Transcript Highlights:

• There are people probably that were captains of the debate team back in high school; I was not.
• Fixed rail works great when you have high concentrations of people.
• Phoenix is the antithesis of high concentrations of people. Phoenix is spread out.
• But the particular area that this is focused on is between Highway 85 and the Gillespie Dam.
• This other one is from the 85, about 12 miles, that's going west toward Gillespie Dam. Mr.

Summary: The committee met to hear and vote on a series of appropriations and transportation-related bills, beginning with SB 1550, which would fund a Queen Creek police pilot program focused on runaway youth prevention, at-risk youth protection, and anti-trafficking work. Supporters said the town and local facilities already contribute personnel and administrative support, while some members urged Queen Creek to add local matching funds. The bill received a due pass recommendation on a 7-2 vote. The committee then considered SB 1156 and SB 1157, both $20 million border-related reimbursement bills sponsored by Senator Rogers. SB 1156 would reimburse cities, towns, and counties for short-term detention hold costs for unauthorized non-citizens, and SB 1157 would reimburse local governments for supplemental fencing or bollard walls in high-crossing border areas. Both bills drew strong opposition from public commenters who described them as funding detention and border enforcement at the expense of other needs, while supporters framed them as backfilling local costs already incurred. SB 1156 passed 5-3, and SB 1157 passed 5-3. The committee also approved SB 1245, which would fund pavement replacement on Rodeo Road in Williams, and SB 1707, which would provide $5 million for AI-related border security at DPS. SB 1245 passed 6-3, with some members objecting that the state highway user revenue fund is underfunded and local contributions should be required. SB 1707 passed 6-4 after testimony split between supporters who favored using AI and surveillance tools for border security and opponents who said the bill was too vague, too expensive, or inappropriate given other state priorities. Later, the committee advanced SB 1273, funding pavement rehabilitation on Ogle Frontage Road between Bowie and San Simon, and SB 1811, which would clarify that school districts and charter schools may allow wireless device use in the case of an emergency rather than during an emergency. SB 1273 passed 6-4 amid debate over state versus local funding responsibility, and SB 1811 passed 8-1 after testimony that the change would give schools more flexibility and avoid practical problems during emergencies. The committee also heard SB 1088, a cybersecurity appropriation for DHS, and SB 1332, which would require ADOT to study light rail expansion in Maricopa County versus autonomous or semi-autonomous transit options. SB 1088 passed 6-4 despite concerns that the appropriation was vendor-driven and not requested by the department. SB 1332 drew extensive testimony from small business owners along Indian School Road who said light rail construction had harmed access and sales, while Phoenix/Valley Metro opposed the bill and questioned ADOT’s role; the discussion continued as the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• The third was that those changes would be based on sound science, on high-quality data and science that
• And those were, at least on the tribal side of things, very high-level policy people within the tribes
• But as someone interested in and following the Snake River dams and the Columbia River, I work in ag
• as an exporter, and the breaching of the dams was an issue, and water temperature was an issue.
• exporter, and the breaching of the dams was an issue.

Summary: The committee held a work session on the history, implementation, and current challenges of Washington’s Forest and Fish law and related Habitat Conservation Plan. Testimony from tribal representatives Jim Peters and David Herrera, former Rep. Jim Buck, and mediator Tim Thompson described the original timber, fish, and wildlife negotiations as a broad, collaborative effort intended to balance salmon and habitat protection with a viable timber industry. DNR’s Sabur Jawad outlined the program’s statutory framework, the roles of DNR, Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, tribes, local governments, landowners, and the Forest Practices Board, and explained that changes to aquatic-resource rules can come through adaptive management, legislative direction, or court orders. He also described the permitting and enforcement system, the programmatic HCP, road maintenance and abandonment work, and the adaptive management process, including the long-running NP stream-buffer studies and resulting rulemaking timeline. Agency and stakeholder testimony emphasized accomplishments such as decades of HCP coverage, annual compliance monitoring, road and fish-barrier improvements, small forest landowner assistance programs, and the completion of numerous adaptive management studies. DNR’s Katie Allen said the program has strong successes but also faces resource-intensive implementation, rising costs, and watershed-wide pressures beyond forestry, and she pointed to a State Auditor review that produced 13 recommendations now being addressed through an action plan and a structured decision-making model. Washington Farm Forestry Association executive director Elaine O’Neill said small forest landowners supported the agreement expecting assistance and flexibility, but argued the balance has shifted toward more protection and less practical consideration of rural vitality and property rights. Washington Forest Protection Association executive director Jason Spadero said the agreement has produced measurable environmental gains and regulatory predictability, but criticized the recent NP rule and urged continued science-based, economically balanced management. In the final discussion, tribal representatives said the collaborative, consensus-based process still works in some areas, but that the principals need to be re-engaged more directly and periodically to restore accountability and trust. They said the adaptive management process and funding remain important, but expressed concern that consensus has broken down in some recent rulemaking and that side negotiations or outside pressure can undermine the original agreement. Members asked how to restore the collaborative model; Peters suggested renewed commitment from the principal parties and more regular high-level meetings, while Herrera echoed the need to implement the auditor’s recommendations. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• that live on Lake Todd to maintain the dam and tax themselves, etc.
• </c> live on Lake Todd to maintain the dam live on Lake Todd to maintain the dam and<00:37:31.720><c>
• </c> it's been testing um a little too high it's been testing um a little too high for for for pasas<
• What's going to happen with the high school and other nearby town home facilities?"
• So, uh, it's not a high school question; it's an elementary school.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 332, a bill to add protection and remediation of surface waters as a new authorized purpose for New Hampshire village districts. Prime sponsor Rep. Rosemary Rung said the bill is intended to give local voters in lake communities a voluntary tool to address cyanobacteria blooms and other water-quality problems through village districts, including the ability to raise revenue, adopt ordinances, and pursue treatments or watershed management measures. She emphasized that the proposal is meant to complement, not replace, state law and that any district action would still need to comply with existing permitting and environmental requirements. Supporters, including Andrea Laro of New Hampshire Lakes and Elizabeth Harper of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association, said the bill would help municipalities collaborate on lake protection when state resources are limited. They argued that local districts could bring subject-matter expertise, access grants and technical assistance, and respond more quickly to problems such as septic impacts, runoff, culvert repairs, and in-lake treatments. They also suggested clarifying the bill’s wording around “protection and remediation” to better define the scope of authorized activities. Opponents, including Steve Wolf and Chris Norwood of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, argued that village districts can already be overly broad and sometimes expand beyond their original purposes. Wolf said existing town and state agencies already handle shoreline protection and warned that village districts can impose ongoing taxes and create governance problems. Norwood urged a study bill instead, citing concerns about the scope of village districts and examples where some districts have taken on planning and zoning powers beyond their original mission. No vote or final action on HB 332 was taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to provide an update on the invasive carp deterrent at Lock and Dam 5 on
• They provided an assessment of deterrent options at Lock and Dam 5, and we selected a deterrent type
• </c> help native fish pass the lock and dam. help native fish pass the lock and dam.
• </c><00:15:12.399><c> Legacy</c><00:15:12.880><c> made</c> was a high demand location.
• Legacy made was a high demand location.

Committee: House Legacy Finance

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The law is, if you dam a navigable waterway, it becomes a public water...
• And so, once that was declared a public highway and a dam was placed across it, the reservoir becomes
• DCNR, do recognize that there are some critical infrastructure issues that need to be protected: the dams
• And one last question: Are there any other dams or reservoirs on Big Creek, or is this the only one?
• We explored that option, but the expense would be pretty high at the boat launch because of the cost

Bills: HB471 , HB473

Committee: House Boards, Agencies and Commissions

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

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's the dam issue.
• And if you lower that's the dam issue.
• And I think maintaining the dam.
• And it had a very high ACP value, meaning that ultimately the RECs could be very high because it was
• </c><01:48:29.120><c> distribution</c> has talked about the high distribution has talked about the high

