Transcript Highlights:

• We are starting to see load growth again, and that changes how we think about the electric system."
• <00:09:34.480> growth We have are starting to see load growth We have are starting to see
• But the good news is that if done right, increases in load If done right, increases in load drive down
• We want to protect ourselves from bringing large loads.
• Wyoff's presentation talked a lot about that when it comes to load growth.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> You don't have to load up every bill with a reverse repealer. I'm just saying.
• the case that there's been a lot of questions about whether that is a equal protection clause or violates
• uh or violates equal protection. uh or violates equal protection.
• <01:03:22.480> the<01:03:22.640> equal on it, I think it does violate the equal on
• it, I think it does violate the equal protection.<01:03:23.680> Um,<01:03:24.079> if<01

Keywords: Judiciary, Division A - Room 216, 29 January, 2026; 3:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The committee met to discuss several bills, beginning with a block motion on Senate Bills 2138, 2697, 2707, 2717, and 2726. Those measures were described as code-section updates involving redrawn Supreme Court districts, youth court reforms, Administrative Office of Courts matters, replacement of the MyKids youth court computer system, and Mississippi opioid settlement commission procedures. The committee agreed to take them up together, and the motion to report them title sufficient and due pass carried without opposition. The committee then considered Senate Bill 2890, dealing with the judicial operations fund. Members were told the fund no longer has sufficient revenue to cover court operations and requested judicial raises, and the proposed committee substitute would repeal the fund while conforming related code references. The substitute was adopted and the bill was reported title sufficient and due pass. Senate Bill 2730, granting immunity to nonprofits and churches that open during declared emergencies, was amended with a reverse repealer and then passed as amended. Next, Senate Bill 2135 was explained as a change to jury summons procedures so clerks could use the SEMS active/inactive voter designation and summon only active voters, without removing anyone from the voter rolls. The bill drew no opposition and passed, though a reverse repealer was later requested on similar procedural grounds in other bills. Senate Bill 2360 would create a public registry of entities that, though appearing private, are covered by the Mississippi Tort Claims Act; members discussed whether such entities should also be required to identify themselves on websites and written materials, and an amendment to that effect was adopted. A reverse repealer was then added, and the bill passed as amended. Finally, Senate Bill 2362 was presented as a proposal to create a private cause of action under the Unfair Trade Practices Act, allowing claimants to sue directly while still notifying the Attorney General. The sponsor said the bill would not add extra damages and noted similar laws in other states. The committee discussion was cut off in the transcript before a final vote on that bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The loaded handgun fully emerged from the pocket of the male, and he began to raise it in the direction
• It is, "may report a violation to the governor." So, what kind of report?
• For the Attorney General, he doesn't have to, but he may report to the governor if there are violations
• shall report" to the governor, if he believes that there were... if he believed that there were violations
• The court stated clearly that such mandates violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Would this be a way of addressing it, what, like, would this violate.
• And respectfully, it actually would violate the Constitution.
• Oftentimes, those claims are built around the Constitution and the violation of the Constitution.
• You can have a divorce that then becomes protective order, then becomes violation.
• And a violation thereof could be criminal.

Bills: HB 1181, HB3704, HB1363, HB1610, HB1615, HB1620, HB3223, HB1317, HB2884, HB2176, HB4027, HB1664, HB933, HB2613, HB3353, HB2086, HB4101, HB3441, HB4145, HB3455

Keywords: judiciary, judges, justices, retired, legal assignments, judicial conduct, notary public, criminal offense, education requirements, official documents, record retention, implicit bias, bias training, judicial training, judge education, court personnel, continuing legal education, CLE, state bar, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you think, from a national security perspective, having the semiconductor manufacturing load-bearing
• You and the public usually only hear about the small number of cases. where a violation is found and
• They don't allege one element of the violation or another.
• by seriousness so that you're spending less time on minor violations. violations.
• And this is a pretty common— common violation, particularly for first-time, relatively unsophisticated

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They risk violating a federal law.
• don’t actually think that we got an answer to the question of how teachers are supposed to avoid violating
• And once again, violating the Equal Protection Clause, because I want to remind you, because y'all know
• It violates the Sixth Amendment, the right to a criminal jury trial.
• It violates the Eighth Amendment, cruel and unusual punishment. And it violates the 14th Amendment.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, pledge, quorum call, approval of the journal, and adoption of the Rules and Ethics Committee’s special order report for the day. The chamber then took up House Bill 1B, the immigration bill, and members were told they would have one opportunity to question the sponsor on both the House version and the anticipated Senate changes. Representative McClure described the bill as a major immigration-enforcement package creating a chief immigration officer housed in the Department of Agriculture, an Office of State Immigration Enforcement, a local law enforcement grant program, a state immigration council, and new penalties and enforcement tools. He also outlined anticipated Senate language, including stronger 287(g) participation requirements, enhanced penalties for unauthorized aliens, a mandatory death penalty provision for certain capital offenses, and additional coordination with federal agencies. The bill drew extensive questioning from Democrats about due process, constitutional issues, school and workplace impacts, and the treatment of people whose immigration status changes over time. Members asked about birthright citizenship, TPS, asylum seekers, pretrial detention standards, the lawful basis for detaining someone based on suspected status, and whether teachers, social workers, school resource officers, and even children could be required to cooperate with immigration enforcement. McClure and Representative Garrison repeatedly said the bill would require cooperation with federal authorities, that status determinations would be handled under existing court procedures, and that the Senate death-penalty language was intended to fit within Hurst by requiring a jury finding beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was an unauthorized alien. They also said the bill did not provide DMV funding, did not address teacher shortages, and included appropriations such as $25 million for the local law enforcement participation incentive program and broader funding for enforcement and training. Several amendments were considered. Representative Chambliss offered an amendment to protect schools, churches, and places of worship from enforcement activity; supporters argued it would preserve trust in sacred and educational spaces, but the amendment failed. Representative Escamani offered an amendment to preserve in-state tuition for Dreamers; supporters emphasized the educational and economic contributions of Dreamers and the hardship of higher tuition, but that amendment also failed. The debate ended with no bill vote in the excerpt, but the House completed the amendment votes and continued consideration of the immigration measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• It actually to the grid will look like, oh, there's less load.
• Even to your meter, it'll look like, oh, there's less load.
• will look like, oh, there's less load. will look like, oh, there's less load.
• <00:15:21.440> Um, there's less load. Um, there's less load.
• ,<00:43:28.240> and primarily for load-serving purposes, and primarily for load-serving purposes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, you would have loading locations along the track that allow for short-line trains to be built
• know in there, you know, Milton-Freewater, there is a terminal that can accept grain right now and load
• You need to get there as fast as you can to that export facility because that boat needs to be loaded
• you actually, some of you were... ...at McCoy this fall, it's an amazing operation on how they can load
• And my concern is that as we say, well, we're going to use these roads more often, that that weight load

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, we see days now in New England where solar is essentially covering all the load at times.
• the electric bill, other than supply, distribution, transmission, and capacity, are driven by peak load
• So if we can keep peak load down, then we can keep the overall amount of infrastructure that we need
• the wholesale markets but act like you see on the ISO app when the behind-the-meter solar acts as a load
• Loads and peak demands are growing rapidly, and as my colleagues have pointed out, it is solar keeping

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on a wide range of energy bills, with much of the discussion focused on offshore wind, battery storage, solar, nuclear study proposals, and a bill to redefine clean energy. Several Barnstable-area legislators and witnesses raised concerns about offshore wind transmission infrastructure near neighborhoods, beaches, and drinking water supplies, and supported bills to create a special commission and increase local input and oversight. In contrast, environmental, consumer, labor, and clean energy groups strongly backed offshore wind expansion bills, arguing that offshore wind lowers long-term costs, improves winter reliability, reduces fossil fuel dependence, supports jobs and local supply chains, and should include wildlife protections, labor standards, and community benefits. Some witnesses and committee members noted that parts of the offshore wind legislation overlap with the Governor’s energy affordability bill, and asked for clarification on which provisions were new versus duplicative. The committee also heard testimony on battery storage and solar legislation. Two student witnesses and several industry representatives supported a bill to study grid battery storage, saying storage can reduce outages, lower peak prices, and improve grid resilience during extreme weather. Witnesses from solar and storage companies supported a broader clean energy transition bill that would expand storage procurement, create a retail-style storage program for distributed batteries, set a 10-gigawatt solar target by 2035, and streamline siting and interconnection. Committee members pressed witnesses on whether these provisions were already included in the Governor’s affordability bill and asked for a section-by-section breakdown of what was new. One witness also urged allowing developers to bond interconnection payments to reduce financing costs. Another major topic was a bill defining clean energy, especially whether existing pumped-storage hydropower should qualify for subsidies or be excluded. Supporters of the bill argued that existing pumped storage should not receive additional ratepayer subsidies because it is already built, can have environmental impacts on rivers and ecosystems, and could cost ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Opponents said pumped storage is an important reliability resource and should remain eligible. The committee also heard testimony on nuclear-energy study bills: some witnesses supported creating a commission to examine nuclear power as a reliable, carbon-free option, while others opposed nuclear study bills and argued that nuclear is costly, unsafe, and inconsistent with the state’s clean energy goals. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• have loosely described up here: a microgrid consists of distributed energy resources and customer loads
• And so for that, you need a big, strong push of electrical force to get all the electrical loads up and
• And then once the load stabilizes, the fuel cells ramp up behind it and take over the steady delivery
• So better an inefficient use to bring it into hydrogen so we can shift loads and start decarbonizing
• Shift loads and start decarbonizing other parts of our sector, then just letting it sit there.

Summary: The Select Committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure held a hearing focused on emerging technologies for climate resilience and infrastructure. The first panel discussed the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a utility-driven microgrid that keeps the city powered during public safety power shutoffs using hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries, and liquid hydrogen storage. PG&E described microgrids as a resilience tool but emphasized that cost remains the main barrier to wider deployment. Energy Vault explained the project’s design, its ability to provide at least 48 hours of backup power on a small parcel of land, and its use of green hydrogen and battery storage to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. A Calistoga councilmember and NCPA representative also discussed the Lodi Energy Center hydrogen project, saying it could help decarbonize power generation and transportation, but that federal and state funding changes, tax credit timing, and other policy shifts have made the project difficult to advance. The Green Hydrogen Coalition supported the Calistoga model as a blueprint and urged policy changes to create demand and reduce barriers for renewable hydrogen, including addressing behind-the-meter rules and recognizing hydrogen in state energy planning. The second panel focused on water resilience and desalination, with the California Desal Association and Oneka Technologies discussing wave-powered desalination for the City of Fort Bragg. Cal Desal said California’s changing hydrology, reduced snowpack, and drought conditions make local water supply options increasingly important, but noted that conventional desalination is expensive and slow to permit. Oneka described its offshore, wave-powered system as a zero-electricity desalination technology that produces drinking water without greenhouse gas emissions and with limited land use, and said the Fort Bragg pilot is intended to demonstrate the technology under California conditions. The company and Cal Desal both stressed that permitting is a major obstacle, with the project requiring multiple agencies and a timeline far longer than in other jurisdictions. They also said the technology’s autonomous operation could improve water resilience because it does not depend on the electrical grid. The final panel featured the Climate Foundation’s marine permaculture proposal, which aims to restore kelp forests and support carbon removal and coastal food systems. The presenter said warming oceans and nutrient loss have devastated kelp forests along the California coast and argued that offshore platforms that raise and lower seaweed to access nutrients and sunlight could help regenerate ecosystems while producing food, feed, fertilizer, and carbon benefits. He said the technology has shown strong growth rates and storm resilience in other regions, but that California permitting remains a major hurdle, involving 17 state and federal agencies. He proposed a streamlined, code-based permitting approach for smaller projects and said the group is seeking matching funds to complete a first California pilot. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly highlighted the tension between innovation and the high cost, complexity, and length of California’s permitting and funding processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Solar water heaters are required to handle substantially all of a home’s water heating load, defined
• as 90 to 10% of the water heating load, whereas heat pump water heaters are not.
• :14:41.560> home's<00:14:42.079> water<00:14:42.320> heating<00:14:42.720> load
• <00:14:43.720> that's a home's water heating load that's a home's water heating load that's
• whereas heat pump water heating load whereas heat pump water heaters<00:14:48.440> are<00:14:

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on several energy- and environment-related measures. HB 242 HD1 on electric vehicle batteries drew support from the Department of Health, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office, SERFCO, and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation; the Energy Office suggested a broader working group covering all lithium-ion batteries, and members later adopted amendments including a date change and revised timing language. HB 751 HD2 on statewide organic waste reduction and diversion received mixed testimony, with the Department of Health opposing it over concerns about compostable food packaging and incomplete testing data; the committee nonetheless moved the bill forward with amendments removing compostable food packaging from the definition of organic waste and changing the effective date to July 1, 2050. The committees also considered HB 1020 HD1 on a statewide program to characterize carbon sequestration potential and underground water resources. The Hawaiʻi State Energy Office and Ulupono supported the measure as part of a broader geothermal and energy security effort, while members raised concerns about overlapping roles between agencies and the need for a single coordinated voice. The committee ultimately amended the bill to place DBEDT in charge, with technical changes, and passed it. In a separate portion of the hearing, HB 350 HD2 on energy was heard with support from the State Energy Office, industry, and advocacy groups; opponents argued the existing solar water heater law is working and that variances already allow flexibility. The committee passed HB 350 unamended. Later, the committee heard HB 977 HD1 on energy financing, HB 1017 HD1 on the greenhouse gas sequestration task force, HB 1051 HD1 on energy efficiency portfolio standards, and HB 1406 HD1 on government procedures. HB 977 received support from the Public Utilities Commission, DCCA, and others and was advanced with technical, non-substantive amendments. HB 1017, which would repeal the greenhouse gas sequestration task force, and HB 1051, which sets energy efficiency benchmarks, were both passed unamended. HB 1406, a task force bill aimed at improving permitting and regulatory processes, was amended to add a Senate representative, include the State Energy Office, make the bill effective on approval, and note prior funding requests in the committee report; it was then adopted. Votes were recorded on each measure, with some members excused and HB 751 drawing one no vote from Senator Rhoads.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what that does is we've loaded our particular information into the tool.
• It will send an alert to an investigator and so that somebody from our Bureau of Intelligence, well load
• And this is really where we've loaded all of our policies and to our own large language model.
• of information from 45 years ago and this that was never validated and we're pulling that data and loading
• The north, his experience to 50% increase in their case load since 2021 and the Middle Office has also

Transcript Highlights:

• We have your presentation load on the computer for your use.
• system, the high-voltage power lines that move power from the from power plants into the into the load
• So that was the large bolt high voltage lines that bring power from the power plants into the load centers
• All our load serving substations were energized within the first 24 hours, except for one station up
• However, the load has been carried by IOU customers and we would greatly appreciate any former relief

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that the other thing we need to be thinking about is how we train paraprofessionals to help with the load
• To help with the load under the circumstances that we have and the statutes and the laws that we have
• misdemeanor for improper referrals to unlicensed facilities and a Class A misdemeanor for disclosure violations
• Also, to create a second third-degree felony enhancement for two or more violations within a 12-month

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• both are permitting system that handles routing and permitting of oversize and potentially overweight loads
• You could get a permit for a lot of different loads, some of the Heavier loads that require engineering
• system greatly enhanced our trucking companies and our ability to move those oversized, overweight loads
• internal way stations versus the ports of entry are really important Because they help us keep track of loads
• that are being carried across the interstate system that may be more of an internal load rather than

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The problem is going to be, you know, making sure we also keep our base load going for that.
• to look forward to meeting: how do we keep our electricity producing green while meeting that base load
• know making sure we also keep<00:12:19.360> our<00:12:19.600> base<00:12:19.839> load
• keep our base load going for that. keep our base load going for that.
• 35.839> base producing green while meeting that base producing green while meeting that base load

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But I will ask if there's not a violation of a privilege.
• This is a clear violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1965.
• That violated my First Amendment rights.
• This violates the Texas Constitution. This violates the U.S. Constitution, and it is morally wrong.
• ...loaded up through the portal in the district viewer.

Bills: HB4

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We do the more serious drug cases, but we also try at times to just take some of the load off of the
• times to to just take some of the load times to to just take some of the load off<03:23:31.680><
• <04:11:21.680> of<04:11:21.840> the<04:11:22.000> president's inv violation
• of the president's inv violation of the president's executive<04:11:22.920> order<04:11:23.840
• <04:42:01.798> it's<04:42:01.920> not they get an evolving case load it's not they

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a work session on the Department of Business and Economic Affairs budget, with testimony from Chase Hegman and Kathy Frederickson. Early discussion focused on staffing and vacancies, including a senior planner position tied to FEMA requirements, a program assistant funded by federal ORID dollars, a program specialist being considered for reclassification, two Housing Champions positions to be funded in the next biennium, and temporary welcome center positions. Members also reviewed the commissioner’s office, indirect cost recoveries tied to federal program administration, and the structure and staffing of rest areas and welcome centers, including the Turnpike-funded locations and seasonal staffing patterns. Members then moved through economic development and federal grant-related accounts. Hegman explained that a large share of the agency’s funding is federal, with some programs requiring state match, including the Apex Accelerator, which supports government contracting assistance for businesses. He described Apex as a small team that helps businesses with DOD and other contracting opportunities through webinars, matchmaking, and one-on-one support. The Office of Workforce Opportunity was described as largely federally funded through Commerce-related workforce programs and subrecipients, with some general fund support for agency-wide needs. The Northern Borders Regional Commission dues and capacity grant were also discussed, with officials explaining the state’s required contribution and the federal funds used to administer the program. A major point of discussion was the proposed reduction to the Small Business Development Center, which officials said provides one-on-one technical assistance to new and small businesses and has a strong return on investment. Members questioned the cut, the federal funding sources, and whether there was a waiting list for services; officials said they would provide more detail on matching requirements and funding. The committee also reviewed travel and tourism accounts, including the joint promotional grant program and tourism advertising funds, both of which are proposed to increase. Officials said the tourism marketing formula is based on a percentage of meals and rooms tax revenue and argued that the spending generates significant visitor spending and tax revenue, citing an outside ROI study and examples of advertising in test markets. No votes were taken during the work session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Then, on top of that, in terms of loading boxes, we have city staff that are going to be assisting her
• Then, on top of that, in terms of loading boxes, we have city staff that are going to be assisting her
• ,<00:08:41.760> in<00:08:42.000> terms<00:08:42.159> of<00:08:42.399> loading
• Then on top of that, in terms of loading Then on top of that, in terms of loading boxes,<00:08:43.839

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Zone four is the future loading dock.
• existing building zone four is<00:01:38.040> the<00:01:38.159> future<00:01:38.479> loading
• is the future loading is the future loading dock<00:01:41.640> uh<00:01:41.799> a<
• Currently, zone four, which again is the new loading dock, we have not begun construction on that yet

Keywords: 919, house, all