Transcript Highlights:

• AB 739 turns an industry best practice that supports informed decision-making and makes it an expectation
• They collect assessments, maintain general accounting, not to mention facilities.
• estate professional that buyers of unrestricted housing rely on to avoid predatory sales and lending practices

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• administration would be, I agree with much of what the LAO has just outlined, is that a revision to the assessment
• CDCR is working to improve environmental and correctional practices.
• know the justification for the operation nearly 700 excess in bed inpatient beds is there a best practice

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've put the words on the screen quoting the statute, but in practical sense, the first one is you've
• I'm all about replicating best practices.
• The PCG, Public Consulting Group, did an assessment of the project, reviewed all the project documents

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services on the My Safe Florida Home program, the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot, and the Florida PALM financial system replacement project. For My Safe Florida Home, Stephen Fielder explained the wind-mitigation grant program, including its inspection-first process, two-to-one matching grants for most homeowners, low-income exemptions from the match, and eligible improvements such as roofs, clips/straps, water barriers, and opening protection. He reported roughly 109,000 initial inspections, nearly 59,000 grants approved, 31,000 final inspections, 25,000 reimbursements, and about $240 million paid out through the end of 2024. Members asked about premium savings, contractor pricing, fraud, owner-builder eligibility, reimbursement timing, and whether the program should have a dedicated funding source; Fielder said the program is currently closed, more than 40,000 people have signed up for updates, and the office has seen some price-gouging and impersonation issues but no major fraud trend. The committee also discussed the new prioritization rules that took effect July 1, 2024, which direct grant awards by age and income. Fielder said the program used a survey of existing applicants to implement the new priority groups and that the first group was over age 60 and low-income. Members raised questions about how premium reductions are measured, whether insurance company changes or rising insured values affect the data, and whether the program can track long-term outcomes after reimbursement. Fielder said the office reports raw premium changes based on declarations pages, knows the insurer for participants, and has validated results with multiple insurers, but does not track homeowners after they leave the program or enforce continued insurance coverage. For the My Safe Florida Condo Pilot, Fielder said the program is modeled on the home program but uses association-level applications, a maximum grant of $175,000 per association, and a similar two-to-one match. He said the application window opened briefly in November and was closed quickly because available funding could be exhausted and the department is prohibited from creating a waiting list. He identified several needed statutory changes, including better distinguishing condos from single-family homes, adjusting roof requirements for flat concrete roofs, and revisiting the unanimous unit-owner vote requirement, which he said has been a major obstacle. Chair Lopez noted the pilot is intended to be a learning process and thanked DFS staff for identifying implementation issues. The final presentation covered Florida PALM, the state’s effort to replace the 40-year-old FLAIR accounting system with a PeopleSoft-based financial management system. Fielder and PALM Director Jimmy Cox said the project began in 2014, the state contracted with Accenture in 2018, cash management went live in 2021, and the project was paused in 2022 for legislative review and remediation. They said the system is expected to go live in 2026, possibly in July rather than January, and that the project has spent about $225 million to date, with a current-year budget of about $60.9 million and a projected next-year request of about $64 million. Members asked about cybersecurity, cloud hosting, project scope, and whether the system is unique to Florida; staff said the system is not Florida-specific, access is credentialed through agency identity management, and the cloud host location is confidential. After the presentations, Chair Lopez assigned members to work with specific agencies on budget review meetings, asked them to discuss agency structure, priorities, staffing, waste reduction, and other budget issues, and set a deadline to report findings in the first week of regular session. The meeting then adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it says assessments. It doesn't actually mean assessment in that sense.
• In a classroom, that means learning to integrate it into your daily practice.
• </c> integrate it into your daily practice. integrate it into your daily practice.
• to practice simulated counseling experiences. experiences. experiences.
• </c><00:36:26.680><c> skills</c> people start practicing their skills people start practicing their skills

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Artificial Intelligence Task Force met and adopted the prior minutes before turning to AI in education. Jeff Gagne of the Southern Regional Education Board described SREB’s Commission on AI in Education, which has organized its work into committees on policy, K-12 instruction, postsecondary instruction, and skills development. He highlighted eight commission recommendations covering statewide AI networks, targeted guidance for different user groups, professional development, standards and curricula, local capacity assessments, risk management, procurement, and AI-ready workforce skills. He also emphasized that states need more specific guidance for students, teachers, faculty, administrators, and parents, and that training is essential because many educators have not been prepared to use AI in instruction. Gagne also summarized two recent SREB reports: one on AI-ready workforce skills and one on AI use in K-12 classrooms. The workforce report recommends embedding AI across standards, strengthening computer science and digital learning standards, collaborating with industry and workforce agencies, building AI competencies into training and upskilling, providing educator professional development, and monitoring readiness. He said the report identifies three skill areas: success skills, industry baseline skills, and technical skills. The classroom guidance report promotes responsible AI adoption, with four pillars focused on increasing cognitive demand, streamlining teaching and administrative work, supporting personalized learning, and developing ethical AI users. He also noted that the report includes an AI procurement tool for school districts. Members thanked Gagne for providing outside examples and resources. One member noted JCPS has an introductory AI professional development offering for educators. Gagne said Kentucky’s David Couch serves on the SREB commission and that the commission’s member list and reports are available on SREB’s website. The committee then heard from Travis Powell of the Council on Postsecondary Education, who said CPE had surveyed campuses and found that Kentucky institutions have broadly embraced AI in teaching, research, student services, and administrative operations. He said all institutions have AI-focused degrees, minors, or courses, and many are integrating AI into general education and across disciplines. Powell also said CPE is considering an AI consortium and that campuses are using AI in research partnerships and applied work, while continuing to focus on ethical and effective use.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:39:23.880><c> Act</c><00:39:24.200><c> from</c> information Practices Act from information Practices
• And then, of course, you know, this was a practice, and then we'll actually try to use the health data
• </c><00:48:53.400><c> and</c> course you know this was a practice and course you know this was a practice
• What is the use or the practice of pesticides? What do we use pesticides for?
• of pesticides what do we the practice of pesticides what do we use<01:26:56.679><c> pesticides</c><01

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint informational briefing focused on restricted use pesticides in Hawaiʻi, with Senate and House members opening the meeting and explaining that the session was intended to hear expert presentations and community concerns. Fern Holland outlined the background for the briefing, describing how restricted use pesticides differ from general-use products, why state-level regulation matters, and how community advocates have sought disclosure and protections for years. She summarized 2019 reporting data, saying a small number of users accounted for most reported use, with especially heavy application in North Central Oʻahu and on the west side of Kauaʻi. She highlighted concerns about applications near schools, homes, and coastlines, and identified 1,3-dichloropropene and metam sodium as among the heaviest-used fumigants. She also noted concerns about highly hazardous pesticides, some banned in other countries, and the lack of research on long-term combined exposure to multiple pesticides. Greg Takashima of the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture described the department’s pesticide program and regulatory authority under FIFRA and state law. He explained the distinction between general-use and restricted use pesticides, the certification requirements for applicators, and the department’s role in tracking RUPs from sale through use. He reviewed the branch’s functions in enforcement, education and certification, registration and technical review, and laboratory analysis, including inspections, complaint response, market surveillance, product registration, groundwater review, and outreach on drift reduction and integrated pest management. He also noted staffing and funding limitations, saying the branch lacks a toxicologist and long-term monitoring capacity, and compared Hawaiʻi’s resources to California’s much larger pesticide regulatory program. Takashima thanked the legislature for passing Act 231 the prior year and said the department supports the measure as it moves forward this session. Dr. Lee, speaking for the Hawaiʻi chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and as a former member of the Kauaʻi Joint Fact-Finding Task Force, said pediatric guidance has shifted from focusing on acute poisoning to recognizing chronic low-level pesticide exposure as a concern. He cited AAP publications linking pesticide exposure to cancer, brain tumors, leukemia, birth outcomes, neurobehavioral effects, and asthma, and said pediatricians are now encouraged to advise families on reducing exposure and to support right-to-know measures and buffer zones around schools and public gathering places. He also described the Kauaʻi task force’s work, saying it found the west side of the island to be an unhealthy community but could not prove causation because of missing drift, geospatial, and biomarker data. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational, questions were held until after presentations, and the department expressed support for Act 231.

Transcript Highlights:

• So what does this mean in practice?
• EPA, displays a label consistent with the most recent human health assessment performed under FIFRA,
• controversial handling of dicamba, where the EPA was found by courts to have bypassed public input and assessment
• have to display the approved labeling based from the EPA, also with the most recent human health assessment

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, roll call, and a quorum present, then took up several procedural motions, including suspending House rules for three legislative days and replacing conference committee members on Senate Bill 2282 and SCR 4007. The chamber also recognized visiting student groups from Grafton/Pleasant Valley and Shiloh School. Later, the House agreed to several conference committee reports and moved a number of measures through final passage or final disposition. House Bill 1428, which would have created a sales tax exemption for clothing sold by thrift stores or nonprofit corporations, drew extensive debate over tax policy, revenue loss, and possible conflicts with streamlined sales tax rules. Supporters argued it would help lower-income shoppers and nonprofit thrift stores, while opponents said it created an unfair advantage and could reduce state and local revenue. The conference report was adopted, but the bill ultimately failed on final vote, 37-54. House Bill 1440, relating to cigar lounges, was amended in conference and then passed 75-17. House Bill 1460, concerning adult foster care for private-pay adults, electronic monitoring, and a legislative study, was also adopted and passed overwhelmingly, 91-1. The House then passed Senate Bill 2224, which revises gaming commission structure and gaming stamp requirements, adds Attorney General enforcement provisions, and includes a $25,000 general fund appropriation, by a vote of 88-0. Senate Bill 2327, which expands uses of the agriculture diversification and development fund and appropriates $15 million to it, passed 74-17 after a member was excused from voting due to a personal interest. Senate Bill 2267, creating a regulatory framework for on-site wastewater treatment systems and shifting licensing authority to the Department of Environmental Quality, passed 82-10, and Senate Bill 2276, addressing joint water resource boards for cross-county projects, passed 90-1. The most contentious debate centered on Senate Bill 2160, which would move the state employee health plan from grandfathered status to a non-grandfathered ACA-compliant plan and appropriate about $6.6 million for the transition. Supporters said it would give the PERS board more flexibility, expand preventive and other benefits, and potentially slow premium growth without charging employees premiums. Opponents warned it could raise out-of-pocket costs, add mandated benefits, and shift costs to employees, while also arguing the bill had not been adequately studied. After extended debate, the House passed SB 2160 by a vote of 55-37. The chamber also concurred in Senate amendments to House Bill 1318, a pesticide labeling bill, and placed it on final passage, but the transcript ends before the final vote on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• And thanks to funding from this legislature, we also operate an innovative disaster assessment and recovery
• We teach critical management practices for ag producers, and we assist Texans on feral hogs.
• In 2024 alone, DAR agents completed over 2000 damage assessments following wildfires, floods, and tornadoes
• And our disaster and disaster assessment and recovery unit are full-time individuals.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Article III

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, that is just not an accurate assessment of what is going on here.
• </c><01:02:13.440><c> of</c> that's not an accurate assessment of that's not an accurate assessment of
• </c><04:53:34.080><c> solutions</c> Caucus to push real practical solutions Caucus to push real practical
• My amendment made it so that the Gulf cannot be renamed until Secretary Bergam can assess how the bill
• how the bill will actually can assess how the bill will actually lower<05:03:48.798><c> grocery</c><

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A data practices act request revealed a profane message from the DFL leader of this body to the mayor
• A data practices act request revealed a profane message from the DFL leader of this body to the mayor
• A data practices act request revealed a profane message from the DFL leader of this body to the mayor
• A data practices act request revealed a profane message from the DFL leader of this body to the mayor
• </c> assessment of the provider. assessment of the provider.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we have found higher attribution of ACEs among the younger generation when we assess them than
• In practice, it is often impossible definitively distinguish AI-generated content from real abuse.
• And I've seen that more than once in my practice, unfortunately.
• In all of our programming, we are assessing for trafficking.
• Maybe you should be reaching out to some attorneys and they might be expanding their practice.

Summary: The committee met to approve prior minutes and then heard a presentation from Dr. Ramona Danielson on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), focusing on the economic and public-system impacts in North Dakota. She explained that ACEs are a population-level measure, not a diagnostic tool for individuals, and said higher ACE exposure is consistently associated with more chronic illness, mental health challenges, child welfare involvement, justice-system contact, and reduced workforce participation. She emphasized that precise dollar estimates are difficult because of the many interacting factors across a person’s life course, but said the direction of the impact is clear and that evidence-based prevention and protective factors can reduce harm. Members asked about definitions of a “healthy family,” same-sex couples, divorce, substance abuse, historical trends in ACEs, and the role of positive childhood experiences and home visiting. The committee then heard from Allison Mahoney and Missy Barranco about evidence-based home visiting programs in North Dakota, including Healthy Families, Early Head Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers. They described home visiting as voluntary, relationship-based, and tailored to family needs, with referrals coming from hospitals, WIC, human service zones, pregnancy navigators, self-referrals, and other community sources. A parent, Abby, shared that home visiting helped her family after premature births and NICU stays by providing support with postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, developmental screenings, referrals, and parenting guidance. The presenters said the programs are funded through a mix of federal MIECHV/Title IV-E dollars, Medicaid targeted case management, state and tribal funds, philanthropy, charitable gaming, and grants, and they noted that current funding is fragmented and insufficient to serve all eligible families statewide. Members discussed whether the state should expand or better fund these services and how to improve outreach and referrals. Later, the committee received a memorandum on artificial intelligence and sexual exploitation, followed by a presentation from a BCI special agent on how AI is already affecting child exploitation investigations in North Dakota. The memo and testimony described AI-generated child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, sextortion, and risks posed by chatbots, along with relevant federal and state law and recent executive orders. The agent said North Dakota saw 2,698 cyber tips in 2025, the highest on record, and that investigators are increasingly encountering AI-assisted exploitation that is harder to detect and verify. Members discussed the need for child-safety protections, the limits of executive orders, and broader concerns about AI undermining critical thinking and spreading misinformation. No votes were taken on the AI materials during the portion provided, and the committee recessed briefly after the report.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> assessment um and stabilization. assessment um and stabilization.
• applicable term there, that, you know, if your 18-year-old friend in the dorm is performing the practice
• dorm is uh 18-year-old friend in the dorm is performing<01:27:31.120><c> the</c><01:27:31.440><c> practice
• ,</c><01:27:31.840><c> it's</c><01:27:32.159><c> probably</c> performing the practice, it's probably
• performing the practice, it's probably not<01:27:32.800><c> a</c><01:27:33.040><c> recognized</c><01:

Bills: HB0008 , HB0009

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: stalking, minors, felony, protection orders, criminal penalties, grooming, sexual offenses, child protection, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• contingent upon whether or not there is an elimination in the attestation requirement of the 25% assessment
• attest attestation requirement of the<00:02:46.480><c> 25%</c> the 25% the 25% uh<00:02:48.400><c> assessment
• </c> uh assessment reduction exemption. uh assessment reduction exemption.
• That's just how<01:57:45.679><c> we've</c><01:57:45.920><c> been</c><01:57:46.159><c> practicing</c><
• for the normal how we've been practicing for the normal operations<01:57:47.920><c> because</c><01:57

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um he or she may make that assessment.<00:45:13.599><c> We</c><00:45:13.839><c> believe</c><00:45:14.000
• </c><00:45:15.920><c> We</c> assessment. We believe that's unfair. We assessment.
• I mean I I'm I don't practice<00:48:21.440><c> in</c><00:48:21.599><c> the</c><00:48:21.760><c> field
• in the field of um auto safety practice in the field of um auto safety inspection<00:48:24.720><c> but
• And then that's sort of outlined as a deceptive practice if it's false.

Committee: Senate Commerce

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• on some of our efforts here in the state and then also hear from some national experts about best practices
• And, like I said, we were just trying to assess the project because, you know, we couldn't solely focus
• </c><00:25:05.279><c> the</c><00:25:05.520><c> pro</c> we were just trying to assess the pro we were
• Passing a law is one thing; getting it implemented into practice is a whole other animal entirely.
• With all due respect. >> I don't see a lot from that practical side.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs held an information briefing on expungement and record clearance, with Chair David Tarnis and Vice Chair Mahina Poo Poy emphasizing second chances and the legislature’s recent work on state-initiated relief. The chair reviewed prior measures, including Act 62 (2024), which created Hawaii’s first state-initiated expungement pilot for certain non-conviction cannabis-related arrests, Act 159 (2023), which required automatic sealing or removal of expunged records from the judiciary’s public database, and Act 241 (2024), which created the Clean Slate Task Force. He said the committee invited the Clean Slate Initiative and Code for America because of their national experience with state-initiated record clearance systems. Phil Hickden of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center and Attorney General’s office reported that Act 62 was implemented using existing resources and no new funding, initially covering single-charge, pre-2020 arrests in Hawaii County for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and later expanded by Act 005 (2025) to all arrests under HRS 712-1249 regardless of drug type. He said the project identified 2,268 potentially eligible records, with 1,072 processed so far, 989 granted and 83 denied, and that the work has taken about 872 staff hours and roughly 45 days per expungement. He also said the office has identified about 412,000 people who could potentially qualify for expungement under broader legislation, though that estimate does not include case-by-case research. Michelle Acasta of the judiciary explained that Act 159 changed the process so HCJDC now digitally transmits expungement certificates to the court, eliminating the applicant’s second step of filing paperwork with the court. She said the courts still manually review eligibility, but the process is easier because certificates now include a case ID and HCJDC provides additional information to help locate records. She reported that since implementation the courts received 125 certificates in July and 87 in August, with 17 court orders filed in July and August, including 81 in the First Circuit, 14 in Maui, 7 in the Third Circuit, and 15 in the Fifth Circuit. She also noted that the Hawaii Supreme Court’s State v. Rogan decision affects procedure by requiring a written request or motion, an opportunity to be heard, and written findings for sealing court records, and that new Supreme Court rules are expected for public comment. Members asked about qualitative outcomes and whether the process could be expanded statewide; staff said they do not track recidivism or personal stories, and the chair encouraged further discussion before the next session to identify barriers and capacity needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> condition</c> the city commissioned a full condition the city commissioned a full condition assessment
• 27.760><c> make</c><00:03:27.920><c> sure</c><00:03:28.000><c> that</c><00:03:28.239><c> the</c> assessment
• to make sure that the assessment to make sure that the facility<00:03:28.959><c> was</c><00:03:29.200
• And this is, for all practical purposes, a big portion of northern Minnesota that gathers these folks
• purposes a big portion of practical purposes a big portion of northern<00:14:40.480><c> Minnesota</c

Bills: HF474 , HF218 , HF210 , HF441 , HF691 , HF720 , HF1068 , HF1314 , HF1465 , HF1860 , HF2046 , HF1389 , HF2404 , HF2854 , HF2985 , HF3128 , HF3103 , HF778 , HF3125

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: HF474, Hubert H. Humphrey, Henry Mower Rice, Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, statue replacement, capital investment, general fund appropriation, Minnesota State Capitol, Minnesota State Historical Society, public art, commemorative statue, National Statuary Hall Collection, commissioner of administration, cultural heritage, monument, Washington D.C., HF218, Minnesota, Department of Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Or it's actually first we look at it, do a review and assessment to see if there are concerning items
• to see if it if there are assessment to see if it if there are concerning<00:32:17.639><c> items</c>
• The current practice is often manual and varies by local agency.
• </c><01:34:34.440><c> is</c><01:34:34.679><c> often</c> manner the current practice is often manner the
• current practice is often manual<01:34:35.760><c> and</c><01:34:36.000><c> varies</c><01:34:36.480><

Committee: House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think that there's some work to do around really kind of assessing is this the best way to fund
• 21:19.919><c> best</c><00:21:20.159><c> way</c><00:21:20.320><c> to</c><00:21:20.480><c> fund</c> assessing
• is this the best way to fund assessing is this the best way to fund something<00:21:21.360><c> like<
• ><01:14:25.080><c> and</c> following those guidelines and and following those guidelines and and practices
• that good outcomes can happen practices that good outcomes can happen and<01:14:29.080><c> I</c><01:

Bills: HF656 , HF655 , HF633

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: child care, childcare, day care, daycare, licensing, variance, licensed capacity, capacity limit, staff qualifications, staffing, child care center, family child care, provider flexibility, Minnesota career lattice, Department of Children Youth and Families, DCYF, licensing rules, enrollment, indoor space, professional development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the state and their practices. the state and their practices.
• , dentistry practice, marriage and family therapy practice, and pharmacy practice.
• , the athletic trainer medicine practice, the athletic trainer practice,<02:43:43.120><c> massage</c>
• </c><02:43:59.359><c> Um</c><02:43:59.760><c> and</c> practice and pharmacy practice.
• Um and practice and pharmacy practice.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Andover is known for embracing advancement and implementing best practices across multiple aspects of
• Without naming names, one company Without naming names, one company whose practices I'm familiar with
• Reducing the movement of commercially bred birds is a practical step forward.
• We will be less able to properly assess applicants for fostering and adopting.
• This bill is going to take away the ability of responsible owners to make practical lifelong decisions

Bills: H5432 , H5433 , S3093 , H5363 , H5137 , H5247

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Keywords: Newbury, rodenticides, second generation anticoagulant rodenticides, SGARs, pesticides, pest control, wildlife protection, environmental regulation, local bylaw, municipal authority, private property, rodent control, anticoagulant poison, public health, Massachusetts local option, Wellfleet, fertilizer, nitrogen, phosphorus, nutrient pollution

Transcript Highlights:

• Delmarva was failing to meet standards that other utilities use in terms of cost control and management practices
• Is that a fair assessment? Could you address that in some way? Yes.
• This duplicates that oversight before SB 59 has even had a chance to be put into practice.
• It's my own hard work, supporting our customers, and the engineering practices that we use.
• It's my own hard work, supporting our customers, and the engineering practices that we use.

Bills: SB287

Committee: House Natural Resources & Energy

Keywords: solid waste, recycling, universal recycling, single-stream recycling, multifamily housing, apartment recycling, commercial recycling, waste diversion, recycling grants, low-interest loans, Delaware Recycling Fund, Delaware Solid Waste Authority, DNREC, waste hauler, curbside recycling, yard waste, source-separated recycling, pay-as-you-throw, extended producer responsibility, waste bans

Summary: The House Natural Resources and Energy Committee met and considered three Senate bills. SB 287 with Senate Amendment 2, a DNREC cleanup bill on recycling, would tighten recycling collection rules for haulers and commercial generators, require multifamily recycling education, repurpose the Delaware Recycling Fund, and add annual reporting; after brief questions and no public comment, the committee motion to release did not initially receive enough votes, so the bill was circulated for signatures. SB 346, which would speed Environmental Appeals Board hearing and decision timelines so DNREC secretary decisions become final if deadlines are missed, drew support from the Nature Conservancy and also failed to get enough votes at the meeting, so it too was circulated for signatures. The committee then took up SB 326, a major utility-regulation bill sponsored by Senator Hanson and Representative Heffernan that would cap certain non-mandatory utility spending, limit interim rates, increase oversight and transparency, and streamline rate-setting. SB 326 generated extensive testimony and debate. Supporters, including the Public Advocate, Sierra Club, PSC staff, and some legislators, argued that Delmarva Power’s spending on non-mandatory infrastructure has risen far faster than inflation, that the company is a regulated monopoly, and that the bill would help restrain future delivery-rate increases without harming reliability because mandatory reliability, storm response, and vegetation management spending would remain allowed. Opponents, including Delmarva Power, business groups, contractors, labor representatives, and the Delaware Contractors Association, argued the cap would delay needed reliability and capacity projects, hurt economic development, reduce jobs, and interfere with utility planning; they also said supply costs, not distribution spending, are the main driver of recent bill increases. After public comment and additional questioning, the committee voted to release SB 326 on a split roll call, but because several members were absent the bill was also walked for additional signatures. The committee then adjourned.