Transcript Highlights:

• Technology, the Department of General Services, the Department of Human Resources. and the Office of Data
• Another one is a process to interpret diverse data to provide traffic mobility insights.
• Labor Workforce Development and EDD related to data accuracy and forecasting.
• PPA Data Broker Deletion Request Opt-Out Platform.
• That as you regulate this space that it takes into consideration.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to both portable sources within the county's jurisdiction and mobile sources for the purpose of regulating
• It's something that has serious regulation behind it. The Fed already does all these steps.
• And no safety regulations are being sidelined or anything like that.
• Gas prices are not something that we can regulate at the local level. Okay, thank you.
• and all the regulations for our state.

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

Summary: The committee took up several energy, transportation, and land-use bills. HB 2428, dealing with county and ADEQ authority to issue voluntary permits certifying emission reduction credits for mobile and non-road sources, received neutral testimony from ADEQ and support from Maricopa County; the committee adopted the Griffin amendment and passed the bill 10-0 with a due pass recommendation. HB 2145, which expands who may request certain gasoline fuel reformulation actions and is contingent on EPA approval, also passed on a 5-4 vote after brief staff explanation and no amendment. The committee then considered HB 2331, a strike-everything amendment requiring electric utilities to ensure 85% of generating capacity serving retail load comes from “reliable resources” by 2030. Supporters, including the sponsor and Arizona Free Enterprise Club, argued it would protect affordability and grid reliability by favoring dispatchable power; opponents, including the Sierra Club and Rural Arizona Action, said it would effectively favor fossil fuels, raise costs, and limit cleaner resources. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 6-4. HB 2795, which would bar counties from using zoning to block small modular reactors once federal permitting conditions are met, drew strong support from the sponsor and industry advocates who framed it as pro-property-rights and pro-nuclear, and opposition from county, city, and environmental groups who raised preemption, local control, safety, waste, and siting concerns; it passed 6-4. The committee also passed HB 2340, which allows the Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee to evaluate proposed generating facilities along with transmission lines, on a 5-4 vote. HB 2400, an emergency measure to suspend the motor vehicle fuel tax in Areas A and C during part of the year and replace the lost revenue through state highway funding, drew opposition from cities and counties over transportation funding impacts but support from the sponsor and some members focused on gas affordability; the Griffin amendment was adopted and the bill passed 6-4. Finally, HB 2401 was introduced as a requirement for ADEQ to conduct a biennial review of available fuel formulations and their air-quality impacts in Areas A and C, but the transcript ends before testimony or action on that bill is completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• So that's the regulated part of the market, that the commission regulates.
• of data center capacity.
• the data center industry.
• It's disciplined regulation.
• Vantage is a leading developer of data centers and we operate hyperscale data centers.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know data centers use water.
• So that's the regulated part of the market that the commission regulates.
• of data center capacity.
• It's disciplined regulation.
• Scott: Vantage is a leading developer of data centers and we operate hyperscale data centers.

Committee: House State Affairs

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

Transcript Highlights:

• They are in the data collection phase of the study. We...
• We're also here to enforce the Title VIII rules and regulations.
• It would need to be law or regulation that we can... ...to be law or regulation that we can point to.
• But regulation and enforcement by Cal/OSHA provides parameters.
• I was involved in the indoor heat regulation and some of the tail end of the outdoor heat regulation

Summary: The hearing focused on a state audit of Cal/OSHA titled “The Division of Occupational Safety and Health: Process Deficiencies and Staffing Shortages Limit Its Ability to Protect Workers.” Committee leaders and the audit team described serious workplace tragedies, argued that California’s worker protections are not being adequately enforced, and said the audit was prompted by concerns that Cal/OSHA was too often relying on letters instead of inspections, delaying investigations, and closing cases without enough documentation. Members repeatedly emphasized that the issue was not just staffing, but also outdated policies, weak oversight, and inconsistent enforcement. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found a 32% vacancy rate in 2023-24, heavy reliance on hard-copy files, outdated or unclear policies, and inconsistent decision-making in complaints, accidents, citations, and fine reductions. He said Cal/OSHA conducted on-site inspections in only about 20% of complaints, used letter investigations more than 80% of the time, often lacked evidence that hazards were corrected, and sometimes failed to inspect serious injury cases on time. The audit also found weak documentation for fine calculations and settlement reductions, with some penalties reduced substantially without clear explanations. Parks said the agency had accepted the findings and would provide progress updates later in the year. Committee members pressed the auditor on vacancy rates, the use of letter investigations, the low rate of criminal referrals, and whether fines were being reduced too often. Cal/OSHA and DIR officials responded that the vacancy rate had fallen to 12% partly because 66 vacant positions were eliminated in a statewide budget reduction and partly because of hiring; they said 126 people had been hired in the first half of the year. They also said they had hired a policy writer, were updating several policies, were planning periodic internal audits, and were developing a new data management system expected to go live in late 2026 or early 2027. On fines, officials said Title 8 sets base penalties and allows adjustments based on factors like employer size, history, and good faith, with appeals and informal conferences also affecting final amounts. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been an environmental regulator for a long time.
• But on that score, one of the things you didn't mention was data centers.
• Yeah, so data centers is a big one.
• One was we were using most of the climate data, historical climate data, to plan for the future.
• to think about, whether it's data centers, whether it's the future of hydrogen.

Committee: Senate Rules

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Rabarge says the data is available.
• </c> says the data is available. says the data is available.
• </c> security regulator security regulator environments<01:55:01.920><c> should</c><01:55:02.159><c>
• </c> stakeholders come in there's data stakeholders come in there's data requests<03:37:14.960><c> they're
• Um so aspects of utility regulation.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That biological damage is echoed in human data.
• But I guess I just had a question about the safety data.
• is coming from and what is credible data, et cetera.
• I think there's a good amount of data here.
• I think there's a good amount of data here.

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved the February 10, 2026 minutes and then took up Senate Bill 1346, a measure proposing a two-year pause on mRNA-based COVID-19 products for pregnant women and children. Senator Shippey presented the bill as a targeted safety pause to allow more long-term review, saying it was not a blanket ban and that amendments were likely needed to clarify the bill’s language and the process for reviewing safety data. He also said the committee should send the bill to the 14th order for possible amendments. The committee heard extensive testimony both for and against the bill. Supporters, including Nicholas Holster, Christina Parks, James Thorpe, Laura Dembray, Xavier Figueroa, and several others, argued that mRNA products are unsafe, described them as gene therapy, and cited alleged harms to fertility, pregnancy, children, and broader health outcomes. Opponents, including physician Stephen Montemot, Primo Castro of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, and parent Stephanie Neymour, argued that mRNA vaccines are not gene therapy, that the bill would restrict parental choice and access to medical care, and that decisions should remain with patients and doctors. Committee members also questioned the bill’s definitions, the legislature’s ability to review scientific data, the scope of the exemption for cancer and genetic disorder therapies, and whether the measure would affect other vaccines. After debate, members expressed mixed views: some supported further work on the bill, while others raised concerns about government overreach, the breadth of the definitions, and whether the legislature had the expertise or mechanism to evaluate safety data. Senator Lenny moved to send SB 1346 to the 14th order for possible amendments, and the motion passed by roll call vote, 5-4. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• that the regulations are not being enforced?
• massive documentation and data retention burden that is not practical.
• massive documentation and data retention burden that is not practical.
• That data, may I go directly? Senator, that data is not being collected.
• They were able to kill those regulations.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Labor

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to go into a big data pool.
• integrity of that data, and it is essential that we protect that data from abuse.
• They have ceased collecting all data.
• The data itself is not critical; there's nothing special about the data.
• programs, shared Medicaid data, ...sought detailed immigration data from food assistance programs, shared

Committee: Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We took a look at nationwide data, and our research team also did some Texas data too.
• They are getting that data. Where else are they getting that data?
• data analytics piece.
• Lining up the data networks—I mean, you've got a sharing of data in a way that hasn't occurred to this
• So what does our data show?

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Ground sources of drinking water are covered by these regulations.
• So we have that data.
• So, CO2 storage in North Dakota is regulated much like we regulate oil and gas.
• , while the EPA is just limited to regulating the injection well.
• That's an important piece, where the state can regulate the project.

Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> hours just talking about data centers. hours just talking about data centers.
• We are not a regulator.
• Um, the regulator is first.
• We are not a regulator. Uh we project. We are not a regulator.
• Um the regulator is fir. So judgments. Um the regulator is fir.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:07:41.560><c> modernization</c> bit about our regulation modernization bit about our regulation
• </c><01:00:46.599><c> uh</c> state agencies and regulated uh state agencies and regulated uh regulated
• You know, there's not a licensing regulation violations authority to stop payments.
• You know, there's not a licensing regulation violations authority to stop payments.
• We have some of the highest regulations and mandates on our child care facilities.

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> to municipal regulation of agriculture. to municipal regulation of agriculture.
• </c> your genetic data. your genetic data.
• </c> consumers genetic data. consumers genetic data.
• </c> Consumers can delete their data. Consumers can delete their data.
• . data. data.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You calculated as $52 million, if we were accurately reflecting data from new reflecting data from new
• And that is simply because the regulations just came out yesterday and the existing data infrastructure
• We have very sensitive student data and financial data in those servers.
• In terms of data collection and data analysis on the outcomes?
• to sign the participation agreement for the purpose of data sharing with the C2C data system.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We will get the test data that we need.
• The data centers are doing their thing.
• The data centers are doing their thing.
• I mean, so just another issue in terms of the regulations.
• We have a couple of data centers that are being put out in our district.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from January 14 and January 28. It then considered RS 3-2904, a bill from the DOGE Committee to remove 19 obsolete code sections, including provisions related to hazardous waste facility siting and the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act. The sponsor urged the committee to print the bill so members could review possible unintended consequences, including whether the changes would shift responsibilities or reduce public testimony. After a question about Department of Environmental Quality involvement, the committee voted to introduce RS 3-2904. The remainder of the meeting was a presentation by Dr. John Wagner, director of Idaho National Laboratory, on energy dominance and security through research, development, and demonstration. He described INL’s role in nuclear energy, critical infrastructure security, and critical minerals, and said the current federal administration has accelerated nuclear policy through executive orders aimed at expanding reactor deployment, reforming NRC processes, and supporting advanced reactor testing. He highlighted INL’s work with private companies on small modular reactors, microreactors, fuel fabrication, and used nuclear fuel research, including projects tied to AI/data center power demand and Department of War applications. Members asked about used fuel storage, Idaho’s potential role in nuclear recycling and reactor development, transmission and water constraints, public acceptance, and the timeline for deployment. Wagner said Idaho’s advantage lies in its expertise, existing infrastructure, and a regulatory environment that provides certainty, while noting that transmission, water use, and workforce remain key issues. He also said the legislature can help by signaling receptiveness, clarifying policy, and supporting infrastructure and workforce development. The committee took no further action after the presentation and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• to incorporate CEC analysis and regulations.
• They do all the regulations around it.
• The processes add some additional data and some data requirements, and utilizing CEC.
• Today, data is split across two separate systems.
• You know, this one is—we deal with a lack of the proper data on a regular basis.

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There is a strong force rationale backed by data.
• data to manage operations responsibly.
• its independence as a public data source.
• its independence as a public data source.
• So there are multiple sources to find this data.

Bills: SB29 , SB64

Committee: House House Education

Keywords: SB29, math requirements for teaching license, teacher licensure, teacher endorsement, mathematics methods, elementary education, secondary education, special education, early childhood education, reciprocity, Public Education Department, Mathematics and Science Education Act, mathematics instructional leadership framework, professional learning plan, K-3 screening, mathematics screening assessment, mathematics difficulty, support plan, multilevel support, intervention

Transcript Highlights:

• Moreover, based on my personal experience analyzing non-publicly available data, we identified data that
• Moreover, based on my personal experience, analyzing non-publicly available data, the identified data
• What we hear on our helpline is borne out in the data.
• The research and data have been clear for decades.
• This is putting the regulations...

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Health

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hybrid hearing on a wide range of bills focused on patient safety, workforce development, health equity, and access to care. A major portion of the hearing centered on H. 2362/S. 1491, which would require health care providers to offer trained chaperones for sensitive exams. Sponsors and supporters said the bill is a common-sense safeguard prompted by cases of physician sexual abuse, and survivors gave emotional testimony describing grooming, isolation, and abuse during exams when no chaperone was present. Support also came from a health services researcher, a physician, and a RAINN representative, all arguing that trained chaperones and clearer documentation would improve transparency and protect patients. Committee members asked about clarifying who may serve as a chaperone and whether the bill would apply to other clinicians such as PTs and OTs. The committee also heard testimony on H. 2401/S. 1485, which would require explicit informed consent for certain educational exams performed on unconscious patients. The bill’s supporters said patients should know in advance if students or physicians will conduct non-medically necessary exams while they are under anesthesia, and that the measure would protect survivors from retraumatization. The hearing then moved to H. 2537, a primary care access bill. Health Care for All, the Massachusetts Medical Society, pediatric and internal medicine physicians, and a patient advocate described long waits, provider shortages, and difficulty finding primary care, especially for low-income people and people of color. They supported the bill’s proposed primary care spending target, payment reforms, Medicaid graduate medical education funding, and a commercial payment floor for health centers. Another set of bills addressed workforce and safety issues. H. 2397/S. 1593 would establish a nursing workforce center; nursing leaders said Massachusetts should make the current workforce council permanent to support data collection, apprenticeships, and long-term planning for the state’s largest health care workforce. H. 2396/S. 1535 would require safe patient handling and mobility programs in health facilities; nurses described serious injuries from lifting patients and said better equipment and programs would reduce staff injuries and improve patient outcomes. H. 2501/S. 1505 on LGBTQ+ health disparities drew support from a medical student and Doctors for America, who urged collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data to improve care and school outcomes. Finally, H. 2448/S. 1522 on patient safety and equitable access to care drew strong support from nursing organizations and individual nurses who described unsafe staffing, burnout, and patient harm, while the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems opposed the bill as redundant for psychiatric facilities already regulated by the Department of Mental Health.