Transcript Highlights:

• AB 1232 review of regulations holding committee.
• AB372, Bennett, rural water infrastructure DoPASS out on an A roll call.
• AB 1313 Pappin water quality permits do pass out on a b-roll call.
• authorize the water board to recover. it's costs via fees.
• And AB 1520, Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife, Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee Bill. you

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the Executive Director for the Florida Rural Water Association.
• I am the Executive Director for Florida Rural Water Association.
• The EPA regulation, food safety regulation that we have is some of the strictest.
• The EPA regulation, food safety regulation that we have is some of the strictest.
• Oftentimes, they don't even have clean drinking water.

Summary: The committee heard several bills and took favorable action on a number of them. CS/CS/SB 54 by Senator Sharif would require district medical examiners to perform toxicology screening for psychotropic drugs and intoxicating substances in autopsies of identified violent offenders, consult treating providers when available, document findings, and report results to state agencies; it passed after brief questions and one opponent waived against. CS/SB 176 by Senator Polsky would require public colleges and universities to publish clearer campus safety reporting and response procedures for threats to students, faculty, or staff; it also passed favorably with no opposition. CS/CS/CS/SB 290, the Florida Farm Bill by Senator Trumbull, was the longest item and drew extensive testimony. The bill covers fair association rules, preemption of local limits on gas- and diesel-powered farm equipment, surplus of certain state-owned lands for agricultural use, a food animal veterinarian loan repayment program, permanent funding for Farmers Feeding Florida, forest service training, signal jammer penalties, CDL exam cheating penalties, no-solicitation protections, inspector protections, biosolids rules, and contractor payment enforcement. Members adopted multiple amendments, including changes to contractor payment language, expanding vet loan repayment to equine vets, merging citrus research entities, technical updates to fair statutes and nonprofit definitions, and a late amendment removing the bill’s disparagement/free-speech section after significant public testimony and debate. A separate late amendment on biosolids delayed compliance timelines for Broward County, and the bill then passed favorably as amended. The committee also approved CS/CS/SB 834 on nonprofit religious organizations, which repeals a restriction on health care sharing ministries partnering with licensed insurance agents, while adding a disclaimer requirement through amendment; the bill passed with support from some faith-based and consumer groups and one waiver against. SB 936 on temporary door locking devices passed without opposition. CS/SB 50 would expand veterans’ courts statewide as an option in all judicial circuits for service-related issues such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and substance abuse; it received broad support from veterans and advocacy groups and passed favorably. CS/SB 1004, in strike-all form, would regulate dog and cat sales by requiring disclosure of medical records and financing terms, adding a three-day waiting period for financed purchases, and treating violations as unfair trade practices; an amendment removed an appropriation section, and the bill passed after questions about financing and pet retention. The committee then approved CS/CS/SB 178, which directs the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt rules allowing coaches to provide good-faith support to student-athletes for basic needs like food, transportation, and recovery services, while requiring reporting and preserving anti-recruiting enforcement; members discussed possible parental-consent language, and the bill passed favorably. Finally, the committee began hearing CS/SB 198 on virtual currency kiosks, with Senator Rouson explaining that it would regulate crypto kiosks to combat fraud, require operator registration, fraud warnings, blockchain analytics policies, and transaction limits, but the transcript cuts off before further action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're not regulated. Yes, sir. They're regulated by the industry, essentially. I believe so.
• Y'all are able to do this as far as regulating ATMs.
• CoinFlip believes smart regulation is good for business.
• Yes, that's right, because it's mostly done in federal waters.
• I used to do a lot of deep-water sailing.

Bills: SB383, SB1012, SB1181, SB1705, SB2075, SB2221, SB2586, SB2864, SB2994

Keywords: SB 383, ERCOT, Texas Utilities Code, interconnection, wind power facility, offshore wind, coastal wind, nearshore wind, Gulf of America, Texas coast, three marine leagues, electric grid, transmission line, distribution facility, renewable energy, battery storage, energy storage, grid access, power grid, electric service

Transcript Highlights:

• Water, I think everybody here knows how important it is, but some of us are more water abundant and others
• So how do you talk about water that's not cheap water?
• Now we have water, but it's still expensive water.
• Yes. water is no longer something we can take for granted, and water's going to cost, you know, water
• Cyberattacks on the city of Muleshoe's water system and other water systems in West Texas demonstrate

