and heard testimony on a series of housing and building-code bills. The first major item, HB 1 relating to building codes, drew sharply divided testimony. Supporters, including BIA Hawaii, Grassroot Institute, Dr. Horton, and several builders and trade groups, argued the current code-adoption process is slow, fragmented, and costly, and that reform would help housing production. Opponents, including Sierra Club Hawaii, AIA Hawaii, ICC, and labor representative Kiko Bosi, said the bill would weaken public safety, reduce statewide consistency, and could leave tenants and first responders at greater risk. No vote was taken during the hearing, and members asked questions about the effect of a governor’s emergency proclamation suspending the Building Code Council and about county authority over code amendments. The committee then heard HB 745 and HB 1321, both also relating to building codes. Grassroot Institute supported both measures, saying the system is broken and needs streamlining, while BIA Hawaii and others emphasized the cost burden of repeated code updates. Opponents, especially Bosi and ICC, argued that the bills would undermine the State Building Code Council’s role, create confusion, and prioritize cost over safety; Bosi also said labor should be included in any code discussions. Members questioned whether counties can remove state code provisions and whether the state code already supersedes county codes, and one member noted the need for clarity and consistent enforcement rather than a wholesale overhaul. Later, the committee heard HB 284 on housing, HB 761 on county permitting and inspection, and HB 738 on historic preservation. HB 284 drew support from several housing and real estate groups, while DLNR opposed it. On HB 761, HHFDC supported the bill, DLNR warned that the proposed changes could jeopardize Hawaii’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, DAGS said it would likely need to duplicate county permitting staff, and the Department of Planning and Permitting opposed it; Grassroot Institute and NAIOP supported it. For HB 738, HHFDC, DLNR, Grassroot Institute, Hawaii YIMBY, NAIOP, and others supported the measure, with Grassroot and NAIOP suggesting clarifications so expedited review would also cover mixed-use projects and better define the scope of work. The transcript does not show any final votes or committee action on these bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Survey Fund to fund the Missouri Land Survey program.
• So it's a $1 total increase and increases the land survey fund to $2.
• I'm a professional land surveyor.
• We have Riggs Brothers Land Surveying in West Plains.
• We as land surveyors, professional land surveyors, depend on this program.

Committees: House Agriculture , House Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources

Summary: The Agriculture Committee met with a quorum and heard only House Bill 2422, sponsored by Rep. Haley. The bill would raise the user fee collected when instruments are recorded from $4 to $5, with the additional dollar going to the Missouri Land Survey Fund, and would also give the Department of Agriculture rulemaking authority to set fees tied to production and reproduction costs for certain records. The sponsor and Department of Agriculture witnesses said the current $1 allocation has not kept pace with costs since it was set in 1969 and that the program needs the increase to remain solvent and continue its land survey and repository functions. Committee members generally expressed support for the land survey program and its public value, especially the availability of records online and the program’s role in preserving survey monuments and historical land records. Several members asked about the fiscal figures, how the need for future increases would be measured, and whether the department should have rulemaking authority. The sponsor and department said the program is fee-funded, revenues are projected from monthly filings, and the rulemaking language is intended to clarify the process for adjusting repository-related fees. Testimony in favor came from Trinity Crouch of the Department of Agriculture, Ray Riggs of Howell County and the Missouri Society of Professional Land Surveyors, and a lobbyist for the Missouri Society of Professional Land Surveyors. They said the program is efficient, important to surveyors and the public, and that without the repository system survey costs could rise significantly. No one testified in opposition, and the hearing on HB 2422 was concluded without a vote taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Farmers dealing with the threat of losing part of their land and splitting their land up into bits because
• Occasionally, they will lease land, but it seems to be pretty rare.
• just because of the hassle and go through private land?"
• just because of the hassle and go through private land?"
• And there's a parcel of land where most of the community is on board.

