Transcript Highlights:

• eligibility programs that is an administrative win for all of us, and a concerted investment in fraud, waste
• 00:04:03.879> fraud and a concerted investment in fraud and a concerted investment in fraud waste
• 05.120> Which<00:04:05.319> counties<00:04:05.799> have<00:04:06.000> a waste
• and abuse Which counties have a waste and abuse Which counties have a strong<00:04:06.920> desire
• The first concern we want to call to your attention is the proposal to double the HMO surcharge from

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• 50 percent of the waste generated at state facilities from landfills.
• Update their integrated waste management plans.
• waste is to minimize vectors which carry disease.
• We're asking for a limit on the amount of food waste.
• Waste. That's not what we want at these sites.

Summary: The committee first heard SB 14, which would direct state agencies to reduce single-use plastics and improve waste diversion at state facilities by updating integrated waste management plans, increasing reusable foodware use, reducing paper purchasing, and requiring better employee education and recycling/composting practices. Supporters from the California Compost Coalition, Republic Services, Waste Management, and others said the bill would help build composting and recycling markets and let the state lead by example. Several groups that had opposed earlier versions said they were now neutral after amendments, including the removal of a 90% requirement. The bill was moved out on a due pass as amended recommendation. The committee then took up SB 326 on wildfire mitigation. The bill would create a framework for Cal Fire to evaluate the risk-reduction benefits of fuels management and landscape resilience investments, and it would accelerate implementation of Zone Zero defensible-space standards, including grants for local enforcement and broader application to rental and sale properties and post-fire reconstruction. Support came from Stanford climate researcher Michael Mastrandrea and several local government, insurance, and climate groups. With no opposition, the bill passed as amended to Appropriations. Next, SB 34 on port emissions and the South Coast Air Quality Management District drew extensive testimony. The author said the bill was narrowed by committee amendments to preserve the ports’ ability to reduce emissions while preventing cargo throughput caps and addressing concerns about automation, local control, and the timeline for port clean-air planning. Supporters included ILWU, business groups, and port-related stakeholders, while the South Coast AQMD and many environmental and community organizations opposed it, arguing it would weaken public-health protections and set a bad precedent. After lengthy debate, the committee approved the bill on a due pass as amended vote to Transportation, with some members voting no and others abstaining. The committee also heard SB 279, which would expand composting options for farmers and small community composters by allowing limited on-farm composting after large biomass events and increasing the amount small operations may process and sell. Supporters said the bill would help address agricultural waste, expand composting capacity, and reduce landfill disposal. Commercial composting representatives opposed it, warning that the bill could create regulatory inequities, strand recent investments in permitted facilities, and allow too much unregulated food waste. Despite those concerns, the bill passed to Appropriations on a due pass vote. The transcript also briefly referenced SB 613 on upstream methane emissions data, described as having no opposition and intended to improve tracking of imported oil and gas emissions.

Transcript Highlights:

• That'll crack down on fraud and stop billions of taxpayer dollars from being wasted.
• . wasted. wasted.
• Minnesotans have watched billions of our tax dollars lost to waste and fraud, and they want accountability
• and fraud and tax dollars lost to waste and fraud and they<00:05:10.680> want<00:05:10.880>
• We can look at that, but we also have to make sure car tab fees, the fraud and the waste that goes in

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House Republican leaders unveiled their “North Star Comeback” budget plan, describing it as a focused effort to make Minnesota more affordable, reduce government waste, and strengthen the economy. They said the package would include a $3.8 billion tax cut proposal with one-time property tax relief, elimination of taxes on tips and overtime, childcare relief, lower car tab fees, and funding for schools through scholarship-granting organizations. They also framed the plan as a response to rising costs for groceries, housing, energy, insurance, and childcare. A major emphasis of the rollout was government accountability, especially a strong Office of Inspector General bill and IT modernization to reduce fraud. Leaders said the OIG proposal had moved out of committee and was now in Ways and Means, with a working group continuing to reconcile House and Senate differences. On IT modernization, Chair Paul Torkelson said the plan would likely use a two-pronged approach, with about $15 million for near-term needs and a longer-term fund for ongoing technology upgrades; he said many such investments could qualify for federal matching dollars. The leaders also highlighted Medicaid conformity, saying Minnesota should align with federal changes to avoid losing funding, and they discussed a property tax rebate proposal as a one-time $1 billion return to taxpayers to offset higher property taxes. In response to questions, they said many of the budget items were still moving through the process and some had not met finance deadlines, while others were already in bills. They repeatedly criticized House Democrats for blocking or delaying Republican proposals and said they wanted bipartisan cooperation to pass the plan this year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, sometimes they can go to household hazardous waste collection if there isn't a whole heck of a lot
• years ago in Nebraska, where basically many companies across the country were sending their excess waste-treated
• Years ago in Nebraska, where basically many companies across the country were sending their excess waste-treated

