Transcript Highlights:

• There was collaboration between the U.S. and Mexico to capture the wolves that remained in the wild,
• And it's from that handful of wolves that we have Mexican wolves in the wild today.
• lands, and we would like to see them stay. that handful of wolves that we have mexican wolves in the wild
• We now have 286 in the wild, but we have an additional 300, close to 400 in captivity, so we have over

Bills: HB2013 , HB2292 , HB2334 , HB2349 , HB2350 , HB2845 , HCM2011

Committee: House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Keywords: air pollution, wildfires, environmental standards, public health, Arizona Revised Statutes, wildfire, wildfire mitigation, wildfire prevention, forest fire, brush removal, defensible space, community hardening, vegetation management, fire-resistant construction, wildland urban interface, WUI, insurance premium tax, property insurance, homeowners insurance, commercial property insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• 2023, and it allowed a coordinated, proactive approach to the inevitable conflicts that come when wild
• animals' instincts to stay wild.
• Do we want to have some of that wildness in California?
• Do we want that have some of that wildness in California?
• I certainly do, but we do. some of that wildness in California.

Summary: The committee heard SB 1135, which would reestablish the California Wildlife Coexistence Program to reduce human-wildlife conflict through nonlethal strategies such as deterrents, conflict reporting, and outreach. The author and supporters said the program had been effective but lost funding in 2024, and they argued it would help communities, ranchers, and wildlife by preventing conflicts before they escalate. Support came from conservation, animal welfare, local government, and county groups, while the California Cattlemen’s Association and California Farm Bureau opposed unless amended, saying the bill needed clearer limits on when nonlethal measures are practicable and protections so compensation funds for livestock losses are not reduced. Members discussed wolf-livestock conflicts, compensation, and the need for continued collaboration. The committee voted 2-0 on call to send the bill to Appropriations. The committee then heard SB 1085, which would preserve water supply assessments for large housing and development projects even when those projects are exempt from CEQA. The author and sponsor EBMUD said the bill is needed to keep water planning tied to land-use planning and avoid “paper water” problems, especially as climate and drought conditions worsen. Supporters included water agencies, environmental groups, labor, and local governments. The California Building Industry Association opposed the bill, arguing that current law already requires verified water supplies, that the bill could add unnecessary process and litigation risk, and that it could slow housing production. Members raised concerns about duplication in cities that also operate their own water systems, but the author said the goal was better coordination, not more bureaucracy. The committee voted 4-1 on call to send the bill to Local Government. The committee also heard SB 1270, which would expand the state wildfire mitigation home-hardening pilot to the top 10 counties by wildfire risk and social vulnerability, adding Riverside, Calaveras, Los Angeles, and Tehama counties and prioritizing future funds for those areas. The author said the bill responds to recent destructive fires and aims to extend home-hardening assistance to more high-risk communities. There was no opposition, and members discussed how to scale funding, whether the program should be broader than the listed counties, and how to focus on cost-effective mitigation. The committee voted 5-0 on call to send the bill to Emergency Management. Finally, the committee heard SB 895, a major science funding measure that would place a $23 billion bond on the ballot and create a California Foundation for Science and Health Research to support research in the state. The author and supporters said California’s research sector is a major economic engine and that federal funding cuts and instability threaten jobs, talent retention, and scientific progress. There was broad support from UC, CSU, labor, health, and research organizations, with no formal opposition. Some members raised concerns about the role of sponsoring unions and the potential for politicization, but the author said the new foundation would operate under California law and that the measure is meant to protect science funding and collaboration. The committee discussion continued, but the transcript excerpt ends before a final vote on SB 895.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> It's the Wild Turkey Stamp Bill. Uh, we had this bill last year.
• Uh, Senate Bill 2657. >> It's the Wild Turkey Stamp Bill. Uh, we had this bill last year.
• Uh, Senate Bill 2657. >> It's the Wild Turkey Stamp Bill. Uh, we had this bill last year.
• Uh it's the Wild Turkey Stout Bill. Uh Uh it's the Wild Turkey Stout Bill.
• </c><00:38:08.720><c> turkey</c> into a special fund, the wild turkey into a special fund, the wild turkey

Committee: Joint Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Keywords: Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks - Room 210, 2 February, 2026; 3:00 P.M., 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But wild hogs, would you agree that wild hogs generally carry more parasites, and their meat quality
• So, was your point when you mentioned that wild hogs carry more parasites?
• Generally speaking, wild animals will carry more parasites than animals that are in captivity, that have
• They are not releasing these in the wild.

