Transcript Highlights:

• you could see this facility works very much like a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle instead of a gasoline
• engine with power or an internal combustion engine powered by gasoline.
• what the project is, the purpose of it, you know, how the principle of operation and the codes and standards
• To assure the recognition of hydrogen within the state's renewable portfolio standard program.
• For example, one of the ones we have talked about is in the Renewable Portfolio Standard, the RPS Guidebook

Summary: The Select Committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure held a hearing focused on emerging technologies for climate resilience and infrastructure. The first panel discussed the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a utility-driven microgrid that keeps the city powered during public safety power shutoffs using hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, and liquid hydrogen storage. PG&E described microgrids as a resilience tool but emphasized that cost remains the main barrier to wider deployment. Energy Vault explained the project’s design, its ability to provide at least 48 hours of backup power on a small parcel of land, and its use of green hydrogen and battery storage to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. A Calistoga councilmember and NCPA representative also discussed the Lodi Energy Center hydrogen project, saying it could help decarbonize power generation and transportation, but that federal and state funding changes, tax credit timing, and other policy shifts have made the project difficult to advance. The Green Hydrogen Coalition supported the Calistoga model as a blueprint and urged policy changes to create demand and reduce barriers for renewable hydrogen, including addressing behind-the-meter rules and recognizing hydrogen in state energy planning. The second panel focused on water resilience and desalination, with the California Desal Association and Oneka Technologies discussing wave-powered desalination for the City of Fort Bragg. Cal Desal said California’s changing hydrology, reduced snowpack, and drought conditions make local water supply options increasingly important, but noted that conventional desalination is expensive and slow to permit. Oneka described its offshore, wave-powered system as a zero-electricity desalination technology that produces drinking water without greenhouse gas emissions and with limited land use, and said the Fort Bragg pilot is intended to demonstrate the technology under California conditions. The company and Cal Desal both stressed that permitting is a major obstacle, with the project requiring multiple agencies and a timeline far longer than in other jurisdictions. They also said the technology’s autonomous operation could improve water resilience because it does not depend on the electrical grid. The final panel featured the Climate Foundation’s marine permaculture proposal, which aims to restore kelp forests and support carbon removal and coastal food systems. The presenter said warming oceans and nutrient loss have devastated kelp forests along the California coast and argued that offshore platforms that raise and lower seaweed to access nutrients and sunlight could help regenerate ecosystems while producing food, feed, fertilizer, and carbon benefits. He said the technology has shown strong growth rates and storm resilience in other regions, but that California permitting remains a major hurdle, involving 17 state and federal agencies. He proposed a streamlined, code-based permitting approach for smaller projects and said the group is seeking matching funds to complete a first California pilot. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly highlighted the tension between innovation and the high cost, complexity, and length of California’s permitting and funding processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So while the minimum staffing standards are not enforceable right now by CMS, this is.
• It's a standard benefit design. But it's the highest primary care cost for a visit.
• It's a standard benefit design. But it's the highest primary care cost for a visit.
• The basic basket is car right, the gasoline.
• At incremental, the gasoline, all incremental, the gasoline, it's very expensive in your area.