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then we see the start of assessing a surcharge on electric vehicles and hybrids. Mr.
• I mean, a surcharge being adopted. I'm just wondering what the definition of that is.
• Speaker, of what a surcharge is.
• Whether you call it a tax, a fee, or a surcharge, it comes out of a tax.
• It removes the proposed surcharges on electric vehicles and hybrids.

Bills: HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM21, HM25, HB9, SB2, SB19

Keywords: nurses, health care workers, healthcare workers, frontline workers, hospital staff, clinicians, allied health professionals, support staff, public health, workforce shortage, nursing shortage, safe staffing, patient safety, rural health care, frontier communities, behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorder, substance abuse, health care memorial

Transcript Highlights:

• It's consisted of money from the solid waste tax and a motor vehicle transfer fee, and also all the different
• It's consisted of money from the solid waste tax and a motor vehicle transfer fee, and also all the different
• We're very close partners with the counties on solid waste work, as well as the county feedlot officers
• <01:25:56.719> as counties On Solid Waste work as well as counties On Solid Waste work as
• There's hazardous waste, the RCRA program, the federal program, as well as solid waste permitting that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Chair Foung Hawj opened the Environment, Climate and Legacy Committee meeting by welcoming members, agency staff, and constituents, and by outlining the committee’s shared-power arrangement for the session. Members introduced themselves and described environmental activities from the interim, including gardening, outdoor recreation, farming visits, Great Lakes work, and a tree-planting trip in Thailand that Hawj said symbolized cultural unity and environmental stewardship. Ben Stanley, the committee’s nonpartisan counsel, then explained the co-chairs’ operating agreement: Hawj would chair the meeting, Senator John Hoffman would chair the next two meetings, then Hawj would chair the following two, with the chair rotating after each pair of meetings. Agendas would be set jointly, additional meetings would require both chairs’ approval, and passing a bill out of committee would require a majority of all committee members, or seven votes. At Senator Tory Westrom’s request, the agreement was to be emailed to members in writing. Stanley also reviewed the committee’s jurisdiction, which includes environmental and natural resources bills, legacy funds, and agencies such as the Environmental Quality Board, Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Control Agency, and Board of Water and Soil Resources, along with several related councils and boards. Fiscal analyst Dan Mueller then gave a budget overview of the committee’s agencies, noting that many current biennium appropriations include one-time general fund money that drops back in the 2026-27 base budget. He highlighted funding levels for the Pollution Control Agency, DNR, Metro Parks, Conservation Corps, BWSR, the Minnesota Zoo, the Science Museum, and the Metropolitan Landfill Contingency Action Trust Account, and said the committee’s base-budget area totals about $2.2 billion. He also reviewed the Legacy funds, estimating available 2026-27 appropriations of about $327 million for Outdoor Heritage, $31.7 million for Clean Water, $133 million for Parks and Trails, and $185 million for Arts and Cultural Heritage. No votes or bill actions were taken at this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• everything through the rest of the presentation in terms of percentages because we think those are very solid
• Roads showed up on the list, and then we had fire control show up on the list, solid waste show up on
• Air control show up on the list, solid waste show up on this list, airports show up on this list, and
• So you can see we had quite a few others, including sewer services, solid waste, things like that, that
• revenue derived from ad valorem taxes ranged from in the neighborhood of 18% up to... ...up to very solid

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes met for a listening session focused on a presentation by Amy Baker of the Joint Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research on local government revenues and expenditures. Baker reviewed statewide financial data for counties, municipalities, and independent special districts, using 2018-19 as a baseline year because it was stable and pre-COVID. She explained that counties rely heavily on taxes, with ad valorem taxes making up about 73% of county tax revenue and about 24% of total county revenues statewide, while municipalities rely more on charges for services and have a lower statewide ad valorem share of about 14.7%. She also noted wide variation across local governments, with some counties and cities highly dependent on property taxes and others using them minimally or not at all. Special districts were shown to be very different from counties and cities, with hospital-related revenues and expenditures dominating many of them, while water management districts were more reliant on ad valorem taxes and focused expenditures on the physical environment. Baker also summarized expenditure patterns: counties spent the largest share on public safety, while municipalities spent the largest share on general government services, followed by physical environment and public safety. She emphasized that local government structures vary widely and that the committee should study what characteristics are associated with greater property tax reliance. She said the next research steps would be to extend the analysis through later years, including the COVID and inflation period, and to examine institutional and legal factors that shape local fiscal structures. Members asked about unfunded mandates, fuel taxes, reserves, school taxes, millage rates, and how property taxes relate to specific services such as police and fire. Baker said the current analysis did not yet account for mandates or school taxes and that further work could examine links between revenues and expenditures, commercial versus residential tax burdens, and other factors. After the presentation, members reported back on local meetings with counties and municipalities. Several described large differences in millage rates, revenue mixes, and the impact of any property tax changes on fiscally constrained counties versus larger, wealthier ones. Concerns were raised about how local governments would replace lost revenue, especially for public safety and emergency response, and members discussed the need to consider both revenue replacement and ways to rein in spending. The co-chairs said the committee would continue gathering information, send members follow-up homework and requests for panel suggestions, and invite additional input from constituents, stakeholders, and local governments. The meeting ended with no votes or formal actions beyond adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's see, $15.4 million for the high medical malpractice insurance premiums, not the PCF surcharges.
• So each year, the hospitals have been paying their annual surcharge and this additional surcharge to
• So they had a 2.6 experience rate, and I can't recall the surcharge rate, but we charge them for the
• surcharge for the deficit.
• something for this body to keep an eye on so that one of the choices on the table isn't to have a surcharge

Transcript Highlights:

• with a B-, broadband with a D+, ants with a D+, drinking water with a D+, energy with a C, hazardous waste
• waste with a c-plus, stormwater with a c-minus, transit with a d-plus. wastewater with a d-minus.
• These include drinking water, energy, levees, solid waste, transit. and waste water.
• It cost us a valuable resource in addition to wasting. tax dollars.
• Speakers to this report as I mentioned earlier broadband hazardous waste ports and rail.

Keywords: Texas, Infrastructure Report Card, ASCE, population growth, climate change, investment, public safety, engineering standards

Summary: The meeting focused on the release of the 2025 Texas Infrastructure Report Card, highlighting key findings and recommendations for improving infrastructure across various sectors in the state. Julie Jones, Vice President of ASCE Texas, opened the session by introducing key speakers, including Dr. Art Wood and committee co-chairs Griselda Gonzalez and Austin Mazzarelli. Throughout the discussion, the report's grades were revealed, showing the state's infrastructure received an overall grade of 'C'—adequate but requiring significant attention and investment. Emphasis was placed on the rising challenges posed by climate change and increased population growth, underscoring the need for strategic investments in infrastructure to support Texas' economic growth and public safety.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is to correct their budget for the solid waste infrastructure for recycling grant as part of the
• national recycling goal and food loss and waste reduction goal.
• This is to correct their budget for the solid waste infrastructure for recycling grant as part of the
• national recycling goal and food loss and waste reduction goal.
• This is to correct their budget for the solid waste infrastructure for recycling grant as part of the

Summary: The committee reviewed a large slate of appropriation, transfer, and continuation requests across multiple sections. In Section B, members considered temporary FY27 appropriations for agencies including Health, DHS, Education, Treasury, Public Safety, State Police, Emergency Management, Aeronautics, Military, Economic Development, Game and Fish, and others, covering items such as maternal health outreach, LIHEAP overpayment returns, Wynne High School tornado rebuilding, senior food services, cybersecurity, crime victim claims, airport grants, conservation incentives, and emergency tower maintenance. Questions focused on the DHS senior services carry-forward and Treasury custodial banking fees tied to lower balances after COVID funds were spent down. All Section B items were approved. The committee then approved continuation requests, ARPA reallocations, and federal grant-related items in Sections B2, C1A, D1, D2, D3, E1, E2, E3, F1A, G1, H1A, I1A, J1/J2, K1/K2/K3, L1/L2, M1/M2, N1/N2, O1A, and P1A. These included university nursing and workforce programs, environmental and recycling grants, highway safety and emergency management grants, a transfer to the Merit Teacher Incentive Program, restricted reserve transfers for military, agriculture, UAPB, Game and Fish, and AETN, and various cash-fund and budget classification transfers. Several members asked for more detail on the State Police highway safety grant, VOCA victim compensation funding, the NSGP nonprofit security grant, and the Office of State Technology’s E-Rate-related transfer; agency officials explained the uses and noted that some funding levels depend on federal awards and collections. A notable discussion occurred on the Department of Commerce reallocation, which shifts 68 positions and $3 million among divisions to support an organizational realignment and avoid shortfalls. The committee also reviewed a state central services deduction request to keep the rate at 2%, a DHS overtime request for child protection caseloads, and a year-end adjustments request authorizing up to $1 million in temporary actions to close FY26 books without disrupting payroll or vendor payments. Most items were approved or, in some sections, simply reviewed without objection. The meeting adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 1371 ensures that solid waste companies cannot use force majeure clauses to suspend service during
• Solid waste collection is an essential public health service that our communities rely on.
• Solid waste collection is an essential public health service that our communities rely on every single
• Solid waste agreements are complex, highly negotiated contracts between local governments and service
• Solid waste agreements are complex, highly negotiated contracts between local governments and service

