Transcript Highlights:

• I didn't know you were in town, so our paper has gone to 4 days a week and you don't always find out
• In the last 4 days there's some places here that's had 13.5 inches of rain in the last 4 days.
• probably one of the largest ones outside of Santa Fe, uh, and we can't put that facility is flooded 4
• Remember, we have 4 grades of high school and then 2 grades of junior college.
• Our first cadets will start arriving on July 16th.

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 4.
• Section 4.
• Section 4.
• Section 4.
• </c> White House, July 13, 2026.

Bills: HR1181 , HR139 , HB6556 , HB3074

Keywords: Arab American, heritage, cultural recognition, National Arab American Heritage Month, diversity, community contributions, social justice, education, Iran, nuclear, sanctions, JCPOA, global security, U.N. Security Council, weapons proliferation

Transcript Highlights:

• Next up, we have Julie Hill, virtual. Ms.
• Julie Hill, Lava Hot Springs.
• Motion shows 10-4, 6 against, and 2 absent.
• Chairman, members of the committee, Ben Taves, Senator for District 4. Thank you, Mr.
• Next up, we're going to have another virtual testimony from Julie Hill. Chair: Ms.

Committee: House Business

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Speaker, the roll call reveals 36 yes, 4 no, 1 absent.
• Madam Speaker, the roll call reveals 36 yes, 4 no, 1 absent.
• We're here on July 1st. I don't care what time of the morning it is. We're here on July 1st.
• It is now 2:26 on July 1st.
• So folks, we're in an energy emergency until like July 5th.

Summary: The House convened on June 30, 2026, with opening ceremonies, guest introductions, and moments of silence for Gerlindy Lancelotti and Iva Durham. Members then took up a long agenda of bills and resolutions, including consent calendar items and several measures related to agriculture, lottery reporting, health care, fire service membership standards, inmate work, telecommunications, rent increases, youth camp licensing, primary elections, respiratory care practice, and marriage equality. The chamber also heard extended debate on Senate Bill 233, concerning removal of snow and ice from vehicles, and on House Bill 188, which would allow unaffiliated voters to choose a party primary while barring participation in both parties’ primaries. Among the notable actions, House Concurrent Resolution 157 passed as amended, directing the State Lottery to report on options to support traditional lottery retailers. Senate Bill 53, preserving the Delaware Farm to Community Program if federal support declines, passed unanimously. Senate Bill 307, giving the Public Service Commission authority to designate eligible Lifeline carriers, and Senate Bill 339, clarifying advance health care directives, also passed. Senate Bill 235, removing a sunset on manufactured home rent increase calculations, passed, as did Senate Bill 325 after House Amendment 1 narrowed disqualifying offenses for fire service membership and adjusted related background-check rules. Senate Bill 309, discharging remaining incarceration-cost balances, and Senate Bill 324, addressing constable-related firearm permit provisions, both passed. The chamber tabled Senate Bill 233 once to consider a proposed amendment for trucks and other hard-to-clear vehicles, but the amendment failed and the bill later passed as amended by the Senate. Senate Joint Resolution 19, directing DHSS to study strategies to reduce health care costs, was tabled pending legal review. Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 100, proposing a constitutional amendment to protect the right to marry, passed after extensive floor debate and personal statements from members on both sides. Senate Bill 293, creating a licensure pathway for summer camps to participate in purchase-of-care, passed after House Amendment 1. House Bill 188 on open primary access for unaffiliated voters passed 22-17, and Senate Bill 94, concerning respiratory care practitioners and ECMO medication delivery, passed after House Amendment 2. The transcript ends as the House begins consideration of House Substitute 1 for House Bill 404.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> And then the bill takes effect on July And then the bill takes effect on July 1st.<00:42:37.804>
• Sections 2 and 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2027. Section 13 shall take effect on July 1, 2028.
• Section 2 and 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2027. Section 13 shall take effect on July 1, 2028.
• </c> shall take effect on July 1, 2028. shall take effect on July 1, 2028.
• </c> effect on July 1, 2026. effect on July 1, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• The recommendation on this measure is to pass with a defective effective date of July 1, 2050.
• effective date on this measure to July 1 effective date on this measure to July 1 2050<00:02:23.160><
• 1 2050 members effective date of July 1 2050 members any any any discussion<00:03:48.519><c> okay</c
• The recommendation is to pass with a defective effective date of July 1, 2050. Any discussion?
• </c><00:41:33.319><c> 1</c> defective effective date of July 1 defective effective date of July 1 2050

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The Hawaii State Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection held decision-making and hearing sessions on February 4, 2025, covering a range of bills on public funds, cremation contracts, condominium insurance, insurance protections, veterinarians, landlord-tenant issues, agriculture, sex offender licensing restrictions, and service animals. In decision-making, SB 69 on deposits of public funds was passed with a defective effective date, SB 525 on cremation service contracts was deferred for later work on a concurrent resolution, SB 805 on condominium insurance was passed with amendments incorporating Attorney General recommendations, and SB 1141 on insurance protections was passed with amendments expanding the bill to catastrophic disasters and adding insurer response and loss-run reporting requirements. All of those measures were adopted by committee votes, with some members excused. During the hearing portion, SB 493 on veterinarians drew mixed testimony: state agencies and animal welfare groups supported efforts to create a workforce development fund and scholarship/loan repayment program, while the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association opposed the bill as written, arguing the board lacked capacity to administer the program, suggesting more WICHE funding instead, and objecting to new licensing fees. SB 606 on online business registration received comments from DCCA, SB 822 on landlord-tenant injunctions drew opposition from HPD and comments from the Judiciary, and SB 825 on eviction mediation received broad support from mediation advocates, the Judiciary, and others. Other measures heard included SB 276 on false labeling of Hawaii-grown roasted coffee, SB 1293 on tenant recovery in disaster areas, SB 1369 on solvency reporting for insurers and mutual benefit societies, and SB 1373 on automatic license actions against registered sex offenders, which received support from DCCA and several licensing boards. The committee also heard SB 1493 on emotional support animals, where the Attorney General raised constitutional and enforcement concerns, while disability advocates and others supported the bill and suggested clearer enforcement and disclosure language. SB 1662 on landlord application fees was also heard with comments from Hawaii Realtors and support testimony from individuals. In the later decision-making session, SB 493 was passed with amendments removing the proposed licensing fees and blanking appropriations, while SB 606 was deferred. SB 822 was passed with amendments adopting Judiciary recommendations, adding a Judiciary-facilitated working group to review the landlord-tenant code, and setting a defective effective date of July 1, 2050.

Transcript Highlights:

• was mentioned by the Chair, that this prohibition on federal Medicaid dollars went into effect on July
• 4th for providers that were otherwise already eligible and will receive eligibility again on July 4th
• So can you describe why this existing money is insufficient to cover these clinics until July?
• The numbers that I have seen are 3 to 4 percent. Does that sound reasonably accurate? Yes.
• What is the... 12-4. That passes, and we'll be reported out. That completes our business.

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee heard AB 106, an early-action budget bill providing $90 million one-time General Fund to support reproductive health providers affected by the federal H.R. 1 prohibition on Medicaid funding. Department of Finance staff explained that the money would be administered as grants through the Department of Health Care Access and Information because affected providers can no longer bill Medi-Cal during the federal restriction, which lasts through July 4, 2026. Members also discussed why the amount increased from an earlier $60 million estimate, with Finance saying the figure was updated based on additional claims data and provider information. The committee debate focused heavily on the policy implications of the funding. Supporters argued the bill is an emergency response to a targeted federal attack on Planned Parenthood and related family planning services, emphasizing that the funding would backfill non-abortion services such as cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, mammograms, and prenatal care. Opponents questioned the use of General Fund dollars, the grant structure versus loans for other distressed providers, the Public Records Act exemption, and the bill’s priority compared with rural hospitals, developmental services, public safety, and other budget needs. Finance clarified that the federal funds at issue do not pay for abortion services and that the grant program would be open to eligible providers meeting criteria set by the department. Public testimony was overwhelmingly in support from Planned Parenthood affiliates, Essential Access Health, Western Center on Law and Poverty, the California Medical Association, family physicians, OBGYN groups, and others, while some commenters used the opportunity to raise unrelated budget concerns such as Medi-Cal dental cuts, IHSS, and CalHome funding. After discussion, the committee approved AB 106 on a 12-4 vote and reported it out. The chair also noted that a later hearing would examine broader H.R. 1 impacts in more detail.

Transcript Highlights:

• have this update in July.
• In July.
• We can do that in June instead of July. But I do think.
• PCMH Plus, we can do that in June instead of July.
• July being about communication strategy.

