Transcript Highlights:

• Arizona work collaboratively to prevent human trafficking, prosecute offenders, and support survivors
• And whereas January is recognized nationally as Human Trafficking Prevention Month and January 13th is
• supporting efforts to prevent exploitation and assist survivors.
• education, policy, and prevention across Arizona.
• HB 2020, institution and interruption. HB 2021, K-3 reading program curriculum acquired.

Summary: The House convened with prayer by Deacon Ernesto Ramirez and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Representative Rachel Keshel. The journal from January 12 was approved, and Dr. Andrew Carroll was introduced as Doctor of the Day. Members also heard a proclamation recognizing January 13 as Arizona Human Trafficking Awareness Day, with remarks highlighting the work of the Arizona Human Trafficking Survivor Coalition and the importance of survivor-led prevention and awareness efforts. The chamber then handled routine business, including messages from the Senate and two motions related to adjournment. The House agreed to grant the Senate consent to adjourn after Thursday, January 15, 2026, until Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and also requested the Senate’s consent for the House to do the same. Members observed personal remarks for former Senator Barbara Left and Representative Kyle Powell. A long list of bills and resolutions was introduced and read for first and second reading, covering topics such as elections, water policy, education, public safety, health care, agriculture, taxation, and several memorials and resolutions. No substantive debate or votes on those measures occurred in this transcript. Committee announcements were made for several meetings, and the House adjourned until 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• . programs. programs.
• Supports program, and the Elderly Waiver and Alternative Care programs.
• Supports program, and the Elderly Waiver and Alternative Care programs.
• </c> able to go to finance and and and fix. able to go to finance and and and fix.
• And could the staff make sure Bryce and Emily and folks are making sure that's going back and forth and

Committee: Senate Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it's this lack of transparency and access to information, which prevents the shareholders, who
• SB 924 ensures that programs work across diverse housing types, conditions, and tenancy structures.
• This bill creates a framework for more responsive and community-informed program design.
• I'm Sylvia Aguilar, the Programs and Operations Manager for the Casita Coalition.
• Sylvia Aguilar: The Programs and Operations Manager for the Casita Coalition.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications heard a long agenda of energy, water, housing, and technology bills. SB 952 (Laird, presented by Perez) would give the Department of Water Resources more flexibility to meet the State Water Project’s 100% clean energy procurement goal by 2035 while managing costs; it drew support from the State Water Contractors and California Municipal Utilities Association and no opposition. The committee also heard SB 1417, which would extend transparency, notice, and public meeting requirements to mutual water companies’ rate increases; Senator Perez and supporters tied the bill to post-Eaton Fire recovery in Altadena, while the California Association of Mutual Water Companies opposed it, citing conflicts with tenant billing laws, privacy concerns, and burdensome meeting requirements. SB 1417 was approved on a split vote and the roll was left open. Members then considered SB 924, a low-income utility assistance/weatherization bill by Hurtado, which would require measurable affordability outcomes and better tenant-focused benefits; it passed to Appropriations with broad support from clean energy and community groups and no opposition. SB 925 (McNerney) would direct the California Energy Commission to develop a statewide roadmap for fusion energy; supporters from General Atomics, Clean Air Task Force, and TAE Technologies argued it would help keep fusion investment in California, and it passed unanimously to Environmental Quality. SB 1011 (McNerney) would require CPUC standards for human review and labor consultation before utilities deploy AI in operations; labor and utility engineer witnesses supported guardrails, while business and utility groups opposed or sought more review, warning of overregulation and overlap with other laws. The bill passed to Privacy, Digital Technology and Consumer Protection on a divided vote. The committee also advanced SB 1168 (McNerney), a study bill directing the CPUC to examine how data centers can pay their fair share of grid costs; data center and utility groups were opposed or neutral pending amendments, while climate advocates supported it, and it moved to Revenue and Taxation. SB 1196 (McNerney) would speed utility hookups for ADUs and JADUs by allowing earlier applications and setting timelines and penalties; housing advocates supported it and it passed to Local Government. SB 1350 (McNerney) would allow renewable portfolio standard credits for power plants using green hydrogen, drawing strong support from hydrogen, labor, utility, and local government interests, but opposition from TURN over greenwashing and tracking concerns; it passed to Environmental Quality. Finally, SB 1158 (Stern) would expand quarterly reliability reporting by the CEC and CPUC to include transmission and grid upgrade status; it was presented as a common-sense reliability measure and moved forward with support.

