Video & Transcript Research : 'drought contingency'
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NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
Senate Chamber Feb 11th, 2026 at 11:30 am
New Mexico Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- ...droughts. What are the costs to municipalities and the state?
- Eighty-one percent of the state is currently in a snow drought.
- The NOAA drought monitor is already predicting this will mean faster drying of the lands and a longer
- We've already heard about our severe drought, and we're feeling it.
- President, drought, water scarcity, and rising costs have taken its toll on them.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Local Government Committee Apr 22nd, 2026
Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- These issues are best addressed through local negotiation and tailored contingency planning, not through
- I mean, I think ultimately we are on the same page that some sort of contingency plan does need to be
- But do understand your point and agree that there needs to be some contingency plan in place.
- And those require different contingency plans if there is a strike.
- And those require different contingency plans if there is a strike.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Chamber Meeting Jan 23rd, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Enacting the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Multiplier Act, providing a multiplier for adjunct and contingent
- Requiring non-functional turf on state-owned or state-funded property that is removed to be replaced with drought
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
Joint Committee on Financial Services
Transcript Highlights:
- Climate change and persistent drought are now threatening this fundamental requirement for public safety
- As I sit here with the state being in such a drought, I've placed the cisterns in strategic places.
- cisterns and I've installed two of them right now and as I sit here with the state being in such a drought
- But, stressing once again, those static water sources are affected by drought; they're affected by weather
- the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where I study how changes in climate and vegetation affect drought
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing with about 43 witnesses and a 1:00 p.m. hard stop, and the chair repeatedly asked speakers to keep testimony to three minutes. Much of the hearing focused on S. 747/H. 1336, which would extend paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance to graduate student workers. Supporters included legislators, union leaders, graduate workers from MIT, Harvard, BU, WPI, UMass Lowell, and others, and legal advocates. They argued graduate workers perform full-time teaching and research work, pay taxes, and should not be excluded from basic safety-net benefits; several witnesses described personal hardships involving childbirth, serious illness, mental health crises, funding cuts, or fear of losing income. Testifiers also said the change would be revenue-neutral or revenue-generating and would not create major administrative burdens for universities, which already provide similar benefits to other employees.
The committee also heard testimony on insurance-related bills. Christopher Stock of the Massachusetts Insurance Federation supported H. 1113 on public adjusters and H. 1345/S. 753 on flood-zone notifications for homebuyers, but opposed H. 4112, which would add a $2 surcharge on home insurance policies to fund fire cistern programs. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council strongly supported H. 1345, saying flood disclosure is needed because Massachusetts lacks statewide flood-notification requirements and flooding risks are increasing. Karen Alvarado supported H. 4352 on travel insurance, and John Fielding supported H. 1186 on pet insurance; both said the bills would create uniform regulatory frameworks and consumer protections. Rep. LeBoeuf testified for H. 4061 on workers’ compensation premium fraud, describing the bill as a transparency measure to combat fraud in construction by creating a public certificate-of-insurance database and QR-code verification system. Joe Bright of the carpenters’ union also supported H. 4061, citing fraud, misclassification, and the harm to injured workers.
The hearing also included testimony on H. 4112, a bill to create a statewide fire suppression water resource fund and cistern program. Rep. Hogan and a Stowe fire chief described drought, brush fires, and the need for dedicated cisterns in communities without municipal water systems, saying the tanks provide reliable water for firefighting and are relatively low-tech once installed. Committee members asked questions about tank capacity, siting, maintenance, and funding. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.
OR
Oregon 2026 Regular Session
Joint Emergency Board 06/17/2026 8:30 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- assistance to low- and moderate-income households with domestic wells in areas recently impacted by drought
- We don't control where drought is.
- And I would say that my county has regularly declared droughts.
