Transcript Highlights:

• And that goes from coal, natural gas, solar.
• We've got a pretty diversified solar.
• </c><00:21:34.720><c> facility</c> building a 120 megawatt solar facility building a 120 megawatt solar
• </c> who's building a 120 megawatt solar who's building a 120 megawatt solar facility<00:21:41.520><c
• is. produce more wattage than the solar is.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:10 Approval of Minutes 00:01:19 Helping Power Kentucky's Growth (LG&E/KU) 00:01:39 Update from Kentucky's Electric Cooperatives 00:47:35, 958, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the minutes from the previous meeting, and then heard a presentation from LG&E and KU representatives Caroline Clark and John Bevington on economic development, energy demand, and the utility’s role in supporting Kentucky’s growth. Bevington described the company’s service territory, generation fleet, and recent economic development activity, including 76 projects supported in 2024, more than $2.8 billion in private investment, and over 3,000 new jobs. He emphasized that data centers are now the dominant driver in the pipeline, with 22 data center projects representing about 8.7 of the 9.7 gigawatts of potential demand, alongside other manufacturing and commercial projects. A major focus was how data centers choose sites and how utilities respond. Bevington explained that hyperscale data centers typically approach utilities first because they need transmission-level access, and that utilities then conduct internal analyses, estimate infrastructure needs, and require financial security before proceeding. He said the company is working through formal transmission studies and long-lead infrastructure planning, and noted that Kentucky’s sales tax exemption for data centers helped attract interest. He also outlined the economic benefits of data centers, citing an announced Louisville project of 525 megawatts and about $11 billion in investment, with an estimated $500 million in new tax revenue over 10 years, plus broader job and GDP impacts. Members asked about whether data centers could generate their own power, the reliability of the pipeline numbers given confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, and cybersecurity concerns. Bevington said the company does not assume all pipeline projects will materialize in Kentucky and instead assigns probabilities to avoid overbuilding. He also said he was not the right person to address cybersecurity in detail but offered to return to a committee focused on IT or security. In response to questions about future supply, he said LG&E and KU are adding generation through a 120-megawatt solar facility in Mercer County, a 120-megawatt solar purchase in Marion County, and a 645-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle plant in Louisville, with PSC approval recently granted for additional generation and related system upgrades.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 711 relates to local regulation of solar facilities, special exceptions.
• restricts each new battery facility to 100% of the nameplate generating capacity of the associated solar
• of the associated. facility to be just 100% of the nameplate generating capacity of the associated solar
• And it also, I think to the credit of the Governor, says that if the solar site was permitted for...
• So, to the credit of the Governor, it also says that if the solar site was permitted for X number of

Keywords: April 22, 2026 - Reconvened Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, gentlemen, where do you talk about what a closed facility is or leasing the facility?
• So if we look here, it says lost income on, it looks like line four, from no longer leasing the facility
• a real estate agent, I'm not even sure this is legal because what it says is not only can you not lease
• I'm wondering, what about other leases to other private entities and counties that flounder, that people
• There's carbon produced even by producing solar panels. So in my area, our roads are bad.

Bills: HM3 , HM11 , HM14 , HM15 , HM21 , HM25 , HB9 , SB2 , SB19

Keywords: nurses, health care workers, healthcare workers, frontline workers, hospital staff, clinicians, allied health professionals, support staff, public health, workforce shortage, nursing shortage, safe staffing, patient safety, rural health care, frontier communities, behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorder, substance abuse, health care memorial

Transcript Highlights:

• to say that Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, and Georgia were able to effectively address solar
• regulation policy absent ...address solar regulation policy absent arbitrary legislation.
• Silicon Ranch is Alabama's first utility-scale solar operator, the largest renewable energy provider
• every facility long term, and we've never sold a project in the history of the company. utility-scale solar
• operator, the utility-scale solar operator, the largest<00:11:30.520><c> renewable</c><00:11:30.880>

Bills: HB381 , HB259 , HB393 , HB399 , SB358 , SB362 , SB363 , SB348 , SB187

Committee: Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But where would the wind and solar units possibly be located for your proposal?
• So it's wind, solar, gas, I think we even had existing coal and storage out there in those RFPs, and
• So it's wind, solar, sources of power.
• </c> it did result in one one small solar it did result in one one small solar facility<00:38:57.480>
• ,</c> and solar, and solar, but<00:39:10.640><c> we're</c><00:39:10.760><c> still</c><00:39:11.080><c

