Transcript Highlights:

• totaled, on average, 62 inches of snow across Massachusetts.
• Lastly, again, I'm going to revisit snow and ice for a moment.
• Lastly, again, I'm going to revisit snow and ice for a moment.
• Heavily on our contracted snow and ice vendors. Okay.
• That does not have any issues with snow and ice.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing at UMass Amherst on Governor Healey’s fiscal year 2027 budget, focusing on energy/environment-related transportation issues and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The chairs and members opened with thanks to UMass, university leadership, court officers, and legislative staff, and Chancellor Javier Reyes highlighted UMass Amherst’s research, workforce, sustainability, and transportation contributions, including energy research, transit operations, and partnerships with MassDOT. The hearing then moved to MassDOT and MBTA testimony on the administration’s transportation funding package, including House 2, the FY26 Fair Share supplemental, and a proposed four-year Chapter 90 authorization. MassDOT officials described the budget as part of a broader multi-year transportation investment strategy, citing funding for operations, snow and ice removal, regional transit authorities, the MBTA, the Merit Rating Board, sustainable aviation fuel credits, micro-transit and last-mile grants, unpaved road improvements, bridge and pavement work, and housing-related transportation infrastructure. They emphasized workforce expansion, capital delivery capacity, safety improvements, and local aid, including the new lane-mile-based Chapter 90 formula intended to benefit rural communities. Officials also discussed major projects and programs such as Grant Central, culvert and unpaved road grants, work zone speed cameras, congestion hotspot fixes, the Sagamore and Bourne Bridge projects, and MBTA operating support and safety upgrades. Testimony from the MBTA and rail/transit staff focused on improved ridership, service frequency, accessibility, and safety, including progress on the Green Line Train Protection System, reduced delays, expanded bus and commuter rail service, and the South Coast rail extension. Regional transit authorities reported increased ridership and described new fare-free, connectivity, and community transit grants. Aeronautics testimony covered airport capital work, drone and data programs, sustainable aviation fuel efforts, and workforce development in aviation maintenance. Committee members then asked questions, especially about Western Massachusetts priorities, Chapter 90 funding, bridge repairs, snow and ice costs, Cape Cod bridges, Buzzard’s Bay rail, and Compass Rail/West-East Rail. Officials said several federal rail grants were moving forward, that Sagamore Bridge procurement would begin soon, and that the administration remained committed to pursuing federal funding and multi-year transportation investments.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's why our almost final snow survey, or the snow survey that garners a lot of media attention when
• And then another $2.5 million would be for snow surveys.
• We have to assist us with our manual snow surveys.
• We do manual snow surveys at 267 sites throughout the state.
• We're here on item six, the snow survey and forecasting item.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Let me know if he's riding a truck scraping snow.
• So we'll see, or at least we'll try. >> Let me know if he's riding a truck scraping snow.
• Of that amount, $35 million has been spent on snow and ice responses, representing 10% of the current
• Last year, we spent $85 million on snow and ice, which was about 16% of the total maintenance budget
• The hourly contract rate for<00:08:44.880> snow<00:08:45.120> and<00:08:45.360> ice<

