Transcript Highlights:

• So just so everyone understands universal recycling, we have many of these facilities across the state
• So just so everyone understands universal recycling, we have many of these facilities across the state
• We have one of the universal recyclers in our parish, which is great.
• And the reason that we have these being able to come into the universal waste is because a lot of them
• And so, and I hope you kind of caught part of what she said is by using the universal recycling, there

Summary: The House Natural Resources Committee met on April 29, 2026, with a quorum present and took up several bills related to property rights, expropriation, renewable energy recycling, and local permitting. Representative Domangue first presented HCR 80 on private property rights, using it to highlight the 2025 landman code of conduct and the need for stronger guardrails in expropriation negotiations. She then deferred the resolution in order to allow Chairman Geymann to present HB 841, which was described as establishing a code of conduct for landmen and expropriation-related negotiations. The committee heard testimony and watched video examples from landowners describing intimidation, inadequate compensation offers, and the need for fair treatment. Amendments were adopted to broaden the bill to all certificate holders, prohibit threats about court costs and attorney fees, shorten response times, and add graduated fines and public posting for violations. HB 841 was reported favorably as amended, with no opposition cards recorded. The committee then considered HB 621 by Representative Coates, which would require recycling of decommissioned renewable energy infrastructure to the extent practical. After discussion with DEQ, the bill was amended to clarify that existing universal waste rules apply and to remove language that would have required the renewable facility owner to pay decommissioning costs in that section; the effective date was set for January 1, 2027. Testimony from renewable energy industry representatives supported the measure and explained that solar panels and related components can be recycled at high rates, with established markets for recovered materials. The committee adopted the amendments and reported HB 621 favorably. Next, Representative Jacob Landry presented HB 595, aimed at preventing local governments from unreasonably delaying or impeding energy projects through permit requirements, especially road permits affecting Haynesville Shale operations. After amendment, the bill required timely action on local road permits and deemed them approved if not acted on within 30 days. Supporters emphasized the economic importance of the Haynesville and the need for predictable permitting, while opponents argued the bill could further erode local authority, particularly regarding carbon capture and sequestration. The committee reported HB 595 favorably. Landry then presented HB 1191, creating a certificate of compliance process for oilfield and exploration and production sites to provide a cleaner path for cleanup, finality, and future investment. The bill drew technical and substantive amendments, including changes to definitions, confidentiality, and the role of DEQ; discussion continued over whether the bill should be deferred to allow more time to work through the remaining issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm Kenya Stump, director of Kentucky's Office of Energy Policy.
• </c> may cause loss of property or loss of may cause loss of property or loss of life.<00:02:00.960><
• </c> of those to be the case. of those to be the case.
• </c><00:13:50.240><c> of</c><00:13:50.320><c> of</c> case and the availability of of of case and the
• </c> the end of if not sooner by the end of the end of if not sooner by the end of 2026. 2026. 2026.

Keywords: 00:02 EEC – State-Owned Dams 21:07 EEC – Grid Resilience Grant Funds 37:24 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard presentations from the Department for Environmental Protection and the Office of Energy Policy on Kentucky’s state-owned dam repair program and the electric grid resilience program. Commissioner Tony Hatton explained how state dams are defined and classified under Kentucky law, the criteria used to prioritize repairs or decommissioning, and the status of several projects funded in the last biennium. He said the department is using a design-bid-build process, with major work planned or underway at Willisburg Lake, Big Bone Lick State Park Dam, Clemens Lake Dam, Marion County Sportsman’s Dam, Chinoa Lake Creek/Canning Creek Dam, and Lake Malone, and that $0.5 million is reserved for routine repairs. He also described the timeline and cost pressures, noting that construction seasons and bid uncertainty can affect schedules and estimates. Members asked several questions about whether the estimates were current, how accurate the bids tend to be, why the process takes so long, and whether it would be better to fund design separately before construction. Hatton said the estimates are the best current engineering estimates, that costs often stay within about 10% but can vary, and that the overall process is usually closer to two years than four, though delays can occur. He also said all of the allocated dam funds must be available before bids can be let. The committee discussed whether design work can become stale if construction is delayed. Kenya Stump then updated the committee on Kentucky’s electric grid resilience program under federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. She said Kentucky has received years one through three of the five-year program and has allocated funds to state park electric systems and municipal utilities, with years four and five not yet received. She identified Ken Lake State Park and Kentucky Dam Village as the two state park projects in progress, and Owensboro, Princeton, Williamstown, and Hopkinsville as the municipal projects selected through a competitive process. She said the projects are under contract or in final negotiations, with municipal construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and finish by the end of 2026, and explained that the work includes line, pole, transformer, meter, and outage-management upgrades. Members asked about the relationship between this program and prior park appropriations, the timing of agreements with Parks, and whether the park systems could eventually be transferred to the local electric cooperative; Stump said the park agreements are imminent and that the upgrades are intended to bring the systems up to code so the cooperative can maintain them. No votes were taken, and the chair adjourned the committee until the following Wednesday, with a possible time change to avoid a scheduling conflict.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of my big concerns is that some of the universities, schools of education, have professors who teach
• That is a slide presented to students for credit by a professor of education at an Arizona public university
• If you'll email me the information, I will talk to the president of the relevant university about that
• of a period of time is withholding to find. constitutes withholding how long of a period of time is
• of the Parent Bill of Rights.

