Transcript Highlights:

• with your base load with your base load uh<03:10:46.080> energy<03:10:46.720> production
• There was a war on base load There was a war on base load electricity.<03:11:18.080> An<03
• The only way to load in this country.
• As noted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, large voltage-sensitive loads like data
• I yield back my time. customer bills low and powering AI, they customer bills low and powering AI, they

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, September 18, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do they take their liquor through the back door and load it up in a package so to speak we have Deacons
• They land directly on customers, building owners, hospitals, schools, senior living centers, and even
• For the big national companies, that's not a problem, but for us small businesses, it's a heavy load.
• Our winery firm Forge provides custom services and Texas wines to other wineries across Texas and the
• Uh, this is something, frankly, that our customers do not understand.

Transcript Highlights:

• A key issue for the Legislature is to continue to monitor these debt loads to ensure that they remain
• In our sort of our priority list of our large academic projects, every project that gets on that list
• No, and we have several very, very large projects underway.
• This, for us, largely raises a question of prioritization.
• Do you know what the fully loaded rate for the manager is? Or maybe I missed it in all the reading.

Summary: The committee’s first major discussion focused on higher education facilities across UC, CSU, and the community colleges, with Chair Alvarez framing the issue as a final budget hearing before the May Revise. The LAO presented findings that campuses have grown substantially in buildings and square footage, while classroom and lab utilization remains below legislative standards and deferred maintenance backlogs continue to rise. The LAO also emphasized that the state and segments lack comprehensive data on capital renewal spending and recommended better reporting, clearer funding targets, and long-term planning for renewal and maintenance. UC, CSU, and community college representatives each described large five-year capital plans, aging facilities, seismic and deferred maintenance needs, and the role of student housing, while noting that construction costs are rising faster than inflation. Members questioned the segments about debt service, utilization rates, and how projects are prioritized. UC said its debt service tied to state support is about $665 million annually and described a $30 billion five-year capital financial plan, including housing, medical centers, and building renewal. CSU said it has about $31 billion in five-year needs and more than $8 billion in deferred maintenance, with funding coming from a mix of state-related and one-time sources since the state shifted capital responsibility to CSU. Community colleges said their unmet facilities needs total about $33.5 billion and explained their use of a scoring matrix and FUSION system to rank projects. The chair and members pressed all three systems to better distinguish between projects that are truly shovel-ready and those that are long-term needs, and discussed whether facilities condition data, total cost of ownership, and more standardized metrics should guide future bond proposals. The committee then turned to Proposition 2 and the Governor’s proposed community college capital outlay projects. The Department of Finance said Prop. 2 provides $1.5 billion for community colleges and that the Governor’s budget proposes 29 projects, with two continuing Prop. 51 projects also included. The LAO supported the overall use of the funds but raised concerns about the current 65/35 split between modernization and growth, the unusually large share of gymnasium projects, and some scoring metrics that favor larger campuses and certain regions. Community college officials said the scoring system was developed through participatory governance and would take one to two years to revise, but they supported the funding and agreed to follow up on questions about project categories and the rationale for the weighting. Members also suggested giving more weight to modernization, regional access, and intersegmental or collaborative projects. A final item addressed the CalKids program. The Department of Finance proposed $56,000 ongoing General Fund for three positions, while the LAO recommended approving two positions but rejecting a manager position until the current $7.5 million marketing campaign is evaluated. ScholarShare’s executive director said CalKids has enrolled more than 5 million children, with nearly 600,000 claims and over $45 million distributed, and argued that additional staff and outreach are needed to reach a goal of 1 million claimed scholarships by the end of 2025 and to implement AB 2808. Members asked about marketing effectiveness, data sharing, and eligibility rules, and the program said it is expanding partnerships with Cradle to Career and CSAC. No final vote was taken in the hearing, and the chair indicated the facilities item would be held open.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also moving beyond systems, not just looking at large systems, small systems, but also domestic wells
• So we have largely added a lot of energy.
• How much is the load? So we are able to adequately bake that risk into the forecast.
• Kara Martinson, on behalf of the Large Scale Solar Association, in strong support.
• Kara Martinson on behalf of the Large Scale Solar Association in strong support.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The customer puts the cash in, they get their card.
• > in,<00:26:44.680> they<00:26:44.840> get customer puts the cash in, they get customer
• We're going to load it up. Senator, feel free to explain the amendment.
• We're going to load<02:30:06.120> it<02:30:06.240> up.
• <02:30:06.680> Senator, load it up. Senator, load it up.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Friday, April 10, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate reconvened with a quorum and began by reading House messages and first-reading bills, including SB 8 on identity fraud and deepfakes and HB 145 on election misinformation and deepfakes, which was referred to Rules. The chamber then handled several concurrence and conference matters. On HB 154, the Open Meetings Act bill for county boards of education, the Senate initially moved to recede from its amendments and accept the House version, but debate centered on a Senate transparency amendment limiting school boards’ ability to censor recordings. A motion to reconsider the amendments was laid over for 15 minutes. On SB 514, a third-degree assault bill, the House refused to recede and a conference committee was appointed. A guest introduction also welcomed a 10-month-old visitor to the gallery. In second-reader business, the Senate adopted committee amendments and advanced SB 504, which strengthens data privacy protections and limits use of personal data for immigration enforcement, and SB 790, the Public Health Reform Act, which revises the Commission on Public Health, updates the Maryland Medical Reserve Corps, adds health equity review processes, and makes related administrative changes. Both bills were reported favorably with technical and conforming amendments and ordered printed for third reading. The chamber then took up HB 191, which would require merchants to accept cash for essential consumer goods and set related rules and exceptions; members questioned its scope, exemptions, and enforcement, and the bill was laid over pending clarification about whether stadiums are covered. Finally, HB 564 on pet cremation and burial services added consumer protection and disclosure requirements for pet cremation providers; its technical amendment was adopted and the bill was ordered passed for third reading.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:42:36.640> number perhaps there are not um a large number perhaps there are not um a large
• Because there is a very, I would say, a large shortage of the skilled people necessary for our trade
• enough to contain all the wasn't large enough to contain all the students<02:17:04.760> so<02
• say very one of them has a very large say very one of them has a very large endowment<03:39:56.880
• You saw the load on it last year, you know, the load of bills which we came in and we had virtually no

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard HB 295, which would make school building aid funds non-lapsing/non-APS. Representative Cahill said the bill was intended to keep any unused building aid money available for future projects, potentially helping move projects up the priority list or provide a little more funding for school construction. Members asked about how much money has lapsed in past years, whether the education trust fund and building aid are separate, and whether any lapsing dollars could be used to pay down debt. Department of Education official Jim Carney said about $29.1 million would be available if building aid is funded to the $50 million maximum in FY26, confirmed that the fund currently lapses, and said the department would gather historical lapse data. Committee members also discussed whether a dedicated fund structure could achieve the same goal, and the chair noted that the education trust fund statute includes school building aid as one of its uses. No vote was taken; the hearing was closed and the committee said it would later hold a work session after receiving more information. The committee then took up HB 237, introduced by Representative Dan McGuire, which would prohibit the use of special education state funds and differentiated aid for students not receiving special education services. The New Hampshire School Boards Association, through Becky Wilson, opposed the bill as written, saying it was unclear, potentially unnecessary, and difficult to implement because adequacy and differentiated aid are distributed as part of a districtwide lump sum rather than as student-specific dollars. She explained that special education costs are embedded across district budgets, including staffing, training, transportation, and instruction, and that some staff and services benefit both special education and general education students. Wilson also said differentiated aid is not tied to a specific pupil and is used at the district’s discretion, though it is intended to support students with greater needs. Committee members pressed on whether the bill would require districts to track money by individual student, whether it could conflict with federal special education law, and whether it would affect least restrictive environment requirements. Wilson said making the funds student-specific could create privacy and accounting problems and could make it difficult to staff inclusive classrooms, though she did not give a definitive legal opinion on federal compliance. She agreed that students who are not eligible for special education would not be included in the separate catastrophic/special education aid reimbursement program. The discussion continued into the second section of the bill, with members exploring how adequacy aid and differentiated aid are used in practice, but no action was taken during the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's quite large, gonna be a huge driver for us.
• Uh, we, they are large and getting larger all the time.
• But now the cost is not a couple of loads of rock to fill in the hole.
• This is largely a federal issue, but I just want to mention it.
• And largely they're not inspecting that. A lot of cities have those requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:45:04.440> increase would I mean that's a large increase would I mean that's a large increase
• establish in out of the entire case load establish in out of the entire case load universe<00:54
• The Bureau of Family Assistance is actually made up of two large parts.
• The Bureau of Family Assistance is actually made up of two large parts.
• <01:45:51.320> of step away i' I've got loads of step away i' I've got loads of contractors

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a Division 3 budget work session focused on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Economic Stability. Karen Hebert, the division director, and Nathan White, DHHS chief financial officer, walked members through the governor’s operating budget pages and a briefing book, explaining that the division was consolidated in 2018 and serves programs aimed at financial stability, poverty reduction, child care access, and related supports. Members repeatedly asked for clearer breakdowns of general fund spending, historical growth since consolidation, and how the division’s broad mission areas map onto specific budget lines. A major portion of the discussion centered on the Bureau of Child Development and Head Start collaboration and the child care subsidy program. Hebert said the child care scholarship/subsidy helps low- and moderate-income families access daycare so parents can work, attend school, or receive treatment, and that eligibility is based on state median income up to 85%. She reported a 45% increase in utilization, 4,032 children receiving daycare support as of the end of January, and about 15% of eligible children being served. She also described the quality improvement system “Granite Steps for Quality,” with 160 providers enrolled out of 717 licensed programs, and noted that 1,200 child care professionals added credentials in the last year. Members pressed for cost-benefit information, asking for data on how much the state pays, how many providers and children are served, and whether the department could quantify unmet need. The witnesses said some projects were funded with short-term ARPA child care dollars and that detailed cost data for specific examples, such as the Gorm Community Learning Center expansion, would need to be looked up. They also explained that the child care fund is a federal block grant with required spending set-asides of 9% for quality, 3% for infants and toddlers, and up to 5% for administration, and that unused funds remain available. The committee also reviewed slide 10’s accounting units, including that the Child Care Workforce Fund is 100% general funds and was created as a priority item under HB 2 from the 2024 session, while some other child care-related units are 100% federal funds.

Transcript Highlights:

• , heavy loads.
• safety when I bring my heavily loaded safety when I bring my heavily loaded bicycle<00:24:44.520
• a population of customer within your state<01:46:44.360> substantial<01:46:45.000> customer
• <01:46:45.560> population state substantial customer population state substantial customer
• inspection report that every customer inspection report that every customer gets<03:52:25.159>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Transportation Committee opened its public hearing with HB 249, sponsored by Representative Seth Miller, which would allow bicycles, human-powered vehicles, and electric bicycles to treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs in certain situations. Miller argued the bill would improve cyclist safety and traffic flow at no cost to the state, citing Idaho and Delaware as examples where similar laws were associated with fewer injuries and crashes. He emphasized that the proposal would remain optional for cyclists, who would still be required to yield to cross traffic and obey right-of-way rules, and said the bill is intended to help riders maintain momentum and avoid the instability that comes from repeatedly starting from a full stop. Committee members raised concerns about uncertainty for drivers and pedestrians, liability, and whether the bill would create a special class of road users with different rules. Representative Crawford asked about the red-light left turn language, and Miller explained it was included because bicycles may not trigger some traffic signals. Representative Hill questioned how other road users would know what a cyclist intended to do at an intersection, and Representative Gon noted the bill did not appear to address liability the way some motorcycle-related laws do. Miller responded that cyclists would still be expected to yield appropriately and said he would be open to an amendment if liability language was needed. Representative Emble also questioned whether the bill would create a special vehicle class, and Miller replied that bicycles already have different roadway rules and that the bill was meant to improve safety and flow. Several supporters testified in favor of the bill. Michael Frank, a cyclist and League cycling instructor from Spofford, said he regularly rides a cargo bike for errands and that stopping fully at intersections leaves him exposed longer and makes it harder to restart on hills. He said the bill would let cyclists slow, assess traffic, and proceed safely while maintaining momentum, and noted that he had not personally received a ticket for rolling through a stop sign, though he had been warned by police. Tim Blagden, former head of the Bike-Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, said the bill reflects how many people already ride, saves energy, and helps bicycles move through intersections faster and more safely. No vote or committee action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:26.079> scale<00:09:26.480> data qualified large scale data qualified large
• <00:10:03.040> scale<00:10:03.320> data these large scale data these large scale data
• what is defined as really the large what is defined as really the large scale<00:13:21.760> data
• creates a new category of large-scale creates a new category of large-scale data<00:15:50.600>
• power customers in particular, so we have a lot of experience working with large power companies that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And with that change, we think it helps everybody, makes it less burdensome for the customer to take
• There's also aspects of the EPP, they call it, that have to do with load.
• I guess particularly, we are talking about fairly large projects here.
• They may be as large as 3,000 acres.
• And these are large batteries. These are like e-bike batteries, and they can do a lot of damage.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no parking for any of their customers.
• They do just a great job of delivering that customer service.
• Key offices are largely in the Publix supermarkets across the Key offices are largely in the Publix supermarkets
• We know that that's, you know, really large available amount of space.
• And we're looking at new training program options for our customers.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, that's why you see a large ending balance there.
• The regulatory components of this, how large are these areas, how large are these units, the infrastructure
• The customers today want it, as I said earlier, fast, cheap, integrated.
• That line is that frontline customer, and that person is the customer of that bank today.
• Right in the middle, and credit unions, that line is that frontline customer and that person is the customer

Summary: The committee took roll, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a compliance-report update on the Industrial Commission and related funds and programs. Staff reviewed the status of one-time appropriations and grant programs, including electric grid resiliency, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the salt cavern business-case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members asked about funding balances, reimbursement timing, matching requirements, and how some commitments would affect the State Investment Fund and future biennia. Industrial Commission staff then gave a broader update on the agency’s administrative office, grant management system, leadership transitions at several commission agencies, and active grant rounds. They reported that the grant management system is nearing completion, that several agency leadership searches have concluded, and that the commission’s grant programs currently have 108 active grants totaling more than $165 million. They also described the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority round, the oil and gas research program’s enhanced oil recovery awards, the grid resiliency grants, the salt cavern study, and the research technology park program, noting that some projects are awaiting federal funds or additional matching cash. Ron Ness, speaking for the Oil and Gas Research Council, focused on the state of the oil industry and the enhanced oil recovery “Bakken 2.0” effort. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on better infrastructure, longer laterals, and new EOR methods such as CO2, natural gas, and surfactants. He emphasized the importance of the Bakkeneast pipeline and related gas-utilization projects, the recent DOE funding that will return some money to the research council, and the need to modernize tax and incentive rules for CO2-based recovery. Members discussed the potential economic benefits for oil, agriculture, and manufacturing. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and a broader strategic update. Bank leadership reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, participation lending, student lending, disaster programs, and legislatively directed programs, and said the bank is managing for a flatter deposit base and stronger liquidity because of fintech competition and changing market conditions. They reported improved earnings, with net income rising to about $231 million, and described Rough Rider Coin as a new internal payment rail for North Dakota banks and credit unions, not a public cryptocurrency. Members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster lending, and the bank’s capacity to support state programs while maintaining its balance-sheet and liquidity requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• How large the trade, it doesn't matter how speculative the transaction.
• But I want to know when they're purchasing property, when they're purchasing large amounts of equipment
• SB 4269 by Perez of El Paso, relating to the bill payment assistance program for utility customers offered
• HB 4290 by Drew Darby, relating to the qualifying code generator that serves a large load.
• HB 4367 by Turner, relating to the use of a load management program to meet an electric utility's energy

Bills: HJR4, HJR6, HB195, HB 13, HB143, HB135

Keywords: occupation tax, securities, financial regulation, tax exemption, legislative amendment, capital gains tax, realized gains, unrealized gains, investment income, asset sale, capital assets, wealth tax, estate tax, trust tax, tax limitation, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, property tax, sales tax

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, largely except for subsurface, these fee increases were really to offset general funds.
• And those fees have largely remained unchanged for a significant period of time.
• And those fees have largely remained unchanged for a significant period of time.
• And those fees have largely remained unchanged for a significant period of time.
• for each public maximum case load for each public defender<01:53:41.320> office.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's been a tax load, a big taxing load on their staff, um, both emotionally and physically, resource-wise
• It's been a tax load, a big taxing load on their staff, um, both emotionally and physically, resource-wise
• :09:56.800> on<01:09:56.960> their a tax load a a big taxing load on their a tax load a
• Are there large jumps at that time? Are there large mill increases? What does that look like?
• <03:07:42.479> Are there large jumps at that time? Are there large jumps at that time?

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Teachers managing large classrooms often rely on screens as a practical tool, even when those moments
• Um, and I'd like to talk just briefly about cognitive load and multitasking. about cognitive load and
• And I know that, um, often technology can either reduce unnecessary cognitive load or increase it.
• Chairman, that was great to hear from an actual customer, a recent customer of our education system.
• That is a very loaded question, and I wish I had all the answers.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their caseloads are very large, and they get larger by the day.
• animals, very, very large animals.
• Carfentanil, which is another large animal tranquilizer that is not restricted to the public.
• We have these abandoned RVs, these cars, where our customers don't want to come.
• We have these abandoned RVs, these cars, where our customers don't want to come.

Summary: The committee heard several public safety bills, with testimony split between supporters who framed the measures as targeted fixes and opponents who warned about overcriminalization and unintended consequences. SB 701, by Senator Wahab, drew support from law enforcement and local government groups, who said state law lacks a tool to address the conduct at issue; the ACLU opposed it as duplicative of existing law, while public defenders said they may withdraw opposition after amendments. Because there was no quorum at that point, the bill was held open without a vote. SB 834, by Senator DeRazzo, was presented as a technical cleanup bill to improve California’s automatic record clearance system by preventing outdated “pending” charges from blocking relief, requiring local court records to match DOJ records, and creating a way for people to obtain proof of relief. It received broad support from criminal justice reform and defense organizations, with no opposition, and the chair indicated support, but no final action was taken during the hearing. SB 248, by Senator Rubio, would require DOJ to send new gun purchasers educational materials during the waiting period about safe storage, suicide prevention, domestic violence, and related resources; supporters called it common-sense education, while one opponent argued the information is already available. The committee voted the bill out on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, but it remained on call pending one additional vote. Senator Rubio’s SB 19, the Safe Schools and Places of Worship Act, would create a new offense for credible threats against schools or houses of worship even when no specific individual is named. Supporters, including law enforcement and Jewish community advocates, said current law leaves a loophole and that the bill would help prevent panic and resource-draining lockdowns; opponents from civil liberties and youth justice groups argued existing law already covers threats and that the bill would worsen the school-to-prison pipeline. After a motion and second, the committee voted due pass to Appropriations, with the measure also left on call. Later, SB 759 by Senator Archuleta, prompted by the killing of Whittier Officer Keith Boyer, would require a court hearing after a third supervision violation or new offense for people on post-release community supervision; supporters said it adds accountability, while opponents said it removes probation discretion and could increase jail and court burdens. The bill passed due pass to Appropriations and was reported as passing. The committee also heard SB 6 by Senator Ashby, which would schedule xylazine as a controlled substance while preserving veterinary use. Supporters, including veterinarians, law enforcement, and a parent who lost a son to a drug-related death, said the drug is increasingly present in fentanyl mixtures and needs to be controlled; opponents from drug policy and civil liberties groups argued scheduling would criminalize users, hinder research, and repeat failed drug-war policies. After extensive debate, the committee voted the bill out due pass to Appropriations, and it passed. Finally, SB 11, the AI Abuse Protection Act, was introduced to regulate AI-generated voice, image, and video replicas, with supporters emphasizing protection against deepfakes and nonconsensual images; the California Chamber of Commerce opposed unless amended, seeking narrower definitions and limits on consumer warnings. The hearing ended while SB 11 was still under discussion, with no final vote reflected in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• it's projected load. it's projected load.
• It's largely technical in nature.
• Uh largely technical in nature. today. Uh largely technical in nature.
• It does not exempt large morning.
• It largely identify what that does.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And we don't see large..." "...differences between urban and rural.
• Basic food benefits are a large part of our state’s food ecosystem.”
• , and distribute large-volume quantities of food out into the state's hunger relief system.
• , and distribute large volume quantities of foods out into the state's hunger relief system.
• We know that it was a very short amount of time to cover a very large topic.

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a work session on food systems and food security, with no public testimony. The first panel focused on household food security and data. Marie Spiker of the University of Washington explained what food insecurity means, its health impacts, and the importance of reliable measurement, warning that the federal Census food security data is being terminated and that there is no true replacement. She described Washington’s WaFOOD surveys as a useful complement, not a substitute, and noted that they show food insecurity affects households at a range of income levels. Katie Raines of WSDA described the state’s food systems work, the need for shared data and dashboards, and the role of agriculture in both food production and the hunger safety net. Committee members asked about the $2.2 million state food assistance allocation, the scale of the SNAP gap, and how household size, housing costs, and other factors intersect with food insecurity. The committee then heard from Tracy Roof of the University of Richmond on the history of SNAP and its relationship to agriculture. She traced the program from Depression-era commodity distribution through the modern farm bill, emphasizing that food assistance has long functioned both as anti-hunger policy and as an agricultural and economic stabilizer. She highlighted how SNAP expands during recessions, supports retailers and farmers, and has become more important since the Great Recession because participation stayed high even as the economy recovered. Roof also noted that Washington has relatively high SNAP participation and low payment error rates, but that recent federal changes could reduce eligibility and shift more costs to states. Members asked how Washington compares to other states and why the program is structured as it is. A later panel featured the Washington State Food Policy Forum and a joint systems presentation from the Washington Farm Bureau, Washington Retail Association, and Washington Food Industry Association. The Food Policy Forum described its consensus-based recommendations on food insecurity, climate and water, regional food infrastructure, farmland protection, and farm viability, including more support for producer purchasing, water planning, and farmland conservation. The industry groups presented a systems map showing how agriculture, processing, retail, and transportation are interconnected, and argued that rising costs, regulations, labor and fuel expenses, retail theft, and thin margins make it harder to keep farms and stores viable. They said food security depends on store viability and local agricultural profitability, and promised to provide a more detailed list of policy recommendations. The final panel included state agency staff from DSHS, DOH, and WSDA. Bryce Montgomery said the Basic Food program serves about 920,000 Washingtonians monthly and warned that H.R. 1 could require Washington to pay up to 15% of SNAP benefits, broaden work requirements, and restrict immigrant eligibility. Karen Mullen described DOH nutrition programs, including WIC, farmers market nutrition benefits, fruit and vegetable incentives, and a fruit-and-vegetable prescription program, while noting funding instability and the end of SNAP-Ed. WSDA’s Katie Raines began describing ongoing food assistance and farmer support challenges, including farmer mental health and the need to address food insecurity across both producers and consumers.