Transcript Highlights:

• salmon mortality, restricting regrettable 6PPD substitutes, and removing illegally dumped tires in urban
• that stormwater and runoff kills fish when it flows into streams, and that's been especially bad in urban
• We've seen something called urban runoff mortality syndrome, a problem that has plagued salmon and Puget
• challenges with ensuring that we have good riparian connectivity in a reality where in many of the urban
• It's close to urban areas or fish-bearing streams where that 6PPD is really harming fish. Okay.

Bills: HB2421, HB1652, HB2367, HB2284

Keywords: 6PPD, tires, environmental impact, public health, chemical regulation, HB1652, Salish Sea Protection and Marine Clean Fuels Act, marine fuel, low-sulfur fuel, sulfur emissions, ocean-going vessels, shipping, maritime pollution, air quality, particulate matter, Department of Ecology, port visit, regulated waters, fuel switching, vessel emissions

Transcript Highlights:

• Not surprisingly, that's mostly an urban phenomenon.
• There's just so much growth there that, even though they're not as urbanized as some of the older counties
• Not surprisingly, that's, you know, mostly an urban phenomenon.
• There's just so much growth there that, you know, even though they're not, you know, as urbanized as
• diversity emerging within the markets, so we get the two-on-toos, because what we find in these major urban

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs met with a quorum present and took up SB 122, which would repeal Chapter 205 on local business taxes while allowing municipalities to continue imposing a gross-receipts-based business tax on merchants. Senator Trumbull presented the bill for the sponsor, and committee members questioned what services local governments fund with local business tax revenue and whether the bill should be considered alongside broader property tax changes. County and city representatives opposed the bill, arguing that local business taxes are capped home-rule revenues used for general fund services such as public safety, zoning and licensure checks, economic development, and business support, and warning that repeal would shift costs to residential taxpayers and reduce local flexibility. Senator Shreve said he would vote no because of ongoing property tax discussions, while Senator Pizzo said he would support the bill but wanted clearer accounting of how the revenue is spent. The committee voted 5-1 to report SB 122 favorably. The committee then held a housing panel discussion focused on Florida’s housing shortage, affordability, and supply constraints. Dr. Samuel Staley said Florida is in a housing crisis driven largely by insufficient supply, arguing that the state needs roughly 100,000 additional units per year just to keep up with in-migration and that local planning systems often do not prioritize housing enough. He urged more emphasis on measurable impacts, streamlined permitting, accessory dwelling units, smaller lot sizes, and other market-responsive tools. Ann Ray of the Shimberg Center said Florida is seeing more single-family and multifamily construction but that production is concentrated in a handful of counties, while condo construction remains limited; she also noted that rents and home prices spiked sharply in the early 2020s and remain above pre-2020 levels, with nearly 905,000 low-income renters cost-burdened. Leslie Deutsch of John Burns Research said the national housing market is slow, Florida has a severe affordability problem, and builders are lowering prices and offering incentives but still face high land, labor, materials, and insurance costs. In committee discussion, senators focused on whether Florida should encourage more density, including townhomes, build-to-rent products, modular housing, and redevelopment of existing sites rather than relying on large new subdivisions. Members also discussed the role of local zoning, impact fees, density bonuses, and state incentives tied to housing targets. Several senators said Florida’s growth and affordability challenges require updating land development codes and planning for where future residents will live without overbuilding rural or environmentally sensitive areas. The chair closed by emphasizing that density can support affordability and that Florida should use existing footprints more efficiently.

