Transcript Highlights:

• social media have pop-up notifications every 30 minutes informing the user how much total time has been spent
• Social media not only fueled<00:10:23.920><c> his</c><00:10:24.240><c> depression</c><00:10:24.640><c
• > and</c><00:10:24.880><c> anxiety</c><00:10:25.600><c> but</c> fueled his depression and anxiety but
• fueled his depression and anxiety but also<00:10:26.160><c> played</c><00:10:26.399><c> a</c><00:10:
• I've spent on my screen.<00:20:00.559><c> And</c><00:20:00.720><c> so</c><00:20:00.880><c> once</c><

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota's renewable fuel sector helps support farmers, rural communities, and our state's economy and
• the production of low carbon through the production of low carbon Transportation<01:26:13.600><c> Fuel
• and animal feed from Transportation Fuel and animal feed from Minnesota<01:26:16.600><c> grown</c><01
• thank you for the aviation fuel thank you for the opportunity<01:27:19.040><c> to</c> testify<01:27:
• and you've spent two years lining<01:37:52.560><c> up</c><01:37:52.760><c> the</c><01:37:52.920><c>

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• The lowest cost resource is the one with the lowest fuel cost. Solar and wind have zero fuel cost.
• The lowest cost resource is the one with the lowest fuel cost. Solar, wind, have zero fuel cost.
• Third... ...after significant resources were spent studying those projects.
• And that does include a very diverse fuel source for all resources. Correct.
• They spent years building.

Summary: The Senate Business and Commerce Committee held its third interim hearing on Texas electric grid reliability and 765 kV transmission lines/private property rights. Chair Schwertner opened by noting record ERCOT summer demand of 91,089 MW and emphasized the committee’s focus on managing rapid load growth, ensuring adequate generation, and protecting homeowners, businesses, landowners, and ratepayers. The committee also adopted strict two-minute limits for public testimony and planned to hear invited witnesses first, then public testimony. PUC Chairman Thomas Gleeson, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas, and OPUC Chief Counsel Benjamin Barclay testified on Senate Bill 6 implementation, large-load interconnection, transmission cost allocation, and market design. Gleeson said the PUC has adopted or is finalizing rules on net metering/co-location, large load interconnection standards, and a transmission cost recovery rule that would move from 4CP to 12CP, lengthen the interval to 30 minutes, and add a minimum demand charge to better allocate costs to large loads. Vegas explained ERCOT’s new batch process for large loads, saying it provides year-by-year capacity allocations, clearer financial obligations, and a transmission plan; he reported 205 GW eligible for Batch Zero, with 65 GW classified as baseload, 25 GW in an intermediate category, and 114 GW as allocated load. Barclay supported the changes as better protection for residential and small commercial customers, while warning that the minimum demand charge may need an exit-fee concept to address stranded costs if large loads leave. Members pressed witnesses on whether additional market changes are needed to attract dispatchable thermal generation and whether DRS/DRRS Plus could become a capacity-market substitute. Gleeson and Vegas said the current market still favors solar, batteries, and other low-variable-cost resources, and that more incentives may be needed for gas and other thermal generation; Gleeson said the commission’s reliability standard assessment will begin this year and conclude next year with a 2029 outlook. They described DRS as an ancillary service for intraday reliability and DRS Plus as a proposed real-time revenue mechanism for thermal resources during scarcity, not a forward capacity market. Senators also questioned whether 12CP could still be gamed, whether curtailment authority under SB 6 should be expanded from EEA 2 to earlier stages, and whether the batch process should be bifurcated so traditional industrial loads are handled differently from data centers. Witnesses said the batch process is intended to prevent speculative projects from driving transmission costs, that most large-load projects are data centers, and that future rules may need to better distinguish among types of large loads.

Transcript Highlights:

• time to fire up the grill, fire up the air conditioner, book some road trips if you can afford to fuel
• The countdown is still on, and what you're doing is adding fuel to the fire of... Impeachment.
• Last year, for every dollar we took in in tax receipts, we Spent $1.43.
• Did I mention a little while ago that last year, for every dollar we took in, we spent $1.43?
• We're already started borrowing that money internally because Treasury has already spent it.

