Transcript Highlights:

• The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission will receive... ...equally among the task forces.
• Jen, are there task forces that are not covered under this bill and this appropriation?
• Jen, are there task forces that are not covered under this bill and this appropriation? Mr.
• Jen, I believe there is a regional incident task force that covers Pima County.
• Chair, Jen, are there task forces that are not covered under this bill and this appropriation?

Bills: HB2352, HB2388, HB2418, HB2499, HB2500, HB2579, HB2584, HB2804

Keywords: funding, auditor general, county treasurer, procedural reviews, state appropriations, HB2388, Arizona Commerce Authority, ACA, small modular reactor, SMR, nuclear energy, advanced nuclear, data center, data centers, economic development, study, appropriation, general fund, jobs, wages

Summary: The committee first heard HB 2584, which would prohibit public funds from being used for genetic sequencing equipment made by companies owned or controlled by entities domiciled in a foreign adversary. The sponsor said the bill is intended to prevent sensitive genetic data from being sold or used against the United States. There was little public testimony, and the committee approved the bill on a 13-5 vote for a do pass recommendation. Members then considered HB 2804, a rural development and housing tax credit bill that would let the Department of Housing allocate up to $2 million per year in credits for qualifying rural affordable housing projects, with the program set to expire in 2037. Supporters, including the sponsor, the mayor of Flagstaff, and housing investors and developers, said the credit would leverage federal LIHTC dollars, attract private capital, and help finance affordable housing for seniors, veterans, and low-income residents in rural Arizona. Opponents from the Arizona Free Enterprise Club argued state LIHTC programs are inefficient, costly, and hard to oversee. The committee passed the bill 13-4. The committee also heard HB 2388, as amended, which appropriates $100,000 to the Arizona Commerce Authority to study the economic benefits of small modular reactors and data centers, with a report due by June 30, 2027. Supporters said the study could help Arizona plan for future energy and data-center growth, while opponents argued the agency already has other funding sources and should not receive additional money for the study. The amended bill passed 10-7. After a presentation from Auditor General Lindsay Perry on county treasurer procedural reviews and the Santa Cruz County embezzlement case, the committee approved HB 2352, which provides $2,385,900 in FY 2029 for the Auditor General to continue county treasurer reviews, on an 11-7 vote. The committee then unanimously approved HB 2418, as amended, which directs $600,000 to be evenly distributed among five major incident task force counties and codifies the longstanding distribution practice. Finally, the committee took up HB 2499, the first of two ESA administration bills, which would appropriate $2.6 million and 12 FTEs to the Department of Education for ESA administration and oversight beginning in FY 2027; the bill drew extended debate about ESA growth, accountability, testing, and spending oversight, but the transcript cuts off before the final vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 450 would establish a task force within the Department of Aging to develop...
• AB 450 would establish a task force within the Department of Aging to develop policy recommendations
• My name is Tone Uveh, and I'm one of the founders of the Regional Pacific Islander Task Force.
• My name is Tone Uveh, and I'm one of the founders of the Regional Pacific Islander Task Force.
• Tona, UVA, with the Regional Pacific Islander Task Force, in support. Mr.

Summary: The committee heard a series of child care, social services, immigrant support, disability services, and language access bills, with many measures drawing strong support and no opposition. Early in the hearing, AB 450 proposed a Department of Aging task force to study and recommend policies for undocumented adults age 55 and older; AB 593 would let CDSS identify data-sharing opportunities to improve CalFresh administration and participation; and AB 904 would clarify child care subsidy eligibility so families do not lose care during pregnancy leave, family leave, caregiving, or job search periods. All three were presented as ways to reduce barriers and improve access to essential services, and AB 904 was moved out on a 1-0 call after support testimony from child care advocates and a member of the public. AB 617, which would expand and standardize respite care access for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by requiring licensing and registry participation, drew both support and significant opposition from respite providers and disability service organizations concerned about added regulation, cost, and possible delays; the author said she would continue working with opponents, and the bill was moved out on a 2-0 call. The committee also heard AB 1220, which would require regional centers to document denials, notices of action, and appeals in individual program plans and include that data in annual reports to improve transparency and equity in developmental services. The bill drew extensive public support from parents, advocates, and disability organizations, with no opposition, and passed 5-0. AB 752 would make child care centers by right in certain residential zones when co-located with multifamily housing or institutional uses, and supporters argued it would reduce zoning barriers and help expand child care capacity; it also passed 5-0. AB 1242 would create a CalHHS language access director, require human review of machine translation, and improve language coverage determinations for state and local agencies; supporters emphasized health equity and the need for better access for limited-English communities, and the bill was moved out on a 4-0 call. Later, AB 548 would continue and expand the Asylee and Vulnerable Non-Citizen Program, which provides case management and integration services for asylees and certain visa holders; supporters said the program had been effective but had run out of funding, and the bill passed 4-0. AB 495, the Family Preparedness Plan Act, would strengthen family safety planning for immigrant families, standardize acceptance of caregiver authorization affidavits, and create a joint guardianship process for temporary separations; testimony focused on fear of family separation and the need for clear school and medical procedures, and the bill passed 4-0. AB 1357 would exclude guaranteed income payments from being counted as income for state public assistance eligibility, with supporters arguing it would prevent recipients from falling off the “benefits cliff”; it passed 4-1. Finally, AB 1201, the Reunity Act, was introduced to require individualized court assessments before denying reunification services to parents with certain violent felony convictions after a five-year period, with the author and a witness describing the bill as a trauma-informed approach to family reunification.

Transcript Highlights:

• In Massachusetts, girls were physically injured during a basketball game, forcing the team to forfeit
• And forcing girls to include boys on their teams isn't compassionate. It's coercive.
• In a free country, nobody should ever be forced to participate in a lie.
• A transgender boy wrestler would be forced to wrestle girls.
• A transgender boy wrestler would be forced to wrestle girls.

Summary: The committee met on April 1, 2025, first adopting its rules and then taking up AB 89, a bill to require CIF to align girls’ high school sports with federal policy and restrict participation to biological females. The author and supporters argued the bill was needed to protect fairness, safety, privacy, and competitive opportunities for girls, citing individual student-athlete stories and examples of transgender participation. Opponents, including parents, athletes, advocates, and technical witnesses, argued the bill would stigmatize transgender youth, invite invasive scrutiny and harassment, and solve a problem they said was extremely rare or unsupported by data. After lengthy public testimony and debate, the committee rejected AB 89 on a 2-7 vote and sent it to the Committee on Education as a failed motion. The committee then heard AB 844, a related measure framed by the author as restoring competitive integrity, protecting student privacy, and bringing California into compliance with Title IX and federal directives. Supporters, including Matt Walsh and a student athlete who said she lost a varsity spot to a transgender student, argued that sex-based sports rules are necessary because biological males retain athletic advantages and that California risks federal funding if it does not change course. Opponents, including educators, parents, LGBTQ advocates, and trans youth, said the bill would increase bullying, harassment, and exclusion, and that existing policies have worked without evidence of harm from transgender athletes. Public comment was again heavily divided, with many speakers on both sides. The transcript ends during public testimony on AB 844, before any final committee vote or action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Number two, food deserts are expanding as independent grocers cannot compete and are forced to close
• Number two, food deserts are expanding as independent grocers cannot compete and are forced to close
• to close in rural and are forced to close in rural and underserved<00:04:40.919> communities.
• price discrimination, where powerful retailers bully suppliers into giving them low prices while forcing
• and forces innovation and efficiencies<00:16:03.839> for<00:16:04.079> the<00:16:04.240

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• blockchain technology task force blockchain technology task force establishment.<00:47:05.560>
• task force. Please move the amendment. task force. Please move the amendment.
• fund and task force to study deed fraud. fund and task force to study deed fraud.
• its task force. its task force. Move<01:15:18.200> the<01:15:18.280> amendment.
• task force or Yes, absolutely. task force or Yes, absolutely.

Keywords: House streaming session for Saturday, March 21, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 126 members present, heard the prayer, approved the previous day’s journal, and then took up a series of Senate messages and committee reports. Senate bills on consent calendars 21 and 22 were read the first time and referred to committees. The House then adopted favorable reports, often without amendment, on a wide range of bills including workers’ compensation evaluation procedures (HB 1325), a state shark designation (HB 97), several local alcoholic beverages measures, commemorative months for Muslim American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage (HB 661), and local license commissioner changes in Anne Arundel, Worcester, Harford, Baltimore City, and Prince George’s counties. Several bills were amended before being ordered printed for third reading. HB 121 (Baltimore County alcohol sales) was amended to change the sponsor to the Baltimore County delegation. HB 1335 on Department of Information Technology workforce recruitment and retention was amended to convert the measure into a study and recommendations report. HB 1037 on PSC oversight of broadband and VoIP was similarly amended from direct oversight to a study and report. HB 1164 on water and sewage rate consolidation and limited-income mechanisms was amended to remove rate-consolidation provisions, require a PSC study, and delay implementation. HB 1381 on stopping or parking in bike lanes added exceptions for emergency, transit, disability pickup/drop-off, disabled vehicles, loading/unloading, and construction or maintenance; HB 1504 prioritized sidewalk and bicycle pathway projects near highways with complete streets or Vision Zero policies; HB 912 adjusted community cat trap-neuter-return rules; and HB 969 clarified electric vehicle charging billing and service fees. The most extended debate centered on HB 639, the Transportation Aviation Passenger Health and Safety Act. After amendments turned it into a reporting measure for fixed-base operators and aviation service companies regarding flights carrying detained individuals, warrants, refueling, and emergency-response documentation, members questioned its practical operation, safety implications, and possible federal preemption issues. The floor leader explained the bill as amended was intended to gather information for Maryland safety and emergency planning. On motion of the committee chair, the House agreed to special order HB 639 until the end of the session for further clarification. The House also amended and advanced HB 1063 on hunting management, including deer damage permits and Sunday hunting rules, and heard a brief statement from an Eastern Shore delegate about the Rural Caucus’s approach to offering amendments rather than opposing bills outright. The session ended with HB 972, creating the Maryland Fair and Agricultural Education Promise Fund, amended to rename the bill in honor of the late Delegate Charles Otto and to replace lottery funding with an annual appropriation; the House adopted the amendments and the favorable report.

Transcript Highlights:

• No, I'm just curious to know if we're going to force people now.
• if we're going to force people now. if we're going to force people now.
• them to move at that point would force them to move at that point in<00:13:50.720> time.
• So too much of it is going to basically force someone to stop breathing." >> Okay. Thank you.
• much of it is going to basically force much of it is going to basically force someone<01:08:59.120

Bills: SF0071, SF0088, SF0056

Keywords: homeland security, search and rescue, grants, emergency response, Wyoming, sex offender, child care facility, residency restrictions, public safety, criminal law, sex offenders, child care facilities, legislation, kratom, regulation, healthcare, age restrictions, manufacturing standards, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and for your dedication and service on the task force.
• Our goal today is to share with force.
• The task force, this is such important work.
• Appreciate the task force asking us to present today.
• Appreciate the task force asking Okay.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met to adopt the minutes of the second meeting by voice vote, then heard an update focused on disaster preparedness, resiliency, response, and coordination among state agencies and partners. The chair emphasized avoiding duplication of resources and highlighted the importance of agriculture-related response issues, including animal evacuation, feed distribution, and the role of extension services during disasters. The Department for Public Health was invited to explain its role in emergency planning and response. Public Health described its Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch as the lead coordinating agency for Emergency Support Function 8, covering health and medical services under Kentucky’s emergency operations framework. Testimony outlined its broad responsibilities, including support for hospitals, morgues, local health departments, behavioral health, crisis counseling, suspicious package testing, disease outbreaks, and coordination with emergency management, EMS, transportation, and nonprofit and private partners. Officials also described the agency’s risk-assessment process, training and exercise programs, and deployed assets such as PPE caches, deployable communications, a federal medical station, a mobile treatment center, and alternate care support used in events like the eastern Kentucky floods and COVID-19. The agency also discussed funding through federal cooperative agreements for public health emergency preparedness and hospital preparedness, noting that these programs have evolved since 9/11 and have been shaped by major disasters and emerging threats. Officials said Kentucky’s funding has declined over time and that current awards are partially funded for the first time in the program’s history. They expressed support for efficiency if federal programs are consolidated, but cautioned that combining programs could risk further funding losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think that we're going to see operators forced to pull off, says Sharter.
• I think that we're going to see operators forced to pull off, says Sharter.
• I think that we're going to see operators forced to pull off, says Sharter.
• I think that we're going to see operators forced to pull off, says Sharter.
• Operators forced to pull off, says Sharter.

Bills: HF1545, HF2426, HF1615, HF2403

Keywords: medical cannabis, cultivation, cannabinoid products, plant canopy, Minnesota statutes, cannabis, hemp, lower-potency, edibles, regulations, licensing, local control, consumer safety, age restrictions, commerce policy, financial institutions, insurance regulation, limited long-term care insurance, Medicare supplement, health insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• of force. We must not miss this moment. of force. We must not miss this moment.
• force or coercion from 2013 to 2021. force or coercion from 2013 to 2021.
• Not a fund for Sergeant Ganell, who was forced out of the force because of permanent injuries and now
• <04:30:14.479> because<04:30:14.720> of was forced out of the force because of was
• which we all know is the Air Force which we all know is the Air Force Academy.<08:14:13.360>

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Labor Enforcement Task Force includes Calosha, The Labor Enforcement Task Force includes Cal OSHA
• Currently, we have about 27% of our labor force being able to park.
• There's no reason to force change that.
• There's no reason to force change that.
• When the pandemic hit, we were forced to go in. We had to. There was no option.

Summary: The subcommittee heard an informational update on the state’s generative AI implementation and related oversight. Administration officials said several proof-of-concept projects have moved into minimum viable product phases, including work at CDTFA and Caltrans, and that CDPH has a May Revision request for up to $8 million to scale up its healthcare facilities inspections project. The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged the administration to publish a report on lessons learned from each POC and recommended limiting the new generative AI approval process to a pilot through the first two rounds of projects, with continued monthly meetings and stronger legislative oversight. Members pressed for more transparency and questioned why the CDPH request was not included in January; the administration said the cost estimate was not available then and that only one project is seeking additional resources beyond existing departmental budgets. The committee then reviewed a proposed $400 million loan from the Labor and Workforce Development Fund to the General Fund. Finance and the Labor Agency said the fund has grown because civil penalty revenues have risen sharply, and the loan would be repaid in 2029-30 with provisional language allowing earlier repayment if needed. The LAO agreed the fund could support the loan but warned that recent PAGA reforms may reduce future revenues. Public commenters, including labor and community groups, argued the money should instead support labor-law enforcement and outreach programs such as CWOP, and urged rejection of the loan. Members also heard a Department of Industrial Relations request for $19.1 million for phase two of Public Works Information Technology System Enhancements, which officials said will support labor-law enforcement and apprenticeship registration. The department said the project was delayed because a prior procurement did not result in a contract award and that completion is now expected in October 2026. The committee then took up an EDD Next reappropriation technical adjustment to extend UI fund spending authority through June 30, 2026; the LAO said the request was fine but again raised concerns about oversight of the larger modernization effort, which EDD said now totals more than $660 million and is expected to continue through 2029. Finally, the committee discussed DGS’s request for new parking facilities near the May Lee Building and a trailer bill shifting statewide telework policy language from DGS to CalHR while also expanding NDI eligibility for certain CEA employees. The LAO said the telework trailer bill should likely go through the policy committee process instead of budget, and union and employee witnesses strongly opposed it, arguing it would undermine bargaining rights and could be used to narrow telework. In a separate item on the governor’s return-to-office order, administration officials said departments are being directed to move to a four-day in-office expectation starting July 1, 2025, but they had no statewide cost estimate yet because departments are still assessing vacancies, exemptions, and space needs. Members criticized the lack of analysis and said the state should have clearer numbers before moving forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:23:58.480> Force who served at Mather Air Force Force who served at Mather Air Force Force
• We've witnessed the destructive force of poor forestry management firsthand.
• should treat the area so fix our force should treat the area so fix our force act<07:51:08.600><
• Jerry Davis, an Air Force Vietnam veteran, turns 86 years old this month.
• <08:04:40.680> Academy inis nominated to the Air Force Academy inis nominated to the Air Force

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• identified have any force of law. Okay. identified have any force of law. Okay.
• What we are doing is ensuring that New Hampshire is not forced into adopting mandates that originate
• It doesn’t really need the local police forces to assist in it.
• It doesn’t really need the local police forces to assist in it.
• Our police force is stretched very thin.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:49:14.160> by experienced mentors on the force by experienced mentors on the force by
• But he was forced to resign due to his injury and not be able to pass a test.
• ,<02:57:39.439> potentially risking the use of force, potentially risking the use of force
• The exceptions would be um restraint, use of force, discharge of firearm.
• use of force, discharge of firearm. use of force, discharge of firearm.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A forced reset trigger on a Glock costs about $60.
• There are devices known as forced reset There are devices known as forced reset triggers<00:10:01.160
• A forced<00:10:09.240> reset<00:10:09.520> trigger<00:10:09.760> on<00:10:09.880
• > a<00:10:09.920> Glock<00:10:10.240> costs forced reset trigger on a Glock costs
• forced reset trigger on a Glock costs about<00:10:10.880> $60.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection met with a quorum and considered one bill, House Bill 299. The bill, introduced by Rep. Jason Nemes with support from several law enforcement officials, would mirror federal law on machine gun conversion devices and make knowing possession of such devices a state offense so local law enforcement can enforce it without waiting for federal agents. Supporters said the measure would not criminalize conduct that is currently legal, would give police a practical tool to remove dangerous devices from the streets, and was backed by law enforcement groups and other organizations; the NRA was noted as neutral. Chief Paul Humphrey and other police chiefs testified in support, describing the devices as a growing public safety problem and saying local officers currently lack authority to act unless federal authorities take the case. They argued the bill would help keep officers and communities safe and prevent weapons from being returned to the street. Rep. Roberts opposed the bill, questioning its constitutionality under Second Amendment precedent and arguing that criminals would likely shift to other devices. Rep. Wesley also voted no, citing Second Amendment concerns and his commitment to constituents, while several members explained yes votes as support for law enforcement and public safety. The committee adopted a committee substitute and then voted on the bill. House Bill 299, as amended by the committee substitute, passed the committee with favorable expression and was reported to the House floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Uh, so our only input was through the SPEED Task Force, and I'm the coordinator for the SPEED Task
• Force, and we did talk about this within the task force, and we felt that it's better fit the counties
• > felt<00:08:00.879> that<00:08:01.360> it's<00:08:01.520> better task force
• and we felt that it's better task force and we felt that it's better fit<00:08:02.160> the<00
• Let the committee report reflect comments that were made in regards to the SPEED Task Force and then

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint hearing covered three bills, all related to outdoor lighting or permitting. On SB 2278, which addressed light pollution and outdoor lighting standards, testimony was mixed: the University of Hawaiʻi and others raised concerns that the bill’s 4,000K color temperature standard and other provisions conflicted with dark-sky and wildlife-protection recommendations, while some groups testified in support. A lighting industry engineer also questioned how turtle-lighting provisions would apply in practice and urged a workable standard that balances safety, design, and wildlife concerns. On SB 2908, relating to permitting, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and several business groups testified, generally standing on written testimony or supporting the measure. Committee discussion focused on a proposed statewide permitting intake platform; the Office of Planning said the SPEED Task Force believed counties were better suited to handle permitting information, and members asked whether the appropriation was sufficient. The committee voted to pass SB 2908 with amendments, including a deferred effective date of July 1, 2050. On SB 2987, also relating to light pollution, the University of Hawaiʻi strongly supported the bill and proposed amendments to create campus lighting zones tailored to safety and foot traffic, while the Department of Land and Natural Resources stood on its comments and several other organizations testified in support or opposition. The chair said the committee would address business safety concerns by making technical and nonsubstantive amendments, exempting outdoor light fixtures for airports, highways, and harbors, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. The committee then adopted the recommendation to pass SB 2987 with amendments and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• uniformly to employment decisions regarding hiring, promotion, and retention during a reduction in force
• Well, if you read the statute, the key phrase is a reduction in force.
• So... ...a reduction in force.
• Obviously, it’s a... ...and now, in a reduction in force, you’re out of the service, you can come back
• That reduction in force is the key phrase, right, in that statute. So, if that makes sense.

Bills: SB1013, SB1023

Keywords: merit-based hiring, public employees, non-discrimination, employment practices, Arizona Revised Statutes, optometrists, eye exams, eyeglass prescriptions, healthcare, vision care, 1182, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 1023, which would require optometrists to conduct eye exams according to the standard of care in the community at a recommended one-year interval, while allowing eyeglass prescriptions to be extended up to two years or shortened based on risk factors. The sponsor described it as a compromise between a longer prescription period and existing practice, and the Arizona Optometric Association supported the bill as codifying best practice and clarifying the standard. The committee moved the bill and gave SB 1023 a do pass recommendation on a 7-0 vote. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1013, a merit-based public hiring bill that would prohibit state and local public employers from using policies or practices that base hiring on race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin, while preserving compliance with anti-discrimination laws. An amendment was offered to clarify that the bill would not limit voluntary veterans’ preference employment policies, and the committee adopted that amendment. Supporters argued the bill would ensure public jobs are awarded based on qualifications and protect taxpayers; opponents argued it could undermine diversity efforts and that the veterans language was unnecessary or awkwardly drafted. After testimony from supporters and debate over the amendment and the bill’s effect on diversity, veterans’ preferences, and prior criminal history in hiring, the committee voted on SB 1013 as amended. The bill received a due pass as amended recommendation on a 4-3 vote, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• While this language may appear neutral, in practice it forces manufacturers to sell parts in competition
• Next up, tab 5: Senate Bill 930, Florida Retirement Savings Task Force, by Senator Martin.
• This bill, they worked on with AARP, creates a 15-member task force with balanced representation from
• It creates a 15-member task force with balanced representation from small and large employers, retirement
• It’s not going to force upon them. You can only use this option.

Summary: The Commerce and Tourism Committee heard and reported favorably several bills. SB 386, by Sen. Trumbull, would create consumer rights and manufacturer obligations for defective farm equipment, modeled on lemon-law concepts, and passed without opposition. SB 528, also by Sen. Trumbull, would strengthen Florida’s manufacturing sector through Department of Commerce responsibilities, a chief manufacturing officer role, workforce grants, and reporting requirements; it drew questions about whether it differed from last year’s bill and was supported by several appearance forms before passing favorably. SB 806, a right-to-repair bill for portable wireless devices and agricultural equipment, drew the most testimony: supporters said it would expand consumer choice and repair access, while dealers and industry representatives argued existing manufacturer agreements already provide access and warned the bill could disrupt dealer/manufacturer relationships and future technology; it nevertheless passed favorably. The committee also approved SB 696 on trademark registration, which would modernize the trademark classification system, allow online applications, and clarify document verification procedures, and SB 930, which creates a 15-member Florida Retirement Savings Task Force to study retirement coverage gaps and recommend policy options without imposing employer mandates. SB 826, by Sen. Leak, would address reward cards that function like gift cards but expire, while excluding loyalty programs; the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association raised concerns about unintended consequences and the need for tighter definitions, but the bill was reported favorably after the sponsor said the language would be refined. SB 874 would expand professional licensure reciprocity for experienced out-of-state surveyors and mappers to address workforce shortages, and it also passed favorably. After a pause, the committee took up CS/SB 838 on electronic payments of retail installment contracts. Sen. Yarbrough said the bill clarifies that reasonable convenience fees for optional electronic payments are permissible, provided they are disclosed and a fee-free option remains available, to reduce ambiguity and litigation. Members questioned whether the bill could authorize or expand fees and whether the “reasonable” standard was sufficiently clear; the sponsor said the fees are tied to processor costs and are not intended as revenue. An amendment adding the word “retail” was adopted, and the committee substitute was reported favorably. Several members later asked to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on bills they had missed, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then at the city's discretion they can force cable or telecom companies' customers to fund relocation
• Unfortunately, we have a situation that has become a barrier to deployment known as forced relocation
• of dollars over the years from those occupying the right of way, you will hear that this bill will force
• For them to get make their money back before they're going to be forced to do this, you know, or is it
• , you know, in the mall business we call it, you know, forced relocation and the landlord's got to pay

Transcript Highlights:

• Then at the city's discretion, they can force cable or telecom companies' customers to fund relocation
• Unfortunately, we have a situation that has become a barrier to deployment, known as forced relocation
• You will hear that this bill will force cities to divert general revenues and take resources away from
• they're going to be forced to do this?
• Or is it, in the mall business, we call it forced relocation; the landlord's got to pay if we don't get

Bills: HB3713, HB3953, HB4055, HB4272

Keywords: telecommunications, local exchange companies, universal service fund, rate maintenance, business expansion, broadband access, internet service, multiunit residential properties, urban areas, affordability programs, fiber-optic cables, public land, construction permits, environmental impact, notification requirements, municipal projects, infrastructure, facility relocation, public right-of-way, 1184

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, the farmer got, uh, forced to pay for that as well.
• Force you to go into a lawsuit and force you to be bankrupt real quick.
• And, you know, constantly he's calling me saying, hey, man, they're forcing me to mow again.
• So, you know, again, if the city is enforced, if, if we force these cities to start cleaning up their
• Since 2020, 17,000 farmers and ranchers have been forced out of their business.