Transcript Highlights:

• You're spending a lot of money on electricity.
• It back to the Kit Carson Electric Co-op during the evening.
• They have Kit Carson Electric Co-op that's wanted to make that work.
• So it's a different way of thinking about electricity.
• They're unique; they're new in the electrical world.

Committee: House Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:07:57.960><c> vehicles</c> pools so when these electric vehicles pools so when these electric
• </c> because the majority of electric because the majority of electric vehicles<01:09:18.640><c> if</
• </c> time that I first bought an electric time that I first bought an electric vehicle<01:21:40.880><
• Of course, I drive only electric cars. A lot of my friends drive electric cars.
• Of course, I drive only electric cars. A lot of my friends drive electric cars.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 105, which would create a new conservation license plate and direct the added fee to the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund. The sponsor, Rep. Rosemarie Rung, said the bill would create a non-tax revenue source to help address toxic cyanobacteria blooms in New Hampshire lakes, ponds, and rivers. She described the public health, environmental, and economic harms from blooms, the high cost of watershed management plans and mitigation projects, and the limited current funding available through state and federal sources. She argued that a voluntary plate program could provide sustainable support and raise awareness. Supporters, including Reps. Katie Pell and McDonald, said the bill would help affected lake communities and tourism-dependent areas. New Hampshire DES testified neutrally but confirmed that blooms have increased sharply, that the agency has issued more than 120 warnings in the past two years, and that the existing mitigation fund is nearly depleted after one-time appropriations. DES said the proposed plate would not solve the entire funding need but could provide dedicated revenue for studies and implementation projects. DMV testified that the operational impact of adding a new plate would be minimal. New Hampshire Lakes also supported the bill and said survey results suggested some current Moose plate holders and new registrants would likely choose the Loon plate. Committee members asked about the health effects of cyanobacteria, the expected revenue from the plate, and whether the problem is natural or human-driven. Testimony said exposure can cause skin irritation, gastrointestinal illness, and more serious liver or neurological effects, with pets and children at higher risk; one witness also cited research suggesting aerosolized toxins may affect people several kilometers from a bloom. DES explained that while lake sediments can release nutrients, the underlying problem is largely driven by watershed inputs and worsened over time. No vote was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the chair invited written testimony and additional questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• But then water, as we've talked about a little bit and then obviously electricity and the electricity
• So when you buy electricity, you... Mr.
• It requires more electricity.
• NRG is a major player in the electric industry here in Texas.
• Brian Lloyd again for Oncor Electric Delivery.

Committee: House State Affairs

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs convened to discuss data centers and their impact on Texas's energy infrastructure. The meeting featured testimony from key representatives of the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and ERCOT, who outlined the evolving landscape of energy generation and the challenges posed by the rapid growth of data centers. Notably, ERCOT reported over 450,000 MW of generation resources planned for connection, with a significant portion attributed to data centers, which now represent around 87% of new large load interconnection requests. The committee explored proposed changes to the interconnection process, including a new 'batch study' approach aimed at streamlining the approval of multiple projects simultaneously. This change is intended to address the challenges of managing numerous simultaneous requests and to provide more certainty for developers regarding their energy needs. Testimonies emphasized the importance of ensuring that the costs of infrastructure upgrades are borne by the data centers rather than residential ratepayers, with discussions around the financial commitments required from developers. Several data center developers also provided testimony, highlighting the economic benefits of their projects, including job creation and increased local revenues. They expressed concerns about the potential for a moratorium on future growth due to the new interconnection rules and emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to address water usage and environmental impacts. The committee plans to continue discussions on these topics in future hearings, with a focus on balancing economic growth with energy reliability and resource management.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill credits for Californians, lowering electric bills.
• We increased the ratepayer benefit on electric bills to address electricity affordability.
• I guess also on the electricity side, we have a nice climate, so we do tend to use a little less electricity
• It is expensive, so you're paying for both gas and electricity to run your heater.
• My name is Air Martinez on behalf of the Electric Vehicle Charging Association.

Transcript Highlights:

• It has enough heat in it that you can use that heat to drive an electric power plant.
• Potentially 10% or more of New Mexico's electric grid, 1 to 3, potentially even 5 gigawatts of electricity
• Electric load that geothermal could serve.
• The current production tax credit only applies to electricity.
• Electricity now and in the near future is incredible.

