Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a professional engineer in the city of New Orleans.

Committee: House Judiciary

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary met on March 19, 2006, and considered a series of mostly local and judicial bills. Early action included HB 436, which authorizes appointment of honorably discharged veterans as park wardens; supporters said it would give veterans meaningful service roles and improve park safety. The committee adopted an amendment requiring honorable discharge, employment qualification compliance if hired by a public entity, and firearms training where applicable, then reported the bill favorably. The committee also advanced HB 16, extending the jurisdiction of the City Court of Franklin, and HB 44, which shifts certain blight-related hearings in St. Bernard Parish from the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication to justices of the peace and constables; members asked about appeals, fines, jurisdictional limits, and whether the change would affect HOAs, and the bill was reported favorably. Members then approved HB 61 creating Battle of New Orleans Day, with an amendment clarifying holiday language and adding a detailed historical commemoration of the battle and its diverse forces. HB 233, which raises juror mileage reimbursement from 16 cents per mile to the state travel rate, drew support but also concern about the cost to local governments; the sponsor and members discussed the fiscal impact, and the bill was reported favorably. HB 164, expanding commissioner powers in the 15th Judicial District Court, was also reported favorably after testimony that it would help manage caseloads and mirror procedures used in other districts. HB 455, defining public works employees as first responders for coordination and recognition purposes, generated extensive questions about emergency authority, FEMA reimbursement, workers’ compensation, liability, and unintended consequences; the committee deferred the bill to a later meeting for further review. The committee also approved HB 242, authorizing deputy constables in St. Tammany Parish at no state cost, and HB 10, making the Friday of the International Rice Festival a legal holiday in Acadia Parish. HB 9, designating Shreveport as the stuffed shrimp capital of Louisiana, was reported favorably after light discussion. HB 571, which would make permanent the complex litigation section program in the 19th Judicial District Court, was supported by judges and court staff who said it improves efficiency in large cases such as asbestos and hurricane litigation; it was reported favorably. Finally, HB 16 and several other local measures moved forward without objection, while the committee also heard a deeply personal presentation on HB 61 designating February 24 as SCN2A Awareness Day, later amended to honor Emily Catherine Diedon by name; members expressed sympathy, discussed genetic testing and access to care, and reported the bill favorably as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a professional engineer in the city of New Orleans.

Bills: HB9 , HB10 , HB16 , HB44 , HB46 , HB61 , HB101 , HB126 , HB153 , HB164 , HB233 , HB242 , HB436 , HB455 , HB571 , HB594

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: HB 9, HB9, Act 527, Shreveport, Stuffed Shrimp Capital, state symbol, Louisiana symbols, municipal designation, honorary title, cultural designation, tourism, local pride, seafood, shrimp, stuffed shrimp, cuisine, city branding, Louisiana Revised Statutes 49:170.26, legal holiday, Acadia Parish

Transcript Highlights:

• Community and technical colleges are Washington's workforce engine.

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on the Senate operating budget proposal, beginning with a staff briefing from James Kettle. He described the budget as built on relatively flat revenue after multiple forecast updates, with substantial mandatory cost growth, especially in Health Care Authority, DSHS, and DCYF. He highlighted major policy-level additions and savings, including large tort liability costs, continued support for long-term services, reductions tied to child care and K-12 items, several assumed revenue bills, and major transfers from reserves and other accounts. Kettle also noted the four-year outlook remained positive overall, with about $1 billion ending fund balance in the final year and roughly $3 billion in total reserves. A committee member asked about a diagram showing the loss of federal funds, and staff said they would follow up. Public testimony then focused first on K-12 education, where school leaders, teachers, OSPI, PTA, and rural district representatives largely opposed the proposed cuts to local effort assistance, transition to kindergarten, bus depreciation, and related school funding items. Many argued the reductions would disproportionately harm rural and property-poor districts and weaken early learning access, while several students and educators spoke in favor of career and technical education and IT Academy funding. The committee also heard support for wildfire prevention funding from the Commissioner of Public Lands, who thanked the Senate for restoring those dollars but raised concerns about recreation program reductions. Higher education testimony was mixed but generally supportive of the Senate proposal compared with the governor’s budget. Community and technical college leaders warned that the budget still shifts compensation costs to tuition and reduces Running Start funding, while university representatives from Western, Eastern, Central, WSU, and UW thanked the committee for avoiding deeper cuts. Private vocational college students and administrators urged extension of Washington College Grant eligibility for students already enrolled, and others asked to preserve IT Academy and related certification funding. In early learning, child care and advocacy groups praised the decision not to cap Working Connections Child Care but warned that child care and transition to kindergarten still bear a disproportionate share of cuts; they also requested continued support for Dolly Parton Imagination Library and Pierce County early childhood programs, including Family Connects. The hearing continued with testimony on employee compensation, mental health, and human services. State employee and retiree groups supported the budget’s COLA and wildfire funding but objected to cuts in retiree health benefits. Behavioral health and public safety advocates supported mentoring, Trueblood-related funding, crisis stabilization, and the Recovery Navigator Program, while others opposed reductions to those programs and to community-based recovery services. In human services, witnesses thanked the committee for funding victim services, child welfare supports, health homes, adult day care, community health centers, energy assistance, and disability services, while urging the committee to avoid further reductions to skilled nursing, case management, and recovery navigation. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an engineer.

