Transcript Highlights:

• One of the farms we work with, Alpha and Omega Organic Farm, was able to lease additional acreage to
• One of the farms we work with, Alpha and Omega Organic Farm, was able to lease additional acreage to
• Although I have access to land with a year-to-year lease, I have no security on any of the properties
• With shifting market landscapes, increased lease and business expenses, all the while trying to grow
• Another thing is for our vehicles.

Summary: The joint oversight hearing of the Assembly Human Services and Agriculture Committees focused on food insecurity in California, with members and witnesses discussing the state’s nutrition safety net, food access barriers, and the connection between agriculture and hunger. Opening remarks emphasized that California’s high agricultural output contrasts with widespread food insecurity, especially among families with children, communities of color, farmworkers, and other low-wage workers. Members also raised concern about federal policy changes, including possible cuts to nutrition programs, immigration enforcement impacts on farm labor, tariffs, and the need to protect state and federal food assistance resources. Testimony from the Department of Food and Agriculture highlighted several state programs aimed at improving access to fresh food and supporting local producers, including the California Nutrition Incentive Program, senior farmers’ market nutrition, healthy refrigeration grants, community food hubs, farm-to-school, urban agriculture, and a new tribal food sovereignty effort. Officials said these programs help stretch CalFresh and WIC dollars, expand healthy options in corner stores and farmers’ markets, and build infrastructure such as refrigeration, mobile markets, and aggregation hubs. The Department of Social Services described CalFresh, CFAP, Sun Bucks, CACFP, TEFAP, CalFood, emergency food boxes, and tribal nutrition grants, noting that CalFresh participation has risen to about 81% of eligible Californians and that the state has taken steps such as simplified applications for older adults and outreach in multiple languages. Witnesses and members discussed the need to reduce administrative barriers, improve call center service, and keep benefits aligned with inflation. Research testimony from PPIC said 13% of California households experienced food insecurity in 2023, with higher rates among households with children and Latino, Black, and other households of color. The researcher said CalFresh, school meals, and WIC reduce both food insecurity and poverty, but federal rules, immigration-related eligibility limits, and California’s high cost of living constrain their reach. In the second panel, farmers, food hub operators, and food system advocates described how local procurement, food banks, and institutional markets can support both hungry households and small farms. Speakers pointed to pandemic-era programs such as USDA’s food box and local food purchasing efforts as models, while warning that short-term funding and market consolidation threaten long-term resilience. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken during the hearing; members used the session for oversight, questions, and discussion of possible budget and policy follow-up.

Transcript Highlights:

• ADOT and the Motor Vehicle Division.
• Yeah, Chairman and members, do you know how many vehicles, how many off-highway vehicles, will be in
• off-highway vehicle fund.
• off-highway vehicle fund.
• vehicle use. ...for access roads for off-highway vehicle recreation facilities and off-highway vehicle

Committee: Joint Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Study Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> the leasing, the leasing, is<00:24:32.000><c> look</c><00:24:32.240><c> at</c><00:24:32.320><c>
• leasing leasing you<00:52:41.400><c> know</c><00:52:41.480><c> we</c><00:52:41.640><c> can't</c><00:
• The Mineral Leasing Act authorized federal leasing of public lands for private extraction of oil, gas
• c> authorized</c> The Mineral Leasing Act authorized The Mineral Leasing Act authorized federal<01:08
• lease where the lease the state when the lease where the lease was<01:08:49.640><c> located.

Committee: Joint Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• DISAGREEMENT I THINK RIGHT NOW OVER GRANULAR ISSUES OF WHEN YOU GET CERTAIN THINGS SUCH AS LEGAL LEASES
• THE VEHICLE MUST MEET CERTAIN OTHER REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
• RAMP VEHICLES DO NOT EXIST VERY MUCH AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
• WITHOUT ADEQUATE SPACE I CANNOT EXIT MY VEHICLE SAFELY MY WHEELCHAIR AND IN SOME CASES I CANNOT EXIT
• IF YOU'RE SITTING OUTSIDE A NICE RESTAURANT AND THE VEHICLES GO BY AND IT IS SO MUCH ROWDINESS.

Committee: House Commerce Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• requirements secondary offenses and requires the FWC and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• manufacturers program, which can provide discounts for program participants on sovereign submerged land leases
• or waivers of extended-term lease surcharges.
• If they do not pay back that money, then their right to register a vehicle or a vessel is taken away
• Yes, ma'am, just their right to register a vehicle or a vessel. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Okay.

