Transcript Highlights:

• And first up to testify we have the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission.
• So, uh, first up to testify, we have Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission.
• Change Mitigation Adaptation Commission. Change Mitigation Adaptation Commission.
• <01:59:26.560> Um,<01:59:27.520> we mitigation adaptation commission.
• Um, we mitigation adaptation commission.

Bills: HB1617

Keywords: carbon emissions, tax credit, fossil fuel, agriculture, food security, environmental tax, greenhouse gas, 910, house, all

Summary: The committees heard testimony on HB 1949, which would create a public dashboard for the green fee to improve transparency and accountability. Testimony from the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, and many community and conservation groups was generally supportive, with several speakers urging that the governor’s project recommendations remain largely intact and that community-driven projects continue to guide spending. One amendment was suggested to place the dashboard at the Department of Budget and Finance for fiscal expertise, while other testimony favored keeping it with the commission. Members asked about procurement, ETS involvement, recurring hosting costs, and whether the dashboard could be funded from green fee revenues; the commission said it could work with ETS and that green fee funds could reasonably be used. The committees then voted to pass HB 1949 with amendments. The committees also heard HB 2618, which would require the governor to submit a separate bill for amounts tied to any increase in the transient accommodations tax and, in later discussion, was expanded into a broader restructuring of future green fee allocations. Testimony from the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, and others supported the bill and emphasized the value of more predictable, dedicated funding for conservation and climate-related work. During decision-making, the chair described amendments creating several special funds under DLNR, including a watershed biodiversity and wildfire risk reduction fund, an aquatic resources conservation fund, a coastal restoration fund, a cesspool conversion revolving loan fund, and a green fee special fund for remaining revenues, with recommended amounts discussed for some of the funds. The committees voted to pass HB 2618 with amendments. The hearing then moved to HB 1644, a consumer protection measure for residential solar sales that would require compliance with consumer protection laws, licensing or contractor affiliation for sellers, and a standardized disclosure form. Testimony in support came from the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, the Hawaii Solar Energy Association, and several solar companies and individuals. Supporters said the bill would address complaints about third-party sales practices and improve disclosure, especially around financing. The committee then began hearing HB 2243, which would require electric utilities to provide public, electronic customer bill impact analyses and annual reports to the Public Utilities Commission; the Division of Consumer Advocacy and the PUC offered comments supporting the measure’s intent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, my understanding is that this property is part of a mitigation for a previous highway project.
• Yes, these properties were acquired originally for the Conway bypass project as mitigation lands for
• for the now purpose of the mitigation for the now dissolved<00:07:25.360> Conway<00:07:25.919
• a mitigation for previous highway<00:09:41.519> project.
• <00:10:04.640> lands bypass project as mitigation lands bypass project as mitigation lands

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its September 29 meeting and then took up a series of Department of Transportation and Department of Administrative Services property actions. Several DOT items involved disposal of land originally acquired for the now-dissolved Conway bypass or other highway projects, including a 445.6-acre Conway parcel proposed for sale to the town of Conway for conservation use, a 1.78-acre Chesterfield parcel for sale to an abutter, a 6.13-acre Madison parcel tied to the Conway bypass, and a bulk disposal package of 22 improved parcels in Merrimack, Litchfield, and Hudson. Members asked about appraisals, conservation easements, federal funding restrictions, tenant occupancy, and whether the state would recover its original investment; DOT said values were based on appraisal or market analysis, federal reimbursements may be required where federal funds were used, and proceeds from turnpike-related property would return to the turnpike fund. All of these disposal motions were approved. The committee also approved several DOT lease/easement items. These included a Greenfield railroad-corridor lease for equestrian use, a Lake Winnipesaukee dock lease to CE Realty Trust, a similar dock lease to Needle Eye Association, and an easement in Carroll for Industrial Wireless to build a private road and cross Mount Deception Brook for a cell tower project. Members focused on maintenance responsibilities, liability insurance, access limitations, fencing, and the relationship between the railroad corridor and adjacent uses. DOT said lessees would be responsible for maintenance, access to the railroad would be restricted, and liability insurance would be included where appropriate. The committee also approved a separate easement for Eversource in Rochester to install utility lines serving the new courthouse, with the department explaining that the easement is a narrow strip needed to complete construction. The Department of Administrative Services received approval for a use-of-premises agreement allowing Rockingham County to lease 300 square feet in the Brentwood courthouse for office space, and for a perpetual utility easement in Rochester for Eversource, with a waiver of the administrative fee. The committee also heard that the Rochester courthouse project needs the utility work to finish construction. Throughout the meeting, members repeatedly asked about insurance, public access, valuation, and whether tenants or abutters would have first opportunity to buy or lease the affected properties. All motions before the committee were adopted.

