Transcript Highlights:

• like for you to adjourn in memory of Al Hollingsworth, the former Main Street manager of the city of Port
• of</c><00:47:47.400><c> the</c><00:47:47.600><c> city</c><00:47:47.920><c> of</c><00:47:48.000><c> Port
• </c> manager of the city of Port Gibson. manager of the city of Port Gibson.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 23 March, 2026; 4:00 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There's also an exemption for Bloomington Port Authority for $20,000 in fiscal 26 and 27 and $40,000
• > for</c> There's also an exemption for There's also an exemption for Bloomington<00:26:32.080><c> Port
• ><00:26:32.320><c> Authority</c><00:26:32.880><c> for</c><00:26:33.360><c> $20,000</c> Bloomington Port
• Authority for $20,000 Bloomington Port Authority for $20,000 in<00:26:34.400><c> fiscal</c><00:26:34.880

Bills: HF9

Keywords: energy policy, renewable energy standard, carbon-free standard, solar standard, hydroelectric, hydropower, electric utility, Public Utilities Commission, PUC, renewable portfolio standard, carbon capture and sequestration, CCS, greenhouse gas emissions, climate policy, nuclear power plant, certificate of need, fossil fuel plant demolition, utility compliance delay, beneficial electrification, sales tax exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• Mann, Marty, Mathews, McEwen, Miller, Mitchell, Mohamed, Murphy, Nelson, Oumou Verbeten, Pappas, Pha, Port
• 00:11:32.640><c> Baiton,</c><00:11:33.279><c> Papus,</c><00:11:34.160><c> Pa,</c><00:11:34.800><c> Port
• ,</c> Nelson, Omuver, Baiton, Papus, Pa, Port, Nelson, Omuver, Baiton, Papus, Pa, Port, Pratt,<00:11:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Joining me now is Senator Lindsey Port, who says housing is a key priority for her this session.
• 00:14:49.639><c> is</c><00:14:49.800><c> Senator</c><00:14:50.199><c> Lindsey</c><00:14:50.680><c> Port
• </c><00:14:51.199><c> who</c><00:14:51.320><c> says</c> now is Senator Lindsey Port who says now is Senator
• Lindsey Port who says housing<00:14:52.000><c> is</c><00:14:52.199><c> a</c><00:14:52.440><c> key</c

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And I don't know that I have an answer in respect to the service ports that can be provided during summer
• challenge for districts because that means potentially another teacher right to provide said services ports

Transcript Highlights:

• Port, Birdwell, Hall, Hinojosa, Middleton. Parker, Perry, Schwertner, Saffirini, Paxton.
• I won't read it, but it does list various ports in which the writ power is available for original jurisdiction

Bills: SB16, SB76, SB310, SB311, SB396, SB505, SB827, SB964, SB1209, SB1210, SB1386, SB1470, SB2035, SJR37, SB 16

Keywords: voter registration, proof of citizenship, Election Code, criminal offenses, limited federal ballot, transportation, infrastructure, funding, public safety, state regulation, election, polling places, voter access, state oversight, electronic voting, voting, polling place, elections, countywide program, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• 2455 by canals relating to the maximum weight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles operating a port
• or entry on certain roads associated with the near port of entry for the Committee on Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• 2455 by Canales relating to the maximum weight of a vehicle or combination of vehicles operating a port
• or entry on certain roads associated with the near port of entry for the Committee on Transportation

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• conditions that make vessels derelict on the state waters, and that is whenever the vessel is moored in a port
• without the permission of the port, or whenever a vessel is moored, docked, or grounded upon the property

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources received a presentation from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on derelict vessels, enforcement challenges, and a long-term stored vessel study. FWC reported about 1,040 derelict vessels currently in its database, with roughly 600 new cases entering each year, and noted that hurricanes account for a large share of recent cases. The agency explained the legal definition of derelict vessels, the environmental and navigation hazards they create, and its enforcement process, including investigation, notice to owners, administrative hearings, removal authorization, and recovery of costs through registration holds. FWC also described prevention efforts such as at-risk vessel enforcement, nuisance vessel designations, public awareness campaigns, and the vessel turn-in program, which has received more than 250 applications and removed more than 145 vessels since rollout. Committee members asked about owner resistance to removal, rapid-response options for hazardous vessels, county differences in derelict vessel numbers, and how local governments participate. FWC said only a small percentage of owners contest removals, that the agency relies on contractors and does not generally have its own removal equipment, and that local governments may conduct removals with their own funding but must still provide due process. Members also asked where removed vessels go; FWC said they are taken to landfills, with recyclable materials recovered, and that storage is used only when necessary for public safety because it is costly. The presentation also highlighted the long-term stored vessel study, which found a strong correlation between long-term anchored vessels and later derelict vessels, especially in Monroe County. No votes were taken on the presentation, and the committee adjourned after Senator Errington moved to adjourn and there was no objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Over 500,000 people visited CHS Field last year in the heart of our downtown's Lowertown community.
• </c><00:07:00.879><c> player</c> bottom line is our visiting player bottom line is our visiting player
• from the visiting teams on the<00:07:37.039><c> facilities</c><00:07:37.560><c> that</c><00:07:37.720
• I believe you all have the handouts that explain what we're going to do to augment the visiting players
• I think we would find room in the budget to paint the visiting players' facilities pink.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Port, yes. With 10 yeses and zero no votes, the A... Chair Wickland Yes.
• Senator<00:32:26.160><c> Port</c> Senator Port Senator Port Yes.
• Senator<01:28:30.840><c> Port.</c> Senator Port. Senator Port. Yes.
• Senator Port: No. With four yes votes and five no votes, the A-15 is not adopted.
• Senator<01:37:11.160><c> Port</c><01:37:12.160><c> No.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's only when they get in the ports.
• When it comes into, for example, port in Hawaii, your laws apply.
• When it comes into, for example, port in Hawaii, your laws apply.
• When it comes into, for example, port in Hawaii, your laws apply.
• When it comes into, for example, port in Hawaii, your laws apply.

Bills: SCR145, SCR132, SCR31, SCR110

Keywords: traffic violations, demerit point system, driver license points, traffic safety, hit and run, reckless driving, repeat offenders, recidivism, Department of Transportation, DOT, task force, traffic enforcement, road safety, vehicle code, license suspension, county police, Hawaii transportation, SCR132, Senate Concurrent Resolution, Makakilo Drive Extension

Transcript Highlights:

• 35.800><c> and</c> You know, we support secure borders and You know, we support secure borders and ports
• . ports. ports.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House Republicans announced the formation of the Minnesota Latino Caucus as a sub-caucus of the House Republican Caucus. Chair John Koznick said the group is intended to give Latino conservatives a voice, promote “common sense” and right-of-center policies, and reach Latino communities across Minnesota, especially around affordability, lower taxes, less regulation, and government accountability. Representatives Bedell Duran and Erica Schwartz joined Koznick as founding members and described the caucus as a response to the diversity of Latino communities and the need for representation beyond a single political viewpoint. The members emphasized personal backgrounds and constituent outreach. Koznick discussed his adoption from Colombia and his long involvement with Latino advocacy groups, while Duran and Schwartz spoke about their districts, family histories, and experiences that shaped their politics. They said Latino Minnesotans live throughout the state, work in many fields, and should not be viewed as a monolithic voting bloc. They also highlighted issues such as education, postsecondary achievement, entrepreneurship, public safety, and the economic impact of immigrants and Latinos. In response to questions, the lawmakers said the caucus was not created solely because of recent Latino voting patterns, but they acknowledged Republican gains among Latino voters and said they want to continue competing for Latino support. They also said immigration policy should be clearer and more transparent, while supporting secure borders and reform. Koznick said he has bipartisan relationships with Latino legislators and pointed to support for a Hispanic or Latino art museum in St. Paul as an example of possible cross-party cooperation. No formal votes were taken; the event was a caucus launch and press availability, and the members said they would hold a celebratory kickoff later that evening.

Transcript Highlights:

• the entities included in the capital outlay bill include municipalities, parishes, levee districts, ports
• Well, there's parish governments, municipalities, our ports, all of those...
• Parish governments, municipalities, our ports—so all of those are considered like that.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Brian Enslow, on behalf of the Port of Walla Walla, here in opposition to 6231.
• At the Port of Walla Walla, we are constantly competing for economic development opportunities from our
• I represent the Chelan-Douglas Regional Port Authority in opposition to Senate Bill 6231.

Keywords: 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Brian Enslow, on behalf of the Port of Walla Walla, here in opposition to 6231.
• At the Port of Walla Walla, we are constantly competing for economic development opportunities from our
• I represent the Chelan-Douglas Regional Port Authority in opposition to Senate Bill 6231.

Summary: House Finance held public hearings on three Senate bills. SB 6129 would raise cigarette taxes, replace current nicotine/vapor product taxes with a 95% tax on nicotine products, and adjust revenue distributions to the Andy Hill Cancer Research account, the Foundational Public Health Services account, and a youth prevention account; staff and supporters said it would correct an unintended loss of public health funding and reduce youth nicotine use, while opponents argued it would be highly regressive, harm retailers and wholesalers, and push sales into illicit markets. SB 6231 would repeal the data center sales tax exemption for refurbishment and end replacement server equipment eligibility; the sponsor and staff said it would raise roughly $200 million and remove an obsolete preference, while labor, port, business, and data center representatives opposed it, citing lost jobs, reduced investment, and concerns about upsetting existing contracts and rural economic development. SB 6228 would repeal the preferential B&O rate for warehousing and reselling prescription drugs and create a lower preferential rate for critical access pharmacies; the sponsor said it would restore horizontal equity in the tax code and offset impacts on rural pharmacies, but pharmacy groups, wholesalers, retailers, and business organizations warned it would raise medication costs, worsen pharmacy closures, and be passed through to patients. The committee heard extensive public testimony on all three bills. Supporters of SB 6129 included public health, cancer, pediatric, and emergency medicine advocates who emphasized youth prevention, cessation funding, and long-term health savings; opponents included tobacco, vape, retail, and business groups who said the bill would increase black-market activity and burden small businesses. SB 6231 drew opposition from construction trades, ports, local governments, chambers, and data center interests, who argued the tax preference supports ongoing construction, permanent jobs, and local tax bases, while committee questions focused on whether the bill would affect existing refurbishment contracts. SB 6228 was opposed by pharmacy associations, independent pharmacists, wholesalers, grocery retailers, and AWB, who said the tax increase would be passed through and could accelerate pharmacy desert conditions; the sponsor and supporters framed the bill as a correction to an outdated preference and a way to protect critical access pharmacies. No votes were taken; each hearing was closed, and the chair announced amendment requests were due Thursday at 5 p.m. and amendments posted by Friday at 5 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• This concerns money available to a port district allocated for the purchase of zero- and near-zero-emission
• This bill would remove the expiration date on the authorization for port districts and port development

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on engrossed second substitute Senate Bill 6026, which would prohibit certain GMA-planning cities and counties from excluding residential development in commercial and mixed-use zones and would limit local requirements for ground-floor commercial or mixed-use space, subject to numerous exemptions and a possible study-based off-ramp. The bill sponsor and supporters, including the Lieutenant Governor, the governor’s housing policy advisor, Commerce staff, developers, labor/employer groups, and housing advocates, argued it would reduce barriers, reuse underutilized commercial land, and help address the state’s housing shortage. Cities including Bellevue, Kirkland, Bellingham, Redmond, Kent, Lacey, and Lakewood testified in opposition or with concerns, emphasizing local control, impacts on walkable neighborhoods and small businesses, implementation costs, and the need for more flexibility or clearer compliance options. Committee members asked about exemptions, the study process, and how the bill would affect existing local plans and incentives. The committee then moved to executive session on several bills. It rejected Representative Griffey’s amendment to Senate Bill 5820, which would have restored Clark County’s freight rail dependent overlay authority and added findings about greenhouse gas reductions from short line rail, and then passed SB 5820 out with a do pass recommendation. The committee also passed SB 5995, extending authorization for port districts to purchase zero- and near-zero-emission cargo handling equipment; SB 5552, directing rulemaking for kit home building codes; SB 5467, raising thresholds for water-sewer district surplus property sales; and SB 6189, removing the deadline for forming a public facilities district for regional aquatics and sports facilities. Each of those bills received a do pass recommendation, with some members noting support for housing, workforce, efficiency, or local flexibility and others expressing concerns about contracts, automation, or competitiveness. After executive session, the committee resumed testimony on SB 6026. Additional supporters, including the Lieutenant Governor, Commerce, developers, the Washington Roundtable, Microsoft, and housing organizations, reiterated that the bill would unlock housing on vacant commercial land and preserve some local flexibility through exemptions and height incentives. Opponents and concerned cities continued to argue that the bill would weaken local planning, reduce commercial space needed for complete communities, and impose costs and implementation burdens. The hearing concluded without final action on SB 6026, with the chair noting more testimony and work remained.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Border Connector Highway that will go from the Port of Santa Teresa to Sunland Park that's on this
• The Border Connector Highway that will go from the Port of Santa Teresa to Sunland Park that's on this
• That is intended to provide an alternate route for traffic coming into and heading to the Santa Rosa Port

Keywords: 996, all

Summary: The committee first heard TRIP’s annual New Mexico transportation report from Carolyn Boniface Kelly, which described deteriorating roads and bridges, congestion, safety concerns, and a large transportation funding gap. The report said more than half of major roads statewide are in poor or mediocre condition, over 170 bridges are rated poor, congestion costs drivers significant time and money, and traffic crashes and road conditions impose billions in annual costs. Members broadly agreed the report underscored the need for more stable transportation funding, with several noting the state’s recurring underinvestment and the safety risks to motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2, a transportation bonding and revenue package. Senator Gonzales and Governor’s office and NMDOT representatives said the bill would authorize about $1.5 billion in additional bond debt for ready-to-go highway projects, while also increasing certain motor vehicle excise, registration, weight-distance, and EV-related fees to help support debt service and transportation funding. Supporters, including contractors, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber, the Department of Finance and Administration, and transportation officials, argued the bill would improve safety, economic development, project delivery, and funding stability, and help preserve federal dollars. Opponents, including the Rio Grande Foundation and some committee members, objected to the tax and fee increases, argued the state should use existing surpluses or other funds instead, and raised concerns about impacts on families, businesses, and local governments. Committee members questioned how projects would be selected, how the new fees were calculated, how EV surcharges would work, and whether local government distributions would be affected. NMDOT said the projects would be reported to the legislature annually, selected using crash data, asset management, and project readiness, but bond approval would remain with the State Transportation Commission. After debate, Representative Romero moved do pass on SB 2 as amended, Representative Hochman-Vigil seconded, and the committee approved the bill 7-2, with Representatives Brown and Dow voting no and several members expressing reservations despite supporting the need for transportation investment.

Transcript Highlights:

• For the record, John Flanagan, representing the Port of Seattle, is here today testifying in support
• As others have pointed out or will point out, I should say, John Flanagan, representing the Port of Seattle
• Efforts are already underway at the Port of Seattle in collaboration with partners throughout the state

Summary: The committee first took executive action on House Bill 1170, which would require disclosures when content is developed or modified by artificial intelligence and address provenance tools and enforcement. Staff described a proposed substitute and several amendments. The committee rejected amendments that would have applied the bill to public entities and tribal nations, added technical-and-commercial-feasibility language, and created a geo-blocking provision or a right to cure. It adopted amendments allowing comparable existing detection tools to satisfy the bill, protecting covered providers from liability when disclosures are unintentionally altered despite reasonable preservation measures, and setting a January 1, 2028 effective date. Members then debated whether the bill was ready for enactment, with supporters emphasizing transparency and consumer trust and opponents warning it was premature and could hinder innovation. The committee voted 7-4, with two excused, to report the bill out of committee with a do-pass recommendation. The committee then heard House Bill 2186, which would expand state support for applicants seeking federal economic development funds, create a matching-funds account, and require a study of available federal grants. The prime sponsor said the bill would help Washington capture more federal dollars, especially for projects that require matching funds, and would expand the Fund Hub WA website beyond environmental grants. Testimony in support came from the Port of Seattle, the Washington Economic Development Association, the City of Pasco, a downtown Kennewick nonprofit, and the Department of Commerce, all saying the bill would improve competitiveness, help underserved communities, and leverage state dollars for larger federal returns. Commerce said it was still developing the fiscal note and technical edits. The hearing on HB 2186 was then closed. Finally, the committee opened a hearing on House Bill 2351, which would protect emergency responders and emergency response operations. Staff explained that the bill would bar local governments and incident command systems from assisting enforcement actions targeting emergency responders based on protected status, create emergency operation zones with restrictions on law enforcement activity, and change the obstruction statute to cover obstruction of emergency responders. The prime sponsor and many local officials, firefighters, and advocates testified in support, citing incidents where federal enforcement actions disrupted wildfire response and other emergencies. Some witnesses raised concerns about administrative burden, ambiguity, and possible unintended consequences, including a proposed mental-health defense and clarification of responder identification. The Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs and the Association of Washington Cities said they supported the goal but wanted changes to avoid conflicts and reduce burdens. The hearing concluded without a vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• was some discussion about requiring the harbor pilot in Tampa to be able to navigate through that port
• doing away with some of the continued professional education, the dissolution of certain licensing port
• I was a port commissioner right before I came here with the harbor pilots a lot.