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Utility rates are too high.
• Utility rates are too high.
• They jealously guard their high-performing schools.
• in the dam and the flood mitigation pot.
• AND HELPING TO ADDRESS THE DAM IN MY DISTRICT.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation, then approved the prior day’s Journal and moved into motions, resolutions, and budget-related business. Senator Gianaris called up Senate Print 5898A for reconsideration; the Senate voted 59 ayes to restore the bill to the third reading calendar. Several amendments were also received on third-reading bills, and the Finance Committee was called into session while the chamber proceeded with resolutions. The Senate adopted Resolution J.2106 recognizing Second Chance Month and the mental health impacts of incarceration, with Senator Brisport speaking in support and a guest from the community recognized in the chamber. The body also adopted Resolution J.1492 designating May 27, 2026, as Taiwan Heritage Day, with remarks from Senators Sepúlveda, Stavisky, and Liu highlighting Taiwanese contributions to New York and expressing support for Taiwan amid current geopolitical tensions. The Finance Committee then reported several budget bills, including Senate Prints 9003D, 9004D, 9007C, and 9009C, which were moved to third reading. The remainder of the session focused on the supplemental and controversial budget calendars, especially tax and spending provisions. Senators debated the “Protecting Our Wallets” energy rebate, with supporters describing it as a one-time check for eligible taxpayers and critics arguing it was too small and not tied directly to utility bills; the chamber accepted the message of necessity and laid the bills aside. Members also debated extensions and changes to tax provisions affecting corporations, alternative fuel exemptions, Broadway and theatrical production tax credits, charitable deductions for certain 501(c)(3)s, nicotine pouch taxes, a new New York City pied-à-terre tax, and a standardbred horse-racing testing fee. Several senators criticized the budget as raising costs or favoring certain industries, while supporters defended the measures as revenue-raising, affordability, or public-health policies. No final votes on the controversial budget bills are shown in the excerpt beyond procedural rulings, adoption of the resolution calendar, and acceptance of committee reports.

Transcript Highlights:

• their operating rules, they're going to prioritize the electric service over the operations of the dams
• their operating rules, they're going to prioritize the electric service over the operations of the dams
• And running the Columbia River, running Wanapum, Priest Rapids Dam... Senator, it is just five.
• But living in Quincy, you know, I've got a brand-new high school.
• And so today we're going to focus on sharing some high-level themes that have emerged in this body of

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience

Summary: The Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience opened by electing Senator Shoemake as chair and Representative Alex Ibarra as vice chair. Members then moved into a series of work sessions focused on data centers, transmission, and workforce needs tied to Washington’s clean energy and grid planning challenges. Kate Bruns and Glenn Blackman presented preliminary findings from the governor’s Data Center work group, created under Executive Order 25-05. They said the group met for six months, received more than 1,000 public comments, and included representatives from agencies, industry, tribes, labor, utilities, environmental groups, and research institutions. The presenters emphasized that data centers are expected to be the largest source of load growth over the next five to ten years, creating concerns about grid capacity, ratepayer impacts, forecasting, water use, backup generation, and compatibility with Washington’s energy and climate laws. They described nine recommendations, including protecting existing energy and climate policy, improving forecasting, seeking more clean power and transmission, and encouraging flexible data center operations. A proposed tax incentive change that would have expanded eligibility while tying the exemption to new clean electricity sources narrowly failed in the work group. Members asked about tribal consultation, cooling technologies, and local benefits from data centers; the presenters said tribal consultation was ongoing and a final report would follow. Keegan Moyer of West Tech then outlined a regional transmission study showing major strain on the Western grid from load growth, electrification, resiliency needs, and limited transmission capacity. He said the 10-year study identified about 12,000 line miles of needed projects across the West, with roughly $56 billion in estimated costs, including planned projects, reliability upgrades, and new interregional transfer projects. He stressed that many projects are upgrades within existing rights-of-way, but new corridors are still needed, and he previewed recommendations on permitting, equipment procurement, cost allocation, and project sponsorship. In response to questions, he discussed the difficulty of crossing jurisdictional “seams,” the role of federal coordination, landowner compensation, eminent domain as a last resort, and the limited role of public financing beyond a federal GRIP grant. Stephanie Scott of Commerce presented the transmission workforce study, which focuses on substation technicians, line workers, and line clearance tree trimmers. She said current workforce levels are far below what will be needed under a clean energy expansion scenario, and that active projects are essential because apprenticeship training depends on thousands of hours of hands-on work. She highlighted barriers such as high upfront CDL and pre-apprenticeship costs, the need for wraparound supports, and the importance of expanding access for women, people of color, and tribal communities. Members asked about tribal utility apprenticeship programs, utility-run training pipelines, and whether the study included funding sources; Scott said the report would include an inventory of apprenticeship programs and tribal considerations, but revenue ideas were outside the study scope. Finally, Brant Johnson of Grid United described the North Plains Connector as a case study in large transmission development. He said the project, a 420-mile, 3,000-megawatt HVDC line connecting Montana and North Dakota, has relied on early stakeholder engagement, route changes, tribal consultation, and coordinated federal and state permitting to reduce risk and shorten timelines. He said the project aims for permits by the end of 2026 and construction beginning in 2028, with an earliest commercial operation date of 2032. In response to questions, he discussed the challenges of crossing regional seams, interconnection queues, land acquisition and compensation, eminent domain, and financing, noting that the project is primarily privately financed with a $700 million federal grant covering a portion of costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Boys High School State Cross Country Championship for 24 and 25.
• It licenses over 2,000 referees and umpires, has 160 high schools here in New Mexico, as well as 190
• Elaya Mancenares, who is 16 years old, is attending the 11th grade at West Las Vegas High School.
• Elaya Mancenares, who is 16 years old, is attending the 11th grade at West Las Vegas High School.
• projects like dams, let's say, for example, as we worked on Springer Dam, as we've worked on some of