Transcript Highlights:

• managers assigned to the veterans, to establish and oversee a vacancy relief trust fund and a risk mitigation
• the vacancy relief trust fund to hold a vacant dwelling for a veteran up to 45 days, and the risk mitigation
• We're going to take up tab 4, Senate Bill 1604 on trust funds, vacancy relief trust fund, and risk mitigation
• On trust funds, vacancy relief trust fund, and risk mitigation trust fund by Senator Wright.
• Senate Bill 1604 creates the vacancy relief trust fund and risk mitigation trust fund within the Florida

Summary: The Senate Committee on Military, Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security met with a quorum present and took up several measures. The committee first heard SM 1714, urging Congress to pass the federal No Tax Dollars for Terrorist Act to prevent U.S. funds from benefiting the Taliban; after brief explanation and no testimony or debate, it was reported favorably. The committee then considered SB 1512 on Space Florida, which expands certain sales and use tax exemptions for qualifying tangible personal property and allows Space Florida to bypass competitive bidding for certain purchases when state funds are not used; support was noted from Space Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also passed SB 1656, designating the SS American Victory as Florida’s flagship, with discussion focused on the ship’s World War II and later service, museum role, and lack of known fiscal impact; it too was reported favorably. The committee next approved SM 1186, which urges Congress and the National Guard Bureau to increase the Florida National Guard’s force structure, with the sponsor citing Florida’s population, emergency history, and outdated allocation levels; one senator voiced support and the memorial was reported favorably. The committee then considered SB 1602, creating the Homes for Veterans Property Management Incentive Pilot Program in selected counties to help landlords house veterans through vacancy relief and risk mitigation trust funds; two amendments were adopted, including technical and clarifying changes, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. Finally, SB 1604 created the related vacancy relief and risk mitigation trust funds within the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to support the pilot program; one technical amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably as amended. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's additional funding for wildfire mitigation.
• There's additional funding for wildfire mitigation.
• There are things they can do to mitigate those costs, but they are true cost pressures.
• We also want to thank the Legislature for the mitigation on HR1 impacts to counties.
• Thank you so much for your work to mitigate the impacts of HR1.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Committee met to consider the 2026 Budget Act, which leaders said was the negotiated compromise with the Senate and was expected to move to the floor that evening. Opening remarks emphasized that the plan balances the budget over two years, reduces the structural deficit, and builds reserves, while also protecting core services in the face of federal cuts. Jason Sisney outlined the legislative budget framework and the likely floor bills, including AB 109, SB 110, SB 122, and SB 125. Department of Finance representative Eric Khali said the administration appreciated the two-year balanced approach and supported the modification in SB 122, while noting the package uses additional revenues and new spending to soften or reject some proposed cuts. Most of the discussion focused on major spending areas. Members and subcommittee chairs highlighted protections and additions for health care and human services, including rejecting the proposed Medi-Cal asset limit change, delaying premium increases, restoring clinic and dental funding, supporting distressed hospitals and county indigent care, and expanding county eligibility staffing to handle H.R. 1-related workload. Education members described record or expanded support for TK-12 schools, child care, special education, community colleges, teacher recruitment, and higher education, including a change to extend Cal Grant eligibility to age 30 for some community college students. Housing and homelessness funding was increased for HAP, multifamily housing, and the low-income housing tax credit, while public safety members pointed to investments in victims’ services, restorative justice, and prison closure savings. Several members also raised concerns or priorities tied to the budget deal. Some praised the package as a moral document that protects vulnerable Californians, immigrant communities, LGBTQ residents, seniors, and people with disabilities. Others noted unresolved issues, including the MCO tax’s impact on districts, the need for more support for local journalism, arts, biotech R&D incentives, transit and GGRF-related concerns, and the need for continued work on Prop. 98 and long-term fiscal resilience. The vice chair cautioned that despite the current progress, the state remains vulnerable to revenue volatility and warned that the budget should build more resilience against a possible downturn. No formal vote was taken in the portion provided, but the committee was preparing the budget package for floor action and final negotiations.