- fact, as I look up and down the coast, and yes, believe me, that many coastal counties do declare droughts
- very partially meet a serious unmet need that is going to become more serious if the projections on drought
Summary:
The Emergency Board met on June 17, 2026, and approved a series of subcommittee recommendations, mostly on consent, related to federal grant applications, agency funding adjustments, and position authority. Early actions included approval of four federal grant applications from natural resources agencies, three public safety grant applications, a one-time increase for Judicial Department court security, retroactive approval for an AmeriCorps volunteer-generation grant, and a $7.5 million allocation to Southern Oregon University from a special appropriation for short-term financial stability. Members supporting the SOU item emphasized the university’s structural deficits, declining enrollment, and the need for a long-term higher education plan; several members voted no or raised concerns about sustainability, but the motion passed.
The board also approved a federal apprenticeship expansion grant for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, a school nutrition equipment grant for the Department of Education, and an Oregon Health Authority request tied to Medicaid community engagement requirements under H.R. 1. Public safety items included funding for Oregon Military Department readiness facilities, a report on the stalled juvenile justice information system modernization project with a follow-up viability report due in 2026, and a statewide evacuation planning tool for emergency management. The evacuation tool drew strong support as a wildfire preparedness measure, with members noting it could significantly reduce alert times and save lives.
A major point of debate was the Department of Justice request to add 16 permanent positions and increase other funds limitation for antitrust enforcement. Supporters argued the federal government has pulled back and Oregon needs capacity to pursue active cases and protect consumers; opponents objected to the process, the size of the expansion, and the incentive structure tied to settlements and awards. Despite those concerns, the motion passed. The board also approved Water Resources Department requests for the Water Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement program, an assistant water master position in Washington County, and federal funding for Lower Umatilla Basin groundwater data collection. The water master item prompted questions about county cost shifts, but staff said the position would remain externally funded and would not be filled without those resources.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 04/08/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
Transcript Highlights:
- The last one, 994, is a one-time cancellation of $3.915 million of drought relief tree seedlings.
- cancellation of 3.915 million of drought cancellation of 3.915 million of drought relief<00:15:17.839
- cancellation of drought seedling cancellation of minus3.915<00:23:46.480>
that's <00:23:46.640 - And then stopping the transfer on that metro landfill contingency account is a savings of 200, and then
- account is a metro landfill contingency account is a savings<00:27:36.159>
of <00:27:36.520>
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- preempts conflicting regulations that could be adopted at the local level relating to emergency contingency
Bills:
HB163, HB216, HB721, HB2035, HB2038, HB3057, HB3153, HB3233, HB3595, HB3801, HB3812, HB4076, HB4129, HB4377, HB4535, HB4666, HB4730, HB4743, HB4903, HB5149, HB5155, HB1534
Keywords:
epinephrine, healthcare, emergency response, administration, medical policy, health care, itemized billing, patient rights, provider regulations, Texas Health and Safety Code, cost disclosure, insurance, benefit plan, administrators, chemical dependency, treatment facilities, minor admissions, parental notice, mental health, medical licensing
Summary:
The committee met without a quorum at first, then established a quorum with five members present. Members heard and left pending several House bills, including HB 4743 on allowing hospitals to license mobile stroke units under a hospital license, HB 4129 on earlier DFPS enforcement tools for single-source continuum contractors in community-based foster care, HB 4903 creating a Quad Agency Child Care Initiative to coordinate child care regulations across state agencies, HB 3812 revising the gold card/prior authorization process for physicians, HB 4535 requiring written informed consent before COVID-19 vaccination and a standardized state information sheet, and HB 4666 reducing the frequency of some HHSC reports to the legislature. The chair also noted HB 35 would be voted on later after a subcommittee back was received, and that a large number of bills would be heard the next day.
Most of the testimony focused on HB 4535 and HB 4730. On HB 4535, supporters argued the bill would strengthen informed consent for COVID vaccination by requiring written consent and clearer state-level information about risks, manufacturer liability protections, and adverse-event reporting; opponents, including a pediatrician and medical groups, said existing federal and state informed-consent materials already cover these topics and warned the bill could create duplicative paperwork and penalties. On HB 3812, the Texas Medical Association supported changes that would extend the gold-card evaluation period to one year, raise transparency, and make prior authorization exemptions easier to administer, while health plans said they were neutral and viewed the bill as a balance between reducing burden and preventing fraud or unsafe care.