Committee: Senate Environmental Quality

Summary: The Senate Environmental Quality Committee held an informational hearing on the environmental impacts and planning considerations associated with refinery closures. In opening remarks, the chair framed refinery shutdowns as a complex part of California’s decarbonization transition and said the committee would focus on environmental and land-use issues, while Vice Chair Gunda argued closures reflect years of policy-driven disinvestment and warned that supply disruptions and higher prices could harm working families. State agency witnesses from the Energy Commission, CARB, and the Water Boards described the state as being in a “mid-transition,” with declining gasoline demand, growing zero-emission vehicle adoption, and increasing conversion of some refinery assets to renewable fuels, but also with abrupt capacity losses that can force greater reliance on imports and storage. They emphasized the need for proactive planning, transparency, and coordination across agencies, and noted that refinery closures can stress pipelines, terminals, and other linked infrastructure, with potential liabilities falling to the state if those assets are not financially supported. The Water Boards explained their cleanup authorities and tools for refinery decommissioning, including investigation, monitoring, remediation, and enforcement under the Water Code, and said site-specific cleanup plans depend on contamination, groundwater conditions, and future land use. They noted that decommissioning can reveal previously inaccessible areas and require additional sampling or wells, and that cleanup costs can range from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. Committee members pressed the witnesses on whether the state has enough information to plan for land transitions, whether current tools are adequate, and whether more standardized procedures or financial assurances are needed. The witnesses generally said existing tools are useful but that more transparency and better data sharing would help communities and policymakers understand liabilities and long-term redevelopment opportunities. Members also questioned the relationship between California policy, refinery closures, imports, and global emissions. CARB said its programs apply to transportation fuel suppliers whether fuel is refined in-state or imported, and that its climate and air-quality rules are designed to reduce emissions and avoid leakage. Some senators argued that California’s policies have accelerated closures and that demand has not fallen fast enough to offset lost refining capacity, while agency witnesses responded that closures are also driven by global market forces, aging infrastructure, crude quality, and changing fuel demand. The committee then heard from outside experts, including a Notre Dame professor who said closure costs are often underestimated and that stronger financial assurance requirements can shift company behavior, a Stanford/SLAC researcher who outlined five drivers of refinery closures, and an environmental attorney who discussed community impacts and lessons from the Phillips 66 Los Angeles refinery closure. No votes or formal actions were taken; the hearing was informational and focused on testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an engineer.