Transcript Highlights:

• ask you, in the enforcement of this, where Parks and Wildlife now does make recommendations for mitigating
• But, you know, they mentioned that there could be mitigating factors such as painting the turbine blades
• have no way to weigh in on the appropriateness of that siting or make recommendations on how to mitigate
• measures that have been taken by any any Significant mitigating measures that have been taken by any
• So they are not even consulting with Parks and Wildlife to take any measures to mitigate these risks.

Bills: SB3074, HB49, HB2440, HB3556, HB3619, HB3866, HB4042, HB4112, HB4271, HB4413, HB4426, HB5033

Keywords: SB 3074, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Water Code, permit applications, environmental permitting, administrative record, ex parte communications, legislative communications, governor, lieutenant governor, state legislators, district projects, public records, recusal, conflict of interest, substantial interest, agency transparency, environmental regulation, permit renewal

Summary: The committee heard and laid out several natural resources and environmental bills, with testimony focused on balancing development, public health, wildlife protection, and regulatory authority. SB 3074 would allow the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislators to communicate in writing with TCEQ about matters before the commission, with safeguards requiring the communication to be part of the record and allowing other parties to respond; a committee substitute narrowed it to written communications about permits only, limited legislator communications to facilities in their districts, and adjusted conflict-of-interest rules. HB 3556, as substituted, would require notice to Texas Parks and Wildlife for certain very tall structures in specified coastal counties and give TPWD a limited right to seek injunctive relief if mitigation is insufficient to prevent material harm to migratory birds; supporters said it would address ignored wildlife recommendations and protect key flyways, while opponents argued the bill was too broad, singled out wind energy, and gave one agency unusually strong enforcement power. HB 49 would expand liability protections for produced-water recycling and beneficial use; supporters said it would encourage reuse of a large wastewater stream and reduce disposal pressures, while opponents warned it could shield operators from responsibility before the science and standards are mature. HB 4413 would authorize mass-balance accounting for renewable biomass feedstocks, and HB 3866 would regulate intermediate bulk container recycling facilities near homes, with a committee substitute adding a grandfather clause and making implementation contingent on funding. The committee also heard bills affecting air and energy regulation. HB 5033 would create a trigger to end vehicle emissions inspections if federal law changes to allow it; the substitute removed a Supreme Court-related trigger, and the lone public witness opposed the bill, warning it would worsen air quality and harm nonattainment areas. HB 4112 would clarify that on-site storage of high-level radioactive waste is allowed at current and future nuclear reactors and university research reactors only for waste generated at that site; the substitute clarified the language and removed an inoperative permit condition, and witnesses from environmental and nuclear groups said the clarification was needed to prevent unintended restrictions while avoiding off-site storage. HB 2440 would prohibit state agencies from using air-quality rules to ban or restrict vehicles based on energy source, including internal combustion vehicles, and no public testimony was offered. HB 4271 would require TCEQ to hold public meetings on request for composting facility authorizations; the substitute limited the requirement to future applications and was presented as a transparency measure after a denied local request and extensive public comments. Additional bills addressed landowner protections and Railroad Commission oversight. HB 3619 would require the Railroad Commission to restore surface land after plugging or replugging operations and indemnify landowners from damages tied to authorized entry; a witness supported the bill but urged fixing a separate statutory loophole that he said allowed operators to enter unrelated tracts without notice. HB 4042 would extend Railroad Commission pipeline safety and fee provisions to propane distribution systems by removing the word “natural” from the relevant definitions. HB 4426 would set a 10-year permit term for commercial surface disposal facilities, allow renewal based on compliance history, and require renewal applications 120 days before expiration. The committee took no votes because a quorum was not initially present, and each bill was left pending after testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• impact businesses, so it increases the cost... of doing business and addressing that could kind of mitigate
• Time is short today, so I'm going to jump straight to likely impacts and policies that can help mitigate
• Over the last several years the legislature has taken many steps in this area to mitigate that regulatory
• direct influence of the legislature, the legislature can nonetheless play an important role in mitigating
• area of wildfire costs many wildfire costs both for damages from past fires as well as efforts to mitigate