Summary: The subcommittee heard a lengthy Department of Health Care Services presentation on the governor’s Medi-Cal budget, including a $229.1 billion total-funds proposal, projected Medi-Cal enrollment declines as redeterminations continue, and several major cost drivers such as managed care growth, Medicare-related costs, pharmacy spending, and changes tied to federal policy. Members focused heavily on the elimination of Prop. 56 dental supplemental payments beginning July 1, 2026, questioning the likely impact on provider participation and utilization. DHCS said it is completing the required rate reduction/access analysis for CMS, has been holding stakeholder meetings and issuing provider bulletins, but could not yet quantify the real-world effect. The committee also discussed a $50 million savings proposal tied to new hospice utilization management authority and asked about possible effects on emergency dental care and provider participation. The hearing then moved through the November 2025 family health estimate and several county and program administration issues, including CCS, GHPP, and Every Woman Counts. DHCS said family health costs are rising despite slight caseload declines because of higher utilization and medical costs, and members raised concerns about CCS website accessibility, county administrative funding, and the transition of youth aging out of CCS. The department said most CCS beneficiaries are also on Medi-Cal, that counties have long raised funding concerns, and that it had clarified use of maintenance-and-operations dollars to address some county workload issues. Members also asked about Every Woman Counts potentially seeing higher demand as Medi-Cal changes take effect; DHCS said that is possible and that the program has multiple funding sources including General Fund. A major portion of the hearing focused on provider taxes and federal changes under H.R. 1, especially the Medi-Cal managed care organization tax and the hospital quality assurance fee. DHCS explained that H.R. 1 restricts new or increased health care-related taxes, phases down allowable tax levels over time, and tightens “generally redistributive” rules, which could sharply reduce the state’s ability to use the MCO tax for Medi-Cal financing. Members asked whether the Legislature could amend Prop. 35 or whether voters would need to act; DHCS said a three-fourths legislative amendment may be possible if it aligns with the measure’s purpose, but the department is still evaluating options. The committee also discussed hospital financing, with DHCS describing recent increases in state-directed payments and the effect of H.R. 1 in capping those payments at Medicare levels, and the LAO noting the tradeoff between preserving provider taxes and maintaining Medi-Cal funding. The subcommittee also reviewed a series of DHCS budget change proposals and trailer bill items, including managed care final-rule implementation, managed care operations, a hospital value strategy, a one-year extension of skilled nursing facility financing, long-term care payment transparency, and interoperability/prior authorization requirements. Members repeatedly questioned the use of limited-term versus permanent positions, the overlap among proposals, and the timing of new financing reforms. DHCS said the SNF extension would preserve current workforce standards, sanctions, growth limits, and the SNF quality assurance fee while the department develops a broader 2027-28 redesign. No votes were taken; items were repeatedly held open for later action. Covered California then presented on the expiration of the federal enhanced premium tax credit and the resulting affordability crisis. The agency said Californians will lose about $2.5 billion in premium assistance for 2026, average premiums could nearly double for many enrollees, and as many as 400,000 people could eventually leave marketplace coverage. Open enrollment ended with 1.9 million sign-ups, down 3% from the prior year, with especially steep declines among middle-income consumers and increased movement into bronze plans. Covered California said the state’s $190 million affordability subsidy is helping lower-income enrollees retain coverage, but cannot fully replace the lost federal assistance. Members also asked about the Health Care Affordability Reserve Fund, repayment of loans from that fund, the status of federal review of California’s essential health benefits benchmark, and implementation of the new gender-affirming care benefit under AB 144.

Transcript Highlights:

• because when we go out of town on a field trial, we're spending a good $1000 you know, hotels, food, gasoline
• Red standard poodle. Sprinkles is her name. Yeah, she's good though. Don't mess with her.

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• Commission, the state body that adopts and publishes California's building standards code.
• And at worst, it's creating a new and unconstitutional standard.
• And at worst, it's creating a new and unconstitutional standard.
• So we are asking cities to stay under that amount as a standard, but if you were to...
• City is to stay under that amount as a standard.

