Transcript Highlights:

• of the the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic<00:15:55.600> Party,<00:15:56.320> Conservation
• <00:15:56.959> Council Democratic Party, Conservation Council Democratic Party, Conservation
• Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene a working group to assess environmental and conservation
• Um, testimony in support from Hawaii Forest Farms LLC, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party,
• in<00:17:46.799> support<00:17:47.120> from Um, testimony in support from Hawaii Forest

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection met on April 1, 2025, to hear three resolutions. The first, HR 27/HCR 28, sought to reconvene a working group on contamination remediation tied to the Pu‘uloa/Puoa Ranch Range training facility. Testimony was strongly supportive, with speakers from the Sierra Club of Hawai‘i and the community describing concerns about lead contamination, health risks to children and pregnant women, and the need for continued testing and coordination. The committee later recommended and adopted the resolution unamended by vote, with Rep. Quinnland excused. The second measure, HR 143/HCR 149, asked the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene a working group to assess steps toward transitioning Volcano, Hawai‘i, into a biosphere area aligned with the Hawaiian Islands Biosphere Reserve. Support came from community and environmental interests, including testimony from the Sierra Club and others, and DLNR offered comments. The committee recommended passage with amendments limiting the working group participants to the district representative and the Volcano Community Association, and that recommendation was adopted. The final measure, HR 191/HCR 199, urged DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife to prioritize restoration and protection of additional wetlands and an Ankuline pools. DLNR supported the intent but suggested technical clarifications, while community testimony emphasized wetlands’ role in flood control, sediment capture, and long-term environmental protection in South Maui. The committee recommended several amendments, including removing reference to the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, revising agency references, changing “state waters” to “waters of the state,” and assigning the County of Maui as the responsible party for certain wetland protections. The amended resolution was then adopted, and the hearing adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And Kerry Kirk Flew, New Jersey School of Conservation, would like to testify.
• I'm the executive director for the New Jersey School of Conservation. My name is Kerry Kirk Flew.
• The New Jersey School of Conservation is a 77-year-old state environmental education center.
• The school is located in Stokes State Forest on top. Partisan support.
• , all constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:25:56.280> District because it's on Conservation District because it's on Conservation
• I'm Michael Kane with the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands.
• Next up we have the Nature Conservancy. Hello, Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• I'm with The Nature Conservancy Hawaiʻi and Palmyra.
• uh The Nature Conservancy since 1982 has uh The Nature Conservancy since 1982 has helped<02:03:20.199

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 1233, relating to storm management systems, which would add safety and maintenance requirements for detention and retention ponds. Supporters, including Alison Schafers of the Ki Injury Prevention Coalition and Kristen Herstead of the Hawaii Lifeguard Association, said the measure is needed because poorly maintained ponds can become hidden drowning hazards, especially for children, and argued that fencing, signage, and life-saving equipment would have minimal cost. Schafers described the death of her daughter in a detention pond and said the bill reflects recommendations in the Hawaii Water Safety Plan. Members asked about whether the issue should be handled at the county level; testifiers responded that a statewide standard is needed, though counties would likely handle permitting. No vote was taken on the bill during the excerpted discussion. The committee then heard HB 867, relating to recreational facilities, which would require accessible playgrounds. The Department of Land and Natural Resources said it submitted comments and that state parks do not generally have recreational facilities affected by the bill, while most such facilities are under county jurisdiction. The Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Disability Communication Access Board, and the Disability Rights Center all supported the bill’s intent but recommended changes, including replacing the term “special needs” with “accessible,” focusing the requirement on new and renovated playgrounds, and specifying wheelchair-accessible swings. Testifiers emphasized that accessible play spaces promote inclusion for children with disabilities and benefit all children. No final action or vote was reported. The committee also took up HB 1358, relating to a public land trust working group. DLNR supported the measure and said it had provided written comments, while the Office of Hawaiian Affairs strongly supported the bill and described longstanding problems with incomplete land inventories, self-reported revenue data, and disputed public land trust payments. OHA said an audit it funded suggests the state owes more than current payments reflect, and other supporters said the bill is needed for transparency, accountability, and a complete inventory of public trust lands, including submerged lands. Committee questions focused on how the public land trust information system is maintained, who updates it, and how revenue reporting works; DLNR said the system is older, has limited dedicated IT staffing, and relies on agency self-reporting rather than independent verification. No vote or final committee action was announced in the excerpt.