HB 4730 drew extensive testimony from adoption professionals, birth mothers, adoptive parents, and child welfare advocates. The bill would require DFPS to create a relinquishment form, train child-placing agency staff, and extend the minimum waiting period for voluntary relinquishment from 48 hours to seven days. Supporters of the current law argued the 48-hour period aligns with hospital discharge, allows informed decisions, and helps birth parents and adoptive families begin healing and bonding without pushing children into foster care or creating legal and Medicaid complications. The author said the bill would be revised and that the seven-day provision was a work in progress. No votes were taken on the bills during the meeting; each bill was left pending after public testimony closed.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Local Government Committee Apr 22nd, 2026
Local Government
Transcript Highlights:
- important statewide implications, especially in light of the impacts of climate change and future droughts
- These issues are best addressed through local negotiation and tailored contingency planning, not through
- I mean, I think ultimately we are on the same page that some sort of contingency plan does need to be
- But do understand your point and agree that there needs to be some contingency plan in place.
- And those require different contingency plans if there is a strike.
Summary:
The committee heard several bills focused on wildfire resilience, land use, and local government transparency. SB 911 by Senator Becker would require notification to fire enforcement agencies when a home in a high fire severity zone is sold with an agreement for the buyer to bring the property into defensible-space compliance; the California Association of Realtors said it would drop opposition if the bill is amended to use the preliminary change of ownership report, and the bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 994 by Senator Cabaldon would bar local officials from signing nondisclosure agreements that prevent them from sharing information with the elected decision-makers of their jurisdiction; supporters framed it as a transparency measure, and it also passed 4-0 to Appropriations. SB 1041 by Senator Riggins would expand PACE financing for wildfire home-hardening improvements and add consumer protections, but it drew strong opposition from homeowner advocates, county treasurers, bankers, and others over predatory lending and lien concerns; it passed 3-2 and remained on call.
The committee also considered SB 1075 by Senator Reyes, which would require local governments in AB 617 communities to consider air-quality reduction measures in land-use approvals for industrial and commercial projects. Environmental justice groups supported the bill as a way to implement community air plans, while counties, cities, business groups, builders, trucking interests, and others opposed it as duplicative of CEQA and a barrier to investment and jobs. After debate over local control and environmental justice, the bill passed 3-2 and remained on call. SB 958 by Senator Cabaldon would advance the Midway Rising redevelopment project in San Diego, replacing a former arena and parking lots with housing, affordable units, parks, and a new entertainment venue; with no opposition voiced, it passed 3-0 to Appropriations.
Another wildfire-related measure, SB 1182 by Senator Allen, would require local governments to consider insurance availability in safety planning for development in high fire hazard areas and direct state technical guidance on the issue. Supporters said insurance access is now a key indicator of risk, while some members questioned whether the bill would add useful information or burden local governments; the bill received a 1-1 vote and remained on call. The committee then began hearing SB 1116 by Senator Caballero, a starter-home/infill housing bill creating a streamlined ministerial path for small projects up to 10 units, but the transcript cuts off before testimony or a vote on that measure.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Nov 17th, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- So this shows the drought monitor categories from.
- From the appropriation contingency fund based on the executive orders in 750,000 dollar tranches.
- Well, she said it's drought, stress of trees.
- We've lived through some of the worst fires, floods, and drought our state has ever seen.
- All of this is contingent on the weather.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Writer 15 additional funding sources and cash flow contingency provides for the direct temporary transfer
- It also includes contingent appropriation authority.
- Issue number five is appropriations contingent on revenue collections.
- The deletion of the previous contingency. Moving to page 7. Items not included in recommendations.
- To the TWF in the supplemental appropriations bill contingent on enactment of legislation.