Committee: House Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So these provisions only pertain to these large electric users.
• We're talking about the requested amount of the electricity.
• I'm going to talk specifically about electric rates and the impact of data centers on electric rates.
• Running electric companies is difficult.
• But there's no doubt in my mind that it's going to raise electric rates.

Committee: House Utilities

Summary: The Missouri House Committee on Utilities held an informational hearing on data centers, with the chair saying the goal was to hear different perspectives and better understand the issue before future legislation. No public testimony was taken, but three invited speakers presented: a labor representative, an Ameren Missouri executive, and a consumer advocate. The discussion focused on the economic benefits of data centers, including construction jobs, local hiring, apprenticeship opportunities, tax revenue for schools and local governments, and related spending by Missouri businesses. The labor witness described current Montgomery County projects, said hundreds of Missourians were already working there, and argued that closed-loop cooling and generator noise were manageable. Committee members also raised questions about water use, noise, cybersecurity, local hiring, and how much tax revenue a project could generate annually. Ameren’s Rob Dixon said Senate Bill 4 and the PSC’s large-load tariff provide key protections for ratepayers by requiring large customers to pay their own interconnection costs, sign long-term contracts, post collateral, and pay for most of their requested load even if they use less. He said those rules help prevent costs from shifting to other customers and that large loads can put downward pressure on rates by contributing to fixed system costs. Dixon also said Ameren is planning for significant new generation, including gas, nuclear, hydro, coal, and renewables, and that data centers are subject to the same load-shedding and emergency restoration rules as other customers. He noted that the protections apply to investor-owned utilities, not co-ops or municipal utilities. John Kaufman of the Consumers Council of Missouri argued the PSC protections are still too weak and warned that data centers could raise rates through construction work in progress, stranded generation costs, and other risks if projects are delayed, shrink, or fail. He urged stronger consumer protections, more upfront financial commitments from data centers, and greater transparency for ratepayers, while also suggesting community benefit agreements and cautioning against over-reliance on utility projections. Several members pushed back on his characterization of Senate Bill 4 and QIP/CWIP provisions, and the hearing ended with the chair thanking the witnesses and adjourned the committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those folks are also paying their electric bill.
• And the way that electric rates are set is at a very high level.
• Those folks are also paying their electric bill.
• And the way that electric rates are set is at a very high level.
• We've had recent examples of theft on some of our electrical infrastructure.

Committee: House Utilities

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> its deregulated market, electricity its deregulated market, electricity prices<00:51:04.240><c>
• from the rest of the electricity grid.
• from the rest of the electricity grid.
• from the rest of the state electrically from the rest of the electricity<01:03:35.839><c> grid.
• I mean, Texas has a electricity grid.

Committee: Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• Sixty percent of all of our electricity has come from coal in the state of Missouri.
• Out of these, about 3% generate electricity from the flow of water.
• Hydropower capacity in the U.S. is about 80 gigawatts and provides 6% of all electricity.
• Retrofitting Retrofitting all non-powered dams for electricity would increase the U.S.'
• So who would own that electrical generating? That's not included in the note, I believe.

Committees: House Agriculture , House Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• higher than all of our rural electric co-op costs.
• higher than all of our rural electric co-op costs.
• higher than all of our rural electric co-op costs.
• higher than all of our rural electric co-op costs.
• </c><00:38:09.400><c> bills</c> to need help with their electric bills to need help with their electric

Bills: HF2103 , HF2793

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> such that is our demand for electric such that is our demand for electric power<00:02:08.000><c>
• With that, I would stand for questions. distribute electricity to approximately distribute electricity
• </c> provided our first source of electricity provided our first source of electricity when<00:03:46.239
• </c><00:26:28.279><c> it's</c> ability to create electricity it's ability to create electricity it's
• It combines the cost per megawatt hour of electricity.

Bills: HF75

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Deputy General Counsel for El Paso Electric Company.
• I'm the Deputy General Counsel for El Paso Electric Company.
• El Paso Electric serves both Texas. El Paso Electric serves both Texas and New Mexico.
• Electricity is an essential necessity.
• Of electricity for our state, for a large part of our state.

Bills: HB303 , SB96 , HM6

Committee: House House Commerce & Economic Development Committee

Keywords: public utility, certificate of public convenience and necessity, certificate of need, Public Regulation Commission, PRC, utility regulation, ratemaking, energy storage, battery storage, grid reliability, renewable energy, transmission, distribution, generation plant, utility expansion, service territory, mutual domestic water consumer association, economic development department, clean energy, fossil fuel reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• They service other co-ops such as Talquin Electric, things like that.
• They service other co-ops such as Talkan Electric, things like that. That's seminal electric co-op.
• This is for electric vehicles.
• This is for electric vehicles.
• That's a lot of electric vehicles coming on.

Summary: The committee heard introductory remarks from Chair LaMarca and members, then received presentations on electric utility planning, transportation infrastructure, and broadband deployment. Public Service Commission staff explained how Florida’s utilities plan for reliability and cost through 10-year site plans, demand forecasting, and economic dispatch. The presentation emphasized Florida’s residential-heavy load, growing EV demand, expanding solar and battery storage, continued reliance on natural gas combined-cycle plants, and the role of nuclear power. Members asked about energy efficiency, rates, renewable options beyond solar, cybersecurity, grid resilience, data centers, and small modular nuclear reactors; the witness said efficiency programs are reviewed every five years, utilities must balance reliability and affordability, and large new loads like data centers generally must pay for their own infrastructure needs. Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue described FDOT’s five-year work program, decentralized district structure, and funding mix, noting that the agency is predominantly state-funded and prioritizes maintenance and preservation before expansion. He highlighted record investment levels, major congestion-relief projects, toll-road revenues, seaport and airport partnerships, spaceport investments, workforce and equipment needs, and emerging technology such as advanced air mobility. Members asked about project timing, MPO planning, rail and ferry funding, airport governance, winter storm preparedness, and flooding/sea-level rise; Perdue said faster delivery depends on resources, local governments lead transit operations with FDOT as a capital partner, and coastal and drainage projects are designed around storm surge and resiliency. The Office of Broadband reported on six grant programs supporting infrastructure, community facilities, digital connectivity, and future digital capacity and broadband expansion. Director Leo Garcia said the office has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars across most counties, leveraged significant private investment, and focused heavily on rural areas. He noted that broadband efforts are intended to support telehealth, education, workforce development, and economic growth, and said the state has reduced the number of unserved locations from more than 400,000 to a projected 170,000 after current awards are completed. He also said the office needs additional budget authority for the upcoming digital capacity program and that the larger federal/state broadband deployment program will be used to reach remaining unserved and underserved areas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles are completely zero-emission.
• So, when we talk about EVs, there's battery electric and there's fuel cell electric.
• We're working to connect the dots on the fuel cell electric truck market.
• Even a hydrogen fuel cell bus is a battery electric hydrogen fuel cell.
• buses, battery electric buses, and many other projects.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, under the Energy Independence Act, certain electric utilities must report every year on their
• Second, utilities and landlords are prohibited from turning off water or electric service to residents
• Electric and water utilities are required to report on the total number of disconnections that occurred
• the energy savings to put into the accounts for the folks that don't have enough money for their electric
• First, currently electric utilities report to Commerce on how they anticipate complying with the Energy

Summary: The Environment and Energy Committee heard three bills. House Bill 2496 would expand tribal consultation in Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (FSEC) siting reviews by requiring the full council, rather than only the chair, to participate in government-to-government consultations with federally recognized tribes, allowing tribes to review and comment on consultation summaries before they go to the governor, and exempting those consultation meetings from the Open Public Meetings Act so long as no deliberation or commitments occur. The bill’s sponsor, tribal representatives from the Yakama Nation, and supporters from labor and conservation groups said it would better protect sensitive cultural and treaty resources; the Association of Washington Business opposed it, citing due process and ex parte concerns, while FSEC staff said they support the intent but have some wording concerns. House Bill 2575 would reduce or eliminate several reporting requirements for utilities and the Department of Commerce, including changing some annual reports to biennial or every-four-years reporting, removing heat-related utility disconnection reporting, and eliminating a Commerce report on utility resource plans and combined heat and power data. The sponsor and Commerce said the changes would streamline duplicative or unused reporting and focus staff time on more useful information, while an opponent warned that legislators should not lose information needed to assess resource adequacy and reliability. A question was raised about whether the bill would affect timely reporting under clean energy laws; Commerce said the bill does not change Clean Energy Transformation Act reporting and that those processes remain in place. House Bill 2605 would raise the asbestos threshold for certain building materials from 0.1% to 0.25% and exempt low-level naturally occurring fibrous silicate material in commercial aggregates, asphalt, and concrete from labeling, use, and inspection requirements. The sponsor said the bill would reduce construction and transportation costs and help use local materials for roads and other projects while still preventing deliberate addition of asbestos-like materials. The Washington Aggregate and Concrete Association supported the bill, saying it corrects an overbroad prior approach and that existing workplace safety laws should address any dust-related risks. The committee heard testimony on all three bills and then closed the hearings; no votes were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have an electric lawnmower and an electric car.
• So the transition to electric vehicles can happen through market incentives.
• an electric lawnmower and an have an electric lawnmower and an electric<00:23:52.720><c> car.
• </c> electric car. I'm basically a communist. electric car. I'm basically a communist.
• happen</c><00:24:21.120><c> through</c> electric vehicles can happen through electric vehicles can happen

Transcript Highlights:

• The digital economy clearly directly depends on electricity.
• Really, when the chips are down, this electric utility really responds.
• Really, when the chips are down, this electric utility really responds.
• Being a customer of an electric utility, you want to be informed.
• So I'm not aware of a lot of people who, you know, don't have an electric bill.

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Summary: The committee met to hear invited presentations on storm recovery and storm protection from the Florida Public Service Commission, Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric, Chesapeake Utilities, and the Office of Public Counsel. The PSC reviewed the history of storm restoration financing and utility hardening efforts after major storms such as Hurricane Andrew, the 2004-05 hurricane seasons, Irma, and Michael, explaining storm reserve funds, storm recovery bonds, and the current three-year storm protection plan process. The commission’s role in approving plans and later reviewing prudence of actual costs was emphasized, along with the types of work included in the plans such as vegetation management, pole replacement, undergrounding, feeder hardening, and substation flood protection. The utilities described their own storm-hardening investments and recent storm performance. FPL said it has spent about $4.9 billion on storm protection and recovery-related efforts, highlighted improved restoration times during Helene and Milton, and said it is expanding undergrounding, feeder hardening, and smart-grid technology. Duke Energy reported more than 40,000 hardened poles and structures since 2021, major gains from self-healing grid technology, and faster restoration during recent storms. Tampa Electric described a roughly $200 million annual storm protection effort, including vegetation management, undergrounding, substation hardening, and new storm surge protections, and Chesapeake Utilities discussed its smaller-scale hardening program, vegetation work, pole replacement, and rapid restoration after Helene in Nassau County. Committee members asked about how utilities prioritize neighborhoods for lateral hardening, whether maps of planned projects could be shared, how much each utility has spent on undergrounding and hardening, and how reliability comparisons are normalized against the national average. Public Counsel Walt Trierweiler argued that storm recovery and hardening costs fall too heavily on investor-owned utility customers, said the current framework lacks a meaningful cost-benefit or prudence check at the planning stage, and urged broader sharing of storm costs because the benefits extend to the whole state. Senators also discussed whether the commission can review the reasonableness of approved programs and whether future reports or recommendations from Public Counsel would be helpful. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> issues with regard to taxing electricity issues with regard to taxing electricity and<00:04:23.000
• </c> sales tax revenue off the electricity sales tax revenue off the electricity for<00:04:41.919><c>
• </c> and that electricity could be enormous. and that electricity could be enormous.
• </c> electricity sold in Wyoming. electricity sold in Wyoming.
• </c> lately with the increases in electric lately with the increases in electric bills<01:06:22.240><

