Transcript Highlights:

• I recognize the member from Benton, Representative Wolgamott.
• ><01:54:32.560><c> the</c><01:54:32.880><c> member</c><01:54:33.119><c> from</c><01:54:33.360><c> Benton
• ,</c> I recognize the member from Benton, I recognize the member from Benton, Representative<01:54:34.639

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Benton Court, Birdwell, Hall present, Hinojosa, Middleton, Parker, Perry, Schwertner, Zaffirini, Paxton
• Senator Benton, Court, thank you.

Bills: SB 5, SB 11, SB 12

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, human trafficking, trafficking victim, compelling prostitution, affirmative defense, criminal defense, coercion, force fraud or coercion, sexual exploitation, victim protection, Penal Code, Texas criminal law, prosecution, party liability, affirmative defense statute, survivor rights

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 5, which Senator Perry described as a ban on intoxicating THC consumer products while preserving legal CBD, CBG, hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil products. Perry argued that most retail THC products are already illegal under federal law, that the industry has used loopholes and misleading labeling to sell high-potency products, and that regulation would be ineffective because chemists can quickly alter formulations. He also said the bill would steer people with medical needs toward the Texas Compassionate Use Program (T-Cup), which he and other supporters described as the proper physician-guided alternative. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly discussed the distinction between legal hemp-derived products and intoxicating THC products, and Perry said the bill would not touch non-consumable hemp uses such as fiber and clothing. Invited testimony came from law enforcement and medical witnesses who supported the bill. Texas Police Chiefs Association representative Steve Dye, Kaufman County District Attorney Early Wiley, and Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne all said regulation would be too costly, too complex, and ultimately unenforceable, while a ban would be clearer and easier to enforce. They cited overloaded DPS labs, the need for expensive private testing, limited police and prosecutor resources, and the difficulty of keeping up with constantly changing cannabinoids and out-of-state products. Hawthorne and Wiley described raids and investigations involving warehouses, retail stores, cash seizures, and products they said were marketed to young people and often mislabeled or imported from other states. They also said the bill would help law enforcement by creating a clearer legal line and protecting legitimate CBD/CBG businesses. Dr. Lindy McGee, speaking for the Texas Medical Association and Texas Pediatric Society, testified that retail THC products pose serious risks to children and adolescents, including addiction, impaired brain development, psychosis, suicide attempts, self-harm, accidental toddler ingestions, and possible long-term cognitive effects. She said there is no effective medication treatment for THC addiction comparable to nicotine cessation tools, and she supported restrictions such as child-resistant packaging, no marketing to minors, and age limits, while opposing criminal penalties for possession by minors. Senators asked follow-up questions about brain development, memory, dementia risk, pregnancy, and cardiovascular effects. No vote was taken during the portion provided, and the committee continued with invited testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair recognizes Megan Benton, testifying on behalf of Texas Values Action and yourself, and you are
• My name is Megan Benton.

Bills: HB216

Keywords: HB216, Texas abortion law, abortion-inducing drug, medication abortion, mifepristone, misoprostol, telemedicine, in-person exam, physician presence, out-of-state physician, reproductive healthcare, abortion regulation, Health and Safety Code, Occupations Code, consultation services, remote prescribing, pro-life, pro-choice