Summary: The Care Management Meeting opened with a DSS update on the PCMH program. Staff reported the program remained steady at 124 practices, 553 sites, and 2,548 providers, with some month-to-month fluctuation driven by practice consolidation, retirements, and a few practices leaving the program because NCQA requirements were burdensome. Members asked about declining provider and site counts, member attribution trends, and whether PCMH practices overlap with behavioral health homes; DSS said attribution changes are largely due to members becoming ineligible, moving, or getting other insurance, and that PCMH and behavioral health homes are separate programs that coordinate informally. The committee also discussed why some smaller practices leave the program and whether the requirements could be made easier to support retention. The committee then resumed a detailed presentation on the Husky Dental program. The presenter described the dental benefit’s history, the importance of preventive oral health, workforce and consolidation pressures in dentistry, and the lack of interoperability between dental and medical records. Network data showed year-over-year declines in enrolled dental practitioners and service locations, with access gaps concentrated in rural and eastern parts of the state. Appointment availability surveys showed average waits of 38 days for adults and 23 days for children, but much longer waits at FQHCs than private fee-for-service practices. The presenter said Connecticut remains above the national median on CMS pediatric dental quality measures, though sealant rates remain a concern, and noted that preventive care is associated with lower per-member costs. Members raised concerns about provider participation, large practices dropping Medicaid, mobile dental care, and whether the public directory accurately reflects which dentists are actually accepting new patients. The presenter said the plan uses secret-shopper calls, tracks appointment availability, and has begun using place-of-service coding to better identify school-based dental care. She also noted a new MOU with 20 Head Start programs to share data and provide oral health literacy and navigation support. The final major topic was implementation planning for HR1. DSS said CMS guidance was expected in early June and proposed using upcoming meetings to cover medical frailty, communication strategy, and data integration/ex parte verification. Committee members urged the department to create a dashboard to track disenrollments and other impacts of HR1, to build a process for complaints and problem resolution, and to think through cost-sharing, caregiver verification, exemptions, and notices. Members also asked about using existing eligibility structures such as the working-disabled program as a model. The committee agreed to move the next meeting to June 10 by Zoom, with the agenda to be circulated in advance and any PCMH Plus quality data shared if available.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to new business under RSA 4-39-C, disposal of highway or turnpike funded real estate.
• Under RSA 4:39, bulk disposal of highway or turnpike funded real estate. LRCP26-00002.
• </c><00:19:54.880><c> sorry,</c><00:19:55.200><c> 4</c> Under RSA 4:39, bulk disposal of highway or turnpike
• </c> retroactive lease back to July 1st. retroactive lease back to July 1st.
• /c><00:41:26.960><c> 4</c> ft in length and 25 ft in width.4 4 ft in length and 25 ft in width.4 4 acres

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its September 29 meeting and then took up a series of Department of Transportation and Department of Administrative Services property actions. Several DOT items involved disposal of land originally acquired for the now-dissolved Conway bypass or other highway projects, including a 445.6-acre Conway parcel proposed for sale to the town of Conway for conservation use, a 1.78-acre Chesterfield parcel for sale to an abutter, a 6.13-acre Madison parcel tied to the Conway bypass, and a bulk disposal package of 22 improved parcels in Merrimack, Litchfield, and Hudson. Members asked about appraisals, conservation easements, federal funding restrictions, tenant occupancy, and whether the state would recover its original investment; DOT said values were based on appraisal or market analysis, federal reimbursements may be required where federal funds were used, and proceeds from turnpike-related property would return to the turnpike fund. All of these disposal motions were approved. The committee also approved several DOT lease/easement items. These included a Greenfield railroad-corridor lease for equestrian use, a Lake Winnipesaukee dock lease to CE Realty Trust, a similar dock lease to Needle Eye Association, and an easement in Carroll for Industrial Wireless to build a private road and cross Mount Deception Brook for a cell tower project. Members focused on maintenance responsibilities, liability insurance, access limitations, fencing, and the relationship between the railroad corridor and adjacent uses. DOT said lessees would be responsible for maintenance, access to the railroad would be restricted, and liability insurance would be included where appropriate. The committee also approved a separate easement for Eversource in Rochester to install utility lines serving the new courthouse, with the department explaining that the easement is a narrow strip needed to complete construction. The Department of Administrative Services received approval for a use-of-premises agreement allowing Rockingham County to lease 300 square feet in the Brentwood courthouse for office space, and for a perpetual utility easement in Rochester for Eversource, with a waiver of the administrative fee. The committee also heard that the Rochester courthouse project needs the utility work to finish construction. Throughout the meeting, members repeatedly asked about insurance, public access, valuation, and whether tenants or abutters would have first opportunity to buy or lease the affected properties. All motions before the committee were adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• 1, 2025, to July of 2028.
• Idaho to the Commission on Human Rights to serve a term July 125 to July of 2028.
• House Bill 188 was signed by Governor Little on April 4, 2025, effective July 1.
• Throughout June and July of 2025, the commission worked with electric utilities and pole-attaching entities
• Proceeding that, on November 4, the Commission brought together everyone who had submitted comments or

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• On July 4th, the President signed the federal reconciliation bill into law and ended the federal tax
• On July 4th, the President signed the federal reconciliation bill into law and ended the federal tax
• It seems like the procurement piece, Sections 3 and 4, might be duplicated, for example.
• So that's complicated, and we'll put it in our letter, but that's Sections 1 through 4.
• So that's complicated, and we'll put it in our letter, but that's Sections 1 through 4.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of energy bills, with much of the discussion focused on offshore wind, battery storage, solar, nuclear study proposals, and a bill to redefine clean energy. Several Barnstable-area legislators and witnesses raised concerns about offshore wind transmission infrastructure near neighborhoods, beaches, and drinking water supplies, and supported bills to create a special commission and increase local input and oversight. In contrast, environmental, consumer, labor, and clean energy groups strongly backed offshore wind expansion bills, arguing that offshore wind lowers long-term costs, improves winter reliability, reduces fossil fuel dependence, supports jobs and local supply chains, and should include wildlife protections, labor standards, and community benefits. Some witnesses and committee members noted that parts of the offshore wind legislation overlap with the Governor’s energy affordability bill, and asked for clarification on which provisions were new versus duplicative. The committee also heard testimony on battery storage and solar legislation. Two student witnesses and several industry representatives supported a bill to study grid battery storage, saying storage can reduce outages, lower peak prices, and improve grid resilience during extreme weather. Witnesses from solar and storage companies supported a broader clean energy transition bill that would expand storage procurement, create a retail-style storage program for distributed batteries, set a 10-gigawatt solar target by 2035, and streamline siting and interconnection. Committee members pressed witnesses on whether these provisions were already included in the Governor’s affordability bill and asked for a section-by-section breakdown of what was new. One witness also urged allowing developers to bond interconnection payments to reduce financing costs. Another major topic was a bill defining clean energy, especially whether existing pumped-storage hydropower should qualify for subsidies or be excluded. Supporters of the bill argued that existing pumped storage should not receive additional ratepayer subsidies because it is already built, can have environmental impacts on rivers and ecosystems, and could cost ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Opponents said pumped storage is an important reliability resource and should remain eligible. The committee also heard testimony on nuclear-energy study bills: some witnesses supported creating a commission to examine nuclear power as a reliable, carbon-free option, while others opposed nuclear study bills and argued that nuclear is costly, unsafe, and inconsistent with the state’s clean energy goals. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So basically somewhere in July someone will have had to file a lawsuit by.
• Somewhere in July, someone will have had to file a lawsuit by.
• This bill simply recreates its statutory entities from July 1, 2027, to July 2, 2033.
• We had a July election and I think a January election, just for propositions.
• We had a July election and I think a January election, just for propositions.

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Summary: The Committee on House and Governmental Affairs met on March 18 and first adopted the minutes from its February 21 meeting. The committee then took up HB 250, which would have narrowed financial disclosure requirements for appointed, unpaid board and commission members by exempting immediate family information. Supporters said the bill would reduce burdens and help recruit volunteers, while opponents argued it would weaken ethics enforcement and create opportunities for undisclosed conflicts of interest. After debate and a roll call, the committee deadlocked and HB 250 failed to advance on a 6-6 vote with one abstention. The committee next considered HB 576, which transfers ownership and maintenance responsibility for the Old Governor’s Mansion to the Department of State and codifies its current operational role. Secretary of State Nancy Landry and mansion staff testified in support, describing expanded programming, increased visitors, and the need to align the statute with current practice. The committee adopted technical amendments and then reported HB 576 favorably without objection. The committee also heard HB 117, which recreates the Department of State and its statutory entities through July 1, 2033, and reported it favorably without objection. The major remaining item was HB 842, the annual omnibus elections bill, which makes numerous technical and substantive changes to election law, including voter assistance for people with disabilities, absentee ballot and petition procedures, inactive voter updates, and election contest deadlines. Several members and public witnesses raised concerns about disability documentation, absentee ballot curing, witness requirements, constitutional amendment challenge deadlines, and the scope of authority given to the Secretary of State, while others said the bill clarified existing practice and improved election administration. After adopting amendments and rejecting a motion to defer, the committee reported HB 842 favorably by an 8-5 vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• If we go on to the next slide, page 4, you can see a snapshot of what the current fund levels look like
• Now, it is not going to be profitable when interest rates are 4-5%. And so, that's also part of it.
• The trends for fiscal year 2027 are 7.5 for medical, 16 for pharmacy, and 4 for dental.
• The credit will be effective in FY27, which is July 3rd. Excellent.
• However, if you look at item 4 on page 4, there is that 2 million dollar executive recommendation to

