Transcript Highlights:

• person that had problems with the federal part, real problems with federal issue, and we let them continued
• mean you're willing to stay to this committee, that you'll take title Off of this bill in order to continue
• To continue to work on the bill, that is, you all know that that is a typical provision that we use in
• If we do not pass this bill, it will invariably lead to the continued purchase of new land as well as
• you otherwise, I would argue with them, but my question still remains about weaponizing the legal system

Bills: HB1016, HB1453, HB1992, HB2015, HB2940, HB2959, HB2997, HB3037, HB3045, HB3053, HB3087, HB3267, HB3301, HB3453, HB3495, HB3521, HB3581, HB3584, HB3586, HB3587, HB3662, HB3691, HB3695, HB3697, HB3742, HB3743, HB3845, HB4058, HB4125, HB4198, HB4227, HB4425

Keywords: minors, content creation, trust account, compensation, civil action, digital content, Oklahoma statutes, foreign ownership, property rights, agricultural land, Attorney General, divestment, real estate, felony penalties, motor vehicles, towing services, combination vehicles, wrecker fees, possessory lien, landlord

Transcript Highlights:

• Amendments must be electronically filed through the LDR system and are automatically timestamped when
• HR number 658, by Dyson, honoring John Sharp for his service as Chancellor of the University system.
• His dedication to the Texas A&M University system and the state of Texas has set a high standard for
• A corporation better known as TRW Systems. got placed in NASA.
• Reading clerk, you may continue now.

Bills: HB9, HB22, HB908, HB1392

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, tax exemption, local government finance, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief, small business, commercial property, leased property, related business entity, unified business enterprise, tax situs, Texas Tax Code, local taxing unit, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• So in 2019, Senate Bill 5811 created zero-emission credits, and at that, Created zero-emission credits
• There's three ways you can use these zero-emission credits.
• Exclusively selling zero-emission vehicles into the future. But, Mr.
• Cars and moving towards zero-emission vehicles.
• This is a new tax on zero-emission vehicle credits. That's what it is. It's a new tax.

Summary: The Senate opened with a moment of silence for Senator Chris Gildon and his family after the death of his wife, Autumn. It then took up several bills on final passage, beginning with Substitute House Bill 2020, which establishes a 3.1% B&O tax rate for payment card processing activities and allows a deduction for certain related fees. Supporters said it resolves a long-running dispute with the Department of Revenue; it passed 47-0. The chamber also passed House Bill 2039, delaying the child support pass-through expansion from 2026 to 2029, and House Bill 2040, delaying the elimination of recoveries from the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Assistance Program from October 2025 to October 2028. Supporters framed both as timing changes, while opponents argued they would postpone benefits for families and vulnerable people. Both bills passed 25-22. Substitute House Bill 2051, dealing with payment to acute care hospitals for difficult-to-discharge patients, passed 27-20 after several proposed amendments were withdrawn. Supporters said the bill helps hospitals care for patients who have nowhere else to go, while opponents argued the state should not delay payment support for these patients. The Senate also passed In Gross Substitute House Bill 2061, imposing a 10% concession fee on duty-free sales to fund tourism promotion and sustainable aviation fuel, over objections that it was a tax increase passed on to consumers. Finally, Substitute House Bill 2077, which taxes certain business activities related to zero-emission vehicle credits, passed 28-19 after an amendment to remove or narrow parts of the tax was rejected. Supporters said the measure would encourage spending of credits and support clean transportation goals, while opponents called it a targeted tax on Tesla and warned it could raise EV prices. The Senate then concurred in amended Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1293, a litter and plastic bag measure that increases litter penalties and keeps the planned bag-thickness increase from taking effect, and passed it 27-20. The Senate adjourned until April 27, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• We also continue to seek efforts to improve our system to avoid and minimize the duration that outages
• These storms, we monitor them well.
• it could certainly be an opt-in system it could certainly be an opt-in system if<01:11:44.239>
• Representative Swanson continued that he has one of these systems and was notified last week that his
• He said Nphase monitors what is going on and also monitors his output.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• An annual refresher by the commission is an excellent way to continue to ensure compliance with both
• The Legislative Auditor recommended the legislature determine whether to continue these preferences,
• 5801, which, among other provisions, creates a new sales and use tax exemption for sales of zero-emission
• Again, a full list of the bills is in the table in your meeting materials, and staff will continue to
• Again, a full list of the bills is in the table in your meeting materials, and staff will continue to

