Transcript Highlights:

• In accordance with the interim charge given to the Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee
• Lastly, based upon the critical need for aggregate materials and the stationary nature of the natural
• Happy to assist us with this because of the nature of what we're dealing with and the sensitivity of
• happy to assist us with this because of the nature of what we're dealing with and the sensitivity of
• At the same time, folks in Lee County had concerns about a natural gas plant.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation, received a House message announcing passage of H.B. 500, and a gubernatorial nomination for the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority Board. The chamber adopted several resolutions, including SR 409 recognizing Blue Ribbon Lobby Day, SR 402 honoring the discovery of the woolly devil plant at Big Bend National Park, and recognitions for Operation Christmas RGV and Wilson County Day. The Senate also heard an announcement that the Committee on Senate Nominations action report had been placed on members’ desks. The body then took up and passed several bills. SB 2365 was passed to prohibit personal wireless communication devices by public school students during instructional time, with exceptions for health, special education, and safety needs. SB 1869 was passed to reaffirm the DSHS commissioner’s authority over controlled-substance schedule changes without rulemaking or judicial review. SB 1124 was passed to revise criminal discovery procedures in response to the Heath decision, with supporters saying it preserves exculpatory evidence protections while limiting suppression of inculpatory evidence when the defense already knew of it. SB 1758 was passed to create a Grayson County pilot study and temporary permitting hold concerning a cement kiln/quarry near a semiconductor wafer facility, and SB 2078 was passed to regulate composting in certain counties, after a clarifying amendment. The Senate also passed SB 33, barring governmental entities from transactions that support abortion assistance or out-of-state abortion procurement; SB 34, expanding wildfire preparedness measures, studies, equipment databases, and rural fire department funding; SB 1208, increasing the penalty for interference with public duties from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony; SB 1030, removing the maintenance, repair, and overhaul tax for general aviation; SB 505, creating processes to address election irregularities; SB 2411, updating the Business Organizations Code and changing filing-method requirements; and SB 1333, addressing unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, or conveyance of real property. Most measures advanced on voice vote or recorded roll call after motions to suspend the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule, with several members raising questions or objections, especially on the criminal justice, abortion, and public duties bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Markey-Mason, with the Natural Resources Defense Council, in support. Thanks so much.
• Isabella Bobadilla with The Nature Conservancy. Thank you. Please proceed.
• Isabella Bobadilla with nature. Uh, Isabella, sorry, you're after 630.
• Isabella Bobadilla with a nature conservancy. Thank you. Please proceed.
• Hazard, flood risk, natural resources, and farmland.