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Energy Development and Transmission Committee Jun 2nd, 2026
Energy Development and Transmission Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Now this year we are in a little bit of a drought. The Upper Missouri Basin is in a drought year.
- And then let's model it: if that were to be placed in North Dakota, during our worst drought on record
- So we have a grounded local zoning process with the flexibility to address all contingencies.
- So we have a grounded local zoning process with the flexibility to address all contingencies.
Summary:
The committee met in Grand Forks, approved the February 26 minutes by voice vote, and recessed for a tour of the Mincota Power Cooperative headquarters before returning for presentations on large energy consumers, especially data centers. The first presentations focused on how North Dakota should respond to rapid growth in energy-intensive projects, with speakers emphasizing the need for reliable transmission, local decision-making tools, and factual information for county and township officials who are being asked to weigh major projects with limited staff and technical support.
The North Dakota Transmission Authority director said local governments are being asked to make high-impact decisions on pipelines, transmission lines, large agriculture, wind, solar, carbon dioxide pipelines, direct-air capture, and data centers, and urged development of simple statewide decision tools and support from the League of Cities and Association of Counties. The Department of Environmental Quality’s air division director said North Dakota’s air remains among the cleanest in the nation, but large data centers can create air-quality concerns because of diesel backup generation; he said the department is requiring air monitors at some facilities and expects grid power and, potentially, cleaner natural gas backup to reduce emissions. Members asked about emissions standards, misinformation, monitoring costs, and staffing succession at DEQ.
The Department of Water Resources director said North Dakota’s water law is based on common ownership and prior appropriation, and that data centers generally use relatively small amounts of water, often in closed-loop systems. He said the Missouri River and groundwater supplies are ample for projected needs, that the department’s permitting process protects senior water rights, and that even a worst-case data center scenario would use a very small share of Missouri River flow. Members asked about downstream impacts and compared data center water use with fracking. Later, McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd Erickson urged the committee to study how other states regulate data centers, warned against litigation-driven delays and overly broad local ordinances, argued reclamation bonding should be handled at the state level if at all, and said data centers can bring jobs and tax base but should remain subject to local zoning. The committee ended the morning session for lunch and later heard an EERC update from CEO Charles Gorecki on the center’s 75 years of work in energy and environmental technologies, especially oil and gas development and related research.
ND
North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division Apr 2nd, 2025 at 02:30 pm
Appropriations - Education and Environment Division
Transcript Highlights:
- And there's Section 24 emergency, but that's just mainly because of drought disaster again. Okay.
- We did remove $5 million of SIF funds, and the reason was is we were put in some contingency language
Summary:
The committee first returned to the A&E/Water Resources budget and walked through the bill section by section, agreeing to keep some routine items and remove or defer others. Members accepted Section 4 with language to allow additional Resources Trust Fund revenues and requested federal funds, while Sections 5, 6, 7, 10, and 17 were taken out for now. They also discussed Section 12’s Bank of North Dakota line of credit for the water infrastructure revolving loan fund, Section 14’s federal funding for the biotreatment plant, Section 20’s study language on water governance and finance, Section 22’s line-item transfer limits, and Section 23’s carryover language. Several members raised concerns about the size and flexibility of available funds, the need for a project stabilization fund, and whether some projects—especially Southwest water—should be studied again. No final votes were taken, and the chair said the committee would return to the budget later after more numbers were known.
The committee then moved to the Historical Society budget, where members reviewed a series of one-time funding changes. The $500,000 NAGPRA grant was removed from the budget because it is tied to separate legislation. For the military gallery expansion, the committee reduced SIF funding by $5 million and split another $4.2 million request between SIF and donations. The Medora area planning amount was reduced, local grants were reworked with matching requirements and a cap on awards, Fargo’s request was reduced, the Medora transportation improvement grant was removed, and the America’s 250th celebration funding was increased to $1 million. Members also discussed adding language giving the North Dakota National Guard military gallery primacy on signage and allowing the Adjutant General to manage content.