Committee: House House Education Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee first heard Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horn’s annual State of Education address, which focused on school safety, academic outcomes, school choice, teacher pay, and opposition to DEI/CRT in schools and teacher preparation. Horn said the department has expanded school police officers, promoted Project Momentum and tutoring, supported cell phone restrictions in classrooms, and pushed for more phonics-based reading instruction and stronger university teacher-prep programs. Members questioned him about DEI complaints, cell phone implementation, ESA oversight, school safety funding, reading proficiency, and teacher compensation; Horn said ESA spending is reviewed and recovered when inappropriate, and argued teacher raises should come directly to teachers, not through districts. No formal action was taken on his presentation. The committee then considered HB 2008, which would prohibit public school libraries from using public funds to pay dues to professional library associations. Sponsor Representative Cooper argued the bill would keep school libraries politically neutral and prevent taxpayer money from supporting ideological advocacy, while saying membership itself would still be allowed if paid privately. Opponents, including a former librarian, a school board member, and the ACLU of Arizona, said the bill would undermine professional development, local control, literacy support, and constitutional rights of association and petition. Supporters said associations promote ideological content and that free professional-development alternatives exist. After public testimony and debate, the committee voted to return HB 2008 with a do-pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• Paul and she graduated from the University of Minnesota.
• Paul and she graduated from the University of Minnesota. Well, thanks, Jimer from Anoka.
• A little bit about me: I started my teaching career in Detroit through the University of Michigan's alternate
• A little bit about me: I started my teaching career in Detroit through the University of Michigan's alternate
• <c> route</c> University of Michigan's alternate route University of Michigan's alternate route to<00

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have a unit operated at Eastern State Hospital by the University of Kentucky that is essentially
• </c><00:06:29.280><c> of</c> State Hospital by the University of State Hospital by the University of
• ><00:09:20.560><c> a</c> on is it's I think of it as kind of a on is it's I think of it as kind of a
• Those two large universities we use for a variety of things because they make it possible.
• </c> of the bill. of the bill.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Health Services Committee heard a presentation from Dr. Steven Stack, Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, on Kentucky’s Rural Health Transformation Program. He said Kentucky received about $213 million in federal funding, among the highest awards nationally, after a fast application and negotiation process. He emphasized that the grant is time-limited, must be used for the specific goals in the state’s application, and cannot be treated as a general bailout or replacement for existing funding. He also noted the state will use a website, ruralhealthplan.ky.gov, to share the full application, award terms, and future opportunities. Dr. Stack outlined five focus areas: maternal health and prenatal/early childhood supports; EMS and trauma response workforce and transfer capacity; behavioral health crisis care through the EMPATH model and mobile crisis services; oral health access through more hygienists, telehealth, and hub-and-spoke models; and rural community hubs for chronic disease prevention and innovation, including food-as-medicine and healthier lifestyle interventions. He stressed that the program is meant to be transformative, not duplicative, and that it cannot pay clinician salaries, fund new construction, replace EMR systems broadly, or duplicate billable services. He said the state will work with community partners, hospitals, universities, and others, including the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, to begin implementation. Members responded positively overall. Senator Berg praised the award and the goal of integrating care across the state, but raised concerns about access to prenatal care and about possible future changes to water fluoridation, warning both could harm children and rural families. The chair and other members thanked Dr. Stack for the update and congratulated him on the award. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, can I call Whitney Place from University of Minnesota Extension? Absolutely. Welcome.
• I'm the director of government affairs and agricultural outreach at University of Minnesota Extension
• Could we hear from the University of Minnesota? Uh, welcome.
• I serve as the Executive Director of Student Finance at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
• I'm here representing the five University of Minnesota system campuses.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Seated up here is the Chamber of Commerce and all of our awardees this year.
• So after time, she got a job as a waitress at the University of New Mexico coffee shop because she thought
• We were taught to respect people and put the needs of others ahead of our own.
• She was a chairwoman of the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians. Ms.
• And I know those of us who've gotten here, it was not easy for any of us.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of Chicago.
• She and her fellowship in palliative medicine at the University of Chicago.
• SB 1761, appropriations University of Arizona Agriculture.
• SB 1761, Appropriations, University of Arizona, Agriculture. ATT and INRA.
• Many of these places only brought 100 emergency ballots when we have a long history of challenges of