Summary: The Joint Revenue committee met with a quorum and heard a series of interim topic proposals focused on tax policy. Representative Brown raised two ideas: reinstating an exemption reporting requirement for corporations and entities receiving tax exemptions, with loss of the exemption for the current and prior year if they fail to report, and revising property tax treatment for wind turbines and related infrastructure by shifting the taxed footprint from agricultural to industrial classification. Senator Case and others then discussed energy taxation more broadly, including a possible generation tax for electricity, how to handle large data-center electricity loads, and whether sales tax revenue from very large electrical loads should be shared statewide rather than concentrated locally. The committee referenced prior bills and studies, including House Bill 300 and Senate File 76, and discussed using a mechanism that would keep local electricity bills net neutral while redirecting revenue distribution. The committee also took up problematic gaming and program funding. Senator Case described personal experiences with gambling addiction and the lack of available resources, while the presenter said the topic had been requested in multiple committees and that the biggest concern from House Bill 171 was protecting county and municipal funding. Members discussed whether the issue belonged in Revenue, Health, Labor, or Transportation, and several suggested it should stay with the standing committee handling gaming. Ideas raised included using gaming-related revenue for prevention and treatment, fully funding the 988 lifeline, and creating a broader trust fund for addiction-related services and law enforcement. The committee appeared to agree to continue the topic for educational purposes and to examine taxation of HHR and other gambling activity. Senator Case then proposed a severance tax on wind energy, arguing that wind development creates permanent landscape impacts and that the state should be compensated similarly to coal, oil, and gas extraction. Curt Meier, the state treasurer, supported reviewing lease agreements and said Wyoming should get more from wind resources, noting the state’s unique wind potential and the loss of viewshed. Finally, the committee heard a proposal to reform property tax relief by extending it to motor vehicle registration. Former Revenue director Dan Noble argued that vehicle taxes should be treated like other property taxes, using fair market value, depreciation, the residential assessment ratio, and local mill levies, which he said could provide broad relief but would be expensive, with an estimated fiscal impact of about $120 million. Representative Chestek followed with a related reform proposal based on Pennsylvania’s base-year assessment model, arguing that Wyoming’s current statewide relief measures treat symptoms rather than the underlying problem of rapidly rising local valuations.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:15.120><c> and</c> city that owns our own electricity and city that owns our own electricity
• ,</c><00:38:10.560><c> the</c> back to the cost of electricity, the back to the cost of electricity,
• </c> electricity than traditional industry. electricity than traditional industry.
• </c> we need the demand for the electricity. we need the demand for the electricity.
• </c> electric. They're asking for grid space. electric. They're asking for grid space.

Summary: The committee meeting began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and approval of the prior minutes. Members also observed a moment of reflection for Charlie Kirk and offered condolences to Representative Bobby McCool on the death of his mother. Representative Fugate then made announcements about the ongoing ATV/UTV trail system, including an October 21 opening in Letcher County and an October 2 groundbreaking in Knott County, and staff was asked to circulate the dates to members. The main agenda item was Senate Bill 137, presented by Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong with testimony from George Ecklan of the Coalition of the Homeless and Wesley Bryant, a flood survivor and Eastern Kentucky resident. The bill would prohibit utility disconnections for non-payment during dangerous weather and emergencies, including extreme cold, excessive heat, and declared natural disasters. Supporters said the measure is narrow, does not forgive past-due balances or change reconnection policies, and is intended to protect vulnerable residents, reduce risks to first responders, and create a minimum statewide standard amid a patchwork of utility policies. They cited weather thresholds and historical examples of extreme weather and disaster declarations in Kentucky. Testimony emphasized the human impact of shutoffs, especially for low-income households, older adults, and families facing illness or disaster recovery. Bryant described experiences with people shivering without heat or struggling to keep children cool when power was cut off, calling electricity a lifeline rather than a luxury. Representative Gu raised concerns that utility bills have become unaffordable due to broader policy and rate issues, argued that some customers may not pay if shutoffs are prohibited, and questioned whether the bill was needed. Senator Chambers Armstrong responded that the proposal is limited to non-payment shutoffs during short periods of dangerous conditions and is meant to keep people safe during emergencies. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also establish goals for both electric and gas investor-owned utilities.
• This chart groups large areas of electric revenue, which is another word for electric system costs, into
• My name My name is Claire Braco, and I'm with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
• Now, we know that electric rates aren't going to go... ...last 20 years.
• Well, we need to pay for electricity. We need energy, right?

Committee: House Utilities and Energy