Transcript Highlights:

• Not surprisingly, that's mostly an urban phenomenon.
• There's just so much growth there that, even though they're not as urbanized as some of the older counties
• Not surprisingly, that's, you know, mostly an urban phenomenon.
• There's just so much growth there that, you know, even though they're not, you know, as urbanized as
• diversity emerging within the markets, so we get the two-on-twos, because what we find in these major urban

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs met with a quorum present and first took up SB 122, which would repeal Chapter 205 governing local business taxes while allowing municipalities that already levy a gross-receipts-based business tax to continue doing so, with limits on changing the tax rate. The sponsor’s proxy and committee members discussed whether local business taxes fund identifiable services, with supporters saying the bill would reduce burdens on businesses and opponents arguing it would remove a capped home-rule revenue source used for general services, economic development, inspections, fire and police support, and business regulation. The Florida Association of Counties and the Florida League of Cities opposed the bill, citing a statewide revenue loss and concern that costs would shift to residential taxpayers, while one member noted the bill should be considered in the context of broader property tax changes. SB 122 was reported favorably by a roll call vote, with Senators Leek, Passidomo, Pizzo, Trumbull, and Chair McClain voting yes and Senator Sharief voting no. The committee then held an extended informational panel on Florida’s housing shortage and affordability challenges. Dr. Samuel Staley said Florida is in a housing crisis driven primarily by insufficient supply, arguing that the state needs far more units each year, that local comprehensive plans and zoning often fail to prioritize housing, and that the state should focus more on measurable impacts, density, accessory dwelling units, smaller lot sizes, and other ways to let the market respond. Ann Ray of the Shimberg Center presented data showing increased single-family and multifamily construction but limited condo growth, highly concentrated new development in a handful of counties, and continued high cost burdens for renters, especially lower-income and older households. Leslie Deutsch of John Burns Research and Consulting said the national housing market is slow, Florida prices are easing but remain well above pre-pandemic levels, and affordability problems are being driven by land, construction, financing, and insurance costs; she urged more product diversity, including build-to-rent, townhomes, manufactured housing, and higher-density redevelopment tailored to local demographics. Members questioned the panel about density, vertical development, impact fees, construction costs, and incentives for local governments. Several senators said local governments need clearer direction or incentives to approve more housing, while others emphasized preserving local character and avoiding overdevelopment. The panel generally agreed that no single policy will solve the problem, but that Florida needs more housing types, more density in appropriate places, updated zoning and building codes, and a more market-responsive regulatory framework. After the presentations and discussion, the committee adjourned with no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Definition for urban: we struggled a bit with defining rural, so we defined urban, and that means a continuously
• I think it's a question of urban versus rural that we have in the rules, and I think you know how CEO
• And I guess my question is probably based upon Vice Chair's question with urban versus rural, because
• But I think, you know, with the definitions we have in the rules for rural and urban and the twenty-five
• And then urban, of course, was so that they can build upon each other and keep growing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The blue line represents urban physicians. The green line represents everybody.
• Physicians like to live in cities, in urban areas.
• Per capita, the red line represents urban physicians, gradually rising over a long period of time, one
• The top lines are urban, and the bottom lines are rural. New Mexico is in red.
• I've talked to five CEOs, urban and rural hospitals, Union County Hospital. They had to call Mr.

Transcript Highlights:

• When we go back to those two words, suitable housing, why are urban areas not suitable for them?
• As Senator Larry said, urban areas seem to be where they get placed. Again, it's not on you.
• But when they get placed in rural areas, where law enforcement access is even not as rapid as in urban
• there, within the quarter mile of a public or private school, limits our ability to place in dense urban
• That limits our ability to place in dense urban areas and often generates limits on much of the county

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee held an oversight hearing on the state auditor’s October 2024 report on California’s Forensic Conditional Release Program (CONREP) for sexually violent predators. Members and witnesses discussed public safety, the long delays in finding community housing, the role of local housing committees, and the Department of State Hospitals’ oversight of Liberty Healthcare, which operates much of the program. Several legislators from rural and high-desert districts said their communities have been disproportionately affected by placements and questioned why many placements end up in remote areas. State Auditor Grant Parks said the audit found that CONREP participants were convicted of new offenses less often than sexually violent predators who were unconditionally released, but that 18 of 56 participants had been revoked and returned to state hospitals for noncompliance. He said it took an average of 17 months to place current participants in the community, with 20 additional people awaiting placement for an average of 20 months, and that the program incurred significant pre-placement costs. Parks also said local officials were often unclear about their role, DSH had not given clear guidance at the time of the audit, and California lacks a transitional housing option used in some other states. He reported that DSH had implemented four of the five audit recommendations, while declining the recommendation to explore state-owned transitional housing. DSH Director Stephanie Clendendon and Liberty representative Ken Carabello defended the program as a court-ordered, highly supervised treatment model intended to reduce reoffending and support reintegration. They said DSH is actively involved in placement review, that Liberty searches countywide under statutory restrictions, and that community feedback and court approval are part of the process. DSH said it has now implemented guidance for housing committee designees, formal program reviews, an outcome tracker, and an analysis of whether to separate some Liberty services into different contracts. DSH continued to oppose transitional housing, arguing it would not solve the core siting and statutory problems and would add cost. Several members remained critical, arguing the program is broken, costly, and unfairly concentrated in certain communities, and some called for major statutory changes or suspension of the program.

Transcript Highlights:

• taxes, buying goods and &gt;&gt; okay, &gt;&gt; okay, &gt;&gt; okay, &gt;&gt; an<00:37:25.280><c> urban
• </c><00:37:25.760><c> or</c><00:37:26.000><c> rural</c><00:37:26.320><c> community</c> &gt;&gt; an urban
• community or rural community &gt;&gt; an urban community or rural community supports<00:37:27.040><c
• We counted that as one of our urban areas, but still that would fit in technically within the Black Belt
• </c><00:48:23.200><c> areas,</c><00:48:23.680><c> but</c> that as a one of our urban areas, but that

Bills: SB62, HB361, HB244, HB377, HB411, HB422, HB423, HB425, SB16, HB452, HB354

Keywords: SB62, Alabama, conservation and natural resources, hunting license, fishing license, wildlife heritage license, license identification, government-issued ID, residency determination, in-state residency, student residency, tuition classification, public higher education, domicile, resident status, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, DCNR, Section 9-11-32, Section 9-11-33, Section 16-64-3

Transcript Highlights:

• Programming, $1 million; Equitable Development Action, $170,000; YMCA of the North, $400,000; Twin Cities Urban
• Programming, $1 million; Equitable Development Action, $170,000; YMCA of the North, $400,000; Twin Cities Urban
• Programming, $1 million; Equitable Development Action, $170,000; YMCA of the North, $400,000; Twin Cities Urban
• Programming, $1 million; Equitable Development Action, $170,000; YMCA of the North, $400,000; Twin Cities Urban
• Programming, $1 million; Equitable Development Action, $170,000; YMCA of the North, $400,000; Twin Cities Urban

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of it uses census data with the urban area definition, and...
• If an additional community was designated as one of these urban areas based on the census population
• Just for clarification, is urban mean 50,000 more population? Is that what the standards for urban?
• And currently, we are the only four fixed routes that do tie into being in urban.
• There is not a requirement that you have to be in urban to have a fixed route.

Summary: The committee began with roll call, introductions of a new fiscal analyst and a new member, and approval of the March 19 minutes. The first major presentation was from the Office of Management and Budget on the state’s general fund and special fund status through May. OMB reported general fund revenues were running below the legislative forecast by about $76 million, driven largely by weaker individual income tax and sales tax collections, though the projected ending balance remained positive and above the budgeted level. The budget stabilization fund was above its cap and would transfer excess earnings to the general fund, and the legacy fund balance continued to grow. Members also asked about federal funding uncertainty and mineral leasing revenue variability. The committee then reviewed compliance reports and trust fund analyses, followed by discussion of a bill draft for the fixed-route city transportation network study. The draft would create a $15 million general fund grant program with a formula-based distribution to eligible fixed-route transit cities, intended to support operating and capital needs and help match federal transit funds. Transit officials from Minot and Fargo testified in support, explaining local fare and match structures and the difficulty of replacing aging buses and securing federal matching dollars. Several members questioned whether the program should be limited to the current four cities or broadened to future eligible urban areas, and whether local funding sources should be explored further. The committee did not finalize the bill draft at that point and planned to continue discussion at a later meeting. The committee also approved a bill draft repealing obsolete language related to approval of a bi-state authority with South Dakota, after staff explained that no agreements had ever been implemented and the provision appeared outdated. A roll call vote was taken and the motion carried. Later, the Department of Commerce and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site presented updates on uncrewed aircraft systems initiatives, including the Vantis radar data enclave, the drone replacement program, and efforts to build a revenue model for Vantis. Test site officials said FAA approval had been secured for the radar data program, replacement of noncompliant drones was underway, and future revenue could come from state and external users once pricing and intellectual property arrangements are finalized. Members asked about Chinese-made drones, supply chain issues, automation, and how the system would manage beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation then presented on the design of a new minimum-security prison and a reentry housing study. Officials said the proposed facility would relocate the minimum-security prison to the penitentiary campus, reduce costs from an earlier estimate, and provide more beds and programming space, with construction potentially beginning in 2027 and opening around 2031. They also described staffing needs, the planned move of women to the New England facility, and possible expansion of men’s housing there. The parole and probation chief described a reentry housing task force studying housing needs for people leaving incarceration, with a goal of developing data-driven recommendations for subsidies and support services; a representative from Protection and Advocacy closed by expressing general support for fixed-route and paratransit funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we have thriving programs from all across the state in both metro and urban and rural settings, and
• Um, the chapters that we have in our urban areas are definitely thriving in their own way.
• areas are definitely thriving in urban areas are definitely thriving in their<00:13:24.320><c> own</
• </c><00:13:54.720><c> and</c><00:13:55.040><c> rural</c> watching each both urban and rural watching
• each both urban and rural chapters<00:13:55.920><c> thrive</c><00:13:56.240><c> in</c><00:13:56.480><

Bills: HF3580, HF3566

Keywords: agriculture, livestock, depredation, crop damage, wolf compensation, elk damage, state funding, agricultural protection, trespass, criminal penalties, farm equipment, agricultural land, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It increases urban growth into farm and rural areas.
• And it also, if it's adjacent to an urban growth area, it expands that area.
• So you could get... ...to an urban growth area, it expands that area.
• The ag enclaves are limited to the urban growth boundary.
• The ag enclaves are limited to the urban growth boundary.

Summary: The committee first considered CS/SB 1434 on infill redevelopment. A late-filed strike-all amendment narrowed eligibility to certain contaminated or brownfield properties in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, added adjacency and density/intensity limits, and excluded agricultural land, park land, land outside the urban growth boundary, and land near military installations. The amendment was adopted without opposition, and the bill was reported favorably on an 8-0 vote, with limited support and opposition noted in waived appearance forms. Members then took up CS/CS/SB 212 on sexual offenders and sexual predators. The strike-all added public swimming pools and related child-centered locations to residency and presence restrictions. Testimony was sharply divided: proponents argued the bill would help protect children and law enforcement, while opponents, including treatment experts and homelessness advocates, said there was no empirical evidence the restrictions reduce abuse and warned of retroactive punishment and increased homelessness. The amendment was adopted, and the bill passed 8-1. The committee also approved CS/CS/SB 686 on agricultural enclaves after an amendment allowing certain enclaves adjacent to interstates to be developed for commercial, industrial, or single-family residential uses and clarifying exclusions for protected areas. Opponents argued it would weaken zoning and comprehensive plans, while supporters framed it as a property-rights measure; the bill was reported favorably 10-0. SB 554 on nonprofit corporations, a technical update to nonprofit law modeled on prior for-profit corporate revisions, also passed unanimously after supportive waived testimony. Later, the committee approved SB 1338 on charitable giving, which creates a donor remedy for endowment restrictions and limits state reporting burdens on certain regulated or exempt organizations; members discussed cy pres and the sponsor said further changes would be worked out later. CS/SB 532 on court fees was amended to let clerks retain all collections above revenue projections rather than half, with supporters saying clerks have been underfunded for years; it passed 10-0. The committee also favorably reported SB 218 on land use regulations, which restores normal land-use authority to counties not affected by recent hurricanes, and CS/SB 692 on cybersecurity standards and liability, which creates a presumption against liability for entities that comply with cybersecurity frameworks and reporting requirements; the cybersecurity bill drew concerns about retroactivity and the adequacy of compliance incentives but passed 9-2.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I know that sometimes it's moving into urban corridors and urban areas, you know there's a lack of
• </c><00:15:02.199><c> corridors</c><00:15:03.000><c> and</c><00:15:03.279><c> urban</c><00:15:03.680>
• <c> areas</c><00:15:04.440><c> you</c> into urban corridors and urban areas you into urban corridors
• and urban areas you know<00:15:04.800><c> there's</c><00:15:05.000><c> a</c><00:15:05.240><c> lack</c
• </c><00:48:10.119><c> rural</c> community St Cloud is urban rural community St Cloud is urban rural suburban

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• displacement has largely been brought on by what I would characterize as unintended consequences of recent urban
• While these laws seek to encourage gentle urban... make unsolicited pushes to get people to succumb to
• displacement has largely been brought on by what I would characterize as unintended consequences of recent urban
• While these laws seek to encourage gentle urban, And the subsequent SB 1123.
• While these laws seek to encourage gentle urban infill building, in this instance they have been exploited

Summary: The Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee heard several housing-related bills. SB 996 by Senator Padilla would let manufactured homeowners opt to title their homes as real property, with supporters saying this would improve access to conventional mortgages, consumer protections, and lower-cost financing. SB 866 by Senator Blakespear would require cities and counties to include homelessness-related information in their annual housing element reports, with supporters saying the bill would improve transparency, regional coordination, and accountability around homelessness funding and services. The committee also heard SB 1090 by Senator Perez, which would impose a temporary moratorium in Altadena on certain state housing density laws after the Eaton Fire. Supporters, including Supervisor Catherine Barger and many Altadena residents, argued the bill would protect fire survivors from speculative investors and give families time to rebuild and return home. Opponents argued the bill could limit tools that homeowners need to finance rebuilding and could reduce future housing production. After extensive testimony, the committee passed SB 1090 to the Assembly Local Government Committee on a 10-0 vote. SB 1388 by Senator Durazo would create an Affordable Housing Risk Reduction Program to help affordable housing providers reduce insurance costs through technical assistance and risk-mitigation support. Supporters said rising insurance premiums are threatening the viability of affordable housing developments and existing units. The committee also reconsidered and then voted on SB 1092, which was taken up only for reconsideration and final vote; after a split vote, the bill ultimately passed the committee. Final recorded votes showed SB 866 and SB 996 passing unanimously, SB 1388 passing with one no vote and one not voting, and SB 1092 passing 7-5 after reconsideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• displacement has largely been brought on by what I would characterize as unintended consequences of recent urban
• While these laws seek to encourage gentle urban... homeownership as compared to the rest of the state
• displacement has largely been brought on by what I would characterize as unintended consequences of recent urban
• While these laws seek to encourage gentle urban, And the subsequent SB 1123.
• While these laws seek to encourage gentle urban infill building, in this instance they have been exploited

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to ensure that equalization, which promotes fairness for students with disabilities in all regions—urban
• ’s Office had pointed out that the Teacher Residency Grant Program looks like it’s benefiting more urban
• we can address teacher recruitment and retention at smaller rural districts rather than just in the urban
• ’s Office had pointed out that the Teacher Residency Grant Program looks like it’s benefiting more urban
• we can address teacher recruitment and retention at smaller rural districts rather than just in the urban

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education heard the Governor’s proposals on dual enrollment, reading difficulty screeners, special education, school facilities, and Commission on Teacher Credentialing programs. For dual enrollment, the Department of Finance described a $100 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund proposal to expand the Dual Enrollment Opportunities Grant Program, add flexibility for regional occupational centers, support justice-involved youth, prioritize higher-need LEAs, and allow funds for teacher professional development, along with a reduction in required instructional minutes for some dual enrollment students. The LAO recommended rejecting the new funding, saying it did not address a clear implementation barrier, while CDE supported the proposal and suggested reserving $10 million for technical assistance. Members and public commenters largely supported the expansion, with some urging additional technical assistance and broader access, including adult dual enrollment. The committee then discussed the reading difficulty screener proposal, which includes $40 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund for implementation costs and statutory changes that would delay formal screening until the 91st day for kindergarten and the 46th day for grades 1-2. Finance said the timing was intended to reduce over-identification and align screening with sufficient exposure to instruction; the LAO recommended rejecting the funding and redirecting it to a discretionary block grant. CDE supported the investment but cautioned about the timing restrictions, and several members and public witnesses argued the proposed deadlines were too rigid and could delay early intervention, while others supported the structured timeline as a way to improve accuracy and reduce misidentification. On special education, Finance presented a proposal to increase the statewide base rate to $99 per ADA through a $509 million ongoing Proposition 98 General Fund augmentation, plus COLA and a negative growth adjustment. The LAO said the proposal should be adopted but estimated it could be achieved with less funding; CDE strongly supported the increase, citing rising enrollment and local cost pressures, and district and SELPA representatives described large local funding gaps and growing expenditures. The committee also reviewed school facilities funding under Proposition 2, with Finance and the Office of Public School Construction describing $1.5 billion in proposed bond spending, existing balances for new construction and modernization, and the use of bond authority for natural disaster recovery, including projects related to recent fires. For the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the committee heard about the Student Teacher Stipend Program, the Golden State Teacher Grant, state operations funding for misconduct investigations and SB 848 implementation, and a $250 million proposal to extend the Teacher Residency Grant Program; CTC supported the proposals and highlighted new data systems and technical assistance, while public testimony broadly backed the investments and urged continued or additional funding for teacher recruitment, literacy screening support, and special education.

Transcript Highlights:

• years to make sure that this program is distributed across the state in neighborhoods far and wide, in urban
• years to make sure that this program is distributed across the state in neighborhoods far and wide, in urban
• years to make sure that this program is distributed across the state in neighborhoods far and wide, in urban
• years to make sure that this program is distributed across the state in neighborhoods far and wide, in urban
• years to make sure that this program is distributed across the state in neighborhoods far and wide, in urban

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 2565, which would require University of Washington gifts, grants, and similar funds to be invested through the Washington State Investment Board instead of UW’s internal investment office. Staff and the prime sponsor argued the change would lower fees and improve returns, while UW’s representatives opposed the bill, citing concerns about donor intent, legal restrictions on thousands of individual endowments, and differences in portfolio management and liquidity needs. No questions were raised in the hearing, and no action was taken on the bill at that time. The committee then moved into executive session on several bills. On Third Substitute House Bill 1607, related to recycling and waste reduction, members adopted a technical amendment but rejected amendments that would have directed unredeemed deposits to the Working Families Tax Credit and litter programs, added accountability requirements for grants, or created a SNAP-related benefit. The bill was then reported out of committee with a do pass recommendation on a 17-13 vote. On Second Substitute House Bill 1622, concerning bargaining over public employers’ use of artificial intelligence, members adopted one amendment updating the AI definition and rejected three others that would have narrowed bargaining triggers or limited the bill to technologies with demonstrable material impacts. The bill was reported out with a do pass recommendation on a 19-11 vote. The committee also advanced House Bill 2254, which would cover administrative costs for the Partnership Access Line assessment, and House Bill 2385, which extends timelines for the Medicaid access program after federal changes affected implementation; both were reported out with do pass recommendations. House Bill 2531, continuing and adjusting the ground transportation quality assurance fee structure, also passed out of committee. Finally, House Bill 2543, allowing county clerks to increase certain fees to cover court-related costs, was reported out with a do pass recommendation on a 22-6 vote. The committee adjourned after completing its business.