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:55.840> projects regarding the stream mitigation projects regarding the stream mitigation
• When I'm looking at the Filo stream mitigation projects pool, it's Rogers Gap and it's the County of
• projects pool, it's Rogers mitigation projects pool, it's Rogers Gap<00:04:02.640> and<00:04:
• projects pull Rogers stream mitigation projects pull Rogers gap<00:04:58.720> on<00:04:59.520
• Stream mitigation funds are administered through Fish and Wildlife.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:49 Approval of Minutes 01:05 Information Items 02:39 Project Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 23:40 Lease Rpt from Finance and Admin Cabinet 26:30 OFM Rpt – KY Infrastructure Authority 36:07 OFM Rpt – Econ Dev Cabinet 43:40 Office of Financial Mgmt 50:18 Remaining 2025 Mtg Dates 50:50 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee first handled routine business, including approval of the June meeting minutes and receipt of several correspondence and information reports. Those reports covered quarterly capital project status updates from state agencies and postsecondary institutions, lease modifications, asset preservation projects, school district debt issuances, and Kentucky Communications Network Authority budget history materials. Members also raised questions about a long-open stream mitigation account and were told the funds are fee-in-lieu stream mitigation monies administered through Fish and Wildlife, with staff promising to follow up on the specific project. The committee then reviewed and approved several capital project actions. These included a new Camp Oralis dining hall project for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, explained as a reauthorization because the funding split changed to 64% federal and 36% agency funds; an appropriation increase for the Shelbyville armory addition due to higher construction costs and security requirements; and emergency repair projects for Fort Boonesboro flood remediation and the Kentucky State Police Supply Branch fire damage. Members also approved a tenant improvement fund request for parking garage safety improvements at the Mayo Underwood Building. The Office of Financial Management presented three Kentucky Infrastructure Authority items and one Cleaner Water Program reallocation. The loans included a Shepherdsville sewer/drainage project and two Auburn water and lead service line projects; the grant reallocation involved unused Cleaner Water Program funds, with staff emphasizing that all ARPA-funded cleaner water dollars must be spent by December 31, 2026 or returned. After discussion, the committee approved the package. The committee also approved six Economic Development Fund grants, and the Cabinet for Economic Development began presenting the first six KPDI projects, though the transcript cuts off before those project details were completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1967 ensures that multipurpose flood mitigation projects which address flooding and create
• It enables two-for-one solutions: flood mitigation plus potable water generation.
• I have always said that flood planning, mitigation, and prevention are not mutually exclusive from supply
• complete, it will provide the benefit of 12,000 acre-feet of new water supply a year and flood mitigation
• complete, it will provide the benefit of 12,000 acre feet of new water supply a year and flood mitigation

Bills: SB863, SB1190, SB1261, SB1413, SB1624, SB1662, SB1663, SB1855, SB1967, SB2124, SB2204, SB1623

Keywords: Edwards Aquifer, water conservation, reclaimed water, aquifer storage, environmental protection, water loss, municipally owned utilities, Texas Water Development Board, administrative penalties, water audit, water infrastructure, water supply, state water plan, water management strategies, water financing, municipal bonds, revenue bonds, public debt, obligations, TWDB

Summary: The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs heard several water-related bills, with testimony focused on drinking water quality, groundwater contamination notice, flood infrastructure funding, water rights conservation, and utility service areas. SB 1662 would limit TCEQ’s advance notice to public water systems to no more than 24 hours before testing after a consumer complaint, to reduce the chance of temporary treatment affecting results. SB 1663 would allow TCEQ to notify private well owners, groundwater conservation districts, and nearby residents by direct means about known groundwater contamination, rather than relying mainly on first-class mail and annual reporting. SB 2124 would move the deadline for publishing the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee’s annual report from April 1 to June 1. Witnesses on the first two bills described long-running water quality problems and delayed notice in their communities and supported the measures. No opposition was recorded, and each bill was left pending for a later vote. The committee also heard SB 1967, which would expand eligibility for Flood Infrastructure Fund financing to multipurpose projects that both reduce flooding and create water supply. Senator Hinojosa and Hidalgo County representatives described the Delta Reclamation Project as a shovel-ready example that would capture flood and drainage water, treat it, and produce new potable supply while also providing detention and flood mitigation. A Sierra Club witness also supported the bill, saying such projects could help manage floodwaters and reduce polluted discharges to bays and estuaries. The bill was left pending. A lengthy and divided discussion followed on SB 1413, which would expand the streamlined expedited release process for landowners seeking removal from a water or sewer CCN in additional counties. Senator Nichols said the bill was a property-rights measure aimed at legacy monopolies and bad actors who use CCNs to hold landowners hostage, while supporters described cases where developers could not get timely service, including fire flow, or were asked to fund infrastructure without reasonable recoupment. Opponents from rural water corporations and utility associations argued the bill would undermine investment in water infrastructure, strand debt, and weaken the return on planned expansion. PUC and TCEQ resource witnesses explained that compensation is handled case by case through appraisal and can include stranded costs, planning, design, construction, and some legal fees, but members noted the statute is unclear and discussed possible committee substitute language. Public testimony was closed with the bill left pending. Later, SB 1624 would allow the Texas Water Trust within the Texas Water Bank to hold donated water rights for conservation purposes and protect them from use-it-or-lose-it cancellation, and SB 863 would address Edwards Aquifer utilities that straddle the aquifer boundary by allowing them to continue using Edwards water within their certificated areas under specified conditions. Both bills were laid out, received no public opposition in the hearing, and were left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've implemented a variety of safeguards to mitigate the effects of these fraud attempts.
• WE FOCUS ON HIS RISK MITIGATION.
• SO WE SEE THIS WORK IS AN ONGOING EFFORT TO MITIGATE During this time, over the last year, the group
• The Fraud Working Group implemented several new initiatives and safeguards to assist with mitigating
• And that's critical to mitigating student financial aid fraud.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll just say, right now, cities in Texas do have, for example,... ...mitigation fees, when a developer
• removes certain trees, there is a mitigation fee, and that's for an environmental purpose.
• So having cities be able to have the ability to address... ...mitigation from climate change is very
• with federal funds, but if they want to do things like encourage the use of more green space to mitigate
• That's an environmental project that is meant to mitigate the hot temperatures, right?

Bills: HB158, HB714, HB 1198, HB1630, HB1998, HB3509, HB3788, HB3875, HB3948, HB3977, HB4097, HB4313, HB4314, HB4317, HB158

Keywords: housing, veterans, surplus government property, affordable housing, funding sources, housing assistance, homeless prevention, landlord incentives, rural housing, domestic violence, community development, tenant readiness, program participants, financial assistance, homelessness, rental support, Texas Tenant Readiness Program, tenant assistance, housing stability, Texas Department of Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• shallow well on the system, districts are addressing that through not just regulations, but also mitigation
• actually working towards this for a few years now, so I appreciate water districts coming up with mitigation
• of these projects, local jurisdictions began to implement measures aimed at better managing and mitigating
• , groundwater is extremely important to all of the rural users over in Gonzales County, and the mitigation
• First, it removes the water loss threshold for the validation and mitigation plans' requirements to apply

Bills: HB2018, HB1633, HB1689, SB612, SB3058

Keywords: agricultural conservation, land preservation, environmental protection, wildlife habitat, Texas Farm and Ranch, groundwater conservation district, Texas Water Code, water permit, permit amendment, groundwater permit, water rights, aquifer, well registration, exempt wells, beneficial use, water conservation, groundwater quality, well plugging, Hill Country Priority Groundwater Management Area, surface water resources

Transcript Highlights:

• have been in place since 2022 and require insurance companies to provide discounts for specific mitigation
• encourage personal financial resilience, increases the likelihood of completion of pre-disaster mitigation
• Health savings, or—I'm sorry—catastrophe savings accounts are also applicable to earthquake mitigation
• These are critical to mitigating long-term financial damage to impacted homeowners, mortgage servicers
• These frameworks are built around standardized loss mitigation structures, and requirements that extend

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:56.400> impacts<00:37:56.960> to much as we can and mitigate impacts to much
• <00:59:32.559> So<00:59:33.520> um<00:59:33.760> yes mitigate um impacts to
• So um yes mitigate um impacts to people.
• For the cost-benefit share, could be over $90 million unless this session helps to mitigate that for
• session helps to mitigate that for counties. counties. counties.

Bills: HR1

Keywords: January 6 insurrection, pardon, law enforcement, violent crimes, public safety, justice system, political accountability, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We have some systems in place that while they do help mitigate some of that risk, it does not mitigate
• We can argue that the risk can never be mitigated to zero.
• > risk that risk, it does not mitigate the risk that risk, it does not mitigate the risk 100%.
• But never be 100 uh mitigated to zero.
• <01:06:41.280> these better position to help mitigate these better position to help mitigate

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this bill also allows for conditions to be placed on approvals to mitigate the local impacts, such
• It allows us to mitigate that through conditions placed on the project applications.
• the local impacts such as those mitigate the local impacts such as those impacts<00:09:39.040> that
• It allows us<00:09:47.920> to<00:09:48.560> to<00:09:48.959> mitigate<00:09:49.519
• > that<00:09:49.920> through us to to mitigate that through us to to mitigate that through

Bills: SF0050, SF0084, HB0133, HB0116, HB0011, HB0044

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, irrigation, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, conservation districts, supervisors, elections, agriculture, local governance, beneficial use

Transcript Highlights:

• NO DISASTER COMES WITHOUT PRICE OR COST AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS MITIGATE.
• HAZARD MITIGATION. GRANT PROGRAM.
• WE UNDERSTAND IT YET WE UNDERSTAND ITS IMPORTANCE AND OUR DIRECTOR MANY TIMES WILL BE DOING MITIGATION
• THAT IS WHERE WE ARE NOW AN UNDERSTANDING THAT RECOVERY IS NOT QUICK IN CERTAIN MITIGATION AND THE LONG
• WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS THE MITIGATING EFFORTS AND THE PROGRESS WE MADE BECAUSE OF YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ADDRESS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• everybody else in the state that, depending on how much they receive, just, you know, a small amount to mitigate
• It was just purely a way to sort of mitigate some of these costs.
• So what I see it as is more of you're trying to mitigate the extra cost to the households, right?
• At the end of the day, this is about just mitigating some of that cost on the household.
• So, like, it reached a level in my mind that it would be worth giving them some kind of credit to mitigate

Bills: HR118, HB1039, SB436, SB442

Keywords: water utility, tax credit, excessive rates, residential service, subcommittee, local sales tax, local use tax, sales and use tax, tax audit, local collector, tax collector, prescriptive period, prescription waiver, interest suspension, delinquency penalties, estimated assessment, arbitrary assessment, certified mail notice, audit notice, taxpayer rights

Summary: Yes. This appears to be a meeting of the House Ways and Means Committee, based on the chairman’s roll call, the committee’s tax-related agenda, and the motions to report bills favorably. The committee first announced that SB 436 by Senator Cloud was deferred. It then heard SB 442 by Senator Stein, which would extend and clarify a local sales and use tax exemption in Calcasieu Parish for repairs, upgrades, and overhauls of certain aircraft at qualifying facilities like Chennault. Testimony from Citadel Completions emphasized the bill’s economic-development purpose, competitiveness with other states, and job retention/expansion in Southwest Louisiana. Representative Orgeron moved favorable passage, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee next considered HR 118 by Representative Wright, which would create a legislative subcommittee to study a possible state income tax credit for certain water utility customers affected by high rates tied to private water system upgrades and brown-water/manganese issues in parts of the Florida parishes and elsewhere. Members questioned the fiscal impact, eligibility, and whether the proposal would merely be a Band-Aid or a fair way to offset costs; Wright said it was only a study and not an automatic trigger for a tax credit. Representative Jackson moved to report the resolution favorably, and it was adopted without objection. Finally, HB 1039 by Representative Desotel was not presented and was held in committee. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• everybody else in the state that, depending on how much they receive, just, you know, a small amount to mitigate
• It was just purely a way to sort of mitigate some of these costs.
• So what I see it as is more of you're trying to mitigate the extra cost to the households, right?
• At the end of the day, this is about just mitigating some of that cost on the household.
• So, like, it reached a level in my mind that it would be worth giving them some kind of credit to mitigate