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's been a lot of focus on the large main stem dams on the Columbia River, on the Snake River.
• But in general, the state has over 1,300 dams on streams and rivers in this state.
• as water comes down the stream channel and approaches that crossing, it basically functions like a dam
• and it holds water up as it's trying to... ...basically functions like a dam and it holds water up as
• So they'll be ranked very high. Yes. Was it weighted toward the fish?

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's been a lot of focus on the large main stem dams on the Columbia River, on the Snake River.
• But in general, the state has over 1,300 dams on streams and rivers in this state.
• as water comes down the stream channel and approaches that crossing, it basically functions like a dam
• and it holds water up as it's trying to... ...basically functions like a dam and it holds water up as
• So they'll be ranked very high. Yes. Was it weighted towards the fish?

Summary: The Capital Budget Committee held a work session on fish passage and barrier prioritization. Tom Jameson of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife briefed members on the state salmon recovery framework, the types and prevalence of fish passage barriers, and the many existing barrier-removal programs. He explained that culverts are the most common barrier, but levees, tidegates, dams, and other structures also affect salmon and steelhead. He also described the state’s fish passage database, the assessment criteria used to determine whether a structure is a barrier, and the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board’s role in funding projects. Jameson reviewed the history of the board and its grant pathways, noting that the Legislature has funded 199 projects totaling nearly $225 million over five biennia, including significant federal support in the last biennium. He then focused on the new statewide prioritization strategy directed by the Legislature in 2020. A science panel recommended using an optimization model and then scoring and ranking barriers, but Jameson said the model depends on better stream mapping and ongoing “snapping” of stream layers to known barrier locations. He said the strategy is intended to produce watershed-based priority lists rather than a single statewide ranking. Members asked about how barriers are assessed during fish migration periods, how private land access affects inventory work, how local governments can report completed corrections, and how the prioritization criteria weight Chinook salmon and southern resident orca recovery. Jameson said urban areas with downstream barriers or heavily altered streams may be less recoverable, while rural watersheds may offer greater benefit. He also explained the federal culvert injunction, including ongoing obligations for state agencies and DOT’s 2030 target, and said the injunction never fully ends because new barriers are continually discovered and must be addressed over time. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> search and rescue team in these high search and rescue team in these high level,<00:07:05.680><c
• ><c> doesn't</c> level, high water level events doesn't level, high water level events doesn't mean<00
• </c> or other things that we use hazard or other things that we use hazard mitigation<00:14:37.920><c
• again, high velocity, able to bring again, high velocity, able to bring debris<00:55:25.839><c> with<
• ,</c><01:08:16.799><c> not</c> really apply across all hazards, not really apply across all hazards,

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The first meeting of the Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force focused on the task force’s mission and on recent Kentucky flooding disasters. The co-chairs described the need to better prepare for increasingly frequent and costly natural disasters, including flooding, tornadoes, wildfires, and ice storms, and emphasized coordination among local, state, federal, and interstate partners. The discussion also stressed the importance of budgeting for mitigation, infrastructure resilience, housing, insurance, and recovery planning, with several members sharing personal experiences with disaster impacts in their districts. Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson gave the main presentation, responding to questions about the February and April flooding events. He said the February event affected the entire state, with 11,825 individuals registering for assistance and 1,194 public-assistance projects written so far; he also reported 134 households still sheltered, 190 households moved to permanent housing, and three disaster recovery centers still open after a regional consolidation. For the April event, he said 37 counties had individual assistance, 83 counties were still pending public assistance, and no hazard mitigation had yet been declared; 5,893 people had registered for individual assistance, and 144 households were sheltered, with 83 families already moved to permanent solutions. He noted that counties without public assistance would have to cover expenses locally unless state or federal aid is approved. Gibson also outlined Kentucky Emergency Management’s tools and resources, including a 24/7 state operations center and warning point, embedded National Weather Service meteorologists, five regional warehouses stocked with water, MREs, blankets, and kits, a statewide web-based damage reporting system, laundry trailers, generators, a disaster needs hotline that has received 6,972 calls, and a mutual aid system used to deploy resources such as water tankers. He highlighted ongoing work on urban search and rescue, qualification systems for emergency operations personnel, and aerial documentation of storm damage. No votes or formal actions were taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's a picture of the dam and Garrison Dam constructed and closed in 1953. bit.
• That's a picture of the dam and garrison dam constructed and closed in 1953.
• That's a picture of the dam, Garrison Dam, constructed and closed in 1953.
• You know, high tide raises all boats.
• I was still in high school.