Transcript Highlights:

• The walkability, the sense of community, and the quality of life for communities, both rural and urban
• support not only museums and historical sites to have arts programming across the rural landscape and urban
• We have 178 nonprofits across the state. 83 are considered rural, 95 urban.
• We would look at providing a higher percentage cut to our larger, more urban and suburban-based arts
• So I'm always wanting to make sure that we kind of really connect our two urban and also the surrounding

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, you do know that in rural areas and urban areas. The digital divide is real, correct?
• You do understand that in rural parts of Texas and urban parts of Texas, that the digital divide is real
• , meaning that a lot of people in urban Texas and rural Texas don't have access.
• But I agree with you, and there are parts of Texas, urban and rural. where they just don't have the technology
• I think I'm concerned about people in rural Texas and especially people in urban parts of Texas, such

Bills: SR5, SB5, SB11, SB12, SB25, SB26, SB28, SB35, SB5, SB11, SB12, SB25, SB26, SB28, SB35, SB5, SB11, SB12, SB25, SB26, SB28, SB35, SR5

Keywords: redistricting, Senate procedures, public input, Texas Legislature, amendments, Texas Senate, congressional districts, legislative procedures, legislative transparency, Senate rules, public hearings, committee procedures, hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, occupational licenses, criminal offenses, SB 11, Texas attorney general, election crimes

Transcript Highlights:

• That process works well in most rural and traditional settings, but as Texas counties continue to urbanize
• roadway space for safety, transit, freight, and micro mobility improvements, key tools for managing our urban
• It's still considered low on some people's scale, but we have all the issues that the urban counties
• We deal with those, those urban issues every day, and this is just part of that and we, we appreciate
• Customer experience, especially for Texans in large urban areas where commuting to a tax office can be

Bills: HB 341, HB 469, HB 971, HB 1624, HB 2721, HB 2959, HB 3365, HB 3731, HB 3793, HB 3861, HB 3946, HB 3966, HB 4348, HB 4401, HB 4402, HB 4924, HB 4966, HB 5563

Keywords: affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, commercial vehicle, safety standards, enforcement, Texas counties, transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• important to understand the nature of the little fire ant infestations on Maui, which are not limited to urban
• important to understand the nature of the little fire ant infestations on Maui, which are not limited to urban
• /c><00:09:45.920><c> not</c><00:09:46.360><c> limited</c><00:09:46.840><c> to</c><00:09:47.600><c> urban
• </c> Maui, which are not limited to urban Maui, which are not limited to urban houses,<00:09:48.720><

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The AEN hearing on March 14, 2025 reviewed several agriculture, biosecurity, animal, and climate-related measures, but the chair announced at the outset that the committee would not have decision-making that day because quorum was not expected. Decision-making for the full agenda was rescheduled to Monday, March 17, 2025 at 1:02 p.m. in room 224. Testimony was limited to one minute per speaker. Measures heard included HB 48 HD2 on coffee labeling and regional origin, HB 782 HD1 creating a Department of Agriculture working group to review obsolete agricultural laws, HB 980 HD1 on mongoose and feral chicken control, and HB 1237 HD1 appropriating funds for agricultural biosecurity and invasive species work in Maui County. The Department of Agriculture supported HB 48, HB 782, and HB 1237, and several industry and conservation groups testified in support of the first two. HB 980 drew strong opposition from Pono Advocacy and the Hawaiian Humane Society, who argued it raised animal cruelty and public health concerns, especially during H5N1 risks; the measure also had support from agriculture-related groups. HB 1237 received broad support, with witnesses asking for language changes to broaden coverage to additional invasive species and to better support Maui Invasive Species Committee work on little fire ants and other pests. The committee also heard SCR 88/SR 71 on a microbial algae soil products pilot program, SCR 91/SR 74 on self-defense law changes for agricultural communities, SCR 93/SR 76 on integrating indigenous knowledge into climate policy, SCR 94/SR 77 on Maui axis deer control and venison, and SCR 103/SR 84 on a PFAS working group. Testimony on SCR 91/SR 74 came largely from ranching and agricultural interests in support, citing trespass, poaching, and safety concerns. SCR 93/SR 76 drew support from a Native Hawaiian testifier and others who emphasized stewardship, intergenerational planning, and climate resilience. SCR 94/SR 77 and SCR 103/SR 84 also received support, including from the Department of Agriculture and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply on the PFAS measure. No votes were taken.