Bills: HB3115, HB5671, HB5693, SB790, SB1055, SB1302, SB1504, SB1625, SB1663, SB2692

Keywords: Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater, water wells, domestic well, livestock well, exempt well, metering device, well meter, groundwater conservation district, Special District Local Laws Code, Water Code, Section 36.117, groundwater regulation, water rights, aquifer management, municipal utility, retail public utility, groundwater export, water supply contract, election

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard testimony on a series of water, utility, and groundwater-related bills. Early items included HB 5693, which would let Drainage District 7 hold board elections in November of odd-numbered years when a countywide election is occurring, and HB 5671, which would update the Johnson County Special Utility District by clarifying board eligibility, allowing bond issuance, and removing redundant TCEQ approval language to reduce costs and delays. Both bills were left pending after brief testimony from bill sponsors and local witnesses. The committee also heard SB 1504, which would update the Gulf Coast Authority to allow video-conference participation in meetings, and SB 1302, aimed at closing a TCEQ permitting loophole that allowed dischargers with prior denials or suspensions to reapply through an automated process without meaningful review. SB 2692 drew substantial discussion: it would change the signature threshold for outside-city-limits customers appealing municipal utility rates to the PUC by customer class. Valero supported the bill as a way to avoid requiring large-volume users to gather signatures from unrelated residential customers, while the City of Corpus Christi opposed it, arguing that lowering the threshold to one customer could trigger expensive appeals costing $500,000 to $1 million. A PUC witness said such cases are increasing and that the agency would need additional staff under the fiscal note. SB 790, creating a simplified PUC complaint process for small water and wastewater billing disputes, and SB 1663, expanding TCEQ notice requirements for nearby residents when groundwater contamination is discovered, were also heard and left pending. Additional bills included HB 3115, clarifying that the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District cannot require meters on exempt domestic or livestock wells; SB 1055, raising the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District’s production fee cap from 1 cent to 7 cents per 1,000 gallons; and SB 1625, requiring private water and wastewater utilities to report cybersecurity incidents to TCEQ and DIR. The committee then took up pending business and adopted a substitute for SB 7, which made several changes to water fund use, eminent domain coordination, and EDAP-related provisions, and voted 10-0 to report it favorably. The committee also adopted a substitute for HB 2347, a county water conservation program bill, and reported it favorably 9-1. HB 5675 and SB 2476 were each reported favorably 10-0. The meeting concluded with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 294 by Cortez, relating to the regulation by a municipality or property owners association of food
• HB 2091 by Martinez, relating to the provision of financial assistance by the Texas Water Development
• SB number 1341 by Hancock relating to the regulation of manufactured homes. Thank you.
• This is the bill that helps the Water Development Board. I move passage.
• “Multiple water agencies in Medina County came to me and asked for it to be put in there.” “Okay.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, offered an invocation, led the pledges, and approved a series of routine motions, including excusing absent members and granting permission for several committees to meet while the House was in session. Members also adopted several memorial and recognition resolutions, including H.R. 1023 honoring Christian Beerbill, H.R. 1033 recognizing International Bereaved Mother’s Day, and H.R. 877 recognizing Urban League Advocates Day. The House also recommitted SB 17 and HB 4211 to committee and postponed SCR 27 and HB 2145 for later consideration. The chamber then took up a long third-reading calendar of bills covering a wide range of topics, including Sunset review measures, health care workforce and pricing, child custody and family law, Medicaid, rural ambulance grants, energy reporting, public information requests, trail development, virtual meeting disruptions, occupational licensing, protective orders, county leave pools, animal cruelty, infrastructure, and higher education. Most bills were explained briefly by their authors and passed with broad support, though several drew notable opposition, including HB 5265, HB 2402, HB 3000, HB 3237, HB 3326, HB 1056, HB 281, HB 3308, HB 1043, HB 1234, HB 1193, HB 294, HB 809, HB 334, HB 2037, HB 285, HB 1353, HB 3960, HB 4044, HB 4264, HB 2807, HB 3349, HB 4406, HB 1593, HB 1899, HB 1201, and others. Several bills prompted extended debate or amendments. HB 3237, extending public energy-use reporting for state and higher-education buildings, passed after questions about its public-sector-only scope and energy savings. HB 3326, addressing public service loan forgiveness credit for adjunct professors, initially failed on a 69-70 vote but later passed after verification and machine corrections. HB 3211, concerning optometrists in managed care plans, adopted a Buckley amendment before passing. HB 2213 on Texas Windstorm Insurance Association board composition adopted a Metcalf amendment requiring certain board members to be Texas residents. HB 412, dealing with harmful materials and sexual performance of a child, generated extensive questioning about its scope, existing legal standards, and effects on educators and medical professionals; the excerpt ends during that debate.