The chair and members indicated the Historical Society budget amendments would be drafted and brought back, with the goal of finishing them by Friday if possible. The committee also noted upcoming hearings on related bills, including 1603, and said the budget work would likely go to conference committee because several funding and matching issues remained unresolved. No formal votes were taken in this portion either, and the meeting adjourned with plans to reconvene the next day.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Economic and Rural Development Aug 11th, 2025
Economic & Rural Development & Policy Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- And even the governor's response in declaring a crisis, a water drought crisis for our state, how you
- And even the governor's response in declaring a crisis, a water drought crisis for our state, how you
- Are there regions around the state where drought-driven drawdowns are already triggering irreversible
- Groundwater level monitoring that's important, and how does the Bureau, or does the Bureau have a contingency
- Climate change and drought are worsening the conditions and putting more pressure on groundwater resources
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
02/02/2026 - House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Federal funding program authority are contingent on the state maintaining an organizational structure
- You know, it's really amazing that we have been in an almost close to a 30-year drought now... and with
- They've... you know it's we have been in a almost close to a 30-year drought now and with that comes
Keywords:
attorney general, nuisance action, consumer fraud, damages, civil penalty, public nuisance, nuisance abatement, abatement action, injunction, superior court, county attorney, city attorney, board of supervisors, obscenity, obscene materials, adult materials, pornography, schools, parks, residential district
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The bill also creates a new fund, contingent upon voter approval of the committee substitute for SJR3
- The committee substitute to Senate Bill 5 would take effect on December 1, 2025, contingent upon certain
- The committee substitute to Senate Bill 5 is contingent upon the constitutional amendment being approved
- with one of these two new drugs that have been approved in the last two years, after 20 years of a drought
Keywords:
dementia, research institute, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, funding, grants, state health initiatives, research funding, state budget, prevention, healthcare, medical research, Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, district apportionment, legislative rules
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:59:45.680>
fund We have a sponsor contingency fund We have a sponsor contingency fund - >> Uh we received a sponsor contingency >> Uh we received a sponsor contingency fund
- Um, and I did not feel this was a sponsor's contingency request at that 40%.
- <01:16:24.239>
request this was a sponsor's contingency request this was a sponsor's contingency - Uh, so it'd be a kind of a contingent approval upon, you know, AG's approval.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs May 12th, 2025
Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- overpumps a GCD permit to meet customer demands despite rising rates consistent with the utility's drought
- contingency plan, the committee substitute authorizes, but does not require, the court to have a utility
Keywords:
outboard motors, certificate of title, vessel regulation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, marine documentation, HB 685, municipal utility rates, water rates, sewer rates, local government code, rate discrimination, tax-exempt entities, sales tax exemption, ad valorem tax exemption, nonprofit organizations, charitable organizations, municipal water service, municipal sewer service, utility billing, public utilities
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Jul 2nd, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- I feel like yesterday's presentation that I gave in terms of the impacts of fire, floods, and drought
- The combination of extreme heat and drought means that the chance that a planted seedling survives is
- If, as we're doing right now, in years of drought, the Navajo Dam, Navajo Lake, has to release a certain
- , not just hundreds more seedlings under the trees which causes multiple problems, including more drought
- So really, what it is, is it's about heat and drought.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Aug 18th, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- with the counties and the towns and the cities where they reside, but also internally working on drought-resistant
- What is your contingency plan if the federal claims shrink?
- Madam Chair, Senator, Representative, I'm sorry, our contingency plan will be to...
- We're living in a prolonged drought season, but now we're having perforated floods from the monsoon.
NV
Keywords:
Nevada gaming, gaming regulation, sports pool, race book, interactive gaming, slot machines, restricted license, Gaming Control Board, Gaming Commission, game approval, administrative approval, service provider, cash access, wagering instruments, global risk management, information service, sports wagering, pari-mutuel wagering, casino regulation, gaming license