Summary: The Committee on Public Health met with a quorum and heard public testimony on a long agenda, with members repeatedly reminded of a two-minute limit for witnesses. Several bills were voted out favorably, including HB 2588 on cottage food, HB 1639 on cancer incidence and female firefighters, HB 2581 on a reporting form for contracted services for pregnant women, and SB 922 on electronic disclosure of certain sensitive medical information. Those measures generally passed on party-line or near-unanimous votes, while HB 216 on itemized medical statements was left pending after the committee substitute was withdrawn. The committee also left pending HB 5141, HB 4638, HB 2035, HB 4813, HB 2264, HB 4014, and HB 3829 after hearing testimony and questions. The final item introduced in the excerpt was HB 4408 on health care market transparency and corporate consolidation, but the discussion was cut off before testimony or action was completed. A major theme of the hearing was mental health diversion and access to treatment. HB 5141, by Rep. Howard, would allow Travis County to use vacated Austin State Hospital property for a local mental health jail diversion center; law enforcement, the Travis County sheriff, county judge, and urban counties group all testified in support, describing the lack of alternatives for people in crisis and the burden on jails and emergency rooms. Members asked about eligible offenses, bed capacity, and whether the facility would serve only Travis County, and the bill was left pending. HB 2264, by Rep. Schoolcraft, would create a friends-and-family form for loved ones to provide information to providers during emergency mental health treatment; NAMI and hospital groups supported it, while one neutral witness and several members raised concerns about patient control, credibility of information, and liability protections. The bill was also left pending. The committee also heard multiple psychedelic-therapy and drug-policy bills. HB 4813 would speed Texas rescheduling of Schedule I substances if the FDA reclassifies them, with testimony focused on psilocybin and MDMA and their potential use for PTSD and depression; members questioned whether the bill was too broad and how state rescheduling works, and it was left pending. HB 4014 would direct HHSC to study psychedelic therapies, building on prior state research, and witnesses said Texas should prepare regulatory and clinical infrastructure before FDA approval; it too was left pending. HB 2035 would require parents to be informed that they may seek substance-use treatment for a child even if one facility turns them away, prompted by a constituent’s account of a fatal fentanyl overdose after receiving incorrect advice; it was left pending. HB 4638 would extend and expand the Texas Pharmaceutical Initiative board and timeline, with the author saying the program is still in early implementation and needs more time, and it was left pending as well. Other bills addressed public health administration and animal welfare. HB 3829 would require a study of the animal-friendly account and its grant process for spay/neuter funding, with the author arguing that the current application and reimbursement process is too burdensome for shelters and nonprofits; no opposition was heard and the bill was left pending. HB 2581 and HB 1639 were reported favorably, while HB 216 drew discussion about enforcement of itemized medical billing and was held after the committee substitute was withdrawn. Throughout the hearing, members also discussed broader concerns about homelessness, competency restoration waitlists, jail overcrowding, and the need for more treatment options outside the criminal justice system.

Transcript Highlights:

• call</c><00:24:13.760><c> up</c><00:24:14.279><c> uh</c><00:24:14.679><c> DJ</c><00:24:15.039><c> Benton
• Benton-Court, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 733-FN, a bill concerning third-party litigation financing (TPLF). Representative Cole, the prime sponsor, described TPLF as outside investors funding lawsuits in which they have no personal stake, arguing that the practice is largely unregulated, can involve foreign entities, increases litigation abuse, and contributes to higher insurance and consumer costs. He said the bill is modeled on an NCOIL proposal and would require disclosure of TPLF agreements, with guardrails and reporting requirements on specified pages of the bill. He also noted a couple of drafting fixes, including adding the word “knowingly” and incorporating a missing section later. Members raised questions about the bill’s foreign-entity language, especially the provision allowing a governor or the Department of Safety to designate a country as a threat to critical infrastructure. Representative Cole said he would have lawyers review that issue. Another member asked whether the bill would prohibit a party from obtaining outside funding for a lawsuit; Cole clarified that the bill is intended as a reporting measure, not a ban, and that disclosure would be required. He also said the bill is aimed at American citizens rather than foreign-backed financing, and that some states had considered caps on such arrangements, though this bill does not. Brandon Gratz of the Attorney General’s office testified that the enforcement language appears too limited, because it would allow only civil penalties and not broader Consumer Protection Act remedies such as injunctions or restitution. He suggested the Attorney General may not have meaningful authority under the bill as written and raised possible insurance-law issues. Commissioner D.J. Benton-Court of the Insurance Department said the disclosure could help insurers better assess risk and potentially soften the hard insurance market by improving transparency, competition, underwriting, innovation, and claims management. He also said the bill likely needs further work on jurisdiction and enforcement, and that the committee may need to coordinate with the Attorney General, Insurance Department, and possibly banking regulators. No vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the record,<00:36:07.599><c> DJ</c><00:36:07.920><c> Benton</c><00:36:08.240><c> Court,</c><00:36
• For the record, DJ Benton Court, commissioner of the insurance department.
• It's a great place to go skiing or hiking or to the mountains or lakes, but when younger people think

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee began by discussing 15 retained bills and the chair’s preference to keep them alive through interim study rather than kill them, using them as vehicles for further discussion and possible later amendments. The chair said the bills would be executed out by November and then move to the House floor in January, and members generally agreed that interim study was the prevailing motion for the retained bills. Several health-related bills were then discussed. On Senate Bill 247, concerning pharmacy network exclusion when PBM reimbursement is below acquisition cost, members said the issue had been presented differently in prior discussions and noted unfamiliar intermediaries such as PSAOs; the bill was viewed as too complex to resolve immediately, so interim study was favored. A bill on treatment alternatives to opiates was said to need an amendment from the Insurance Department, and a bill on self-funded employer access to claims data was described as having changed substantially through amendment; the sponsor explained it was intended to incentivize self-funded plans to opt into the state’s all-payer claims database (CHIS) so their data could be used for cost analysis, and members indicated a separate bill would be brought later. The committee spent the most time on a glucose monitoring bill, with testimony from a sponsor and a parent of a type 1 diabetic describing the medical benefits of continuous glucose monitors, especially for preventing dangerous lows and managing fluctuations. Opponents and committee members raised concerns about the cost of a mandate, the effect on premiums in the individual and small-group markets, and whether the bill should require coverage without a prescription; one member cited medical literature suggesting limited evidence for non-insulin users. The chair concluded the bill was headed to interim study and said the committee would do further homework on the economic impact, especially for type 1 coverage. The meeting then moved on to a bill about insurer audits and clawbacks, where the Insurance Department commissioner explained that the issue involved several separate provider-payment problems that had recently come to the department’s attention and that the department would provide a report and work with the sponsor on next steps.

Bills: SB161, SB195, SB216, SB245, SB246, SB257, SB258, SB260, SB278, SB281, SB283, SB93, SB98, SB99, SB306, SB314, SB315

Keywords: vehicle safety, crash test, crashworthiness, NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New Car Assessment Program, NCAP, motor vehicle safety standards, 49 CFR parts 571 and 572, THOR dummy, THOR-50M, THOR-05F, WorldSID, female crash test dummy, male crash test dummy, occupant protection, frontal impact, side impact, vehicle ratings, automotive safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Gentleman from Benton County. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Tourism doesn't only affect just Branson and Lake of the Ozarks. It affects the whole state.
• True, I worked in the tourism industry for many years down in the lakes area, Branson being specific.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• .<01:43:42.480><c> DJ</c><01:43:42.880><c> Benton</c><01:43:43.199><c> Court,</c><01:43:43.440><c> commissioner
• DJ Benton Court, commissioner committee.
• DJ Benton Court, commissioner of<01:43:43.840><c> the</c><01:43:43.920><c> New</c><01:43:44.000><c> Hampshire

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and west coast for skiing in the winter came to New Hampshire that year and rented a place in the lake
• a place in the lake and went skiing<00:10:29.279><c> in</c><00:10:29.680><c> New</c><00:10:29.920><c
• Um, this next bit, uh, DAS, all right, so uh, Lakes Region's facility sales.
• </c><00:18:00.480><c> Region's</c> um, all right, so uh, Lakes Region's um, all right, so uh, Lakes Region's
• Uh, DJ Benton Court.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Joanne Benton Court, representing SIFMA, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Gentleman from Benton. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal by roll call vote, 115-6. Members then used points of personal privilege to honor Redd Foxx for Black History Month and to remember former Mayor Frank Klipsch, followed by the introduction of a first-grade special guest page for the day. The chamber also received first readings of three bills on mental health efforts in public schools, public labor organizations, and state contracts with certain telecommunications companies, along with committee reports recommending passage of several bills. The House then debated and passed several measures. A large vehicle-inspection bill, House Committee Substitute for House Bills 1838, 1692, 1695, 1983, 2036, 2662, and 2743, drew extended debate over whether inspections improve safety or impose unnecessary costs; it passed 104-43. House Bill 1917, a Jefferson County water district bill aimed at removing a local obstacle to a long-planned development, passed 148-2. House Bill 261, as amended, was approved 109-21 to require Missouri schools and universities to adopt nondiscriminatory policies protecting Jewish students from antisemitic harassment, using the IHRA definition as a guide while stating it would not limit First Amendment rights. Members also passed House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2384, 92-61, which would limit local energy-code mandates and reduce housing construction costs, despite objections that it would preempt local control and roll back newer codes. The chamber then moved into perfection and took up House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2989, a major gaming-regulation bill intended to legalize and regulate video lottery terminals and crack down on illegal machines. Multiple amendments were adopted, including a $250-per-terminal fee dedicated to developmental disability services, local opt-out and operating-hour provisions, a shorter grace period for existing machines, property-tax language, a 21-and-over restricted area requirement, a larger warning label, and a historical funding provision for the steamboat Arabia. Debate continued on the bill and its amendments, with supporters emphasizing regulation, local control, and new revenue, and opponents warning about gambling expansion, enforcement problems, and social harms.

Transcript Highlights:

• It worked in Benton County and a sheriff was recalled there.

Bills: SB6147, SB6082, SB5862, SB5882, SB6323, SB6346, SB6162, SB6256, SB6220, SB5650, SB6343, SB6113, SB6211, SB6114, SB5898, SB6347, SB6244, SB5868, SB5762, SB5988, SB6194, SB6246, SB6223, SB6052, SB5828, SB5954, SB5963, SB5909, SGA9306

Keywords: grocery establishments, closure notice, consumer rights, local businesses, student financial aid, financial aid fraud, higher education, college enrollment fraud, fictitious students, ghost students, enrollment fraud, aid integrity, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, AI fraud, fraud prevention, Washington State, legislative audit, JLARC, full-time equivalent

Transcript Highlights:

• Alvarado, Benton, Court, Board, Well, Blanco, Campbell. 21 ayes, 10 days; rule is suspended.

Summary: The Senate first adopted a motion by Senator Zaffirini to suspend Senate Rule 5.14 and move the intent calendar deadline to 8:00 p.m. that day, also allowing the Secretary to make the calendar available as soon as practicable. The chamber then took up and passed several House bills, often by suspending the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule. HB 2128, relating to a study of rural firefighting and technical rescue capabilities, passed unanimously. HB 4157, on liability protections for commercial spaceflight and exploration, passed 28-3. HB 2240, concerning certain void marriages, passed after adoption of a Birdwell amendment extending filing deadlines to 90 days for certain active-duty service members and Foreign Service officers. HB 367, on verification of excused absences for students with severe or life-threatening illnesses, passed unanimously after clarifying school district forms and TEA model forms. HB 1506, expanding expedited handgun license eligibility to certain retired county court judges, passed 29-2. HB 4449, on alcohol sales in annexed municipal areas, passed 29-2. HB 3812, on health plan prior authorization requirements, passed 30-1. The Senate also announced a long list of bills and resolutions signed in the presence of the Senate. A major portion of the meeting centered on HB 521, a voting-related bill on curbside voting for voters with disabilities. Senator Paxton described it as an anti-misuse measure requiring a signed eligibility form for curbside voting, creating a 20-foot electioneering buffer, limiting election officer assistance in marking ballots unless a second officer is present, and adding reporting requirements for people who assist seven or more curbside voters. Senators Miles, Menendez, Johnson, Campbell, Cook, and others questioned whether the bill would burden disabled voters, create a de facto registry of volunteers, and impose a harsh Class A misdemeanor penalty for failing to complete the form. Paxton said the bill was intended to protect legitimate curbside voters and curb abuse, and the chamber adopted Paxton Floor Amendment No. 1 after a recorded vote. Zaffirini’s Floor Amendment No. 2, allowing an escorting voter to receive his or her own ballot at the curbside or entrance, was adopted. Menendez’s Floor Amendment No. 3 to reduce the penalty failed. The bill was then passed to third reading on a 20-11 vote, with a motion by Senator Miles to have the exchanges reduced to writing and placed in the journal adopted. The Senate also passed HB 3000, creating a grant program for rural ambulance service providers, after a comptroller-related amendment; HB 5616, establishing the Texas Presidential Library Promotion Program and funding for traveling exhibits, after narrowing the bill to mobile exhibits only; HB 4211, addressing certain residential property interests controlled by entities, which passed 30-1; HB 1178, creating temporary educator certificates for out-of-state certified educators and military spouses, which passed unanimously; HB 2243, creating the Texas Commission on Teacher Job Satisfaction and Retention, which passed after debate over the need to streamline education mandates; and HB 42, increasing and reallocating the constitutional Higher Education Fund appropriation by 50% to $1.18 billion, which passed 31-0. Finally, HB 2512, a Fort Worth-specific bill limiting ETJ release for land subject to active development agreements, passed after debate over broader ETJ and de-annexation policy, with a local-only clarifying amendment adopted and a proposed broader amendment withdrawn. The meeting ended with the Senate beginning consideration of HB 3372, which would bar school district administrators from receiving financial benefits tied to outside consulting or contracting with education entities, though the transcript cuts off during questions on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Benton, you know that I was just aghast by some of the testimony concerning squatters.

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, received a House message that H.B. 422 had passed the House, and heard gubernatorial nominations for the Council on Sex Offender Treatment. The chamber also recognized the Doctor of the Day and several visiting groups and adopted a resolution designating June 20, 2025, as Texas Nuclear Legislative Day. Members then considered and passed several bills and resolutions, often by suspending the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule. SB 311 passed to final passage on the Texas Supreme Court’s writ power. SB 883, on off-label prescription access for COVID-19 treatment, passed to engrossment. SB 1706, creating an Open Meetings Act exception for certain defense, military, and aerospace deliberations, passed despite concerns from Sen. Eckhardt that the bill’s use of “deliberate” could weaken open-government protections. CS SB 1677, directing a study on diabetes-related amputations, passed with support from Sen. Menendez. SB 1967 expanded flood infrastructure fund eligibility to certain multipurpose projects, and SB 1255, a cleanup bill on mold assessor and remediator regulation, passed unanimously. The Senate also approved CS SJR 40 and CS SB 871, which would change emergency and disaster law to require legislative involvement after prolonged or widespread emergencies and to limit gubernatorial suspension powers, with Sen. Eckhardt questioning whether the bill could slow urgent business closures during a disaster. Additional measures passed included SB 1426 transferring management of the First Capital State Historic Site to the Texas Historical Commission, SB 249 requiring TxDOT to fund memorial markers for fallen peace officers, SB 1592 centralizing collection of hotel occupancy taxes from accommodation intermediaries, SB 1271 allowing concurrent jurisdiction on military installations for certain juvenile matters, SB 745 creating a higher penalty for intoxication manslaughter involving multiple deaths, SB 365 shortening the academic fresh start waiting period at public colleges, and SB 1171 adjusting compensation and standards for certain Texas Juvenile Justice Department inspector general employees. CS SB 36, creating a Homeland Security Division within DPS, passed after questions about its relationship to federal homeland security and its focus on border security and critical infrastructure. The latter part of the session focused heavily on CS SB 38, a major eviction and squatter-related bill. Sen. Bettencourt described widespread squatter cases and argued the bill, with a Moody amendment, would clarify notice and eviction procedures while balancing property-owner and tenant rights. Sen. West said he supported addressing squatters but worried the broader eviction changes could harm vulnerable renters, especially single mothers, and said he would vote present not voting. The discussion continued with additional testimony from Sen. Kolkhorst about the need for a balanced eviction process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh Commissioner DJ Benton Court, &gt;&gt; We have 10 people that want to speak on &gt;&gt; We have 10
• 01:18:31.599><c> Uh</c><01:18:33.040><c> Commissioner</c><01:18:33.679><c> DJ</c><01:18:34.160><c> Benton
• Uh Commissioner DJ Benton time is up.
• Uh Commissioner DJ Benton Court, &gt;&gt; I'm<01:18:40.160><c> going</c><01:18:40.319><c> to</c><01:18
• Uh, for the record, DJ Benton, I have the pleasure of serving as the commissioner of the New Hampshire

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Not saying Lake Okeechobee is fixed or clean. It is an impaired lake. It is a eutrophic lake.
• of the lake.
• what Lake Recovery actually had on the lake.
• what Lake Recovery actually had on the lake.
• Of course, as we know, Lake Okeechobee is a major lake.

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met to hear presentations on Lake Okeechobee from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the South Florida Water Management District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. FWC described the lake as a major recreation, water supply, and habitat resource, and outlined its habitat management plan, including control of invasive plants, prescribed fire, and restoration of native vegetation. The agency said low water levels have helped submerged aquatic vegetation recover, with gains in 2025 exceeding 24,000 acres and meeting its target, while torpedo grass and floating invasive plants remain active management priorities. Senators asked about bass fishing trends and blue-green algae; FWC said water levels are the main driver of fishery health and that it was not seeing current water-quality impacts on bass, though algal blooms can affect habitat and wildlife. The South Florida Water Management District focused on nutrient pollution, lake ecology, and restoration projects across the watershed. Director Drew Bartlett said the district’s work is aimed at reducing harmful discharges, improving water quality, and moving more water south to the Everglades through storage and treatment projects, including the EAA Reservoir, C-43 and C-44 reservoirs, aquifer storage and recovery, and wetland treatment areas. He said the state and federal governments have invested about $9 billion in restoration, roughly split 50-50, and that the EAA Reservoir is now targeted for completion in 2029. He also said Lake Okeechobee BMAP participation is around 92% and that recent data show phosphorus and nitrogen loading declines, though the lake remains impaired and eutrophic. An industry witness from Associated Industries of Florida said the BMAP and agricultural best management practices are producing measurable improvements and urged continued funding for water storage and treatment. The Army Corps of Engineers then explained LOSOM and Lake Recovery operations, saying the new operating approach balances flood control, water supply, navigation, ecology, and estuary protection. Colonel Brandon Bowman said Lake Recovery was implemented in late 2024 to bring the lake below 12 feet long enough to help submerged vegetation rebound, and reported that the lake met both recovery metrics, with water levels low enough to support a major increase in SAV from about 4,000 acres to 28,000 acres in 2025. He also noted benefits such as improved water clarity and more Okeechobee gourd plants, but acknowledged drawbacks including reduced navigation and some impacts to wading birds and snail kites. Senators pressed the Corps on the C-44 reservoir’s sloughing issue; Bowman said repairs are underway, the problem is geological rather than a safety failure, and the Corps expects to award a contract by 2027 and complete work by 2030. The committee did not take any substantive vote on the presentations and adjourned after Senator Smith moved to do so.

Transcript Highlights:

• What is a conduit lake? What's the difference? Conduit lake versus?
• So we have those lakes.
• And you have three lakes that are there, you said? We have one lake.
• The lake that we have..." "...The lake that we have, we have a central park with our lake.
• a lake now?

Summary: The committee heard several water and energy-related measures. SB 1200, as amended by a Griffin strike-everything amendment, addressed the Arizona Department of Water Resources’ treatment of certain “conduit lakes” in active management areas. ADWR testified neutral on the bill but opposed the amendment as written, saying it could grandfather in lakes that are currently in violation of the lakes statute and create water-management concerns. HOA and industry witnesses argued the bill would simply clarify and restore a prior interpretation for existing communities that rely on lakes to move groundwater and effluent for irrigation, while avoiding costly redesigns. The committee adopted the strike-everything amendment and then passed SB 1200 with a due pass recommendation by a 6-3 vote. The committee then considered SB 1419, which would tighten consumer protections for residential rooftop solar sales and installations by adding disclosure, inspection, and contractor-responsibility requirements. County and solar-industry witnesses said the bill was the product of a lengthy stakeholder process and was intended to address misleading sales practices and roof-damage concerns, while noting additional floor amendments were still expected. The committee adopted the Griffin amendment and passed SB 1419 with a due pass recommendation by a 6-1 vote, with two members voting present. SB 1447, which extends certain groundwater withdrawal fee exemptions and fund deadlines in the Pinal Active Management Area, was supported by irrigation and municipal water users as a needed bridge for infrastructure and conservation efforts amid Colorado River uncertainty; it passed 7-1. SB 1560, increasing the maximum single loan from the water supply development revolving fund from $3 million to $20 million, was backed by WIFA as necessary to meet larger rural water project needs; it passed 8-1. Finally, the committee heard SCM 1004, a memorial asking Congress to clearly define the EPA’s powers and duties. One speaker opposed it as unnecessary, but the memorial was approved on a 6-2 vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• What is a conduit lake? What's the difference? Conduit lake versus?
• And you have three lakes that are there, you said? We have one lake.
• The lake that we have... we have a central park with our lake."
• back into the lake.
• a lake now?

Bills: SB1137, SB1200, SB1419, SB1447, SB1560, SCM1004

Keywords: underground utilities, utility locating, dig safe, call before you dig, 811, excavation safety, damage prevention, one-call center, locate request, white lining, large project coordination, buried infrastructure, subsurface utilities, utility marking, locator wire, locator strip, interactive positive response system, landlord duties, apartment community, mobile home park

Transcript Highlights:

• Big Creek Lake is my home. Wilmer, Alabama. Big Creek Lake is my home.
• group that studied the lake.
• across areas of the lake to protect the lake.
• Somebody mentioned Lake Py earlier... Somebody mentioned Lake Py earlier.
• I catch catfish from the lake during... The lake became a place...

Bills: HB471, HB473

Keywords: water authority, sewer management, fire protection, local governance, board of directors, local officers, water recreation, public access, water bodies, recreational use, water commissions, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then, as to the lakes: Upper Des Lacs Lake, Lake Metigoshe, Long Lake, Sweetwater Lake, Painted Woods
• Lake, and Devils Lake.
• , Upper Delax Lake, Lake, Midagoshi, Long Lake, Sweetwater Lake, Painted Woods Lake, and Devil's Lake
• , Lake Irving, the Chain Lakes.
• Lake.

Keywords: 908, all