Summary: The committee heard a long agenda of local government and housing-related bills, with testimony often centered on regional coordination, permitting reform, and local control. SB 802 by Senator Ashby would require Sacramento-area jurisdictions to form a joint powers authority to coordinate homelessness and housing response; supporters argued the region has long lacked accountability and coordination, while Sacramento County, Folsom, and others opposed the mandate as an unprecedented state-imposed JPA. The bill drew extensive support from local officials, business groups, service providers, and advocates, and opposition from county, city, and nonprofit representatives who said a local process was already underway. Committee members expressed support for the concept, but the bill was held pending a quorum and later discussed again with strong encouragement for regional collaboration. The committee also heard SB 222, SB 677, SB 908, SB 226, SB 828, and SB 1193. SB 222 would streamline permitting for residential heat pump and water heater installations; supporters said it would lower costs and speed clean-energy adoption, while local government groups argued the main barrier is upfront cost, not permits. SB 677 would curb what the author described as abusive appeals and delays in affordable housing approvals, with developers testifying about frivolous subdivision map appeals and TEFRA hearing delays; the California Native Plant Society sought an amendment to preserve appeals on habitat lands. SB 908 would simplify permits for energy-code-compliant window replacements, and SB 226 would clarify financing authority for a West Sacramento baseball stadium proposal; both passed unanimously. SB 828, prompted by the Esparto fireworks warehouse explosion, would tighten fireworks storage and licensing rules, expand inspection and seizure authority, and increase fines; it also passed unanimously after testimony from fire officials and a pyrotechnic operator who opposed it unless amended. SB 1193, a county-specific Alameda County transparency bill, generated the sharpest debate. The author argued it would prevent waste, favoritism, and conflicts of interest in discretionary spending by requiring board approval, a public spending log, and clearer whistleblower procedures. Alameda County and county associations opposed it as overly broad and burdensome, saying existing processes already provide transparency and that the bill would reduce flexibility during fiscal stress. After committee questions about the bill’s purpose and the county’s current practices, the measure passed 7-0, with the author indicating willingness to accept an amendment restoring a four-fifths vote threshold. The committee then moved out of order to SB 1090, which would impose a temporary moratorium on state housing density laws in Altadena through 2030 in response to post-fire displacement concerns. The author said the bill is intended to protect long-term residents from investor-driven redevelopment after the Eaton Fire, while acknowledging amendments to align the moratorium with affordable housing development timelines. The transcript cuts off during the presentation of this bill, so no final action is shown for SB 1090 in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• These paintings serve as a testament to the enduring nature of leadership.
• It is simply a document. ...the states naturalized or not.
• ID card not is supposed to tell whether individuals are naturalized citizen or not?
• So it is coal, it is oil, it is natural gas. That is what powers our economy, right?
• We're number one as a natural gas producer and we're number four in terms of a coal producer.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and included several member introductions recognizing guests, interns, firefighters, and a doctor of the day. The chamber then moved to the special order calendar and began taking up a series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate measures before final passage. The first major bill, health care patient protection, required hospitals with emergency departments to adopt pediatric emergency care policies, training, a pediatric emergency care coordinator, and readiness assessments; it passed 36-0. A public records bill protecting victim identities and temporarily exempting the name of a law enforcement officer who is a victim also passed after questions about access for victims of police misconduct, with a 33-4 vote. The Senate next approved a local government cybersecurity bill creating a state-administered program through Florida Digital Service to help counties and cities strengthen cyber defenses, with priority for rural and fiscally constrained governments; after amendments, it passed 37-0. A clerks of court bill allowing clerks to retain all revenue above projections and, through a House amendment, revising legal notice and traffic citation distribution provisions, passed 38-0 despite debate over impacts on municipalities and law enforcement. The chamber also passed a trademark modernization bill and a septic system permit bill intended to reduce delays for builders; the septic bill was amended to align the House and Senate versions and passed 38-0. The longest and most contested item was the elections bill, which updated citizenship verification procedures using REAL ID and state databases, changed candidate qualification rules, and altered election administration provisions. Numerous amendments were offered and rejected, including proposals to exempt certain seniors, preserve student and retirement-center IDs, allow attestations in place of documentary proof of citizenship, and require human review over automated systems. One amendment to delay implementation until July 1, 2027, was also debated. The transcript ends while debate is still underway on the elections measure, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• > resources enjoying Minnesota's natural resources enjoying Minnesota's natural resources this
• resources for an agreement with, you know, the Nature Conservancy.
• And then I also have the Nature Conservancy, uh, TNC, 8,77 acres...
• The Nature Conservancy, uh, TNC, 8,77 acres, that fee title protection summary.
• I don't know if they Nature Conservancy. I don't know if they are<00:45:59.359> here.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I am, I think, still Deputy Secretary of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.
• into a natural gas methane pipeline.
• So every bit of manmade and natural disasters fall underneath my agency.
• At the point at which the government... ...nature as well.
• Is it going to be natural gas? It's going to be solar?