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• Forest Service, it is a true multiple-use forest supporting timber harvesting, wildlife conservation,
• lands in our national forests.
• The mountains and the forests.
• It's the oldest and largest national forest in our southern region. The mountains and the forests.
• <05:37:41.120> In forest and reduce wildfire risk. In forest and reduce wildfire risk.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and a brochure with additional background and cumulatively proposed outputs and acres of prairie, forest
• Spent to really—these three words are key—restore, enhance, and protect wetlands, prairies, forests,
• and a brochure with additional background and cumulatively proposed outputs and acres of prairie, forest
• , outputs and acres of prairie, forest, outputs and acres of prairie, forest, and<00:13:29.680>
• funding is expected private conservation funding is expected to<00:14:20.640> be<00:14:20.760

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Forest Service, Cook and Lake counties, and some private landowners.
• <00:39:50.119> roads utilizes a combination of Forest roads utilizes a combination of Forest
• trail to a number of existing Forest trail to a number of existing Forest roads<00:42:38.440>
• <00:45:46.520> members<00:45:46.960> this Recreation and conservation members this
• Recreation and conservation members this is<00:45:47.280> not<00:45:47.520> just<00:45:

Keywords: 1183, house

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• testifiers stated, are conservative testifiers stated, are conservative estimates<00:16:19.520><
• And so, these are very conservative estimates.
• In Willmar and Worthington, Forest Lake and Fergus Falls, St. Cloud, Red Wing, Rochester, St.
• In Willmar and Worthington, Forest Lake and Fergus Falls, St. Cloud, Red Wing, Rochester, St.
• Forest Lake, Red Wing, northern St. Forest Lake, Red Wing, northern St.

Bills: HF4477

Keywords: Minnesota business recovery loan program, small business loan, zero-interest loan, forgivable loan, business recovery, economic development, small business emergency loan account, Minnesota Initiative Foundations, nonprofit lenders, greater Minnesota, Twin Cities metro, seven-county metropolitan area, immigration enforcement, business interruption, revenue loss, job preservation, business stabilization, state appropriation, forward fund, loan forgiveness

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• In addition, it allows the Commissioner of Education to appoint a conservator if such a suit is filed
• The conservator shall order the district or the school to withdraw from the action or proceedings.
• Then the conservator can do X, Y, and Z. But they've got, you know, two steps to go through first.
• North Forest feeder pattern, that's the one that was annexed by Houston ISD.
• Today, one year later, after my administration started, all of them are A's and B's, North Forest.

Summary: The committee continued hearing testimony on Senate Bill 2252, which would expand early literacy and numeracy screening, parent notification, intervention supports, and teacher training, including math academies and early childhood supports. Supporters from Texas 2036, Good Reason Houston, Texas Business Leadership Council, and several parents argued that early identification of skill gaps, clearer data for families, and stronger teacher preparation would improve student outcomes, workforce readiness, and long-term earnings. They cited low math proficiency statewide, the importance of early intervention, and examples of districts using screeners and data dashboards to guide instruction and resource allocation. One witness also highlighted home visiting as a family-support model, while another urged more funding for pre-K partnerships and stronger support for parents with reading materials and guidance. A district special education administrator testified neutrally, saying the bill reflects practices already used in her district but expressing concern that it could reduce local control and teacher discretion by standardizing screening and tying it to funding. A Texas Classroom Teachers Association representative supported the intent but warned that mandatory math academies and intervention academies could burden teachers if implemented like prior reading academies, and a substitute teacher/teacher-of-the-year witness asked for clearer protections around special education information and pay for alternative certification candidates. After public testimony closed, SB 2252 was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2253, as substituted, which would phase out routine hiring of uncertified teachers over time, require parent notification when a teacher is uncertified, and expand high-quality preparation pathways such as university programs, residencies, improved alternative certification, and grow-your-own programs. Senator Creighton said the bill responds to the rise in uncertified teachers and aims to strengthen the teacher pipeline with more structured preparation, mentorship, and oversight by SBEC. Invited testimony strongly supported the measure: a Texas Tech researcher said uncertified teachers and fast-track programs are associated with significant learning losses, while year-long residencies and mentored pathways produce stronger outcomes and higher earnings for students. Leaders from Dallas College and Sam Houston State University described successful residency and grow-your-own models, high completion and retention rates, and the need for paid residencies and stipends so candidates can afford to enter the profession. Committee members asked about the difference between mentorship and residency, the cost-effectiveness of paid residencies, retention incentives, and how to scale the model statewide. The committee also adopted the substitute for SB 2253 and later paused to vote out several other bills, including SB 1191, SB 1786, SB 226, SB 326, SB 570, SB 870, SB 991, SB 60, SB 365, SB 1401, and SB 1067, all of which were reported favorably, many with unanimous votes and some placed on the local and uncontested calendar.

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• With increased staffing and resources, officers can more effectively safeguard our forests, coastlines
• With increased staffing and resources, officers can more effectively safeguard our forests, coastlines
• With increased staffing and resources, officers can more effectively safeguard our forests, coastlines
• <06:04:44.160> And<06:04:44.400> just conservative or prudent.
• And just conservative or prudent.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Gentry: as a public park and green space for recreational, education, and conservation activities.
• Next up, Conservation Lands. Chair: By Representative Kendall and Tant, House Bill 441.
• So we want to see published what are the parcels, what is the percentage of conservation land versus
• Leslie Reed, Conservation Florida waives in support. Hugh Long, proponent.
• But conservation easement is something people don't even know exist.

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• Specifically, you can see the hotspot down in the Gila National Forest.
• For example, we went down to the Gila National Forest with some of our techs and scientists at Sandia
• no way we can underground all of our distribution through the forest because the cost..."
• Forest Service and other fire laboratories, there's a lot of this going on right now.
• Forest Service has vegetation modeling tools that are also useful for this, as do other national land

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• Interestingly, they're on private land, but they are centered within the national forest, so they did
• Forest Service to get a special use permit to get access across the forest to their private minerals.
• act they further Wetland Conservation act they further pursued<00:36:14.200> uh<00:36:14.520>
• <00:36:50.119> so centered within the national forest so centered within the national forest
• <00:36:55.240> their get access across the forest to their get access across the forest to

Keywords: 1183, house

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• <03:11:57.680> and protection of New Hampshire forest and protection of New Hampshire forest
• Hampshire Forest um I did pass out uh Hampshire Forest um I did pass out uh written<03:17:09.680>
• <03:18:07.080> you<03:18:07.199> know<03:18:07.319> Forest water Forest you
• know Forest water Forest you know Forest resources<03:18:09.319> you<03:18:09.439> know
• be no landfill at Forest be no landfill at Forest Lake<05:02:04.160> it's<05:02:04.280>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held a hearing on HB 566, which would require permit applications for new landfills to include a detailed leachate management plan. Representative German introduced the bill and explained that it was prompted by recent reporting on leachate management problems at New Hampshire landfills, including alleged violations and deficiency letters from DES. He said the bill was intended to address public health concerns, PFAS contamination, and increased leachate volumes tied to more severe rainstorms, while still allowing innovation in treatment and transportation methods. He also described a set of proposed amendments developed after discussions with DES and a landfill operator, including changing “permit for construction” to “operating approval,” applying the bill to landfill expansions, moving contract-related language into the planning section, and removing a proposed new subparagraph. Committee members asked whether the bill would limit operator flexibility or duplicate existing DES rules. Representative German said the bill would not dictate specific treatment methods or lock operators into long-term contracts, but would require a plan showing how leachate will be managed, transported, and disposed of, with later contract changes reported to DES. Several members and the BIA representative questioned whether the bill was necessary given existing Env 806 rules and DES enforcement authority. The Business and Industry Association opposed the bill as introduced, arguing that DES already has rules and technical expertise, that the issue is better handled through rulemaking, and that moving requirements into statute could freeze the framework and make future adjustments harder. Supporters countered that a statute would provide a stronger, more durable policy commitment in response to ongoing problems. No vote or final committee action was taken during the hearing. The discussion ended with the bill still under consideration and with the sponsor indicating that a revised amendment would likely be brought forward for later work session or executive session review.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly bill 2216 by Assembly Member Agriar Curry and accolated to conservation.
• , covers conservation, and sustainable agricultural efforts.
• Assembly Bill 2494 by Assembly Member Rogers and an act relating to the State Forest.
• And a lot of it is due to the shifting definitions of what we've done to forest management.
• and to work through proper forest management techniques.

Keywords: 988, house, all

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• Nestled in the heart of the Sam Houston National Forest and graced by the tranquil waters of Lake Livingston
• His dedication to climate conservation, environmental preservation, and international development reflects
• of over 30,000 and once known as the land of milk and honey, Grimes County boasts rolling hills, forests

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• Working also with their forestry program for the folks called EcoServants, who do forest thinning work
• And so through partnerships like soil and water conservation districts who are working to provide more
• Of what other states are doing to conserve and to just the use of technology.
• And that's why partnerships with, for example, New Mexico Soil and Water Conservation.
• That's up in the Forest Service. We do have to protect our lands. We do have to protect our waters.

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• A remarkable Forest, North Carolina.
• > operates<04:26:00.159> on of wildlife conservation operates on of wildlife conservation
• anglers pay for wildlife conservation anglers pay for wildlife conservation each<04:26:16.159>
• equipment for fish conservation. equipment for fish conservation.
• state managers, conservation state managers, conservation organization,<04:28:04.640> and

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Poloa Conservation Initiative. Aloha.
• Paliwa Conservation Initiative stewards 20 acres of dryland forest with watershed and endangered birds
• > Paliwa Conservation Initiative stewards Paliwa Conservation Initiative stewards 20<03:13:49.520>
• > with 20 acres of dryland forest with 20 acres of dryland forest with watershed<03:13:52.399>
• dryland forests have been destroyed. dryland forests have been destroyed.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: This joint informational briefing focused on Act 310 grants and aid, with committee members hearing one-minute testimony from organizations first in person and then by Zoom. At the outset, the chairs explained there would be no Q&A during the briefing and asked testifiers to focus on how federal cuts were affecting their work. The meeting was organized by registration number and included both neighbor island and Oʻahu applicants. Testimony centered on organizations seeking state support to offset federal funding losses or anticipated reductions. Health and social service providers described impacts from Medicaid, SNAP, ACA subsidy, Title X, and other federal changes, including Aloha Care, Community Clinic of Maui, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, West Hawaiʻi Community Health Center, Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center, Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network, Alcoholic Rehabilitation Services of Hawaiʻi, and Kokua Kalihi Valley. Other groups highlighted losses affecting food security, housing, disaster preparedness, and climate resilience, including the Kohala Center, Feeding Hawaiʻi Together, Hawaiian Lending and Investments, Dynamic Community Solutions, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum. Several arts, youth, and education organizations also testified, including Hawaiʻi Literacy, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, Honolulu Theatre for the Youth, Sounding Joy Music Therapy, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi, Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi, Kids Hurt Too Hawaiʻi, and US Vets, each requesting funding to preserve programs and staffing. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the briefing. The only action was procedural: the chairs moved through the applicant list, limited testimony time, and then transitioned from neighbor island in-person testimony to Oʻahu and later Zoom participants.

Transcript Highlights:

• important role in the dynamics of forest important role in the dynamics of forest succession.<01
• And we do refer to this as urban forest.
• Perhaps it's an odd an urban forest.
• <01:36:10.000> that's Bamiji, but um this is a forest that's Bamiji, but um this is a forest
• <01:37:44.480> will and saplings in an urban forest will and saplings in an urban forest will

Bills: HF1323, HF3500

Keywords: undocumented, financial aid, state policy, higher education, noncitizen eligibility, funding, storm damage relief, Bemidji State University, reforestation, state appropriations, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• appropriations will benefit communities across California by investing in wildfire prevention and forest
• certain Proposition 4 climate bond dollars, including the full amounts allocated to six state conservancies
• for grants and projects related to wildfire and forest resilience, and $10 million to the Department
• Sierra Nevada Conservancy does great work on the ground for fire mitigation, and I'm very appreciative

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee held an informational hearing on SB 100/AB 100, the early action budget bills, with a focus on Medi-Cal funding, wildfire recovery, and several smaller budget adjustments. The Department of Finance explained that the bill would add $2.8 billion General Fund and $8.3 billion federal funds for Medi-Cal, along with other items including wildfire-related local assistance for Los Angeles County, property tax backfills for fire-damaged local agencies, Cal OES wildfire monitoring authority, nonprofit security grants, the Property Tax Postponement Fund, FARMER and Clean Cars for All funding, foster family home insurance claims, Proposition 98 technical assistance for LA wildfire-impacted schools, teacher credentialing authority, and Proposition 4 climate bond appropriations for wildfire and forest resilience projects. Much of the member discussion centered on rising Medi-Cal costs, the recent $3.4 billion cash-flow loan, and whether the new appropriation would cover payments through June. Finance said the new funds were for program costs and cash flow, not repayment of the loan, and that no additional loan authority remained. Members also debated the causes of higher Medi-Cal spending, including expanded eligibility, higher enrollment, pharmacy costs, and federal policy changes. The LAO noted that forecasting errors are not unusual but that current revisions are somewhat higher than typical, though not unprecedented. Several members emphasized that Medi-Cal supports access to care and hospital stability, while others raised concerns about sustainability and future federal cuts. Public commenters largely supported the bill, especially the Medi-Cal funding and wildfire-related provisions. Health and labor advocates argued that the program is functioning as intended by covering more low-income Californians and preventing uncompensated care. Representatives of special districts and the Altadena Library District supported the property tax backfill provisions tied to the Eaton fire. The hearing ended without a vote, with the chair noting that the committee would adjourn for floor session and that the Assembly would vote on one of the early action bills later that morning.