Summary: Yes. This appears to be a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee, based on the roll call, the committee chair’s remarks, and the committee’s consideration of bills and resolutions with tax and fiscal implications. The committee first announced that SB 436 by Senator Cloud was deferred. It then heard SB 442 by Senator Stein, which would provide a local sales and use tax exemption in Calcasieu Parish for repairs, upgrades, and overhauls on certain aircraft at qualifying facilities such as Chennault. The bill was presented as an economic development measure to keep aviation maintenance work and jobs in Southwest Louisiana. After testimony from Citadel Completions representatives describing the company’s operations, local partnerships, and job creation, the committee voted to report SB 442 favorably without objection. The committee next took up HR 118 by Representative Wright, which would create a legislative subcommittee to study a possible state income tax credit for certain water utility customers facing high rates tied to water system upgrades and brown-water issues in parts of the Florida parishes and elsewhere. Members questioned the fiscal impact, eligibility, duration, and whether the proposal would simply subsidize private utility rates or address a broader regulatory problem. Wright emphasized that the resolution was only for study and would gather testimony and numbers before any credit was considered. The resolution was reported favorably without objection. Finally, HB 1039 by Representative Deshotel was called but no presenter was present, so the committee held the bill in committee. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Addressing that could kind of mitigate some of the price increases that businesses need to charge for
• Time is short today, so I'm going to jump straight to likely impacts and policies that can help mitigate
• What are some of the considerations and options the legislature has to look to in trying to help mitigate
• Many wildfire costs, both for damages from past fires as well as efforts to mitigate future fires, are
• But they also are earning good wages and have the ability to mitigate these shifts, these shocks, these

Summary: The committee held an information hearing on California’s economy and household affordability, with the first panel focusing on inflation, housing, energy, wages, and the likely effects of new federal tariff policy. PPIC’s Sarah Bone said Californians remain deeply pessimistic about the economy, with inflation the main driver of concern; she noted prices are still about 23% higher than in January 2020, with especially large increases in food, energy, and housing costs. LAO’s Brian Euler emphasized that housing is the largest household expense and pointed to insurance, electricity, gasoline, and health care as other major cost pressures, urging the Legislature to review whether existing policies are actually reducing costs and to consider studies of why recent housing laws have not produced more units. UC Davis economist Catherine Russ warned that tariffs on China, Canada, Mexico, and potentially broader imports could raise consumer prices, disrupt supply chains, and hurt California exporters, farmers, and small businesses; she suggested monitoring prices, strengthening food assistance, and preparing transition support for affected workers and producers. Members pressed the panelists for concrete, near-term policy ideas, especially on housing and tariffs. Questions centered on whether accessory dwelling units are making a meaningful dent in affordability, how to improve implementation of pro-housing laws at the local level, and how to measure the impact of tariffs on consumers, health care, and agriculture. Panelists said ADUs help but are limited, that state laws can be undermined by local implementation and litigation, and that tariff effects may show up quickly in prices and later in hiring and investment. Several members stressed that the tariff issue is not a minor disruption for constituents and asked for more data on consumer impacts, food aid needs, and crop-specific farm losses. The second panel shifted to regional economic development and small business support. Go-Biz’s Derek Kirk described California Jobs First and the state economic blueprint as a first-in-decades, regionally informed strategy to create good-paying jobs, support key sectors, and align workforce and business development across 13 regions. The California Association for Local Economic Development’s Gerbach Sahota argued that local governments need practical tools, stable policy, and stronger partnerships with the state, while warning that prosperity is not always perceived as shared and that rural communities can be left behind. He urged the Legislature to use hearings, local input, and existing funding streams more effectively, including for recovery and infrastructure. David Fitzgerald of the Small Business Development Centers said California’s SBDC network serves hundreds of thousands of clients, many of them women and historically underrepresented entrepreneurs, and has generated billions in economic impact, capital access, revenue, and jobs. He said the biggest gaps are outreach to the state’s many self-employed businesses with no employees, better labor data on those workers, and more flexible support for direct services. Committee members then asked what small businesses need most in the face of inflation and tariff shocks, including lower licensing costs and other relief, and the discussion continued on how to better target state support to businesses and households under pressure.

Transcript Highlights:

• It does dovetail to Senator Woods' wildfire mitigation bill. I mean, we're a small co-op.
• And so I'm trying to do everything our board is trying to do to mitigate that.
• We can never promise that we won't raise them, but we can mitigate maybe the low cost.
• We can't mitigate that without those federal dollars and without the help that, you know, and boosting
• These stations can house operations to mitigate fires.