Summary: The Senate Environmental Quality Committee held an informational hearing on the environmental impacts and policy considerations surrounding refinery closures. Chair Blakespear framed the hearing as part of California’s broader transition away from fossil fuels, emphasizing the need for proactive planning so communities, workers, and local governments are not caught off guard. Vice Chair Gunda argued that the state has long signaled a future away from oil, while also warning that closures can create supply instability, higher prices, and infrastructure stress if not managed carefully. Senators also raised concerns about consumer costs, supply reliability, the role of imports, and whether California’s climate policies are contributing to refinery disinvestment. The first panel included the California Energy Commission, CARB, and the State Water Resources Control Board. Gunda described California as being in a “mid-transition,” with gasoline demand gradually declining, zero-emission vehicle adoption rising, and refinery capacity shrinking through both conversions to renewable fuels and outright closures. He said the state needs a coordinated strategy that balances near-term supply stability with long-term decarbonization, and noted that refinery closures can shift liabilities onto pipelines, terminals, and potentially the state. CARB’s Matthew Boutill said the agency’s focus is reducing air pollution and greenhouse gases, and that state policies are already driving billions in annual investment in alternative fuels, EV infrastructure, and refinery conversions. Water Board representative Annalisa Kihara explained the cleanup authorities used at refinery sites, including investigation, remediation, and enforcement tools, and said decommissioning often reveals previously inaccessible contamination and may require new monitoring wells and additional site assessment. Committee members pressed the panel on whether the state has enough information to plan for land reuse and cleanup costs, whether current tools are adequate, and whether more legislative direction is needed. Gunda said there are still gaps in information and transparency, especially around liability and long-term community planning. Kihara said the Water Boards can require more data, cleanup, and timelines, but that refinery remediation is highly site-specific and can take tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. Senators Menjivar, Stern, and Hurtado questioned demand trends, the pace of refinery closures versus demand decline, the role of imports and the Jones Act, and whether California should consider options such as state ownership or broader ecosystem planning. The panel generally agreed that closures are likely to continue and that the state should plan proactively rather than reactively. A second panel presented recent research on refinery closures. Emily Grubert said closure costs and remediation obligations are often underestimated and that California should better define end-of-life obligations and financial assurance requirements. Tham Herschbach outlined five drivers of refinery closures: declining California crude production, falling in-state gasoline demand, the shift toward renewable diesel and other alternative fuels, global refinery consolidation, and the growing availability of imported gasoline. Anne Alexander focused on community impacts, using the Phillips 66 Los Angeles refinery closure as a case study, and said refinery sites are often heavily contaminated, cleanup can take a decade or more, and communities are often left without clear information because refineries have little end-of-life planning or financial assurance requirements. No votes or formal actions were taken at the informational hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an engineer.

Committee: Senate Environmental Quality

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These future engineers, innovators, and technology leaders represent the cutting edge of education and

Summary: The House convened with prayer, moments of silence for Reverend Jesse Jackson and former State Attorney Joseph Di Alessandro, and a quorum present. Members then took up a special order calendar and considered a series of bills, with several recognitions and brief recesses interspersed throughout the day. Early floor action focused on civil justice and estates measures. The House passed CS/HB 1407 on commencement of civil actions, clarifying when a complainant may file an employment discrimination suit if the Florida Commission on Human Relations does not issue a right-to-sue notice. It also passed HB 895 on trustee settlement and discharge, allowing certain non-adversarial irrevocable trusts to be discharged without court involvement; CS/HB 1337 on estates, expanding personal representative authority and increasing small-estate thresholds; and CS/HB 131 on curators of estates, codifying a tool for court protection when the state faces potential loss. Each of these bills passed unanimously or near-unanimously after brief sponsor explanations and, in the case of HB 895, a technical amendment. The House also approved CS/HB 351 on concurrent legislative jurisdiction over U.S. military installations, which would allow juvenile offenses on certain installations to be handled in state court rather than federal court, and CS/HB 441 on conservation lands, which increases notice and transparency requirements for land swaps involving conservation property. Members from both parties praised the conservation bill as a response to public concern over land swaps. Additional measures passed included HB 409 requiring K-12 schools to observe Veterans Day, CS/HB 461 allowing eligible students to volunteer at polling locations for community service hours, CS/HB 1115 creating grants for genetic counseling education, HB 569 revising forensic client services for persons with developmental disabilities, CS/HB 505 regulating virtual currency kiosks to combat senior fraud, and HB 271 addressing premium reporting rules for foreign and alien bail bond insurers. The most extended debate centered on CS/CS/HB 919, which creates a statutory definition for major commercial service airports and preempts local naming authority for seven major airports, including a proposal to rename Palm Beach International Airport for President Donald J. Trump. The bill drew sharp partisan debate over local control, costs, trademark/licensing concerns, and the appropriateness of honoring a sitting president. Amendments to delay the naming until after Trump leaves office and to combine his name with John F. Kennedy’s were both defeated. After structured debate, the bill passed 81-? yeas (the transcript records 81 yeas) and was sent on. The House also began debate on HB 191 regarding re-employment assistance eligibility verification, with the sponsor explaining added disqualifications and identity/eligibility checks; questioning began but the transcript ends before final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it took the knowledge of an engineer to really seal the deal. So I thank you.