Committee: Senate Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee first considered the appointment of Joshua Kellam to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Kellam described his background with Garcia Companies, emphasized his conservation interests and land stewardship work, and addressed concerns about his development ties, the commission’s composition, the recent black bear hunt vote, and a prior Yes on 2 campaign supported by the Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Supporters said he is a conservation-minded landowner and good steward of large acreage, while opponents argued the commission is already overrepresented by developers and lacks scientific or conservation expertise. After debate, the committee voted to recommend his confirmation, with Senators Smith and Arrington voting no and the rest of the members present voting yes. The committee then received an FWC implementation update on recently enacted boating and waterways legislation. FWC staff reviewed five laws: the Boater Freedom Act (SB 1388), Vessel Accountability (SB 164), Lucy’s Law/Boating Safety (HB 289), Disposition of Migrant Vessels (SB 830), and Water Access Facilities (HB 735). The presentation covered new rules on vessel stops, safety decals, Springs Protection Zones, derelict and at-risk vessel enforcement, long-term anchoring permits, tougher boating penalties, removal of migrant vessels, and grants for boating access infrastructure. Staff said rulemaking and officer training were underway, with some provisions already effective and others scheduled to take effect later in 2025 or January 2026. Members asked follow-up questions about derelict vessel cost recovery and the new Springs Protection Zone standard. FWC explained that responsible owners must reimburse removal costs and can lose vessel registration privileges if they do not pay. On Springs Protection Zones, staff said the new law raises the threshold from any harm to significant harm and requires vessel activity to be the predominant cause, with subject matter experts and partner agencies helping make that determination. Senator Smith questioned whether the higher standard makes protections harder to establish and asked about Silver Glen Springs; FWC said that proposal was paused and would be revisited under the new criteria. The committee took no further action and adjourned after the presentation.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill ensures that any privately owned vehicle rented or leased to a government agency for the purposes
• It was very unclear from the vehicles themselves.
• It was very unclear from the vehicles themselves.
• It was very unclear from the vehicles themselves.
• They're often in unmarked vehicles. This is a real problem.

Committee: House Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• We added a second vehicle because most families nowadays need two vehicles to go to work and to bring
• fees, local governments may levy to fund Office of Motor Vehicles field offices.
• fees, local governments may levy to fund Office of Motor Vehicles field offices.
• vehicles registered outside the state.
• by allowing law enforcement to impound vehicles registered in other states.

Bills: HR70 , HR71 , HCR35 , HB31 , HB326 , HB1013 , HB1014 , HB1015 , HB1016 , HR65 , HR66 , HR67 , HR68 , HR69 , HCR33 , HCR34 , HB1006 , HB1007 , HB1008 , HB1010 , HB1011 , SB2 , SB13 , SB24 , SB28 , SB40 , SB47 , SB48 , SB70 , SB79 , SB80 , SB109 , SB127 , SB139 , SB154 , SB181 , SB199 , SB200 , SB208 , SB277 , SB317 , SB336 , SB349 , SB357 , HR15 , HR20 , HCR14 , HB51 , HB58 , HB69 , HB82 , HB93 , HB143 , HB166 , HB199 , HB201 , HB202 , HB218 , HB222 , HB223 , HB224 , HB231 , HB235 , HB246 , HB338 , HB349 , HB352 , HB379 , HB405 , HB429 , HB535 , HB547 , HB577 , HB588 , HB626 , HB636 , HB652 , HB653 , HB669 , HB688 , HB691 , HB721 , HB738 , HB749 , HB806 , HB843 , HB851 , HB857 , HB861 , HB889 , HB904 , HB907 , HB908 , HB929 , HB955 , HB1009 , HB952 , HB8 , HB9 , HB10 , HB15 , HB16 , HB17 , HB18 , HB19 , HB22 , HB33 , HB34 , HB35 , HB44 , HB46 , HB47 , HB48 , HB61 , HB101 , HB126 , HB135 , HB142 , HB164 , HB185 , HB215 , HB226 , HB232 , HB233 , HB242 , HB284 , HB292 , HB297 , HB301 , HB334 , HB436 , HB468 , HB548 , HB571 , HB582 , HB593 , HB594 , HB609 , HB613 , HB712 , HB722 , HB732 , HB746 , HB827 , HB845 , HB848 , HB921 , HB923 , HB951 , HB953 , HB999 , HB53 , HB57 , HB64 , HB102 , HB106 , HB111 , HB137 , HB152 , HB155 , HB177 , HB238 , HB256 , HB258 , HB337 , HB359 , HB363 , HB386 , HB434 , HB546 , HB557 , HB584 , HB661 , HB697 , HB726 , HB727 , HB747 , HB756 , HB758 , HB759 , HB765 , HB767 , HB825 , HB858 , HB930 , HB941 , HB957 , HB964 , HB868 , HB119 , HB140 , HB739 , HB842 , HB875 , HB919 , HB52 , HB228 , HB289 , HB735 , HB796 , HB901 , HB193 , HB400 , HB570 , HB733