Transcript Highlights:

• water needs.
• On the input side, how is the water treated? what volume of water, what rate of water, and so on.
• water quality.
• Water and associated non-storm water discharges.
• It generally predates the modern regulations pertaining to drilling water wells, administered by the

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Jack Wurston on behalf of the Santa Clara Valley Water District in support.
• demands and the finite resource that is out there as it relates to water.
• quality, water availability, and our reliance on fossil fuels.
• It makes sense to have the PUC regulate the IOUs as outlined in this bill.
• I will say again, the PUC, this doesn't make them subject to PUC regulation per se.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In terms of automatic license plate reader regulation, In terms of automatic license plate reader regulation
• Then there's also questions about water versus energy usage on the water side of things.
• : the water that goes in, what happens with the water that goes out?
• So it's not drinking water; it's gray water. And they're returning it cleaner than they got it.
• And so the water it starts with is in a closed loop perpetually forever, so no net new water is needed

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The committee held a series of informational briefings on information management and technology issues. It first heard from ACLU representatives on data privacy, who argued that Oregon should strengthen protections against private data brokers, government purchases of personal data, reverse warrants, automatic license plate readers, and local police surveillance. They urged data minimization, limits on data sales and retention, and broader transparency and accountability measures. Members asked about practical uses of license plate readers, state sales of data, and how Oregon’s approach compares with other states; the presenters said similar proposals have been adopted elsewhere, including data minimization in Maryland and a state version of the Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act in Montana. The committee then received a detailed update from the Department of Administrative Services and Enterprise Information Services on licensing system modernization for 14 boards and commissions with the most immediate need. DAS said it is seeking a shared procurement approach through an RFP that would create either one scalable system or two tiers of systems, depending on agency needs and security requirements, with contracts expected by September. Committee members emphasized the need for a more unified, user-friendly statewide login and service experience for businesses and residents, and raised concerns about small agencies “figuring it out on their own” without sufficient cybersecurity or technical expertise. EIS said it is overseeing the investment review, security and architecture review, and future implementation planning, and noted that multiple agency requests may still come back to the legislature in the next session. The committee also discussed a revised cybersecurity incident notification concept. Staff explained that the earlier bill had raised stakeholder concerns, so the co-chairs directed further interim work with the Oregon Cybersecurity Advisory Council and other local government and K-12 stakeholders. The goal is a narrower, voluntary “911-style” notification process that would let public bodies alert peers and potentially receive assistance after cyber incidents; a temporary voluntary process is being tested now, with a work group developing language for possible 2027 consideration. Finally, the committee heard updates from the new state chief data officer on data governance, data sharing, geospatial work, and the state transparency website, followed by a briefing on data centers from NCSL and the Technology Association of Oregon. The data officer described efforts to expand data inventories, data governance plans, data literacy, and interagency sharing, along with statewide aerial imagery, geospatial standards, and the open data portal. The data center discussion focused on national and state trends, including rapid growth in data centers, rising electricity and water demand, and legislative responses such as new rate classes, reporting requirements, and cost-allocation rules to protect ratepayers. No votes were taken; the meeting was informational only.

Transcript Highlights:

• The department regulates the full cannabis supply chain.
• As a result, roughly two-thirds of cannabis sales occur outside of the regulated system.
• Second, the proposal prepares for the fundamental shift in how the cannabis market is regulated.
• We're facing very uncertain weather challenges, water challenges, and rapidly rising prices.
• We're facing very uncertain weather challenges, water challenges, rapidly rising prices.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They have no water. There's no water feature at all. It's a pit.
• Fish Water Development, Water Reuse, Investigations, et cetera.
• We have to conserve water, develop new water.
• Storm water is not what I would call an additional source of water.
• or rural water access.