Summary: The committee heard several housing, local government, coastal, and infrastructure bills. AB 306 would create a statewide appeal and code-interpretation process for building code issues at the California Building Standards Commission; supporters said it would reduce inconsistent local interpretations and speed housing delivery, while no opposition testified, and it was moved on a do-pass-as-amended vote to Appropriations. AB 956 would clarify ADU law to allow up to two detached ADUs on a property and address ADUs in HOAs/common interest developments; supporters framed it as a flexibility and housing-supply measure, while local government and county groups raised concerns about ministerial approval, parking, density, and impacts on neighborhood character. After committee questions, the bill was moved do pass as amended to Appropriations on a 2-0 vote, with the bill remaining on call. Members also considered AB 1751, which would create a ministerial approval path for qualifying townhome projects and allow local inclusionary ordinances for larger projects. Supporters said it would expand attainable homeownership and help produce missing-middle housing, while cities and counties objected to reduced density, by-right approval, and potential housing-element net-loss issues. The bill was moved do pass as amended to Appropriations on a 2-0 vote and remained on call. AB 912, which would revise the governance structure of the Vallejo Flood and Wastewater District board, drew unanimous support from the district, city, and county; it passed 3-0 to Appropriations and remained on call. AB 1710, aimed at preserving housing project entitlements from later regulatory changes, also advanced on a 4-0 do-pass-as-amended vote after opponents said they were awaiting the committee amendments. The committee also heard AB 2080, which would make county treasurer investment authority delegations ongoing until revoked rather than requiring annual renewal; supporters said it would reduce technical noncompliance and administrative burden without reducing oversight, and it was moved to the Senate Floor. AB 1740, a coastal bill for Santa Monica, would set timelines and reporting for a local coastal program and create an expedited Coastal Commission process for bike, transit, and pedestrian projects; supporters said it reflected a negotiated path forward with the city and commission, and it passed 3-0 to Appropriations. AB 2181, backed by Unite Here, would limit use of hypothetical density bonus value in hotel and motel appraisals; supporters said it would protect hospitality jobs from speculative lease-rent increases, and it was moved to the Senate Floor on a 4-0 vote. Finally, AB 2469 on data centers and water use drew the most extended debate. The bill would require water supply and water use assessments before approval, and shift infrastructure costs to project proponents; supporters said it would improve transparency, protect ratepayers, and ensure local governments have information before approving water-intensive facilities. Opponents, including business, city, county, and tech groups, argued existing law already covers water assessments and fees, warned the bill could create a separate permitting regime, and raised concerns about privacy, security, and investment impacts. The committee had not yet taken final action on AB 2469 when the transcript ended, and members were still asking technical questions about data center cooling and water reuse.

Transcript Highlights:

• Financial interest in contracts, grants, or standards considered or awarded. 7.
• Construct a roof that meets resilient roof system standards. F.
• The rated capacity or energy as measured by SAE International J2288 standard.
• So 25% of the students meet or exceed standards to go on after high school.
• The bill changes the legal standard required to rebut those claims.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The current rate for that is 31.8 cents per gallon, and that's the rate that's imposed for gasoline and
• The current rate for that is 31.8 cents per gallon, and that's the rate that's imposed for gasoline and
• :14:14.880><c> that's</c><00:14:15.120><c> imposed</c><00:14:15.519><c> for</c><00:14:15.720><c> gasoline
• </c><00:14:16.160><c> and</c> rate that's imposed for gasoline and rate that's imposed for gasoline and
• which is something that's been standard which is something that's been discussed<01:08:19.679><c> uh

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Personal and standard PIT exemptions were amended. The food and medical PIT rates were reduced.
• We tax diesel fuel differently than we tax gasoline.
• We tax beer differently than we tax wine, which is different than we tax gasoline.
• Now we have a standard to which several of us have to try and live up to.

Committee: Joint Revenue Stabilization & Tax Policy Committee

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Senate Bill 398 by Senator Foyle, relative to the Uniform Standards Code for Manufactured and
• What we're trying to ensure is that we meet the HUD standards that those homes are designed for.
• We did so absent the federal government having a national standard and a national licensing regime for
• The federal government sets a national standard, then our law will be null and void at that point.
• If that created a standard that we agreed with, then we would let the federal standard supersede it.

Bills: HB744 , HR197 , SB54 , SB79 , SB163 , SB287 , SB375 , SB386 , SB398 , SB469 , SCR5

Committee: House Commerce

Keywords: public utility, common carrier, regulation, Public Service Commission, New Orleans, constitutional amendment, distributed energy, energy storage, electricity demand, virtual power plants, reliability, hurricane resilience, esthetics, cosmetology, hair services, beauty industry, Louisiana regulation, Louisiana Economic Development, sunset law, legislative authority

Transcript Highlights:

• On your standard state-issued...
• But we use the same camera for the standard ID as we do for...
• Department of Defense cybersecurity standards.
• However, the bill you have in front of you does nothing to increase the standards here in Arizona.
• Let us deal with it on the federal level where we have federal standards.