Summary: The committee took up a long agenda of bills, beginning with HB 4087, which authorizes the Highlands County Hospital District to evaluate options to sell, lease, or manage its hospital. An amendment adding fair market value as a consideration was adopted, and the bill then passed unanimously. HB 841, which eliminates the requirement for validation stickers on license plates and moves registration verification to electronic systems, also passed after questions about law enforcement procedures, pretextual stops, and consumer savings; a technical amendment was adopted first. HB 593, dealing with campaign fundraising while on official time, lobbying rules for water management districts, agency secretary travel reimbursement, and settlement conditions involving third parties, passed without opposition. CS for HB 1019, the PFAS-related bill phasing out aqueous film-forming foam and requiring testing of treated effluent and biosolids, passed after an amendment limiting local utility liability until EPA standards are set; speakers emphasized firefighter and water-quality concerns. Several local and administrative measures also advanced. HB 4089 conveyed the Trenton Train Depot to the City of Trenton, HB 6011 updated ethics disclosure procedures for Form 10 filings, and PCS for HB 1051 created a recall process for community development district board members while also addressing synthetic turf deed restrictions and landowner-control timelines. HB 1031 established a pilot callback system for state agency customer service lines, and CS for HB 961 removed a burdensome electronic signature requirement for salvaged titles. HB 1421, which requires land managers to consider cattle grazing on conservation lands, drew substantial debate over state parks, water quality, and land management; an amendment added ecological guardrails and the bill passed 20-3. CS for HB 253 expanded eligibility for the Veterans Dental Care Grant Program and passed unanimously, while HB 4039 required Broward County to study and hold a hearing before enlarging the Monarch Hill landfill landmark and passed despite opposition from the waste industry. CS for HB 755 eased Habitat for Humanity bond requirements in the Florida Keys and extended the Florida Keys Stewardship Act, and HB 1035 promoted nature-based coastal resiliency projects and permitting; both passed unanimously. The committee then considered major foreign influence and election integrity measures. CS for CS for HB 905, the FIRE Act, was substantially revised by strike-all to expand registration and disclosure requirements for foreign agents and foreign-supported political organizations, restrict gifts and contracts tied to foreign countries of concern, terminate sister city agreements with such countries, and strengthen penalties for transnational repression; members debated the treatment of Qatar, linkage institutes, and the broader impact on international students, and the bill passed 24-1. Finally, CS for HB 991 proposed sweeping election changes, including citizenship verification at registration, a citizenship oath, new voter ID rules, paper ballots except for disability accommodations, candidate party-affiliation timing rules, stronger foreign-money restrictions, and other enforcement provisions. Members raised extensive concerns about document submission, data retention, student IDs, seniors, disability access, and the burden of proof for citizenship, and the committee was still in the middle of that discussion when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• These future engineers, innovators, and technology leaders represent the cutting edge of education and

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Joseph Di Alessandro, the Pledge of Allegiance, and announcements confirming a quorum. Members also adopted the special order report and recognized several guests in the gallery, including former Speaker Dan Webster and law enforcement and civic visitors. The chamber then moved through a long special-order calendar of bills, mostly on third reading, with several measures passing unanimously or by wide margins. Among the bills considered were measures on civil procedure and estates, including C.S. HB 1407 on commencement of civil actions, HB 895 on trustee settlement and discharge, C.S. HB 1337 on estates, HB 131 on curators of estates, and C.S. HB 351 on concurrent legislative jurisdiction over military installations. The House also passed C.S. HB 441 on conservation lands, which would lengthen notice and increase transparency for land swaps involving conservation property, and C.S. CS HB 919 on commercial service airports, which created a statutory definition for major airports and preempted local naming authority for several airports. HB 919 drew extensive debate over the proposed naming of Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald J. Trump, with amendments to delay or alter the naming failing before the bill passed. Other bills approved included HB 409 requiring K-12 schools to observe Veterans Day, CS HB 461 allowing certain students to volunteer at polling places for community service hours, CS HB 1115 creating grants for genetic counseling education, HB 569 revising forensic client services, CS HB 505 regulating virtual currency kiosks to address fraud, and HB 271 on foreign and alien bail bond insurers. The House also passed HB 191 on re-employment assistance eligibility verification after extended questioning about its effects on benefits, appeals, and suitable work standards. One bill, CS HB 243 on electric bicycles, was temporarily postponed, and CS HB 1073 on school districts was also postponed.