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, I stand in full support of this bill. The university stands in full support of this bill.
• And of course, I am supportive of that.
• Like I talked about, the universe of the small local public bodies is unknown.
• One of the things you'll hear every member of the Office of the State Auditor say to you is that there
• We have worked deeply with the Department of Justice. of Justice, actually, because they get a lot of

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• An act for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock appropriation for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
• An act for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock appropriation for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
• Robinson Music Convention, a board member of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, and chairman of the
• Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the 95th General Assembly of the State
• Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Senate of the 95th General Assembly of the State of Arkansas

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Here's one from Texas, University of Texas at Austin.
• I mean, maintenance and all of that sort of thing.
• depth of the inspection of the vehicle, whether it's the electronics... ...of the study, the depth of
• Oh, the study was done October 31, 2018, by the Center for Transportation Research, University of Texas
• Center for Transportation Research, University of Texas at Austin. Thank you.

Summary: The committee heard House Memorial 23, which asks the Motor Vehicle Division and the Regulation and Licensing Department to study whether New Mexico should reestablish a statewide motor vehicle safety inspection program. The sponsor and expert witness argued that modern vehicles are far more complex than when the old program ended in the 1970s, and cited studies from Texas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Carnegie Mellon, and an international inspection organization suggesting safety inspections are associated with fewer fatalities. They said the study should examine feasibility, costs, where inspections would be conducted, what vehicles would be covered, and whether small businesses could be certified to perform inspections, similar to Bernalillo County’s emissions model. Several members raised concerns about added costs, burdens on rural drivers, possible lawsuits against inspection businesses, and whether the memorial was drafted as a study of benefits rather than a balanced look at pros and cons. Some questioned whether the Regulation and Licensing Department had the capacity to take on the work and whether the program would effectively become another mandate or fee. Supporters emphasized that unsafe vehicles endanger not only drivers but others on the road, and noted that the study could also consider subsidies for low-income drivers and the impact on areas with higher traffic density. The committee discussed how inspections might work, including whether they would cover physical components like tires, brakes, steering, and axles as well as electronic safety systems such as lane assist and collision avoidance. The presenter said commercial vehicles already face separate inspection requirements and that tribal lands and pueblos would not be covered. After public comment, the committee voted to pass the memorial on a roll call vote, with several members voting yes and others voting no; one member explained her no vote as opposition to added regulation and costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just want to clear, I just want to put on the record on page three of the bill, and some of this is
• If you look on the lines of the bill in 127 through 150, all of the specialty designations of chiropractic
• of Florida.
• University of Florida.
• So with that, because of the lack of clarity, I think in this bill, I will be down on today.

Summary: The Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee met with a quorum present and considered two bills. HB 361, by Rep. Nix, would reclassify registered interns as registered associates for clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, and mental health counseling, and would streamline supervision rules by removing the requirement that licensed supervisors be physically present in private practice settings. Supporters said the bill would modernize terminology, reduce barriers to practice, and expand access to mental health care while maintaining supervision and public safety. Several members raised concerns about possible unintended effects on community health centers and Medicaid workforce issues, but the bill drew broad support and passed 17-0, reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 1341, by Rep. Gonzales Pittman, which is aimed at preventing misuse of physician specialty titles and limiting those titles to practitioners who are actually board-certified in the specialty they claim. The sponsor emphasized that the bill does not address the general use of “doctor” or “physician,” only specialty designations such as dermatologist, gynecologist, neurologist, or plastic surgeon. Testimony in support came from medical and professional groups, including anesthesiologists and plastic surgeons, who said clearer titles help patients know who is treating them and improve safety. The Florida Optometric Association opposed the bill, arguing it could create confusion or omit optometric titles and other designations. Two amendments were adopted without objection. One removed a hospital name-tag requirement from the bill. The other changed a claims-denial provision so that denial letters need only disclose that a Florida-licensed physician in good standing made the decision, while the insurer must retain the physician’s identifying information for potential litigation or discovery. Some members supported the privacy protections, while others questioned whether the amendment was germane to the bill. As amended, HB 1341 passed 13-4 and was reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• The University of Hawaii with comments. >> Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• I am Pharaoh Marie Gomes, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs with the University of Hawaii
• </c><00:15:44.079><c> of</c><00:15:44.320><c> Hawaii</c> affairs with the University of Hawaii affairs
• with the University of Hawaii system.<00:15:45.920><c> Um</c><00:15:46.320><c> we</c><00:15:46.639><
• of addresses um of includes disclosure of addresses um of candidates<00:18:25.600><c> and</c><00:18:

Bills: HB1805 , HB2110 , HB2180 , HB2184 , HB2219 , HB2469

Committee: House Legislative Management

Keywords: child welfare, advocacy, oversight, independent office, foster care, child advocate, child safety, nepotism, ethics, government transparency, accountability, legislative standards, electronic voting, legislative transparency, Hawaii House, voting system, appropriation, lawmaker safety, political violence, confidentiality

Summary: The House Committee on Legislative Management heard testimony on several measures. HB 1805, relating to child welfare, drew support from the University of Hawaii and concerns from the Attorney General about the bill’s definition of state agency and possible separation-of-powers and supremacy clause issues. During decision-making, the committee opted to move the child advocate function to the Attorney General’s office, accepted the Attorney General’s suggested scope and jurisdiction amendments, set the salary at 90% of the Department of Health deputy director’s salary, and passed the bill with amendments. HB 2110, relating to nepotism, received support from the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, which said the bill would apply the rule consistently and noted the existing good-cause exception process. The committee later deferred the bill, saying existing House rules on nepotism were already strict and that the proposal would be duplicative in statute. HB 2180, relating to voting boards, had no oral testimony in the room during the hearing, but the committee later amended it into a blank appropriations vehicle for the House of Representatives and passed it with amendments. HB 2184, relating to lawmaker safety, drew concerns from the Campaign Spending Commission that the bill would require redaction of address information and could create implementation issues, and the Attorney General noted missing language regarding appointed officials and an internal cross-reference issue. The committee adopted amendments to address those concerns and passed the bill with amendments. HB 2219, relating to disclosure of privileged communications to the Ombudsman, was clarified by the Ombudsman’s office as not requiring disclosure of privileged material, only preserving privilege if such material is voluntarily provided; the bill passed with amendments. HB 2469, relating to a regular session review working group, received testimony from the State Procurement Office, the Legislative Reference Bureau, and others in support and opposition, and the committee passed it with amendments after changing references and funding language.

Transcript Highlights:

• That is the description of the flags that will be allowed in front of the city halls across.
• sponsor is trying to get rid of.
• get rid of, is get rid of official city and county flags.
• And my concern is we have a lot of cities and counties that that's an area of pride to them.
• However, that is one of the flip sides of a representative republic. It's not all positive.

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My understanding is that at the University of Washington, so at universities, which serve perhaps a different
• clientele than community colleges, there's a pretty standard process of the university issuing cards
• I am the mayor of the town of Wilkison.
• Yes, our national parks and access to thousands of acres of Forest Service lands are one of the largest
• of the towns of Wilkeson and Carbonado, both located on the north side of the closure.

Summary: The Transportation Committee held public hearings on House Bill 2550 and House Bill 2645, then moved to executive session on three other bills. HB 2550 would require certain community and technical college students enrolled in degree- or certificate-seeking programs to be allowed to ride transit for free as a condition of transit support grant eligibility. Staff said the current program already requires zero-fare access for riders 18 and under, and the bill would expand that requirement to CTC students. Testimony from the sponsor, students, and transit advocates supported the goal of reducing barriers to education, while the Washington State Transit Association raised implementation concerns, including how eligibility would be verified and the potential loss of fare revenue and added administrative costs. The fiscal note discussion estimated local impacts of roughly $10 million to $12 million per year for affected transit agencies. HB 2645 concerned the emergency replacement of the closed Fairfax Bridge on State Route 165. The bill and proposed substitute would declare an emergency and give WSDOT expanded authority to expedite bridge replacement by waiving or suspending certain state requirements. The sponsor and many local residents, business owners, recreation advocates, and emergency responders testified that the bridge closure has cut off communities, limited access to Mount Rainier and public lands, and significantly increased emergency response times. WSDOT testified that it is already moving forward with planning and design for a replacement bridge, but said much of the timeline is driven by federal requirements such as NEPA, historic preservation, and endangered species review. No vote was taken on HB 2550 or HB 2645 in the transcript. In executive session, the committee adopted a proposed substitute for HB 2109, which allows certain towed vehicles with debris on them to be covered instead of cleaned before transport, and passed it out of committee 27-0. The committee also adopted an amendment to HB 2134, which updates regional transportation planning requirements related to greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled reductions, and passed the bill out 16-12. Finally, the committee adopted two amendments to HB 2323 creating the Blue Envelope Program for traffic stops involving neurodiverse individuals, then passed the bill out of committee 28-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of the executive order, we've also had two rounds of what we call proof of concepts.
• So we had to put the kind of, for lack of a better word, the rules of the road in place that people were
• A lot of the reports involve doing an inventory of what's the current use of AI in the state in terms
• We also, because it's kind of intended to be a lot of high-level officials, says it must be one of those
• of California system... the California State University system, and a reduction to the state's middle-class

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• University of Idaho has hired a new pomologist. He started on March 2.
• So we haven't had a pomologist or done any research with the University of Idaho for several years.
• And then University of Idaho has hired a new pomologist. He started on March 2nd.
• And so we haven't had a pomologist or done any research with the University of Idaho for several years
• So that's Apple, if you would like. research with the University of Idaho.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I know there was a whole number of us that worked with University Health over the summer.
• I know there was a whole number of us that worked with University Health over the summer.
• But while there's the partnership with University Health and Department of Mental Health, we're serving
• As a group of paramedics, we recognized that we were not well trained in how to take care of some of
• that because of the kind of work that I do.