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:47 Maintenance 12:40 Approval of Minutes 12:55 Vehicle Regulation 21:08 General Admin and Highways 34:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum at first, then later approved the minutes once quorum was established. The committee heard presentations from Transportation Cabinet officials Mike Hancock, Jeremy Slinker, and Sean McCarnieran on maintenance, vehicle regulation, general administration, highways, and related capital projects. Hancock emphasized that maintenance is the cabinet’s most visible public service, especially for snow and ice removal and routine roadway upkeep, and said rising costs have outpaced funding. He cited a 61% increase in highway construction costs since 2020 and said maintenance spending was $488 million in FY 2024 and $511 million in FY 2025, while the FY 2026 baseline request was $483.3 million. The cabinet’s additional maintenance request would add $23.6 million in FY 2027 and $38.6 million in FY 2028, with expected impacts on litter pickup, mowing, vegetation management, and pothole repair if not funded. The cabinet also outlined five maintenance-related capital projects: additional funding for Ballard County maintenance/salt storage, Hopkins County maintenance/salt storage, Whitley County maintenance/salt structure, and the District 2 office and materials lab, plus reauthorization of the Breckinridge County maintenance and salt facility. Hancock also asked for budget language allowing the cabinet to use unexpected restricted and federal funds more quickly, similar to existing authority for federal earmarks. McCarnieran described the governor’s inclusion of funding for the ASHTOWare system, employee health exams, priority IT projects, and a District 7 office renovation request, noting that some items were not funded because they ranked low among competing projects. He also said the governor’s budget included a $7.5 million annual maintenance pool for the cabinet’s 1,200 facilities and requested additional restricted fund authority for Trimark and the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. Slinker focused on the Department of Vehicle Regulation, saying recent investments in staffing and equipment had reduced wait times and improved customer service in driver licensing offices. He requested $535,600 to keep temporary contract workers in place for the rest of the year, warning that without it regional office operations would have to be reduced. He said the surge in demand was driven by new 15-year-old licensing requirements, vision testing, and Real ID implementation, but believed the volume was beginning to level out. He also outlined FY 2027 and FY 2028 plans totaling $20.38 million and $19.85 million, including six new regional offices and a shift away from temporary workers toward state positions. Additional requests included $106,000 for debt service on the new driver’s license modernization system and operating costs of $5 million in FY 2027 and $2.5 million in FY 2028 to support the transition from the old system. Members asked about the cabinet’s funding sources, and officials said the road fund is the primary source, supported by motor fuels tax, usage tax, driver-related receipts, and some restricted funds; they stressed that the requests were not for additional general fund dollars. Questions also covered employee health exam reimbursements, the annual Trimark/Cumberland Gap contract, and the District 7 renovation request. No votes were taken on the budget items during the meeting, beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• impossible to strictly follow these instructions, given that bait boxes remain outside in the rain and snow
• What's happening outside right now, bait boxes are under piles of melting snow.
• What's happening outside right now, bait boxes are under piles of melting snow.
• What's happening outside right now, bait boxes are under piles of Thank you. in snow.
• What's happening outside right now, bait boxes are under piles of melting snow.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a hearing on several late-file bills and home rule petitions, with testimony focused mainly on coastal access and wildlife management, rodenticide restrictions, and a local land-use request. Rep. Scarsdale testified for H.5113, which would name an accessible trail in Groton’s J. Harry Rich State Forest the Marion Stoddard River Walk in honor of the activist who helped restore the Nashua River. Groton Trails Committee chair Paul Fung also supported the bill, describing the trail, educational signs, and DCR’s involvement. Rep. Sweezey presented a package of Duxbury Beach bills—H.5141, H.5140, and H.5139—intended to align state shorebird protections more closely with federal standards, create parity in beach management tools, and require periodic review of outdated recreational-use guidelines; he said the bills were developed with local and agency input and aimed to balance conservation with beach access. A large portion of the hearing concerned local petitions to restrict second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides and other pesticides. Supporters from Mass Audubon, Sierra Club, Animal Defenders International, wildlife rehabilitation groups, and residents from towns including Grafton, Billerica, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Eastham, and Truro argued that these poisons harm raptors and other non-target wildlife through secondary poisoning, persist in the environment, and are increasingly ineffective. Several speakers said local town meetings had approved the restrictions and urged favorable reports on the petitions. Opponents, including a representative of the New England Pest Management Association, argued that regulation should remain at the state level under MDAR to avoid a patchwork of local rules and noted that the agency was already reviewing rodenticide regulations. Committee members asked questions about agency consultation, the relationship between state and federal bird listings, and how local beach rules would work in practice. The committee also heard testimony on H.4700 and related local pesticide-reduction petitions for Eastham and Truro, with witnesses describing groundwater concerns, pesticide drift, and wildlife impacts. Finally, the committee took testimony on S.2961, a Dighton bill authorizing the use of a small portion of conservation land for public way purposes to replace the Pleasant Street Bridge and add pedestrian and bicycle accommodations; the witness said the affected area was limited and necessary for safety improvements. The hearing ended after testimony concluded, with the chair turning the gavel over and the committee adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• the snow from the roads for us.
• the snow from the roads for us.
• If we don't clear snow and ice, first responders are put at risk.
• By designating January as a snow By designating January as a snow professionals<00:48:37.200>
• That's solely because of the thousands of snow professionals who work tirelessly.

Bills: SF856, HF4482, HF3672, HF1234, HF4591, HF3554, HF936

Keywords: Inspector General, fraud prevention, state audit, public funds, misuse, transparency, government accountability, HF4482, Minnesota Historical Society, state historic sites, historic site management, historic preservation, county historical society, local historical society, municipality, county government, admission fees, grants-in-aid, site operations, site maintenance

Transcript Highlights:

• A lack of snow or warm temperatures in the winter months results in lower fuel consumption in the winter
• A lack of snow or warm temperatures in the winter months results in lower fuel consumption in the winter
• We have other people in the department whose primary job is not to plow snow that have a CDL license,
• and we set up a program so that they can come help us plow snow for the winter.
• people and keeping up with our snow people and keeping up with our snow plowing<01:22:08.719>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Safety presented an overview of highway fund and unrestricted revenue collections, focusing on the Division of Administration, the Road Toll Bureau, and the Division of Motor Vehicles. Amy Newbery explained that the main unrestricted funding sources are highway funds and general funds, with highway fund revenue of about $263 million in FY 2024 and a FY 2025 projection of $261.2 million. She said revenue growth has been modest and has not kept pace with costs, creating structural deficits that required general fund transfers of $50 million in FY 2022-23 and another $10 million in FY 2024-25 to balance the fund. Jennifer Hall described Road Toll operations, including motor fuel tax collection at the distributor level, compliance enforcement, and licensing for fuel distributors, transporters, IFTA carriers, and oil discharge/pollution control. Members asked about IFTA, dyed-fuel enforcement, the possibility of using the state forensic lab for dyed-fuel testing, and whether audit positions had been filled; the department said it recently hired a part-time fuel enforcement officer, still uses IRS testing, could explore lab testing, and had no audit vacancies. Hall also discussed factors affecting fuel-tax revenue, including gas prices, crude oil forecasts, weather, tourism, GDP, and inflation, and said FY 2024 road toll revenue was $127.5 million, above plan, with FY 2025 projected at $127.71 million. The committee then turned to DMV-related revenues. Newbery said motor vehicle registration revenue was $93.1 million in FY 2024 and is projected at $90.4 million in FY 2025, with the state share going directly to the highway fund. Members asked about the state/town fee split, the five-year registration cycle dip, the distribution of registration revenue by vehicle weight category, and the impact of electric-vehicle surcharges; the department said the five-year dip is still occurring and will fade over time, and it would follow up on the weight-category breakdown. The presentation also noted that driver-license revenues have stabilized, inspection revenues remain steady, plea-by-mail revenue was added to the highway fund in FY 2024, and general fund revenues tied to the department are relatively small and have declined as some functions moved to OPLC. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our trails are open and they're groomed, and there's plenty of snow up north, so we welcome you all.
• up North so the welcome you all of snow up North so the welcome you all funny<00:31:53.679> as
• <00:32:26.519> snow<00:32:26.960> traveler<00:32:27.480> found to add the snow
• snow traveler found to add the snow snow traveler found Foundation<00:32:28.840> to<00:32:29.360
• The Snow Traveler Foundation's mission is to cultivate a thriving snow trail community inclusive of both

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 1210, Representative Snow, chair, hands down.
• For the conference committee report, the chair recognizes Representative Snow to speak on the conference
• For the conference committee report, the chair recognizes Representative Snow to speak on the conference
• Speaker, Representative Snow back to the CCRC... Mr.
• Speaker, Representative Snow, back to the CCRC, the information or the discussion, the continuing discussion

Keywords: 964, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you're on snow removal, I could see maybe—I don't know—10 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, but 500 feet?
• What kind of snow removal are you doing up there? You need to come and see the snow.
• If you park those solar panels right next to the road, we're going to agitate the snow going across the
• it's too close to the roads, MnDOT, counties, and so forth They have a real tough time because the snow
• that wind is blowing, I can think of Starbucks and some of those areas at the top of the hills—those snow

Transcript Highlights:

• Naturally occurring nitrogen, when it snows and you're in a CSE geology like what we are in southeast
• and<00:15:04.360> you're<00:15:04.480> in<00:15:04.639> a nitrogen when it snows
• and you're in a nitrogen when it snows and you're in a CSE<00:15:05.160> geology<00:15:05.800
• <00:15:12.120> into<00:15:12.399> the<00:15:12.920> that<00:15:13.040> snow
• <00:15:13.360> melt water can get into the that snow melt water can get into the that snow

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• In some states, like Utah, they may go and do something trying to get snow, but there are legitimate
• So, as I read this bill, it outlaws snow making and weather manipulation.
• They're making snow. It actually is affecting the weather.
• Uh, in midtone, this is a product that uses moisture in the air to create snow that then just falls right
• So that only works for, you know, until the... that only works for, you know, until the snow melts.

Bills: HB248, HB311

Keywords: weather modification, atmospheric pollution, chemical dispersion, environmental law, public health, improvement districts, assessment collection, property taxes, local governance, foreclosure procedures, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• truly understanding how to plow snow. truly understanding how to plow snow.
• snowed, so our snowplow removal or snow removal budget's looking really good right now.
• before the March snow comes.
• snowed, so our snowplow removal or snow removal budget's looking really good right now.
• for the snow plowing units right now? for the snow plowing units right now?

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• left is really dealing with more short-term solutions and fixes to the highway system, as well as our snow
• The highway system, as well as our snow and ice program, is all intertwined in our operations and maintenance
• But it is an interesting piece of road because given the year and given, you know, how bad the snow is
• more recent one that I particularly been involved with is looking at when we get into some of those snow
• zones and ...looking at when we get into some of those snow zones, and like on I-90, Snoqualmie Pass

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee devoted its meeting to a presentation from Troy Suing of the Department of Transportation on state highway preservation needs. Suing said DOT is a leader in asset planning, but that current funding is not enough to keep up with the condition of highways, bridges, and other assets. He distinguished operations and maintenance from preservation, and described the preservation program’s main parts: pavements, bridges, and other highway facilities such as slopes, rest areas, signal systems, retaining walls, and culverts. Suing reported that about 40% of state roads are already overdue for preservation and that, with current funding, as much as 85% could need preservation within 10 years. He said there are more than 7,900 lane miles currently due, and that delaying work past the “lowest life cycle zone” increases risk and can cost three to five times more later. For bridges, he said the state has about 3,400 bridges, an average age of 52 years, and roughly 10% are over 80 years old; the share of bridges in poor condition is about 9.9%, near the federal threshold that could trigger more federal oversight. He also highlighted culvert failures, including one on SR-510, and the closed Carbon River Bridge on SR-165 as examples of how deferred preservation can lead to closures and community disruption. Committee members questioned the comparison to national asset management leadership, liability risk as roads deteriorate, the cost and regulatory burden of bridge projects, and whether DOT is relying more on its own crews for bridge work because of cost and urgency. Suing said the department is underfunded to fully implement its asset plans and is forced to focus on risk, emergent needs, and the most critical bridge work first. He said DOT’s 2026 supplemental budget identified preservation as one of five unfunded critical priorities and estimated a 10-year preservation need of $8 billion to address the backlog and become proactive again. Members discussed whether targeted funding in the next biennium could help move the state back toward the “green zone,” and the chair closed by emphasizing the real-world impacts of bridge and road failures and the need for legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, accredited Snow Contractors Association, the Snow and Ice Management Association.
• practices in snow and ice removal.
• Over 100 of our snow and ice removal.
• We enter into detailed snow properties.
• despite being a certified snow despite being a certified snow professional,<00:08:18.319> it's

Bills: HF3793, HF3699, HF793, HF3322, HF3426

Keywords: groundwater, water use permit, data centers, public health, environmental regulations, municipalities, state park license plate, specialty license plate, Minnesota DNR, Department of Natural Resources, license plate design contest, North Shore, Lake Superior Agate, AI-generated art, artificial intelligence, Minnesota resident, state parks, specialty plates, vehicle registration, contest requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate that you all came out in the snow, and I guess I will say one other thing: although we're
• I appreciate that you all came out in the snow, and I guess I will say one other thing: although we're
• Just because you did make the drive in the snow, I will...
• Just because you did make the drive in the snow, I will...
• Just because you did make the drive in the snow, I will...

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met on House Bill 637, which was described as a measure to make whole certain New Hampshire Retirement System retirees who were not included when Senate Bill 57 was incorporated into the 2023 budget. The chair and several members reviewed the bill’s legislative history and fiscal impact, citing estimates that the broader change would cost about $1.4 million to the state and $5.74 million to municipalities, with an actuarial liability increase of about $45 million. The chair argued that the omission of already-retired members was not an oversight but a policy choice made in the Senate, based on the bill’s prospective language and the budget process used in 2023. Testimony and discussion focused on whether the bill should be treated as a fairness correction or as an expensive policy expansion. Supporters, including retirees and representatives of employee groups, said the language was unclear, the fiscal note did not match the bill’s effect, and the change would unfairly leave out actual retirees who had expected the same treatment as active members. They also argued that the retirement system historically linked benefits to Social Security and that the bill would restore equity for those affected. Opponents emphasized the cost, the prospective nature of the original language, and the view that the Senate knowingly chose not to extend the change retroactively. After discussion, the chair moved to recommend the bill inexpedient to legislate, and the motion was seconded. Members then heard brief public comments after the motion was withdrawn and reintroduced because of the weather and the public’s travel. At the final vote, the subcommittee recommended inexpedient to legislate on a 3-2 vote, with the chair noting that the full committee would take up other bills at a later subcommittee hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Snow 26 is the uh not COVID-19. Snow 26 this weekend, right? Yeah. All right. Uh, yes.
• <00:18:52.559> Snow<00:18:53.200> 26<00:18:53.840> is<00:18:54.080> the
• Snow 26 is the uh not for that heads up. Snow 26 is the uh not COVID<00:18:55.520> 19.
• <00:18:55.919> Snow<00:18:56.559> 26<00:18:57.039> this<00:18:57.200> weekend
• Snow 26 this weekend, right? COVID 19. Snow 26 this weekend, right?

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Thursday, January 22, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Maryland Senate convened with an invocation by Reverend Abi Johni of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, followed by the roll call establishing a quorum with 44 members present. The chamber then featured numerous introductions and recognitions, including legislative interns, a shadowing student, a constituent assisting this session, visiting advocacy groups such as the Maryland Bankers Association, the Transportation Association of Maryland, and the Maryland Association of CPAs, as well as several pages and other guests. Members also announced upcoming caucus and delegation events, committee briefings, and weather-related schedule contingencies. On the legislative side, the Senate received bill introductions, including Senate Bill 314 on immunity from liability for donations of pet supplies in judicial proceedings, and a bond initiative for a neighborhood community track and field project, which was referred to the capital budget subcommittee. The main floor action was consideration of Rule 116; after brief discussion, the Senate adopted the rule by a unanimous 44-0 vote, completing adoption of the Senate rules. Committee announcements noted upcoming hearings and briefings: Finance planned briefings on health insurance subsidies and private passenger auto insurance; Education, Energy, and the Environment scheduled briefings on climate-smart agriculture and federal policy impacts; Budget and Taxation planned an interagency commission briefing; and Judicial Proceedings announced 12 bill hearings, including two lengthy bills. The Senate also journalized the invocation, recognized the new leadership of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus, and adjourned until the next pro forma session, with the adjournment also honoring Edward Risinger, a former Baltimore City Council member who had recently died.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 4, Representative Snow.
• The chair recognized Representative Snow for a discussion. Thank you, Mr.
• The chair recognizes Representative Snow for discussion. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Thank you, Representative Snow. I appreciate your work on this bill.

Keywords: 964, all

Transcript Highlights:

• These are snow and ice. Uh emergency response as James was talking about.
• So, with upcoming snow and ice season.
• These are snow and critical activities.
• And I will say that, from our snow and ice experts, they indicate that we've not had a bad snow year
• So these are just normal snowing years.

Keywords: 0:00:15 Call to Order and Roll Call 0:01:15 Maintenance Update 0:21:07 Approval of Minutes 0:21:32 Regional Offices 0:43:47 SHIFT Scoring 1:04:24 Local Assistance Road Program 1:16:41 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum and first received a maintenance update from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials James Ballinger and John Moore. They described how repeated disasters, including floods, tornadoes, and ice storms, have strained routine road maintenance and forced crews to focus on emergency response, snow and ice removal, pothole patching, ditching, signal repairs, mowing, striping, sign work, and other day-to-day upkeep. They said snow and ice costs have averaged about $60 million to $61 million annually in recent years, disaster response has totaled hundreds of millions of dollars over five years, and the cabinet often must carry those costs until FEMA or FHWA reimbursement arrives. They also said maintenance work is increasingly contracted out because of staffing and resource limits, and that competitive pay is needed to retain employees and contractors for around-the-clock emergency work. Members then discussed traffic roundabouts and other intersection designs. Senator Hickden asked about their cost savings and safety benefits compared with traffic signals, and cabinet staff said they would provide life-cycle cost figures later. They emphasized that roundabouts and related designs reduce serious injuries and fatalities, with serious injuries down roughly 70% to 80% and fatalities over 90% in their experience. Chair Douglas and others asked about roundabout sizing for trucks and farm equipment, and staff explained that designers tailor the inscribed diameter to local traffic needs and context. The committee also briefly discussed red-light running and traffic-light cameras, with members stressing the safety risks of drivers ignoring signals. The committee adopted the minutes from the prior meeting by motion and voice vote. It then heard from Sarah Jackson and Matthew Cole on the Real ID and driver licensing transition. They said the cabinet has expanded from almost no regional offices to 35, grown driver licensing staff from 89 to 400, and now issues about 1.3 million credentials annually. They reported improvements in office capacity, queue management, staffing, and compensation, including added workstations, new or expanded offices in Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown, and the use of contract staff. They said statewide average wait times have fallen to just under 30 minutes, and Kentucky’s Real ID adoption rate has risen to 42.9%. Members asked follow-up questions about driver testing and CDL scheduling. The presenters said all permit and CDL testing is coordinated through Kentucky State Police, with written tests available in most regional offices and CDL testing at a smaller number of KSP locations. Senator Douglas asked when the driver testing requirements were last updated, and the presenters said that was set by KSP. The discussion ended with additional questions about which regional offices lack KSP testing presence, but no further action was taken before the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• So basically the 200-mile section of I-10 from Pensacola to Tallahassee was covered in snow that stuck
• The last time I saw snow stick to the ground was 1989.
• So believe it or not, we actually own snow plows. We own 11 snow plows.
• And so we prepare our bridges and we use the snow plows to get the ice off the road.
• This is the first time we've had 200 miles of interstate covered in inches of snow.

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee met to continue its review of hurricane impacts and state response. The committee first heard from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which described its four core functions—preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation—and highlighted its 24/7 State Watch Office, regional training efforts, and disaster assistance work. Deputy Executive Director Keith Pruitt detailed the state’s 2024 storm response, including Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, citing large-scale mission support, flood-control deployments, meal and water distribution, power restoration, debris removal, and billions in disaster funding and mitigation dollars. He also discussed debris management challenges and recommended that local governments update and exercise debris plans and maintain contingency contracts.

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't have the full cohort, but we're glad you were able to brave the snow.
• able<00:01:12.080> to<00:01:12.159> brave<00:01:12.479> the<00:01:12.720> snow
• Uh<00:01:13.680> we<00:01:13.840> have<00:01:13.920> the able to brave the snow
• Uh we have the able to brave the snow.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate held a brief pro forma session with a quorum present. The presiding officer noted Holocaust Remembrance Day in Maryland and emphasized the importance of anti-hate efforts, and also welcomed representatives from the Council of State Governments who were visiting despite the snow. The chamber processed one bill introduction, Senate Bill 368 by Senator Bailey concerning living shorelines and non-structural shoreline stabilization measures, and referred it to the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. One bond initiative, sponsored by Senators Hettleman, Ishivas, Torres, and Simcha, was also read and sent to the Capital Budget Subcommittee. During announcements, the Majority Leader invited members to a Council of State Governments reception at Harry Brown’s at 6 p.m. The Senate then completed a quorum call and adjourned, with notice that another pro forma session would be held the next day.