Transcript Highlights:

• These future engineers, innovators, and technology leaders represent the cutting edge of education and

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if there’s any talk with the Corps of Engineers about any of that or anybody on the congressional

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if there's any talk with the Corps of Engineers about any of that or anybody on the congressional

Summary: The House Budget Committee heard the Department of Economic Development’s fiscal year 2027 budget presentation, beginning with Director Michelle Hadaway and division leaders. The department emphasized that most of its budget is federally funded and walked through requests for regional engagement, international trade and investment offices, business recruitment and marketing, Delta Regional Authority dues, business and community solutions, tax increment financing, MODESA, DRPP, CDBG, disaster recovery, Missouri Main Street, AmeriCorps, Missouri One Start, the Missouri Technology Corporation, semiconductor and API reshoring efforts, SSBCI, and other economic development items. Members repeatedly asked about lapses, one-time appropriations, whether general revenue could be reduced or replaced with other funds, and how the department prioritizes federal and other non-GR sources. Several members also praised regional engagement, Missouri Partnership, and rural economic development efforts. A major portion of the discussion focused on specific one-time or performance-based projects. Members questioned the large GR transfer for TIFs and MODESA, the use of funds for the Urban League plaza renovation, the Northeast Missouri housing fund, the Highway MM corridor, and the Missouri Technology Corporation. Department witnesses explained that many of these amounts are based on projected performance or are tied to multi-year obligations, and that some unspent balances reflect project timing, federal reimbursement timing, or delayed construction. The committee also discussed the Missouri Main Street program, with staff explaining it supports both new and existing Main Street communities and can be adapted for county-wide models. The committee spent significant time on workforce and innovation programs. Missouri One Start described its customized training and upskilling programs, including a statutory fund switch to align with existing law, while members asked for more data on participation and impact. Missouri Technology Corporation explained that reduced funding last year limited some entrepreneur-support programs, and that its venture fund has leveraged state dollars into private capital and jobs. Members also discussed the API reshoring item and semiconductor funding, asking what the money would do, what companies would benefit, and how much federal leverage the state could expect. Witnesses said the API request supports a nonprofit center working with existing Missouri companies to reshore pharmaceutical production, while the semiconductor item is tied to federal matching opportunities that have moved slowly. The committee did not take final action on the budget during the portion of the hearing provided. The chair recessed the committee to go to session, stating that the hearing would resume afterward and that public testimony on House Bill 2007 would follow completion of the department presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• You better have lighting that meets minimum standards that engineers have set for safety.

Summary: The subcommittee took up a long agenda of civil justice measures and claims bills. HB 1407, on commencement of civil actions under the Florida Civil Rights Act, was presented as a fix to conflicting appellate decisions about whether an EEOC no-probable-cause notice can start the clock for filing suit; the bill would allow an EEOC determination to suffice and permit filing within 18 months of the complaint. It passed 16-0. HB 1337, an estates bill reducing court involvement in decedent asset distribution by expanding personal representative authority over safe deposit boxes and increasing small-estate thresholds, also passed unanimously, 17-0. The committee then considered PCS for HB 1553, which would change what medical expense evidence juries may see in personal injury and wrongful death cases, with supporters saying it would clarify the law and let both sides present evidence, and opponents arguing it would roll back 2023 tort reforms and reintroduce inflated medical bills. After extensive testimony from business, insurance, trucking, and plaintiff-side interests, the PCS passed 13-4. HB 1423, dealing with negligent security in multifamily residential properties, would remove a presumption against liability when two or more specified crimes were reported in the prior 24 months; an amendment clarified that the crimes must have been reported to the owner or principal operator. Supporters said it would help crime victims and restore balance, while opponents warned it would undermine incentives for property owners to maintain security. The amended bill passed 14-4. Several claims bills also advanced unanimously: HB 6527 for Patricia Armini and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, HB 6531 for the estate of McKenzie Navarra and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, HB 6507 for L.E. and the Department of Children and Families, and HB 6521 for Jose Carrera and Miami-Dade County. Each was described as providing compensation for serious injuries or death after prior government negligence, and each was reported favorably without opposition votes. Finally, the committee heard HB 1471, a controversial bill on systems of law and terrorist organizations. The sponsor said it would bar enforcement of foreign or religious law over the U.S. and Florida Constitutions, create a state process for designating domestic terrorist organizations, and prevent state funds from supporting terrorism. Members raised extensive concerns about vague definitions, First Amendment and due process issues, and the lack of a predesignation hearing; public testimony was overwhelmingly opposed, with supporters arguing the bill was needed for public safety. The transcript ends during public testimony on HB 1471, before any vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, that is a focus, that is a focus: math, with all of our science and engineering and all of

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Representative Engin excused. >> Representative Spencer Mura. >> No. >> Miss Baker excused. >> Miss

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• public and private funding, and can directly harm when fake conclusions inform medical treatment, engineering

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1066, which would allow the Attorney General or a county attorney to sue researchers for knowingly or recklessly publishing fraudulent scientific research, and would let injured parties recover damages. The sponsor and a supporting witness argued the bill would create personal accountability for deliberate research fraud and cited examples of retracted or manipulated studies; opponents warned that peer review and existing scientific processes already address bad research and that the bill could chill research and speech. The committee later passed SB 1066 on a 4-3 vote. The committee then heard SB 1015, which would impose strict personal liability on providers who perform gender transition procedures on minors for later detransition costs and related injuries. Supporters, including the sponsor, a doctor, a detransitioner, and a parent, said the bill would protect children, create accountability, and help families seek redress for irreversible harm. Opponents from the ACLU and others argued the measure discriminates against transgender patients, would likely chill care by making providers uninsurable, and could function as a backdoor ban; the committee nevertheless advanced the bill on a 4-3 vote. SB 1049, as amended, limited spousal maintenance to four years and adjusted eligibility and guideline factors. The sponsor and a family law attorney said the bill would curb overly long awards and better account for assets and income, while the Judicial Council explained the existing guideline work and noted the new calculator was intended to add uniformity; one senator objected that the cap was arbitrary and ignored case-specific context. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 4-2. The committee also unanimously passed SB 1189, allowing campaign funds to be used for candidate and family security, and SB 1133, eliminating a duplicate financial disclosure filing for candidates who already filed an annual statement. Finally, the committee heard SB 1081, which would bar a DCS attorney from appearing before a judge after appearing before that judge in any of the attorney’s previous five DCS cases, and advanced it 4-3 after debate over judicial familiarity and rural-court impacts. The committee also heard SCR 1001, a proposed constitutional referral to end early voting the Friday before the election, require proof of citizenship and government ID, and restrict mail ballots to voters who affirmatively request them; supporters framed it as an election-integrity measure, while ADOT testified neutrally but warned that free IDs could cost tens of millions in lost revenue and affect road funding. The transcript ends during testimony on SCR 1001, before any vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• He actually joins Corps of Engineer property, one of our large reservoirs, Arkabutla Lake, and he joins

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with roll call, adoption of the agenda, and approval of the prior minutes. The main presentation was from Julie Grenwald of Louisiana Hunters for the Hungry, who described the nonprofit’s protein donation programs, including freezer clean-out days, deer and fish processing partnerships, and a paused feral hog donation program that had collected about 3,500 hogs and 137,000 pounds of pork before funding ran short. She said the group has donated roughly 300,000 pounds of protein over two years, works with food banks and local agencies, and is protected under Louisiana’s Good Samaritan Law. Members asked about processor locations, exotic species, signage, sponsorships, and whether the program could expand to other invasive species or mobile drop-off options; Grenwald said expansion is possible if processors and funding are available. The task force then received a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries update from Jonathan Bordelon on chronic wasting disease testing. He reported more than 2,800 samples collected and over 2,300 results returned, with nine positives total: eight in Tensas Parish and one confirmed in Concordia Parish on Richard K. Yancey WMA, which triggered preparation of an emergency declaration and future rulemaking to adjust the control area. He said harvest and sampling remain near record levels, most samples are voluntary, and the agency continues to monitor symptomatic deer reports and public submissions. The final major presentation was from William McKinley of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, who gave a detailed overview of Mississippi’s CWD response. He said Mississippi has 529 detections across 18 counties, with prevalence rising from about one in 500 samples to about one in 80 statewide, and much higher in some counties. He described Mississippi’s surveillance system, targeted tags within three miles of positives, environmental sampling, feeder bans in CWD zones, and research showing contamination at feeders and in scrapes. He also discussed possible multiple strains, including one linked to the Wisconsin whitetail strain and another around Vicksburg/Issaquena, and said the disease appears to be expanding about 3.5 miles per year. Members asked about high-fence enclosures, live deer movement restrictions, baiting and feeding rules, hunter participation, and whether Louisiana should develop similar environmental testing capacity; no votes were taken on these issues, but members discussed possible future legislative or budget action.

Transcript Highlights:

• related to natural resources from the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department and the State Engineer

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Morning, you have an engineer who's really good at math. Do they know how to teach math?

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, the receipts from engineering, architectural, and construction services related to those

Committee: House Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee