Transcript Highlights:

• They had a few things floating out there. They're under new leadership in the past year.
• They had a few things<00:05:03.200><c> floating</c><00:05:03.560><c> out</c><00:05:03.720><c> there.
• </c><00:05:04.160><c> They're</c><00:05:04.480><c> under</c> things floating out there.
• They're under things floating out there.

Committee: House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• want to make sure that they were public schools getting their fair share of this money that's being floating
• money getting their fair share of this money that's<00:32:18.880><c> being</c><00:32:19.120><c> floating
• </c> that's being floating around. Yes, sir. that's being floating around. Yes, sir.

Bills: HB125 , HB116 , HB183 , HB342 , HB341 , SB280 , SB245 , SB159 , HB125 , HB116 , HB183 , HB342 , HB341 , SB280 , SB245 , SB159

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: HB125, sunset law, Alabama Sunset Committee, Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, veterinary medical examiners, veterinary board, veterinary licensing, veterinary regulation, professional licensing board, state board continuation, sunset review, regulatory board, animal health, veterinarians, disciplinary authority, HB116, Alabama Sunset Law, sunset bill, Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board, bail bonding

Transcript Highlights:

• And finally, this is very important because I know there's a lot of rumor mill and everything floating
• lot of lot of rumor mill<00:08:29.199><c> and</c><00:08:29.280><c> everything</c><00:08:29.520><c> floating
• </c> mill and everything floating around. mill and everything floating around.

Committee: House Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2267, as amended by ENRU, classifies utility-scale wind or solar farms constructed within
• Classifies utility, scale, wind, or solar farms constructed within four miles of a residential property
• 2781, as amended by ENRU, allows a municipality or county to adopt decommissioning standards for a solar
• It outlines certain regulations and establishes the Solar Energy Power Plant Site Remediation Fund, with
• So now they're giving solar priority over mining, housing, other uses, so this just modifies that.

Summary: The meeting was a rapid review of a very large bill package, with the chair repeatedly asking staff to keep descriptions high level and many bills placed on third-read consent or consent calendars. A major theme was artificial intelligence: bills would require minors to be told when they are interacting with AI, allow AI-assisted divorce arbitration by consent, create an AI education program, privilege certain AI communications, and require K-12 instruction on ethical and practical AI use. Other education measures addressed school district superintendents, health instruction, anti-Semitism prohibitions, fetal development standards, and school safety, including a bill allowing concealed firearms on school grounds under specified conditions. Several health and public safety bills were also discussed. These included funding and oversight measures for childhood cancer research, nursing care complaint timelines, firefighter cancer data collection, limits on pharmacy penalties, and a bill making it a felony to administer abortion-inducing drugs without consent. Members also heard bills on overtime wage enforcement, domestic violence evidence standards in parenting cases, probation limits for dangerous crimes against children, and a measure expanding manslaughter liability to online encouragement of teen suicide. One sponsor strongly opposed a provisional medical licensing bill for foreign-trained applicants, while other sponsors emphasized rural health access, nurse anesthetist reimbursement parity, and the need for a dental board member who is an oral surgeon. A large portion of the meeting focused on water, land, energy, and state agency oversight. Bills would streamline or change rules for small modular reactors, new power plants, water supply determinations, groundwater transportation fees, water hauling, and state land disposition. Members also considered measures affecting the State Land Department, including audits, oversight boards, continuation, land-use maps for data centers and energy projects, and rules for mineral leases and solar or wind siting. Other topics included wildlife and ranching, Mexican wolf policy, annexation, housing and development incentives, transportation and towing rules, digital driver licenses, and a proposed four-year moratorium on municipal and county fee, tax, and utility-rate increases, which drew questions about stakeholder input and the impact on enterprise funds and local utilities. No recorded roll-call votes were taken in the transcript; most items were simply presented, briefly discussed, and left on consent or calendar status, with one bill noted as held in rules and another pulled for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Act relating to solar use easements. Assemblymember Wicks, you are recognized. Thank you, Mr.
• under the. net billing tariff, which is a current solar subsidy program.
• million to rate payers without solar.
• And I've also also exempted public schools and agricultural solar customers from this bill.
• Solar companies are able to directly communicate with their customers.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had talked about, or the idea had been floated, that the maximum available would still be the same
• One thing I had pointed out when that idea was floated, and one thing I didn't think about until after
• One thing I had pointed out when that idea was floated, and one thing I didn't think about until after
• of the maximum available would floated of the maximum available would still<00:37:46.640><c> be</c><
• and one thing I didn't idea was floated and one thing I didn't think<00:39:11.119><c> about</c><00:39

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 1156 by Assembly Member Wix and an act relating to solar use easements.
• AB 1156 updates California's solar use easements.
• to ratepayers without solar.
• I have also exempted public schools and agricultural solar customers from this bill.
• Our utility bills do not have a line item for how much goes toward subsidizing solar.

Summary: The Assembly met after a quorum call and first dealt with a procedural dispute over four amendments to AB 1240. The Speaker ruled the amendments out of order as not germane, and the Assembly sustained that ruling on a 49-16 vote. Members then added co-authors to several consent-calendar resolutions, including measures on the National Conference of State Legislators, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, ALS Awareness Month, and Men’s Mental Health Month, before adopting the consent calendar. The chamber also heard guest introductions, including a welcome for Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and took up a motion to bring AB 41 up out of file, which failed 19-48. The bulk of the meeting was floor action on a long series of bills and resolutions, many of which passed with broad bipartisan support. Measures approved included ACR 40 supporting immigrant students and FAFSA privacy; AB 917 on permanent status for certain school employees; AB 985 on anesthesia access; AB 7 and AB 42 on higher education and student services; AB 245 providing property tax relief for wildfire victims; AB 255 allowing funding for drug-free recovery housing; AB 279 updating K-12 library standards; AB 289 creating a pilot for automated speed enforcement in highway construction zones; AB 291 on an educator apprentice program; AB 327 addressing swatting; AB 340 on confidential union communications; AB 341 creating an oral health technical assistance center for people with disabilities; AB 356 on San Diego health care infrastructure; AB 410 on bot disclosure; AB 476 on copper theft enforcement; AB 477 on educator pay targets; AB 485 on stolen wages and business licensing; AB 487, the insurance committee’s technical omnibus bill; AB 573 on tobacco retail license fees; AB 598 on school mapping technology; AB 635 on mobile home law enforcement referrals; AB 651 on remote participation for incarcerated parents in dependency hearings; AB 654 on homelessness hotline assistance in Los Angeles County; AB 662 creating a South County higher education task force; AB 667 on language access in professional licensing; AB 669 limiting early denial of addiction treatment; AB 670 on naturally occurring affordable housing; AB 695 on online continuation of community college for deported students; AB 723 on disclosure for digitally altered real estate images; AB 727 placing Trevor Project information on student IDs; and AB 736, a $10 billion affordable housing bond for the June 2026 ballot, which passed on a 61-11 urgency vote after extensive debate. Debate on AB 736 was the most extensive of the day, with supporters arguing the bond would help address California’s housing crisis and give voters a chance to weigh in, while opponents criticized the state’s bond debt and past spending results. The Assembly then recessed for caucus meetings and later returned to continue the daily file, where additional measures were taken up, including AB 798 adding diapers and wipes to the emergency food bank reserve program, which passed 56-0, and AB 821 on career technical education, which was presented as bipartisan-supported as the transcript continued.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that goes from coal, natural gas, solar.
• We've got a pretty diversified solar.
• </c><00:21:34.720><c> facility</c> building a 120 megawatt solar facility building a 120 megawatt solar
• </c> who's building a 120 megawatt solar who's building a 120 megawatt solar facility<00:21:41.520><c
• is. produce more wattage than the solar is.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the previous meeting, and then heard a presentation from LG&E and KU representatives Caroline Clark and John Bevington on economic development, energy demand, and the utility’s role in supporting Kentucky’s growth. Bevington described the company’s service territory, generation fleet, and recent economic development activity, including 76 projects supported in 2024, more than $2.8 billion in private investment, and over 3,000 new jobs. He emphasized that data centers are now the dominant driver in the pipeline, with 22 data center projects representing about 8.7 of the 9.7 gigawatts of potential demand, alongside other manufacturing and commercial projects. A major focus was how data centers choose sites and how utilities respond. Bevington explained that hyperscale data centers typically approach utilities first because they need transmission-level access, and that utilities then conduct internal analyses, estimate infrastructure needs, and require financial security before proceeding. He said the company is working through formal transmission studies and long-lead infrastructure planning, and noted that Kentucky’s sales tax exemption for data centers helped attract interest. He also outlined the economic benefits of data centers, citing an announced Louisville project of 525 megawatts and about $11 billion in investment, with an estimated $500 million in new tax revenue over 10 years, plus broader job and GDP impacts. Members asked about whether data centers could generate their own power, the reliability of the pipeline numbers given confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, and cybersecurity concerns. Bevington said the company does not assume all pipeline projects will materialize in Kentucky and instead assigns probabilities to avoid overbuilding. He also said he was not the right person to address cybersecurity in detail but offered to return to a committee focused on IT or security. In response to questions about future supply, he said LG&E and KU are adding generation through a 120-megawatt solar facility in Mercer County, a 120-megawatt solar purchase in Marion County, and a 645-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle plant in Louisville, with PSC approval recently granted for additional generation and related system upgrades.

Transcript Highlights:

• Farmers are constantly trying to get out of the Williamson Act so that they can convert to solar fields
• , but I submit to you, colleagues, as much as you like the solar energy industry, you cannot eat solar
• Farmers are constantly trying to get out of the Williamson Act so that they can convert to solar fields
• , but I submit to you, colleagues, as much as you like the solar energy industry, you cannot eat solar

Summary: The Senate convened with a roll call, prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance, then recognized the YMCA’s 175th anniversary through floor remarks highlighting its long history of community service, youth programs, child care, and civic engagement. The body then moved through routine messages and appointments, confirming three gubernatorial appointments: former Judge Frank Darnell Jr. to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, Michelle Edgar to the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, and David Galavis to the State Park and Recreation Commission. On third reading, senators debated and adopted Senate Joint Resolution 12, which opposes the federal offshore oil and gas leasing proposal off California and calls for California to be removed from the plan and for stronger environmental review and public participation. Supporters emphasized coastal protection and climate goals, while opponents argued the state faces energy supply and affordability problems and needs more domestic production. The resolution passed by roll call. The Senate also adopted Senate Concurrent Resolution 118, urging full release of unclassified Jeffrey Epstein investigation files to promote transparency and accountability for survivors, and Senate Resolution 99, declaring April 21, 2026, California Agriculture Day and recognizing the state’s agricultural production, farmworkers, and climate-smart practices. The final major item was Senate Resolution 100, designating April 16, 2026, as Breaking the Silence Day of Awareness to raise awareness of child sexual abuse, support survivors, and expand prevention and mandated reporter training. The author and supporters spoke about the prevalence of abuse, the importance of reporting, and survivor support; the resolution was adopted unanimously. The Senate then lifted the calls and confirmed the earlier appointments, adopted the consent calendar, announced upcoming budget subcommittee meetings, and adjourned in memory of Rob Trice and Alwyn Ben Holman. The session ended with notice that the next floor session would be Monday, April 27, 2026, with Denim Day observed that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• And in the Merrimack River, countless young folks swim and float throughout the warmer months.
• I grew up around that area and would go swimming and floating in that river in the summers.

Committees: House Emerging Issues , House Emerging Issues and Professional Registration

Transcript Highlights:

• photo of one of them where the LP tank that heats the facility is tethered by its connection cord floating
• photo of one of them where the LP tank that heats the facility is tethered by its connection cord floating

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have a CD1 floating around in Finance and Ways and Means, but we didn't get money approval yet.
• We have a CD1 floating around in Finance and Ways and Means, but we didn't get money approval yet.

Transcript Highlights:

• walked me through, like, you know, what happens on the number of additional days and who's getting the float
• ...getting the float and what satisfies their comfort level that it's okay to disperse.

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Summary: The committee heard and acted on six bills. SB 480, by Senator DeSigley, would allow a narrowly tailored nonprofit agricultural organization to offer health coverage to its members, especially farmers and ranchers, outside the Florida Insurance Code; supporters said it would improve affordable access in rural areas, while the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network warned the plans would not have to cover preexisting conditions or comply with ACA protections. An amendment aligning the bill with the statute for nonprofit religious organizations was adopted, and the bill passed as amended. SB 1226, also by Senator DeSigley, would create a regulatory framework for pet insurance and wellness programs; it drew no opposition and was reported favorably. SB 988, by Senator Truenow, would revise securities exemption and filing requirements under Florida’s Invest Local exemption law; a strike-all amendment clarifying terms, fingerprinting, and related compliance provisions was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably with the committee substitute. SB 944, by Senator Davis, would correct an omission in the law governing insurance overpayment claims so the 12-month limit applies to psychologists and HMO claims, with an effective date tied to January 1, 2026; the Florida Psychological Association supported the measure, and it was reported favorably with committee substitute after an amendment. SB 756, by Senator Burton, would remove the age-8 diagnosis cutoff and age cap for mandated insurance coverage for autism services, update the autism definition to the current DSM, and also repeal age caps for Down syndrome diagnosis; disability advocates and provider groups supported the bill, and it passed as amended. SB 1078, introduced on behalf of Senator McLean, would streamline permitting and inspection procedures for certain fire alarm and sprinkler projects, set deadlines for local agencies, limit extra documentation demands, and restrict enforcement of local ordinances not properly submitted; fire industry representatives supported the compromise amendment, some senators questioned local flexibility and permitting delays, and the bill was reported favorably after the amendment was adopted. The committee also approved a motion allowing staff to make technical and conforming changes and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think there are two or three of these bills floating around—maybe four or five.
• To the extent that it is automatically approved, I've seen some bills floating around that say if a bureaucrat

Bills: SB36 , SB39 , SB40 , SB12 , SB29 , SB121 , SB131 , SB12

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: competitive bidding, procurement, disclosure statements, state contracts, contract protest, board governance, occupational licensing, Sunset Law, public accountability, training requirements, SB40, Houston/Hunter Act, firearm hold agreement, gun storage, temporary firearm storage, firearms dealer, federal firearms licensee, FFL, civil immunity, gun owner

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 711 relates to local regulation of solar facilities, special exceptions.
• restricts each new battery facility to 100% of the nameplate generating capacity of the associated solar
• of the associated. facility to be just 100% of the nameplate generating capacity of the associated solar
• And it also, I think to the credit of the Governor, says that if the solar site was permitted for...
• So, to the credit of the Governor, it also says that if the solar site was permitted for X number of

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to cost out how much it cost to put the solar panels in.
• </c> cost me $20,000 to install the solar cost me $20,000 to install the solar panels<01:28:41.679><c
• </c> think that because we're using a solar think that because we're using a solar panel<01:28:48.320
• </c> efficient to use something like solar efficient to use something like solar panels<01:30:35.199>
• </c> government building using solar government building using solar panels<01:30:52.080><c> it</c><01

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 233, which would impose transparency and reporting requirements on the New Hampshire Vaccine Association. The prime sponsor, Representative Comto, said the bill and a proposed amendment were intended to increase public access by requiring a physical meeting location, making meetings available online, and publishing a complete list of vaccines and pharmaceutical products purchased. She argued the association should be more transparent because it is involved in vaccine purchasing and public trust is important, especially given controversy around vaccines. Committee members questioned the sponsor about the association’s legal status, who sets vaccine requirements, whether other private entities would be covered, and whether the proposal should instead apply more broadly to all meetings or include recordings. The sponsor said the association was created by the legislature, that childhood vaccine requirements come from DHHS and CDC-related processes, and that she would be open to broader recording requirements. Some members raised concerns about misinformation and whether requiring answers to public questions could be problematic in a contentious policy area. Patrick Miller, executive director of the Vaccine Association, and attorney Mark McHugh testified in opposition. They described the association as a not-for-profit voluntary corporation created by statute in 2002 to serve as a funding mechanism for the state’s universal childhood vaccine purchase program, with no policymaking role and no public funding. They said the association already posts notices, agendas, minutes, and allows public webinar access and comments, while also providing annual audits and reports and other statutory reporting. They argued HB 233 would impose unnecessary administrative costs on a private entity, interfere with its limited charitable purpose, and ultimately increase costs borne by insurers, employers, and consumers. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what you see, we see, are rates that float somewhere between like 2% to 3% on each side, looking
• I see we have three people signed up to speak: Catherine Warren, Michael Vista, and Glenn Solars.
• Oh, we're going to get lots of jobs with solar panels.

Bills: SB1041 , SB1050 , SB1131 , SB1138 , SB1249 , SB1267 , SB1272 , SB1317 , SB1461 , SB1488 , SB1504 , SB1517 , SB1523 , SB1580 , SB1582 , SB1584 , SB1585 , SB1602 , SB1630 , SB1654 , SB1672 , SB1673 , SB1718 , SB1761 , SB1819 , SB1826 , SB1827

Committee: Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, veterans, lifetime pass, state parks, Arizona, access, disabled veterans, cardiac arrest, defibrillators, school safety, emergency response, CPR training, Arizona education funding, automated license plate readers

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Kisha and members of the committee, we've got four or five different options that have floated
• 00:04:10.120><c> options</c><00:04:10.519><c> that</c><00:04:10.680><c> have</c><00:04:10.799><c> floated
• </c><00:04:11.200><c> up</c> different options that have floated up different options that have floated
• As I mentioned before, there's four or five different plans that are floating around out there, and I
• </c><00:04:53.919><c> around</c> different plans that are floating around different plans that are floating

Bills: HF837

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• But where would the wind and solar units possibly be located for your proposal?
• So it's wind, solar, gas, I think we even had existing coal and storage out there in those RFPs, and
• So it's wind, solar, sources of power.
• </c> it did result in one one small solar it did result in one one small solar facility<00:38:57.480>
• ,</c> and solar, and solar, but<00:39:10.640><c> we're</c><00:39:10.760><c> still</c><00:39:11.080><c

Summary: The committee met for an initial natural resources hearing with a quorum present and introductory housekeeping, including prayer, roll call, and recognition of guests. Chair Smith outlined ground rules for questions and then invited Kentucky Power and American Electric Power representatives to the table to discuss a proposed plan involving the Mitchell Power Plant and future generation needs in Eastern Kentucky. Witnesses Cindy Wiseman, Alex Vaughn, and AEP CEO Bill Fehrman said the company’s goals are to stabilize and lower rates, reduce rate volatility, and expand generation in the Commonwealth. They explained that Kentucky Power seeks legislative authority to securitize its 50% interest in the Mitchell coal plant, describing securitization as a refinancing mechanism that would lower annual plant costs by about $34 million and help offset roughly one-third of the expected cost of adding new generation in Kentucky. They emphasized that the proposal is not intended to close Mitchell, and said Kentucky Power currently has no plan to divest its interest; the company still needs the plant to serve customers while it pursues additional dispatchable generation in Kentucky. Members pressed the witnesses on the plant’s book value versus fair market value, whether the Mitchell interest had ever been assigned a nominal value, how any divestiture proceeds would be handled, whether Kentucky Power owns Wheeling Power, and how long Mitchell can continue operating. The company said it values Mitchell at net book value for accounting purposes, not fair market value, and explained that Wheeling Power is a separate AEP affiliate and that West Virginia affiliates have already proposed securitization of their share. Witnesses said Kentucky Power’s interest cannot technically operate past 2028 without additional environmental control investment, while the West Virginia side is depreciating through 2040. They also described the financing timeline, saying securitization would require enactment of legislation, a PSC financing order, bond issuance, and then parallel work to acquire or build new generation, with any reinvestment terms to be addressed through the regulatory process.

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, power plants, oil wells, and wind and solar facilities.
• of making a plan, just like other energy industries, including nuclear, coal mining, and wind and solar
• This is done for nuclear power plants, for coal mining, coal ash ponds, wind and solar industry.
• As we know, solar doesn't shine for all hours of the day.
• Obviously, we have a lot more solar and storage that we put into place.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy