Transcript Highlights:

• First up, we have SB 1 relating to vegetation management near utility lines.
• Broad authority for utility companies: the bill gives electric utility companies the ability to enter
• </c> needs broad Authority for utility needs broad Authority for utility companies<00:09:58.640><c> the
• </c> purview of the Public Utilities purview of the Public Utilities Commission<00:12:37.160><c> the<
• </c> full discussion at the Public Utilities full discussion at the Public Utilities Commission<00:13

Summary: The hearing opened with committee procedures and then took up SB 1, relating to vegetation management near utility lines. DLNR opposed the bill, saying it would shift rights, responsibilities, and liability onto the state and private landowners. Hawaiian Electric supported the measure with amendments, describing it as a first step to address wildfire risk and improve public safety and system reliability. The Hawaii Farm Bureau and Command Schools both raised concerns that the bill could impose significant costs, liability, and access burdens on farmers, ranchers, and other landowners, especially where easements are old or unclear. Life of the Land argued the issue belongs before the Public Utilities Commission, and PUC staff explained that the commission is already reviewing Hawaiian Electric’s wildfire mitigation plan and vegetation management in a docket, with a decision expected by September and public meetings scheduled for April 23 and 24. Committee members questioned the need for legislation versus negotiated solutions, and witnesses said private parties could potentially renegotiate easements without statute. The committee then heard HB 1296, relating to disaster recovery. DLNR and OPSD supported the bill, saying it would ease regulatory burdens in post-disaster rebuilding and help speed permit review. Testimony and member questions focused on the bill’s five-year rebuilding timeline, the role of the coastal zone/SMA process, and how long permit reviews typically take; OPSD said SMA major/use permits generally take about six months, while minor permits are faster. Members also discussed whether the bill would apply to existing structures damaged in disasters and whether the amendments from the Attorney General’s office and OPSD were acceptable; no objections were raised. Finally, the committee heard SB 1170, relating to the expeditious redevelopment and development of affordable rental housing. HHFDC supported the bill, and testimony from a Maui affordable housing project said the measure is needed to rebuild the Weinberg Court Apartments, a 63-unit affordable project in Lahaina, using insurance funds rather than government money. Members asked whether the bill would help existing affordable rental projects damaged before the enactment of related coastal rules, and the response was that the bill is aimed at existing structures damaged during events and intended to speed rebuilding of affordable housing.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, they manage Fires.
• We put in for a fire management assistance grant.
• are managed, but how do we manage post-fire debris?
• And again, I mentioned the incident management team.
• We utilized drones and then LIDAR and lasers right.

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion. uh utilities such as uh gas initial gas uh utilities such as uh
• It says current language says municipally owned and operated utility, utility electric utility.
• </c><00:09:56.560><c> utility</c><00:09:57.600><c> electric</c> and operated utility utility electric
• and operated utility utility electric utility<00:09:58.560><c> I'm</c><00:09:58.800><c> sorry</c><00
• </c><00:18:50.160><c> Authority</c> manager to authority. Authority manager to authority.

Committee: Joint Energy

Transcript Highlights:

• First and most importantly, it removes the utilities as middlemen.
• First and most importantly, it removes the utilities as middlemen in large clean energy procurement such
• First and most importantly, it removes the utilities as middlemen in large clean energy procurement such
• Moreover, we have empowered the Department of Public Utilities to conduct management and operation audits
• of our utilities to hold them accountable.

Transcript Highlights:

• NEXT UP IS A RATE INCREASE FOR TARGETED CASE MANAGEMENT. IT IS EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1.
• IT IS JUST A METHODOLOGY THAT PERHAPS LINKS IT TO MEDICAID UTILIZATION.
• WHAT WE EXPECT FROM OUR MANAGED CARE COMPANIES TO PROVIDE.
• BETTER UTILIZATION OF EPD RESOURCES.
• STAFF WHAT CAN WE DO SO THAT WE CAN BETTER UTILIZE YOUR RESOURCES?

Transcript Highlights:

• If it’s a municipal utility or it’s an all-debt-financed utility, even if it were an investor-owned utility
• Utilities earn their return only if they manage costs within approved budgets, operate prudently, and
• Utilities earn their return only if they manage costs within approved budgets, operate prudently, and
• One way to help align the motivations of utility management with the interests of ratepayers is to link
• Utility management with the interests of ratepayers is to link a portion of top employee compensation

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Summary: The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications held an oversight hearing focused on electric rates, utility regulation, affordability, wildfire costs, and the California Public Utilities Commission’s role. Chair and members framed the discussion around the challenge of transitioning to a cleaner grid while maintaining reliability and keeping bills affordable. The hearing also served as the annual update from the CPUC and the Public Advocates Office, with testimony from Professor Severin Borenstein and CPUC President-designate Alice Reynolds. Borenstein gave a primer on utility regulation, explaining that generation is largely deregulated while transmission and distribution remain regulated, and that most rate-setting follows cost-of-service regulation. He emphasized that the hardest issue is setting the allowed return on equity: too high can raise bills and encourage capital-heavy spending, while too low can deter investment and harm reliability. He argued there is no silver bullet, said performance-based regulation and price caps have limits, and suggested some costs now charged through electric bills—such as climate programs, low-income subsidies, and wildfire-related public policy costs—might more appropriately be paid through the state budget. Reynolds described the CPUC’s oversight role, saying the commission reviews utility spending through general rate cases, balancing accounts, and other proceedings, and that affordability is addressed through front-end scrutiny, post-spend accountability, and legislative direction. She highlighted wildfire mitigation as a major driver of rate increases, noted recent progress on clean energy procurement and battery storage, and said the CPUC is working on return-on-equity decisions, FERC advocacy on transmission costs, and implementation of SB 254 and other statutes. Members pressed on a range of issues, including wildfire securitization, load growth from EVs and data centers, gas-system stranded assets, balancing accounts, and a water-service dispute in Keene involving Union Pacific. No votes were taken; the hearing was informational, with several follow-up commitments from the CPUC to provide data and updates.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll start with SB 1, and this is relating to vegetation management near the utility lines.
• </c><00:02:32.400><c> it</c> management near the utility lines it management near the utility lines it
• </c><00:05:23.039><c> poll</c> society problem we had a utility poll society problem we had a utility
• management actions.
• management actions.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Summary: The committee first took up SB 1 and SB 1561 on vegetation management near utility lines and wildfire prevention. Testimony focused on requiring DLNR to create and update wildfire hazard maps, setting vegetation-trimming responsibilities for property owners near rights-of-way and utility lines, and authorizing utilities to enter property to remove hazardous vegetation. DLNR, the PUC, and Hawaiian Electric all testified, with Hawaiian Electric asking for clearer access language, after-the-fact notification in imminent-risk situations, and liability limits. Committee members discussed balancing wildfire response with property rights and the need for clearer responsibility and enforcement, including on easements and utility poles. The committees ultimately recommended SB 1 pass with amendments, incorporating comments from testimony, and SB 1561 was deferred. The next major item was SB 640 on artificial intelligence disclosures. The bill would require businesses and individuals in commercial transactions to clearly disclose when consumers are interacting with an AI chatbot or similar technology, and it would create private rights of action and penalties. TechNet, the Office of Consumer Protection, and the Chamber of Commerce raised concerns about vague definitions, overbroad application, enforcement, and the private cause of action; the Chamber also argued the bill could burden small businesses that use AI tools for routine functions. In response to questions, OCP said the measure was ambiguous as to who it applies to and that the remedies and treble-damages provisions were unclear. The committee recommended SB 640 be deferred. The committee also heard SB 454 on prorating the rental motor vehicle surcharge tax when a vehicle is rented for only part of a day. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii said the proposal would make the tax system fairer but more complex and would require better recordkeeping by rental companies; the Department of Taxation and Enterprise Mobility also submitted comments. Senator Melby noted possible effects on the special highway fund and said that could affect his vote. The measure was referred onward, with the discussion indicating it would proceed to Ways and Means. Finally, the committee heard SB 1272 on towing, which would create a licensing framework for tow companies. Testimony from tow-industry representatives strongly supported the measure, describing unlicensed or noncompliant operators, poor insurance practices, and the need for accountability and consumer protection. They said a licensing board would give regulators a clearer enforcement avenue and help ensure fair treatment of vehicle owners. The hearing ended before a final action was taken on SB 1272 in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• In the past decade, our utilities have doubled their asset base, our gas utilities, to $57 billion.
• In particular, utilization metrics, which we call for in this bill, will push utilities to get more value
• costs for consumers, requiring the utilities to track and report on the utilization of individual distribution
• costs for consumers, requiring the utilities to track and report on the utilization of individual distribution
• If you have a fire created by utility infrastructure, and it is found that the utility did not act negligently

Summary: The committee heard several energy, water, and utility bills, with extensive testimony on cost, ratepayer impacts, and climate or reliability goals. SB 919 by Senator Grayson would extend the biomethane monetary incentive program through 2030 and support renewable natural gas development by reducing interconnection cost barriers. Supporters said RNG helps methane reduction and organic waste diversion, while opponents, including TURN and environmental groups, argued the bill could shift costs to ratepayers and subsidize combustion-based fuels, especially dairy digesters. The author said committee amendments removed the rate-basing provisions and instead urged the CPUC to act quickly on its pending decision; the bill was left for a later vote. SB 931 by Senator Laird would reauthorize the Diablo Canyon Community Impact Mitigation Program through 2030. Supporters said San Luis Obispo County and local schools rely on the funding for emergency preparedness and public safety, while TURN argued the extension would add about $47 million in statewide ratepayer costs and should instead be paid from existing PG&E deal revenues. Members discussed the bill as a continuation of the 2022 Diablo Canyon agreement, and the author said the measure simply restores the five years omitted from that deal. The committee also heard SB 1215 by Senator Cortese, which would direct the CPUC to set deployment targets for EV charging in multifamily housing. Supporters said renters and apartment residents are largely shut out of home charging, and that prior utility programs showed the model can be cost-effective and beneficial to ratepayers. The bill was amended to address affordability, ratepayer benefits, and limits on major system upgrades. SB 1295 by Senator Stern would create a framework for using distributed batteries and other local resources to solve grid constraints more cheaply than traditional infrastructure. Supporters said it could improve reliability and reduce costs by targeting batteries where they provide the most grid value, while utilities said they were open to continued discussion. SB 1359, also by Senator Stern, would require the CPUC to more carefully evaluate major gas infrastructure investments and alternatives such as electrification before approving new spending. Environmental groups supported the bill as a guardrail against stranded assets, while gas utilities opposed it, warning it could undermine the obligation to serve, create safety and reliability risks, and retroactively change the rules for approved investments. On water policy, SB 1125 by Senator Menjivar would create a statewide low-income water rate assistance program upon appropriation. Supporters said about 1.6 million households have water debt and that affordability is a statewide issue, not just a problem for disadvantaged communities. Some members raised concerns that the bill lacked a funding source and that state mandates, such as chromium-6 treatment requirements, already strain local water agencies; the author and supporters responded that the bill includes administrative caps and transparency measures and is intended to work alongside future funding. The committee then heard SB 1098 by Senator Pérez, which would restrict the use of utility memorandum and balancing accounts by requiring exceptional circumstances, adding sunset dates, and creating cost-sharing or lower-return rules for certain spending. TURN and other supporters said the accounts allow utilities to recover costs after the fact with too little discipline, while Edison and PG&E opposed the bill, arguing that some costs are unpredictable and that the CPUC already has a formal review process. SB 1125 was moved to Appropriations with a roll call, and the roll was left open for additional votes; the other measures were discussed with no final committee actions announced in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• budget for resource management and wildfire prevention has tripled since 2017.
• Did you want me to talk about the vegetation management ordinance?
• I think all the regions and the water utilities are a little bit different.
• I also am a general manager of a special district down in West Marin County.
• I also am a general manager of a special district down in West Marin County.

Transcript Highlights:

• Leek: UTILITY OR MUNICIPALITY. >> IN MY MIXING THE SAME. >> Chair McClain: YOU ARE. >> THE UTILITY IS
• WE OWN THE UTILITY. THE UTILITY IS OUTSIDE OUR CITY. >> Sen. Leek: LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION.
• IF YOU GO BACK TO ALL OF YOUR COUNTIES AND CITIES, EVERY CITY HAS A UTILITY TAX ON THE UTILITY TAX IS
• NOT ONLY THE WATER UTILITY BUT ALL THE UTILITIES.
• AS SOME OF YOU INDICATED, THIS IS A UTILITY. ALL THE COSTS OF THE UTILITY ARE BUILT INTO THE RATE.

Transcript Highlights:

• a million dollars in value through prudent utility management.
• It allows certain utilities to receive hardcopy or electronic bids for public work projects.
• value through prudent utility management.
• value through prudent utility management.
• But that should be... ...that can be utilized, then take advantage of it.

Bills: SB6132

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: indebtedness limits, inland port districts, federal funding, infrastructure improvements, economic development

Transcript Highlights:

• utility bills.
• utility bills.
• My name is Regan Bolley, Covington City Manager. for low income utility customers to help them pay for
• their utility bills.
• 141 claims per claims manager.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on multiple bills, beginning with a motion to suspend the five-day notice rule for a long list of Senate bills, which passed on a voice vote. The committee first heard Substitute Senate Bill 6026, a governor-request housing bill that would require cities and counties over 30,000 population to allow residential uses in commercial and mixed-use zones, limit mixed-use/ground-floor commercial requirements in some areas, and allow added height where such requirements are imposed. The lieutenant governor testified strongly in support, arguing the bill would add needed housing capacity without requiring ground-floor retail burdens. The hearing on SB 6026 was then suspended so the committee could move through the agenda. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6294, a broad local government finance measure with eight parts, including expanded uses for certain REET revenues, a new county public utility tax, a new local sales tax for children and family services, expanded housing-related tax uses, changes to county levy structure, longer lid lift periods, and expanded use of rental car tax revenue. Local government, housing, and public health witnesses largely supported the bill, emphasizing flexibility for affordable housing, rental assistance, children’s services, and county fiscal stability. Opponents, including wireless industry, water/sewer district, auto dealer, realtors, energy, and cannabis representatives, objected to specific tax provisions as regressive, costly, or likely to raise consumer prices. Several witnesses requested amendments, including adding public health clinic funding and flood recovery language from House bills. The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 5400 on local news sustainability, which would create a state grant program funded by a surcharge on large search engines and social media platforms to support journalism jobs and the Murrow Fellowship program. News organizations, the League of Women Voters, open government advocates, and local journalism supporters testified in favor, saying local news is essential to civic life and that the bill would help sustain reporting without using general fund dollars. Technology industry representatives opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly singles out tech companies and could face legal challenges. The committee then heard Senate Bill 6211, which would let opt-in GMA jurisdictions impose REET-2 without voter approval; cities and counties supported it as a parity and infrastructure funding measure, while Realtors opposed the loss of voter approval. Senate Bill 5650, authorizing local cannabis excise taxes, drew support from some local officials but strong opposition from cannabis businesses, which argued Washington’s cannabis taxes are already too high and drive sales to the illicit market. Senate Bill 6033, waiving penalties and interest for taxpayers who failed to collect new sales tax on certain services, was supported by NFIB as a compliance and fairness measure. Senate Bill 6297, exempting temporary staffing services for nonprofit behavioral health providers from sales tax, drew strong support from behavioral health organizations citing workforce shortages and unsustainable costs. Finally, Senate Bill 6343, extending and expanding tax relief for disaster-damaged property and repairs, was presented as aid for flood recovery; local officials testified in support. No final committee votes on the bills were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Currently, the Growth Management Act...
• This is me being a Growth Management Act and planning wonk and comprehensive planning...
• This is me being a Growth Management Act and planning wonk and comprehensive plans.
• I'm the Climate and Ecosystem Section Manager for the Growth Management Services Unit of Commerce.
• I'm the Climate and Ecosystem Section Manager for the Growth Management Services Unit of Commerce.

Committee: Joint JLARC I-900 Subcommittee for SAO Performance Audits

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee I-900 Subcommittee heard JLARC’s annual update on the status of State Auditor recommendations. JLARC staff said that for the 2024 review period there were three new legislative recommendations and three previously unresolved recommendations from earlier years. They reported that the legislature did not convene the civil asset forfeiture work group recommended by the auditor, and took no formal action on two water-use-efficiency recommendations. Two recommendations related to concurrent Medicaid enrollments were addressed in a bill introduced this session, but that bill was not adopted. The committee then heard a State Auditor’s Office performance audit on ensuring climate-resilient electricity infrastructure. The audit concluded Washington has opportunities to better adapt new energy infrastructure to climate change by using more site-specific climate information, broader collaboration, and stronger use of vulnerability assessments. The auditors recommended expanding the Climate Impacts Group’s analyses if funding is available, using forecasted information in DNR wildfire maps, designating a non-regulatory coordination office, and expanding vulnerability assessments in Ecology and Commerce processes. Agency witnesses generally agreed with the importance of resilience but emphasized existing efforts, the need to avoid duplicating current planning and SEPA processes, and concerns about funding, staffing, affordability, and preserving regulatory roles. The final audit examined fines for human trafficking and related sexual exploitation crimes. Auditors found courts assessed these mandatory fines inconsistently, collection rates varied widely, some revenues were sent to the wrong local government, and some jurisdictions did not clearly use the money for enforcement, prevention, or survivor services as required. The audit recommended better coordination with prosecutors, improved court coding and templates, and stronger local processes for tracking and spending fine revenue. King County provided testimony thanking the auditors and describing its anti-trafficking work. The meeting ended with no votes taken and the next meeting announced for September 17.

Transcript Highlights:

• utility, or generate 100% of their own electricity.
• utility customers that, as a market customers, which are non-residential utility customers that, as
• It has made utilities resistant to accept load growth.
• If you go to the utility and the utility says, we are out of power, or puts you into a rate structure
• Expanding the definition of consumer-owned utilities to include port districts and all utilities with

Bills: SB6013 , SB6291

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: ski areas, winter sports, terminology, recreation, economic development, SB6291, on-site wastewater treatment, onsite wastewater treatment, septic system, sewage treatment, wastewater inspection, environmental health, local board of health, public health, professional engineer, land surveyor, certificate of competency, inspection standards, design review, supervised practice

Transcript Highlights:

• In the past decade, our utilities have doubled their asset base, our gas utilities, to $57 billion.
• In particular, utilization metrics, which we call for in this bill, will push utilities to get more value
• costs for consumers, requiring the utilities to track and report on the utilization of individual distribution
• Same thing with the utilization metrics.
• If you have a fire created by utility infrastructure, and it is found that the utility did not act negligently

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Transcript Highlights:

• Two of those manage about 35 game species, and just one other manages all of the non-game bird species
• The game department manages mule deer. Manages mule deer.
• I mean, the department manages wildlife already.
• Reliable and affordable utility service.
• And to do that, we need utilities' investments to align.

Committee: Senate Senate Rules

Transcript Highlights:

• First and most importantly, it removes the utilities as middlemen.
• First and most importantly, it removes the utilities as middlemen. Thank you.
• First and most importantly, it removes the utilities as middlemen in large clean energy procurement,
• Moreover, we have empowered the Department of Public Utilities to conduct management and operation audits
• of our utilities to hold them accountable.

Summary: The Senate continued debate on House 5175, An Act Relative to Energy Affordability, Clean Power, and Economic Competitiveness, taking up a series of amendments focused on clean energy procurement, oversight, gas infrastructure, housing impacts, and ratepayer costs. Amendment 22, offered by Senator Rogers, was rejected 5-34 after he argued the underlying bill already improves clean energy procurement and reduces utility middlemen. Senator Tarr then offered Amendment 34 to expand reporting, oversight boards, and consumer representation, and to strike provisions on consumer choice, gas program frameworks, and municipal procurement authority; it was also rejected 5-34 after supporters of the bill said the legislation already strengthens oversight through the EEAC, a new review board, and DPU audits. The chamber also considered Amendment 77 by Senator Eldridge to end ratepayer-funded gas line extension subsidies for new construction. Supporters said the subsidy unfairly shifts costs to all ratepayers, favors gas over cleaner alternatives, and could save about $1.6 billion over ten years; opponents argued it could raise housing construction costs, especially for gateway cities and large projects. After extended debate, the amendment failed 19-20. Senator Moore withdrew Amendment 65, which would have created a commission on reducing emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles while preserving long-term zero-emissions goals. Several other amendments were adopted, including measures on low-income discount charges, environmental justice protections, data and tax printing, and increased access to plug-in solar. The Senate also adopted the Ways and Means amendment, ordered the bill to a third reading, and then passed it to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 32-8. Separately, the Senate adopted a Judiciary extension order after removing two bills from it, and agreed to adjourn in memory of Robert G. Najarian.

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, the Senate Emergency Management Committee will come to order.
• We don't have public utilities in the state of California.
• We don't have public utilities in the state of California.
• Okay, Senate Emergency Management is hereby reconvened.
• The motion is do pass to Energy, Utilities and Communications. Current vote is 7 to 0.

Committee: Senate Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• There, case management is a requirement for every family because we can have enough case managers to
• So it's a very manageable caseload size.
• There, case management is a requirement for every family because we can have enough case managers to
• So utilizing science, utilizing new things coming down the pike, this is actually where we should be.
• So utilizing science, utilizing new things coming down the pike, this is actually where we should be.

Bills: HB2048 , HB2189 , HB2248 , HB2403 , HB2728 , HB2729 , HB2730 , HB2731 , HB2906 , HCR2058

Committees: Senate Health and Human Services , Senate Senate Health and Human Services COR

Keywords: orders of protection, domestic violence, court procedures, legal guardian, enforcement, healthcare, licensed health aides, scope of practice, ventilator care, training standards, medical freedom, healthcare mandates, employment requirements, public health, government regulation, elderly, physical disabilities, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, home and community based services, funding increase

Transcript Highlights:

• It states that the emergency management director may appoint an emergency management coordinator.
• is emergency management.
• We do it with emergency management.
• And our agencies and law enforcement and emergency management folks need to utilize these drones for
• Was that their municipal utility alone or was that multiple utilities?