Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Allison Riley, Public Policy Director with the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce.
• My name is Enrique Henao, and I am here today on behalf of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce
• Years, I also co-chair with Amanda Aragon from New Mexico Kids Can, the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce
• My name is Enrique Enel, on behalf of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.
• I'm here today on behalf of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, and we do support Senate Bill

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:01:44.560> And<00:01:44.799> that's<00:01:45.040> what interstate commerce
• And that's what interstate commerce.
• And under the Commerce Clause in the United States Constitution, the West Coast has the ability via their
• And under the commerce clause product.
• And under the commerce clause in<00:09:13.440> the<00:09:13.600> United<00:09:13.920>

Bills: HB0120

Keywords: energy production, natural gas, industrial sovereignty, manufacturing, tax exemptions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• He is the Minister of Commerce and Industry for the Federal Republic of Somalia.
• He is the Minister of Commerce and Industry for the Federal Republic of Somalia.
• The Honorable He is the Minister of Commerce and Industry for the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Honorable

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first suspended Rule 54 to allow guests on the floor, then took up and adopted Senate Resolution 65. The resolution recognized West Virginia as a global hub for critical mineral processing and encouraged lawful private-sector dialogue and commercial engagement between West Virginia businesses and rare earth/critical mineral institutions abroad, beginning with institutions in Somalia. The sponsor emphasized that the measure was nonbinding and intended to open conversation about minerals, processing, and advanced materials, and the resolution was adopted by voice vote. The chamber then recessed briefly to receive and introduce a visiting delegation from Somalia, including the deputy prime minister, ministers of petroleum/mineral resources and commerce/industry, parliamentary leadership, and diplomatic representatives, along with other guests involved in the visit. After the recess, the Senate received several Finance Committee reports and advanced multiple House bills on first reading: HB 4004 creating the Recharge West Virginia program; HB 4006 creating the West Virginia Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Act; HB 2009 creating the Portable Benefit Account Act; HB 5412, the Future Ready Education Act; HB 5453 modifying the school aid funding formula; and HB 5510 removing the acreage/location requirement for private wedding venues. Each bill was reported as amended by Finance and taken up immediately without objection. During remarks, a senator from Randolph spoke about the death of Riley Wingfield in a side-by-side accident and praised students and administrators at Buckhannon-Upshur High School and Tucker County High School for wearing orange and black in solidarity with grieving Elkins High School students. The remarks were ordered placed in the Journal appendix. The Senate then announced adjournment until the next day at 10 a.m., with the Rules Committee scheduled to meet at 9:45 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> THE COMMITTEE OF COMMERCE AND TOURISM WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.
• I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT FLORIDA COMMERCE AND BROADBAND AND PROVIDE A PRESENTATION.
• BILLION FROM THE END TIA WHICH IS THE FUNDING SOURCE WHERE WE RECEIVE THIS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, thank you for the increase in the quarters of commerce from 50 million to 60 million per biennium
• Um, reallocating the efficiencies from MnDOT, the 15% towards quarters of commerce I think is a huge
• I think is towards quarters of commerce I think is a<00:02:44.800> huge<00:02:45.040> thing
• It's a gamecher uh for quarters<00:02:47.200> of<00:02:47.360> commerce<00:02:47.680>
• > that's<00:02:47.920> roughly quarters of commerce that's roughly quarters of commerce that's

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the Carver County Chambers of Commerce, the Waconia Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, similarly
• One of the Carver County Chambers of Commerce, the Waconia Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, similarly
• One of the Carver County Chambers of Commerce, the Waconia Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, similarly
• One of the Carver County Chambers of Commerce, the Waconia Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, similarly
• , the Wakonia Chamber of Commerce, the Wakonia Chamber of Commerce<02:47:42.160> and<02:47:42.319

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up House File 4138, a bill aimed at limiting harmful social media features for children and requiring parental involvement for minors using platforms in Minnesota. Early on, members reconsidered and then adopted the Smith amendment (A13) after first rejecting a narrower amendment to the amendment (A18) on a 67-67 tie. Representative Bonner then offered a technical amendment (A14) to address liability and drafting concerns, but withdrew it after saying it contained an unintended drafting error and could create legal problems, including issues around data collection and rulemaking. During third reading debate, supporters described the bill as a first step to protect children from addictive social media design, online exploitation, and harmful data practices. Representative Scott said the bill would require parental consent and limit addictive features for child accounts, while emphasizing that the consent language must be prominent and that the bill’s effective date would not begin until next July. Representative Enen, Representative Feist, Representative Greenman, and others backed the measure as a bipartisan effort to hold big tech accountable and protect kids, though Greenman also noted that the legislature had not shown the same willingness to confront gun violence. Opponents and skeptics raised concerns that the bill relies on parents understanding complex legal and technical terms, that it may not fully protect children, and that it could still leave gaps around liability and privacy. Representative Leeing questioned why the bill does not simply restrict addictive features for all children and asked about parental waivers and location tracking; Scott responded that the bill uses IP address information and does not specifically address liability waivers, but said the measure is a policy choice intended to empower parents. The debate ended with broad support from several members, and the bill was presented as likely to pass, though no final vote on the bill itself was included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, we have Sydney Leeb, Assistant Commissioner from the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
• c><00:08:33.279> Please<00:08:34.240> make<00:08:34.399> your Department of Commerce
• Please make your Department of Commerce.
• Virtual power plants or VPs Commerce.
• The Department of Commerce supports an all-of-the-above approach to achieving the state's 2040 clean

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Representative Craft presented House File 2986, as amended with the DE6, and asked that it be laid over for possible inclusion. He described the bill as an affordability measure centered on virtual power plants, explaining that aggregating distributed energy resources such as solar panels, batteries, EVs, smart thermostats, heat pumps, and water heaters can help utilities reduce peak demand and avoid costly generation and distribution investments. He said the bill would require utilities to reduce system peak through a virtual power plant program by 5% by the end of 2028 and 10% by the end of 2032, using an independent third-party RFP process, with plans incorporated into integrated resource planning and a savings clause if requirements prove infeasible. Testimony in support came from the Department of Commerce, Vote Solar, Solar United Neighbors, Kite Rocket, and Mincia. Supporters said virtual power plants can function like grid-scale resources, lower spot-market and peak costs, improve reliability and resilience, and make better use of existing distribution infrastructure. Commerce said the approach fits an all-of-the-above strategy and noted consumer protections in the bill, including standards for contracts, disclosures, dispatch frequency, notice, opt-out, and compensation. Several supporters cited estimates of significant savings, including a national DOE estimate of 10% to 20% of peak load by 2030 and a Minnesota-specific estimate from Solar United Neighbors of about $63.5 million in savings if 10% of peak demand were met with VPPs in 2030. Committee members raised questions about how much cheaper VPPs are than peaker plants and whether utilities, especially Xcel Energy, are already implementing similar programs. Representative Baker expressed concern that the bill could move faster than the technology or market would naturally develop and asked about the risk of forcing utilities into a mandate before the economics are fully proven. In response, a Solar United Neighbors witness pointed to a fact sheet and Brattle Group-based analysis comparing VPP costs and benefits in Xcel territory, while an Xcel representative said the company has been discussing the bill with Representative Craft for months. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion, and no final vote on the bill itself was taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Matthew Stackville, on behalf of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.
• Matthew Stackpole, on behalf of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.
• Matthew Stackpole on behalf of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.
• Chamber of Commerce.

Bills: HB248, HB309, HB332, SB48

Keywords: general obligation bonds, GO bonds, capital projects, bond election, property tax levy, state debt, state finance, capital outlay, senior centers, senior citizen facilities, aging services, long-term services, libraries, library acquisitions, broadband for libraries, higher education, university capital projects, community colleges, tribal schools, special schools

Transcript Highlights:

• was most proud of raising two successful daughters, her grandchildren, and her contributions to Commerce
• her daughters, her grandchildren, and her contributions<00:32:24.640> to<00:32:24.960> Commerce
• <00:32:25.440> City's contributions to Commerce City's contributions to Commerce City's diversity

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the February 5, 2026 journal, and then rejected a motion to reconsider that approval. Committee reports were received: Senate Bill 64 was given a favorable recommendation and placed on the consent calendar, while Senate Bill 52 was recommended for amendment and then sent to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation and placement on the consent calendar. The chamber also received a House message returning Senate Joint Resolution 9. The Senate then moved out of order to consider the governor’s appointments consent calendar. Appointments confirmed by a 32-0 vote included Tamika Samson to the Colorado Racing Commission, Michael Faber to the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission, several members to the Fire and Police Pension Association Board of Directors, trustees for Western Colorado University, members of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, and Brett Hirs to the CollegeInvest Board of Directors. During announcements and personal privileges, Senator Gonzalez read a tribute honoring America Garbajal Uranga, highlighting her work with immigrant and low-income communities, domestic workers, day laborers, and civic organizations. Other senators recognized Black History Month and the upcoming Olympics, welcomed Western Colorado University political science students, and wished Senator Hinrichsen a happy birthday. The Senate then adopted a motion to recess until 11:30 a.m. that day.

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Bill Lee, and I'm here on behalf of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce in support
• The Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce supports HB 153.
• Bill Lee, and I'm here on behalf of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce in support of HB 154.
• For those reasons, the Chamber of Commerce supports House Bill 154, and we respectfully urge your support

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I request a waiver of said resolutions to the committee on commerce and consumer protection.
• 00:08:45.040> on said resolutions to the committee on said resolutions to the committee on commerce
• <00:08:47.440> Uh commerce and consumer protection. Uh commerce and consumer protection.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, today the Senate is pleased to join the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and Women in Tech in organizing
• Also, a Hilo person, the president of Hawaii Chamber of Commerce.
• Also, a Hilo person, the president of Hawaii Chamber of Commerce.
• Also, a Hilo person, the president of Hawaii Chamber of Commerce.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• will report the bill: House File 320, number one on the calendar for the day, an act related to commerce
• :29.320> to calendar for the day an act related to calendar for the day an act related to Commerce
• > allowing<00:13:30.760> auto<00:13:31.079> dealers<00:13:31.480> to Commerce
• allowing auto dealers to Commerce allowing auto dealers to participate<00:13:32.639> in<00:13

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• that it was anticipating and commerce that it was anticipating liquidity<00:33:41.679> problems
• <00:33:53.919> and<00:33:54.080> MDH is a tool that allowed commerce and MDH is a tool
• that allowed commerce and MDH to<00:33:54.640> oversee<00:33:54.960> operations<00:33:
• So we had a lot department of commerce.
• Very helpful to get Commerce Department.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is all those things that make for a strong, resilient society: commerce, tourism, trade, food and
• Commerce,<00:27:44.640> tourism,<00:27:45.200> trade,<00:27:46.240> food<00:27:46.480
• > and<00:27:46.720> fuel Commerce, tourism, trade, food and fuel Commerce, tourism, trade
• Vermont's also initiated a subnational partnership with the province of Styria in Austria, focusing on commerce
• And Lindsey Curley from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, would you stand to be recognized

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The caucus of the whole was held as the annual State of the Guard address, featuring Adjutant General Gregory Knight’s remarks to legislators and guests. Knight said this would likely be his final address before retirement and thanked Gold Star families, military survivors, Governor Phil Scott, honorary commanders, legislative leaders, his family, and many Guard and community partners. He emphasized that the Vermont National Guard is a civic institution, not just a military force, and said its strength depends on a strong relationship with the legislature. Knight reviewed several priorities and accomplishments, including regular transparency updates to the governor, legislature, congressional delegation, and force; the creation of the Vermont National Guard and Veterans Caucus; and legislation supporting education, workforce development, benefits, and service members’ families. He highlighted recruiting and retention efforts, including the Prime employer partnership program, which he said now has 40 employer partners and 24 more pending, and argued that Vermont can attract and retain service members by connecting military experience to civilian jobs and education opportunities. He also discussed organizational climate improvements, mental health and prevention staffing, and the need for more providers who accept military patients and Tricare, noting the Howard Center and other health centers are expanding military and veteran care. The address also covered the Guard’s broader role in emergency response, citizenship, diversity, and international partnerships. Knight described recent deployments and state responses to COVID-19, flooding, and other emergencies, explained Guard duty statuses and called for congressional reform to simplify them, and outlined state partnership work with Austria, North Macedonia, and Senegal, as well as related educational and economic initiatives. He recognized numerous Guard members, recruiters, fiscal staff, media partners, and outside collaborators for their contributions. No votes were taken. The meeting concluded with Speaker recognition of Knight’s service and an announcement that the caucus had ended and the House would gavel in shortly afterward.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that way there is nothing that runs afoul of the interstate commerce law or any of those laws that
• are in place to keep free commerce flowing. >> Does that make sense?
• And that way there is nothing that runs afoul of the interstate commerce law or any of those laws that
• are in place to keep free commerce flowing. >> Does that make sense?
• law or any of those laws that are in place to keep free commerce flowing. >> Does that make sense?

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to move to the perspective. of a couple of rural chambers of commerce.
• We're going to welcome Jessica Bolema and Haley Klein, representatives from the Artesia Chamber of Commerce
• , as well as Bill Lee from the Gallup McKinley Chamber of Commerce.
• I am Jessica Bolima, the executive director of the Artesia Chamber of Commerce, and I have with me here
• And after a wonderful 20-year career here at the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce, Peter Compos

Summary: The committee heard a lengthy presentation from the New Mexico Rural Library Initiative in support of fully funding the rural library endowment with an additional $29.5 million. The presenters described rural libraries as essential community infrastructure that provide not only books and internet access, but also early childhood programs, adult education, workforce support, telehealth, disaster response, and civic meeting space. They argued that the endowment would provide stable annual support for staffing and operations, help sustain libraries in very small towns and tribal communities, and support new or developing libraries. Members asked about eligibility, county coverage, how funds are distributed, and whether the state tracks broader outcomes such as job placements or certifications; the presenters said the State Library administers the funds and that the initiative itself is a nonprofit capacity-building organization, not the fund manager. Some members raised concerns about whether an endowment is the best long-term model versus recurring annual appropriations, and about the need for better reporting and state-library involvement. The committee then heard from food bank leaders Jill Dixon and Katie Anderson about food security and its economic impact. They said New Mexico’s five food banks and more than 500 partner agencies serve all 33 counties, distribute over 45 million meals, and rely mostly on philanthropy, with some state and local support. They emphasized that SNAP is a major economic driver, supporting grocery access, jobs, and local spending, and that recent legislative growth funding helped food banks respond to a surge in demand during a SNAP disruption. They also highlighted food banks as community hubs that can connect people to health care, job training, and other services, including through clinic referrals and closed-loop systems. In response to questions, they said food access gaps remain in some rural areas, that clients can generally seek food at other distribution sites without barriers, and that longer-term solutions should include more grocery access, healthy corner stores, and stronger broadband and health care infrastructure. The final presentations came from the Gallup-McKinley County Chamber of Commerce and the Artesia Chamber of Commerce. Gallup-McKinley described a shrinking workforce, youth outmigration, crime, health care shortages, malpractice costs, and gross receipts tax burdens as major barriers to rural economic growth, and urged action on workforce pipelines, housing, public safety, malpractice reform, and tax/regulatory changes. Artesia highlighted its murals, library, sports tradition, oil and gas, agriculture, federal training center, and refinery, while also noting workforce shortages, health care recruitment challenges, housing constraints, and the need for quality-of-life investments and more flexible regulation. The committee also briefly heard a bill presentation proposing a New Mexico-Ireland Trade Commission to promote bilateral trade and investment, especially in technology, agriculture, and energy sectors. No votes were taken because quorum was not reached, and the endorsement item was not acted on.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm Glenn Blackman, director of the Energy Policy Office at the Department of Commerce.
• And I'm Glenn Blackman, Director of the Energy Policy Office at the Department of Commerce.
• My agency, the Department of Commerce, is also the economic development agency.
• So just for some context setting, in 2024, the legislature directed Commerce to convene a public and
• And just a bit about our role at Commerce.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Energy Supply, Energy Conservation, and Energy Resilience opened by electing Senator Shoemake as chair and Representative Alex Ibarra as vice chair. Members then moved into a series of work sessions focused on data centers, transmission, and workforce needs tied to Washington’s clean energy and grid planning challenges. Kate Bruns and Glenn Blackman presented preliminary findings from the governor’s Data Center work group, created under Executive Order 25-05. They said the group met for six months, received more than 1,000 public comments, and included representatives from agencies, industry, tribes, labor, utilities, environmental groups, and research institutions. The presenters emphasized that data centers are expected to be the largest source of load growth over the next five to ten years, creating concerns about grid capacity, ratepayer impacts, forecasting, water use, backup generation, and compatibility with Washington’s energy and climate laws. They described nine recommendations, including protecting existing energy and climate policy, improving forecasting, seeking more clean power and transmission, and encouraging flexible data center operations. A proposed tax incentive change that would have expanded eligibility while tying the exemption to new clean electricity sources narrowly failed in the work group. Members asked about tribal consultation, cooling technologies, and local benefits from data centers; the presenters said tribal consultation was ongoing and a final report would follow. Keegan Moyer of West Tech then outlined a regional transmission study showing major strain on the Western grid from load growth, electrification, resiliency needs, and limited transmission capacity. He said the 10-year study identified about 12,000 line miles of needed projects across the West, with roughly $56 billion in estimated costs, including planned projects, reliability upgrades, and new interregional transfer projects. He stressed that many projects are upgrades within existing rights-of-way, but new corridors are still needed, and he previewed recommendations on permitting, equipment procurement, cost allocation, and project sponsorship. In response to questions, he discussed the difficulty of crossing jurisdictional “seams,” the role of federal coordination, landowner compensation, eminent domain as a last resort, and the limited role of public financing beyond a federal GRIP grant. Stephanie Scott of Commerce presented the transmission workforce study, which focuses on substation technicians, line workers, and line clearance tree trimmers. She said current workforce levels are far below what will be needed under a clean energy expansion scenario, and that active projects are essential because apprenticeship training depends on thousands of hours of hands-on work. She highlighted barriers such as high upfront CDL and pre-apprenticeship costs, the need for wraparound supports, and the importance of expanding access for women, people of color, and tribal communities. Members asked about tribal utility apprenticeship programs, utility-run training pipelines, and whether the study included funding sources; Scott said the report would include an inventory of apprenticeship programs and tribal considerations, but revenue ideas were outside the study scope. Finally, Brant Johnson of Grid United described the North Plains Connector as a case study in large transmission development. He said the project, a 420-mile, 3,000-megawatt HVDC line connecting Montana and North Dakota, has relied on early stakeholder engagement, route changes, tribal consultation, and coordinated federal and state permitting to reduce risk and shorten timelines. He said the project aims for permits by the end of 2026 and construction beginning in 2028, with an earliest commercial operation date of 2032. In response to questions, he discussed the challenges of crossing regional seams, interconnection queues, land acquisition and compensation, eminent domain, and financing, noting that the project is primarily privately financed with a $700 million federal grant covering a portion of costs.

Transcript Highlights:

• behalf of the Coalition for Small and Disabled Veteran Businesses, the California Black Chamber of Commerce
• , the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, and United Chambers of the San Fernando Valley, in respectful
• Chris Anderson, on behalf of the California Chamber of Commerce, respectfully in opposition.
• Industry Association, we align ourselves with the remarks provided by the California Chamber of Commerce
• Adam Breggle, on behalf of the California Chamber of Commerce, we remove our cost driver.

Summary: The committee heard SB 404 on metal shredding facilities, SB 601 on water quality protections after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision, SB 682 on phasing out PFOS in certain consumer products, and later SB 646 on prenatal vitamins and toxic metal contamination. SB 561 had been pulled from the hearing. In each of the measures, the authors and supporters emphasized environmental and public health protections, while opponents raised concerns about overregulation, implementation, and unintended economic impacts. The committee also spent time on the policy details of each bill, including how smaller operators would be treated under SB 404, how “nexus waters” would be defined under SB 601, and whether alternatives and testing standards were adequate under SB 682 and SB 646. For SB 404, Senator Caballero said the bill would create a permitting and enforcement framework for metal shredding facilities, with operational standards for fire prevention, stormwater, and releases of shredder residue, while supporters argued it would bring needed certainty to a critical recycling industry. Opponents, including small recyclers and community/environmental advocates, said the bill was either too broad or not strong enough, with some warning it would burden smaller facilities and others arguing it would fail to protect overburdened communities. The committee approved SB 404 on a due-pass-as-amended motion to Appropriations, with recorded support from the chair and some members and opposition from others. SB 601 sought to restore state-level protections for waters that lost federal Clean Water Act coverage after Sackett, using a “nexus waters” framework and revised enforcement provisions after amendments removed the private right of action. Supporters said California needed to preserve protections for seasonal streams and wetlands and avoid backsliding, while opponents from business, agriculture, water districts, and local governments argued the definition remained too broad and could create uncertainty, costs, and unintended consequences. The committee also approved SB 601 on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, again with split votes. SB 682, which the committee also advanced, would phase out intentionally added PFOS in six product categories, including cleaning products, cookware, dental floss, ski wax, food packaging, and juvenile products, with an amendment delaying cookware implementation until 2030. Supporters framed it as a source-control measure to reduce PFAS contamination and lower long-term water treatment costs, while manufacturers and cookware interests argued the bill was overbroad, lacked workable testing standards, and could push consumers and businesses toward uncertain alternatives. The committee chair recommended an aye vote, and the measure passed to Appropriations. SB 646 was then introduced on prenatal vitamins, with supporters saying it would require testing and disclosure of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, while the opposition said disclosure must be handled carefully so as not to confuse consumers or undermine confidence in prenatal supplements.

Transcript Highlights:

• coalition letter that's being passed around now, and also a letter from the Lake County Chamber of Commerce
• As a representative of the Shakopee Chamber of Commerce, this has a lot of really great things that we
• legislative session, however, a bill that I did not pass the House was actually bottled up in the Commerce
• compromise. piece of legislation, but even that piece of legislation did not make it out of the Commerce
• The non-compete law that we passed in 2023 was heard in the Jobs Committee, the Commerce Committee, where