Bills: SB2108 , SB2121 , SB2171 , SB2061 , SB2112 , SB2138

Committee: Senate Agriculture and Wildlife

Keywords: feral swine, nuisance control, wildlife management, hunting permits, agriculture, cultivated meat, food safety, public health, misbranding, advertising, food labeling, food distribution, state regulations, hunting licenses, fishing licenses, veterans, controlled hunts, deer population, wildlife conservation, food policy

Transcript Highlights:

• CEO CONSERVATION FLORIDA IS A SIX GENERATION FLORIDIAN WHO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT PROTECTING FLORIDA'S WILD
• WE WILL LOSE WILD FLORIDA IF WE DO NOT HAVE THESE RANCHES. >> THE RANCHLANDS IN OUR STATE ARE SOME OF
• WE WORK ACROSS THE STATE FROM PENSACOLA THE FLORIDA KEYS PROTECTING WATER AND WILDLIFE AND WILD PLACES
• SOME OF THE MOST STUNNING LANDSCAPES IN THIS ROLE I AM LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPLORE A LOT OF WILD
• AGRICULTURE THOSE POLLINATORS BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS COULD PROVIDE POLLINATION SERVICES NEEDED FOR THE WILD

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• a recent post on the Minnesota Department of Health's website indicating that avian influenza, or bird
• The CDC recommends that workers exposed to bird flu stay home and isolate.
• The CDC recommends that workers exposed to bird flu stay home and isolate.
• flu is an occupational hazard or bird flu is an occupational hazard that<00:38:17.560><c> impacts</c
• flu stay home workers exposed to bird flu stay home and and and isolate<00:38:26.599><c> earn</c><00

Committee: Senate Labor

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Your wild hay rack, your wild hay ride that you're on, uh, will not be able to go that fast.
• Your<00:50:37.839><c> wild</c><00:50:38.160><c> hay</c><00:50:38.480><c> rack,</c><00:50:38.800><c> their
• </c><00:50:39.200><c> wild</c><00:50:39.440><c> hay</c><00:50:39.760><c> ride</c> Your wild hay rack,
• their wild hay ride Your wild hay rack, their wild hay ride that<00:50:40.160><c> you're</c><00:50:40.319

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the Wild, Wild West, and you're learning every day.
• first year is I mean it's hard it's your first year is I mean it's hard it's the<00:18:35.600><c> Wild
• </c><00:18:35.799><c> Wild</c><00:18:36.080><c> West</c><00:18:36.480><c> and</c><00:18:36.640><c> and
• </c><00:18:36.760><c> you're</c> the Wild Wild West and and you're the Wild Wild West and and you're

Keywords: This Live stream had a technical issue part way through and will be loaded fully later today., 958, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 48, which would reduce the state-required formal observation cycle for tenured teachers from once every three years to once every five years, while preserving local district authority to conduct more frequent observations if they choose. Supporters argued the change would cut paperwork and time burdens on experienced teachers and principals, while still allowing districts to monitor performance and place teachers on improvement plans when needed. Members also discussed the bill’s separate provisions on school improvement plans, with clarification that CSI/TSI low-performing schools would still be required to maintain comprehensive improvement plans and receive additional support from KDE, and that the bill was not changing the evaluation system for those schools. A second major topic was professional development and teacher induction/mentoring requirements. The bill would consolidate state-mandated PD requirements into a rotational schedule for tenured teachers, and members noted that teachers are already subject to federal and local PD obligations that the legislature cannot change. Several speakers emphasized that the bill was intended to reduce state-level mandates, not eliminate useful supports for new teachers, and one member raised concern that mandatory induction/mentoring could limit districts’ ability to use Title II funds; the response was that the program remains valuable and should be revisited with dedicated funding rather than discarded. There was also a brief question about suicide prevention hotline and Safe Haven Baby Box posting language, which was explained as existing statute consolidated into one place. The committee then voted on the bill and it passed, with members offering brief explanations of support and noting frustration with recurring annual training requirements such as bloodborne pathogens. After the vote, members thanked the bill sponsors and educators who helped shape the legislation, and the chair announced weekly office hours in Room 367. The meeting ended with congratulations to the new K-12 chair and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• looking at the population of what the Wildlife and Fisheries, or whomever, calculates the number of wild
• And we pay, because of the decline in the market for wild skins, we are actually having to pay nuisance
• Yeah, so just the lack of a market for wild hides.
• Really, the commercial value in wild-caught alligators is in meat right now.
• But it's just, it's, it's a species that used to get a lot more for commercial value for wild harvested