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Summary: The Special Committee on Rural Issues heard House Bill 3375, sponsored by Rep. Koslow, a broad eminent domain reform measure aimed at protecting landowners, especially farmers and ranchers. The bill would create protections for beginning farmers and ranchers, require 15 days’ notice before surveyors enter property, extend the response period in eminent domain cases from 10 days to 60 days, bar eminent domain for wind and solar facilities, require land restoration and maintenance after construction, increase compensation to 125% of fair market value in certain cases, add tax-liability compensation, change treatment of heritage and blight-related compensation, and allow attorney’s fees when a landowner wins a higher award than the condemning authority offered. Members raised concerns about the bill’s scope, its effect on energy development, and several drafting and implementation issues, including surveyor access, maintenance standards, and whether the bill could create conflicts with existing attorney-fee provisions. The sponsor said he was open to changes and noted that an HCS would address some drafting errors and feedback. Testimony in support came from the Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, a landowner/banker, and attorney Brent Hayden, who argued that landowners are often pressured into quick, low offers and should be treated as partners rather than obstacles. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency, due process, compensation, and restoration standards, and that it would not stop infrastructure development. Hayden described current eminent domain practice as giving landowners little leverage over route selection or restoration and said the bill would create needed discipline for condemning authorities. Several supporters also defended the wind-and-solar restriction as a response to the amount of land those projects can require and to concerns about using eminent domain for generation projects. Opposition came from the Missouri Energy Development Association, municipal utilities, and MoDOT. Opponents said they agreed some reforms may be reasonable but warned the bill, as written, could increase costs, delay projects, and create litigation risk that would ultimately be passed on to customers and taxpayers. MoDOT said the fiscal impact could be substantial, potentially doubling annual right-of-way spending. Utility representatives also cautioned that the bill could conflict with existing attorney-fee rules and should be aligned with compromise language from other legislation. The hearing ended without a vote or committee action, with the sponsor and witnesses indicating further negotiations and possible revisions were expected.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:06.080><c> a</c> Americans throughout this great land a Americans throughout this great land
• </c><02:47:04.319><c> exchange</c> Service to enter into a land exchange Service to enter into a land
• </c> and burning are completed on that land and burning are completed on that land in<02:57:37.880><c
• 03:09:24.319><c> contains</c> located the piece of land also contains located the piece of land also
• </c><03:09:57.560><c> contains</c> Covenant restricted fee land contains Covenant restricted fee land

Bills: HR187 , HR186 , HR375 , HR165 , HR204 , HR197 , HR207

Keywords: government oversight, accountability, federal employees, transparency, administrative leave, Elon Musk, conflict of interest, government efficiency, federal contracts, renewable fuels, ethanol, E15, ethanol-15, renewable fuel standard, RFS, RINs, renewable identification numbers, refinery capacity, farmers, refiners

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of it is prime land; would that be exempt?
• Some of it is prime land; would that be exempt?
• Some of it is prime land; would that be exempt?
• ><c> cut</c><01:24:32.679><c> off</c> in my town just the land that's cut off in my town just the land
• </c><02:04:30.559><c> from</c> as a result of removing land from as a result of removing land from current

Committee: Senate Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• The statute includes a list of land divisions that are exempt from subdivision laws.
• You know, you have a piece of land. You're breaking it up.
• The second step is the land use.
• And as I said before, certain land divisions are exempt from subdivision laws.
• , forest lands, and mineral resource lands adjacent to short-line railroads may be developed for freight