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• I move the bill be made effective July 1, 2026. All those in favor will vote yea.
• That, by the way, will be tacked on to you. ...hit with $4 to $500 million that, by the way, will be
• I move the bill be made effective July 1, 2026.
• Senator from Lewis moves the bill be made effective July 1, 2026.
• And effective July 1, 2026, the clerk will communicate the action of the Senate to the House.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you will now turn with me to page 4, I will discuss the background of our state's Healthy Universal
• Because there was an increase in USDA reimbursement rates, we are looking at a 4 percent increase in
• Enrollment has been decreasing, but the costs of meals go up about 4% per year.
• That was passed out in July from the Senate Finance Committee.
• Obviously, we haven't met since July, and so we haven't met since the beginning of school.

Transcript Highlights:

• Until then, our new Cascades Tier 4 locomotives meet the CARB highest air quality standards, California
• Cascades Tier 4 locomotives meet the CARB highest air quality standards, California Air Resources Board
• The bill would take effect July 1, 2026.
• And finally, the effective date, which was currently July 1 of 2025, has changed to July 1 of 2026. .
• And finally, the effective date, which was currently July 1, 2025, has changed to July 1, 2026.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several transportation-related bills. On Substitute House Bill 2251, staff explained changes to Climate Commitment Act accounts and revenue distribution, including new operating and capital accounts and a revised split of auction proceeds among transportation, capital, operating, and air quality accounts. Members asked about the bill’s effect on CERA funding, the air quality account, and whether the bill responded to projected revenue declines. Testimony was mixed but generally supportive of the bill’s goal of clearer, more predictable budgeting; tribal testimony requested clearer protections and a dedicated tribal set-aside, while other witnesses supported the bill for its transparency and climate/transportation benefits. No action was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 2588, which would allow county ferry districts to operate and finance vehicle ferries, not just passenger-only ferries. The prime sponsor and county officials from Whatcom and Pierce described the bill as a local option to help fund aging ferry systems without raising taxes, and public testimony from island residents, county representatives, and advocacy groups strongly supported it as a way to stabilize essential ferry service. The committee also heard House Bill 2722, which would raise the vehicle weight threshold for Transportation Benefit District fees from 6,000 to 10,000 pounds. Staff said the change would modestly increase TBD revenue statewide, and the sponsor argued the current law unfairly exempts heavier trucks while lighter vehicles pay the fee. Cities and local officials supported the bill, while the trucking association said it would support a compromise at 9,000 pounds instead of 10,000. The committee also heard House Bill 2727, creating an Educational Transit Access Grant Program for transit agencies and community and technical colleges to pilot free or reduced fares for students; the sponsor and transit advocates said it would improve affordability and access, and testimony emphasized equity and student retention benefits. In executive session, the committee considered Second Substitute House Bill 1923, which would expand who can form passenger-only ferry service districts and where they can be formed, with added intent language related to southern resident orcas and a revised effective date. After discussion, the committee voted 23-4 to pass the bill out of committee with a do pass recommendation. The chair also announced a deadline extension for amendment requests on bills heard that day and thanked staff before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• We support this measure and we have a suggestion, actually: $4 million for two cycles is a good start
• It's just earmarking $4 million of the governor's budget for reintegration specifically.
• We can provide that, uh, how many people are serviced by this $4 million.
• </c> any new or expanded facility from July any new or expanded facility from July 1st<01:35:19.679><
• We're barely getting $1.5 million to $1.7 million, and we're asking for $4 million.

Committee: House Public Safety

Summary: The Public Safety Committee held a hearing on House Bill 433, which would appropriate $4 million for Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation re-entry services to connect offenders with community-based services. Director Tommy Johnson said the department supports the bill’s intent but noted the governor’s executive budget already includes $4 million for the same purpose and asked that the measure defer to that budget. Supporters, including the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the ACLU, backed the funding but urged that it be tied to a clear re-entry plan, performance measures, transparency, and regular reporting to the legislature. They emphasized that re-entry should begin at intake and involve community partnerships, housing, treatment, employment, and family reunification services. Committee members questioned the department about current re-entry services, pre-trial detainees, and how the new funds would be used. Johnson said the department’s current statewide re-entry budget is about $1.5 million to $1.7 million, separate from the larger Corrections Program Services Division budget for in-facility programs. He described the proposed $4 million as supporting a mix of services, including a pilot apprenticeship program, substance abuse treatment, navigator or warm-handoff services, and short-term transitional housing. He also said the department already tracks performance outcomes in its annual report and can provide a matrix showing the intake-to-discharge process, program contracts, and volunteer organizations. The discussion also covered pre-trial detainees, electronic monitoring, and mental health services. Johnson said the department has limited jurisdiction over pre-trial detainees but works with courts to seek supervised release when possible; he noted that many requests are denied, though electronic monitoring has improved release rates somewhat. On mental health, he said the jail is not an ideal therapeutic setting for people found unfit to proceed and suggested a secure community-based step-down facility run by the Department of Health for those needing care above what the jail can provide but below forensic-level treatment. No vote or final action on the bill was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next three up in support: Caleb Atwell, Mayor of Killian; Julie Sawyer, self; and Mark Guillory.
• And we’ll start with Julie. I’m Julie Richmond-Sauer.
• Julie. Vernon Parish, we don't have any projects coming in. They just want to bury it under us.
• Section 4, when we were dealing with the state constitution and eminent domain.
• If it goes through downtown Baton Rouge with high-rise buildings, it is Class 4.

Summary: The committee took up public comment on a package of similar local-option bills related to carbon capture and sequestration, including House Bills 5, 6, 497, 498, 501, and 504. The bills would let parishes, or in some cases specific parishes such as Rapides and Livingston, decide by local vote whether Class VI wells, CO2 sequestration, and related pipeline infrastructure could be permitted. The chair grouped the bills together for testimony, adopted a three-minute public comment rule, and noted that the bills were not yet under consideration for a vote during the public-comment portion. Supporters, including Speaker Pro Tem Mike Johnson, parish officials, local activists, and residents, argued that communities affected by carbon capture projects should have a direct voice through local option elections. They said the bills were about self-determination, local control, and allowing residents to decide whether the risks are worth the benefits. Several speakers said their parishes had passed resolutions opposing carbon capture or asking for local choice, while others emphasized concerns about eminent domain, aquifer protection, lack of public understanding, and the need for more information about project impacts and financial benefits. Some supporters also said a local vote would force industry to engage more directly with communities and could improve transparency. Opponents, including representatives of the Department of Conservation and Energy, the Louisiana Chemistry Association, the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, warned that the bills would create uncertainty, undermine Louisiana’s primacy over Class VI permitting, and invite litigation under federal preemption and the Supremacy Clause. They said the state already has a strict permitting process with public input and technical review, and that allowing parish-by-parish approval could delay or block billions of dollars in investment, jobs, and export-related projects. The department testified that if the state adopted a local-option referendum system, EPA could determine Louisiana was not implementing the program consistently and could move to remove primacy. No committee vote was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• On slide 4, we'll talk about the baseline forecasts.
• One is Moody's Analytics, and this forecast is based on their July 2020 data.
• Again, we were looking at their July 2025 forecast.
• When the federal rate went up by about 4%, our revenue sharing went up as well.
• We're on page 4. We're on page five now. I actually want to start with page five.

Committee: House Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• No, and that's a 4 to 2. Thank you. Who would like to take this out?
• No, and that's a 4 to 2. Thank you. Who would like to take this out?
• All right, the effective date changed to July 1, 2026.
• <01:47:56.520><c> 1</c><01:47:57.239><c> 2026</c><01:47:58.239><c> and</c> July 1 2026 and July 1 2026
• I think maybe give it a year, like July 1st, 2026.

Committee: Senate Commerce