Transcript Highlights:

• A nuclear facility is a quiet operation.
• A nuclear facility is a quiet operation.
• Air quality permits will require staged operation for engine testing and tracking of the engine usage
• We would never issue a permit for a new facility if it's going to impact someone who already has a permit
• Your operational flexibility is much higher.

Summary: The committee met in Grand Forks, approved the February 26 minutes by voice vote, and recessed for a tour of Minnkota Power Cooperative before hearing presentations on large energy consumers and related infrastructure issues. The first presentation, from the North Dakota Transmission Authority, focused on the need for better local decision-making tools for counties, townships, and planning and zoning boards facing major projects such as transmission lines, pipelines, data centers, wind, solar, and large-scale agriculture. The speaker urged more objective, data-driven analysis, noted that local officials often have limited time and resources, and said the state should support training and tools through groups like the League of Cities and the Association of Counties. Members asked about proactive outreach, data center ordinances, and how to avoid subsidizing large loads or causing reliability problems. The Division of Air Quality then discussed environmental oversight of data centers, emphasizing that North Dakota’s air remains among the cleanest in the country and that the agency’s role is limited to air, water discharge, stormwater, and waste—not zoning or water use. The presentation explained that data centers generally have low direct emissions but may rely on diesel backup generators when the grid is unavailable, which creates air-quality concerns; the department said it is requiring air monitors at some projects to collect real-world data and guide future decisions. Members asked about generator emissions, misinformation, monitoring costs, and staffing succession, and the agency said permit applicants pay for the monitors while the state handles some QA work. The Department of Water Resources followed with an overview of North Dakota water law and data center water use. The director explained the state’s prior-appropriation system, the public-interest review for permits, and the large overall water supply available from groundwater and the Missouri River. He said most proposed data centers use closed-loop cooling systems and generally request relatively small amounts of water compared with other uses such as power plants, irrigation, and oilfield operations, and that even a worst-case data center scenario would use only a tiny fraction of Missouri River flow. Questions focused on downstream impacts and comparisons to fracking water use, and the director said the state’s use is too small to materially affect downstream users. Later, McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd-Erickson testified online about data center zoning and permitting. He asked the committee to have Legislative Council gather information on how other states handle data center permitting and to keep the topic on the interim agenda. He argued that local zoning should remain local, but said counties lack the technical and legal resources to manage complex reclamation or bonding requirements and that state-level enabling legislation may be more appropriate. He also recommended eliminating tax incentives for data centers. The committee chair said staff would prepare a document on other states’ zoning and permitting approaches. After a lunch recess, the committee reconvened at the EERC, where CEO Charles Gorecki gave an overview of the center’s 75 years of work and its role in oil and gas, carbon management, and other energy technologies, highlighting enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide utilization as major opportunities for future production and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just here to answer any technical or operational questions.
• They were permitted by the city.
• There's no attempt to do anything with the building permit question that you had.
• When these operators have a service line that operates fully within an intercity rail corridor, all operators
• SB 1425 will establish a permit program administered by the authority, SB 1425 will establish a permit

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard several bills on transportation, privacy, enforcement, and high-speed rail, with most measures discussed under a quorum and then formally voted on later. SB 953 by Senator Nilo would add two DMV points for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter cases that are dismissed through diversion; the author, a victim’s mother, and CHP representatives argued it would help identify high-risk drivers, while no opposition witnesses appeared. SB 1292 by Senator Richardson, as amended, would let certain cities use stationary cameras or sensors to enforce curb and loading-zone rules, with human review of citations; supporters said it would improve compliance and safety, while a privacy group remained cautious but said the amendments improved the bill. SB 1228 by Senator Rubio would create a permanent compliance path for a small number of existing redevelopment-era LED messaging signs; supporters said it preserves local revenue and avoids fines, while billboard industry opponents warned about federal compliance and highway funding risk. SB 1013 by Senator Cervantes would tighten ALPR privacy rules through DOJ audits, employee training, hot-list limits, and a 30-day retention cap; privacy advocates supported it as a needed safeguard, while law enforcement groups opposed the retention limit and query restrictions as too restrictive. SB 1218 by Senator Arreguín would block DMV registration renewal for vehicles with unpaid illegal dumping fines, modeled on parking citation enforcement; Oakland officials and local government groups strongly supported it as an accountability tool, and the bill drew no opposition in the room. SB 1136 by Senator Blakespear would require intercity and regional rail operators to better coordinate service, fares, and trip planning for large events; transit and rail advocates supported it, while some agencies were neutral or “work with author” pending further changes. SB 1425, the chair’s bill, would create a permitting process for encroachments in the high-speed rail right-of-way; supporters said it would streamline construction and protect the project, while utilities and the City of Burbank raised concerns about reciprocity, enforcement, and local infrastructure impacts. SB 1411 by Senator Stern would expand high-speed rail authority to pursue public-private partnerships and early works, removing a project cap; supporters said it could leverage private capital and save costs, while local agencies from Merced expressed concerns but noted amendments addressed some issues. After roll calls, SB 1013 failed to advance on a 4-1 vote and remained on call, while the consent calendar and the other bills moved forward on unanimous or near-unanimous committee votes and remained on call pending final action.

Transcript Highlights:

• I see on the permitting transmission timeline that it looks like it's about 2.3 years in the permitting
• If the utility owns, operates, maintains...
• EDP Renewables operates, owns, and operates solar, wind, and storage assets across the world, and we
• the transmission system is operating.
• We've had lots of hearings on permitting.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Summary: The committee first heard AB 13, which would restructure the Public Utilities Commission by adding legislative liaisons, requiring more frequent and detailed reporting on rate decisions, and changing commissioner representation to increase geographic diversity and accountability. The author and supporters argued the CPUC is too insulated from public pressure and that Californians need more transparency and oversight on utility rate hikes. Support came from former CPUC Commissioner Loretta Lynch, Jeff Shields, wildfire survivor Will Abrams, TURN, and San Diego Gas & Electric in a support-if-amended position; there was no opposition testimony. Members generally praised the transparency goals, and the bill passed 10-0 to Appropriations, with the roll left open for absent members. The committee then adopted the 2025-2026 committee rules and approved three consent items: AB 61, AB 365, and AB 406. Those measures were moved on consent without substantive debate and passed unanimously. The committee also held AB 99, which would limit investor-owned utility rate increases above inflation except for specified costs such as safety, modernization, and fuel or commodity expenses. The author and supporters, including the California Senior Legislature, said the bill was needed to protect seniors and other ratepayers from repeated utility hikes, while opponents argued it was overly simplistic, could harm labor and reliability, and failed to account for major cost drivers like wildfire mitigation and mandated programs. Despite broad concerns from utilities, labor, business, and environmental groups, the bill advanced 11-0 to Appropriations, with several members noting they supported continued work on the measure. After the bill votes, the committee opened an informational hearing on strategies to reduce California transmission costs, the second part of its energy affordability series. Public Advocates Office staff presented data showing a large and growing backlog of approved-but-unbuilt transmission projects, rising transmission access charges, and long project timelines driven mostly by utility pre-application and construction phases. Panelists from D.H. Infrastructure, Net Zero California, IBank, and PG&E discussed alternative financing models, including public-private partnerships, public ownership, tax-exempt debt, loan guarantees, and grants, arguing these tools could lower capital costs and speed development. Members focused on whether the CPUC is the right venue, how to shorten permitting and pre-application delays, and how public financing could be structured to reduce costs without shifting burdens elsewhere.

Transcript Highlights:

• If a post-entitlement permit is subject to CEQA or a developer changes the construction permit.
• If a post entitlement permit is subject to CEQA or a developer changes the construction permit. if a
• post entitlement permit is subject to CEQA or a developer changes the construction permitted under the
• post entitlement permit.
• , and operation.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• The current permitting process for heat pumps is very fragmented.
• seek multiple permits for a single appliance.
• Permit fees are unpredictable.
• Nowhere is permitting even in the top 10.
• I mean, different cities do permitting differently.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government heard six bills. SB 828 by Senator Cabaldon would require fireworks license applicants to disclose storage locations and prove they have local permits, with the state notifying local agencies when licenses are denied or revoked. The bill was presented as a response to deadly fireworks explosions and illegal storage gaps; fire officials and fireworks industry representatives supported it, while county groups raised liability concerns. The committee approved SB 828 unanimously and sent it to Appropriations. SB 799 by Senator Allen would revise the South Bay Regional Housing Trust’s governing rules, including more flexibility on appointing board leadership, alternate participation, and board selection under the joint powers agreement. Supporters said the changes would help the new housing trust operate effectively and allow knowledgeable alternates; questions focused on accountability for non-elected alternates handling public funds. The bill passed on a 6-0 vote as amended to the Senate floor. SB 762 by Senator Arreguín would authorize the city of Hercules to place a local ballot measure for up to a 1% sales tax increase to fund city services and infrastructure. Supporters said Hercules has limited revenue options and high service needs; some senators cautioned about how such measures are presented to voters. The bill passed 5-2 to the Senate floor. SB 722 by Senator Wahab would add protections for mobile home residents from displacement tied to transit-oriented development and redevelopment, described as a cleanup to preserve affordable housing stock. Mobile home residents, housing advocates, cities, and the League of California Cities supported the bill, and no opposition was heard. It passed 7-0 as amended to Appropriations. SB 222 by Senator Wiener would streamline permitting for heat pump water heaters and HVAC systems through automated permitting, consolidated permits, and limits on local fee and siting barriers; supporters framed it as a climate and affordability measure, while local government and HOA groups objected to statewide preemption, fee caps, and liability concerns. The committee approved it 4-1 to Appropriations. SB 677, also by Senator Wiener, made technical clarifications to SB 79’s transit-oriented housing rules, but local governments and regional agencies warned the changes could expand the law’s scope and disrupt mapping work; the bill passed 5-2 to Appropriations.

Transcript Highlights:

• to operate that facility at the local level.
• to operate that facility at the local level.
• My name is James Eadie, speaking on my own behalf as a state-licensed pyrotechnic operator.
• Because the bad guy is not going to call you up and ask for a permit.
• Because the bad guy is not going to call you up and ask for a permit.

Committee: Senate Governmental Organization

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, we have operations right now, public operations in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio
• Additionally, we have operations right now, public operations in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio
• Since 2022, we've operated the only AV testing permit program in Washington state, bolstering the state
• Where are these going to operate, and how are they going to operate in cities?
• Where are these going to operate and how are they going to operate in cities and rural areas?

Summary: The committee held a work session on autonomous vehicles, beginning with an overview from the Washington State Transportation Commission on the state’s five-year AV work group. The commission described its 2018 legislative mandate, the 35-member executive committee and seven subcommittees, and the resulting 29 recommendations and “roadmap to the future.” The presentation emphasized six policy “building blocks” for Washington: agency readiness, public outreach, equity, safety, testing and pilots, and a path to deployment. It also noted current Washington law requires AV testing companies to self-certify with the Department of Licensing, carry $5 million in liability insurance, report collisions and violations, and notify local law enforcement before testing; three companies are currently certified. State regulators from California and Arizona then outlined their AV frameworks. California described its long-running permit system for testing with and without a safety driver and for commercial deployment, its current rulemaking to expand use cases to heavy-duty trucks and passenger shuttles, and new requirements for mileage, operational assessments, and more detailed crash and incident reporting. California also said it is creating a new enforcement tool allowing citations to be issued to manufacturers for moving violations by AVs. Arizona described its executive-order-based approach, later codified by statute, which allows testing and driverless operations through self-certification, law enforcement interaction plans, quarterly meetings with companies, and reporting of crashes or near misses; Arizona also said it tracks crashes monthly and has not recorded fatalities attributed to AVs. Industry representatives from Waymo, Zoox, and the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association argued that AVs can improve safety, accessibility, and mobility while creating jobs. They described extensive sensor systems, community outreach, first-responder engagement, and current operations in multiple cities. Waymo cited more than 127 million rider-only miles and said its data show large reductions in injury-causing and pedestrian crashes; Zoox said it operates in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Seattle and stressed its purpose-built electric robotaxi and local jobs; AVIA said its members have driven more than 145 million autonomous miles and that 26 states now expressly authorize driverless operations. Members asked about public education, crash and fatality tracking, enforcement, weather, school zones, first-responder interactions, and labor impacts. Labor and public-safety witnesses from the Teamsters, firefighters, and driver unions opposed commercial AV deployment without stronger safeguards. They argued Washington should not be an unregulated testing ground, especially for heavy trucks and hazardous materials, and warned of job losses for drivers, taxi and rideshare workers, and related occupations. Firefighters and driver representatives raised concerns about AVs interfering with emergency scenes, blocking responders, and creating risks in dynamic roadway incidents. Committee members also asked for comparisons to human-driven vehicles, data on citations and crashes, and more information on how AVs interact with pedestrians, first responders, and workers.

Transcript Highlights:

• The current permitting process for heat pumps is very fragmented.
• seek multiple permits for a single appliance.
• Permit fees are unpredictable.
• Nowhere is permitting doesn't even meet the top 10.
• I mean, different cities do permitting differently.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> bill, permitting bill, permitting reform<00:01:11.760><c> and</c><00:01:12.240><c> other</c><00:
• </c> lot of them are operating adjustments. lot of them are operating adjustments.
• </c> initiative for permitting efficiency. initiative for permitting efficiency.
• Uh, a number of operating items.
• </c> as a power plant that is operating 24/7. as a power plant that is operating 24/7.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Transcript Highlights:

• DOT's street use permit for driver testing specifically, a permit that closes the door to driverless
• But what we do know is that most of these vehicles don't operate on the highways, and they operate at
• Since 2022, we've operated the only AV testing permit program in Washington State, bolstering the state
• Where are these going to operate, and how are they going to operate in cities?
• Where are these going to operate, and how are they going to operate in cities and rural areas?

Committee: House Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're seeing the permitting conversation across everything, right?
• And we're seeing the permitting conversation across everything, right?
• And I will talk about the permitting piece, but wanted to layer in that it's a... ...the permitting piece
• , but wanted to layer in that it's a bigger issue than just permitting.
• It would take me 10 months to get the permits. It’s just not acceptable.

Committee: Senate Housing

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Civic Commons on the Starter Home Production Plan, developed under the Covenant Home Ownership Act to address Washington’s shortage of starter homes for low- and moderate-income buyers. Speakers said housing prices have far outpaced incomes, and argued that incremental fixes have not worked. They described a statewide, systems-based plan centered on smaller, standardized homes, off-site construction, pre-approved plans, new financing tools, a developer network, and a temporary cross-sector crisis task force to coordinate implementation. Committee members asked about the role of silos, target income ranges, geographic applicability, and pre-approved plans; Civic Commons said the effort is intended to support households roughly from 60% to 120% of area median income and to work across urban and rural contexts. The Department of Labor and Industries then reported progress on factory-built housing regulation. L&I said it has prioritized residential plan reviews, reducing turnaround times from months to about two days, and has created a new plans examiner supervisor position. The department also said it is formalizing third-party review and inspection rules, building a customer-tracking database, and reviewing national standards from the Modular Building Institute for possible alignment with state code. Committee members and L&I discussed the value of standardized plans and the need to balance speed with code compliance and safety. The Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council testified that it supports efforts to reduce permitting delays but warned against weakening safety standards or labor protections. Labor representatives said off-site fabrication can help housing delivery only if it preserves worker safety, fair wages, apprenticeship opportunities, and compliance with labor laws. They raised concerns about wage theft, misclassification, and underground-economy risks in residential construction, and suggested stronger front-end contractor licensing and training. Committee members responded that the state needs both housing production and good jobs, and that apprenticeship and workforce development remain important. The committee also heard from several cities about local housing code changes. Olympia described an affordable housing emergency ordinance that prioritizes affordable projects in the permitting queue, while noting that staff capacity and cross-department communication are critical. Walla Walla, an early adopter of middle housing, said it eliminated single-family zoning, expanded ADUs and MFTE, and has seen more duplexes, ADUs, and smaller-lot development, though it still faces neighborhood opposition and infrastructure-related barriers. Des Moines described adopting middle housing and ADU ordinances just before the deadline, after a lengthy process involving density, parking, and staffing challenges. Poulsbo said it proactively adopted multiple housing code changes, including duplexes on corner lots, unit lot subdivisions, a manufactured home overlay, and six shared pre-approved ADU plans with neighboring jurisdictions; it also highlighted a senior housing project using city land and public funding. Across the city testimony, speakers emphasized that zoning changes help but are only one part of the housing puzzle, and several urged more support for local staff, standardized plans, and broader reforms to permitting and infrastructure requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Broadband encroachment permits are unique.
• middle mile encroachment permit applications.
• We're creating a dedicated permit management system to track and prioritize the broadband permits separately
• By all pre-construction, which includes all pre-construction permits, which are the Caltrans permits.
• But the whole network needs to be operational by December 31st 2026 so it needs to be operational with

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Transcript Highlights:

• And so this would reduce that cost of having to do that in order to get their permits.
• So that's a very high level. to do that in order to get their permits.
• I represent the state's quarries and sand operations. Mr.
• I represent the state's quarries and sand operations.
• and it needs to be properly funded for my members to continue their operations.

Committee: House Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 913 in executive session and voted it “do pass” by a roll call of 16 ayes and 3 noes. After that, the committee opened a public hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1033, sponsored by Senator Jason Bean. The bill would exempt certain older farm vehicles used in local farming operations from emissions inspection requirements, and it would also ease permitting requirements for cotton gins by removing the need for air dispersion modeling in certain construction permit applications. The bill also incorporated language from Senate Bill 953 related to funding the air pollution control program. Supporters included the Missouri Cotton Producers, Missouri Farm Bureau, Infra, the Missouri Mining Association, the Missouri Concrete Association, the American Council of Engineering Companies, Missouri Forest Products, the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, the Missouri Soybean Association, Associated Industries of Missouri, and the Missouri Corn Growers Association. Testimony emphasized reduced regulatory burdens, lower retrofit and permitting costs, improved competitiveness for Missouri cotton gins, and the need for a stable funding source for the air pollution control program. Several witnesses said the program was expected to become insolvent in fiscal year 2028 and that the bill’s funding mechanism would help sustain it. Committee questions focused on the scope of the cotton gin provisions, the number of farmers affected, and how the new funding stream would work. Department of Natural Resources staff testified informationally that the air program would become insolvent in FY 2028 and said they would follow up on details. No one testified in opposition, and the hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1033 was concluded without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bridge is currently operating at maximum capacity at 6000 commercial trucks moving northbound and
• It's on a street where there are other businesses, but this is a pretty big operation there.
• Operators like Greyhound must regularly adapt to unforeseen circumstances that require rapid operational
• by unlicensed and unregulated operators that do not report to the state or federal government.
• When these illegal operators purchase non-titled vehicles, the vehicles disappear.

Bills: HB2026 , HB2427 , HB2455 , HB2560 , HB3510 , HB3966 , HB3986 , HB4429 , HB5436 , SB3062

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: memorial highway, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, Archer County, highway designation, vehicle weight, ports of entry, Texas Transportation Code, truck regulations, load limits, Adopt-a-County Road, funding, road maintenance, county partnership, public recognition, memorial designation, highway, Sergeant Mark Butler, transportation, Brazos County

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard a series of mostly local transportation and memorial designation bills. Several measures would rename highway segments in honor of fallen service members or public servants, including HB 2026 (Gary C. Johnston memorial highways in Archer County), HB 4429 (McIlroy Family Memorial Highway in Blanco and Burnet counties), SB 3062 (Hamby-Webb Memorial Highway in Panola County), HB 3510 (Sergeant Mark Butler Memorial Highway in Brazos County), and HB 3986 (Corporal Speedy Espiriueta Memorial Highway in Mission). The committee also heard HB 2560, which would create an optional county-road “adopt-a-road” style program allowing donations for county road repair and maintenance. Two bills drew more substantive policy discussion. HB 2427 and HB 2455 concerned oversized/overweight freight corridors and permit authority in Hidalgo County tied to cross-border trade near the FARR International Bridge. Supporters, including the bridge director, said the measures would correct prior road descriptions, put existing TxDOT actions into statute, improve truck routing, and support trade and bridge expansion. The committee substitute for HB 2427 also removed Roma permit language, barred certain hazardous-material permits, raised permit fees, required local cost responsibility for road maintenance, and made the bill contingent on SB 2949. HB 5436 would allow licensed automotive recyclers to buy certain older, long-unregistered vehicles for dismantling or scrap without a title, with reporting, lienholder notice, and anti-theft safeguards; recyclers and dealers supported it as a way to curb illegal untitled-vehicle sales and VIN cloning. HB 3966, authored by Sen. Alvarado, was the most contested bill. It would require commercial passenger bus companies to mail advance notice to residents within one mile before opening a new stop or terminal. Alvarado said the bill responded to the relocation of a Greyhound terminal into a Houston neighborhood without notice and to resulting crime and nuisance concerns. Greyhound opposed the bill, arguing the notice requirement would be burdensome and could delay emergency relocations during hurricanes, flooding, or lease changes. After testimony, the committee voted to report most bills favorably, with HB 3966 passing on a 5-2 vote; the other reported bills passed unanimously. Several bills were also placed on the local and uncontested calendar, and the committee recessed to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've dealt with permitting.
• I've dealt with permitting.
• I've dealt with permitting.
• I've dealt with permitting.
• I've dealt with permitting.

Bills: SB2066

Committee: Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The joint committees on Energy, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Government Operations heard Senate Bill 2066 on county permitting and inspection. Testimony focused on whether the bill should exempt state projects from county permitting requirements. One testifier opposed the measure, arguing it would bypass established permitting processes, weaken good government, and put the public at risk. A DOE representative said the intent was to speed up state projects, but suggested a different approach: funding county positions dedicated solely to state permits, possibly as a pilot program, rather than removing county review entirely. Committee members discussed the difficulty of moving state projects through county systems, the lack of special treatment, and whether a more systematic or standardized process could be created for repetitive projects. After the discussion, the chairs announced a substantive rewrite of SB 2066. The amended version would delete the county-permitting exemptions for state projects and instead create a cooperative working group to address the intersection of state projects and county permitting needs. The revised measure would also include a blank appropriation for counties to fund personnel to expedite permitting for state projects only. Members clarified that any funded staff would be dedicated solely to state projects. The committee then took votes on the revised measure. The committees adopted the amended bill. The Government Operations Committee recommended the Senate draft one version, and members present voted yes, with Senator Awa excused. The measure was adopted with the revised approach and an effective date set for April 19, 2042.

Transcript Highlights:

• a case law that we have been operating in dispensing machines that are both legal and able to be operated
• The veterans are just looking for a way to continue to operate within the law.
• and operating requirements.
• These are not slogans for us but baked into the way we operate.
• And this can be done by reducing water withdrawal permits and reducing quantities of existing permits

Bills: S0598 , S0934 , S1260 , S1300 , S1452 , S1510 , S1566 , S1580 , S1668 , S7034

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government

Transcript Highlights:

• If they have to go further, probably a permit would be needed, and they can just file a permit with us
• to operate their system over the years.
• The plant operated under three discharge permits.
• operations.
• We review and enforce those permits to maintain compliance with the permits and to protect groundwater

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Of operation and 300 million tons in 2020 we had 500 million tons after 37 years of operation, and we've
• We do operate very fast. We operate very well.
• almost 600 million tons we're at about 576 so we are big we do operate very fast we operate very well
• That is not how we operate here.
• A little bit about our permitting requirements: They come in and file for a permit.

Committee: Joint Energy Development and Transmission Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• And second lines, I know, often have permits, but sometimes they're not permitted.
• Dickerson, it’s the permit. I do not see a cost for this permit.
• Trip permits are minimal cost.
• Hey, you need a permit.
• East Felicia is a $100 permit.

Bills: HB309 , HB487 , HB503 , HB590 , HB606 , HB679 , HB693 , HB695 , HB707 , HB720 , HB728 , HB733 , HB746 , HB777 , HB846 , HB849 , HB856 , HB868 , HB873 , HB875

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on March 16 with a quorum present and first deferred three local bills at the sponsor’s request: HB 590, HB 679, and HB 873. The committee then advanced HB 503, which cleans up prior local language for Golden Meadow by removing a reference to electric golf carts and updating the definition of utility terrain vehicles; the technical amendment set was adopted and the bill was reported with amendments. HB 720, dealing with tacit dedication of roads and preserving historic public access to waterways and related access points, was reported favorably after members agreed to continue working on the amendment language before floor debate. The committee spent substantial time on HB 309, which originally made it a crime to walk in a crosswalk while looking at a cell phone. After amendments converted the proposal to a $25 civil fine and added a rebuttable presumption of liability for damages, members from both parties raised concerns about enforceability, tourism and urban pedestrian patterns, free-will and overreach arguments, and the lack of data tying the conduct specifically to crosswalk crashes. The author argued the measure was intended to promote situational awareness and reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities, but after opposition testimony the bill was voluntarily deferred. Members then reported HB 856, which expands DOTD’s use of indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity construction contracting and adds the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, after technical amendments clarified the contracts are for construction-phase work. HB 487, increasing penalties for drivers who use shoulders or turning lanes to bypass red lights, was reported with a technical correction after police support testimony. HB 846, prohibiting license plate coverings or films that obscure plates, was reported favorably after law enforcement support and discussion of clear frames versus obscuring covers. HB 733 and HB 875, both tied to OMV fee and lapse-of-insurance recommendations from the Legislative Auditor, were reported with amendments adjusting grace periods and offense timing. The committee also took up HB 695 on consensual non-commercial towing permits. After extensive questioning about whether the bill applied to multiple vehicles, interstate travel, OMV implementation, and the practicality of an honor-system QR code permit, the sponsor agreed to amend the bill to cover multiple vehicles and then voluntarily defer it for further work with OMV and State Police. HB 777, requiring a driver’s license renewal knowledge exam, was amended at the department’s request and then voluntarily deferred for further review. HB 868, prompted by a fatal trailer accident involving a farmer’s wife, would require trailers to meet safety-chain and braking standards consistent with manufacturer specifications or federal standards; after concerns from members and the Agriculture Commissioner about impacts on older farm equipment, the bill was reported with amendments. Finally, HB 707 moved the LPG Commission’s marketing functions to the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and was reported with a technical amendment, HB 693 on legislative district highway signs was voluntarily deferred after amendments, and HB 746 on local oversized trucking permits opened a broader discussion about parish-by-parish permit disparities, with the sponsor proposing a one-year moratorium on new local standards while stakeholders work toward a more uniform system.

Transcript Highlights:

• In December, the 15 operating riverboats generated adjusted gross receipts of...
• In December, the 15 operating riverboats generated adjusted gross receipts of $167,842,315.
• its land-side facility on December 6, 2025, and generated $3.8 million in AGR in the 26 days of operation
• If the Board were to affirm the hearing officer's decision, the permit...
• Rasko's non-key gaming employee permit in... Affirm the hearing officer's decision revoking Mr.

Summary: The Louisiana Gaming Control Board met on January 15, 2026, and first approved the minutes from its December 18, 2025 meeting. Staff then reported strong December gaming revenues across riverboats, Caesars New Orleans, racetrack slots, video gaming, sports wagering, and daily fantasy sports, with several categories showing month-over-month and year-over-year increases. Board members noted the overall growth in the industry and did not raise questions on the revenue report. The board next approved a temporary certificate of compliance extension for Bally’s Shreveport Casino and Hotel. Officials said most life-safety deficiencies from the annual inspection had been corrected, and the remaining issue involved the emergency generator, which had recently been repaired and tested successfully, though a final verification inspection was still pending. The temporary certificate was extended through February 28, 2026. The board also approved a $1,500 settlement with MPL Enterprises for late submission of required annual forms and fees. In the final agenda item, the board heard an appeal from Thomas Rasko challenging the revocation of his non-key gaming employee permit. Rasko acknowledged the underlying violation and asked for a shorter penalty, while the Division argued his conduct during an arrest showed he lacked the suitability required for gaming participation. The board voted to affirm the hearing officer’s decision, revoking his permit and finding him unsuitable to participate in Louisiana’s gaming industry, and then adjourned.