Transcript Highlights:

• cost allocations for the standard cost allocations for the standard budget.<00:04:01.599> So<
• LSO has given us a a check engine light. LSO has given us a a check engine light.
• automatically included into the standard automatically included into the standard budget,<01:05:
• have a check engine light flashing now. have a check engine light flashing now.
• those standards are not met. Thank you. those standards are not met. Thank you.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and engineers practicing a wide variety of engineering disciplines.
• Yes, from the perspective of the engineers of Texas.
• I have a question for a civil engineer. Yeah.
• If we did a civil engineering cost analysis of a standard water project.
• I do know that material costs for all my civil engineers' projects have been affected.

Bills: HB3077, HJR2, HJR7, HJR7

Keywords: alcohol, taxation, reporting requirements, sales, distribution, death tax, inheritance tax, estate tax, property transfer, constitutional amendment, water fund, Texas water supply, state revenue, infrastructure, HJR 7, Texas Legislature, quorum, majority quorum, two-thirds quorum, legislative procedure

Transcript Highlights:

• But we have done some significant work on that, including engineering, siting, and water study plans
• uh, siting and water study engineering uh, siting and water study plans<00:20:58.040> uh,<00:
• some of that preliminary engineering some of that preliminary engineering work,<00:21:51.120>
• Beyond the waste and increased costs, the inconsistent standards and limited interagency coordination
• <00:42:46.800> and<00:42:46.920> limited the inconsistent standards and limited the

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It protects the taxpayers, maintaining discipline in our spending and the federal standards.
• We have eligibility requirements that a rules engine between DES and Access exist.
• We have eligibility requirements that a rules engine between DES and Access exist.
• Greber, the Unified Eligibility Rules Engine listed in paragraph 17 to 20 of page 3 of the bill.
• Greber, the Unified Eligibility Rules Engine listed in paragraph 17 to 20 of page 3 of the bill.

Bills: HB2775, HB2874, HB2940, HB4014, HB4067, HB4115, HCM2010, HCR2051

Keywords: international organizations, government resources, public institutions, Arizona Board of Regents, foreign adversaries, campaign finance, contributions, termination statements, reporting, penalties, electoral processes, healthcare, public benefits, eligibility verification, fraud prevention, Medicaid, SNAP, transparency, accountability, state land

Summary: The Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs, and Elections heard several election, health care, and sovereignty-related measures. HB 4115 and mirror resolution HCR 2051 would extend existing statewide rules for paid petition circulators and initiative/referendum disclosures to municipal and county measures, including badge/display requirements for paid circulators and disclosure of expenditures and revenue sources. Speaker Montenegro and supporters framed the bills as transparency and anti-out-of-state influence reforms; the committee recommended HB 4115 do pass by 5-2 and HCR 2051 by 4-3. The committee also considered HCM 2010, urging Congress to repeal the Seventeenth Amendment and return selection of U.S. senators to state legislatures. Sponsor Rep. Powell argued it would restore state sovereignty and accountability, while other members raised concerns about direct democracy, deadlock, and the need for broader public support. The memorial failed on a 3-3-1 vote after a present vote was recorded, despite some members expressing sympathy for the concept. HB 2940 proposed major changes to AHCCCS and DES eligibility verification and procurement, including expanded data checks, a unified eligibility rules engine, new contracting concepts, and a fixed benefit price list. The sponsor said the bill was intended to increase competition, transparency, and fiscal discipline; AHCCCS testified neutrally, noting it already uses many data matches but would need additional work and costs for some provisions, while health plan representatives opposed the bill as a major operational shift that could limit negotiated rates. The committee recommended the bill do pass 4-3. HB 2874, which would ease termination-statement requirements and penalties for committees that never raised money, passed unanimously 7-0. HB 467, requiring inactive-voter status information to appear in precinct registers, signature rosters, or e-poll books, was amended to change a mandatory “shall” to permissive “may” and then passed 5-2. Finally, HB 2775, as amended, would bar state and higher-education participation in implementing international-organization rules or agreements; after removing rulemaking authority for ABOR and adding a higher-education review process, it passed 4-3. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• More than 60 faculty are applying AI and health cybersecurity business engineering the arts, humanities
• Plus psychology degrees and AI is embedded in business health engineering, the arts and the humanities
• And so we have actually assembled a staff of research software engineers who interface between the faculty
• So far, AI has really just been a sophisticated search engine for you.
• And in particular, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is is a little is a little bit