Bills: HB2056 , HB2057 , HB2224 , HB2257 , HB2265 , HB2311 , HB2352 , HB2367 , HB2369 , HB2446 , HB2532 , HB2592 , HB2752 , HB2809 , HB2957

Committee: Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, special plates, centennial, Arizona Department of Transportation, vehicle registration, commercial discounts, Arizona Centennial, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding, Arizona, boating, watercraft licensing, law enforcement

Bills: HB4423 , HB3342 , HB3645 , HB3647 , HB3887 , HB4430 , HB4431 , HB2964 , HB3834

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Medicaid, immigration verification, healthcare access, federal reporting, health care providers, auditing, patient rights, claims, protection from fraud, audit process, error correction, hospice care, physician determination, healthcare standards, symptom management, health information exchange, all-payer claims database, health care transparency, health care costs

Bills: HB4423 , HB3342 , HB3645 , HB3647 , HB3887 , HB4430 , HB4431 , HB2964 , HB3834

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Medicaid, immigration verification, healthcare access, federal reporting, health care providers, auditing, patient rights, claims, protection from fraud, audit process, error correction, hospice care, physician determination, healthcare standards, symptom management, health information exchange, all-payer claims database, health care transparency, health care costs

Summary: The committee first announced several bills would be laid over because sponsors were absent, then took up House Bill 4423, which would require Medicaid applicants to be legal U.S. citizens. After adopting a PCS, members asked whether Medicaid already had citizenship limits, and the bill passed 4-1. House Bill 3342 followed, revising the Health Care Authority audit process; the sponsor said it was based on an Arkansas model, had no fiscal impact, and was intended to be fairer after prior problems. It passed 5-0. House Bill 3645, allowing physicians or other independent doctors to authorize hospice referral when a patient lacks next of kin or is not coherent, also passed 5-0. House Bill 3647, creating an all-payer claims database through the state HIE for greater transparency in medical costs, passed 5-0 after a question about which entities would be included or excluded. House Bill 3887, which removes the requirement for a physician referral every 30 days for continued physical therapy, drew the most discussion. The sponsor said therapists would refer patients back to a physician if treatment was not helping or was outside their scope, while a member raised concerns about delayed diagnosis and suggested adding a timeline; the sponsor said he would be open to further discussion. The bill passed 4-1. House Bill 4430 extended tort claims protection to certain state-employed providers who work for entities such as FQHCs, and House Bill 4431 did the same for nurse practitioners working for state agencies; both passed 5-0. Later, House Bill 2964 changed medical-record copying language from “shall be charged” to “may be charged,” giving facilities discretion on whether to charge patients for copies of their records; it passed 5-0. Finally, House Bill 3834 was heard for research funding on ibogaine therapy for PTSD and related conditions among veterans, firefighters, and police officers. The sponsor said the goal was to allow Oklahoma research, not to remove the substance from controlled status, and a witness described the treatment as a monitored oral session used in Mexico and supported by some studies. The bill passed 5-0, and the chair adjourned the meeting, noting the laid-over bills would likely be heard the following week.

Bills: SB15 , SB9 , SB7 , SB1 , SB2 , SB67 , SB15 , SB9 , SB7

Keywords: real property, fraud, theft, elderly, disabled, statute of limitations, criminal offense, property rights, property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap

Transcript Highlights:

• could lose federal funding if they comply with this provision but fail to meet inclusive service standards
• Would your bill, Senate Bill 7, provide a standard so that every school district and every school board
• A standard statewide policy.

Bills: SB15 , SB9 , SB7 , SB1 , SB2 , SB67 , SB15 , SB9 , SB7

Keywords: real property, fraud, theft, elderly, disabled, statute of limitations, criminal offense, property rights, property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, it's got 15 things listed that they can issue safety standards on today.
• But it would actually augment what you want to do here if 1194 was adopted because it gives standards
• and raising elevation standards.
• . standards and qualifications and can demonstrate proficiency in this skill.
• But it's not codified anywhere, and it's not standardized.