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on wildfire resilience, land use, and local government transparency. SB 911 by Senator Becker would require notification to fire enforcement agencies when a home in a high fire severity zone is sold with an agreement for the buyer to bring the property into defensible-space compliance; the California Association of Realtors said it would drop opposition if the bill is amended to use the preliminary change of ownership report, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 994 by Senator Cabaldon would bar local officials from signing nondisclosure agreements that prevent them from sharing information with the elected decision-makers of their jurisdiction; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it also passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 1041 by Senator Riggins would expand PACE financing for wildfire home-hardening improvements and add consumer protections, but it drew strong opposition from homeowner advocates, county treasurers, bankers, and others over predatory lending and lien concerns; it passed 3-2 and remained on call. The committee also considered SB 1075 by Senator Reyes, which would require local governments in AB 617 communities to consider air-quality reduction measures in land-use approvals for industrial and commercial projects. Environmental justice groups supported the bill as a way to implement community air plans, while counties, cities, business groups, builders, trucking interests, and others opposed it as duplicative of CEQA and a barrier to investment and jobs. After debate over local control and environmental justice, the bill passed 3-2 and remained on call. SB 958 by Senator Cabaldon would advance the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego, replacing a former arena and parking lots with housing, affordable units, parks, and a new entertainment venue; with no opposition voiced, it passed 3-0 to Appropriations. Another wildfire-related measure, SB 1182 by Senator Allen, would require local governments to consider insurance availability in safety planning for development in high fire hazard areas and direct state technical guidance on the issue. Supporters said insurance access is now a key indicator of risk, while some members questioned whether the bill would add useful information or burden local governments; the bill received a 1-1 vote and remained on call. The committee then began hearing SB 1116 by Senator Caballero, a starter-home/infill housing bill creating a streamlined ministerial path for small projects up to 10 units, but the transcript cuts off before testimony or a vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• These would be grants to local governments to improve solid waste management systems to better process
• construction demolition waste.
• <00:35:18.480> transition construction demolition waste transition construction demolition
• <00:35:22.520> waste governments to improve solid waste governments to improve solid waste
• construction demolition waste. construction demolition waste.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate Representative Stevenson working with me to put together a pretty solid bill.
• <00:15:52.079> And<00:15:52.480> there together a pretty solid bill.
• And there together a pretty solid bill.
• Can take this year to add improvement, efficiency, get rid of waste.
• I know we've heard a lot about fraud, waste, abuse.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Garry, relative to credit card surcharges, to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
• Garry relative to credit card surcharges, to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House convened, recited the Pledge of Allegiance, and then took up a report from the Committee on Rules. The committee recommended suspending Joint Rule 12 for two petitions filed by Rep. Colleen M. Garry: one concerning credit card surcharges, referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, and another concerning penalties for protests that intentionally block or prevent access to public roadways or highways, referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The House approved the suspension of the rules and then approved the suspension of Joint Rule 12 for both petitions. The House also adopted an order, offered by Rep. Mariano, to adjourn and reconvene the following Tuesday at 11 a.m. In addition, Rep. Murray moved that the House adjourn in memory of Lou P. Burton-Aze, noting his service in the House from 1969 to 1978 and in the Senate from 1978 to 1995. That special adjournment was adopted. Finally, Rep. Merrian moved that the House adjourn, and the motion carried. The House adjourned to meet Tuesday next at 11 a.m. in an informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• SWANA is the world's largest association of solid waste professionals, with more than 10,000 members,
• It represents the solid waste industry, including many local governments responsible for implementing
• management of municipal solid waste.
• This waste harms the soil because improperly handled solid waste can leach toxic chemicals straight into
• They can go after the owner of a property for basically running a solid waste facility without a license