Transcript Highlights:

• Standard & Poor's, which was the... predominant rating agency at the time for MUDs, upgraded their entire
• I am a professional engineer with BGE Inc., and we provide engineering services to both private and public
• We assemble a team. engineers, attorneys to help us with land use, and we talk to our local governments
• It does not design facilities to their own standards.
• They're building the road to the county's standards. I'll tell y'all more later.

Bills: HB23, HB363, HB447, HB954, HB23

Keywords: third-party review, property development, local government, permits, construction inspection, regulatory authority, land development, liability, occupancy certificate, municipal utility district, petition, county clerk, water code, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, traffic impact studies, bonds, road projects, eminent domain, extraterritorial jurisdiction, county authority

Transcript Highlights:

• However, I will add that most, if not all, of the seasoned geologists, chemists, and engineers that I
• Briefly on my background, I have degrees in chemical engineering and geological engineering.
• I'm a licensed professional engineer and geologist in Washington and several other states, and I've been
• So let's be honest about how MTCA cleanup standards are usually based on unrealistic and hypothetical
• They internalize it and apply their own underwriting standards to it. Great.

Summary: The committee first heard updates on the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) and related funding. Department of Ecology staff explained how MTCA and the hazardous substance tax support cleanup, prevention, stormwater, and local assistance programs, but said forecasted revenues have declined while appropriations and transfers have outpaced incoming funds. Ecology said the operating account will require underspending to stay balanced this biennium and that the problem is ongoing, with further reductions possible if forecasts worsen. Ecology also reviewed the state cleanup program, noting there are more than 14,500 cleanup sites in Washington and that new sites continue to be discovered faster than they are cleaned up. A question from Representative Lee raised the long-term issue of declining fossil-fuel-based revenue, and Ecology agreed that this is a future structural concern even though the current shortfall is driven more by forecasts and transfers than by fuel-use decline. The Pollution Liability Insurance Agency described its underground storage tank and heating oil programs, saying it has modernized from a reinsurance model to a financial assurance model with stronger state oversight and cleanup milestones. Russ Olson said the agency’s dedicated petroleum tax account is in strong financial condition, but emphasized the importance of preserving that funding source. He also discussed the loan and grant program for historic commercial releases and a new heating oil loan/grant program, while noting the agency is working on equity concerns where liens can be disproportionate to property values in smaller communities. Practitioners and advocates then offered differing views on MTCA’s performance: one attorney urged a collaborative review process to make cleanups faster, less expensive, and more certain, while another consultant argued the program is too conservative and process-heavy and should focus more narrowly on actual exposure and realistic cleanup standards. Environmental and community groups countered that MTCA is essential for cleanup, pollution prevention, stormwater control, and public participation, and that it is especially important for environmental justice communities such as the Duwamish Valley. Port and city representatives stressed that MTCA grants and cleanup funding are critical for large redevelopment projects, but said long timelines, permitting delays, and funding uncertainty can slow projects and jeopardize commitments. The committee then shifted to utility wildfire risk. Staff summarized recent legislation, including requirements for utility wildfire mitigation plans, creation of a wildfire mitigation standards work group, authorization for captive insurance by local governments and PUDs, securitization authority for disaster costs, and the existing wildfire response and resilience account. Chelan County PUD and Puget Sound Energy described extensive mitigation efforts such as vegetation management, grid hardening, undergrounding, AI smoke cameras, weather stations, enhanced operating settings, public safety power shutoffs, and community outreach. Both said wildfire risk is rising and insurance costs are increasing, and Chelan PUD asked the Legislature to restore funding to the wildfire response and resilience account. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner said a 2022 utility liability market study found insurance availability is tightening as perceived risk rises, and reported that a 2025 work group recommended restoring community resilience funding, requiring insurers to share wildfire risk scores and mitigation steps with property owners, and creating a grant program based on insurance industry wildfire standards. A PNNL scientist added that wildfire probability is increasing in parts of Washington and that mitigation requires long-term, landscape-scale coordination. The final speaker began describing California’s approach to wildfire risk, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Legal standards must be objective and consistent.
• Legal standards must be objective and consistent.
• Amazon had created a tool for hiring, and it was intended to hire engineers.
• If you're— If you're a Netflix recommendation engine, I'm not so concerned about you.
• So that needs to be treated differently than a Netflix engine.

Summary: The committee first heard AB 56, which would require social media platforms to display a warning label about potential mental health harms from prolonged use, with amendments shortening the initial warning and allowing immediate access to the platform. The author and supporters, including a parent who lost a daughter to suicide and a therapist, argued that social media contributes to teen anxiety, self-harm, and other harms and that families need clearer public health information. Opponents from tech and civil liberties groups argued the bill would be ineffective, burdensome, and likely unconstitutional, saying it would create warning fatigue and should be replaced by more targeted tools and digital literacy measures. Several members discussed emergency access concerns, language access, and whether the warning should be more actionable; the bill was moved on a 9-0 vote to the Judiciary Committee. The committee then took up AB 358, which would amend CalECPA to allow law enforcement, with the victim’s consent, to inspect certain abandoned tracking or surveillance devices found in a victim’s home, vehicle, or personal property without first obtaining a warrant. The author and a San Diego prosecutor said the bill is narrowly tailored to devices used solely for spying and is intended to help stalking and domestic violence survivors act quickly before evidence is lost. Opponents from EFF and the ACLU warned the bill would weaken warrant protections, create a loophole around CalECPA, and reduce transparency and accountability. Members debated Fourth Amendment issues, abandonment, and the practical need for rapid access; the bill passed the committee on a 9-0 vote to Appropriations. The committee also heard AB 1137, which builds on last year’s CSAM reporting law by allowing any user to report child sexual abuse material, requiring clearer reporting mechanisms, adding human review in some cases, and mandating third-party audits and public reporting. Supporters, including survivor advocates and a parent of a child victim, said the bill would reduce the burden on survivors and improve removal of abusive content. Tech industry opponents said they support the goal but objected to the human-review mandate, public audit disclosures, and enforcement provisions, arguing they could create security risks and compliance burdens. Members generally supported the bill’s intent but raised questions about audit frequency and human review; the bill was moved on call with seven votes at the time of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• said they do have many state standards.
• said they do have many state standards.
• We have too many standards, and I think she would say we're overtesting the kids on those standards.
• We have too many standards, and I think she would say we're overtesting the kids on those standards.
• We have too many standards, and I think she would say we're overtesting the kids on those standards.

Bills: HB2063, HB2271, HB2416, HB2478, HB2593, HB2692, HB2813, HB2992, HB2993, HB4044

Keywords: corrections oversight, appropriation, independent office, public safety, funding, firefighters, insurance rates, workers' compensation, firefighter cancer reimbursement, rate deviations, cost analysis, premiums, border security, drug trafficking, human smuggling, law enforcement funding, Arizona, immigration, education reform, K-12

Summary: The committee heard several appropriations and policy bills, with testimony often focused on public safety, education, and procurement. HB 263 would appropriate $1.5 million in FY2027 to the Independent Correctional Oversight Office; the sponsor and supportive testimony argued the office is needed to address serious problems in the corrections system, and the bill received a due pass recommendation, 17-1. HB 2993, as amended, would allow DPS to spend on legal services independent of the Attorney General and redirect $5 million from the Consumer Protection/Consumer Fraud Revolving Fund to the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission Fund; the Speaker framed it as supporting law enforcement and public safety, and it passed 17-0. HB 2271 dealt with firefighter cancer coverage and insurance rates. The bill would allow an insurer covering firefighters and fire investigators to file a uniform rate deviation only if it is not reimbursed by the municipal firefighter cancer reimbursement fund. Testimony described the measure as a temporary shell pending a broader consensus agreement to bring fire districts into the reimbursement system; members stressed that firefighters should not see changes in claim handling, but several said the bill still needed work. It received a due pass recommendation on a 16-1-1 vote. HB 2416 would appropriate $20 million to DPS for local border support, including law enforcement positions, prosecution and detention costs, and equipment; sheriffs and the Arizona Sheriffs Association supported it as a continuation of existing funding for drug interdiction and border-related crime, and it passed 11-6-1. The committee also advanced HB 2692, which revises public construction procurement rules and authorizes progressive design-build and one-step competition for certain federally funded projects. Construction and procurement stakeholders said the bill was the product of a long consensus process, while some members worried about taxpayer impacts and the move away from standard procurement; it passed 10-7-1. HB 2478, as amended, creates the Arizona Commission on Student Outcomes to study K-12 accountability, standards, graduation requirements, early childhood education, and a trade pathways diploma, funded by Classroom Site Fund dollars; members debated whether the work should instead be done by ADE or the State Board, and the bill passed 11-7. The committee also heard HB 4044, which would create a Public Safety Parity Fund to support DPS and corrections salaries using investment earnings from the Budget Stabilization Fund and proceeds from forfeited digital assets; the sponsor and a troopers association witness argued it would provide a stable long-term funding source to address chronic vacancies and pay gaps.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had to know our baseline and where we measured up to specific performance standards.
• It allowed us to use the national performance standards to measure our current services and supports.
• One, we need to increase the school counselor and student ratio no less than the national standard of
• Similarly, yours is not a normal population or a standardized population.
• as a regular standard diploma.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that certainly is a kind of standard practice we follow now, that any changes that go to that committee
• opportunity for developing countries, doctors coming from certain countries that don't have the high standard
• story that just broke at the beginning of this month in India where 100,000 medical, nursing, and engineering
• opportunity for developing countries, doctors coming from certain countries that don't have the high standard
• story that just broke at the beginning of this month in India where 100,000 medical, nursing, and engineering

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 173 from Senator David Givens, which would create a legislative review process for the state health plan and state plan amendments, modeled after the administrative regulations process. Givens argued the legislature should have a stronger policy role in reviewing the plan, saying the bill would allow lawmakers to find components deficient rather than approve them outright. He tied the proposal to Medicaid spending growth and projected enrollment changes, saying the state needs a new oversight tool. Committee members generally supported the concept, though Senator Berg expressed concern that the legislature lacks the executive branch’s healthcare expertise. The bill was reported favorably on a unanimous roll call vote. The committee then took up Senate Bill 137, sponsored by Chairman Meredith, which would create a pathway for certain internationally trained physicians to practice in Kentucky without repeating residency in the United States. Supporters said the bill is aimed at addressing Kentucky’s physician shortage, especially in rural areas, and cited projections of a statewide shortage of about 3,000 physicians by 2030 and a shortage of primary care doctors in particular. Testimony from Cicero Action and Baptist Health emphasized that many foreign-trained physicians are already fully trained, that residency slots are limited, and that the bill could help fill shortages in underserved counties while preserving quality through existing exams, ECFMG certification, English proficiency requirements, primary source verification, and mentoring/oversight. Several members raised questions and concerns. Senator Berg asked about verification, required exams, and oversight, and Senator Tishner raised concerns about fraudulent credentials in some countries and whether the bill could admit underqualified physicians. Witnesses responded that applicants would still have to pass the same exams, obtain ECFMG certification, and undergo primary-source credentialing and employer oversight. Supporters also argued the bill would not displace U.S.-trained physicians because it would use otherwise limited residency capacity more efficiently. After discussion, the committee adopted the bill and reported it favorably by unanimous vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• It aligns with national standards.
• It incorporates the Society of Automotive Engineers standard, the nationally recognized framework for
• the Society of Automotive Engineers the Society of Automotive Engineers standard,<00:10:12.520><
• standards and regulatory clarity. standards and regulatory clarity.
• with national standards and policies. with national standards and policies.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CalRecycle may establish or adjust performance standards by March 1, 2032.
• Producers of covered products shall achieve performance standards after March 1, 2032.
• Cow recycle may establish review or adjust performance standards by March 1, 2032.
• Producers of covered products shall achieve performance standards after the March 1, 2020, or sorry,
• It's the challenge, it's the combination of the engineering and environmental challenges, as well as,

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations on the administration’s Proposition 4 spending plans for extreme heat mitigation and outdoor access, then took up SB 54 implementation, SB 707 textile producer responsibility, and recovery needs related to the Los Angeles fires at state parks. For the extreme heat chapter, agencies described funding for the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program, urban greening, urban forestry, fairground upgrades, and technical assistance for community-based climate programs. Witnesses emphasized that these are existing programs with strong demand, that technical assistance is important for reaching disadvantaged and tribal communities, and that the proposed funding would expand outreach and implementation capacity. Members asked for more detail on where funds have gone geographically, examples of successful projects, tree-planting totals, and how fairgrounds could better support fire staging and emergency preparedness. The LAO said the timing of the administration’s proposed funding generally made sense because the programs are already established, and no votes were taken. For outdoor access, State Parks, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources described funding for new parks in underserved communities, deferred maintenance, state lands access, and several new or pending programs. State Parks said the park development program would fund roughly 48 projects and that deferred maintenance funding would address high-priority health, safety, and access needs. Fish and Wildlife said its lands program would improve visitor amenities and access on properties that often lack basic facilities. The Natural Resources Agency also outlined three newer outdoor-access proposals: expanding recreation in disadvantaged communities, enhancing natural resource values and trail access, and a nature/climate/education facilities grant program. The LAO distinguished between existing programs, which are ready to move forward, and the newer proposals, where the Legislature may want more input before funds are allocated. Members also raised concerns about park police vacancies, the need to track outcomes for accessibility investments, and whether Prop. 4 could help with wildfire-related recovery at state parks. CalRecycle then presented on SB 54, the plastics and packaging producer responsibility law, and members pressed hard on the delay in regulations. CalRecycle said it has held workshops, formed an advisory committee, selected the producer responsibility organization, and completed required baseline and covered-material reports, but needs more time to address complex comments and novel features such as source reduction and eco-modulated fees. Members expressed frustration that a statutory deadline was missed and asked for a concrete timeline; CalRecycle said it expects regulations in place by 2026, ahead of the PRO’s January 1, 2027 plan deadline. Finance said the Beverage Container Recycling Fund is currently healthy enough to support short-term loans for implementation. The committee also reviewed SB 707, the textile EPR law, which would create the nation’s first textile producer responsibility program; staff said the proposal would add positions and loan authority, and members noted the statutory deadlines for PRO approval, needs assessment, and later regulations. The hearing ended with discussion of the January Los Angeles fires’ damage to Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park, where State Parks described extensive losses, emergency response work, and ongoing damage assessment. Members asked about FEMA eligibility, state funding sources, and community engagement in rebuilding, and the department said it is still assessing costs and will work with the public on reimagining the parks.

Transcript Highlights:

• law to see that that it meets a standard law to see that that it meets a standard and<01:23:11.679
• And I know that standards for review.
• training people in the engineering training people in the engineering field.<04:14:08.399> uh
• <04:14:23.920> that themselves and were engineers that themselves and were engineers that
• . engineering. engineering.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:05:25.200> Um<01:05:25.520> the engineering division.
• Um the engineering division.
• > state engineering support across state engineering support across state government.<01:05:48.960
• Uh, this is one of protection standards.
• <01:15:56.400> to If it takes fewer software engineers to If it takes fewer software engineers

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The HAF is a is sort of a kind of standard ongoing set allocation institutions can use.
• By aligning with industry standards, San Jacento College is strengthening Houston's position.
• But also powerful engines of economic mobility when policy funding, and outcomes are aligned.
• SB 17 clarify tenure employment standards to benefit both faculty and institutions.
• and engineering tech as well at 6% of our total.

Transcript Highlights:

• Remote and hybrid workplaces are becoming standard for a wide range of jobs.
• Ted Toppin, for the Professional Engineers in California Government and the Association of California
• I'm a senior engineer with the State Water Resources Control Board and also a proud PEG member.
• I'm an attorney for the Department of Industrial Relations Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, also
• new internal combustion engines to be sold in the state of California by 2035—we're already starting

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We could standardize the way all counties approach this issue.
• But specifically, 1392 has to deal with the aerospace engineer employee tax credit.
• engineers?
• Engineer, is that correct? This would be for aerospace engineers.
• So, consequently, you could have an H-1B visa aerospace engineer out of Bangalore, India.

Bills: SB1280, SB1392, SB1393, SB1395, SB1400, SB1405, SB1832, SB1839, SB1989, SB2001, SB2143

Keywords: excise tax, oil tax, natural gas tax, state revenue, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, income tax, tax credit, aerospace sector, employment, economic development, adaptive reuse, affordable housing, urban renewal, economic impact, program, housing, revitalization, urban development, income tax credit, manufacturing

Transcript Highlights:

• was a lack of standardized procedure. was a lack of standardized procedure.
• You can't catch those standardized.
• standard of measurement. Thank you, Mr. standard of measurement. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Chair.
• I heard you you talk about the standard I heard you you talk about the standard work<01:10:51.920
• work process how do you develop standard work process how do you develop standard work<01:10:54.159

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first established a quorum, approved the minutes from the November 10 meeting, and then approved a large agenda of contracts and related items, with the total agenda amount stated as $359,638,393.88. Most items were approved without objection, but two contracts were pulled for discussion: attorney general panel counsel contingency fee contracts and a Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission personal services contract. For the attorney general’s office, Chris Lewis explained that the contracts were panel counsel contingency fee agreements, with 14 qualified awards from 16 applicants. He said the contracts were contingency-based, so no money would be paid unless cases were successful, and that the fee structure worked out to roughly 5% under the statutory waterfall. Senators asked about the size of the contracts, whether the terms were uniform, why no Kentucky firms were among the awardees, and how the public should understand the large dollar figures. Lewis said one Kentucky firm applied but was disqualified for a late submission, other Kentucky firms had inquired but did not apply, and local firms could still work with national firms on cases. The committee then approved the contracts. The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission contract drew more extensive questioning. Commission representatives said they had previously had a contract disapproved because the proper process was not followed, so they used an RFI process posted on the state and commission websites for at least three weeks. They received one applicant, a Kentucky firm, and set the rate at $125 per hour. Members questioned whether the commission was acting beyond its ethics mission, whether staff were helping draft complaints against legislators, and whether the commission was taking on a prosecutorial or human-resources role. The commission said its role is limited to enforcing the legislative code of ethics, providing advisory guidance, and following the formal complaint process; it does not pursue matters outside that code. Members also raised concerns about the earlier procurement misstep and the commission’s credibility, and the commission apologized, said it had corrected the process, and pledged to comply going forward. The committee then approved the contract.

Transcript Highlights:

• What role does the district engineer?
• So our district engineer is.
• But we don't grade the private engineers, do we?
• The the private engineers the private engineers that are hired that are not hired They're not your textile
• engineers, and they're perhaps hired by the MPO.

Keywords: 1184, house, all