Transcript Highlights:

• The bill strengthens basin management action plans to reduce pollutants, limit new septic systems where
• The House bill does not make any changes to the Basin Management Action Plan process.
• does ratify DEP's revisions of minimum flows and levels for the lower Santa Fe, Ichetucknee, and rivers
• These rivers and springs are critical natural and economic resources in north central Florida, your district
• These river and springs are critical natural and economic resources in north central Florida, your district

Keywords: 998, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• situation where there would be 34-year-old folks who have been operating a boat just fine on our rivers
• later that we started dealing with a really biblical issue along the western end of what is the White River
• Basin, right where I live and ranch.
• later that we started dealing with a really biblical issue along the western end of what is the White River
• Basin, right where I live and ranch.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Number two, the DOE has granted river crossing applications for every asset condition project since it
• Number two, the DOE has granted river crossing applications for every asset condition project since it
• Um because I'm so river or lake.
• This is something we really need to do with the Winnipesaukee River Basin program.
• </c><02:58:10.000><c> Basin</c> do with the Winnipegasi River Basin do with the Winnipegasi River Basin

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Permian Basin.
• with you today but I'll start by talking about the Permian Basin.
• In fact, if the Permian Basin were its own country... it would be the third largest.
• You know for UT Permian Basin is we're a really small institution. We don't have doctoral programs.
• About 80% stay and work in the Permian Basin. basin.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Article III

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It just identifies certain conditions for this transportation basin. Perfect. Thank you.
• We have already witnessed the consequences of over-pumping in this basin.
• First of all, we, as has been mentioned in this op-ed, have people actually living in this basin.
• We had an irrigation non-expansion area in place in the Harquahala Basin, and the Harquahala water was
• And so this is good water policy for what it was originally set up as, a water transportation basin.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and recognition of the Doctor of the Day and several guests and community groups, including correctional officer Jacob Polanco, Pima Community Land Trust representatives, student interns, and Arizona PTA members. Members also adopted a proclamation recognizing Kosovo’s Independence Day in Arizona, with remarks highlighting the Kosovo American community’s contributions to the state. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole on a calendar of bills and resolutions. HB 2307 and HB 2758 were considered first; HB 2307 received committee amendments and was recommended do pass, while HB 2758 drew extensive debate over groundwater transport in La Paz County. Supporters argued the measure preserved a transportation-basin framework and added protections, while opponents warned it would facilitate water export for private investors and harm rural residents. After a division and recorded vote, HB 2758 failed to receive a due-pass recommendation. The House also considered HCR 2003, a referral related to transgender athletes in sports, where supporters framed it as a fairness and women’s sports issue and opponents argued it targeted a small population and should be left to athletic associations; it received a due-pass recommendation. HCR 2047 and HCR 2002, both relating to Judea and Samaria, also received due-pass recommendations after remarks citing biblical and historical references. After the Committee of the Whole report was adopted, the House referred the approved measures to engrossing and noted HB 2758 failed. The chamber then took up third-reading votes on several bills, passing HB 251, HB 262, HB 272, HB 296, and HB 2459, with brief explanations on some votes, including support for a Buffalo Soldiers monument, AHCCCS-related changes, water infrastructure authority, and mobile home park utility billing protections. The House also heard personal privilege remarks and announcements, including comments on antisemitism after vandalism at a University of Arizona campus center, a request to wear pink or green in support of a murder victim’s mother testifying on a bill, tributes to Jesse Jackson and Bishop Peter Bowie, and committee meeting notices before adjourning until February 18, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• It just identifies certain conditions for this transportation basin. Perfect. Thank you.
• This bill singles out the McMullen Valley Basin in La Paz County, treating it as expendable in the name
• We have already witnessed the consequences of over-pumping in this basin.
• First of all, we, as has been mentioned in this op-ed, have people actually living in this basin.
• And so this is good water policy for what it was originally set up as, a water transportation basin.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So anyway, what it does, it just provides certainty for everybody's water rights across the basin, and
• And then it also creates a water bank, which has been used in the Lemhi Basin as well.
• So anyway, what it does, it just provides certainty for everybody's water rights across the basin, and
• And then it also creates a water bank, which has been used in the Lemhi Basin as well.
• It creates a water bank, which has been used in the Lemhi Basin as well.

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Kathy Frelich, representing District 15, which includes the Devils Lake Basin.
• This is particularly concerning in the Devils Lake Basin, where we remain in a long-term flood situation
• Furthermore, water would be pulled from the Missouri River.
• In 1929, the Red River stopped flowing in Fargo.
• When we had 20,000 people there, now we have 100,000 pulling water out of that river.

Committee: Joint Legislative Management

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• While the unit has statewide jurisdiction, it will be headquartered in the Permian Basin, where oilfield
• But out in the middle of the Permian Basin probably makes the most sense.
• But out in the middle of the Permian Basin probably makes the most sense.
• We have all our Permian Basin really an epicenter, if you will, of oilfield theft.
• The Permian Basin is really an epicenter, if you will, of oilfield theft.

Bills: SB476 , SB664 , SB745 , SB826 , SB989 , SB1080 , SB1171 , SB1320 , SB1437 , SB1727 , SB1809 , SB2289 , SB2320

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: education, funding, school infrastructure, public schools, teacher support, intoxication manslaughter, criminal penalties, ignition interlock devices, youth offenders, vehicular homicide, Texas courts, judicial officers, associate judge, magistrate, master, referee, hearing officer, court administration, Government Code Chapter 54, Government Code Chapter 54A

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several criminal justice bills, with most of the discussion focused on oilfield theft, DWI enforcement, juvenile justice, reentry licensing, jail transparency, and court/judicial standards. SB 1320 would create a DPS oilfield theft unit headquartered in the Permian Basin; supporters from industry, law enforcement, and a district attorney described increasingly sophisticated, organized theft tied to cartels and multi-jurisdictional criminal networks, while DPS said it currently has only two officers working the issue. The committee voted SB 1320 out unanimously and placed it on the local and uncontested calendar. SB 826, which would enhance DWI committed in a school zone to a state jail felony, also passed unanimously after brief explanation and no testimony. SB 1171, adding juvenile justice OIG peace officers to Schedule C salary, was reported favorably on a committee substitute, and SB 1080, which would allow incarcerated people to obtain occupational licenses effective upon release, also passed on a committee substitute after testimony from formerly incarcerated advocates and reentry supporters. The committee also considered several bills aimed at tougher DWI penalties. SB 476 would increase intoxication manslaughter penalties when the offender violates an ignition interlock restriction; the bill was supported by the author, victims’ family members, Galveston officials, and law enforcement, but opposed by the Texas Civil Rights Project, which argued treatment and prevention would be more effective. After discussion about possible amendments, the bill was left pending. SB 745 would create a new first-degree felony option for intoxication manslaughter involving multiple deaths, and it was reported favorably after testimony from a prosecutor supporting the need for a stronger sentencing option. SB 2320 would broadly increase penalties for DWI offenses, including first-time DWI, DWI with an open container, high-BAC DWI, and repeat offenses; it was supported by a grieving family member and a sheriff, and the committee voted it out favorably. On juvenile justice, SB 1727 would expand tools to address assaults on staff at Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities by lowering the age for transfer to adult prison in some cases, allowing earlier transfer of determinate-sentence youth, and restricting release when a criminal case is pending. Juvenile probation officials supported the bill as a public safety and victim-rights measure, while the Texas Civil Rights Project opposed it, arguing it would send children to inappropriate adult facilities and conflict with juvenile justice principles; the bill was left pending. SB 1437 would expand the juvenile justice do-not-hire registry to include non-certified positions, and it passed unanimously after supporters said it would help close loopholes that allow predators to move between child-serving jobs. SB 2289, requiring counties that house inmates out of state to report that information and any deaths to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, also passed unanimously. Finally, SB 989, requiring criminal background checks for court personnel who determine bail, and SB 664, establishing statewide qualifications and oversight for magistrates and associate judges, were explained and discussed as transparency and public-safety measures, with SB 989 reported favorably and SB 664 under committee consideration at the end of the transcript.

Bills: SB2613 , SB2543 , SB2398 , SB2046 , SB2800 , SB2818 , SB2973 , SB2367 , SB2907 , SB3067 , SB3053 , SB2944 , SB2074 , SB2596

Committee: House Water & Land

Keywords: public school land transfer, Department of Education, DOE, land conveyance, fee simple title, tax map key, TMK, Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, Act 139, Board of Land and Natural Resources, BLNR, Department of Land and Natural Resources, DLNR, Kauai, Maui, Honolulu, Kaimuki Middle School, Wilcox Elementary School, school property

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 2613, SD1, HD1, relating to public school land transfer. The Attorney General’s office and the Department of Education supported the bill’s technical cleanup of Act 307, but strongly opposed a new provision that would convey school parcels containing public and school library facilities to the Hawaii State Public Library System. They argued the added transfer language conflicted with Act 307’s purpose of consolidating school land for more efficient school operations, and said existing law already allows co-located library use through rights of entry, licenses, or other agreements. The library system supported the bill and said it was trying to resolve longstanding operational conflicts on shared school-campus libraries, especially where public access, construction, and campus safety issues arise. Members questioned whether the Board of Education should simply mediate the dispute, whether the bill was the right solution, and whether a formal memorandum of agreement might be a better approach than a land transfer. The library system described years of difficulty coordinating with DOE on projects and said it needed a clearer process to complete work and spend CIP funds. Discussion also touched on a Kauai parcel in the bill, identified as a tennis court, and whether resurfacing could be completed before any transfer. The Attorney General indicated that if the goal is to preserve library uses while keeping title with the state, DLNR or another documented arrangement may be more appropriate than transferring fee title to the library system. The committee then heard SB 2543 SD2 HD1, relating to state construction projects. DAGS supported the measure, and the Hawaii Ironworkers Stabilization Fund and Hawaii Building Construction Trade Council strongly supported it, saying the bill would help spot-check high-cost projects and reduce waste from overruns and delays. One testifier opposed the bill, arguing the proposed construction manager role was too limited and that DAGS needed more training, decentralized authority, and better internal decision-making rather than a new layer of oversight. Supporters said the bill was intended as a pilot program to address repeated cost overruns and improve accountability on state construction projects.

Bills: HB14 , HB 106 , HB146 , HB267 , HB274 , HB 1127 , HB1359 , HB1393 , HB1584 , HB1640 , HB1710 , HB2152 , HCR101 , HJR8 , HR51 , HB106 , HB146 , HB267 , HB274 , HJR8 , HR51

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund

Transcript Highlights:

• So, Captain, can you provide an overview of the current state of oil field theft in the Permian Basin
• You know an investigation so it is a it is a problem in the Permian Basin.
• Not quite as much, I don't think, as the Permian Basin.
• Chairman, I am Michael Lozano with the Permian Basin Petroleum Association.
• Michael Lozano with the Permian Basin Petroleum Association in support.

Bills: SB766 , SB290 , SB494 , SB1145

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Keywords: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water regulation, environmental protection, pesticide management, natural resources, LP-gas, property owner notice, gas installations, safety notification, petroleum theft, task force, oil and gas, law enforcement, economic impact, environmental regulation, water permits, water quality, land application, 1185, senate

Transcript Highlights:

• As Langston Hughes said, "We the people must redeem the land, the mines, the plants, the rivers, the
• ,<00:34:45.359><c> the</c><00:34:45.599><c> plants,</c><00:34:45.919><c> the</c><00:34:46.159><c> rivers
• ,</c><00:34:46.480><c> the</c> mines, the plants, the rivers, the mines, the plants, the rivers, the
• and as a representative Drainage Basin and as a representative with<04:23:41.439><c> experience</c><
• </c> the Ample White Drainage Basin the Ample White Drainage Basin Reappointed.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Have y'all been down to the Permian Basin or up to the San Juan lately?
• You know, we actually have oil in the basin that I live in. I'd love to tap it.
• We've also shared a basin with Texas.
• The Permian Basin has three parts to it: the Midland Basin, primarily in Texas, as it suggests, and the
• Central Basin Platform, which goes across New Mexico.

Committee: House House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• know we need, we have plenty of reasons to want new water: prolonged drought, the drying Colorado River
• But more groundwater pumping is not the answer. ...Colorado River, increased demand, human-caused climate
• In the Riverview case, the Wilcox Basin residents were faced with drying wells.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• involved, and they're trying to decide, you know, how are we going to, the water that comes from this river
• or the water that comes from this basin and how we're going to divide it up.
• involved, and they're trying to decide, you know, how are we going to, the water that comes from this river

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• part of being a member on the Higher Education Committee, my background being a professor at Columbia Basin
• So Gonzaga is across the river from my campus.
• So Gonzaga is across the river from my campus.

Summary: The Workforce Development Committee heard public testimony on several higher education bills. Senate Bill 5954 would expand veteran survivor tuition waiver eligibility to better align state law with federal DEA benefits, allowing eligible children and surviving spouses/domestic partners to use the waiver outside current age and time limits. The sponsor and veteran advocates said the change would help families access earned benefits; no opposition was heard, and the public hearing was closed. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5826, which would require public postsecondary institutions to provide access to medication abortion through student health centers or referrals and web-based information by the 2027-28 academic year. Supporters, including students and reproductive health advocates, said the bill would reduce barriers, travel burdens, and stigma and help students stay enrolled. Opponents, including clergy, Catholic Conference representatives, and other individuals, argued the bill promoted abortion, raised safety and moral concerns, and was outside the mission of colleges. The public hearing was closed after extensive testimony. Senate Bill 5828 would restore and adjust Washington College Grant and College Bound Scholarship awards for students attending private not-for-profit four-year institutions, using the average award at public institutions rather than the reduced formula adopted last session. The sponsor and many students, private college leaders, and business and workforce groups supported the bill as a matter of fairness, access, and student choice, while public university faculty and representatives opposed it, saying state aid should prioritize public institutions and that the bill would deepen funding inequities. The committee also heard Senate Bill 5909, which would require public baccalaureate institutions to review and potentially discontinue low-enrollment degree programs; supporters framed it as a transparency and efficiency measure, while faculty and student representatives opposed it as too blunt and potentially harmful to smaller, specialized, or equity-focused programs. No votes were taken on any of the bills during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• David Gallegos, State Senator from District 41, the heart of the Permian Basin, so appreciate you.
• The heart of the Permian Basin. So appreciate you. Thank you, thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• the airport right to the La Cienega community, which is then its western boundary at the Santa Fe River
• we're trying to tell that story also of what's happening with this PFAS plume as it hits the Santa Fe River
• So they did a prioritization within the San Mateo Creek Basin.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Environment Department on PFAS contamination in private wells in La Cienega, Santa Fe County. Staff said the plume likely came from historic use of firefighting foam associated with airport and National Guard fire-training activities, with possible additional contribution from septic systems and consumer products. They described the contamination as affecting about 200 private wells, the short-term response of providing residential filters through a $2 million legislative appropriation, and ongoing work to define the plume’s full extent, identify responsible parties, and consider longer-term regional water solutions. Members asked about filter costs, replacement schedules, disposal of used cartridges, follow-up testing, health studies, and whether cleanup or containment had begun; the department said cleanup would follow once the plume is fully mapped and that DOH is soliciting interest in a blood study. The committee also discussed the need to track disposal of PFAS filters and the possibility of broader statewide capacity for similar work. The committee then took up abandoned uranium mine cleanup. NMED and EMNRD staff reviewed the new uranium mine reclamation program created by HB 164, the state dashboard tracking sites, and the FY26 appropriation of $20 million for neglected contaminated sites, of which $12 million is being used for neglected uranium mines and the remainder for other contaminated sites. They said six contractors were hired, three priority sites in Grant County are moving forward quickly, and additional sites are being prepared for possible FY27 work. Members pressed for details on how funds are spent, why the revolving fund remains unfunded, how federal, state, tribal, and landowner requirements are coordinated, where contaminated material will be moved, and whether cleanup could also address homes built with contaminated materials. Staff said the work is governed by multiple regulatory layers, that the state is seeking an additional $25 million for FY27-FY28 plus a time extension, and that partnerships with tribes would require longer-term agreements. The committee also discussed federal cleanup efforts and the new Good Samaritan law, with members urging stronger advocacy for New Mexico sites, including tribal lands, and asking whether the Attorney General should pursue legal action against federal parties responsible for legacy contamination. Staff explained that some sites are already covered by settlement funds tied to responsible parties, while neglected sites are those with no responsible party and no other cleanup program. The committee then heard from EMNRD on Class VI carbon sequestration primacy. Staff said New Mexico currently has no operating Class VI wells, about 27 Class II acid-gas injection wells are operating, and only a small number might be candidates for conversion. They explained that the state’s primacy application would require more public outreach than federal rules alone, and that cost estimates for post-injection site care are based on long planning horizons, with some costs borne by operators and some by the state after closure. No votes were taken on the substantive items discussed; the committee approved the prior meeting minutes and took a brief recess between presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Salmon are swimming over 400 miles of habitat in the Klamath River, the largest river restoration project
• And when we see a big atmospheric river come in, it's the River Forecasting Center that provides that
• in California, the Tuolumne River and the San Joaquin River.
• So is there a concern that they'll travel up the Sacramento River or the McCullumee River or San Joaquin
• River?

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy opened its first hearing with remarks from the chair and members emphasizing climate change, resiliency, clean energy, natural resources, and the need to make careful budget choices in a constrained fiscal environment. The Legislative Analyst’s Office presented an overview of the natural resources and environmental protection budget, warning that although current revenues are strong, the state faces significant out-year deficits and should apply a high bar to new ongoing spending, use special funds and fees carefully, and focus on critical health and safety needs. The LAO said the Governor’s Proposition 4 spending plan was generally reasonable and consistent with bond requirements, but urged legislative oversight and reporting, especially where bond funds interact with General Fund proposals. Secretary Wade Crowfoot then described the Natural Resources Agency’s recent accomplishments and priorities, including wildfire resilience, water reliability, coastal protection, outdoor access, biodiversity, tribal partnerships, and streamlining project delivery. He highlighted major investments in climate and resilience, the role of Proposition 4 in continuing those efforts, and the need to modernize water infrastructure, including Delta conveyance and other regional conveyance projects. Members asked about Delta conveyance, invasive species, permitting delays, and the impact of federal staffing cuts; Crowfoot said the administration is pushing projects forward, supports a beneficiary-pays approach for conveyance, and is filling gaps left by federal reductions where necessary. The committee then heard from the Department of Parks and Recreation. Director Armando Quintero reviewed the state park system, outdoor access programs, tribal agreements, wildfire and forest resilience work, and deferred maintenance funded by the climate bond. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed ongoing General Fund transfer for the California State Parks Library Pass program, saying it did not meet the high bar for new spending, while several members strongly supported the program as a low-cost, high-value access tool. Members also pressed Parks on reservation system problems and no-show vacancies; staff said new rules and enforcement will take effect July 1 and that vacancies are being opened up sooner. The department also presented low-cost accommodation projects, which the LAO supported. Finally, the Department of Fish and Wildlife introduced its new director, Megan Hurdle, who outlined the department’s mission, staffing, service-based budgeting, and Proposition 4 proposals for salmon tagging, hatchery improvements, and public access lands. She emphasized the department’s role in biodiversity conservation, permitting streamlining, law enforcement, and human-wildlife conflict outreach, and said the agency is working to close a service gap identified in its budgeting analysis. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Salmon are swimming over 400 miles of habitat in the Klamath River, the largest river restoration project
• And when we see a big atmospheric river come in, it's the River Forecasting Center that provides that
• in California, the Tuolumne River and the San Joaquin River.
• So is there a concern that they'll travel up the Sacramento River or the McCullumee River or San Joaquin
• River?

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Resources, Environmental Protection, and Energy convened for its first hearing and heard an overview from the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Natural Resources Agency. The LAO emphasized California’s strong current revenues but warned of a structural budget problem, projected out-year deficits, and the need for a high bar on new spending. It generally supported the administration’s Proposition 4 spending plan as reasonable and consistent with bond requirements, while urging legislative oversight and caution about using special funds and adding ongoing commitments. Secretary Wade Crowfoot responded with an overview of climate, wildfire, water, coastal, and conservation challenges and highlighted progress under the Newsom administration, including clean energy growth, wildfire resilience investments, land conservation, tribal co-management, and outdoor access initiatives. He also discussed federal staffing cuts affecting California’s response capacity and said the state has had to fill gaps in flood forecasting, land management, and park access. Members then questioned the secretary about the Delta conveyance tunnel and broader water reliability issues. Crowfoot said the project remains important, is being pursued as a beneficiary-pays project, and is moving through the State Water Resources Control Board’s permitting process, while also stressing that it is only one part of a broader water strategy that includes levee strengthening, subsidence, groundwater storage, recycling, and conservation. Senators also raised concerns about permitting delays, invasive species, and the impact of position cuts on agency capacity; Crowfoot said streamlining is needed but that staffing remains essential. The committee then moved to the Department of Parks and Recreation, where Director Armando Quintero described the state park system, tribal agreements, wildfire and deferred maintenance work, and outdoor access programs such as the State Library Park Pass and Adventure Pass. The LAO recommended rejecting the proposed ongoing $6.75 million General Fund transfer for the library park pass, arguing it did not meet the high bar for new ongoing spending, but several senators strongly supported the program as a low-cost way to expand access. Members also pressed Parks on reservation system problems and campsite no-shows. Department staff said they are updating website guidance, working with the reservation vendor, and implementing new no-show and reservation-modification rules effective July 1, including penalties for repeated no-shows and immediate reopening of vacant sites. The committee then heard a low-cost accommodations proposal, which Parks said would fund planning and construction at several sites using Proposition 68, reimbursements, and donations; the LAO said it had no concerns. Finally, the new director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Megan Hurdle, introduced herself and outlined the department’s mission, staffing, service-based budgeting, and Proposition 4 requests, including funding for salmon genetic tagging, hatchery repairs, and public access improvements. She said the department is focused on biodiversity, permitting streamlining, law enforcement, and human-wildlife conflict prevention, and noted that the agency is still updating its service-based budgeting analysis to identify gaps and priorities.