Transcript Highlights:

• Those are not regulated, okay?
• </c> to the extent of existing regulation to the extent of existing regulation because<02:03:51.159><
• regulations are tied to that those regulations are tied to specific<02:06:16.559><c> classes</c><02:
• We're not regulating those things.
• </c> language that allows HOA to regulate language that allows HOA to regulate within<02:28:11.399><c

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Heather Scott [member_9444]: Which is the Payette Lake Water Quality section.
• It's not talking about anything else other than the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act.
• quality act is not literally called the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act.
• It's not talking about anything else other than the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act.
• Obviously, we're not trying to regulate AI at large, right?

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The House Environment, Energy, and Technology Committee approved the minutes from February 10 and February 16, then took up a pending rule docket from the Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals Board. The board explained changes to licensure tables, endorsement requirements, exam score validity, experience and continuing education rules, and fee increases intended to rebuild the board’s cash balance. After questions about the fee increase and the board’s finances, the committee approved the docket with Section 400, the fee section, struck, matching the Senate’s action. The committee then heard House Bill 593, a code cleanup bill from Representative Heather Scott that would repeal obsolete provisions related to the State Hazardous Waste Management Planning Committee and the Big Payette Lake Water Quality Act. During discussion, members raised concerns about overlap with another bill on the calendar. After testimony from a lobbyist and further clarification, the committee decided to hold House Bill 593 in committee to the call of the chair rather than advance it. House Bill 714 was also held in committee without hearing. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 687, sponsored by Representative Schurz, which would restrict state agencies from procuring, deploying, or using large language models unless they are developed and implemented in accordance with specified anti-DEI and ideological neutrality principles. The sponsor cited concerns about a state vendor, Recidiviz, and said the bill would require contract safeguards, agency procedures, and vendor responsibility for any decoupling costs. Members questioned how agencies could verify compliance and whether the bill would affect existing uses of AI; the sponsor said it was aimed at direct agency use of AI models. The committee voted to send House Bill 687 to the House with a due pass recommendation.

Transcript Highlights:

• with water supply.
• The water supply assessment process focuses on identifying the water supply needed for a large-scale
• The water supply assessment process focuses on identifying the water supply needed for a large-scale
• Water agencies already prepare 20-year urban water management plans, and the Subdivision Map Act requires
• shortage issues when the water supply... ...water shortage issues when the water supply assessment was

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Work with the regulators in a more collaborative way.
• and the regulated community work together to find new ways to make MTCA more effective.
• Let's also get real by changing the law and regulation.
• Let's also get real by changing the law and regulation. Process.
• Over the last 100-plus years, new technologies, research, and regulations have developed.

Summary: The committee first heard updates on the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) and related funding. Department of Ecology staff explained how MTCA and the hazardous substance tax support cleanup, prevention, stormwater, and local assistance programs, but said forecasted revenues have declined while appropriations and transfers have outpaced incoming funds. Ecology said the operating account will require underspending to stay balanced this biennium and that the problem is ongoing, with further reductions possible if forecasts worsen. Ecology also reviewed the state cleanup program, noting there are more than 14,500 cleanup sites in Washington and that new sites continue to be discovered faster than they are cleaned up. A question from Representative Lee raised the long-term issue of declining fossil-fuel-based revenue, and Ecology agreed that this is a future structural concern even though the current shortfall is driven more by forecasts and transfers than by fuel-use decline. The Pollution Liability Insurance Agency described its underground storage tank and heating oil programs, saying it has modernized from a reinsurance model to a financial assurance model with stronger state oversight and cleanup milestones. Russ Olson said the agency’s dedicated petroleum tax account is in strong financial condition, but emphasized the importance of preserving that funding source. He also discussed the loan and grant program for historic commercial releases and a new heating oil loan/grant program, while noting the agency is working on equity concerns where liens can be disproportionate to property values in smaller communities. Practitioners and advocates then offered differing views on MTCA’s performance: one attorney urged a collaborative review process to make cleanups faster, less expensive, and more certain, while another consultant argued the program is too conservative and process-heavy and should focus more narrowly on actual exposure and realistic cleanup standards. Environmental and community groups countered that MTCA is essential for cleanup, pollution prevention, stormwater control, and public participation, and that it is especially important for environmental justice communities such as the Duwamish Valley. Port and city representatives stressed that MTCA grants and cleanup funding are critical for large redevelopment projects, but said long timelines, permitting delays, and funding uncertainty can slow projects and jeopardize commitments. The committee then shifted to utility wildfire risk. Staff summarized recent legislation, including requirements for utility wildfire mitigation plans, creation of a wildfire mitigation standards work group, authorization for captive insurance by local governments and PUDs, securitization authority for disaster costs, and the existing wildfire response and resilience account. Chelan County PUD and Puget Sound Energy described extensive mitigation efforts such as vegetation management, grid hardening, undergrounding, AI smoke cameras, weather stations, enhanced operating settings, public safety power shutoffs, and community outreach. Both said wildfire risk is rising and insurance costs are increasing, and Chelan PUD asked the Legislature to restore funding to the wildfire response and resilience account. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner said a 2022 utility liability market study found insurance availability is tightening as perceived risk rises, and reported that a 2025 work group recommended restoring community resilience funding, requiring insurers to share wildfire risk scores and mitigation steps with property owners, and creating a grant program based on insurance industry wildfire standards. A PNNL scientist added that wildfire probability is increasing in parts of Washington and that mitigation requires long-term, landscape-scale coordination. The final speaker began describing California’s approach to wildfire risk, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jack Wurston, on behalf of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, in support.
• demands and the finite resource that is out there as it relates to water.
• quality, water availability, and our reliance on fossil fuels.
• It makes sense to have the PUC regulate the IOUs as outlined in this bill.
• I will say again, the PUC—this doesn't make them subject to PUC regulation per se.