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, heard a prayer and pledge, adopted the journal, and received Senate messages, committee reports, and a large number of bill introductions and committee referrals. Several resolutions were adopted without objection, including condolences, commendations, and designations such as Jeanerette as the French bread capital of Louisiana and recognition of Women’s History Month. The chamber also received numerous House and Senate bills for referral, many involving retirement systems, education, transportation, criminal justice, natural resources, and local government matters. The floor then moved through a long series of House bills, with many local and retirement measures passing unanimously or near-unanimously. Among the bills discussed were changes to retirement systems for district attorneys, clerks of court, sheriffs and deputies, assessors, and municipal police employees; local court jurisdiction and commissioner authority; bankruptcy and succession thresholds; civil procedure revisions; and measures on election administration, public records, seafood labeling and safety, state symbols, and OMV fees. Members asked questions on several bills, especially about fiscal impact, retirement governance, and procedural changes, but most bills advanced with little opposition. A few bills were returned to the calendar, including HB 9, HB 61, HB 126, HB 185, HB 233, HB 284, HB 301, HB 436, HB 468, HB 582, HB 613, and HB 722. The House also considered bills affecting education, labor, health, and public safety, including employment certificates for minors, student questionnaires and hazing procedures, a state seal of fine arts diploma, Louisiana Works reauthorization, naloxone immunity, veterans’ medical-record fee waivers, and a bill creating a privacy protection act for sex offense victims. Several measures drew brief debate over fairness, administrative burden, or humanitarian concerns, such as a bill requiring a Rule 10.1 conference before requests for admissions are deemed admitted, and a bill allowing OMV fee waivers in emergency or humanitarian situations. Most of the bills taken up on the floor passed, often by wide margins, with a few receiving a small number of dissenting votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• penalty assessment program for using a private entity to collect unpaid penalties or to impound vehicles
• Senate Bill 96, introduced by Senator Jaramillo, an act relating to off-highway motor vehicles, amending
• Amending definitions concerning tires and vehicle size.
• Requiring the Motor Vehicle Division of the Taxation and Revenue Department to maintain applications
• . to reduce the cost of transportation and delivery for sale of zero-emission vehicles.

Transcript Highlights:

• This amendment authorizes off-highway vehicles to be used on the beach to remove rental equipment when
• The amendment authorizes the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to issue expectant mother
• and franchise motor vehicle dealers.
• and franchise motor vehicle dealers.
• Both suspects exited the vehicle. Both suspects exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several introductions recognizing guests, students, advocates, and a resolution honoring the late USF men’s basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim. Senators also observed moments of silence for victims of recent campus violence and for former FSU President John Thrasher. The chamber then moved to special order bills, with several members explaining measures and, in some cases, substituting House companions before final passage. Among the bills passed were measures updating child care and early learning provider regulation; strengthening penalties and cost recovery for false reporting and swatting; extending protections against extraordinary medical debt collection; expanding hazardous walking condition criteria for schoolchildren; creating young adult housing support for foster and homeless students; and requiring private schools participating in the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program to disclose which accommodations they will provide. The Senate also passed a bill adjusting interest rules for trust accounts funding legal aid, after extended debate over the impact on legal aid funding and banking practices, and a transportation package that was heavily amended to address issues such as school bus camera hearings, beach vehicle use for equipment removal, flooded-street wake restrictions, expectant mother parking permits, micromobility regulation, and traffic signal modernization. The chamber also approved public-records exemptions for Agency for Health Care Administration investigators, Judicial Qualifications Commission employees, and appellate court clerks; a municipal water and sewer rate bill affecting Miami-Dade residents near a plant; motor vehicle offenses involving impersonating law enforcement and obscured license plates; trespass penalties at law-enforcement-controlled locations and large ticketed venues; refund requirements for patient overpayments; stem cell therapy authorization with source and consent limits; and insulin administration authority for direct support professionals and relatives in group homes. Several bills were temporarily postponed, including cardiac emergencies, chemicals and consumer products, and motor vehicle manufacturer/franchise dealer legislation. Most measures passed with strong bipartisan support, though the trust fund interest bill drew notable opposition and passed 28-10, and the Family Empowerment Scholarship bill passed 37-1.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is then a PILOT agreement and a PILOT lease between the H.E.B. and the investor or developer, the
• And that lease is really the legal document. The developer, the property owner.
• And that lease is really the legal document that governs the arrangement.
• The purchase price then becomes the original value in the lease, and the lease has a resale formula that
• generations, such as owner occupancy and to limit any form of sub-leasing.

Committee: Senate Housing

Summary: The committee heard presentations on several housing finance and permitting tools. Chattanooga described its payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) affordable housing program, which ties property tax abatements to the number and affordability level of units provided, using a calculator based on market rents and HUD affordability levels. Senators asked about the 15-year term, auditing, and whether the program was attracting private market-rate developers; the presenter said the first mixed-income project would include 278 units with 42 affordable units and that annual compliance monitoring is conducted. Shoreline then described its MFTE and inclusionary housing approach, emphasizing that longer 20-year exemptions helped make projects pencil out and that most recent development has clustered around light rail station areas; city staff said they will study whether the program should be adjusted further and noted the importance of the new state inclusionary housing law. The Department of Commerce and MRSC discussed tax increment financing, proportional impact fees, and the CHIP program. Commerce explained that TIF can fund public improvements such as roads, utilities, parks, broadband, and some affordable housing or child care facilities, but jurisdictions should only use it when development is likely to occur and the public benefit justifies the investment. On impact fees, Commerce said fees should be proportional to the actual infrastructure demand of a project and based on capital facility plans; it also noted that fee reductions for affordable housing must be backfilled through CHIP. Senators asked for more information on CHIP funding levels, project selection, and how much of it supports affordable housing. Commerce also presented the first annual permit-timelines report under the 2023 permitting reforms, saying 2024 data showed timelines still exceeding statutory goals and that future reports will examine factors such as paper versus electronic processing and local reform efforts. Auburn and Bellevue highlighted local permitting innovations. Auburn said it has moved to fully electronic review, uses MyBuildingPermit.com, has internal performance standards, and offers a stock-plan program that can cut later review to about a week; staff said most stamped plans still require at least two review cycles and that the city is watching how middle-housing code changes affect development. Bellevue described a pilot with GovStream AI to use artificial intelligence for pre-application assistance, document triage, and plan-review support, with the goal of reducing back-and-forth and improving application quality. Finally, Seattle presented a pilot for accessory dwelling unit co-development in which a mission-driven partner would finance, build, and manage backyard ADUs for homeowners, with the owner eventually buying out the partner; senators raised questions about rent-setting, management fees, liability, and what happens if a homeowner sells early. The committee also heard from community land trust representatives, who explained how ground leases and resale restrictions keep homes permanently affordable and allow public subsidies to serve multiple generations.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> vehicle to accelerate further. vehicle to accelerate further.
• . vehicle. vehicle.
• </c> for a person who lends, rents, or leases for a person who lends, rents, or leases a<00:37:54.280
• Um, and also costs related to a new field agent for the unit for vehicle leasing and cell phone. then
• </c> uh with Driver and Vehicle Services. uh with Driver and Vehicle Services.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• I know there's 1,061 acres in Sahuarita that's up for lease in May. It's a 30-year lease.
• I don't ever remember a 30-year lease. Farmers and ranchers get 10 years.
• Solar, that's a commercial leasing issue.
• Solar, that's a commercial leasing issue.
• And maybe you could put me in touch with whoever is in the solar lease.