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Environment Department on PFAS contamination in private wells in La Cienega, Santa Fe County. Staff said the plume likely came from historic use of firefighting foam associated with airport and National Guard fire-training activities, with possible additional contribution from septic systems and consumer products. They described the contamination as affecting about 200 private wells, the short-term response of providing residential filters through a $2 million legislative appropriation, and ongoing work to define the plume’s full extent, identify responsible parties, and consider longer-term regional water solutions. Members asked about filter costs, replacement schedules, disposal of used cartridges, follow-up testing, health studies, and whether cleanup or containment had begun; the department said cleanup would follow once the plume is fully mapped and that DOH is soliciting interest in a blood study. The committee also discussed the need to track disposal of PFAS filters and the possibility of broader statewide capacity for similar work. The committee then took up abandoned uranium mine cleanup. NMED and EMNRD staff reviewed the new uranium mine reclamation program created by HB 164, the state dashboard tracking sites, and the FY26 appropriation of $20 million for neglected contaminated sites, of which $12 million is being used for neglected uranium mines and the remainder for other contaminated sites. They said six contractors were hired, three priority sites in Grant County are moving forward quickly, and additional sites are being prepared for possible FY27 work. Members pressed for details on how funds are spent, why the revolving fund remains unfunded, how federal, state, tribal, and landowner requirements are coordinated, where contaminated material will be moved, and whether cleanup could also address homes built with contaminated materials. Staff said the work is governed by multiple regulatory layers, that the state is seeking an additional $25 million for FY27-FY28 plus a time extension, and that partnerships with tribes would require longer-term agreements. The committee also discussed federal cleanup efforts and the new Good Samaritan law, with members urging stronger advocacy for New Mexico sites, including tribal lands, and asking whether the Attorney General should pursue legal action against federal parties responsible for legacy contamination. Staff explained that some sites are already covered by settlement funds tied to responsible parties, while neglected sites are those with no responsible party and no other cleanup program. The committee then heard from EMNRD on Class VI carbon sequestration primacy. Staff said New Mexico currently has no operating Class VI wells, about 27 Class II acid-gas injection wells are operating, and only a small number might be candidates for conversion. They explained that the state’s primacy application would require more public outreach than federal rules alone, and that cost estimates for post-injection site care are based on long planning horizons, with some costs borne by operators and some by the state after closure. No votes were taken on the substantive items discussed; the committee approved the prior meeting minutes and took a brief recess between presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• And then there are kids who don't speak English as their natural first language and need help with that
• And then there are kids who don't speak English as their natural first language and need help with that
• And then there are kids who don't speak English as their natural first language and need help with that
• first language and uh need help natural first language and uh need help with<00:20:21.760> that.
• eyebrows a little and that's the nature eyebrows a little and that's the nature by<01:02:35.520>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee Subcommittee on Adequacy and Funding Sources opened its second meeting by reviewing four retained bills assigned to it: HB 651, HB 772, HB 491, and HB 734. The chair said the goal was to compare the bills across the board, consider whether any one of them should be the committee’s recommended vehicle, and then vote on a recommendation to the full committee. He noted the bills would move out before November 21 and be taken up on the House floor in January, while related LSRs were also being developed for the coming session. Representative Ames argued that HB 651 should be the main vehicle because it would substantially raise the adequacy base and adjust differential aid categories to better reflect real school costs, including poverty, special education, and English learner needs. He described the bill as building on court guidance and said the current funding formula is far below actual district needs. He also supported HB 491 as a study vehicle to examine revenue options, saying the legislature needs informed choices about how to pay for the changes. Representative Damon strongly backed HB 651 and HB 491, citing constitutional obligations, the Conval and Rand rulings, and large projected funding increases for districts such as Claremont, Windham, and communities in the chair’s district if HB 651 had passed earlier. Representative Fellows said he has an LSR similar to HB 491 that would study existing and new revenue options using criteria such as revenue potential, administrative cost, affected groups, implementation timeline, and implementation cost, with input from revenue administration and outside agencies. Representative Papich Muller emphasized constitutional separation-of-powers concerns, reading Article 83 and saying he was not comfortable with the broad claim that “cherish” clearly mandates a specific spending level, though he said he intends to follow Supreme Court guidance. Representative Ricky read testimony from a local school board member arguing that the state already imposes many mandates on schools while providing the least funding in the country, and that HB 651 would help restore meaningful local control. No final vote or action was taken in the portion provided, though the chair had indicated the subcommittee would vote before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So our with natural gas suppliers.
• So our reading, if we're going by the natural plain meaning reading of the language, these natural gas
• So our reading, if we're going by the natural plain meaning reading of the language, these natural gas
• So our reading, if we're going by the natural plain meaning reading of the language, these natural gas
• So our reading, if we're going by the natural plain meaning reading of the language, these natural gas

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with housekeeping items, approved the minutes and consent agenda, and reminded the public that JLCAR’s role is limited to determining whether agency rules are within statutory authority, not to decide policy. Testimony was to be limited, and members noted that policy concerns should be addressed through the legislature rather than the committee process. The first major item was Public Utilities Commission rule 25-215 concerning natural gas suppliers. Staff said the proposal had been postponed because the PUC appeared to lack authority to impose fines and penalties in this rule set, especially suspending or revoking registrations, and recommended either a conditional approval removing those provisions or a preliminary objection for lack of statutory authority. PUC counsel responded that the cited authority had been incorrect, that the Department of Energy now has most registration rulemaking authority, but argued the commission still has jurisdiction over mediation and dispute resolution and may still have authority over fines because natural gas suppliers are not expressly excluded from public-utility status. Committee members discussed the split between PUC and DOE authority and the possibility that the transition in authority had not been fully cleaned up in statute. The committee then voted to grant a waiver of the time limit and postpone the item for another month so the agencies could work with counsel and clarify which parts of the rule could proceed. Members also urged that any needed legislative fix be brought forward quickly, noting that the Senate was not taking up non-germane amendments and suggesting the House as the likely venue for a cleanup bill. The committee next took up Department of Energy EN900 and EN1000 rules. Staff said the EN900 net-metering rules had been postponed previously and that the main remaining issue was a retroactive requirement in EN909.03(b), which the agency agreed to revise so the language would apply only on or after the 2026 effective date of the chapter. The agency described the EN900 rules as implementing net metering authority transferred from the PUC and expanding the chapter to cover municipal group net metering and low- and moderate-income community solar projects. The EN1000 interconnection rules were described as implementing 2024 legislation requiring uniform procedures for distributed energy resources. The department said both sets of rules were developed through extensive stakeholder input and asked for approval subject to the oral amendment already discussed."}】【。json

Transcript Highlights:

• there's been a national push or movement to allow local municipalities to prohibit the installation of natural
• Recent data shows that natural gas is the most utilized fuel source of residential energy use, with data
• gas and propane dependence on natural gas and propane there<00:11:52.680> are<00:11:53.320>
• <00:12:09.279> gas tariffs and so much of our natural gas tariffs and so much of our natural
• > gas banning natural gas Andor natural gas banning natural gas Andor natural gas hookups<00:15:33.800

Bills: HF484, HF483, HF1447, HF1496, HF554

Keywords: natural gas, gas hookups, residential construction, energy policy, local control, state preemption, municipal regulation, county ordinance, electrification, climate policy, housing development, building codes, energy source, utility infrastructure, Minnesota Statutes chapter 326B, propane, utility service, building permits, local government, energy choice

Transcript Highlights:

• Miranda from The Nature Conservancy Hawaiʻi and Pala U.
• have additional funding for natural have additional funding for natural resource<00:21:46.039>
• What is most important about HB 1076 is that it increases funding for natural resource protection.
• What is most important about HB 1076 is that it increases funding for natural resource protection.
• Department of Land and Natural Resources in support, in person.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 1077, a governor’s administration bill to increase transient accommodations tax revenue and split it between two new special funds: a climate mitigation and resiliency special fund and an economic development and revitalization special fund for tourism/resort areas. Supporters, including the Governor’s Office, recovery and resilience staff, climate and conservation groups, and several state agencies, said the bill would create a dedicated, more reliable funding stream for wildfire mitigation, coastal resilience, land clearing, infrastructure, and community-led projects. Some supporters also urged changes to the bill, including moving the fund to DLNR, adding DHHL and OHA representation, clarifying community grants, and ensuring the fund can support both state-led and community-led resilience work. The Attorney General’s office flagged a drafting issue, noting that the bill references fees deposited into the new fund even though the new chapter does not authorize fee collection, and recommended deleting that language or adding fee authority. The Climate Advisory Team representative also suggested adding DHHL to the decision-making body and requiring at-large members to have climate, resilience, conservation, or infrastructure expertise. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Kohala Coast Resort Association opposed the measure, arguing that the special fund structure does not meet statutory criteria, that the bill functions as a tax increase, and that the transient accommodations tax is not being collected equitably across all lodging types before any increase is imposed. Other opponents, including tourism and lodging interests, warned that hotels and timeshares already bear most of the tax burden and that raising the TAT could hurt an already struggling visitor industry and drive tourists away. Supporters countered that current funding is far short of what is needed and that a dedicated revenue stream is necessary to address climate impacts now. Committee members questioned why the Legislature should cede spending decisions to a separate executive-branch process, and the administration responded that the bill is intended to create a transparent, recurring mechanism for funding priorities that can be adjusted over time. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• manage ha's unique and limited natural manage ha's unique and limited natural cultural<00:04:16.320
• and then you have this um natural and then you have this um natural resources<00:49:07.240> and
• <01:01:32.760> resources Department of land and natural resources Department of land and natural
• enforcement operations and natural enforcement operations and natural disaster<01:40:09.760>
• resourc natural resourc natural resources<02:09:55.960> um<02:09:56.320> ecosystem

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You can send it to us today here or by mail to the Environment and Natural Resources Committee in Room
• Natural Heritage Program.
• Douglas State Forest is a 6,000-square-foot natural resource that borders both Connecticut and Rhode
• become a problem in recent years with lost people, brush fires, water rescues, and things of that nature
• If not, that concludes the first hearing of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources opened its first hearing with introductory remarks, instructions on three-minute testimony limits, and notice that written testimony would be accepted. The committee then heard testimony on several local bills, beginning with H. 984, which would change water management for Silver Lake, Furnace Pond, Monponset Pond, and the Jones River system. Supporters said the 1964 water arrangement has harmed water levels, water quality, and habitat, and argued the bill would add needed environmental oversight without cutting Brockton off from water. Testimony emphasized impacts on alewife, freshwater mussels, drought conditions, and the need for more balanced management; no vote was taken during the hearing. The committee also heard H. 1069, a proposal to raise the parking surcharge at Douglas State Forest from $1 to $5 to help Douglas cover emergency response costs at the DCR park. Supporters said the town bears the burden for rescues, brush fires, and other incidents and has used the current surcharge for equipment like drones and ATVs. Another bill, H. 994, would let Orleans regulate fertilizer use locally; the town argued that nutrient pollution has worsened water quality in Cape Cod ponds and coastal waters, while opponents from the lawn care and landscape industries said Massachusetts already has a strong statewide nutrient-management system and warned against a patchwork of local rules. The committee also took testimony on H. 1073 concerning wastewater treatment and disposal options at Joint Base Cape Cod for the town of Sandwich. Supporters said the base could help meet Sandwich’s immediate and long-term wastewater needs and that the region has already invested in planning. In addition, Senator Driscoll testified in support of S. 575, to add transparency to the Blue Hills Reservation Trust Fund, and S. 574, to establish memorial markers honoring law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. He also supported related park-naming legislation, including a bill to rename Farragut Park and dedicate athletic fields there. Finally, a marine trades representative supported a bill to expand pleasure boat access to Boston Harbor, arguing that boating supports the local economy and that boaters are strong environmental stewards. The hearing concluded after all registered testimony was heard, with no committee action reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• , UAS, AAMs, electrical aircraft, you know, fully or highly automated aircraft and things of that nature
• So there's... ...automated aircraft and things of that nature.
• gas infrastructure but just the R&D associated with UAS and advanced aircraft and things of that nature
• What are the regulatory revisions that we need to be looking at and things of that nature?
• Chairman,... ...regulatory revisions that we need to be looking at and things of that nature.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drones Advisory Committee met and was told this would likely be its final meeting because the committee sunsets after the 2026 regular session unless legislation reconstitutes it. Members discussed the need to reduce the committee’s size and adjust quorum rules so it can function more reliably, and they later adopted a motion supporting reconstitution of LADAC with a smaller membership and new appointments effective July 1, 2027. The committee also approved the June 2025 minutes and added a legislative briefing item to the agenda. Under subcommittee and project updates, members heard about the new counter-drone effort tied to House Bill 940 and the “Let’s Go” initiative, which would create a joint task force of State Police, sheriffs, and municipal police chiefs to develop training standards and equipment standards for counter-UAS work. The committee also received a briefing on the state’s advanced air mobility work from newly named Advanced Aeronautics Director Josh Deplanis, including Louisiana’s selection for the FAA’s eVTOL/AAM Integration Pilot Program, branded “Lift Off Louisiana,” and the development of a statewide strategic plan covering airspace integration, vertiport infrastructure, charging networks, economic development, education, and community engagement. Deplanis and members emphasized that Louisiana is among a small number of national EIPP sites and that the state’s proposal is notable for also addressing international airspace and “high seas” operations beyond 12 miles offshore, which could help inform FAA and ICAO policy. Members praised the state’s leadership, the work of DOTD, OMC, GOSEP, State Police, and legislative partners, and noted the potential economic importance for oil and gas logistics and other advanced aviation uses. No public testimony was offered, and the meeting adjourned after the committee’s votes and updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• to provide food for homeless shelters as well as those who have been displaced due to a declared natural
• In the case of natural disaster, when time is of the essence, we certainly need to expedite the delivery
• /c><00:10:32.000> to<00:10:32.160> a<00:10:32.399> declared<00:10:32.959> natural
• displaced due to a declared natural displaced due to a declared natural disaster.<00:10:34.720><
• In the case of natural disaster, when time is of the essence, we certainly need to expedite the delivery

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:17:08.319> person it's a misdemeanor for a natural person it's a misdemeanor for a natural
• <00:24:59.279> danger also a a a na a systemic nature danger also a a a na a systemic nature
• in order to protect nature.
• So, I think it'll benefit all of us, including farmers. nature take its course, nature take its course
• <02:23:13.680> I'm bees, anything of that nature. I'm bees, anything of that nature.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It was only when the Great Depression finally came and rental prices naturally came down that that law
• Devenscrest Village, like many properties across the state, is called naturally occurring affordable
• I've spoken before to this committee and others about the nature of our housing crisis.
• HCA did not know this portfolio of 59 naturally occurring affordable units was being sold.
• HCA did not know this portfolio of 59 naturally occurring affordable units was being sold.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Housing held a hybrid hearing on a broad slate of landlord-tenant and home rule bills, with most testimony focused on rent stabilization, tenant opportunity to purchase (TOPA), tenant fees, access to counsel, algorithmic rent fixing, and tenant protections in subsidized housing. Chairs Cyr and Haggerty outlined the hearing procedures and noted that written testimony could also be submitted. Several members and invited speakers emphasized that the committee was hearing from both local officials and residents affected by housing instability, especially in Somerville and other communities facing high rents and displacement. Supporters of rent stabilization and local-option rent control argued that Massachusetts needs tools to prevent displacement while new housing is built. Senator Eldridge, Senator Jalen, Somerville officials, tenant organizers, and residents described steep rent increases, no-fault evictions, and the loss of naturally occurring affordable housing. Somerville’s home rule petition was described as allowing annual increases tied to CPI plus 2%, capped at 5%, with exemptions for owner-occupied two- and three-family homes and a 15-year exemption for new construction. TOPA supporters said it would let tenants or their designees buy buildings before speculative buyers, preserving affordable housing stock; opponents, including small landlords and property managers, argued rent control would reduce supply, discourage investment, and that TOPA could delay sales and harm properties. The committee also heard testimony on bills to curb junk fees and regulate tenant charges, including limits on late fees, lease renewal fees, payment portal fees, attorney’s fees, and other add-on charges. Advocates said these fees can add hundreds of dollars a month and disproportionately harm low-income renters and renters of color. Another major topic was algorithmic rent fixing: Senator Moore and Representative Sabadoza said landlords should not use software such as RealPage to coordinate pricing, citing federal antitrust actions and arguing that competition is essential to lowering rents. Additional testimony supported a statewide right to counsel in eviction cases, with legal services providers saying representation dramatically improves outcomes and can save the state money, and a bill to create an office of tenant protections to better enforce sanitary code violations. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am, I think, still Deputy Secretary of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.
• Into a kind of natural gas methane pipeline to get into my garden.
• So every bit of man-made and natural disasters falls underneath my agency.
• Is it going to be natural gas? Is it going to be solar?
• This is really meant to protect that water as a natural resource.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to FIS 26 097, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Historical Resources
• FIS 26 097, Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Historical Resources.
• Chris Mariano, Chief of Administration, Department of Natural and Historical Resources. Welcome.
• A lot of those reviews are required by natural disasters, such as culvert repairs, enlarging culverts
• disasters uh such as uh um natural disasters uh such as uh culvert<00:14:00.080> repairs,<00:

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The Joint Fiscal Committee met on May 15 at 10:00 a.m. and first approved the April 17 minutes. It then took up a consent calendar covering tabs three through seven, with items 089 and 097 removed for separate discussion. The committee approved the remainder of the consent calendar and then adopted item 089, which involved Department of Safety/Homeland Security grant funding for active shooter incident management and school reunification training. Officials said the project is a mandatory Homeland Security grant set-aside, with training for public safety officials and school districts and internal social media used only to promote training schedules; members asked about marketing, outcomes, and how success would be measured. The committee next considered item 097 for the Division of Historical Resources. Agency officials said the request was driven by a decade-long increase in Section 106 and state historic preservation reviews, many tied to disaster-related infrastructure work such as culvert and road repairs, and that the grant would add capacity to handle roughly 1,000 to 1,500 reviews per year. The committee approved the item after brief discussion. Under the regular calendar, the Department of Transportation presented a fuel-related transfer. Members questioned the decline in the highway fund balance, which staff said was being affected by rising expenses, flat-to-moderate revenue, and a rough winter that increased maintenance costs. DOT officials said they were considering toll rate increases and noted the agency pays market wholesale fuel rates; they also discussed prior fuel hedging decisions and said they have authority to hedge again if it makes sense. The committee approved the DOT item, then approved a miscellaneous action item to fill a position at the LBA. Members also asked the chair to remind the Attorney General to appear at a future meeting regarding the YDC claims report. The committee set its next meeting for Friday, June 19 at 11:00 a.m., and adjourned after a brief note of appreciation for recent corrections and changes reported by the liquor commission.

Transcript Highlights:

• Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
• There's no better place than Florida to be a part of its natural resources.
• sure that the legacy that I leave is one that is of honor and integrity to the stewardship of our natural
• And I think that I will serve the people of Florida and the natural resources well with the skill set
• Derelict vessels pose an ongoing risk to Florida's residents, visitors, 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:

• Committee on Natural Resources will come to order. The clerk will call the roll. Chair Harris?
• I show you registered as Marie Camino on behalf of the Nature Conservancy in Texas, testifying for the
• The Nature Conservancy in Texas has worked here for over 60 years to preserve the lands and waters on
• the state to be protective of our citizens, protective of our public safety, and protective of our natural
• This bill to the extent it provisions it has, of our natural resources.

Bills: HB4530, HB4931, HB5559, HB5560

Keywords: water rights, Texas Water Trust, water bank, environmental conservation, water quality, instream flows, aquifer, water injection, Edwards Aquifer, environmental regulation, groundwater, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water conservation, drought, utility regulation, water use restrictions, Public Utility Commission, civil penalties, drought contingency, environmental protection

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources met with a quorum present and first took up several pending bills for reconsideration and committee substitute adoption. House Bill 2692, relating to codification and clarification of local laws concerning the San Antonio River Authority, was reported favorably to the full House and sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars by an 11-0 vote. House Bills 1407, 1520, 1535, 2970, 4153, 291, 3663, and 3915 were also reconsidered or laid out as pending business, with committee substitutes adopted where needed and each bill reported favorably, generally by unanimous vote, to the full House and then to Calendars or Calendars/Calendars-related referral as applicable. The committee then heard House Bill 4530, which would expand the Texas Water Trust framework to include groundwater rights, require Texas Water Development Board review and approval of groundwater dedications, and notify local groundwater districts when groundwater rights are placed in the trust. The bill’s author and witnesses from the Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and Chispa Texas supported the measure as a conservation tool and a way to create a clear process for voluntary donations; a Texas Water Development Board witness testified neutrally. The bill was left pending. House Bill 4931, relating to an aquifer storage and recovery project in Medina County, drew support from the author, the Medina County judge, and a regional water alliance witness, who described severe stress on the Edwards Aquifer, low levels at Medina Lake, and the need for a local water-supply tool. The bill was left pending. House Bill 5559, which would clarify enforcement of drought contingency plans for investor-owned water utilities and involve the PUC in model plan development, received support from groundwater district representatives but also concerns from water company and utility witnesses about enforcement authority, approval procedures, and potential conflicts with existing obligations to provide continuous service; the committee substitute was withdrawn and the bill was left pending. House Bill 5560, which would raise the maximum civil penalty for certain groundwater conservation district enforcement actions from $10,000 to $25,000 per violation, prompted debate over whether current law is already sufficient; supporters said the higher cap would better deter overpumping, while opponents argued existing penalties are already severe. That bill was also left pending, and the committee adjourned subject to call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• And if you're familiar with the nature of the workday in the Bakken, it's safe to say he's earned his
• A natural gas pipeline runs through my family farm in South Hastings and was recently retrofitted to
• been impressed at how the people who work in this area in our state really understand the unique nature
• Natural resources and transportation infrastructure, and the guidance that is being prepared by both
• We need cheap, abundant power sources, whether that's natural gas with CCS, nuclear, hydro, or geothermal