Transcript Highlights:

• And reforms are pending in nearby Virginia and Missouri.
• And this year, Virginia voters are poised to change their constitution through a ballot measure that
• And when they do, more than 230,000 persons in the state of Virginia will regain their right to vote.
• </c><00:13:32.240><c> and</c> are pending in nearby Virginia and are pending in nearby Virginia and Missouri
• /c><00:13:44.720><c> to</c><00:13:44.880><c> change</c> Virginia voters are poised to change Virginia

Committee: Senate State & Local Government

Transcript Highlights:

• Those states are Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York.
• </c><01:57:24.480><c> tags</c> residents buying Virginia tags residents buying Virginia tags illegally
• </c> other nefarious things with Virginia other nefarious things with Virginia tags<01:58:27.000><c>
• Oh, they also struggle because I'm sure they have great policies, but if you move over to West Virginia
• </c> 1941, she was born in Roanoke, Virginia. 1941, she was born in Roanoke, Virginia.

Transcript Highlights:

• to the China Economic and Security Review Commission, Jonathan Nicholas Stivers of Falls Church, Virginia
• CHINA ECONOMIC SECURE REVISION, JONATHAN NICHOLAS STIVERS OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, SIGNED HAKEEM JEFFRIES
• Leyland Miller of Alexandria, Virginia, as Previously agreed because of the changes in Congress and the

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Senator West, no. >> Senator White, yes. >> Senator William, the intent of one member.
• &gt;&gt; Senator<00:40:55.680><c> West,</c> &gt;&gt; Senator West, &gt;&gt; Senator West, &gt;&gt; no
• We heard from everybody from four different states: Utah, Hawaii, Oregon, and Virginia.
• We took testimony from um that Virginia.
• Senator Virginia. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• She said Virginia was ill-prepared.
• um</c><05:55:01.600><c> has</c> um what Virginia how Virginia has um has um what Virginia how Virginia
• Uh, from the experience in Virginia, and I will say other states are far behind Virginia.
• Virginia. Um this is not a static Virginia.
• Virginia. Virginia.

Committee: House Science, Technology and Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically West Texas, there is some in East Texas where there are certain permit requirements that
• Now, you know, in West Texas, the formations are a little more uniform.
• When you go to West Texas, that's virtually the same formation, right?
• It was in South Texas and West Texas where the EPA made their adjustments on pressure.
• He said West Virginia has embarked on the same endeavor and is basically coming up with more or less

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 706 by Representative Riser, which would set a more detailed process for commercial saltwater disposal wells, including site-specific modeling and pressure review. Riser and industry witnesses argued the bill would provide clearer, more predictable rules for operators who have faced long delays and changing requirements, while Department of Conservation and Energy officials said they are already developing guidance and that any pressure standard must remain site-specific to avoid fracturing confining layers, protecting drinking water, and staying within EPA primacy requirements. The department emphasized that geology varies widely across Louisiana and that a fixed pressure number in statute could be unsafe in some locations. Members also discussed the fiscal note, the need for additional staff, and whether the bill would tie the department’s hands or force approvals; witnesses said the bill’s modeling requirements were conservative, but opponents warned the statutory pressure ranges could conflict with site-specific safety determinations. After a technical amendment was adopted, the committee voted on the bill and it failed on a 6-6 tie. The committee then took up House Concurrent Resolution 4 by Representative McCormick, which would suspend Louisiana’s deer baiting ban for 18 months in areas affected by chronic wasting disease (CWD). McCormick and Hunter Nation representatives argued that baiting bans have not stopped CWD in other states, that deer feeders and food plots are part of hunting culture, and that Louisiana should rely on science and a more flexible approach. They cited Wisconsin as an example where CWD spread despite long-standing feed bans and said there has been no proven human transmission. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials said bait bans are one of the few tools available to reduce artificial congregation of deer and help limit disease spread, and they explained that the department is also working with a CWD task force and another proposal that would tie restrictions to a 1.5% prevalence threshold rather than an across-the-board suspension. The discussion ended with the department providing information on the impacts of both measures, but no final action on HCR 4 was recorded in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, you know, in West Texas, the formations are a little more uniform, so it’s not going to be in the
• When you go to West Texas, that's virtually the same formation, right?
• It was in South Texas and West Texas where the EPA made their adjustments on pressure.
• It was in South Texas and West Texas where the EPA made their adjustments on pressure.
• The state of West Virginia has embarked on that same endeavor.