Summary: The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on May 7, 2025, with quorum present. The commission approved the October 22, 2024 meeting minutes and then received its annual open government refresher from the Attorney General’s office, which reviewed key requirements under the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act, including record retention, response deadlines, exemptions, and meeting notice rules. Staff then provided a 2025 legislative session update, noting that the legislature passed 23 tax-preference-related bills, with several signed by the governor and others pending. Highlights included bills that extended or repealed certain preferences, added reporting requirements for newspaper and digital content exemptions, authorized JLARC to adjust its work plan when data is unavailable, and created a new exemption for zero-emission buses. The commission approved updates to the 2026 tax preference review schedule, which includes eight preferences in seven reviews, and approved unchanged testimony questions for 2025. The commission also received the 2025 expedited preference review report covering 52 tax preferences, presented as an interactive table drawing on prior JLARC reviews and Department of Revenue studies. Staff then outlined the process for developing the next 10-year review schedule for 2027-2036, including surveying the legislature, incorporating new and repealed preferences, and considering a possible rolling 10-year schedule. No public comment was registered. The meeting ended with acknowledgments of Ron Buing’s long service on the commission and an announcement that the next meeting would be held August 6, 2025.

Transcript Highlights:

• shows a real safe system approach to setting speed limits.
• So I've got a system. All right.
• The Olympic Discovery Trail is another example of a regional trail system.
• There are 32 public transit systems in the state defined here in state law.
• And then finally, procurement continues to be a problem.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met on October 16, 2025, for a budget and revenue overview, a traffic safety presentation, and a discussion of potential transit and active transportation grant programs. Committee staff reviewed the adopted 2025-27 transportation budget, noting $15.5 billion in expenditures, the large share for WSDOT, and the mix of revenue sources including fuel tax, vehicle-related fees, federal funds, Climate Commitment Act revenue, and new 2025 revenues from SB 5801 and SB 5802. Staff said the 2025 session produced a balanced four-year plan, preserved major project schedules, maintained highway preservation funding, and added money for culverts, local preservation, and other priorities. They also described a September forecast showing lower motor fuel consumption than previously expected, but still enough revenue growth to keep the transportation plan balanced. For the 2026 supplemental, staff said agency requests were relatively modest overall, with most capital requests reflecting reappropriations and timing shifts rather than new projects, while WSDOT’s addendum identified much larger future needs for maintenance, preservation, paving, culverts, and safety work. Senators asked for more detail on how revenues are distributed by fund type and geography, how much of the maintenance and preservation request is actual maintenance versus equipment, whether paving needs could be supported through bonding, and how electric vehicle sales trends might affect forecasts. The committee then heard a remote presentation from Dr. Jessica Chikino of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety on traffic safety trends and countermeasures. She said U.S. traffic fatalities have risen sharply over the past decade, with especially large increases for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists, and argued that the U.S. lags other high-income countries in roadway safety. Her presentation highlighted IIHS’s “30 by 30” goal to reduce fatalities 30% by 2030 through safer speeds, stronger impaired-driving countermeasures, better pedestrian protection, and safer commercial vehicles. She discussed research linking higher speed limits to higher fatality risk, the benefits of lower urban speed limits, speed safety cameras, traffic calming, lighting, pedestrian beacons, and safer intersection design. She also described ongoing work with Bellevue on smart signal technology and pedestrian safety pilots. Committee members thanked her for the presentation and said they would share the materials with others. In the final work session, the committee revisited transit and active transportation grant concepts that had been included in the Senate budget proposal but did not advance in 2025. Barb Chamberlain of WSDOT’s Active Transportation Division explained how grant programs need runway, staff capacity, applicant readiness, and clear criteria, and compared program design to getting a plane off the ground. She discussed the proposed Senior Transportation Emphasis Program and regional trails/cycle highways concepts, noting that some projects could be structured as funding-first programs while others would work better as project-line or project-first models. She said regional trail projects are already eligible under existing programs but often score lower because current criteria emphasize safety and population served. Justin Leighton of the Washington State Transit Association then reviewed transit grant programs and argued that transit safety and security needs remain underfunded, including operator barriers, lighting, shelters, behavioral health coordination, and non-uniformed security staff. He said many transit capital programs are oversubscribed, that operator barrier retrofits alone could cost $20 million to $30 million, and that agencies face uncertainty about how recent sales tax changes apply to security-related contracts. No votes were taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:42:09.920> to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions to
• They identified that this is a problem that will continue for thousands of years.
• water drainage systems that rely on gravity no longer operate.
• We develop quality systems. We subscribe to proficiency testing systems.
• systems we train to proficiency testing systems we train people<00:47:33.119> and<00:47:33.359

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 1232, which would create a three-year wastewater technology testing pilot program at the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center and coordinate testing with state and county agencies. The Department of Health, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and University of Hawaiʻi representatives supported the bill, saying it would help certify new wastewater technologies, lower costs for cesspool conversions, and provide data to the Department of Health. Testifiers said the prior testing effort ended after the departure of Dr. Roger Babcock, and that the new program would use National Sanitation Foundation standards, graduate students, and local wastewater facilities such as Wahiawa. Committee members asked about the $750,000 total cost, the scope of existing research, prior test sites, and whether the program would be tied to individuals or a permanent program. One member raised concerns about the fairness and data basis for sewer conversion decisions in local communities, and the University said it would follow national standards and share results openly. The committee then took up Senate Bill 686, relating to a short-term management initiative for coconut rhinoceros beetle response and related appropriations. The Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawaiʻi testified in support, while a county representative and other advocates urged broader statewide coverage, including Kauaʻi, and asked that appropriated funds be usable on any island. Testimony emphasized the need for immediate action, outreach, tree-trimmer training, canopy treatments, K-9 inspections, container fumigation, and biocontrol research. A member summarized the bill’s funding components, including amounts for training, residential palm treatments, response teams, inspections, fumigation, and research, and noted the importance of directing money toward on-the-ground response. Committee questions focused on how much funding remained available, how the agencies would coordinate with DOA, whether the department was prepared to manage all the bill’s functions, and how infestations were being communicated to the public. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 657, which would appropriate funds for the University of Hawaiʻi School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology’s Center for Climate Resilient Development. The Department of Land and Natural Resources testified in strong support, and the Department of Health also supported the measure, noting that it relies on the center’s data to inform decisions and recommendations on projects. The discussion on this item was brief in the portion provided, with no vote or final action shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'll continue to plug that until I see some funding somewhere for it. So noted.
• soil health, continue to maintain those soil health practices over the years.
• And then there's continued reporting, as Jen Norris was talking about...
• The grant program has four tracks to create change across the food system.
• The grant program has four tracks to create change across the food system.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee heard the administration’s spending plan for Proposition 4’s climate smart agriculture and biodiversity chapters, along with related trailer bill language. CDFA outlined proposed funding for existing programs such as SWEEP, Healthy Soils, Urban Agriculture, and invasive species work, plus new or phased-in programs including year-round and mobile farmers’ markets, tribal food sovereignty, and regional farm equipment sharing. The Department of Conservation described funding for the California Farmland Conservancy Program and Working Lands and Riparian Corridors Program, while the Department of Finance and LAO discussed pending allocations and generally found the overall approach reasonable, though LAO suggested the Legislature may want more statutory guidance and reporting, especially for new programs. Members focused on implementation details, equity, and accountability. Questions covered how programs would serve vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, whether new solicitations would be reopened for previously oversubscribed grants, how outcomes are tracked, and how to structure guidance for new programs such as farm equipment sharing. The chair emphasized that the Legislature wants clearer direction on program design and noted that AB 2313 should guide implementation of the regional farm equipment sharing allocation. The committee also discussed the administration’s request to directly appropriate bond funds to departments and to exempt bond program guidelines from the Administrative Procedures Act; LAO supported the APA exemption with possible legislative guardrails for public notice and comment. The committee then heard on the farm-to-school proposal, with CDFA requesting $24.9 million General Fund for incubator grants, technical assistance, and network support. CDFA said the program has reached nearly half of California schoolchildren and has shown strong demand and positive evaluation results. LAO supported the core program but recommended rejecting the $3 million technical assistance component as too broad and suggested the Legislature consider using Proposition 98 for some of the funding. Members debated that point, with some expressing concern about using General Fund dollars for a new discretionary request during a tight budget year. The biodiversity and nature-based solutions chapter included funding for the Wildlife Conservation Board, state conservancies, and tribal nature-based solutions. WCB described major recent investments and proposed projects tied to 30 by 30, habitat restoration, tribal partnerships, and public access. Members raised concerns about long-term stewardship, the size of the WCB allocation, and whether the Legislature should receive more detail on how funds will be distributed. The committee also heard requests for Bolsa Chica wetlands maintenance and Rincon Island decommissioning funding from the State Lands Commission, with members questioning long-term liability, remediation costs, and the role of private oil operators. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with public comment from stakeholders largely supporting the APA exemption, farm-to-school funding, biodiversity investments, and related conservation programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also very clear that system.
• we need to continue to work on. Okay. we need to continue to work on. Okay.
• So we appreciate that you're looking at other ways of doing septic systems and sewer systems.
• Um, I first want to say [clears throat] sewer systems. We also value the sewer systems.
• um pre-approved systems? um pre-approved systems?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• introduced by Senator Padilla, an act relating to public school capital outlay, creating the... building system
• prohibiting the adoption of certain rules relating to the production and delivery for sale of zero-emission
• Senators Woods and Muñoz, an act relating to the cost of transportation and delivery for sale of zero-emission
• vehicles. to reduce the cost of transportation and delivery for sale of zero-emission vehicles.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yet, they continue to push even more tax increases.
• The problem is Democrats continue to find new avenues to tax Minnesotans and the companies that will
• Well, so reporters and Democrats continue to do this where they go and they say, "Hey, Minnesotans or
• So, continue to make things more efficient here, make it better for Minnesota that you can reach out
• I mean, it all sounds great, these greenhouse gas emissions.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Republican senators held a Tax Day press event focused on affordability, arguing that DFL control has led to overspending, higher taxes, and reduced competitiveness in Minnesota. They criticized recent state tax increases and proposed new taxes, including taxes on social media and advertising, extending sales tax to legal and accounting services, a higher income tax tier, a statewide property tax, and a housing-related sales tax amendment. They also contrasted Minnesota policy with federal tax relief, saying Minnesotans need spending restraint, fraud reduction, and a smaller, more efficient state government instead of additional revenue measures. Senator Dziedzic focused on transportation costs, especially high license tab fees, saying residents are overwhelmed by taxes and fees and that the state should fund roads and bridges with existing money rather than raising fees. He cited a House proposal to quintuple tab fees and said Minnesota’s vehicle ownership costs are far higher than neighboring states. Senator Kunesh focused on property taxes, saying homeownership is becoming unaffordable because of state spending and unfunded mandates passed on to local governments. He argued that Democrats’ 2023 spending drove up property taxes and warned that a proposed statewide property tax would worsen the housing crisis and hurt families, seniors, and first-time buyers. In response to questions, the senators said their caucus is open to companion bills and some targeted tax relief measures, including conformity with federal changes such as tax treatment of tips and overtime and Section 179 business provisions. They said they support transportation investment but want it funded through existing resources and better prioritization, not new taxes or fees. They also discussed possible bonding negotiations and said they are still evaluating proposals related to HCMC and a one-time property tax rebate, which they described as insufficient compared with the need for permanent relief. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Continued support of the Board of Animal Health and the Department of Agriculture needs to continue to
• Continued support of the Board of Animal Health and the Department of Agriculture needs to continue to
• And we just can't continue to do this.
• We have very, very low carbon emissions because we're not moving product.
• <00:52:42.880> a uh stop anybody from continuing a uh stop anybody from continuing a similar

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They’re an important part of our child welfare system.
• In 2025, over 7,000 CASA volunteers supported nearly 11,000 young people in the dependency system.
• It recognizes the urgency of developing a rail network by 2050 that is zero-emission, provides reliable
• They can even continue to require a parent or guardian's signature, just not their physical presence
• We've been working closely on this bill and will continue to do so.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Once the water goes into the water system or into our land, we’re in big trouble.
• It ensures that any use is permitted, monitored, and based on credible science.
• I am a state-licensed water system operator and board member of Renewable Taos.
• And I'm really hopeful that we can continue to have a robust conversation around that.
• But I do appreciate that we have to continue to have this conversation.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Happy to um continue you so much.
• We're happy to continue the that.
• record and continue with your testimony. record and continue with your testimony.
• <00:46:34.160> and Minnesota's campaign finance system and Minnesota's campaign finance system
• and continue with your testimony. and continue with your testimony.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative PL continued: I attended that meeting.
• Representative Kaplan continued: Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chair.
• how we are going to maintain the system how we are going to maintain the system we<02:16:45.760>
• <04:23:58.119> to one billing and accounting system to one billing and accounting system to
• Kallis continued that it was demonstrated by a high volume of lending.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• broken permitting system far too long. broken permitting system far too long.
• permitting system through the speed act. permitting system through the speed act.
• upgrade our air traffic control system? upgrade our air traffic control system?
• Emission Transportation Association. Emission Transportation Association.
• and continued threats to the species. and continued threats to the species.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, December 18, 2025, 1012, house, all