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee heard several land use and infrastructure bills. SB 5633 on subdivision of land drew the most discussion: staff described a broad rewrite that would move many subdivision decisions from legislative bodies to administrative personnel, limit or eliminate public hearings for preliminary plats, require notice to nearby landowners, set completeness and 100-day decision timelines, and streamline concurrent review of related permits. Builders, Realtors, and some cities supported the bill as a long-overdue modernization that could reduce delays and housing costs, while county and city representatives raised concerns about eliminating public hearings, implementation details, and local accountability. The committee also heard SB 6274 on street standards and frontage improvements, which would require jurisdictions to identify infrastructure barriers to infill and middle housing and periodically review street and frontage standards; supporters said frontage mandates can make housing infeasible, while local government witnesses warned about conflicts with safety, ADA, and transportation goals. SB 6309 on high-capacity transit permits would let Sound Transit apply for permits before acquiring property and before some land use decisions, and would allow certain development agreements and subdivision exemptions to speed transit delivery; Sound Transit and city representatives supported it, and the committee waived the five-day notice rule to hear it. The committee also took testimony on SB 6279, which would incorporate the wildland-urban interface code into the state building code after statewide wildfire maps are completed and require state and local coordination on defensible space and local amendments. Supporters framed it as needed wildfire resilience planning, while opponents from counties, builders, environmental groups, and local officials argued the bill was premature, too rigid, and potentially inconsistent with environmental laws, local conditions, and insurance realities; several asked for more local flexibility, clearer map processes, and changes to the timing and scope of adoption. SB 6291 would extend from two to four years the period during which local health jurisdiction staff may inspect on-site wastewater systems under supervision before certification; public health officials supported it as a workforce and training fix, saying the current timeline is too short and costly. The committee also heard SB 5903, SB 6016, SB 5820, SB 6132, and SB 6189 in executive session, adopted substitutes on some bills, and advanced SB 6016, SB 5820, SB 6132, and SB 6189 out of committee by due-pass votes, with SB 6016 receiving a substitute and a member noting support but remaining concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> um adversely the smaller land owners. um adversely the smaller land owners.
• </c> own you know a thousand acres of land. own you know a thousand acres of land.
• </c> income to own land. income to own land.
• keep the land productive.
• land to keep<02:16:32.160><c> the</c><02:16:32.319><c> land</c> keep the land keep the land uh<02:16:

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• The vast majority of that fishing occurs on public lands, and a lot of it occurs on state-managed lands
• Can you help me understand if some of this money is going to try to turn land into land of wilderness
• This is not to create more federal land.
• I mean, not only oil and gas development on public land, but I would also cite the state trust land up
• been tailored to those land development entities.

Committee: House House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• person lives on a tribal land, but we do know that people who live on tribal lands are exposed to some
• person lives on a tribal land, but we do know that people who live on tribal lands are exposed to some
• very large portions of land.
• Those lands do not matter, but because sometimes they can encompass very large portions of land that
• Turnout on tribal lands trails behind turnout off tribal lands in every federal election across every

Summary: The committee heard a work session on voting access on tribal lands, beginning with a presentation from Dr. Chelsea Jones of the Brennan Center. She described barriers affecting Native voters and voters on tribal lands, including long travel distances to polling places and drop boxes, nontraditional addresses, unreliable postal service, language access, and limited broadband. Citing research, she said turnout on tribal lands trails turnout off tribal lands by about 10 percentage points nationally and about 10% in Washington, with larger gaps in some convenience voting measures. Members asked about the meaning of “lost votes,” the role of tribal leadership and community trust, and whether outreach by election officials and candidates could help; Dr. Jones emphasized that the study measured missed voting opportunities, not missing ballots, and that partnerships with trusted community leaders are important. The University of Washington Elections Database then presented data on voter registration, turnout, signature challenges, curing, and ballot rejection for voters whose addresses fall within tribal reservation boundaries. The presenters said registration on reservations increased from about 107,000 in 2010 to 137,000 in 2024, turnout on reservations remained about 8 to 9 percentage points lower than outside reservations in recent general elections, and signature-challenge and rejection rates were generally low but somewhat higher in off-year elections. They reported that about 60% to two-thirds of signature-challenged ballots are cured, with cure rates similar inside and outside reservations, and that late return is the most common reason for primary ballot rejection while signature mismatch is the leading cause in general elections. A question was raised about USPS postmarking issues and how those might affect future data; the presenters said they plan to track return method and cure timing more closely. The committee also received an overview of the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs. Staff reviewed the office’s history, the Centennial Accord, the Millennium Agreement, and related state-tribal frameworks, and GOIA Director Tim Rainan described the office’s role as a bridge between the state and tribal governments, including consultation, policy coordination, training, and convening work groups. He said GOIA now has six positions, is part of the governor’s executive cabinet, and is working on a statewide tribal relations training module and consultation handbook. In response to a question, he said tribal voting is not a major topic at the Centennial Accord but is discussed more extensively through ATNI. The committee then shifted to contracting equity, hearing from WSDOT, DES, OMWBE, and the Office of Equity. WSDOT described its race-neutral small business and veteran goals, mentorship and support programs, and its response to the federal suspension of the DBE program; DES discussed statewide contracting spend, the EDGE pilot for small construction firms, and efforts to improve procurement access; OMWBE reported growth in certified firms and about $371 million in state spend with certified firms in the most recent year, while noting ongoing impacts from federal DBE changes; and the Office of Equity outlined its broader work on agency consultation, dashboards, and systems change. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill only speaks to vacant, unimproved lands owned by school districts.
• This bill only speaks to vacant, unimproved lands owned by school districts.
• So your last comment was that it doesn't apply to any forward-acquired land.
• within the school district about what we should do with that vacant land.
• I don't understand why we would be suspicious of school districts that own land.