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Bills: SB2060, SB2342, SB2577, SB2580, SB2809, SB2397, SB2315, SB2442, SB2152, SB2380, SB2462, SB2055, SB2438, SB2533, SB2203, SB2087, SB768, SB877, SB1139, SB787, HB963, SB277, SB2663, SB2555, SB2140, SB2115, SB2761, SB2198, SB2032, SB2579, SB2671, SB2835, SB2356, SB2095, SB2093, SB2318, SB2323, SB2485, SB2309, SB2321, SB2405, SB2153, SB2129, SB2170, SB2259, SB2578, SB2544, SB2701, SB2861, SB2108, SB2089, SB2106, SB847, SB3326, SB2047, SB2695, SB2667, SB2919, SB2446, SB2146, SB2723, SB2210, SB2527, SB2645, SB3331

Keywords: rental housing revolving fund, HHFDC, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, mixed-income housing, mixed-income rental project, affordable housing, low-income housing, housing finance, housing development, preservation, rehabilitation, pre-development, construction financing, equity investment, credit enhancement, collateral, gap financing, area median income, AMI, perpetual affordability

Transcript Highlights:

• waste authority.
• Well, the one is the Solid Waste Authority. I think they have their own bonding authority.
• The Solid Waste Authority. I think they have their own bonding authority.
• So the state, I think the state Solid Waste Authority is the best one.
• Solid Waste Authority has the authority. It's a common practice for it. Not.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Waste Authority.
• Well, the one is the Solid Waste Authority. I think they have their own bonding authority.
• So the state, I think the state solid waste authorities are the best one, and I'm sure there are other
• Well, the one is the Solid Waste Authority. I think they have their own bonding authority.
• So the state, I think the state solid waste authorities are the best one, and I'm sure there are other

Summary: The meeting focused on finalizing recommendations from the Delaware Nuclear Energy Task Force, with most of the discussion centered on how the state should organize itself to evaluate and potentially pursue nuclear power. Public commenters strongly supported nuclear energy, emphasizing energy reliability, economic competitiveness, data center demand, and the need for Delaware to act quickly. Several speakers argued that Delaware is falling behind neighboring states and should not delay if it wants to attract developers and preserve access to federal tax incentives. Members then worked through revisions to the recommendations, especially the section on state actions moving forward. There was broad agreement that Delaware needs a clearly empowered leadership structure, but disagreement over the best form: a cabinet-level energy agency, an expanded existing agency such as DENREC, a dedicated coordinator, an expanded Sustainable Energy Utility, or a separate quasi-independent authority. Some members favored a nimble, one-off entity with bonding and financing authority; others cautioned against creating a new body outside state government and stressed the need for coordination with existing agencies, public oversight, and cost discipline. The group also discussed adding responsibilities such as site identification, public engagement, coordination with PJM and federal agencies, and financing tools, while removing or folding in items that seemed duplicative or too broad. The committee also revised earlier modules to broaden the focus from small modular reactors to nuclear power more generally, while keeping the task force’s original SMR work in view. Members agreed to keep recommendations on state and local regulatory readiness, financial mechanisms, permitting coordination, and public engagement, and to add a recommendation for Delaware to participate as an observer in the Advanced Nuclear First Mover Initiative through NASEO and NARUC. The committee approved the revised Module Four recommendations by vote, with one abstention from Tom Noyes. Minutes from the prior meeting were also approved with minor corrections.

Transcript Highlights:

• waste, not carbon dioxide, carbon waste waste, not carbon dioxide, carbon waste across<00:15:04.079
• I work in the solid waste industry and live in Covington County.
• I work in the solid<00:32:01.600> waste<00:32:01.919> industry<00:32:02.240> and
• <00:32:02.480> live<00:32:02.640> in<00:32:02.799> Cington solid waste industry
• and live in Cington solid waste industry and live in Cington County.<00:32:04.320> In<00:32:04.559

Bills: HB61, HB176, SB12

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, the way that we're doing this is through the House Bill 200 surcharge.
• We have a 1.43% surcharge on customer bills here in Cheyenne.
• Our surcharge is going to last, we think, about two years.
• We started collecting on the surcharge January 1st of this year.
• We started collecting on the surcharge January 1st of this year.

Bills: SJ0001, SF0017

Keywords: mineral leasing, federal lands, Wyoming, energy policy, local control, federalism, forestry management, good neighbor authority, state lands, employee funding, donations, revolving account, 916, all