Transcript Highlights:

• permits from the county, and then the county will send them back to us.
• permits from the county, and then the county will send them back to us.
• permits from the county, and then the county will send them back to us.
• Witness: The project goes to be implemented, and they have to get building permits from the county, and
• permits from the county, and then the county will send them back to us.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several housing-related measures, with most witnesses supporting bills aimed at expanding affordable housing tools and financing. SB 1169, creating a Community Land Trust Equity pilot program, drew support from HHFDC and Nahal UI, which said revolving funds would help community land trusts build permanently affordable housing more efficiently. SB 1200, establishing a workforce housing regulatory sandbox within HHFDC, also received support from HHFDC and others, though HHFDC noted concerns about whether the measure could be read to preempt county permitting and zoning powers. SB 511, which would require county legislative bodies rather than HHFDC to approve certain housing project exemptions, prompted HHFDC to suggest revised language and a possible processing deadline for applications; the discussion focused on avoiding indefinite delays and clarifying county and state roles. SB 1283, creating an emergency home loan assistance revolving fund, was introduced with comments from the Department of Budget and Finance and HHFDC. SB 612, on rent-to-build equity agreements for exempt housing projects, drew support and questions about how many affected projects are rentals versus for-sale units. SB 944, extending and expanding low-income housing tax credit provisions, received support from Sugar Creek Capital, Hawaii Housing, and the Chamber of Commerce, while the Tax Foundation raised a technical concern about inconsistent use of the term “taxpayer.” HPHA-supported bills SB 1413 and SB 1412 were also heard, along with SB 1632, which would direct DBEDT to develop a comprehensive action plan for a local housing market; testimony on that measure was strongly supportive but included calls to examine constitutional and legal issues and broader market-structure concerns. The committee also began discussion of SB 1033 and noted it was closely related to SB 1131, with the chair indicating an inclination to move only one of the two similar tax proposals forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jefferson County.
• County.
• My wife's from Lincoln County, and I think she worked in that building at one time for a short period
• My wife's from Lincoln County, and I think she worked in that building at one time for a short period
• My wife's from Lincoln County, and I think she worked in that building at one time for a short period

Summary: The Capital Planning Advisory Board opened its fourth meeting, confirmed a quorum, approved the prior meeting’s minutes by unanimous voice vote, and then heard information items and agency presentations. The main substantive presentation came from the Council on Postsecondary Education, which outlined its capital planning recommendations for the 2026–28 biennium. CPE staff described the role of Kentucky’s research and education network (Kron), including connectivity to cloud services, Internet2, identity services, and new local AI/inferencing capacity, and argued that the network is now essential to higher education, health care, and extension services. They said the network’s recent upgrades were driven by privacy, security, redundancy, and the need to support modern research and AI workloads at lower cost than commercial providers. CPE also presented its broader higher-education capital request: $700 million for asset preservation and $1.73 billion for new construction, for a total recommendation of about $2.4 billion. Staff said they do not plan to recommend IT projects or equipment in this cycle, despite reviewing 48 IT submissions totaling nearly $1.4 billion and equipment requests totaling $322.6 million. For asset preservation, they said the recommended allocation method would remain based on each institution’s share of Category 1 and 2 square footage, and they noted that the state’s prior facility assessment is now 12 years old, with deferred maintenance still estimated in the $7–9 billion range. For new construction, they said the requests are heavily focused on STEM and health-related facilities that are difficult to retrofit into older buildings. Board members asked about how asset-preservation amounts were determined, including why Northern Kentucky University’s request was much larger than its prior allocation. CPE staff responded that campus size, building age, and institutional prioritization affect the requests, and that schools are asked to submit more projects than are likely to be funded. The board then moved on to an Attorney General capital plan overview, where senior counsel Will Schroeder began describing the office’s technology needs and the office’s prior reliance on a 2020 appropriation to replace legacy systems and improve security.

Transcript Highlights:

• After years of delay, Orange County is united and ready to move forward. The County of Orange...
• county they call home.
• of Orange County.
• The Orange County Cemetery District is a special district. They are separate from the county.
• I would not expect the county to build a driveway up and around all the way around the side of their

Summary: The hearing focused on the long-delayed Southern California Veterans Cemetery project at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim, with members of the Assembly, Senate, City of Anaheim, Orange County, CalVet, DGS, and veterans organizations discussing next steps. Chair Sharon Quirk-Silva reviewed the project’s history, including the earlier Irvine effort, the 2021 Anaheim support resolution, county and state funding commitments, and the recent federal determination that the site meets criteria for a state veterans cemetery. Speakers repeatedly emphasized the need for a local burial site for Orange County’s large veteran population and the burden on families who currently must travel to Riverside, San Diego, or Los Angeles. The first panel featured veterans advocates and Gold Star family members who strongly urged immediate action. The American Legion, Gold Star Mothers, and the Veterans Alliance of Orange County said the cemetery is overdue and stressed that older veterans and grieving families should not have to wait longer. Several speakers described personal losses and the hardship of long travel to existing cemeteries, while also calling for CalVet and state leaders to move faster and communicate more directly with veterans groups. Assembly and Senate members responded with support, noting the bipartisan nature of the effort and the importance of honoring veterans and their families. The second panel, with Orange County officials, described the county’s support and the unique shared-use arrangement with the Orange County Cemetery District. Supervisor Don Wagner said the county has dedicated land and $20 million, and county and district staff explained that the public cemetery and state veterans cemetery can share roads, utilities, grading, and other infrastructure to reduce costs. They said the county is ready to transfer property to CalVet when appropriate and that collaboration could save tens of millions of dollars. The third panel from DGS and CalVet explained that a 2023 feasibility study estimated the state’s portion at about $126 million under earlier assumptions, but that a revised concept plan is now being developed to lower costs and update the timeline. CalVet said it remains committed to the project, while legislators pressed for clearer answers on what is needed to begin construction and how budget action in the coming year could help. No formal vote was taken; the hearing ended with public comments, many of which echoed the call to begin construction immediately and criticized the pace of state action.

Transcript Highlights:

• Franklin County, the north part of Pasco, and also a large part of Benton County, which includes North
• David Steby's 17th District: Clark County, Cowlitz County, Klickitat County.
• We inspect those buildings and, very importantly, enforce tenant protections for those buildings.
• We inspect those buildings and, very importantly, enforce tenant protections for those buildings.
• I just used Walla Walla County as an example, but you cross the river over into Franklin County, and

Summary: The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further. The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package. Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, when I was building—or not, I wasn't building, I was...
• , an entire county of 50,000 people, the only... ...for one county, an entire county of 50,000 people
• Our counties cannot afford this.
• that we should have, you know, if we don't want to build out, we do need to build up, and that's what
• And we also build housing in areas where we have... ...that we build housing.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:25:26.600><c> code</c> requesting the state building code requesting the state building code
• > Council,</c> Uh State Building Code Council, Uh State Building Code Council, able<00:30:19.480><c>
• </c> I mean, since the since the building I mean, since the since the building building<00:33:22.000>
• </c><00:36:24.560><c> passed</c> Uh recently Bill uh Maui County passed Uh recently Bill uh Maui County
• Members, let's move on. the City and County of Honolulu to work the City and County of Honolulu to work

Bills: SB2405 , HCR19 , HCR63 , HCR85 , HCR140 , HCR166 , HCR82 , HCR98 , HCR104 , HCR106 , HCR141 , HCR165 , HR20 , HR57 , HR77 , HR132 , HR156 , HR74 , HR90 , HR96 , HR98 , HR133 , HR155

Committee: House Water & Land

Summary: The Water and Land Committee met on April 7 and heard testimony on several resolutions and one bill. SB 2405 SD1 HD2, relating to agricultural workforce housing, received support from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, HFTC, and the Hawaii Farmers Union, and the committee later recommended passage as is; one member voted with reservations citing department cost and staffing concerns. The committee also heard HCR 19/HR 20 designating March as March for Water Month, HCR 63/HR 57 urging DLNR and DOT to clarify jurisdiction over Honouliuli Bridge, HCR 85/HR 77 on transferring parcels for the East Kapolei TOD project, HCR 140/HR 132 on vegetation management and fuel reduction in West Maui, HCR 166/HR 156 on identifying East Oahu lands for native Hawaiian tree planting, HCR 82/HR 74 on basic shelter standards for rapid deployment housing, HCR 98/HR 90 on a Honolulu housing pattern book, HCR 104/HR 96 on North Shore coastal trails, HCR 106/HR 98 on endorsing Waikiki as a world surfing reserve, HCR 141/HR 133 on Maui fire code enforcement, and HCR 165/HR 155 on permanent pickleball nets and lighting at Kamiloiki Community Park. Testimony was generally supportive on most measures, with several agencies and organizations submitting written comments or appearing in support. HCR 82/HR 74 drew the most discussion: the State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the intent but asked that accessibility be considered on the front end, while another testifier opposed the resolution, arguing it could turn temporary emergency shelters into permanent substandard housing and should be deferred. Committee members discussed temporary versus permanent housing standards and accessibility, and the chair later said the measure would be amended to require permanent units to meet appropriate code standards and to note accessibility concerns in the committee report. On HCR 140/HR 132, DLNR testified that firebreak maintenance on its Waianae lands would be costly, and members noted funding and staffing implications. At the end of the meeting, the committee adopted the chair’s recommendations on the measures it voted on. SB 2405 was passed with a reservation from one member; HCR 19/HR 20, HCR 63/HR 57, HCR 85/HR 77, HCR 98/HR 90, HCR 104/HR 96, HCR 106/HR 98, HCR 141/HR 133, and HCR 165/HR 155 were passed unamended, while HCR 140/HR 132 was passed with reservations and HCR 166/HR 156 and HCR 82/HR 74 were passed with amendments. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The school district issues were Fayette County and Jessamine County.
• </c> were feat county and Jessimon County. were feat county and Jessimon County.
• </c> space due to deteriorating building space due to deteriorating building conditions.<00:02:50.800
• This building was built in 1981. 2025. This building was built in 1981.
• </c> offices are also in this building. offices are also in this building.

Summary: The committee first approved the February minutes and noted there had been no March meeting. Staff then provided a series of information items, including quarterly capital project status reports from state agencies and postsecondary institutions, a University of Kentucky equipment purchase report, notice that the committee took no action on certain March transactions, school district debt notices for Fayette and Jessamine counties, lease-space advertisements due to building conditions, a Kentucky Asset/Liability Commission report, and asset preservation project reports from KCTCS and Eastern Kentucky University. The committee then heard and unanimously approved Murray State University’s request for interim authorization to use institutional revenues for a $1.5 million roof replacement at the Curs Center student center. University of Kentucky also received unanimous approval for a $115 million public-private partnership project to expand Parking Structure 7 and the Johnson Center recreation space; testimony emphasized the loss of parking from hospital expansion, increased student enrollment, a planned $21 per semester recreation fee increase, and the goal of improving student retention and campus capacity. Next, the committee received a report on a Kentucky State Police Post 11 renovation in London funded at $1.138 million, with members asking how long the repairs would extend the building’s useful life; KSP said the work was a long-term investment and replacement was still many years away. The committee also approved multiple real property lease actions, including a new CHFS lease in Scott County, several lease renewals for the Commonwealth’s Attorney, CHFS, Transportation Cabinet, and a Secretary of State relocation lease tied to a capital renovation project. Members questioned one Jefferson County lease rate and the witness said it had been in place since 2007. Finally, the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority presented three water loan items, which were rolled and then approved: an $841,383 East Clark County Water District loan for waterline upgrades, a roughly $6.13 million Oldham County Water District loan for US 42 improvements, and a $619,180 increase for Canonsburg Water District’s Schopes Road project due to higher-than-expected bids. The committee then approved eight K-12 school facility issuances, including projects in Clinton, Franklin, Fulton, Lincoln, McLean, Paris, Somerset, and Spencer counties, covering early childhood, new school construction, HVAC, energy conservation, and renovations. The meeting ended with notice of the next meeting date and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• After years of delay, Orange County is united and ready to move forward. The County of Orange...
• county they call home.
• The Orange County Cemetery District is a special district. They are separate from the county.
• Orange County veterans, I... Orange County veterans have waited long enough.
• I would not expect the county to build a driveway up and around all the way around the side of their

Summary: The hearing focused on the long-delayed Southern California Veterans Cemetery project at Gypsum Canyon in Anaheim, with opening remarks from Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, Senator Tom Umberg, and Assemblymember Avelino Valencia emphasizing the project’s importance to Orange County veterans and families. Anaheim city leaders, including the mayor pro tem and council members, voiced strong support and described the city’s role in planning, utilities, and final approvals. Quirk-Silva reviewed the project history, including prior legislation, county and state funding commitments, and the recent federal determination that the site meets VA criteria for a state veterans cemetery. The first panel, representing the veterans community, included the American Legion, American Gold Star Mothers, and Valor. They argued that Orange County—home to a large veteran population—still lacks a local veterans cemetery, forcing families to travel long distances to Riverside or elsewhere. Testimony stressed the emotional and practical burden on aging veterans and grieving families, and called for immediate action and possession of the property. Some speakers were sharply critical of CalVet and the pace of the process, saying veterans have waited too long and that the project should move forward without further delay. The second panel, from Orange County, described the county’s and cemetery district’s support and the unique opportunity to develop a shared site for a public cemetery and a separate state veterans cemetery. County officials said the county has dedicated land and funding, and that shared infrastructure—roads, utilities, grading, and access—could reduce costs substantially if the two projects are coordinated. They also said the county is ready to transfer the property to CalVet when appropriate and that the project has already cleared major local approvals and litigation. The final panel from DGS and CalVet explained the state’s feasibility study and current planning work. DGS said the 2023 study estimated the state’s portion of phase one at about $126 million, largely driven by site work and grading, though that estimate may change as assumptions are updated. CalVet said it is working with DGS and the county on a revised concept plan to lower costs and refine the timeline, and that legislative budget action will be needed to authorize spending from the Southern California Veterans Cemetery fund. No formal vote was taken; the hearing was informational, and the main action was continued coordination among the state, county, city, and veterans groups, with public comment at the end overwhelmingly urging faster construction.

Transcript Highlights:

• San Joaquin County to 10.8% in Tulare County.
• First, build on the planning.
• Nobody in this building can fix that from here.
• We've had a Valley Build now, or Valley Build for a very long time, helping us to bring people into apprenticeships
• Siskiyou County is geographically one of California's largest counties and one of its most rural.

Transcript Highlights:

• in Manatee County.
• We build bridges at night. We build roads at night.
• Pinellas County gave up 0% of their match for their county. So.
• County gave up 0% of their match for their county.
• You go to call the county, the county doesn't know where it's at because we have some counties using

Committee: Senate Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from Major General James Hartzell of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs on the agency’s mission, outreach efforts, state veterans nursing homes, and support programs. He highlighted Florida’s large and growing veteran population, the state’s existing nursing homes and the planned 10th home in Collier County, and the department’s dental assistance program, which served 245 veterans in the first quarter of the fiscal year and completed 1,631 procedures while saving more than $525,000. He also discussed veteran service officers, the benefits guide, the department newsletter, efforts to reduce veteran homelessness, and mental health outreach through the Overwatch/Firewatch program. Senators asked about future nursing home locations, adult day health care, homelessness, and the dental program; Hartzell also announced that retired Colonel D.J. Reyes will become deputy executive director on November 7. The committee then heard from Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director of the Division of Emergency Management, on disaster response, recovery, and agency modernization. He described the State Emergency Response Team, the new Florida Central Operations and Coordination Office warehouse in Auburndale, and the new state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, which is ahead of schedule and designed to hold about 220 people and withstand 200-mph winds. Guthrie reviewed recovery efforts for recent storms, including debris removal, volunteer villages, sheltering, and FEMA reimbursement totals for Hurricanes Milton, Helene, Debbie, Idalia, Ian, and earlier storms. He also discussed the Elevate Florida home-elevation program, the Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation training initiative, the DEMES platform, and WebEOC, noting that 60 counties and 22 colleges and universities are using the system. Members asked Guthrie about flood-response resources for cities, training for local officials, and lessons from inland flooding after recent storms. He explained how local governments can request pumps and other assistance through county and state channels, described upcoming elected-official training, and emphasized mutual aid and EMAC as key future disaster-response tools. The committee took no formal votes or other legislative action and adjourned at the end of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, both of these projects were done during major renovations of the building, but county funds were
• ,</c><00:05:22.960><c> but</c><00:05:23.280><c> county</c> renovations of the building, but county renovations
• of the building, but county funds<00:05:24.000><c> were</c><00:05:24.160><c> not</c><00:05:24.400><c
• ,</c> Homestead County but also Steel County, Homestead County but also Steel County, Dodge<00:33:30.480
• Chair. building. Um it's a critical public building.

Bills: HF1972 , HF229 , HF1090 , HF1084 , HF1307 , HF1274 , HF1609 , HF2110 , HF211 , HF216 , HF222 , HF224 , HF225 , HF203 , HF206 , HF207 , HF208 , HF227 , HF246 , HF427 , HF466 , HF502 , HF680 , HF971

Committee: House Capital Investment

Transcript Highlights:

• I WANT TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT WE BUILD HOMES TO THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE.
• BUILD BACK THEY DON'T HAVE TO BUILD BACK THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE. IS THAT WHAT WE REALLY WANT?
• LIKE FLORIDA COASTAL COUNTIES OF ALABAMA HAS A BUILDING CODE ON PAR WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FORTIFIED
• NOT JUST IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDINGS OR THE RETROFIT OF THE BUILDING BUT MITIGATING FLOOD BY
• BUT ADJACENT HOME COUNTIES AND THE COUNTY ADJACENT TO THAT.

Transcript Highlights:

• In buildings for housing people.
• Typically, the buildings of, there will be no modification of those buildings.
• has fair chances to build stability.
• has fair chances to build stability.
• King County failed many of its audits this year for property tax-funded and sales tax-funded county grant

Summary: The Senate Housing Committee heard several housing-related bills and gubernatorial appointments. SB 6201 would create property tax and REET exemptions for property used as affordable housing by social housing agencies, with testimony from the sponsor and supporters from Seattle Social Housing and House Our Neighbors emphasizing lower development costs and deeper affordability. Senator Gildon questioned how the 50% occupancy requirement would work at purchase, and staff explained the covenant and compliance requirements. The committee also heard SB 6205, which would add conflict-of-interest restrictions and reporting requirements for the Community Reinvestment Account, Affordable Housing Program, and Covenant Homeownership Program; Senator Braun said the bill responds to reports of misuse and is intended to improve transparency and trust. The committee heard gubernatorial appointments Pedro Espinoza and Diana H. Perez to the Housing Finance Commission, both of whom described their construction, local government, and housing experience and were supported by committee members. In executive session, the committee adopted a substitute and passed SB 6001 on scissors stairs, SB 6026 on allowing residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, and SB 6054 on fire-hardened building materials. SB 6026 drew the most debate, with amendments added and others rejected; supporters said it would expand housing supply, while opponents and local governments raised concerns about historic districts, main street areas, and limits on local planning authority. SB 6054 was amended to remove the 10% cap on fire-hardened materials, with members saying it would help homeowners protect against wildfire risk. The committee then moved to public hearings on SB 6069, which would require cities and counties to allow emergency shelters, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing in more zones and limit local restrictions to objective standards and administrative review. Supporters, including housing providers, the Attorney General’s Office, King County, and Disability Rights Washington, said local barriers are delaying needed housing, while cities and the Association of Washington Cities argued the bill is too broad and would limit operational agreements and local flexibility. The committee also heard SB 6167, which would bar homebuyers from receiving multiple state-funded down payment assistance loans or grants. The sponsor said the bill is meant to maximize limited assistance dollars for more households, but opponents from housing nonprofits, advocates, and a homeless veteran said it would reduce access to homeownership, especially for Black households and families needing layered assistance in high-cost markets. Finally, the committee returned to SB 6205 testimony, where supporters said the bill would prevent self-dealing and misuse of grant funds, while one testifier urged more investigation and oversight resources. No final action was taken on the public hearing bills during the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• buildings have also deteriorated.
• Thank you. ...to replace the buildings, but we really don't have money to replace the buildings either
• by building three more vessels.
• We have Vashon, which is in King County, and then we have Southworth and Kitsap County.
• It's also cities and counties.

Bills: SB5989

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: aircraft fuel tax, tax revenue distribution, aviation funding, transportation, state revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• They came across a scenario where, when a county building is within the city district, within the city
• One interpretation would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal to inspect new county buildings
• One interpretation would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal to inspect new county buildings
• The other allows an appropriate city to inspect new county buildings also under the state's fire code
• As Representative Cooper briefly explained, there was a situation in Yuma County where they were building

Committee: House House Government Committee of Reference

Summary: The committee heard a series of bills and resolutions, many of them on property, local government, and memorial topics. HB 2079, authorizing a memorial for journalist Don Bolles at Wesley Bolin Plaza, passed unanimously after sponsor testimony about the 50th anniversary of his assassination and the memorial’s no-cost nature. HB 2080, as amended, advanced 7-0 on deed and title fraud prevention measures, including photo ID requirements, notarization and deed-filing safeguards, an assessor alert program, and a felony penalty for knowingly submitting false or forged real-property claims. HB 464, which moves the petition process for municipal improvement districts earlier in the process, passed 5-2 after testimony from Camp Verde, the Yavapai Apache Nation, developers, and the League of Arizona Cities and Towns; opponents argued it could force property owners into infrastructure they do not want, while supporters said it improves transparency and financing certainty. HB 2048, a proposed constitutional referral to withhold pay from state elected officials if the budget is not enacted by April 30, passed 4-3, with supporters saying it would create accountability and opponents saying broader process reforms are needed first. The committee also heard HB 2324, which would allow municipalities with their own fire codes to petition for county-owned buildings inside city limits to be exempt from separate state fire code inspections when conditions are met. County and state fire officials supported the concept, saying it would resolve conflicting statutes and formalize intergovernmental agreements, and the bill passed 7-0. HB 4087, authorizing a memorial plaque for former legislator Barbara Leff, also passed unanimously, with the sponsor noting her service in both chambers and her work on veterans and health care issues. HB 2239, creating a child care grant program and infrastructure fund for underserved and low-income communities, drew extensive testimony from rural parents, child care advocates, and early childhood experts describing child care deserts, workforce losses, and safety concerns with unregulated care. Supporters said the bill would fund the facilities and infrastructure needed to expand regulated child care, especially in rural Arizona; the committee approved it 5-1 with one member present and one not voting. Members also discussed HB 2375, a historic-preservation-related middle housing bill, but the transcript cuts off before final action is shown; testimony reflected a sharp divide between preservation advocates supporting exemptions for historic districts and housing advocates warning the bill could worsen exclusion and housing shortages.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is complemented by the eight regional technical assistance centers that serve every county—58 counties—in
• In counties with more than one grantee, CDE awarded a coordination grant to the County Office of Education
• coordinate county-level services.
• And all five of those capacity-building strategies can also be strengthened within county offices of
• So our TA system really builds upon these relationships, collaborative leadership. builds upon these

Transcript Highlights:

• A density bonus is a zoning tool that permits developers to build more housing units or taller buildings
• Some are choosing to use their property to build much-needed housing.
• Affordable housing is a top priority for counties.
• We're not just building spaces.
• SB 5938 builds on that success.

Bills: SB5884 , SB5885 , SB5937 , SB5938

Committee: Senate Housing

Keywords: sales tax, redevelopment, economic incentive, underutilized property, infrastructure, affordable housing, religious organizations, zoning laws, land use, community development, smart access system, smart lock, residential landlord-tenant act, tenant privacy, biometric data, fingerprint, face scan, iris scan, key fob, key card

Transcript Highlights:

• They're building a lot of housing there.
• This would be for the counties and the municipalities.
• We in Eddy County and Chavez County, Lea County, and we set our rules and regulations, and so...
• You know, there's not developers flocking to San Miguel County at this point, or Torrance County, right
• We are keeping it at those Class A counties.

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

Summary: The committee first took up HB 110, as amended by a committee substitute, which would require quarterly public reporting of housing development and permitting data by Class A counties and municipalities over a population threshold. The sponsor and supporters said the bill is intended to improve transparency, identify bottlenecks in housing approvals, and help policymakers and developers understand permitting timelines and staffing needs. Support came from home builders, realtors, economic development, housing advocates, and some local officials, who argued that consistent data would help address New Mexico’s housing shortage and support better policy decisions. Opponents, mainly from the Municipal League and several smaller cities, argued the bill was an unfunded mandate, a step toward state preemption of local control, and a burden on municipal staff; they also warned it could expand to smaller communities later. Committee members raised concerns about rural impacts, the lack of penalties in the bill, whether the data already exists and could be obtained voluntarily, and what the state would do with the information after collection. The sponsor said the bill was only a reporting measure, not a preemption bill, and that the data would help identify where resources or staffing support are needed. During discussion, the sponsor agreed to amendments discussed with the Vice Chair to raise the population threshold from 30,000 to 40,000 and add a five-year sunset, which would remove several smaller municipalities from coverage. The committee then voted 4-3 to give the committee substitute a do pass recommendation, with the bill itself receiving a do not pass recommendation; several members explained their votes by emphasizing either support for the data effort or concern about mandates and future expansion. The committee then heard HM 24, which asks the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty Division of the Department of Justice and the Land Grant Council to study the potential consequences of restructuring the Las Vegas land grant. The sponsor and witnesses explained that the Las Vegas land grant is uniquely managed through the Fourth Judicial District Court and that the memorial would help explore the historical basis for that arrangement and possible paths toward greater autonomy. Supporters said the study could help the land grant move toward independent governance and clarify procedures and policies. The committee approved the memorial on a do pass motion without opposition, and the meeting adjourned afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're very proud of that building.
• We're very proud of that building.
• It provides much needed immediate capital for counties ready, willing, and able to build more affordable
• It provides much needed immediate capital for counties ready, willing, and able to build more affordable
• It provides much needed immediate capital for counties ready, willing, and able to build more affordable

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• Louis County.
• Louis County.
• Louis County.
• Louis County.
• Louis County.

Committee: House General Laws