Video & Transcript : 'energy independence' :
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HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
AEN-HOU, AEN-EIG, AEN Public Hearings 03-18-2026
Agriculture and Environment
Transcript Highlights:
- Okay. energy and food security tax, energy and food security tax, and<00:39:35.880><c> the</c><00:39:
- Hawaii State Energy Office. Chris Yunker for the Hawaii State Energy Office.
- Uh Hawaii State Energy you, Garrison. Uh Hawaii State Energy Office. Office. Office.
- Um if there is an Hawaii Energy.
- Whatever way supporter of energy.
Committee:
Senate Agriculture and Environment
Keywords:
animal control, spay and neuter, pet overpopulation, sterilization, counties funding, tax designation, veterinary care, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, energy policy, rebate program, environmental impact, renewable fuels, sustainable aviation fuel, tax credit, greenhouse gas emissions, local production, energy resilience, agricultural innovation, job creation
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on HB 1737, which clarifies allowable uses in agricultural districts for farm dwellings and farm employee housing, and HB 1604 HD2, which creates an agricultural workforce housing working group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Testimony on HB 1737 was overwhelmingly supportive, with county agriculture officials, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Farmers Union backing the measure; one witness asked for a definition of “affordable” to guard against misuse of farm housing. For HB 1604, the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Hawaii Farmers Union, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, with OHA requesting disaggregated data and a seat on the working group. Committee discussion focused on housing shortages, possible misuse, affordability, and whether innovative housing models such as modular, tiny, and container homes should be considered.
The committee then took action on both measures. HB 1737 HD3 was recommended to pass with amendments that would limit farm employee housing to agricultural employees and their immediate family members actively engaged in the farm operation, add a grandfathering provision for existing permitted housing, preserve county zoning authority, clarify that ag tourism must be secondary and not occur in employee housing, delete a square-footage-per-acre ratio, and defer the effective date to July 1, 2050. HB 1604 HD2 was also recommended to pass with amendments adding OHA and a housing-shortage organization to the working group, expanding its scope to include modular, tiny, and container homes and permitting/zoning streamlining, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. Both motions were adopted unanimously by the members present.
The joint hearing then moved to HB 1736, which would establish a spay and neuter special fund and require sterilization and declaration provisions for cats, with some discussion of dogs. DLNR and the Hawaiian Humane Society supported the bill, while Pacific Pet Alliance objected to the broader requirements and the inclusion of dogs; the Hawaiian Humane Society and American Bird Conservancy supported cat-focused sterilization and the special fund, while some testifiers opposed mandatory sterilization as too costly or intrusive. Members raised questions about toxoplasmosis, trap-neuter-release, enforcement, neighbor-island access, and funding needs, and DLNR indicated additional funding and third-party contracting would likely be needed. The transcript then began HB 1620 HD2 on energy, which would increase the environmental response energy and food security tax and shift funds from the hydrogen fueling subaccount to EV charging infrastructure; state agencies generally stood on written testimony in support, while the Tax Foundation objected to special fund earmarks and noted the bill raises only one part of the barrel tax structure.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Therefore, SB 1754 prohibits tax abatements for renewable energy facilities that sell energy...
- SB 1754 prohibits tax abatements for renewable energy facilities that sell energy or ancillary services
- We specifically excluded renewable energy. Okay, I voted for the bill, but...”
- “We specifically excluded renewable energy. Okay, I voted for the bill. But although Mr.
- When energy demand dictates where the facilities locate, it is difficult for dispatchable energy generators
Bills:
SB913 , SB1086 , SB1087 , SB1143 , SB1534 , SB1553 , SB1718 , SB1754 , SB2004 , SB2322 , SB2448
Committee:
Senate Economic Development
Keywords:
hotel occupancy tax, municipal revenue, tax code, local government funding, Texas legislation, county taxation, economic development, hotel industry, local government, counties, taxation, tourism, workforce development, youth programs, employment, education, technical training, health physics, higher education, nuclear energy
Summary:
The committee heard a series of bills, mostly related to economic development, tax incentives, and workforce programs. Senate Bill 1534 would direct a study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission on health physics education and workforce needs; resource witnesses from the Workforce Commission and Coordinating Board testified, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1553 would authorize Kerr County to impose a hotel occupancy tax for tourism-related uses, and Senate Bills 1086 and 1087 would authorize similar county hotel taxes for Children’s County and Mason County; all three bills received supportive testimony and were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1754, which would prohibit county and local tax abatements for renewable energy facilities selling power wholesale, with testimony sharply divided between landowners and policy groups opposing renewable subsidies and industry representatives and some senators arguing the bill would harm clean energy investment and local decision-making; the bill was left pending. The committee then heard Senate Bill 2322, which would exempt dispatchable electric generation facilities from the JEDI program’s compelling-factor test so they could qualify for school district tax incentives; testimony was mixed, and the bill was left pending.
Later, the committee heard Senate Bill 1718, which would add the NRA annual meeting to the state’s major events reimbursement program. The bill’s sponsor and NRA representatives argued the event brings substantial tourism and economic activity, while opponents said it would use taxpayer funds to subsidize an organization that opposes gun safety measures; the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 2004 would add the Arlington Grand Prix to the major events reimbursement program, with the committee substitute exempting it from the usual competitive site-selection requirement because of timing; testimony from the event organizers and Arlington tourism officials was supportive, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 2448 would create a rural workforce development grant program at the Texas Workforce Commission to support college-and-career readiness and technical assistance in rural communities; witnesses from Texas 2036, Collegiate Edgination, and a rural school district supported it, and it was left pending. Finally, Senate Bill 913 would repeal a special requirement that Alpine dedicate at least 50% of its hotel occupancy tax to advertising and promotion, and Senate Bill 1143 would require more coordination and reporting for youth workforce programs serving disconnected young Texans; both bills received supportive testimony and were left pending. At the end of the hearing, Senator Johnson moved that the committee stand in recess, subject to the call of the chair.
AL
Alabama 2026 Regular Session
Alabama House State Government Committee Feb 11th, 2026
State Government
Transcript Highlights:
- heat of the earth and pulling that out, the steam and the hot brine and hot water for production of energy
- we're going back, this should be something we look at as not with D's, not with ours, not with independence
- </c><00:24:46.720><c> but</c> not with ours not with independence but not with ours not with independence
- And I would like to say this is not a Democratic, Republican, independent bill.
- This is a everybody independent bill.
Bills:
SB174 , SB39 , SB40 , SB206 , SB200 , HB169 , HB345 , HB381 , HB25 , SB174 , SB39 , SB40 , SB206 , SB200 , HB169 , HB345 , HB381 , HB25
Committee:
House State Government
Keywords:
business taxes, annual reports, Alabama Tax Tribunal, tax appeals, local government, board governance, occupational licensing, Sunset Law, public accountability, training requirements, SB40, Houston/Hunter Act, firearm hold agreement, gun storage, temporary firearm storage, firearms dealer, federal firearms licensee, FFL, civil immunity, gun owner
TX
Bills:
HB294
Committee:
House Agriculture & Livestock
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government Apr 8th, 2026
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Transcript Highlights:
- goals just because they are in the crosshairs of planned energy infrastructure.
- It is a prudent, responsible tool, not an obstacle to clean energy.
- It is a prudent, responsible tool, not an obstacle to clean energy.
- And this is being done without any requirement that the energy be used locally.
- We're shut down by DOER and the Energy Facilities Siting Board.
Keywords:
Holyoke, municipal governance, acting mayor, city council, local government, Oxford, town charter, municipal government, town manager, residency requirement, local approval, charter amendment, home rule, local governance, municipal administration, residence of officials, Worcester County, Worthington, solar, solar photovoltaic
AL
Alabama 2026 Regular Session
Alabama House State Government Committee Mar 18th, 2026
State Government
Transcript Highlights:
- Second, the liability protections afforded by an independent third-party review are beneficial to everyone
- <00:20:59.039><c> afforded</c><00:20:59.440><c> by</c><00:20:59.600><c> an</c><00:20:59.760><c> independent
- </c> protections afforded by an independent protections afforded by an independent third-party<00:21:
Committee:
House State Government
Keywords:
expungement, criminal records, courts, victim rights, rehabilitation, Alabama law, SB337, Montgomery County, probate judge, judge of probate, county officer compensation, salary increase, circuit judge parity, local legislation, county commission, general fund, public official pay, judicial compensation, Montgomery County Legislation, construction management
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- I was at an energy conference in Boston this.
- oil and gas industry that you know issues that have come up that we're trying to avoid with other energy
- the land back into agricultural uses and to not leave the landowners or the community with another energy-related
- This is my 8th year on energy, starting to really get frustrated by the amount of landowners in Oklahoma
- issue has been going on for a while, and we can address it here because we've done some things in energy
Committee:
Senate Energy
Keywords:
environmental permitting, Oklahoma, Department of Environmental Quality, public participation, regulatory framework, administered applications, energy, wind energy, financial assurance, property restoration, environmental regulation, mining, blasting, residential protection, buffer zone, Department of Mines, public utilities, electric transmission lines, landowner rights, payment regulations
TX
Bills:
SB 458 , SB 819 , SB 1238 , SB 1642 , SB 1643 , SB 1644 , SB 1791 , SB 1810 , SB 1824 , SB 1825 , SB 758 , SB 1455 , SB 1706
Committee:
Senate Business & Commerce
Keywords:
renewable energy, solar power, wind energy, public interest determination, environmental impact, property rights, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, insurance, discrimination, marital status, widowers, spousal death, equitable treatment, Texas Department of Insurance, commission appointments, insurance regulation, oversight, consumer advocacy, insurance rates, property insurance
TX
Bills:
SB 458 , SB 819 , SB 1238 , SB 1642 , SB 1643 , SB 1644 , SB 1791 , SB 1810 , SB 1824 , SB 1825 , SB 758 , SB 1455 , SB 1706
Committee:
Senate Business & Commerce
Keywords:
renewable energy, solar power, wind energy, public interest determination, environmental impact, property rights, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, insurance, discrimination, marital status, widowers, spousal death, equitable treatment, Texas Department of Insurance, commission appointments, insurance regulation, oversight, consumer advocacy, insurance rates, property insurance
TX
Bills:
SB 458 , SB 819 , SB 1238 , SB 1642 , SB 1643 , SB 1644 , SB 1791 , SB 1810 , SB 1824 , SB 1825 , SB 758 , SB 1455 , SB 1706
Committee:
Senate Business & Commerce
Keywords:
renewable energy, solar power, wind energy, public interest determination, environmental impact, property rights, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, insurance, discrimination, marital status, widowers, spousal death, equitable treatment, Texas Department of Insurance, commission appointments, insurance regulation, oversight, consumer advocacy, insurance rates, property insurance
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 3/10/26
Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- net energy consumption compared to the 2006 energy use index for Minnesota.
- net energy consumption compared to the 2006 energy use index for Minnesota.
- in Minnesota's energy active participant in Minnesota's energy code<00:04:46.160><c> development</c>
- as they pay for that energy.
- We're a nonpartisan energy policy nonprofit that has engaged in energy codes since our founding.
Keywords:
energy efficiency, construction standards, building codes, environment, sustainability, 1183, house
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
EEP Public Hearing - Thu Feb 5, 2026 @ 9:00 AM HST
Energy & Environmental Protection
Transcript Highlights:
- And then Hawaii Solar Energy >> Thank you. And then Hawaii Solar Energy Association.
- </c> Energy, Inc. in support. Energy, Inc. in support.
- </c> Hawaii Solar Energy Association? Hawaii Solar Energy Association?
- Kawaii Solar Energy<00:49:55.280><c> Association</c> Energy Association Energy Association in<00:49:57.280
- . energy. energy.
Bills:
HB2245 , HB1618 , HB1985 , HB2079 , HB1921 , HB2232 , HB1567 , HB1984 , HB2608 , HB2435 , HB1623 , HB1774
Committee:
House Energy & Environmental Protection
Keywords:
wastewater systems, denitrification, environment, pollution, coral reefs, nearshore waters, public health, shoreline regulations, cesspool conversion, cesspool replacement, wastewater, sewer connection, sewerage systems, septic system, pollution control, water pollution control revolving fund, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, HGIA, low-interest loans, forgivable loans
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on several bills related to cesspools, wastewater, and clean water protections. On HB 2245, which would require additional denitrification capacity in wastewater systems near shorelines, the Department of Health offered comments, DLNR supported the bill, and multiple environmental and ocean groups testified in strong support, emphasizing nitrogen pollution from cesspools, reef damage, and the need to prioritize shoreline systems. Testifiers said the bill should move forward, with technical issues such as GIS mapping to be worked out later. No member questions or votes were taken on this measure.
On HB 1985, concerning the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority and accessible conversion loans for cesspool homeowners, HGI supported the bill and suggested making the program a revolving loan fund; DLNR and the Public Utilities Commission also supported it, while the Department of Health supported the concept. Committee discussion focused on program design, possible forgivable loans for low-income homeowners, and whether the program should be administered through existing infrastructure rather than a new procurement process. The committee then moved to HB 1985’s companion discussion on cesspool conversion outreach and deadline extensions, where DLNR and DOH supported outreach but DLNR and ocean advocates expressed reservations about extending deadlines, especially for financial hardship, saying that issue would need careful work.
The committee also heard testimony on HB 2079, which would reestablish the accessible upgrades inversion or connection income tax credit. The Department of Taxation raised administrative and fraud concerns about refundable credits, explaining that nonrefundable credits reduce tax debt while refundable credits can function like cash payments and require more oversight. DOH, DLNR, OPSD, counties, Hawaii Realtors, and environmental groups supported the bill, with one ocean coalition witness saying tax credits could help homeowners but grants would be preferable. Members asked about the difference between refundable credits and grants and about whether the credit would cover sewer connections versus individual wastewater systems. The committee then heard brief testimony on HB 1921, allowing certain priority-three cesspools to add a bedroom, with support from Hawaii Realtors and some other groups and no opposition discussion. HB 2232, preserving state water-quality protections at least as strong as the federal Clean Water Act, drew support from DOH and ocean advocates, with no questions. The committee also began hearing energy-related bills, including HB 1567 on energy equity and HB 1984 on self-certification for distributed energy resources, with a mix of support and some opposition or requested amendments, but no votes were taken in the portion provided.
MS
Committee:
Joint Energy
MS
Transcript Highlights:
- Next up on the agenda is House Bill 1305, municipal owned energy distribution systems expanding oversight
Committee:
Joint Energy
MS
Committee:
Joint Energy
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- On the that's on the energy sector.
- </c> energy provider. We could be the first. energy provider. We could be the first.
- </c> energy on the planet earth. energy on the planet earth. >> Follow<00:26:44.799><c> up.
- </c> global allies with their energy demands. global allies with their energy demands.
- Um and really energy leadership.
Bills:
HB0120
Committee:
House Appropriations
Keywords:
energy production, natural gas, industrial sovereignty, manufacturing, tax exemptions, 916, all
MS
Transcript Highlights:
- was one question I had, because I know the natural gas was a question on funding, which we had an energy
- which</c><00:28:28.320><c> we</c><00:28:28.480><c> had</c><00:28:28.880><c> an</c><00:28:29.200><c> energy
Committee:
Joint Energy
MS
Mississippi 2025 Regular Session
Energy - Room 216, September 9, 2025; 1:00 PM
MS
Mississippi 2025 Regular Session
Energy - Room 216, 11 March, 2025; 12:30 PM
MS