Summary: The committee first adopted the 2025 minutes, then took up House Bill 727, which would allow burning untreated, unpainted dimensional lumber such as two-by-fours. The bill was presented as a narrow exemption to existing restrictions on burning construction debris, and it was reported favorable without objection. Members then heard from DEQ Secretary Courtney Burdett on House Bill 697, the department’s sunset/recreation bill. She outlined DEQ’s work on permit modernization, interagency coordination, field inspections, spill response, criminal investigations, environmental education, and small business assistance. Members raised issues including a large waste-tire site, an oil spill response, and a stormwater discharge issue at Smitties. The committee praised DEQ’s responsiveness and reported the bill favorable without objection. House Bill 758, dealing with DEQ fees, was then considered. The bill and amendment package would update and increase various permit and program fees, add annual or biennial CPI-based adjustments, and remove outdated provisions, with the stated goal of aligning revenues with expenditures and reducing reliance on the state general fund. Several industry and landowner groups supported the measure, and the committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorable. The committee also advanced House Bill 726, which increases penalties for abandoning vessels and related gross littering. Members discussed how abandoned boats are identified, owner notice procedures, registration versus title issues, hurricane-related losses, and protections for older or distressed owners. Wildlife and Fisheries said the bill targets intentional dumping and that existing law allows case-by-case discretion for true hardship situations. The bill was reported favorable. House Bill 756, concerning personal watercraft, was also reported favorable after testimony that it would require reasonable suspicion for vessel stops, align state rules more closely with federal boating safety standards, and update provisions on accident reporting and inflatable PFDs. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 767, which creates recreational alligator hunting license and lottery fees contingent on separate legislation authorizing the season. Supporters said the measure would help create a recreational opportunity while generating conservation funding, but landowners and commercial harvesters warned the fee may be too low, the proposal may be moving too quickly, and recreational harvest could affect commercial operations and landowner interests. After extensive discussion, the committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill favorable. House Bill 964, authorizing a state property transfer in Caddo Parish, was also reported favorable, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It had become the Wild Wild West.
• We have a bunch of people in the wild, wild west running around doing things without licenses or violence
• We have a bunch of people in the wild, wild west, running around doing things without licenses or violating

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The joint Audit Committee meeting focused on implementation of Ali’s Law, including MDAR’s progress on kennel regulations and municipal reporting. MDOT/MDAR officials said the department formed the required advisory committee, held trainings for animal control officers and municipal clerks, created a public information webpage, and completed draft regulations that are now under secretarial review. They reported that 269 of 351 municipalities had filed kennel counts, leaving 82 out of compliance, and said the reported statewide total was 1,408 licensed kennels, with an estimated 1,800 to 1,850 statewide. Committee members pressed the department on the pace of rulemaking, the lack of a clear enforcement mechanism for municipalities that fail to report, and the need for stronger accountability. The chair said he wanted to avoid a formal investigation if answers could be obtained, but urged MDAR to move quickly and to consider stronger public reporting and possible sanctions. He also asked about injury reporting and suggested that injury data should be sent to the state and tracked in a way that provides context, such as the number of animals in a facility. Representatives from animal welfare organizations and the advisory committee supported the law’s goals but emphasized that rollout should be fair to compliant businesses and that municipalities and ACOs need better training, resources, and standardized guidance. They backed a filed bill, House Bill 4849, which would give MDAR authority to fine municipalities that do not comply and would add more detailed reporting, including last inspection dates and injury reports. They also raised concerns about third-party advertising platforms that may list unlicensed kennels and argued that public education, consumer transparency, and stronger oversight are needed to prevent bad actors from operating.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, Lord knows the Iraqi children need a little Big Bird in their life, right?
• I mean, Lord knows the Iraqi children need a little Big Bird in their life, right?
• </c> and Big Bird and Big Bird and<04:13:25.359><c> Daniel</c><04:13:25.760><c> Tiger</c><04:13:26.239
• Instead, Republicans are attacking Elmo and Sesame Street and Big Bird and Daniel Tiger.
• </c><04:14:26.080><c> and</c><04:14:26.479><c> Daniel</c> and Big Bird and Daniel and Big Bird and Daniel

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, June 12, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Terry Wilding. I am the superintendent of the Minnesota State Academy.
• Thank you, Superintendent Wilding.
• </c> disabilities as superintendent Wilding disabilities as superintendent Wilding said<01:26:13.360>
• So again, thank you, Superintendent Wilding. Thank you, thank you, Superintendent Wilding.
• Senator Pappas, thank you so much, Superintendent Wilding.