Bills: HB2 , HB1 , HB18 , HB19 , HB20 , HB1 , HB 2 , HB18 , HB19 , HB20

Committee: House Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Keywords: emergency communication, interoperability, grant program, first responders, state council, disaster response, emergency management, mass fatality, justices of the peace, training programs, emergency manager license, volunteer management, justice of the peace training, criminal history checks, state health services, broadband, public safety, disaster preparedness, funding, flood disaster plan

Bills: HB188 , HB265 , HJR35 , HJR47 , SB1901 , HB188 , HB265 , HJR35

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: Texas STRONG defense fund, severance tax revenue, oil and gas revenue, constitutional transfers, rainy day fund, economic stabilization fund, state highway fund, oil and gas production, qualifying county, county grants, water infrastructure, first responders, public safety, DPS staffing, commercial motor vehicle safety, gang violence prevention, human trafficking prevention, economic development, TxDOT grants, school districts

Transcript Highlights:

• The school must meet the same high standards as other Texas law schools, and we explicitly allow partnerships
• And they would basically, you know, come up with some kind of SOP and, you know, a standard that would
• or anything else, because I think that's just a basic blueprint We wanted to do this thing as a standard
• Chairman, Members, House Bill 5294 aims to address the consequence merit-based standards in Texas medical
• for jobs, it becomes more of a good-old-boy network because you don't... don't have any objective standards

Bills: HB1784 , HB2088 , HB3062 , HB3475 , HB3741 , HB4279 , HB4763 , HB5154 , HB5294 , HB5508 , SB1401 , HB232 , HB232

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: students, homeless, foster care, higher education, liaison officer, housing assistance, transition support, law school, Rio Grande Valley, legal education, public university, accreditation, fentanyl prevention, drug poisoning awareness, mental health resources, substance abuse education, El Paso, university system, funding, public education

Transcript Highlights:

• current statute, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs has the oversight to adopt standards
• Currently, the penalty for violations related to the housing standards adopted by the TDHCA is a flat
• anything, members, this bill seeks to ensure that people are able to live in housing that meets minimum standards
• We just want to make sure, this bill just wants to ensure that those who don't meet the standards are
• would expect better conditions in Texas; that's... we're saying here is to make sure that those standards

Bills: SB243 , SB1586 , SB1891 , SB1959 , SB2159 , SB2568

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: migrant labor housing, migrant housing, farmworker housing, migrant agricultural worker, agricultural labor, farm labor contractor, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, TDHCA, civil penalty, housing code enforcement, sanitation, occupancy standards, retaliation, worker complaint, language access, Spanish-language outreach, H-2A visa, temporary agricultural workers, unlicensed housing, rural housing

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, with our standard substation size being about 10,000 horsepower, uh, three of these pads can eat
• We must hold renewables to a standard.
• And this bill would set the standard for how schools, local government, and other entities can become
• I oversee the Professional Standards division, uh, for the agency.
• , standardization for communication for those who are responding to those scenes was not standardized

Bills: HB 1951 , HB 2715 , HB 3092 , HB 3237 , HB 3278 , HB 3511 , HB 3592 , HB 3675 , HB 3778 , HB 3782 , HB 3826 , HB 3970 , HB 4016 , HB 4049 , HB 4341 , HB 4344 , HB 4406 , HB 4427

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, a gigawatt is going to be standard here in the future. Ten gigawatts is coming.
• We must hold renewables to a standard.
• This bill mandates that critical infrastructure facilities provide standardized detailed emergency...
• I oversee the Professional Standards Division for the agency.
• For communication for those who are responding to those scenes was not standardized across the nation

Bills: HB1951 , HB2715 , HB3092 , HB3237 , HB3278 , HB3511 , HB3592 , HB3675 , HB3778 , HB3782 , HB3826 , HB3970 , HB4016 , HB4049 , HB4341 , HB4344 , HB4406 , HB4427

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• The real-world, high-standard training model would not be accessible without them.
• local governments to use project labor agreements (PLAs) on public projects opens the door for lower standards
• I've been able to learn from experienced journeymen and work on high-quality projects that set the standard

Bills: HB1951 , HB2715 , HB3092 , HB3237 , HB3278 , HB3511 , HB3592 , HB3675 , HB3778 , HB3782 , HB3826 , HB3970 , HB4016 , HB4049 , HB4341 , HB4344 , HB4406 , HB4427

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction