Transcript Highlights:

• I'm with PBF Energy.
• And so if we're predicting energy markets and energy prices, that is a very difficult thing to do over
• source of energy.
• whether we need more energy.
• So we take energy costs, we take energy issues very seriously.

Keywords: 1146, all

Transcript Highlights:

• not just in water but also in Energy not just in water but also in Energy Efficiency<00:10:57.360
• <00:14:59.759> you<00:14:59.959> have what kind of energy you have what kind of energy
• <00:16:09.920> impacts both environmental and energy impacts both environmental and energy
• centers including increased energy centers including increased energy demand<00:31:59.559> and
• <01:10:54.640> Future just and Equitable Energy Future just and Equitable Energy Future I'd

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Among her credentials is an understanding of labor, of energy transmission, of clean energy policy after
• Among her credentials is an understanding of labor, of energy transmission, of clean energy policy after
• Among her credentials is an understanding of labor, of energy transmission, of clean energy policy after
• Among her credentials is an understanding of labor, of energy transmission, of clean energy policy after
• Among her credentials is an understanding of labor, of energy transmission, of clean energy policy after

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Programs for the Department of Energy. Programs for the Department of Energy.
• and energy moving energy generation and energy moving sighting<01:33:56.719> uh<01:33:56.960>
• energy<01:37:36.560> transmission generation and energy transmission generation and energy
• I'm so good at energy now. Do >> thank you. I'm so good at energy now.
• Don't love energy. None. Don't love energy.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• SB 371 is from Senator McPyke and it directs Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to file a petition
• SB 448 increases the targets for energy storage capacity that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy are
• storage by 2040 and 520 megawatts of long-duration energy storage by 2045.
• The bill defines long-duration energy storage and short-duration energy storage.
• It may be fixed at any amount on non-residential customers that are major commercial energy consumers

Keywords: House Room A, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Natural Resources, Energy and Water: HB 2262, HB 2265, HB 2268, HB 2270, HB 2278, HB 2279.
• Energy and Water: HB 2426. Health and Human Services: HB 2439, public co-parned ...
• Natural Resources, Energy and Water and Appropriations: HB 2520, contraceptment caution.
• Natural Resources, Energy and Water: HB 2542.
• Natural Resources, Energy and Water and Appropriations: HB 2651, blue envelope program.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer by Paul Sorensen, the Pledge of Allegiance, and approval of the journal from January 15, 2026. Members also recognized the Doctor of the Day, Dr. Tammy Penhollow, and several guests in the gallery, including education leaders and representatives from Republic Services. Attendance was recorded at 57 present, zero absent, and two excused. The main floor business was the reading of communications and a very large slate of bills. The clerk listed numerous House bills for first reading and referral to committees, covering topics such as veterans, natural resources and water, financial services, minimum wage, commerce, education, housing, child care, health and human services, public safety, artificial intelligence, taxation, transportation, agriculture, and appropriations. The House also moved through second reading of another extensive group of bills on subjects including health care, criminal justice, transportation, education, firearms, housing, and state budget matters. No substantive debate or votes on individual bills were recorded in the transcript beyond the procedural referral and reading of measures. The House then received announcements about upcoming committee meetings, birthday wishes for Representative Aaron Márquez, and notices that some committees would not meet. The chamber adjourned on a motion until 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• finance and I've noticed energy finance and I've noticed energy infrastructure.<00:23:18.000>
• Energy<00:52:08.240> Alabama. Energy Alabama. Energy Alabama.
• We're advocates for clean energy. We're advocates for affordable energy.
• we just now hearing of Energy Alabama? we just now hearing of Energy Alabama?
• affordable energy. affordable energy.

Bills: HB403, HB399, HB392

Keywords: criminal enterprise, database, law enforcement, data privacy, criminal justice, Lamar County, property auction, county commission, online auction, public notice, HB392, Lauderdale County, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, district attorney, chief assistant district attorney, assistant district attorney, assistant district attorneys, prosecutor, prosecutorial compensation, salary supplement

Transcript Highlights:

• c><00:13:41.200> 30%<00:13:41.680> reduction energy energy, which is a 30% reduction energy
• energy, which is a 30% reduction in<00:13:42.240> building<00:13:42.560> energy<00:13:
• <00:15:17.120> reporting energy and wa uh energy reporting energy and wa uh energy reporting requirements
• <00:15:32.480> and<00:15:32.720> goals energy and water benchmarking and goals energy
• and energy assistance projects canled. and energy assistance projects canled.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• turned out that one of his children had passed away the previous summer, and he just didn't have the energy
• c><05:19:50.360> the summer and he just didn't have the summer and he just didn't have the energy
• 53.558> how<05:19:53.958> difficult<05:19:54.160> it<05:19:54.280> was energy
• I could tell how difficult it was energy I could tell how difficult it was for<05:19:54.680> him<

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• produce enough energy to run a state on. produce enough energy to run a state on.
• nuclear considered clean energy sources? nuclear considered clean energy sources?
• governor talked about energy relief. governor talked about energy relief.
• your with your energy policy. your with your energy policy.
• energy generation? energy generation? >> Respectfully,<01:37:02.080> Mr.

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, April 13, 2026, 960, senate, all

Summary: The Senate reconvened with a quorum and first honored Nancy Crawford with a resolution recognizing her 46 years of state service, including 20 years as Senator Pam Beidle’s chief of staff. Senator Beidle then spoke at length about her own retirement plans and public service, reflecting on her career in the House and Senate, her work on the Finance Committee, and thanking her staff and colleagues. The chamber unanimously journalized the remarks. The Senate then moved into business on House and Senate messages, including House Bill 139 and Senate Bill 311, and adopted a conference committee report on House Bill 1532, the Utility Relief/Reducing Energy Load for Inflation measure. The report was described as a broad energy and utility package that had already passed the Senate 38-4 and was said to address short-, medium-, and long-term issues, including rate relief, in-state generation, data center policy, consumer transparency, and low-income utility assistance. During debate on the conference report, the majority leader explained several changes from prior versions: no legislative ban on forecast test years, instead deferring to the Public Service Commission; removal of gas programs from Empower to avoid inequities across service territories; modest opening of the retail supply market with guardrails; and rejection of some floor amendments, including a gas line extension provision and a study amendment. The minority leader argued the bill offered only limited relief, focused too much on talking points and short-term savings, and said many bipartisan amendments were not retained. The majority leader responded that the bill would save ratepayers real dollars through provisions on utility adders, executive bonuses, FERC-related returns, and new generation, and urged adoption of the conference report.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hawaii Conference Energy, $533. Hawaii Conference Energy, $533.
• You got energy analytics specialist, 2,157. Energy program manager, 710.
• Another energy<01:56:02.800> resilience, energy resilience, energy resilience, 1447. 1447. 1447
• The witness responded that the Maui Energy/Hawaii Energy Conference is the annual energy conference for
• c><02:02:22.719> energy<02:02:23.119> conference >> the Maui energy Hawaii energy

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then finally, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority.
• will be replaced with Department of Energy funding.
• solutions that provide lower-cost energy access, to develop energy solutions that provide lower-cost
• Chairman, and I brought this up at Energy. Thank you, Mr.
• and outreach related to the state's energy resources.

Summary: The committee took roll, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a compliance-report update on the Industrial Commission and related funds and programs. Staff reviewed the status of one-time appropriations and grant programs, including electric grid resiliency, lignite research, enhanced oil recovery, the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, the salt cavern business-case study, and the new NDSU research and technology park grant. Members asked about funding balances, reimbursement timing, matching requirements, and how some commitments would affect the State Investment Fund and future biennia. Industrial Commission staff then gave a broader update on the agency’s administrative office, grant management system, leadership transitions at several commission agencies, and active grant rounds. They reported that the grant management system is nearing completion, that several agency leadership searches have concluded, and that the commission’s grant programs currently have 108 active grants totaling more than $165 million. They also described the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority round, the oil and gas research program’s enhanced oil recovery awards, the grid resiliency grants, the salt cavern study, and the research technology park program, noting that some projects are awaiting federal funds or additional matching cash. Ron Ness, speaking for the Oil and Gas Research Council, focused on the state of the oil industry and the enhanced oil recovery “Bakken 2.0” effort. He said production remains steady, but future growth depends on better infrastructure, longer laterals, and new EOR methods such as CO2, natural gas, and surfactants. He emphasized the importance of the Bakkeneast pipeline and related gas-utilization projects, the recent DOE funding that will return some money to the research council, and the need to modernize tax and incentive rules for CO2-based recovery. Members discussed the potential economic benefits for oil, agriculture, and manufacturing. The Bank of North Dakota then presented its compliance report and a broader strategic update. Bank leadership reviewed the bank’s mission, governance, participation lending, student lending, disaster programs, and legislatively directed programs, and said the bank is managing for a flatter deposit base and stronger liquidity because of fintech competition and changing market conditions. They reported improved earnings, with net income rising to about $231 million, and described Rough Rider Coin as a new internal payment rail for North Dakota banks and credit unions, not a public cryptocurrency. Members asked about student loan eligibility, disaster lending, and the bank’s capacity to support state programs while maintaining its balance-sheet and liquidity requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Energy.
• Department of Energy.
• Department of Energy.
• Department of Energy.
• Department of Energy.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard the Banking Department’s fiscal year 2026-2027 budget presentation from Commissioner Amelia Galeri. She described the department as a self-funded consumer protection regulator overseeing two main areas: the Banking Trust Division, which supervises state-chartered banks, credit unions, and trust companies, and the Consumer Credit Division, which oversees more than 7,000 licensees including mortgage and money transmitter businesses. She said the department’s budget is about 86% salaries and benefits, with 53 positions all filled, and explained that the agency funds itself through fees, fines, and end-of-year assessments on regulated entities. Galeri said the department is facing workload growth from several directions: continued growth in the trust industry, increased fintech supervision, and a new requirement to regularly examine auto dealers that take finance applications, which adds about 300 exams over two fiscal years. She said the department was directed to flat-fund its budget based on 2025 levels but was allowed to increase travel and training. To stay within that limit, she said the department reduced office space, went paperless, converted administrative and licensing positions into examiner positions, and expects to defund an embedded DOJ database administrator position once a new SharePoint system is fully implemented. Members asked about how the department’s revenue and assessments work, including whether fees were increasing and how much existing banks would pay. Galeri said fees are not being raised, most banks pay little or no fines, and assessments are based largely on asset size, with trust companies paying the bulk. She also explained that fines are set by statute, generally capped at $2,500 per violation for consumer credit entities, and said she would not recommend increasing that cap. The committee then voted to accept the Banking Department’s budget proposal as presented in HQ1, with a motion and second and no discussion. The transcript then moved to the Department of Energy budget. Commissioner Jared Chakin and Chief of Operations Lenny Radio discussed federal program funding, including LIHEAP fuel assistance and weatherization. They said the apparent drop in fuel assistance funding from FY 2024 actuals to the budgeted amount is due to the loss of ARPA and CARES Act supplemental funds, while weatherization remains a federally constrained program with a waiting list and limited flexibility. Members also asked about a proposed transfer from the renewable energy fund; staff said the transfer would still allow the department to carry out its statutory duties for the year, though the committee deferred deeper discussion until House Bill 2.

Transcript Highlights:

• 106 I did contact the State Energy 106 I did contact the State Energy Office<00:16:22.839> uh
• And Energy Justice Network, correct? Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• Mike Eo with Energy Justice Network, representing our Hawaii-based member organizations.
• And Energy Justice Network, correct? Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, members of the committee.
• decarbonized with wind solar and energy decarbonized with wind solar and energy storage<00:19:44.840

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Water and Land met on March 21, 2025, and considered several resolutions related to water resources, coastal management, and energy planning. On SCR 42/SR 27, which urged DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife to prioritize restoration and protection of additional wetlands and anchialine ponds, DLNR supported the measure and suggested a technical correction changing a reference from the Division of Agriculture to the Division of Aquatic Resources. Testimony from Hā‘ena Reef and Ocean Coalition, Maui Ocean Center, and individuals was in support. The committee recommended passage with technical and non-substantive amendments. The committee also heard SCR 54/SR 36, which would create a desalination planning task force to study whether large-scale desalination for potable water is feasible. DLNR and CWRM said the proposal was a large undertaking and raised capacity concerns, noting the Board of Water Supply was already moving forward with its own desalination planning. BWS testified in support, saying its project was still in planning and design, with construction not expected until late 2027 or 2028, and that the project would produce about 1.7 million gallons per day to supplement Ewa’s water supply. Members discussed whether the task force might duplicate existing work and noted the measure focused on consumption rather than other desalination uses. The committee ultimately recommended passage with technical and non-substantive amendments. For SCR 59/SR 43, which asked DLNR, the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, and the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission to work together on maintaining the Kihei ramp, DLNR reported ongoing collaboration and listed prior improvements including paving, washdown work, dredging, and a retaining wall. The committee recommended passage with technical and non-substantive amendments. On SCR 106/SR 87, which requested a study of which energy sector could be most quickly and cost-effectively decarbonized through public investment in combustion-free alternatives, OPSD said the State Energy Office had already completed a decarbonization study under Act 238 (2022) and a follow-up alternative fuels analysis, and suggested the resolution duplicated existing work. Energy Justice Network testified in support, arguing the proposal would build on prior studies by focusing on non-combustion options such as wind, solar, and storage. Despite support from several organizations and individuals, the committee deferred the measure indefinitely. The committee also passed SR 18 as is, passed SC 51/SR 33 as is, deferred SC 47, and passed SC 76/SR 59 with amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• energy.
• energy.
• energy, as the clean energy.
• So it's not like a new energy, and new large energy. Already part of our energy system.
• The energy. Correct. The energy comes from a regional grid. It'll pull.

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• turned out that one of his children had passed away the previous summer, and he just didn't have the energy

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, leaves of absence, guest introductions, and memorial remarks honoring former Representative Carolyn Gargas of Hollis, who was remembered for her long House service, work on child and family issues, and community involvement. The House then adopted a consent calendar and approved a motion to withdraw House Bill 431, which would have created a commission to review draft rules on minimum standards for public school approval and state academic standards; the motion failed after a roll call vote, so the bill remained in play. The House next took up House Bill 109-FN, relative to false reports to law enforcement. The majority supported the bill as a way to add penalties for knowingly false reports about law enforcement officers, arguing officers deserve protection from false accusations and that the knowingly standard is a high bar. The minority opposed it as duplicative of existing law and warned it could chill legitimate complaints against police. After debate and a division vote, the majority committee report of ought to pass was adopted, 198-173. The House also considered House Bill 218-FN, which would provide victims of crime a free police report. The committee amendment changed the bill so victims would receive a written confirmation that a crime occurred rather than the initial police report, to avoid conflicts with right-to-know law and active-investigation confidentiality. Supporters said the change was a small but important clarification agreed to by law enforcement and domestic violence advocates, while opponents argued the original language was already workable and that the floor amendment was unnecessary. A division vote was requested on the amendment, and the transcript ends during that debate before the final outcome on HB 218 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's to anything that's considered an energy drink. Yeah.
• designed to provide energy.
• It's to anything that's considered an energy drink. Yeah.
• designed to provide energy.
• Energy, so it has to have both caffeine and be advertised as energy.

Summary: The Senate Education Committee met with enough members present to conduct business and approved the June 17 minutes. It first heard HB 459 with House Amendment 1, which would prohibit the sale of energy drinks on public middle and high school campuses during school hours or school events. The sponsor and Department of Education explained that the bill targets beverages containing caffeine and marketed as energy drinks, not ordinary soft drinks or coffee/tea products. Public testimony from the Medical Society supported the bill on health grounds, while the beverage industry said its companies already voluntarily limit school offerings and that the bill does not reflect current practice. No vote was taken in the transcript. The committee then heard HB 461, a follow-up to prior legislation on New Castle County property reassessment and school tax rates. Senator Cruz said the bill would let New Castle County school districts adjust and reset tax rates to reflect reassessment changes without increasing projected operating revenue, and that it includes a sunset. DSEA supported the measure, saying fair property values are important to public education funding. The committee also heard HB 452, which would require additional background checks and training for DIAA sports officials and strengthen DIAA enforcement procedures. Members questioned how checks would be handled, who would see the results, and who would provide training; the DIAA compliance coordinator said the checks would be maintained through the state process and that associations would verify eligibility. The bill’s sponsor and DIAA said the goal was to align officials with existing child-safety standards. Next, the committee considered HS1 for HB 425, which raises the salary supplement from 6% to 12% for nationally certified school counselors, nurses, and school social workers, and allows DOE to identify additional qualifying positions by regulation. Supporters, including school social workers, nurses, and DSEA, argued the change would improve retention and recognize advanced credentials. Senator Hansen raised concerns that school psychologists were not included; sponsors said a broader study and possible future legislation or budget language would address other nationally certified school-based professionals. The committee then heard HS1 for HB 358 on student elopement notifications, inspired by Ace’s Law, but administrators and the chair raised concerns that the bill may be too prescriptive and difficult to implement in practice, especially when schools may not immediately know a student has left campus. Finally, the committee discussed HB 379 on the comprehensive school discipline improvement program; DOE said the substitute was intended to consolidate prevention and intervention supports and avoid competition for funding, while DASA asked that the bill be paused or tabled. The meeting ended before action on the remaining bill, and HB 443 was deferred to a future executive meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Michael Bocador on behalf of the Agricultural Energy Consumers, in support.
• We care deeply about energy efficiency, affordability.
• Hi, Edson Perez, with Advanced Energy United.
• And we had an energy crisis within three years.
• And we had an energy crisis within three years.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy heard two bills focused on electricity affordability and utility costs. AB 745, by Assembly Member Irwin, would restructure the California Climate Credit by shifting it from lump-sum payments to direct reductions in volumetric electricity rates and moving the credit to the summer months when bills are highest. The author and UC Santa Barbara economist Dr. Kyle Meng argued this could significantly lower summer rates and better help households during extreme heat. Supporters, including UCS, NRDC, and some labor representatives, favored the concept, with some urging that the gas climate credit also be redirected. No opposition testimony was presented, and the bill passed 18-0 to the floor. The committee then considered AB 825, also presented as an affordability package aimed at reducing electric bills by addressing wildfire mitigation costs, transmission financing, permitting delays, and a review of ratepayer-funded programs. The bill would authorize securitization for undergrounding expenses, remove the first $15 billion in undergrounding capital investments from the rate base for return purposes, create a public transmission financing program using Proposition 4 funds and IBank support, revive the California Power Authority as a public sponsor, and establish a task force to review energy efficiency and demand response programs. The author and witness Matt Friedman of The Utility Reform Network said the bill could save ratepayers billions over time through lower-cost public financing and securitization. Testimony on AB 825 was mixed. Support came from several consumer and clean-energy groups, while utilities and labor raised concerns about the bill’s impact on utility financial stability, wildfire fund participation, liability, and whether the $15 billion securitization cap could discourage undergrounding. Some witnesses also objected to the task force’s potential effect on energy efficiency and demand response programs. Committee members discussed the need to balance affordability with utility creditworthiness and wildfire safety, and several asked for more analysis of market impacts and liability issues. Despite those concerns, AB 825 passed the committee 13-0 and was sent to the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• to to produce an alternative energy to to produce an alternative energy source source source >
• Are they all underwater or are we... is geothermal energy and what it is is is geothermal energy and
• <01:04:15.760> of<01:04:15.920> these energy, solar energy and all of these energy,
• Geothermal energy, right?
• we can get more energy out of them. we can get more energy out of them.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yesterday, your Committee on Energy and Digital Infrastructure presented an overview of H. 710, a bill
• determination about a renewable energy determination about a renewable energy application<00:08:
• energy facility. energy facility.
• <00:10:02.360> storage<00:10:02.680> facility generation or energy storage facility
• generation or energy storage facility where<00:10:03.840> the<00:10:04.000> holder<00:

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House took up two committee of conference reports. On House Bill 639, relating to genetic data privacy, members suspended the rules for immediate consideration and adopted the conference report. The conference compromise settled a dispute over cure periods by allowing a 30-day cure period for business activities of genetic data privacy businesses, effective January 1, 2027, with the cure period lasting 18 months and then repealing on June 30, 2028. A House member explained the House had sought a narrower cure period than the Senate, and the final report was adopted by voice vote. The House then suspended the rules to take up House Bill 710, relating to defining electricity generating facilities, and also adopted that conference report by voice vote. The bill updates the definition of a “single plant” to focus on facilities using the same point of interconnection, clarifies the change is not retroactive and applies only to new permit and certificate applications, and adds a Department of Public Service report on farmland conversion to solar by January 15, 2027. It also expands Public Utility Commission hiring authority for complex renewable energy cases, creates a decommissioning fund for abandoned clean energy facilities, requires the PUC to report on the decommissioning fee formula, and sets an effective date of July 1, 2026. The conference committee reported unanimous support. After the two reports were adopted, the House stood at ease, then returned briefly for announcements. Members offered remarks thanking the Speaker for her service after news she would not run again, invited members to view an end-of-year legislative slideshow, and wished a member from Randolph a happy birthday. The House then adjourned until the next day at 10:00 a.m.