Summary: The committee hearing covered a long agenda of energy, utility, and data-center bills, with members hearing extensive testimony on affordability, ratepayer protections, wildfire liability, and grid planning. Several measures were presented by Assembly Member Irwin and others, including AB 2182 on industrial energy efficiency incentives, AB 2396 on allowing community choice aggregators to develop transmission projects, AB 2589 on returning federal tax savings to ratepayers, AB 2508 on shifting public purpose program costs off utility bills, AB 1577 on data center reporting, and AB 2383 on large energy-use facility rate design. The chair noted the hearing began without a quorum and later proceeded once quorum was established for the data-center and AB 2383 votes. AB 2182 and AB 2589 were discussed but not acted on during the portion shown, while AB 2396 drew substantial debate over wildfire liability, financing, and whether CCAs should be allowed to own transmission lines. AB 2508 generated the most divided policy discussion, with supporters arguing that public purpose programs and energy efficiency costs should not be borne by ratepayers and should instead be funded through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund or other public sources. Opponents warned that moving those programs to GGRF would threaten funding stability, undermine cost-effective efficiency programs, and jeopardize important safety-net and wildfire-related spending; wildfire survivor advocates asked for amendments to ensure victims are paid first before any reallocation. Committee members raised concerns about whether GGRF is an appropriate and stable funding source, and several said they could not support the bill as drafted. AB 1577, requiring data centers to report energy, water, and noise information, passed on a 10-1 vote after supporters said the bill would help local and state planners manage rapid load growth, while opponents argued it was burdensome, duplicative, and could expose proprietary or security-sensitive information. AB 2383, which would direct the CPUC to create a new rate structure for large energy-use facilities and require long-term contracts to prevent cost shifts and stranded assets, also drew strong support and opposition. The Little Hoover Commission and NRDC backed the bill as a way to protect ratepayers from data-center-related costs, while CCAs, the Chamber of Commerce, manufacturers, and petroleum interests objected to the bill’s scope and to CPUC oversight, especially as it could affect CCAs and other large users beyond data centers. After discussion about preserving local authority and avoiding stranded costs, the committee approved AB 2383 on a 13-0 vote and left the roll open for absent members. The hearing then moved to AB 1774, a wildfire accountability bill by Assembly Member Berman, which was introduced with testimony from fire survivors and consumer advocates emphasizing the need to verify that utility wildfire mitigation spending is actually performed before ratepayers are charged.