Bills: SB2054, SB2143, SB2145, SB2400, SB2447, SB2494, SB2723, SB2727, SB3131, HCR187, SCR177, SR172, SCR5, SCR85, SR75, SCR139, SR131, SCR146, SR138, SR84, SCR31, SR27, SCR46, SR45, SCR48, SR47, SCR9, SR11, SCR83, SR73, SCR20, SR17, SCR56, SR54, SCR87, SR79, SCR160, SR151, SCR28, SCR120, SCR129, SR121, SCR71, SR66, SCR147, SR139, SCR79, SCR179, SCR181, SCR182, SCR60, SR81, SR174, SR176, SR177, SCR89, SCR69, SCR74, SR68

Keywords: public safety, Hawaii National Guard, military deployment, governor authority, federal assistance, elections, chief election officer, vacancy, order of succession, election commission, law enforcement, recording rights, private action, civil rights, police accountability, SB2400, seaglider, wing-in-ground craft, wing in ground effect, WIG craft

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Steinbeck continued. Senate Bill 309 strengthens our DUI laws.
• But deterrence does matter, and we have to continue to try to magnify that.
• The statewide trial court electronic filing system. Any further remarks?
• going to be able to continue at the school that they've been going to.
• Increases certain fees relating to emissions testing.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That is how democratic systems evolve. That is how our Vermont system should evolve.
• biological system in the POTW. biological system in the POTW.
• based on the size of the system. based on the size of the system.
• wastewater system on your property. wastewater system on your property.
• supplies and wastewater systems. supplies and wastewater systems.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House returned from recess and took up S. 208, a bill on standards for law enforcement identification. The House Judiciary Committee explained that it had rewritten the bill into a model-policy approach focused on Vermont state and local agencies, rather than imposing direct requirements on all law enforcement, because of constitutional and preemption concerns raised by a recent Ninth Circuit decision. The amended bill would direct the Law Enforcement Advisory Board to develop a statewide policy on officer identification and facial coverings by July 2027, require agencies to adopt a consistent policy by October 1, 2027, and deem agencies to have adopted the model policy if they do not act. The committee reported the bill favorably on a 6-5 vote. Members then debated an amendment offered by Representatives Berbeco and McGill to restore federal officers to the bill. Supporters argued that public authority should not be anonymous, that visible identification is necessary for transparency, accountability, and public trust, and that the bill should apply to federal agents as well as state and local officers. They said the amendment included exemptions for undercover work, tactical teams, protective equipment, and safety concerns, and argued Vermont should not wait for courts to resolve every constitutional question before acting. Opponents on the Judiciary Committee said the language remained likely unconstitutional and could jeopardize the bill’s passage; the committee had found the amendment unfavorable on an 8-1 vote. The floor debate continued with several members speaking in favor of the amendment, including arguments that other states have adopted similar requirements and that Vermont should lead on the issue. One member raised a point of order that was not sustained, and the Speaker ruled federal authority relevant to the question. The transcript ends while debate on the amendment was still underway, after a request for a roll-call vote was granted, with no final floor vote on the amendment shown in the excerpt.