Committee: House Natural Resources & Environment

Transcript Highlights:

• In honor of America 250, I found some inspiration in all places, Virginia.
• I found some inspiration in all places, Virginia.
• Now, Virginia, before it was a state, it was a colony, and it was the largest one in population.
• Virginia embraced independence to preserve its right, Christian Church.
• Virginia embraced independence to preserve its right to self-governance, and they were very vocal about

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Leroy West and Dami Mafi to testify. Please introduce yourself and proceed.
• Again, I'm Leroy West, President and CEO of Summit Academy.
• We have Leroy West and Dami Mafi to testify. Please introduce yourself and proceed.
• Again, I'm Leroy West, President and CEO of Summit Academy.
• good to see you Mafi thank you Mr West good to see you Mafi thank you for<01:20:43.960><c> coming</c

Bills: HF500 , HF718 , HF1096 , HF1246 , HF1469

Committee: House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• More generally, the bill provides for numerous revisions of the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act.
• parent-subsidiary mergers, replaces existing provisions on conversion with provisions based on the Virginia
• SB 479 makes various changes to the Virginia Stock Corporation Act, many of which conform the act to
• And the bill provides that such devices are considered goods for the purposes of the Virginia Consumer

Committee: House Labor and Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• So when you're in West Texas at night, with no wind, power's flowing east to west to serve that load.
• So if prices are higher in West Texas, as a developer, you go to West Texas to build your generation.
• That affects east-to-west transfer.
• west depending on the time of day.
• “All while this has been needed and West Texas needs have not been met, West Texans have been paying

Summary: The Senate Business and Commerce Committee held its third interim hearing on Texas electric grid reliability and 765 kV transmission lines/private property rights. Chair Schwertner opened by noting record ERCOT summer demand of 91,089 MW and emphasized the committee’s focus on managing rapid load growth, ensuring adequate generation, and protecting homeowners, businesses, landowners, and ratepayers. The committee also adopted strict two-minute limits for public testimony and planned to hear invited witnesses first, then public testimony. PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas, and OPUC Chief Counsel Benjamin Barclay testified on Senate Bill 6 implementation, large-load interconnection, transmission cost allocation, and market design. Gleeson said the PUC has adopted or is finalizing rules on net metering/co-location, large load interconnection standards, and a transmission cost recovery rule that would move from 4CP to 12CP, lengthen the interval to 30 minutes, and add a minimum demand charge to better allocate costs to large loads. Vegas explained ERCOT’s new batch process for large loads, saying it provides year-by-year capacity allocations, clearer financial obligations, and a transmission plan; he reported 205 GW eligible for Batch Zero, with 65 GW classified as baseload, 25 GW in an intermediate category, and 114 GW as allocated load. Barclay supported the changes as better protection for residential and small commercial customers, while warning that the minimum demand charge may need an exit-fee concept to address stranded costs if large loads leave. Members pressed witnesses on whether additional market changes are needed to attract dispatchable thermal generation and whether DRS/DRRS Plus could become a capacity-market substitute. Gleeson and Vegas said the current market still favors solar, batteries, and other low-variable-cost resources, and that more incentives may be needed for gas and other thermal generation; Gleeson said the commission’s reliability standard assessment will begin this year and conclude next year with a 2029 outlook. They described DRS as an ancillary service for intraday reliability and DRS Plus as a proposed real-time revenue mechanism for thermal resources during scarcity, not a forward capacity market. Senators also questioned whether 12CP could still be gamed, whether curtailment authority under SB 6 should be expanded from EEA 2 to earlier stages, and whether the batch process should be bifurcated so traditional industrial loads are handled differently from data centers. Witnesses said the batch process is intended to prevent speculative projects from driving transmission costs, that most large-load projects are data centers, and that future rules may need to better distinguish among types of large loads.

Transcript Highlights:

• Scott each will from Virginia, Mr.
• Member from Virginia reserves. >> Member from Virginia or from Michigan is recognized. >> Thank you,
• Member from Virginia or from reserves.
• Member from Virginia<00:48:36.079><c> reserves.
• >> Gentleman from Virginia, seek recognition. >> Without objection, the gentleman from Virginia is recognized

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent the capital of downtown and neighborhoods to the north, south, and west.
• I represent the capital of downtown and neighborhoods to the north, south, and west.
• I represent the capital of downtown and neighborhoods to the north, south, and west.
• Cloud, Virginia, Rochester, Mankato, Willmar, Marshall, and Winona.
• Cloud, Virginia, Rochester, Mankato, Willmar, Marshall, and Winona.

Committee: Senate Labor

Transcript Highlights:

• in 2022 the governor there Virginia in 2022 the governor there created<00:22:45.080><c> a</c><00:22:
• burden in Virginia by $1.2 billion<00:23:10.559><c> a</c><00:23:10.720><c> year</c><00:23:10.919><c>
• Virginia, I believe, does that review.
• Virginia looks at transparency for its regulations, and they've had great success with transparency.
• Virginia looks at transparency for its regulations, and they've had great success with transparency.

Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• And I also have concern with, if you go out west, the amount of agriculture that's relying on hemp and
• If you look at the case law out of Virginia, their near-total ban...
• Out of Virginia, their near-total ban was upheld.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy

Summary: The Joint Committee on Cannabis Policy held a hearing on a broad set of cannabis and hemp bills, with the chairs opening by emphasizing unfinished work on equity, public health, safety, and market stability. The committee heard testimony on House Bill 146, which would create more efficient cannabis testing standards by increasing batch sizes, reducing or eliminating some environmental testing, standardizing lab reporting, and requiring annual scientific review and public data reporting. Industry witnesses, including a representative of the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition, cultivators, and a testing lab owner, said current testing rules are overly burdensome, costly, and inconsistent, and argued the bill would lower compliance costs while preserving consumer safety. A testing lab witness also said some operators switch labs to obtain higher THC results or pass contaminated batches, and urged greater transparency and better sampling protocols. A major portion of the hearing focused on intoxicating hemp and related bills that would bring hemp-derived intoxicating products under a stronger regulatory framework. Legislators and industry witnesses described products sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores as often untested, not age-gated, and sometimes mislabeled or far above the federal hemp THC threshold. Testimony from attorneys and cannabis business leaders said states can regulate these products more strictly under the Farm Bill’s non-preemption language, and pointed to New Jersey and other states as possible models. Some witnesses and committee members stressed that any new rules should avoid harming non-intoxicating CBD businesses or lawful hemp farmers, while others argued that the products are effectively cannabis and should be regulated like cannabis for licensing, testing, age limits, and taxation. The committee also heard extensive public-health testimony in support of bills S. 95, S. 96, S. 97 and their House counterparts H. 191, H. 192, and H. 193. Parents, advocates, and public health professionals urged stronger warning labels, THC potency caps, and improved data collection on cannabis-related harms, citing cannabis-induced psychosis, addiction, anxiety, and youth exposure to high-potency products. Several witnesses said Massachusetts has not done enough to track health outcomes or warn consumers, and referenced other jurisdictions such as Connecticut, Vermont, Colorado, Canada, and Quebec as examples of stronger limits or warnings. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing; the committee primarily received testimony and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• largest number of hate crimes took place in the Metro Service Planning Area, which stretches from West
• He brought a park, Virginia Park, in Santa Monica.
• nationally, including a Muslim mayor elected in New York City and a Muslim lieutenant governor in Virginia

Transcript Highlights:

• largest number of hate crimes took place in the Metro service planning area, which stretches from West
• He brought a park, Virginia Park, in Santa Monica.
• nationally, including a Muslim mayor elected in New York City and a Muslim lieutenant governor in Virginia

Summary: The Select Committee on Racism, Hate, and Xenophobia met to hear from Los Angeles County officials and community advocates about rising hate, discrimination, and xenophobia, with opening remarks emphasizing the need for stronger anti-hate infrastructure, community-based reporting, and state support. Assemblymember Lowenthal noted the broader economic and social impacts of discrimination, and the committee framed the hearing around understanding local conditions and identifying legislative responses. Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission Executive Director Robin Toma presented county hate-crime data showing record-high levels in 2024, with racial/ethnic hate crimes remaining the largest category and anti-Black hate crimes the most common. He also highlighted high levels of anti-Latino, anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-transgender hate, the role of underreporting, and the county’s L.A. vs. Hate system for reporting and victim support. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it uses hate-crime and hate-incident data to guide proactive patrols, community outreach, and training, and discussed the need to build trust amid immigration enforcement fears that discourage reporting. Community organizations described how current political rhetoric and federal immigration enforcement are intensifying fear and underreporting. LULAC called for multilingual, culturally competent reporting systems, prevention education, and stronger support for grassroots organizations. The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles described severe anti-Semitism, increased security costs, and the need for safe worship protections, security grants, and Holocaust education. The NAACP emphasized the continuing impact of anti-Black racism and the need for cross-community solidarity, while the Los Angeles LGBT Center highlighted rising anti-trans violence and urged funding for gender-affirming care, LGBTQ centers, and reauthorization of California vs. Hate. CHIRLA and CAIR California both described heightened fear among immigrants and Muslims, workplace discrimination, and the need for stronger civil-rights protections, data collection, and community-based reporting. No formal votes were taken. The discussion focused on policy ideas and funding priorities, including improved law-enforcement training, alternative sentencing or diversion for hate offenders, protections for houses of worship, and continued or expanded funding for California vs. Hate, Stop Hate, and related programs. Committee members and witnesses repeatedly stressed that hate is underreported, that words and leadership rhetoric matter, and that California should continue investing in prevention, response, and healing.

Transcript Highlights:

• How does that compare to Oregon or Virginia or other kind of pure states?
• How does that compare to Oregon or Virginia or other kinds of pure states in the composition of who has
• Chair and the committee, your support for this bill, which will help a city larger than 800,000 people west

Bills: HB1367 , HB2172 , HB2718 , HB2139 , HB2192 , HB2307 , HB2379 , HB2467 , HB2495 , HB2604

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: motorcycle safety, right shoulder, shoulder riding, limited access roadway, freeway, expressway, highway congestion, lane splitting, traffic safety, RCW, Washington traffic law, roadside assistance, emergency vehicles, tow truck, congested traffic, motorcyclist, route jurisdiction, abandonment, transportation, local governance

Transcript Highlights:

• And that line of case law started in 1976 with the Virginia Pharmacy Board case, and some of the advertising
• In Loudoun County, Virginia, more than half of the local tax revenue comes from data centers.
• We've already heard from Kevin about places like Loudoun County, Virginia, where data centers generate
• We've already heard from Kevin about places like Loudoun County, Virginia, where data centers generate
• We have seen data centers that have gone up in places like Northern Virginia that are unsightly, that

Bills: S0408 , S0986 , S0678 , S0800 , S1050 , S0484 , S1118

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries considered several bills and took final action on each. SB 986, by Senator Gruters and presented by Senator Rodriguez, would prohibit smoking or vaping marijuana in public places and in certain indoor spaces; restaurant and lodging representatives supported adding marijuana and vaping to clean indoor air rules but asked to preserve designated smoking areas on private property, while cannabis advocates warned the bill was overly broad and could affect patients and property rights. The committee voted the bill favorably. SB 678, by Senator Mayfield, would restore statutory authority for DBPR to continue allowing alcohol distributors to deduct unsellable alcohol from monthly excise tax calculations; the committee adopted a strike-all amendment and reported the committee substitute favorably. SB 800, also by Senator Mayfield, increases penalties for repeated unlicensed engineering practice and creates an engineering student loan assistance program for engineers working for state agencies and water management districts; after adopting an amendment clarifying eligibility, the committee reported the bill favorably. The committee then heard SB 408, by Senator Grall, which would create a Florida cause of action against vaccine manufacturers that advertise in the state, allowing injured individuals to sue in Florida courts. Supporters argued the bill would rebuild public trust and hold manufacturers accountable, while opponents from the Florida Justice Reform Institute, American Tort Reform Association, BIO, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, and several medical and business groups argued the field is largely preempted by federal law, that existing federal compensation programs already address vaccine injuries, and that the bill raises First Amendment and policy concerns. After debate focused on vaccine injury data, compensation rates, and liability, the committee voted SB 408 favorably. The committee also considered SB 484 and SB 1118, both by Senator Avila, dealing with data centers. SB 484 would preserve local planning authority, bar nondisclosure agreements that prevent disclosure of potential data center development, require the PSC to set large-load tariff requirements so data centers pay their own costs, and limit consumptive use permits for large-scale data centers absent no harm to water resources and compliance with local zoning; supporters emphasized ratepayer protection and economic development, while some witnesses urged flexibility for behind-the-meter projects and confidentiality in negotiations. The bill was reported favorably. SB 1118 would create a time-limited public records exemption for county or municipal information about data center siting and protect proprietary business information; Senator Pizzo raised concerns about how the exemption would affect disclosure of competing projects and local officials’ ability to speak, but the sponsor said he would work on clarifying the language. The committee also passed SB 1050, by Senator Calatayud, which requires veterinarians to provide pet owners with written prescriptions and information about pharmacy choice while preserving veterinary judgment and emergency dispensing authority. The meeting concluded after all bills were reported favorably and members recorded additional votes on prior items.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senator from West Sacramento talked about John Quincy Adams, and I wanted to go back to that.
• First of all, in discussing the need for this additional allocation, my friend from West Sacramento pointed
• First of all, in discussing the need for this additional allocation, my friend from West Sacramento pointed
• Born in 1934 in Providence, Rhode Island, to an immigrant father, and raised in Parkersburg, West Virginia