Committee: Joint Water Topics Overview Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The law is that once you put a dam over... the law is that once you put a dam over a navigable waterway
• So the pumping stations, the booms that are out, the dam, those kinds of things, they would have the.
• One of our other concerns with these vehicles is the instability they have at high speeds.
• Some of them can reach very high speeds. Some of them can reach speeds of 60 to 70 miles an hour.

Bills: HB352 , HB366 , SB272 , SB296

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Keywords: HB352, cotton, cotton bale assessment, cotton levy, cotton producers, agriculture, forestry, Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee, per bale fee, commodity assessment, producer referendum, cotton sales tax, Alabama Code 2-8-199, cotton commission, agricultural funding, HB366, Lakyn Canine Act, police dog, K9, K-9

Transcript Highlights:

• Go Cougars, and I yield back. congratulate Lowden County High School's congratulate Lowden County High
• on the Elwa River, the largest two dams on the Elwa River, the largest dam<03:49:49.120><c> removal<
• /c><03:49:49.600><c> project</c> dam removal project dam removal project of<03:49:51.600><c> our</c><
• </c> realworld missions in the high north. realworld missions in the high north.
• Catholic High School. Jay served as in Catholic High School.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Johnson Stewart mentioned that dam in Brazil.
• Well, yeah, there were two dam breaks in Brazil killing 250...
• Senator Johnson Stewart mentioned that dam in Brazil.
• That type of dam, Brazil decided, was a bad type of dam.
• That was the type of dam—yes, the same type of dam, the one that killed all those people.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then probably a good time—we've got a question, but also the dam.
• It is at Mayflower High School. Okay. And that dam is under construction.
• Now we're replacing the water control structure on that dam to be able to better control high water,
• So next, it's the 27th at Mayflower High School? Yes, ma'am. Okay, perfect.
• So on 12/31, we were high-fiving.

Committee: All ALC-GAME & FISH/STATE POLICE

Summary: The committee first heard from Arkansas State Police leadership about the agency’s role in federal immigration enforcement. Colonel Mike Hager said State Police has completed 287(g) training for all but 12 officers and is authorized to assist ICE in limited circumstances, but is not an immigration enforcement agency. He emphasized that troopers only make immigration-related notifications after lawful stops or arrests for other offenses, and that the agency uses discretion and chain-of-command approval for any planned operation. Members asked about how immigration status is determined, whether stops are tracked, whether local agencies are participating, and whether there are costs or reimbursement mechanisms; Hager said the agency began tracking encounters in September and had 48 detentions since then, most tied to other criminal violations such as DWIs or domestic violence. He also said there were no current planned immigration operations beyond assisting federal partners. The committee then received an update from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Director Doug Schoenrock on wildlife management areas, waterfowl habitat, and related infrastructure. He reported that most moist-soil units and green tree reservoirs were flooded or near normal, with one new pump not yet operational and a vandalized Ed Gordon/Point Remove pump back in service since December. He also said the Lake Conway dam and water-control work were progressing, with a public meeting scheduled at Mayflower High School. Questions followed about dock removal notices, maintenance on other water-control structures, and a recent fatal boating accident at Baumito WMA, which Schoenrock described as a high-speed collision in flooded timber and said the agency was working on a safety memorial effort with the victim’s widow. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on duck season, drought conditions, and criticism of the Flyway Federation’s push to restrict hunting over standing corn. Schoenrock said Arkansas remains the nation’s top duck-hunting destination, but drought and warm weather have reduced water availability and caused ducks to move north; he cited survey numbers showing 1.4 million ducks in the state at the end of December but a much lower January count. He argued that standing corn is legal and that federal habitat and water policy, not Arkansas law, drives long-term duck populations. Members raised concerns about changing migration patterns, the role of private clubs, federal regulation, and the possible effects of wind turbines and solar panels on waterfowl; Schoenrock and Commissioner Chris Caldwell said the commission is studying those issues, including a University of Arkansas at Monticello project on avoidance behavior, and that no immediate regulatory changes were announced. The committee took no formal vote and adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if that were true, there'd be no reason to breach the dam. So I think it's win-win all around.
• Rising today to urge a yes vote for this, I have personally toured the Bonneville Dam site where these
• Speaker, these pinnipeds, or sea lions, they come up to Bonneville Dam. They hang out.
• By the time the biologists are back at Bonneville Dam, the pinniped is waving at them and saying, hey
• And I can't say from salmon health, when you talk to our folks that manage our dams and the salmon health

Keywords: 904, all

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and heard a prayer before moving through introductions, caucuses, and messages from the Senate. Several bills were taken up under third reading, with the chamber suspending rules to advance them to final passage. The day also included recognition of Colville Tribal Business Council members and the adoption of prior minutes without objection. Members approved House Bill 1269, which raises pawnbroker interest rates and fees, with supporters arguing the changes are modest and needed to help small businesses serve unbanked customers; it passed 83-14. Substitute House Bill 2123, dealing with foreign national participation in Washington elections, passed 68-29 after debate over whether the bill appropriately reduces burdens on candidate campaigns while preserving restrictions for initiative campaigns. Substitute House Bill 2178, a technical court-rules bill aligning statutes with court procedures, passed 89-8, and House Bill 2120, which reduces or eliminates certain JLARC reports to free staff time for higher-value audits, passed unanimously 97-0. The House also passed House Bill 2309, eliminating postgraduate degree requirements for some state jobs to reduce barriers to state employment, by a 97-0 vote. Substitute House Bill 2158, authorizing electronic remote notarization of physical documents, passed 96-0 with bipartisan support focused on access in rural areas. Substitute House Bill 2411, expanding shared leave eligibility to include employees affected by hate crimes or immigration enforcement actions, passed 60-36 amid concerns about cost and scope. House Joint Memorial 4004, a nonbinding request to Congress related to tribal management of sea lions to protect salmon, passed 80-16, and Substitute House Joint Memorial 4001, honoring Russell Blount by naming the East 34th Street overpass over I-5, passed 96-0. The House then adjourned until the following Friday morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• If a dam project is being used primarily for water storage, it would fall into that other category.
• We have been less fussy about that over the last couple of years because of the high amount of money
• Authority staff, the amount of projects is significant, but because the intensity of the projects is so high
• They may take us a little bit further than we need to; we're going... to Bradner Dam, which is not this
• Reservoir or dam? Okay, so Google is recognizing Bradner Reservoir.

Committee: House New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• High-speed internet and broadband, solar power, and so much more.
• That's a 60-year high. I know.
• We need a high statewide standard.
• So we're going to match those high standards with great opportunities.
• Harris comes to us as a graduate of Burlington High School.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House and Senate met in joint convention for the Governor’s annual State of the Commonwealth address. Before the address, the chamber handled routine organizational motions, including recesses, the appointment of committees to escort the Lieutenant Governor, constitutional officers, and the Governor into the chamber, the posting of colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, and an invocation and benediction. The joint convention then heard Governor Maura Healey’s address, followed by remarks from legislative leaders and a closing benediction. In her speech, Governor Healey said the state is strong and highlighted accomplishments from the past session, including tax cuts, expanded child care support, the Affordable Homes Act, transportation improvements, federal funding gains, veterans’ services, and health care measures. She also emphasized ongoing priorities such as reducing housing costs, improving transit and infrastructure, expanding primary care and mental health services, supporting education and career pathways, strengthening clean energy and AI investment, and protecting reproductive health care. She called for abolishing tenant broker’s fees, creating a statewide graduation standards council after the MCAS requirement change, and continuing efforts to address the emergency shelter system and other cost pressures. No roll call votes were taken on legislation during the address itself, but the convention adopted the various ceremonial orders and motions by voice vote. After the Governor’s remarks and the benediction, the joint convention adjourned, and the House later adjourned to meet the following Tuesday in informal session.