Transcript Highlights:

• to include additional information regarding each groundwater basin and each five-year water supply and
• Seeing none, 1418, Madam Witt and members, Senate Bill 1418 prohibits certain counties from regulating
• So any county that would fall under that category... ...would be precluded from regulating the use or
• So you're asking if this bill would prohibit a county from being able to regulate. Yes, sir.
• So you're asking if this bill would prohibit a county from being able to regulate. Yes, sir.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Republican caucus reviewed a long list of Senate bills and one House concurrent memorial, most of them described as third-read consent items. Topics included claims against the state, CPA licensing, creditor assignments, insurance adjuster licensing, school equivalency instruction, extending a credit enhancement board, firearm safety instruction in schools, student eligibility restrictions for school activities, Celebrate Freedom Week, release-time courses, voter registration roll access, campaign and disclosure mailing addresses, federal land designation tracking, public records review standards, workers’ compensation burial and death benefits, condominium flag displays, restrictions on sexually explicit material in schools and libraries, agency guidance posting, standardized state hiring, mental health court-ordered treatment procedures, autopsy supervision, tribal MOUs, controlled substance scheduling, emergency medical technician data privacy, dense breast tissue notice repeal, assisted living referral agency requirements, attorney disciplinary claims, fentanyl penalties, campus firearms rules, suppressors, defamation standards, mandatory reporting, attorney licensing, emergency service fee limits, forcible detainer changes, utility worker assault penalties, water basin reporting, small modular nuclear reactors, water recovery assumptions, ICE notification after arrests, military police certification pathways, and scholarship organization tax credits. Most bills were presented without debate and were noted as available for questions, with no votes taken in the caucus itself. A few items drew discussion. On SB 1040, members asked what information would be redacted from voter registration rolls; staff said existing statutory redactions such as voter registration numbers, ID numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal identifying information would remain. SB 1193 prompted comments that EMT data being open source was surprising and that the issue might be expanded to paramedics. SB 1243 was described as strengthening guardian notification rights in court-ordered treatment, and SB 1318 was characterized as a cleanup measure to remove redundant state notice requirements for dense breast tissue. The most extended exchange came on SB 1148, which would require the Arizona Supreme Court to directly license attorneys rather than delegate that function to another organization; members asked whether the bill was shifting responsibility away from the State Bar, and staff explained that the court already has the duty but currently staffs part of the process out. SB 1418, which limits county regulation of certain small modular nuclear reactor projects, drew criticism from one member who argued it would reduce local control. The caucus also heard a sponsor presentation on H.C.M. 2009 urging Congress and the President to amend the Antiquities Act, compensate states for subsurface minerals, and streamline mining permits, with the sponsor emphasizing Arizona’s mining history and the need to access mineral resources more easily.

Transcript Highlights:

• These regulations went into effect almost 10 years later, in 2023.
• A big part of that is these regulations that come from unaccountable boards and agencies.
• And then we decided to regulate them where we never regulated their competition.
• State Water Project by 2035.
• It ultimately reduces costs that get passed down to the State Water Project ratepayers.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved prior journals, and moved through confirmations and floor items. Doreen DiAmico was confirmed to the State Water Resources Control Board by a 34-1 vote, Dr. Anne Maria de Mars was confirmed to the State Athletic Commission by 36-0, and Ronald Fiore was confirmed to the State Athletic Commission by 36-0. The body then took up SB 73 on election security, with supporters arguing it would protect ballot chain of custody and prevent intimidation or unauthorized access to voting materials, while opponents raised concerns about transparency, federal preemption, and the bill’s impact on investigations. SB 73 passed on concurrence and urgency with 29 ayes and 8 noes on both the urgency clause and the measure. The Senate also approved SB 929 on annual Energy Commission oversight (37-0), SB 1370 on wildfire-related testimony/oversight (28-5), SB 983 authorizing Port of San Diego job order contracting (28-8), SB 1367 restricting local approval of new or converted private detention facilities (28-8), SB 1257 requiring annual reporting on immigration enforcement incidents (28-8), and SB 1103 requiring large home improvement retailers to report immigration enforcement activity and related records (23-8). SB 1399, which removes the sunset on DOJ reviews of immigration detention facilities, passed 28-7, and SB 873, “ICE Out of Courts,” passed 28-7 to limit arrests near courthouses without a judicial warrant. Later, the Senate passed SB 1292 creating a pilot for camera- or sensor-based curb management with human review and privacy safeguards, despite opposition over privacy and automation concerns, by 28-7. SB 878 strengthened prompt-payment insurance penalties for delayed claims after disasters and passed 29-6. SB 958, a CEQA clarification related to housing and building height impacts, passed unanimously 37-0. SB 924 modernized low-income energy assistance services and passed 35-1. SB 1057 on certification for nurse assistants and home health aides passed, as did SB 1092 giving mobile home residents a chance to bid on park sales (29-7), SB 1123 requiring agencies to consider consumer and other benefits in rulemaking (26-8), SB 1233 increasing utility rate transparency (29-8), SB 1237 strengthening pay data reporting enforcement (28-6), SB 886 shifting data center infrastructure costs away from existing ratepayers (28-6), SB 905 reforming utility incentives and performance metrics (28-8), and SB 909 strengthening public works wage enforcement (28-7). The final item shown, SB 925 on fusion energy roadmap development, passed unanimously 37-0, while SB 954 on CEQA and advanced manufacturing drew extensive debate over environmental guardrails versus economic competitiveness; the transcript cuts off during closing remarks before the vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• His family drinking water is loaded with PFAS.
• I've got a scorecard bill that would grade the water districts, the water supply.
• You'll find PFAS in the public water. You go to Canton.
• You'll find PFAS in the public water and so forth.
• I don’t want to have water that I can’t drink.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• within an AMA for the transportation of other types of water for landscaping... ...body of water within
• It's an irrigation water storage lake that stores water that supplies the irrigation system, which waters
• To your point, in many cases the treated water is less contaminated than lake water or river water."
• effluent water, and that water went down the Santa Cruz Wash.
• You can pass that other water through, and... ...surface water in their lakes.