Bills: SB1137 , SB1176 , SB1287 , SB1335 , SB1336 , SB1445 , SB1677

Committees: House Natural Resources, Energy & Water , House House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee of Reference

Keywords: underground utilities, utility locating, dig safe, call before you dig, excavation safety, damage prevention, one-call center, locate request, white lining, large project coordination, buried infrastructure, subsurface utilities, utility marking, locator wire, locator strip, interactive positive response system, landlord duties, apartment community, mobile home park, sewer line

Transcript Highlights:

• was designed to maintain the historic inshore day-boat characteristics, and they operate through leasing
• Permit leasing is the allowance to lease quota between permits.
• This would allow for the purchase or leasing of quota to increase an individual vessel's limit.
• that, it would come about, I'm assuming, as an amendment to the Scallop FMP, is that, or how is the vehicle
• Yeah, the vehicle that was considered last year was a joint action between the Scallop plan and the Habitat

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs

Summary: The joint hearing focused on the Atlantic sea scallop fishery, with particular attention to Massachusetts ports, federal scallop management, the proposed reopening of the Northern Edge on Georges Bank, and permit stacking/consolidation. The chair opened by noting the hearing would take written and oral testimony, that time was limited, and that the discussion was intended to inform legislative engagement with federal regulators rather than decide the issue directly. Dan McCarron of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and Dr. Kate O’Keefe of the New England Fishery Management Council outlined the federal management structure under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the role of annual catch limits and rotational closures, and the economic importance of scallops to New Bedford, Gloucester, and other Massachusetts ports. O’Keefe said the council’s current scallop framework is based on annual management, research surveys, and public input, and that recent environmental changes and uncertainty are affecting catch advice and biomass. Dr. O’Keefe and later Dr. Kevin Stokesbury of UMass Dartmouth described the fishery’s recent condition: abundance has increased in some areas, but biomass has fallen because many scallops are still too small to harvest, and changing ocean conditions and natural mortality are affecting the stock. They said the Northern Edge action was considered as a joint scallop/habitat framework but was discontinued in 2024 because the council could not reconcile competing objectives involving scallop yield, habitat protection, and impacts on other species such as cod, lobster, and herring. Stokesbury emphasized the long-running collaborative survey work with industry, said the fishery remains highly productive, and argued that the science supports careful rotational management and that the Northern Edge could be highly productive for scallops, though he acknowledged habitat tradeoffs. Committee members pressed both witnesses on why the issue had remained unresolved for so long and whether the council could revisit it through a future framework. Representatives of the Sustainable Scalloping Fund, including attorney Drew Kavage, John Lees, Sam Blasley, and Tony Alvernes, urged support for reopening the Northern Edge and for permit stacking, which would allow more than one scallop permit on a vessel while keeping ownership caps in place. They argued the fishery is a major economic driver, that industry-funded research has supported sustainable management, and that stacking would help family-owned operators reduce costs, improve safety, and avoid financial distress. They also stressed the need to protect working waterfront infrastructure in New Bedford and other ports. The chair said he was not opposed to stacking in principle but wanted to avoid a slippery slope toward excessive consolidation or private equity control; he noted that any stacking change would require an amendment to the fishery management plan or federal action. No votes were taken, and the hearing concluded with an invitation for continued engagement and future updates on the council process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Additionally, we do not have any vehicles, so when we go out to communities, we use our personal vehicles
• We are currently leasing that property to a young man who wants to get into farming, which is bringing
• work with land grants as much as we do with other stakeholders, whether that be ranchers who have leases
• I do believe that there's an entry here for us to work together on recreation and public purpose leases
• Lease sales, recreational projects, or other actions of interest.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• What I can also say is that adjacent to the wildlife management area today, there’s leased property,
• If you want to go out on that leased land, you know...” “There’s no difference.
• If you want to go out on that lease land, you know, I’ve been on it or the Maripaw Swamp Wildlife Management
• you've never owned or operated an airboat, you might be under the misconception that it's a magic vehicle
• They are, by nature, able to go areas where other boats or vehicles cannot access.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Summary: The Senate Natural Resources Committee met on May 21 with a quorum, approved the May 14 minutes, and then took up a series of natural resources, wildlife, flood control, and transportation-related measures. HB 841 on expropriation procedures was amended to strip most of its substantive language and then deferred. The committee also adopted a technical amendment and reported SCR 54 favorably, which memorializes Congress to fully fund the Mississippi River Basin Fishery Commission Act to help address invasive carp and other aquatic invasive species. Several wildlife bills were heard and reported favorably. HB 1248 allows licensed wildlife rehabilitators to possess white-tailed deer for rehabilitation, and HB 1258 codifies a policy for sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife so the department does not automatically euthanize animals that can be rehabilitated or released. HCR 5, which allows limited red drum harvest at certain established rodeos under strict guardrails, drew opposition from a fishing guide concerned about impacts to redfish recovery, but the committee still reported it favorably. HB 688 adds Atlantic tarpon to the definition of saltwater game fish, with support from the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and others, and it was also reported favorably. The committee also advanced several infrastructure and flood-related measures. HB 595 requires local governments to respond within 30 days to certain road-use permit requests tied to natural resource development, and it was reported favorably after testimony from oil and gas and industry representatives. HB 802 creates a watershed restoration and conservation fund, narrowed to the Amite River Basin, and was reported favorably with support from conservation and levee interests. SCR 59, urging Congress to ensure FEMA lowers flood insurance rates once the Comite Diversion Canal project reaches 50% completion, was amended and reported favorably, and HCR 62, asking FEMA to review Louisiana flood maps every five years, was also reported favorably. The committee deferred HB 1171, which would have authorized airboats in the Maripaw Swamp Wildlife Management Area, after extensive testimony from supporters and from LDWF officials who raised concerns about habitat sensitivity, migratory birds, user conflicts, and deed restrictions. Finally, HB 1161, transferring certain state property in Lafourche and Jefferson parishes to local governments, HCR 78 supporting the American Seafood Competitive Act, HCR 86 supporting a migratory waterfowl study, and HB 1189 requiring charter boat guides on certain waters to hold U.S. Coast Guard licenses were all reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• What I can also say is that adjacent to the wildlife management area today, there’s leased property,
• If you want to go out on that lease land, you know...” “There’s no difference.
• If you want to go out on that lease land, you know, I’ve been on it, or the Maripaw Swamp Wildlife Management
• you’ve never owned or operated an airboat, you might be under the misconception that it’s a magic vehicle
• They are, by nature, able to go areas where other boats or vehicles cannot access. We have to...”

Bills: SCR54 , SCR59 , HCR5 , HCR62 , HCR78 , HCR86 , HB595 , HB688 , HB802 , HB841 , HB1161 , HB1171 , HB1189 , HB1248 , HB1258

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Keywords: red drum, fishing regulations, tournament permits, wildlife management, recreational fishing, flood management, FEMA, floodplain maps, environmental risks, Louisiana, flood insurance, risk assessment, community planning, seafood, commercial fishing, USDA programs, economic impact, Louisiana economy, waterfowl, habitat loss

Transcript Highlights:

• We've got to get other vehicles that can travel better.
• We have 6 vehicles that can work in that.
• You all heard the land commissioner this year delaying some land for sale, uh, for the point or for lease
• So if it happens, uh, the entities that want to bid and lease this land, they take a little haircut on
• ironically, uh, they have an older sibling at the institute, and the family has actually purchased or leased

Transcript Highlights:

• incentive. 2397 updates a long-standing provision in the Century Code that exempts gas used on the lease
• This is gas they've brought to the lease to inject into the well.
• It's only a similar process to gas used on the lease.
• So we had this vehicle sitting here that allowed us to talk about an amendment like this, Well, thank
• So we had this vehicle sitting here that allowed us to talk about an amendment like this, ...allowed

Committee: House Finance and Taxation

Summary: The Finance and Tax Committee met to consider Senate Bill 2397 and a proposed amendment creating a development incentive well program for North Dakota oil and gas production. Representative Dockter explained the amendment as a way to encourage exploratory and innovative drilling in light of the state’s financial outlook and the growing share of stripper wells. Department of Mineral Resources Director Nathan Anderson and DMR geologist Timothy Nashim presented background on the Bakken and Three Forks formations, with Nashim describing research showing that Middle Three Forks second-bench development can add reserves in some areas but not others, and that roughly 600 additional wells in the strongest area could yield about 250 million barrels of oil. Continental Resources representatives William Houser and John Argo supported the amendment. They said the bill would give a temporary oil extraction tax exemption for certified development incentive wells, limited to 36 months or 300,000 barrels, and would also update tax treatment for gas used in enhanced oil recovery and on-site electric generation. They argued the measure would encourage new technology and testing in existing spacing units, complementing House Bill 1483, which they said focused on geographic expansion into non-Bakken and non-Three Forks areas. Argo said Continental still invests heavily in North Dakota but is shifting rigs elsewhere because of economics, and he urged incentives to spur exploration and preserve the basin’s long-term future. North Dakota Petroleum Council executive director Ron Ness also supported the concept, calling it a targeted, low-risk way to encourage innovation and future barrels. Committee members asked about royalty treatment, the difference from House Bill 1483, pressure maintenance, and how the program would be administered. DMR said the amendment should clarify that the operator bears the burden of proving a well qualifies and that only one incentive well per stratigraphic interval should be certified. No vote was taken; the committee paused to work on revised language and indicated the bill would likely need further adjustment, possibly in conference committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's a vehicle that we're paying for, maintenance on it, labor costs, all of that stuff happening
• I know there's 1,061 acres in Sierra Vista that's up for lease in May. It's a 30-year lease.
• I don't ever remember a 30-year lease. Farmers and ranchers get 10 years.
• Solar, that's a commercial leasing issue.
• Okay, and maybe you could put me in touch with whoever is in the solar lease.

Committee: House House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee began with a presentation from the Arizona Water Banking Authority on its role storing Colorado River water underground and holding long-term storage credits for CAP municipal and industrial subcontractors, on-river contractors, the Hualapai Tribe, Mojave County Water Authority, and Nevada. Members asked about future firming for CAP subcontractors, recovery constraints, funding sources, and whether the authority could use groundwater withdrawal fee credits for Indian firming and CAP users. The manager explained the authority has no post-2026 firming policy yet for CAP M&I subcontractors, relies mainly on withdrawal fees and ad valorem taxes, and distributes credits on paper through ADWR transfer forms rather than delivering wet water. No action was taken on the presentation. The committee then heard SB 1445, which would allow certain small municipalities to conduct bacteriological testing on site with EPA-approved equipment and originally limited ADEQ sampling requirements to no more than four times per month. The sponsor and the mayor of Kearny argued the bill would reduce costs and travel burdens for rural towns while allowing more frequent testing. Committee discussion focused on whether the change was already possible under existing law and whether the amendment would weaken testing requirements. The Griffin amendment removed the language restricting ADEQ’s sampling frequency. The bill passed as amended on a 6-4 vote. The committee also considered SB 1137, a modernization measure for Arizona’s 811 call-before-you-dig system that sets procedures for large project coordination meetings, positive response communication, and related enforcement. Supporters from Associated General Contractors and an underground utility contractor said the bill reflects stakeholder consensus and would improve safety and efficiency without adding state costs. The Taylor amendment shifted implementation procedures from the Corporation Commission to the One Call Notification Center and made other technical changes. The bill passed unanimously, 10-0. SB 1287, which extends to all active management areas the ability of holders of irrigation grandfathered rights to withdraw up to 10 acre-feet annually for stockwatering or domestic use, also passed 9-1. The committee next approved SB 1335, as amended by a strike-everything amendment tied to the Ag-to-Urban program, allowing a groundwater savings holder to continue irrigating for up to two years after issuance of groundwater savings credits. DWR and irrigation district representatives said the change would address timing problems between relinquishing irrigation rights and finalizing development, while some members objected that it could increase groundwater pumping. The bill passed 5-4. Finally, SB 1336, which continues the State Land Department for four years and adds reporting, planning, and oversight provisions including a new oversight board, passed 5-4 after debate over whether another board was necessary and whether the reauthorization period was long enough. The committee concluded with SB 1677, appropriating $3 million for salt cedar mitigation along the lower Gila River and the Gila-Colorado confluence. Supporters from Audubon Southwest, the City of Buckeye, and local landowners described flood, fire, habitat, and water-supply benefits, while members questioned herbicide use and the need for data. The bill passed 9-0, and the meeting adjourned after all votes were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:31:49.559><c> or</c> by not renewing a tenant's lease or by not renewing a tenant's lease or
• </c> agree to leave earlier than their lease agree to leave earlier than their lease term<00:31:54.880
• Many are leasing apartments in our industry.
• They're leasing the home sites, land lease communities, and these residents are choosing to live in a
• apartments in our industry are leasing apartments in our industry they're<01:16:30.960><c> leasing</

Bills: HF1143 , HF1548 , HF1340 , HF2549 , HF2559 , HF1673 , HF2740 , HF2507 , HF2461 , HF2381 , HF2695

Committee: House Housing Finance and Policy

Keywords: education funding, unemployment aid, special education, Minnesota statutes, appropriations, housing, redevelopment, local government, trust funds, community development, HF1340, housing infrastructure bonds, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, MHFA, affordable housing, supportive housing, permanent housing, adaptive reuse, area median income, AMI