Committee: House Health and Mental Health

Summary: The Committee on Health and Mental Health first met in executive session and voted House Bill 2370, House Bill 3278, and House Bill 1638 do pass. HB 2370 passed 13-9, while HB 3278 passed 15-0 and HB 1638 passed 17-0. The committee then moved into public testimony. Senate Bill 1015, sponsored by Senator Nuremberg, was presented as a measure creating a legal process for assisted outpatient treatment for adults with serious mental illness who are at risk of deterioration, hospitalization, or harm. Supporters, including the Missouri Behavioral Health Council and the Missouri Association of Public Administrators, said it would reduce hospitalization and incarceration and improve access to care. The senator and witnesses emphasized collaboration with hospitals and the Department of Mental Health, and no opposition was offered. The committee also heard a detailed presentation on the STARS program from SSM Health representatives, explaining it as a Missouri-based EMS and pediatric emergency planning system that uses physician-approved, electronic care plans for children with complex needs. Members asked about costs, access, and how the program differs from the bill discussed previously; witnesses said the program is free for EMS and emergency access, but hospitals that write plans pay implementation and subscription fees. House Bill 2903, by Representative Mayhew, would give county and district hospitals relief from certain public-entity requirements, including some Sunshine Law-related burdens, board qualifications, and financial reporting timelines, to help them compete with private hospitals. Supporters from Phelps Health said the bill would reduce administrative burden and protect proprietary information; there was no opposition. Finally, House Bill 3379, by Representative Dolan, would expand and strengthen Missouri’s employee disqualification and mandated reporting rules for abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. The bill adds more mandated reporters, including bank personnel and first responders, creates penalties for knowingly failing to report, and requires quicker DSS follow-up to reporters. DHSS supported the bill, citing recent financial exploitation complaints, while the Missouri Bankers Association said it supports the goal but wants to work on the mandatory reporting language so banks are not exposed to liability for situations they cannot readily detect. No formal opposition was presented, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• of the Activist Lab at Boston University School of Public Health.
• of Public Health.
• It's the thinking of it beyond the bottom of the belt that has often informed so much of my quality of
• them gets to do an interview of some of the disability.
• I won't go over all of the goals of our learning objectives.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Massachusetts Permanent Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities held a public hearing focused on health equity for people with disabilities. The chair opened by explaining that the session was not about specific legislation, but about sharing data, lived experience, and strategies to inform more inclusive health systems. Presenters included representatives from the Health Equity Compact, the Department of Public Health, MassHealth, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, UMass Chan Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation, and the Arc of Massachusetts/Operation House Call. Speakers described how structural racism and ableism contribute to poor health outcomes, unemployment, poverty, and barriers to care for disabled people, especially disabled people of color. Testimony highlighted access problems such as inaccessible medical equipment, transportation, inadequate provider training, lack of culturally competent care, and insurance barriers. Several speakers emphasized the importance of collecting and disaggregating disability data, training providers in disability-competent care, and screening for accommodation needs. MassHealth described its Quality and Equity Incentive Program under the 1115 waiver, including disability-related metrics on data completeness, staff training, and accommodation screening, and reported early increases in hospitals collecting self-reported disability data. Brain injury advocates focused on inequities in rehabilitation access, including the impact of CMS’s “three-hour rule,” which they argued denies needed inpatient rehab to people with severe traumatic brain injury. They called for policy changes, a TBI task force, and possibly bipartisan legislation if CMS cannot revise the rule. Other testimony described DPH efforts such as one-to-one navigation, health promotion workshops, mini-grants for accessible recreation, and the Massachusetts Health and Disability Partnership. The hearing also highlighted medical education efforts like Operation House Call, which uses home visits and disability-led teaching to reduce bias and improve provider competence. No votes were taken and no formal actions were announced.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the University of Idaho has hired a new pomologist. He started on March 2nd.
• And so we haven't had a pomologist or done any research with the University of Idaho for several years
• And then University of Idaho has hired a new pomologist. He started on March 2nd.
• And so we haven't had a pomologist or done any research with the University of Idaho for several years
• So that's Apple, if you would like. research with the University of Idaho.

Committee: House Agricultural Affairs

Summary: The House Agricultural Affairs Committee approved the March 12, 2026 minutes and then heard Senate Bill 1241 as amended, known as the Working Animal Protection Act or “Leilani’s Law.” The sponsors said the bill is intended to protect working animals used in agriculture, ranching, hunting, transportation, education, and related activities from local ordinances that would effectively ban or unduly restrict them. Testimony in support came from family members, FFA students, the Idaho Farm Bureau, and others who described working animals as well cared for and important to Idaho’s agricultural heritage. One testifier from Horse and Halo raised concerns that the bill could limit animal welfare oversight or create conflicts when inspections or local rules affect operations, but the sponsors said the bill does not override existing animal cruelty and care laws and still allows the Department of Agriculture to enforce them. The committee then passed SB 1241 as amended to the House floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee next considered Senate Joint Memorial 110, which urges Congress and the President to update federal sugar policy, especially the tier-two over-quota duty, to better protect Idaho’s sugar beet industry from low-priced, subsidized imports. The bill sponsor and industry witnesses from the Snake River Sugar Beet Growers Association and Amalgamated Sugar said world sugar markets are distorted by subsidies in countries such as Brazil, Thailand, and India, and that Idaho growers are facing rising costs and market pressure. The committee approved the memorial and sent SJM 110 to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The final agenda item was the annual report from Candy Fitch, executive director of the Idaho Apple, Cherry, and Hop commissions. She reviewed market conditions for hops, apples, and cherries, noting reduced hop acreage, continued pressure on apple prices, and a difficult cherry market affected by crop timing, pricing, and export uncertainty. She also described specialty crop grant-funded promotions, trade missions, and commission budgets, and announced her retirement at the end of June. Committee members thanked her for her long service to Idaho agriculture and to the committee. The meeting then adjourned.