Bills: SB1137, SB1200, SB1419, SB1447, SB1560, SCM1004

Keywords: underground utilities, utility locating, dig safe, call before you dig, 811, excavation safety, damage prevention, one-call center, locate request, white lining, large project coordination, buried infrastructure, subsurface utilities, utility marking, locator wire, locator strip, interactive positive response system, landlord duties, apartment community, mobile home park

Transcript Highlights:

• these water rights to the Texas Water Trust.
• , and the water we save is, again, the cheapest water that we get in this state.
• Water Plan here shortly.
• Can't live without water. Can't live without water.
• Can't live without water. Can't live without water.

Bills: HB4530, HB4931, HB5559, HB5560

Keywords: water rights, Texas Water Trust, water bank, environmental conservation, water quality, instream flows, aquifer, water injection, Edwards Aquifer, environmental regulation, groundwater, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water conservation, drought, utility regulation, water use restrictions, Public Utility Commission, civil penalties, drought contingency, environmental protection

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources met with a quorum present and first took up several pending bills for reconsideration and committee substitute adoption. House Bill 2692, relating to codification and clarification of local laws concerning the San Antonio River Authority, was reported favorably to the full House and sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars by an 11-0 vote. House Bills 1407, 1520, 1535, 2970, 4153, 291, 3663, and 3915 were also reconsidered or laid out as pending business, with committee substitutes adopted where needed and each bill reported favorably, generally by unanimous vote, to the full House and then to Calendars or Calendars/Calendars-related referral as applicable. The committee then heard House Bill 4530, which would expand the Texas Water Trust framework to include groundwater rights, require Texas Water Development Board review and approval of groundwater dedications, and notify local groundwater districts when groundwater rights are placed in the trust. The bill’s author and witnesses from the Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and Chispa Texas supported the measure as a conservation tool and a way to create a clear process for voluntary donations; a Texas Water Development Board witness testified neutrally. The bill was left pending. House Bill 4931, relating to an aquifer storage and recovery project in Medina County, drew support from the author, the Medina County judge, and a regional water alliance witness, who described severe stress on the Edwards Aquifer, low levels at Medina Lake, and the need for a local water-supply tool. The bill was left pending. House Bill 5559, which would clarify enforcement of drought contingency plans for investor-owned water utilities and involve the PUC in model plan development, received support from groundwater district representatives but also concerns from water company and utility witnesses about enforcement authority, approval procedures, and potential conflicts with existing obligations to provide continuous service; the committee substitute was withdrawn and the bill was left pending. House Bill 5560, which would raise the maximum civil penalty for certain groundwater conservation district enforcement actions from $10,000 to $25,000 per violation, prompted debate over whether current law is already sufficient; supporters said the higher cap would better deter overpumping, while opponents argued existing penalties are already severe. That bill was also left pending, and the committee adjourned subject to call of the chair.