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:28 Introduction of Guests 00:02:08 American Electric Power and Kentucky Power Presentation 00:03:31 SB 89 Discussion 00:53:55 SB 89 Roll Call Vote 01:07:46, 958, all

Summary: The committee met for an initial natural resources hearing with a quorum present and introductory housekeeping, including prayer, roll call, and recognition of guests. Chair Smith outlined ground rules for questions and then invited Kentucky Power and American Electric Power representatives to the table to discuss a proposed plan involving the Mitchell Power Plant and future generation needs in Eastern Kentucky. Witnesses Cindy Wiseman, Alex Vaughn, and AEP CEO Bill Fehrman said the company’s goals are to stabilize and lower rates, reduce rate volatility, and expand generation in the Commonwealth. They explained that Kentucky Power seeks legislative authority to securitize its 50% interest in the Mitchell coal plant, describing securitization as a refinancing mechanism that would lower annual plant costs by about $34 million and help offset roughly one-third of the expected cost of adding new generation in Kentucky. They emphasized that the proposal is not intended to close Mitchell, and said Kentucky Power currently has no plan to divest its interest; the company still needs the plant to serve customers while it pursues additional dispatchable generation in Kentucky. Members pressed the witnesses on the plant’s book value versus fair market value, whether the Mitchell interest had ever been assigned a nominal value, how any divestiture proceeds would be handled, whether Kentucky Power owns Wheeling Power, and how long Mitchell can continue operating. The company said it values Mitchell at net book value for accounting purposes, not fair market value, and explained that Wheeling Power is a separate AEP affiliate and that West Virginia affiliates have already proposed securitization of their share. Witnesses said Kentucky Power’s interest cannot technically operate past 2028 without additional environmental control investment, while the West Virginia side is depreciating through 2040. They also described the financing timeline, saying securitization would require enactment of legislation, a PSC financing order, bond issuance, and then parallel work to acquire or build new generation, with any reinvestment terms to be addressed through the regulatory process.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to cost out how much it cost to put the solar panels in.
• </c> cost me $20,000 to install the solar cost me $20,000 to install the solar panels<01:28:41.679><c
• </c> think that because we're using a solar think that because we're using a solar panel<01:28:48.320
• </c> efficient to use something like solar efficient to use something like solar panels<01:30:35.199>
• </c> government building using solar government building using solar panels<01:30:52.080><c> it</c><01

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on House Bill 233, which would impose transparency and reporting requirements on the New Hampshire Vaccine Association. The prime sponsor, Representative Comto, said the bill and a proposed amendment were intended to increase public access by requiring a physical meeting location, making meetings available online, and publishing a complete list of vaccines and pharmaceutical products purchased. She argued the association should be more transparent because it is involved in vaccine purchasing and public trust is important, especially given controversy around vaccines. Committee members questioned the sponsor about the association’s legal status, who sets vaccine requirements, whether other private entities would be covered, and whether the proposal should instead apply more broadly to all meetings or include recordings. The sponsor said the association was created by the legislature, that childhood vaccine requirements come from DHHS and CDC-related processes, and that she would be open to broader recording requirements. Some members raised concerns about misinformation and whether requiring answers to public questions could be problematic in a contentious policy area. Patrick Miller, executive director of the Vaccine Association, and attorney Mark McHugh testified in opposition. They described the association as a not-for-profit voluntary corporation created by statute in 2002 to serve as a funding mechanism for the state’s universal childhood vaccine purchase program, with no policymaking role and no public funding. They said the association already posts notices, agendas, minutes, and allows public webinar access and comments, while also providing annual audits and reports and other statutory reporting. They argued HB 233 would impose unnecessary administrative costs on a private entity, interfere with its limited charitable purpose, and ultimately increase costs borne by insurers, employers, and consumers. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:26:00.399><c> and</c> intermittent resources like solar and intermittent resources like solar
• </c><00:52:59.880><c> an</c> Regional director at vote solar an Regional director at vote solar an organization
• </c> organization working on Equitable solar organization working on Equitable solar as<00:53:02.000>
• Force them to build their own solar farms. Can we not? This is so stupid.
• "Force them to build their own solar farms. Can we not? This is so stupid.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, power plants, oil wells, and wind and solar facilities.
• of making a plan, just like other energy industries, including nuclear, coal mining, and wind and solar
• This is done for nuclear power plants, for coal mining, coal ash ponds, wind and solar industry.
• As we know, solar doesn't shine for all hours of the day.
• Obviously, we have a lot more solar and storage that we put into place.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Florida homeowners can see long delays in solar permitting and inspections for residential solar systems
• Solar permitting times are up four times longer in local jurisdictions that have resisted alternative
• Any of my cities giving solar a hard time? I would love to provide you that and follow up.
• But I've never heard from anybody saying we're having a problem with permitting solar.
• But I've never heard from anybody saying we're having a problem with permitting solar.

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Summary: The committee first heard SB 1134, which would extend the use of qualified private providers in the building permit process to residential solar energy systems and certain single-trade inspections, and would allow computer-based plan review tools. The sponsor said the bill is intended to reduce long solar permitting delays and lower costs. A late amendment clarifying the word “application” was adopted, and after some discussion about local permitting problems and the need to work with municipalities, CS/SB 1134 was reported favorably, with Senator Pizzo voting no. The committee then took up SB 784, dealing with issuance of addresses and parcel identification numbers for plats. The bill sets a 14-day timeframe, and an amendment was adopted that would allow use of a private provider if the deadline is missed and would limit fee collection if verification is not completed. Members discussed whether the bill should include more flexibility and whether private providers are appropriate for this function, but the committee ultimately reported CS/SB 784 favorably. SB 1738, allowing counties that previously opted out of transportation concurrency to opt back in while maintaining current levels of service, was also reported favorably without significant opposition. Next, SB 1080 on local government land regulation was presented as a measure to speed up development permit and order approvals, limit repeated information requests, prevent hearing delays, and impose penalties for noncompliance. Local government testimony argued it would rush planning and weaken public input, while supporters called it common-sense streamlining. After debate, the bill was reported favorably, with several no votes. SB 1260, which clarifies county constitutional officer budget procedures and creates an appeal process for clerks and supervisors of elections similar to that used by sheriffs, was also reported favorably after members raised concerns about county budget timelines. Finally, the committee considered SB 420, as amended by a strike-all, which would prohibit counties and municipalities from adopting or funding DEI-related ordinances, programs, or policies, while carving out compliance with state and federal law and defining DEI-related terms. The amendment removed retroactivity and delayed the effective date, but members from both parties raised concerns about vague definitions, impacts on women- and minority-owned business programs, local commemorations, and the loss of attorney’s fees for prevailing counties. Public testimony was sharply divided, with many speakers opposing the bill as an attack on local control and inclusion, and a few supporting it as a merit-based standard. The amendment was adopted, but the bill drew extensive opposition in debate and was not yet reported in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Using solar energy, using renewable energy right there at that point. So, Mr.
• For solar panels and wind farms, we have a mineral tape. Mr.
• Speaker and gentlelady, we have the same problem with several solar panels out there. So, Mr.
• actually can generate the heat that it takes to make the solar panel or the wind farm.
• Speaker and gentlelady, it takes 3,090 degrees Fahrenheit to make a solar panel. Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• Solar and wind takes over 17 to 20 years to offset the carbon used to create it.
• Solar and wind takes over 17 to 20 years to offset the carbon used to create it.
• Solar and wind takes over 17 to 20 years to offset the carbon used to create it.
• Solar and wind takes over 17 to 20 years to offset the carbon used to create it.
• Solar and wind takes over 17 to 20 years to offset the carbon used to create it.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• send ambitious yet attainable goals of procuring 10 gigawatts of offshore wind and 10 gigawatts of solar
• municipalities from the 10 megawatt net metering cap, allowing municipalities to take advantage of increased solar
• send ambitious yet attainable goals of procuring 10 gigawatts of offshore wind and 10 gigawatts of solar
• municipalities from the 10 megawatt net metering cap, allowing municipalities to take advantage of increased solar
• Fernandes, relative to increased access to plug-in solar.

Keywords: 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the purpose of this joint memorial is to urge the United States Congress to prohibit unauthorized solar
• due to some concerns that some people had in separating weather modification and cloud seeding from solar
• geoengineering, I worked with all the invested parties. ...weather modification and cloud seeding from solar

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Renewable energy is energy produced by a solar or wind facility with nameplate capacity sufficient to
• A qualifying renewable energy facility is a solar or wind facility with nameplate capacity sufficient
• This really has to do with the solar, wind, and battery projects and the way that they're taxed under
• One is solar on the canals, and the other is an advanced real energy storage system.
• We are an energy consultant and a small solar developer.

Bills: HB2521 , HB2249 , HB1796

Committee: Senate Ways & Means

Keywords: firearms, background check, gun control, public safety, legislation, HB 2249, Washington Technology Solutions, WaTech, civil service, classified service, exempt employees, state employment, state personnel, network security, cybersecurity, information technology, IT contracting, data center, systems integration, network engineering

Transcript Highlights:

• Renewable energy is energy produced by a solar or wind facility with nameplate capacity sufficient to
• Renewable energy is energy produced by a solar or wind facility with nameplate capacity sufficient to
• A qualifying renewable energy facility is a solar or wind facility with nameplate capacity sufficient
• One is solar on the canals, and the other is an advanced real energy storage system.
• We are an energy consultant and a small solar developer.

Summary: The committee first suspended the five-day notice rule and then heard House Bill 2521 on firearm background check fees. Staff explained that the bill would remove the $18 fee cap and allow Washington State Patrol to set fees based on actual program costs, which could be about $33 to $35 per check. Supporters said the change was needed to keep the background check system operating and avoid delays and layoffs; opponents argued it would burden lawful gun owners and amount to an unconstitutional tax or barrier to a constitutional right. No vote was taken in the hearing. Members then heard Substitute House Bill 2475 on language-accessible public programs, which would direct the Office of Equity to develop uniform language-access guidelines, address interpreter and translator shortages, and require agency implementation reporting. Testimony was strongly supportive, emphasizing the need for consistent access for limited-English-proficient residents and the benefits for schools, families, and state services. The committee also heard Second Substitute House Bill 2479 on wage recovery, which would create a wage recovery fund to provide partial advance payments to low-wage workers with meritorious unpaid wage claims and adjust wage penalty provisions. Employers, labor advocates, and legal services representatives largely supported the bill as a bipartisan, worker-protection measure funded by penalties rather than the general fund. The committee next took up Engrossed Third Substitute House Bill 1960 on renewable energy tax incentives, which would replace existing property tax and excise tax provisions with a new state and local renewable energy excise tax structure and related grant programs for local governments and tribes. Counties, utilities, developers, and tribal representatives generally supported the bill’s goal of stabilizing tax treatment for renewable projects, though several witnesses said they wanted amendments to address rates, timing, and late-stage project impacts. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5932 on alternative jet fuel incentives, which would change the timing and duration of existing tax preferences; supporters said it would provide certainty for emerging sustainable aviation fuel projects, while one refinery sought clarification and a broader county threshold. Later, the committee heard Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2238 on statewide food security, directing the Department of Agriculture to monitor food system performance and develop a statewide food security strategy. Agricultural groups, grocers, anti-hunger advocates, and farmers supported the bill as a coordination effort to improve food access, affordability, and supply chain resilience. The committee then heard Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1903, which would create a statewide low-income energy assistance program through the Department of Commerce; supporters said it would address growing unmet need and complement existing utility programs, while opponents said it did not address the root causes of rising energy costs. Finally, the committee heard Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2416 on waste-to-energy facilities under the Climate Commitment Act and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2515 on large energy-use facilities (data centers), both of which drew mixed testimony centered on balancing emissions, ratepayer impacts, reliability, and environmental or tribal concerns. No final votes were taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the folks, particularly rural areas and areas where we need to have that solar awning, that’s who’
• Yeah, and in many cases, it'll store the actual solar power into that unit there on site when it's not
• Yeah, and in many cases, it'll store the actual solar power into that unit there on site when it's not
• But the real beneficiaries are people who don't have a strong enough grid that we could use solar to
• We could use solar to capture for one site, for one purpose, for the cars.

Committee: Senate Local Government

Summary: The committee heard a series of housing, local government, and governance bills, with most of the discussion focused on housing production, permitting, and local accountability. SB 1003, by Senator Grayson, would create an Infrastructure Partnership Financing Program to help local jurisdictions and developers jointly fund infill housing infrastructure; it drew support from housing advocates and senior housing groups, while Senator Seyarto questioned whether the state would actually fund another program. The bill was moved on a 3-1 vote and remained on call. SB 1014 would require local jurisdictions to provide good-faith estimates of on-site and off-site improvements within 30 business days of a preliminary application and limit later surprise requirements; Habitat for Humanity, SPUR, and other housing groups supported it, while the City of San Mateo and local government associations raised concerns about accuracy and timing. It passed 4-2 and remained on call. SB 1036, which would require credit under the Mitigation Fee Act for prior site uses when redeveloping a site, passed unanimously to the Senate floor. SB 1145 would streamline CEQA and federal reuse review for qualifying projects at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station; it drew broad labor and local support, but housing and legal advocates sought stronger affordability and enforceability provisions. The bill passed 6-0 to the Committee on Environmental Quality. The committee also considered SB 908, which would streamline permits for energy-code-compliant residential window replacements and limit local design restrictions and HOA barriers. Supporters said the bill would let homeowners and affordable housing providers reduce energy costs, while opponents argued it could override local design standards; it passed 3-1 and remained on call. SB 1172, the Local Tax Savings Act, would add guardrails and transparency to local tax-sharing and consultant agreements; it was supported by the City of Shafter and the League of California Cities and passed 4-0 to Revenue and Taxation, remaining on call. SB 1283 would expand ministerial approval for EV charging stations to include canopies and on-site energy storage systems and require local ordinance updates by 2027; EV industry groups supported it, while cities and counties warned about safety, liability, and local review. Members discussed battery storage safety and litigation concerns, and the bill passed 4-0 to Judiciary, remaining on call. The committee also heard SB 1379, which would separate the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner offices and create an independent medical examiner in response to in-custody death concerns. Supporters cited high death rates, settlements, and the need for independent investigations, while the sheriff’s association and county representatives argued the change would be costly, duplicate services, and override local control. The bill passed 4-1 to Public Safety and remained on call. Finally, SB 1414 would create an independent redistricting commission for San Bernardino County; supporters said it would improve transparency and remove conflicts of interest, while the county opposed the estimated $2 million cost and noted its existing advisory commission. Members generally supported independent redistricting, and the bill was discussed but no final vote was recorded in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• to be built, a big residential community up in the industrial base of 1,200 acres, and a couple of solar
• solar coming online.
• Well, currently we have 400 megawatts of solar, but the only thing being built today is solar.
• So you're saying solar and battery storage is how you're going to meet the future right now?
• But, as you know, one megawatt of solar takes, depending on the rule, five to ten acres.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a photovoltaic solar panel system at $1.52 million.
• </c> there's um we have a photovoltaic solar there's um we have a photovoltaic solar panel<01:11:41.960
• uncertainties that we've wrestled with are soft costs and design and maintenance of geothermal and solar
• We don't have any geothermal or solar systems that we currently operate, so we don't have experience
• in them that have geothermal and solar the<01:14:21.840><c> answer</c><01:14:22.120><c> that</c><01:

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a lot of solar farms in my district, ranging out to the mighty Rio Puerco River, which we've
• But we do have a lot of solar, so it's great to see these renewable teaching programs.
• program until we can go ahead and start having a solar program here at Mesa Lands Community College.
• And then we're working with the ACP to get our solar program going.
• We need to see more wind, solar, and all these things to save our planet, really.

Committee: House Science, Technology & Telecommunications Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Section 2A is a new section reflecting our shared concern about building solar on agricultural lands.
• report to us on January 15th, 2027, with more comprehensive data on the conversion of farmland into solar
• conversion<00:08:35.280><c> of</c><00:08:35.400><c> farmland</c><00:08:36.000><c> into</c><00:08:36.200><c> solar
• </c> conversion of farmland into solar conversion of farmland into solar production<00:08:37.159><c>

Keywords: 926, house, all