Bills: HB2478

Transcript Highlights:

• I actually, as was mentioned, I've spent a lot of time in the last three years working on the issue of
• I have been laid off before and spent months without work. That layoff led to my tenure at ADD.
• We spent nearly two years navigating treatments, surgeries, uncertainty, and hope.
• On behalf of California Fuels and Communications Alliance, respectfully opposed. Thank you.
• On behalf of California Fuels and Communions Alliance, respectfully opposed. Thank you.

Committee: House Labor and Employment

Transcript Highlights:

• Spent fuel is stored on site. Thank you. Spent fuel is stored on site.
• It is a rebate program after communities have spent their money and met all of the qualifications.

Bills: HR1038 , HB3263 , HB3127 , HB2997 , HB3115 , HB2123 , HB3587 , HB3028 , HB2035 , HB3369 , HB3620 , HB3621 , HB3622 , HB3624 , HB3175 , HB3173 , HB3178 , HB1979 , HB4476

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the pledge, and several recognitions, including Veteran of the Week Major General (ret.) Tony L. Wright, Doctor of the Day Dr. Jeanette Kelly, Capitol Day students, Girl Scouts, and family members of legislators. Members also adopted House Resolution 1038 honoring the Oklahoma Youth Expo and its agricultural education and scholarship impact, including recognition of top ag mechanics exhibitors. The chamber then considered and passed several bills, including HB 3263 designating the morel mushroom as the state mushroom; HB 315 setting qualifications and a term limit for the Department of Corrections director; HB 2123 revising authorization for an Arkansas River bridge project near Bigsby; HB 3587 allowing court-ordered outpatient mental health treatment; HB 3028 allowing career techs in public schools to pass along credit card surcharges; HB 2035 clarifying transportation protection agreements related to funeral services; HB 3369 allowing food trucks to use two fire extinguishers and training in lieu of an automatic suppression system; and a series of census-related bills creating a census count committee, reestablishing a state data center function, and updating Commerce technology for census address work. The House also passed HB 3624 to standardize county boundary mapping, HB 3175 creating an Oklahoma Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 3173 allowing repurposing of orphaned and abandoned wells for geothermal or energy storage uses, and HB 4476 creating a revolving-fund rebate program to help smaller communities compete for music events and tourism. Two measures failed on final passage: HB 3178, which would have created a standard depreciation table for county assessors to value farm equipment, and HB 1979, which would have created an Early Childhood Task Force. In both cases, members later served notice of intent to reconsider the failed votes. The House also reconsidered and passed previously failed motions on HB 3127 and HB 2997. Most bills that reached final passage were approved by recorded vote, with HB 3178 failing 43-45 and HB 1979 failing 46-43. The House adjourned until the next scheduled meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, and of the need for fossil fuels.
• You have 90 days of fuel on the ground.
• You have 90 days of fuel on resources. You have 90 days of fuel on the<01:17:32.640><c> ground.
• So I think they got 75 years of fuel stored on site up there in Bavarian.
• So I think they got 75 years of fuel stored on site up there in Bavarian.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Let's see what it takes to get a gallon of fuel to a station.
• It's amazing how state to buy fuel in.
• </c><01:10:44.480><c> hit</c><01:10:44.880><c> $843</c> see fuel hit $843 see fuel hit $843 a<01:10:46.719
• I can't imagine having my fuel go up another 50%.
• </c><06:41:50.638><c> writing</c><06:41:51.360><c> the</c> So we spent six months writing the So we spent

Bills: HCR39 , HR275 , HR875

Keywords: social work, mental health, community health, social justice, addiction support, veteran assistance, child welfare, disability rights, intellectual disabilities, inclusion, The Arc, community support

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill reflects rising costs, modern fuel supply realities, and the need for thoughtful regulatory
• </c> for practical implementation of ASM fuel for practical implementation of ASM fuel standards.<01:
• He said he has two ranches 54 miles apart, buys fuel in Utah, and fills 500-gallon diesel tanks.
• He said he needs to be able to buy out of state and urged a yes vote. we buy the fuel in um Utah.
• I fill we buy the fuel in um Utah.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a look at our fuel mix in 2025, last year. You can see the fossil fuel is about 49%.
• </c> be some type of a renewable liquid fuel be some type of a renewable liquid fuel to<00:07:18.319>
• So we've developed 80 fossil fuel.
• </c><00:13:07.920><c> Significant</c> gallons of of a fuel. Significant gallons of of a fuel.
• price forecast, reference fuel price forecast, or a high fuel price forecast.

Bills: SCR48 , SCR28 , SCR74 , SCR62 , SCR60 , SCR89 , SCR147 , SCR179 , SCR182 , SCR59 , SCR54 , SCR180

Transcript Highlights:

• Fuel mitigation areas in the bill would be an SRA, or state responsibility area.
• Unfortunately, this project has spent nearly half a billion taxpayer dollars with too little to show
• We spent decades and a lifetime telling Americans and children that it is a reliable place for them to
• countless hours talking about Next Generation 911 and the proposed transition ...spent countless hours
• Because we're hearing all over the news that we're going to be in complete fuel crisis in less than weeks

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to public safety, emergency response, wildfire prevention, and environmental protection. AB 2152 by Assembly Member Mark Gonzalez would streamline CEQA litigation for new fire station projects and add best-practice requirements; supporters, including firefighters, said it would help communities and firefighter safety, while opponents argued the project labor agreement requirements would raise costs and limit participation for small and nonunion contractors. The bill passed to Appropriations. AB 2041 by Assembly Member Carrillo would expand reporting related to 911 dispatcher pre-arrival medical instructions; after amendments and stakeholder agreement, opposition groups said they would remove their opposition, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 2101 by Assembly Member Gipson would require human trafficking notices and training at disaster sites and for disaster response workers; supporters said it would protect vulnerable workers, while broadband, city, and county representatives raised implementation concerns, especially in rural disaster areas. It passed to Appropriations despite a no vote from Vice Chair Hadwick. The committee also considered AB 1805, which would require an audit and stronger oversight of the state’s Next Generation 911 project after concerns about major spending and delays. CalNENA supported the bill’s transparency and accountability provisions, and the measure passed to Appropriations. AB 1536 by Assembly Member Addis would tighten safety and public review requirements for offshore oil pipeline restarts and require decommissioning of certain spill-prone pipelines; environmental and coastal government groups supported it, while the Western States Petroleum Association warned it would threaten fuel supply and pipeline operations. The bill passed to Appropriations on a divided vote. AB 1964 would direct the State Fire Marshal to survey home hardening in fire-prone areas and estimate costs; it passed to Appropriations with broad support. AB 1960, also by Assembly Member Bennett, would use a portion of wildfire prevention grants to encourage community-level home hardening certification. The author said the bill would create incentives and broader public awareness, while the vice chair argued it would favor communities that can already afford hardening and divert resources from higher-need areas; the bill still passed to Appropriations. AB 1863 by Assembly Member DeMaio would clarify that people cannot be charged simply for calling 911 or when no services are rendered, while preserving fees for actual services and allowing billing for legitimate emergency response costs; it passed to the Assembly floor. The committee also took up consent item AB 2517, which passed to Appropriations. After add-on votes for absent members, the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what we really spent a tremendous amount of time on is focusing on the strength of the relationship
• I appreciate the time we spent together in your office the other day to discuss that issue.
• Japan is also a promising market for grain-based fuels.
• Japan is positioned to become one of the largest export markets for sustainable aviation fuel that rely
• I've spent a lot of time on five eyes. I've spent a lot of time on intelligence.

Committee: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Keywords: U.S. foreign policy, Mexico relations, Japan relations, border security, trade agreements, drug trafficking, ambassadorial nominations, intergovernmental communication

Summary: The meeting of the committee focused on critical discussions concerning U.S. foreign policy, particularly relationships with Mexico and Japan. Notable attention was given to border security, trade agreements, and implications of drug trafficking. Ambassadorial nominees discussed their strategies to strengthen ties with these nations, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in addressing mutual challenges, particularly concerning security and trade. The committee engaged in extensive dialogue, highlighting the urgency of improving intergovernmental communications to deter drug trafficking and support democratic governance.

Transcript Highlights:

• They spent a lot of time going correctional institution, institutions to assist with re-entry programs
• maybe in the 70's you go down the road, you'll see multiple tags on these trucks and maybe multiple fuel
• And then behind the scenes, will pro rata share the registration fees and the fuel tax that we collect
• if a trucker fills up in Georgia, drives all their miles in Florida, George is going to send that fuel
• A couple key initiatives I just wanted to share is visit Florida this year spent 6.7 million dollars

Transcript Highlights:

• Number five is $40,000 to Clean Fuels Alliance America for education and marketing of soy-based biodiesel
• Number 11 is $15,000 to the Iowa Soybean Association for a grant for the farmers fueling the future research
• Number 11 is $15,000 to the Iowa Soybean Association for a grant for the Farmers Fueling the Future research
• I mean, it’s saying to increase funding for one more year, and I’m just thinking, you know, we’ve spent
• If we've spent and are spending $300 million more a year out of a trust fund or a restricted reserve

Committee: All JBC-PEER REVIEW

Summary: The PEER Review Subcommittee met to consider a large agenda of budget, appropriation, transfer, and contract items. Members approved temporary appropriation requests for several agencies, including the Auditor of State, Department of Education, and Labor and Licensing; ARPA return requests from Workforce Services; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requests for State Police and Agriculture; restricted reserve transfers for teacher scholarships, school facilities, and economic stimulus; a Commerce reallocation of positions and spending authority; cash fund, budget classification, overtime, and pay plan requests; and 17 methods of finance items for universities and other agencies. Most items were approved without objection after brief explanations from staff and agencies. Several items drew questions and were held or discussed further. A Department of Human Services discretionary grant package for the RSVP program was held over after Senator Irvin raised concerns about whether the grants were an effective use of state general revenue and asked for more information on administration costs and program operations. In the contracts section, Representative Richardson questioned a DHS sole-source contract with EMS Link for document management software and a DHS contract with Presidio; the EMS Link item was held for additional answers, while the Presidio item was clarified as not sole-source and was allowed to proceed. Members also asked for more information on a Department of Education mental health referral contract with Care Solace, which officials said is a statewide concierge/referral service connecting students to Arkansas providers and telehealth options. The committee also reviewed monthly reports, including the Medicaid Trust Fund. DHS and DFA officials said the fund was currently sufficient to finish the fiscal year, though it was being drawn down and would likely require a $100 million transfer from restricted reserves in FY27, with another $100 million set aside in the governor’s budget as a backstop. Members discussed the need to define a minimum reserve level and to better account for ongoing Medicaid costs in the budget. The meeting ended with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• But later in the appendices, there's also a projected deflationary effect on fuel.
• So people are going to buy less of them, and that's going to affect the demand, you know, on fuel.
• And that's why we see some deflationary aspects on fuel. But we can go into detail.
• single-year period of performance, which is going to be extremely disruptive for how the grant funding is spent
• and negotiating the projects, and we will be the ones ultimately ensuring that all of this money is spent

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on the effects of tariffs on Washington’s economy, agriculture, and small businesses, followed by updates on emergency management, cybersecurity, disaster resilience, tsunami preparedness, and World Cup security planning. Office of Financial Management economist Abdelamintrawe Trieri said tariff increases are expected to raise prices, reduce output and employment, and lower state revenue over a four-year horizon, with the hardest-hit sectors including aerospace, food and beverage manufacturing, and agriculture. Members asked about updated tariff scenarios, crop-specific impacts, inflation versus deflation in different goods, and whether some manufacturing sectors could benefit; staff said updated numbers would need to be rerun as tariff rates changed. Washington Department of Agriculture representative Ryan Hamm described how tariffs raise costs for farm inputs such as equipment, parts, packaging, and fertilizer, while also affecting exports of key commodities like wheat, potatoes, apples, cherries, dairy, and wine. He said some sectors support tariffs on competing imports, but retaliation and market restrictions have hurt exports, especially to China and, in the wine sector, Canada. Department of Commerce representative Andrea Chartock outlined export assistance, business finance, recruitment, and industry-sector development programs, and proposed expanding tariff-resilience support through market diversification, supply-chain optimization, and efforts to attract investment and federal funding. She also noted uncertainty around delayed federal STEP funding for small business export assistance. Emergency Management Division Director Robert Ezell warned that federal disaster and mitigation funding is becoming less reliable, citing the denied bomb cyclone disaster declaration, delays in FEMA grant processing, and possible restructuring of FEMA that could shift more responsibility to states. He said Washington may need stronger state-funded public assistance, individual assistance, and mitigation programs, along with broader coordination among state agencies and local governments. Cybersecurity staff described state efforts to support local governments through the Cybersecurity Advisory Committee, threat intelligence sharing, vulnerability assessments, and a proposed volunteer incident response team, while noting the loss of MS-ISAC funding and the importance of continued state matching funds for cybersecurity grants. Hazard mitigation and tsunami staff emphasized the need for sustained investment in flood, wildfire, earthquake, lahar, and tsunami resilience, including vertical evacuation structures and language-access outreach. Ezell also briefed the committee on World Cup security preparations and federal grants for counter-unmanned aircraft systems, explaining that the state can buy mitigation capabilities but current authority to use them remains largely federal; the committee asked follow-up questions about fan zones, training, and the meaning of drone mitigation. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I first want to take whatever time is necessary to thank the six committee chairs that have spent incredible
• Two years ago, we spent $5 million on the KPMG report highlighting the heat crisis, and still nothing
• Two years ago, we spent $5 million on the KPMG report highlighting the heat crisis and still nothing
• Senators on tab five are going to take up SPB-2506, by appropriations relating to fuel taxes.
• It is, we have spent a great deal of time.

Bills: S2500 , S2502 , S2504 , S7028 , S2506 , S2508 , S2510 , S2512 , S2514 , S2516 , S2518 , S0482 , S0678 , S0984 , S1016 , S1074 , S1706 , S7030

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Summary: The committee heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2026-2027 budget, SPB 2500, with chairs outlining major spending in K-12 education, higher education, health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/tourism/economic development, and agriculture/environment/general government. Highlights included a $115 billion overall budget, pay raises for state employees and public safety workers, major K-12 funding increases and enrollment supplements, higher education workforce and nursing investments, expanded Medicaid/KidCare and behavioral health funding, corrections and law enforcement operational funding, transportation and housing investments, and significant environmental and water quality spending. Members asked about civic education funding, declining enrollment, professor retention, APD waiver waitlists, cultural grant allocations, and other line items. Public testimony also addressed HIV/AIDS drug assistance funding and prison air conditioning. SPB 2500 was adopted as a committee bill after amendment consideration and a roll call vote. The committee then took up implementing and related budget bills, including SPB 2502 (implementing the General Appropriations Act), SPB 2504 (state employee bargaining placeholder), SB 7028 (Florida Retirement System contribution rates and related retirement changes), SPB 2506 (fuel tax distributions), SPB 2508 (state agency law enforcement radio system surcharge), SPB 2510 (termination of an unused court trust fund), SPB 2512 (new judgeships), SPB 2514 (K-12 conforming changes), SPB 2516 (higher education conforming changes), and SPB 2518 (health conforming changes). Most were explained as technical or conforming measures tied to the budget, and all were reported favorably as committee bills, with SB 7028 amended to direct a portion of increased contributions to disability and line-of-duty death benefits in the FRS investment plan. The committee also heard and passed several member bills, including CS for SB 1074 on rounding rules for cash transactions in a world without pennies, CS for SB 678 restoring the alcohol loss deduction framework for distributors, and SB 964 on firefighter cancer benefits and prevention. SB 964 drew the most discussion, with questions about the one-year death-benefit window, the separate $25,000 cancer diagnosis payment, and whether the bill could create gaps in coverage for firefighters diagnosed or dying just outside the new time limits. Firefighter representatives testified in support, saying the bill would provide clearer protections for members and families. All of these measures were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've spent 20... ...to support House Bill 2579.
• I've spent 20 years working on how we structure and pay for communications infrastructure that serves
• I've spent my whole career working in PEG, public educational and government channels, and I'm a big
• what we're doing is we're going out, doing assessments, learning about the natural areas, and doing fuels
• the teams start, and literally they have been doing this since December. ...natural areas and doing fuels

Bills: HB2579

Committee: House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans

Keywords: public media, digital equity, funding, media access, communication technology

Transcript Highlights:

• taking a position on it, but there were always pathways for performance approaches to include other fuel
• at balancing that more holistic approach of, outside of the building, what's enforceable, and the fuel
• I also spent eight years on the plan... legislative direction can work into those regular cycles that
• I also spent eight years on the plan. And then into elected official.
• I also spent eight years on the planning department, the planning commission in Spokane.

Committee: House Local Government

Summary: The committee heard first from the City of Ferndale and FutureWise on city annexation planning. Ferndale officials argued that Washington’s Growth Management Act leaves too much of the annexation process open-ended, which they said allows counties to approve incremental development in urban growth areas without adequate infrastructure planning, impact fees, or coordination with cities. They described Ferndale’s “annexation blueprint” or phased annexation plan as a way to set conditions for annexation up front, align capital facilities and service extensions with annexation timing, and provide clearer expectations for residents, developers, schools, and fire districts. They also urged stronger county standards in UGAs, including larger minimum lot sizes, limits on land division, and application of city roadway and impact-fee standards. FutureWise supported phased annexation planning, suggested countywide planning policy changes and financial incentives to encourage annexation, and noted that interlocal revenue-sharing and pre-annexation agreements could help address county and special-district concerns. Committee members asked about fire district revenue loss, county incentives to develop before annexation, and how to improve coordination; no vote was taken. The committee then received a primer and update from the State Building Code Council. Staff explained the council’s membership, committees, technical advisory groups, and rulemaking process, including normal, expedited, and emergency rulemaking. They outlined the current code cycle, with Group 2 proposals moving to CR-102 in August, hearings planned for November, final adoption due by December 1, and publication and implementation dates in 2026. The council also updated members on Senate Bill 5491 and the related single-exit/multiplex housing work, describing the technical advisory group process, public proposal period, and target completion timeline. Members asked about the difference between prescriptive and performance-based code approaches, how the legislature can better communicate intent in future bills, and how the council handles regional differences, especially for energy code and EV charging requirements. Council members said they are advisory and technical, stressed the importance of clear legislative direction, and noted that the council is willing to engage earlier on bills to help avoid ambiguity and enforcement problems. No formal action or vote was taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Anyway, the money spent on gift cards should not be lost to the consumer as a result of any circumstances
• I spent a half hour in her office today and failed to do so. So, happy birthday. Right.
• I strongly support SB 771 because we have seen how online hate fuels real... ...we have seen how online
• hate fuels real-world violence with devastating results at ING.
• In Sri Lanka, online disinformation fueled anti-Muslim riots.

Summary: The committee hearing covered several bills related to privacy, consumer protection, and online harms. SB 259 by Senator Wahab would prohibit surveillance pricing based on device data such as geolocation or battery level; supporters argued it would curb discriminatory and predatory pricing, while opponents raised concerns about geolocation definitions, legitimate location-based pricing, and impacts on discounts and loyalty programs. The bill was moved on a due pass motion to the Judiciary Committee and passed 8-1, with members noting amendments and ongoing discussions with stakeholders. SB 22 by Senator Laird would raise the amount of gift cards that can be redeemed for cash, with the author saying the goal is to update the long-standing $10 threshold for inflation and preserve consumer value. Consumer advocates supported the bill, while retailers, restaurants, grocers, and chambers of commerce opposed or opposed unless amended, citing fraud concerns, safety issues, and the need for clarification on donated or returned gift cards. The committee voted the bill out on a 6-1 vote and kept it on call. SB 576 by Senator Umberg would apply broadcast-style loudness rules to streaming advertisements. The author said the bill is intended to prevent ads from being much louder than programming, especially for children, while the opposition argued that streaming ad insertion is technically different and that existing industry standards and FCC oversight already address the issue. The bill passed 8-0. SB 683 by Senator Cortese would clarify that people can seek injunctive relief, including a TRO, for unauthorized use of name, image, or likeness; supporters said it strengthens privacy protections, while opponents warned about prior restraint and First Amendment concerns. The bill was moved out on a due pass motion and kept on call. The final bill discussed, SB 771 by Senator Stern, would clarify that existing civil rights and hate-related laws apply to social media platforms and their algorithms, with higher penalties for intentional or reckless violations. Supporters, including the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Islamic Networks Group, described online hate as fueling real-world violence and urged stronger accountability; opponents argued the bill could conflict with Section 230, chill lawful speech, and create vague standards. Members raised questions about constitutionality, definitions, and whether the bill would be workable, but several expressed support for the author’s goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:25:38.080><c> But</c><00:25:38.320><c> hopefully</c> the fossil fuel companies.
• But hopefully the fossil fuel companies.
• </c><00:25:43.919><c> company</c> fallacies underlying fossil fuel company fallacies underlying fossil
• fuel company science.<00:25:45.360><c> Mahalo.
• These three have spent hours and hours and hours planning this event.