Summary: The Education Administration Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered several education-related bills. CS/HB 1085 on local government cybersecurity was presented as a measure to codify an existing grant program that has helped secure more than 200 local governments, especially rural and fiscally constrained ones; Florida League of Cities supported it, and it passed 15-0. PCS/HB 371 on patriotic displays at public schools would require, subject to appropriation, display of portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in school common areas for America’s 250th anniversary; one opponent argued it would create complaint-driven enforcement and pressure educators, but the sponsor said the PCS narrowed the original classroom requirement, and the bill passed 16-0. PCS/HB 833 on private school facilities would deem small private schools of 150 students or fewer a permitted use in commercial and mixed-use zoning districts and allow use of certain existing buildings if fire and occupancy standards are met. Supporters said it would reduce local red tape and expand school choice, while opponents warned it would divert public resources and weaken public education; several members raised concerns about local traffic and safety authority. The sponsor said she was open to further amendments, and the bill passed 13-3. PCS/HB 1147 on school district unimproved real property would require districts to submit annual inventories of vacant, unimproved land to the Department of Education for transparency and planning; some members and a Monroe County school board member questioned the need for a state registry, while supporters said it would improve data and accountability. The bill passed 12-3. The committee then considered HB 615 on individualized education plans (IEPs), which would strengthen parent notification and access to service logs, require individualized orientation for newly eligible students, and standardize district service logs. An amendment removed notification requirements when a missed service was due to student absence, and it was adopted. The bill drew emotional testimony from a student and parent describing missed accommodations, along with support from Disability Rights Florida and several members who emphasized parent partnership and accountability; one ESE teacher said the bill was a good start but more staffing and support are needed. The bill passed unanimously 15-0, and the meeting adjourned after all agenda items were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• I own land in Tilton, but I also land.
• intensive land uses.
• intensive land uses.
• intensive land uses.
• In addition to the fact that we're hoarding land out of, and I don't mean all land, not land that's important

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Land is, in fact, infrastructure.
• Private donors are interested in the conserving of land, private land, but Oftentimes, there's a need
• The Texas Land Trust Council is kind of the coalition of the 30-plus land trusts here in the state.
• trust to protect our working lands.
• Let's land the plane.

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• Farmers dealing with the threat of losing part of their land and splitting their land up into bits because
• Occasionally, they will lease land, but that seems to be pretty rare.
• Occasionally, they will lease land, but that seems to be pretty rare.
• just because of the hassle and go through private land?
• And there's a parcel of land where most of the community is on board.

Committee: House Special Committee on Rural Issues

Transcript Highlights:

• Though it defines religious land as land that is leased by a religious organization for a term of at
• Religious land is defined as land owned by a religious organization and that a municipality...
• My focus is on land-use law.
• Unrelated occupancy limits do not change land uses; they only affect land users.
• Unrelated occupancy limits do not change land uses; they only affect land users.

Bills: HB24 , HB2015 , HB2149 , HB2559 , HB2701 , HB2797 , HB3172 , HB24

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: zoning, public notice, local government, residential development, protests, water conservation, municipal utility districts, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, environmental regulation, groundwater management, nonconforming uses, zoning regulations, land use, property rights, municipal authority, municipal moratorium, development moratorium, property development, subdivision, site plan