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , camping, biking, hiking, nature studies, swimming, boating, canoeing, horseback riding, diving, birding
• and ensure that future generations, students like me, can continue to explore and learn from these wild
• They protect what's left of Florida's wild side.

Committee: Senate Fiscal Policy

Summary: The committee took up a series of criminal justice, health, and public safety bills, with several measures reported favorably after brief sponsor presentations and mostly no opposition. CS for SB 1782 on dangerous excessive speeding, CS for SB 306 on Medicaid provider network access, CS for SB 716 on mandatory minimums for certain sexual offenses by registered offenders, CS for SB 1084 on intimate image dissemination and digitally forged images, and CS for CS for SB 1604 on corrections-related litigation and sentencing changes all passed the committee. Members also approved CS for SB 1838, which increases protections for court officials from tampering, harassment, and retaliation, and CS for SB 1252, which directs FDLE to study a statewide pawn data database. CS for SB 468 on fleeing or eluding, CS for SB 490 on off-duty concealed carry for certain officers, and CS for SB 890 on blood clot screening and treatment also received favorable votes, with SB 890 drawing supportive testimony from the bill sponsor, medical and patient advocates, and family members affected by blood clots. The most extensive debate centered on CS for CS for SB 1804, which would create a capital offense for adults trafficking children under 12 or mentally incapacitated persons for sexual exploitation. Senator Martin defended the bill as a response to especially heinous crimes and argued it fit within constitutional punishment principles, while several members raised concerns about the Eighth Amendment, the risk of lengthy and costly litigation, and the possibility of retraumatizing victims. The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers testified in opposition, citing moral objections, due process concerns, and constitutional precedent; the bill nevertheless was reported favorably. The committee also approved CS for CS for SB 572, the “Pam Rock Act,” which tightens dangerous-dog rules, adds enclosure, microchip, insurance, and penalty requirements, and allows stronger enforcement actions after serious attacks. The Rock family and animal control supporters testified in favor, describing the bill as a response to fatal dog attacks and urging stronger accountability for owners. For SB 572, members discussed insurance requirements, the role of local authorities in classifying dangerous dogs, and whether the bill would affect ordinary pet insurance or only liability coverage after a serious attack. The sponsor said the measure is not breed-specific and is aimed at dogs that have already caused significant harm. The committee also heard testimony from family members of Pam Rock and other victims, along with supporters from animal control and sheriff’s offices. All of the bills taken up in the meeting that were voted on were reported favorably, and no roll-call votes failed.

Transcript Highlights:

• we have, and I fish during the summer with a group of folks that provide fish for the Waconia Lions Wild
• c><00:00:52.760><c> the</c><00:00:53.160><c> wakon</c><00:00:53.680><c> Lions</c><00:00:54.120><c> Wild
• </c> provide fish for the wakon Lions Wild provide fish for the wakon Lions Wild game<00:00:54.680><c

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 276, sponsored by Rep. Jim Nash, which would reduce the cost of fishing licenses by $10 for anglers age 65 and older. Nash described the bill as a modest fee reduction for longtime anglers, emphasizing the role of older fishermen in mentoring kids and supporting community activities, and noting that the bill includes a fiscal impact. He also said the proposal was a more conservative alternative to a previous bill and framed it as a way to recognize seniors who have long paid full-price license fees. Pat Rivers, Director of the Fish and Wildlife Division, testified that unlike the previous bill, HF 276 would not affect sport fish restoration dollars coming to Minnesota. He said the general fund reimbursement acknowledges that angling is a major economic driver for the state, supporting spending on gas, resorts, bait, and related purchases. Members echoed support for the concept, with comments about helping older residents stay engaged in fishing and about the need to keep the fund sustainable. The chair noted that the packet included letters of support from the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation and Conservation Minnesota. No opposition testimony was presented. At the end of the discussion, the motion was renewed and House File 276 was laid over for possible inclusion in a future bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• In other words, releasing the birds, having staff drive to release sites, and checking out release sites
• So if I heard you correctly, the Pheasant Fund is to buy the birds, right?
• And it sounds like in order to release the birds and manage the birds, you have to use money from the
• And so you’re asking to be able to release and manage the birds from the Pheasant Fund.
• from the Pheasant fund I'm birds from the Pheasant fund I'm assuming<00:15:36.160><c> that</c><00:15

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II work session focused on Fish and Game’s budget-revenue proposals and several statutory changes the department said it needs to support its operations. The department recommended raising the fisheries habitat fee and wildlife habitat fee to $5 each, estimating additional annual revenue of about $640,000 and $144,000 respectively. Members clarified that these are habitat fees added on top of licenses, not reduced by senior or youth license categories, and discussed the need for RSA changes to allow the revenue to be transferred into the Fish and Game Fund. The department also said it would work internally on any broader license fee increases through the commission process. The committee then reviewed proposals to cap several dedicated accounts and transfer excess balances to the unrestricted Fish and Game Fund. Those accounts included the fisheries and wildlife habitat funds and the game management account, with the department proposing a $750,000 cap on each and transfer of amounts above that threshold. The department said the cap was based on several years of expenditures and the fact that dedicated funds are often used as match for federal funds. Members asked for reports on fund activity and questioned whether the cap and mandatory transfer language should be “shall” or “may,” with the department indicating it would prefer “may” for flexibility. The committee also discussed a Pheasant Management Program account, where the department said current law limits use of the money to buying and propagating pheasants and it wants authority to use it for broader program management. A substantial portion of the meeting addressed Fish and Game’s environmental review unit and the transfer of ARPA-funded positions to DEES under the governor’s initiative. The department said four positions are currently ARPA-funded, that DEES supports keeping them in place through the end of the year, and that the transition will require time because environmental review work is intertwined across the agency. The department explained that before the ARPA positions, biologists handled the work and that current staffing has helped eliminate a backlog and meet deadlines. Members also discussed a proposal to expand environmental review fees beyond private developers to state, federal, municipal, and local governments, with the department saying it would need rulemaking and stakeholder input. Additional requests included authority to conduct raffles to raise funds, creation of a revolving account for donations and raffle proceeds, and repeal of the obsolete fish food sales statute because the vending machines are no longer functional and the account generates no revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• are we going to do biofuels for airplanes and support that in a responsible way, or whether it is bird
• committee meetings unless we both agree, from now until the end of session, and perhaps if there are some bird
• 09.280><c> some</c> there would be I think if there are some there would be I think if there are some bird
• :52:11.599><c> we</c><00:52:11.839><c> would</c><00:52:12.079><c> need</c><00:52:12.319><c> to</c> bird
• flu uh outbreaks we would need to bird flu uh outbreaks we would need to perhaps<00:52:13.280><c> come

Bills: HF2446

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• whether it's, you know, my favorite, biking or hiking or whatever it is they do, hunting, fishing, bird
• 02:53.120><c> do,</c><00:02:53.360><c> hunting,</c><00:02:54.000><c> fishing,</c><00:02:54.480><c> bird
• </c> it is they do, hunting, fishing, bird it is they do, hunting, fishing, bird watching.<00:02:55.760

Bills: HF3426 , HF3428

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: natural resources, environment, sustainability, conservation, outdoor recreation, land acquisition, real property, trust fund, commissioner approval, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, conservation easement, land purchase, state land, public lands, property acquisition, value assessment, tax assessed value, Metropolitan Council, Board of Water and Soil Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Stephanie Morris, on behalf of myself and Birds and Bees Farm. Go ahead, Ms. Reed.
• Stephanie Morris, on behalf of myself and Birds and Bees Farm. Go ahead, Ms. Reed.
• Stephanie Morris, on behalf of myself and Birds and Bees Farm, in favor of SB 3. Thank you.
• Stephanie Morris, you registered on behalf of self and Birds and Bees Farms, and you're for the bill.

Bills: HB48 , HB66 , HB68 , HB71 , HB75 , HB164 , HB171 , HB254 , SB3 , SB18 , HB123 , HB149 , HB117

Committee: House Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Keywords: HB 48, Texas alert notification systems, emergency alerts, public warning systems, alert fatigue, notification fatigue, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety, DPS alerts, emergency management, State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, STEAR, disaster notifications, weather alerts, Amber Alert, Silver Alert, Blue Alert, missing persons alerts, accessible alerts, hearing impaired

Summary: The committee met in special session to hear a series of flood, preparedness, and youth-camp safety bills, with members repeatedly noting that many of the measures were intended as planning, warning, or authority-clarifying bills rather than direct spending bills. House Bill 254 would expand eligibility for the Rural Infrastructure Disaster Recovery Program to include Kerr County and 18 other flood-affected counties by raising the GDP cap and lowering the poverty threshold; it drew no opposition and was left pending. House Bill 68 would direct a study of flood mitigation in flatland areas, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, to develop cost-effective drainage and infrastructure recommendations; local officials and advocates supported it, and it was also left pending. The committee then heard several youth camp bills tied to the recent Hill Country flooding. House Bill 75 would impose flood-aware building and site standards for youth camps near floodplains, and House Bill 71 would require camps and youth activity entities to submit emergency preparedness plans to TDEM, coordinate with local responders, and maintain readiness protocols; both bills were supported by safety advocates and camp representatives, and both were left pending. House Bill 171 would require campgrounds near flood-prone waters to give written flood-risk notice to campers and obtain signed acknowledgment; it was presented as informed consent and left pending. Testimony on these bills emphasized Camp Mystic and other recent flood tragedies, with some witnesses urging broader building-code and floodplain reforms. The committee also heard House Bill 117, which would let counties regulate impervious cover for flood mitigation in unincorporated areas. Supporters, including county officials, environmental groups, and residents, argued that rapid development in the Hill Country and other growing areas is worsening runoff and downstream flooding; opponents from the builders’ association said counties already have substantial authority and warned about overreach into rural property use. After extensive testimony, the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 18 would streamline permitting for certain flood control districts to repair dams and reservoirs and build small holding areas, and it was left pending after supportive testimony from Plum Creek Conservation District. Senate Bill 3 would create a state-backed outdoor flood warning siren program for identified flood-prone areas, funded through a grant program; witnesses generally supported it, though some cautioned that sirens are not sufficient by themselves and may not be heard indoors or in overnight storms. It too was left pending. The committee also began hearing House Bill 149 on public-safety radio interoperability, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s full testimony or action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• And for many people that lose their homes, lose their barns, lose their birds, lose their farm animals
• The Audubon Society's work focuses on birds and the places birds need.

Committee: House House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And for many people that lose their homes, lose their barns, lose their birds, lose their farm animals
• The Audubon Society's work focuses on birds and the places birds need.

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 55, which would expand New Mexico’s solar market development income tax credit from 10% to 30% after the federal solar credit expired, raise the per-credit cap from $6,000 to $15,000, and keep the existing overall $30 million cap with a sunset in 2032. The sponsor and industry witnesses said the bill would help stabilize the residential solar sector, protect jobs, and support consumers, small businesses, small agriculture, and tribal communities. Public testimony was overwhelmingly supportive, though some members raised questions about fiscal capacity and the bill’s impact. The committee passed SB 55 on a 7-4 vote. The committee then took up House Bill 267, the Wildfire Mitigation and Liability Act, on a committee substitute. The bill would require utilities to file and maintain wildfire mitigation plans, obtain PRC approval, and receive a rebuttable presumption in civil actions if they substantially comply; it also includes access provisions for mitigation work on private and public property, cost recovery, damage limits, and a one-year statute of limitations. Utilities and co-op representatives supported the bill as a way to reduce wildfire risk and address rising insurance costs, while insurers, OSI, and wildfire-victim advocates opposed it, arguing it overly limits liability, shifts losses to homeowners and insurers, and does not fully compensate victims. Several committee members expressed concern about the liability standards, deemed approval, access to property, and the short limitations period, but the bill ultimately passed on an 8-3 vote after the chair corrected the motion and revote. Next, House Bill 320, the Industrial Carbon Reduction Act, was presented. It would create production incentives and capital grants for industrial materials made at least 40% cleaner than the industry average, with clawbacks for underperformance and competitive review by EDD and Environment. Supporters from the gas company and chambers of commerce said it uses performance-based incentives to encourage cleaner manufacturing, attract investment, and create jobs. One member raised an anti-donation clause concern, but the sponsor said the bill’s performance requirements and clawbacks address that issue. The committee passed HB 320 on a 10-1 vote. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 104, a follow-up to last year’s wildlife agency reform bill. It would replace vetoed language by creating a process for a governor’s removal of a wildlife commissioner that includes notice, a hearing, and direct review by the New Mexico Supreme Court, while keeping the governor’s removal authority for cause. Ranching, angling, outfitter, and conservation groups supported the bill as a bipartisan fix that adds accountability and avoids political retaliation. Members asked about the removal process and direct Supreme Court review, and some who had initially been skeptical said the testimony changed their view. The bill was moving forward with support at the end of the discussion.