Transcript Highlights:

• The OIG expects the committee to be created early in the procurement process and certainly before bids
• And, you know, because if there's a mechanism in the contract... ...and it's identified early in the
• staff costs and those kinds of things but I also spend as much of my time on prevention knowledge transfer
• It was actually about all the boondoggle tax breaks and grant programs and the crap that we spend money
• And I'll give you the Ways and Means example that I learned early on.

Committee: Senate Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight

Summary: The committee met to discuss MassDOT’s unsuccessful service plaza procurement, with Chair Montigny opening by stressing the committee’s investigative role, its refusal to take lobbyist calls or meetings, and its willingness to use subpoena power if needed. He said the committee was focused on understanding how the bid process unfolded, why the selected bid was far above the low bid, why the Capital Programs Committee did not vote on the matter, and what ex parte communications occurred. He also framed the issue as broader than one contract, criticizing procurement practices generally and noting future hearings on quasi-public entities and the Convention Center. Commonwealth Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro testified that his office would issue an investigatory letter on the service plaza procurement in the coming weeks. He said the procurement was a major one—18 locations, nearly $1 billion in value, and a 35-year term—and that his office had reviewed the process, its design, and execution. Shapiro emphasized that the OIG looks beyond fraud to the totality of a procurement and contract management, and he outlined best practices for large public procurements: clear planning, transparent solicitation terms, defined evaluation criteria and weights, limited and explicit non-negotiable terms, conflict-of-interest controls, and strong contract management after award. He said the Commonwealth was fortunate the procurement was canceled because a contract of that size and duration should mitigate risk factors. Committee members then pressed Shapiro on broader procurement reform, including how to handle subjective criteria versus objective price comparisons, how to prevent ex parte communications, whether selection committees should be treated as public bodies subject to open meeting and records laws, and whether agencies should use outside experts or dedicated staff for major negotiations. Shapiro responded generally that agencies must define objectives and scoring before bids are opened, use forms that allow apples-to-apples comparisons, ensure boards understand their oversight duties, and think about enforcement and contract management from the start. The hearing ended with the chair saying the committee would continue its work and would hear from the Secretary of Transportation at a later date; the meeting adjourned at 4:12.

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment creates two new tax credit programs and amends an existing program.
• and other financial aid programs, and a total of $62 million to...
• and adult basic education programs.
• , otherwise known as FX, and the Florida PALM Program.
• , and $12 million to the state and local government cybersecurity grant program.

Summary: The House convened on the final day of session, observed a moment of silence for the Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and for Representative Rosenwald’s father, then swore in and seated new members Boyles and Hodgers. The Speaker also outlined the chamber’s end-of-session priorities, including action on the budget and related conforming bills. The House then took up H.J.R. 5019, a constitutional amendment to expand Florida’s budget stabilization fund by raising the cap, requiring annual transfers, and allowing withdrawals for critical state needs. After sponsor explanations and questions about what would qualify as a critical need and how the fund might respond to possible federal funding cuts, the House adopted an amendment that added more flexibility for suspending transfers and withdrawals. The joint resolution then passed on final passage. Members next considered HB 7031, the tax package conference report. The bill repeals the business rent tax and aviation fuel tax, delays the natural gas fuel tax, creates or extends several sales tax exemptions and holidays, and makes changes affecting property taxes, local taxes, pari-mutuel taxes, and revenue distributions. Debate focused heavily on the new permanent exemption for ammunition and hunting-related items, the elimination of recurring housing trust fund and transit-related distributions, and the shift of some funding from recurring to nonrecurring status. Supporters argued the package provides tax relief and preserves annual budget flexibility, while opponents criticized the ammunition exemption and the reductions in recurring housing and transit support. The conference report was adopted and the bill passed. The House then passed HB 5017, which creates a debt reduction program funded by a recurring transfer from general revenue to retire state bonds early, and HB 5015, the state group insurance conforming bill, which directs DMS to develop a formulary management plan and codifies the administrative health insurance assessment. Finally, the chamber began explanation and questions on the General Appropriations Act conference report for fiscal year 2025-26, described as a $115.1 billion budget that is down from the current year and includes more than $12 billion in reserves. Subcommittee chairs summarized major budget areas, including K-12 education, health care, transportation and economic development, agriculture and natural resources, higher education, state administration, justice, and information technology, highlighting funding for school choice, Medicaid, housing, transportation infrastructure, Everglades restoration, workforce programs, cybersecurity, and technology modernization.

Transcript Highlights:

• programs are all varied and very different.
• And then I think also out on there, pregnant women... ...programs are all varied and very different.
• We changed it to match with our electrical program. Elevator program and other programs have that.
• And some programs I'll be presenting here, we reduce— In general, I've got three more programs to present
• And some programs I'll be presenting here, we reduced 60 pages of unnecessary rules and regulations.

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it's this lack of transparency and access to information, which prevents the shareholders, who
• And so it's this lack of transparency and access to information, which prevents the shareholders, who
• SB 924 ensures that programs work across diverse housing types, conditions, and tenancy structures.
• This bill creates a framework for more responsive and community-informed program design.
• I'm Sylvia Aguilar, the Programs and Operations Manager for the Casita Coalition.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If you have a well and a sewer—and now, as you said, septic and well—so if you have a property, you don
• Active home listings are up in the last six years in California and Florida and Texas and most of this
• Two, early estimates show that that could translate into up to 5,700 new homes per year, and almost a
• And Ali DiMateo, Legislative and Policy Counsel, as well.
• We are really looking forward to promoting this program and see it as a potential tool for many of our

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on Initiative Petition 25-03, House Bill 5000, which would allow single-family homes on small lots in areas with adequate infrastructure. Committee chairs outlined the Article 48 process and the hearing format, then heard first from two subject-matter experts. Under Secretary Chris Clutchman of Housing and Livable Communities explained that the proposal would amend Chapter 40A’s Section 3 (the Dover Amendment) to require most municipalities, except Boston, to allow single-family homes on residentially zoned lots of at least 5,000 square feet with 50 feet of frontage and access to public water and sewer, while still allowing reasonable local regulations on setbacks, height, bulk, and short-term rentals. He distinguished the proposal from Chapter 40Y starter-home zoning, said implementation would likely require regulations to address issues such as wetlands, infrastructure capacity, and nonconforming lots, and answered committee questions about lot subdivision, MBTA Communities, and the relationship to existing zoning tools. Attorney Susan Murphy testified that the petition would significantly override local zoning and could create conflicts with existing statutes, including Chapter 40A Section 6 protections for certain nonconforming lots, subdivision control law, and other residential zoning districts. She raised concerns about how “access” to water and sewer would be defined, whether the measure could apply in business or industrial districts where residential uses are allowed, and whether the proposal could allow large homes on small lots without any affordability limits. She also warned that the measure could have significant infrastructure impacts and argued that the Legislature should consider broader, more comprehensive housing legislation rather than expanding exceptions to the zoning framework. Committee members asked both experts about frontage, lot size, infrastructure capacity, and how the proposal would interact with 40Y and MBTA Communities. The proponents, led by Andrew McCulla of the Legalized Starter Homes Coalition, argued that Massachusetts faces a severe housing shortage and affordability crisis, citing high home prices, high rents, declining listings, and outmigration of younger residents. They said the measure would legalize modest single-family homes on smaller lots, increase housing supply, and help first-time buyers and downsizing seniors, while leaving most other local rules in place. Other proponents, including representatives from Abundant Housing Massachusetts, the Charles River Regional Chamber, and individual residents, emphasized workforce retention, the need for more starter homes, and the view that large minimum lot sizes are a major barrier to production. Committee members pressed the panel on the lack of any home-size or affordability requirement, possible effects on 40B compliance, the number of new lots and homes that might result, and the fact that the ballot initiative would not be amendable by the Legislature. The hearing then turned to opponents from the Massachusetts Municipal Association, who urged the committee to take no action. MMA leaders said zoning should remain a local decision made by residents and elected local officials, and argued that the proposal would preempt local control with a one-size-fits-all mandate. They also said the measure is impractical because many communities with water and sewer are already at or near capacity, so infrastructure availability does not necessarily mean development capacity. The hearing ended during the MMA’s testimony, with no vote or final committee action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> a difference by supporting prevention a difference by supporting prevention programs,<00:09:54.880
• </c> um that April is child abuse and um that April is child abuse and prevention<00:16:59.440><c> month
• And then community corrections program.
• , and nothing would prevent reinstatement in the community punishment and corrections program unless
• and corrections program and punishment and corrections program and confirmed<02:24:34.000><c> in</c>

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum. Senators then adopted the prior day’s journal and excused absent members. A lengthy point of personal privilege followed, in which Senator Smith criticized the prior day’s handling of the special order calendar and argued that minority-party senators were denied the chance to speak, while Senator Coleman said Senate Bill 318 had been removed from the calendar and tied that to Child Abuse Prevention Month; she also noted Senate Bill 43, which would provide civil recourse for child sex assault survivors, had not advanced. The presiding officer also recognized guests in the gallery, including staff from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The Senate then received multiple committee reports, largely on a unanimous or near-unanimous basis. Finance and Taxation Education reported favorably on House Bills 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 565, 517, and 98, and Senate Bill 380, with some substitutes or amendments; Finance and Taxation General Fund reported Senate Bill 378 favorably; County and Municipal Government reported House Bills 568, 499, and 433; Education Policy reported House Bills 8 and 380; Banking and Insurance reported House Bill 545; Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development reported House Bill 586 with two nays; Healthcare reported House Bills 533 and 605; Tourism and Marketing reported House Bills 513 and 626 and Senate Bill 357; and local legislation committees reported several Mobile County and Madison County bills, including Senate Bill 379 relating to Madison County and various House bills, all advancing to the next legislative day. In motions and resolutions, the Senate agreed to allow committee reports to be received at any time during the day. Several resolutions were introduced and referred to the Rules Committee, including Senate Joint Resolution 100 honoring Presley Skelton, SJR 101 commending Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, SJR 102 establishing the Alabama Forest Products Retention and Pulp and Paper Mill Stability Study Commission, SJR 103 mourning Norman Wendell Arnold, and SJR 104 designating Alabama as the river state. The chamber also suspended the rules to take up Senate Joint Resolution 105, commending Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth for his service; the resolution included a lengthy recitation of his background and accomplishments and was read for immediate consideration with all senators added as sponsors.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when losses are lower, pressure on premiums and state-backed insurance programs is reduced.
• This program is administered by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration and is scheduled
• National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, also known as the NEVI program, and ARCHES, California's
• And I see that the industry does receive a lot of support from other various programs.
• Tax credits, bond revenues, and other state housing programs... ...with few options.

Summary: The committee heard and advanced several tax and revenue measures, beginning with SB 1329 on solar property tax assessment. The author and solar industry witnesses argued the bill would create a uniform statewide method, provide certainty for developers, and exclude tax credits and other intangibles from valuation; county assessors and several counties opposed it, saying it would reduce assessed value and depart from market-based appraisal. The bill was moved to Appropriations on a 2-0 vote and placed on call. The committee also heard SB 1406 to close the “Montana tax loophole” used to avoid California vehicle taxes, with support from the California Teachers Association and no registered opposition; it passed 2-0 and was placed on call. SB 984, conforming California law to the federal tipped-income deduction, drew support from the restaurant industry, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and enrolled agents, and passed 3-0 to Appropriations, on call. Later, the committee considered wildfire- and energy-related tax credits. SB 1084 would create a fire-safe home tax credit for home hardening and defensible space improvements; supporters said it would reduce wildfire losses and insurance costs, and it passed 3-0 on call. SB 1118 would provide credits for backup generators and solar battery systems in high fire-threat areas; the author framed it as a resilience measure for households and small businesses, but members raised concerns about cost, diesel use, and whether the credit would reach lower-income households. The bill was moved 1-0 and placed on call, with the chair and other members noting unresolved budget and policy concerns. SB 1424, expanding a partial sales tax exemption to zero-emission vehicle refueling equipment, received support from hydrogen and electric transportation groups and passed 4-0 on call. The committee also advanced SB 1249, a senior tax deduction for taxpayers ages 86 to 90, with support from LeadingAge California and senior advocates; members noted it was narrowly targeted and passed 4-0 on call. SB 1113, conforming California tax law to the federal tonnage tax regime for U.S.-flag international shipping companies, drew support from maritime industry groups and opposition from ILWU over the fiscal impact; it passed 4-0 on call. SB 1137, the Medical Expense Deduction Act, would allow a targeted deduction for medical expenses for lower-income taxpayers; supporters said it would help families facing high out-of-pocket costs, and it passed 4-0 on call. Finally, SB 1415 would extend a partial welfare property tax exemption to mixed-income housing that includes moderate-income units; supporters said it would help finance “missing middle” housing, while assessors and housing stakeholders requested amendments and guardrails. The bill was also moved forward on a committee vote and placed on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• officer training corps programs as public school career and technology education programs and the indicator
• On elections hb 1091 by paul relating to the practices and procedures for an early voting ballot voted
• Refer to the Subcommittee on Disease Prevention and Women's Children's Health.
• Subcommittee on Disease Prevention and Women's Children's Health.
• And relating to the administration of the Homeless Housing and Service Program by the Texas Department

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And whereas this drastic policy of forced removal allegedly aimed to prevent acts of espionage and sabotage
• and powerful voice for equity and justice and against racism, bigotry, and hate through the message
• : that we got better, that we face this, and we face it in a way that will prevent us from going there
• But then I heard about the Dairy Princess program at that time, and that was something that I decided
• No days off, always had to get up early, go to bed early so that you could get up the next day and start

Summary: The Senate opened by approving the previous day’s journal, receiving messages from the House, and referring newly introduced Senate Bill 6353 to the Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs, and Elections. The chamber then moved to resolutions. Senate Resolution 8687, commemorating the 84th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and recognizing Japanese American veterans, incarcerees, and civil rights activists, was presented and adopted. Several senators spoke in support, describing the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans as a grave civil rights injustice and emphasizing remembrance, healing, and the need to prevent similar abuses in the future. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 8688 honoring Washington’s dairy farms and dairy workers. Senators highlighted the industry’s economic importance, family farm traditions, and the hard work involved in dairy production, with some members sharing personal family and farming experiences. After adoption, the Senate welcomed representatives of the Washington State Dairy Council, Washington State Dairy Women’s Organization, and Dairy Ambassadors Apprentices to the gallery. The Senate then adjourned without objection until 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• She's had to do it from a very early age, and you know there's a lot of self-consciousness about doing
• Council members strive to support program integrity and efficiency in serving this population.
• I'm a member of the Fraud Prevention Committee, and this is a subject that we spend a lot of time on.
• And that's a lifeline program that's targeted to pharmacies in Minnesota.
• My name is Matthew Fell, and I'm a Program Manager for High-Level Disinfection and Sterilization at a

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• account endeavor, and so to put a cap on that program would not do us any justice.
• account endeavor, and so to put a cap on that program would not do us any justice.
• He's made considerable changes to the program, and then we were able to secure the four positions and
• /c><00:38:23.119><c> to</c><00:38:23.359><c> now</c> program and we've been able to now program and we've
• content expert, and an administrator of the Early Childhood Program. specifically because these are

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II work session focused on Fish and Game’s budget-revenue proposals and several statutory changes the department said it needs to support its operations. The department recommended raising the fisheries habitat fee and wildlife habitat fee to $5 each, estimating additional annual revenue of about $640,000 and $144,000 respectively. Members clarified that these are habitat fees added on top of licenses, not reduced by senior or youth license categories, and discussed the need for RSA changes to allow the revenue to be transferred into the Fish and Game Fund. The department also said it would work internally on any broader license fee increases through the commission process. The committee then reviewed proposals to cap several dedicated accounts and transfer excess balances to the unrestricted Fish and Game Fund. Those accounts included the fisheries and wildlife habitat funds and the game management account, with the department proposing a $750,000 cap on each and transfer of amounts above that threshold. The department said the cap was based on several years of expenditures and the fact that dedicated funds are often used as match for federal funds. Members asked for reports on fund activity and questioned whether the cap and mandatory transfer language should be “shall” or “may,” with the department indicating it would prefer “may” for flexibility. The committee also discussed a Pheasant Management Program account, where the department said current law limits use of the money to buying and propagating pheasants and it wants authority to use it for broader program management. A substantial portion of the meeting addressed Fish and Game’s environmental review unit and the transfer of ARPA-funded positions to DEES under the governor’s initiative. The department said four positions are currently ARPA-funded, that DEES supports keeping them in place through the end of the year, and that the transition will require time because environmental review work is intertwined across the agency. The department explained that before the ARPA positions, biologists handled the work and that current staffing has helped eliminate a backlog and meet deadlines. Members also discussed a proposal to expand environmental review fees beyond private developers to state, federal, municipal, and local governments, with the department saying it would need rulemaking and stakeholder input. Additional requests included authority to conduct raffles to raise funds, creation of a revolving account for donations and raffle proceeds, and repeal of the obsolete fish food sales statute because the vending machines are no longer functional and the account generates no revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• With the work from the Office of Broadband and the Public Regulation Commission and federal funds, we
• One was in 2024, early 2025, and the latter was the benefit-of-the-bargain round, which we completed
• One was in 2024, early 2025, and the latter was the benefit of the bargain round, which we completed
• We also awarded funds to Acoma Pueblo and Jemez Pueblo as part of that program.
• The reference that I made to Starlink and Amazon Project Kuiper was specifically for the BED program,

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

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to supplement the litigation and adjudication programs, and increased health and risk insurance premium
• to supplement the litigation and adjudication programs, and increased health and risk insurance premium
• If we don't invest in it early, and if we aren't wise, and this isn't lost in us and how we get that
• And that's it, done. And where are we at today? So I think the current program...
• And the leasing program, have you made any offers in the leasing program currently?

Committee: Senate Senate Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Whithouse is a professor of rhetoric and writing and director of the writing program at UC Davis, and
• complaint procedure. to prevent and address anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination and bias
• and accounting of its resources, separate and apart from other programs within our agency.
• And now we will go ahead and just take—I have to leave a little early—so we'll go ahead and take up the
• increases, access improves, and programs perform better.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• from agencies with established aviation programs and to discuss necessary capabilities and the ideal
• efforts and preventing fires.
• Um, your commitment to, to Texans and getting the right tools and resources, uh, to prevent things like
• , uh, you know, they have billions and billions of dollars into that program and a well-run program,
• And I, and I realize most of this program is focused not on the urban areas, but just for, just so we're

Committee: House State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• And today I'm going to talk about the program and the innovative opportunities for both landowners and
• </c><00:10:08.280><c> is</c><00:10:08.480><c> for</c> program and what that offering is for program and
• > state current use programs and so we vet state current use programs and so we vet those<00:32:32.960
• </c><00:35:21.200><c> important</c> the program and are a really important the program and are a really
• And so this program provides that annual incentive to help prevent that from happening. >> Then, if I

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with introductions and approval of the previous minutes, including a small amendment clarifying a note about “leakage” in a prior presentation. The committee then heard a presentation from Sarah Hall of the American Forest Foundation on the Family Forest Carbon Program, which she described as a voluntary carbon and forest management program for smaller landowners. She said the program provides annual payments and technical assistance, requires a forest management plan within two years, and is designed to support improved forest management while still allowing compatible uses such as recreation, hunting, and some harvesting. Hall emphasized that the program is intended as one tool among many and is not a fit for every property. She said most enrolled landowners did not previously have a forest management plan or work with a forester, and that the program helps bring “unengaged” landowners into active management. She also said the program is compatible with current use and other commitments on a case-by-case basis, and that landowners retain ownership of their land and timber rights while AFF holds the carbon rights for the contract term. She highlighted examples of landowners using the program to support taxes, family ownership, wildlife habitat, timber stand improvement, and continued recreational or business uses. Committee members asked about registry compliance in New Hampshire and the relationship between carbon markets and the program. Hall responded that AFF handles registry administration for landowners and would follow up on the specific registry count raised by a member. She explained that the program is funded through a mix of carbon market revenue, philanthropy, and grants, and that carbon credits are generated through landscape-level methodology and monitored using randomly selected plots compared with FIA data. She also noted that consulting foresters are key partners in the program and that AFF has paid more than $3 million to consultants nationwide.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and we are a child abuse prevention foundation located here in Jefferson City, Missouri, and we give
• out funding throughout the state to prevent child abuse and neglect, and we have a particular interest
• of child sexual abuse, and we have a, in fact, one of the only child sexual abuse prevention programs
• And there is an obligation that we now have, because we understand this, to do more to prevent it, and
• So I'm a proponent of open, honest discussions early and often in multiple different avenues, and for

Committee: House Children and Families

Keywords: 959, house, all