Transcript Highlights:

• generation, energy storage, transmission, and distribution projects.
• Tax increment financing is a method of allocating a portion of property taxes to finance economic development
• but we actually rank last in getting new energy projects built.
• There are over 250 clean energy projects planned in the state.
• Without modernized laws, the energy... ...urgency for clean energy integration.

Summary: The committee held public hearings on several bills related to transportation, utilities, housing permitting, and port financing. Substitute Senate Bill 6309 would give regional transit authorities, such as Sound Transit, more flexibility to apply for permits before acquiring property, exceed certain local height/setback limits when needed for rail systems, and use development agreements to vary local standards; the sponsor and Sound Transit testified that the bill would speed delivery of light rail and bus rapid transit, and an amendment was described to allow permits on property not yet owned if the transit authority remains responsible for obtaining property rights. Substitute Senate Bill 6076 would streamline procurement rules for public utility districts on clean energy, storage, transmission, and distribution projects by raising self-performance and contract thresholds, allowing limited noncompetitive procurement in certain reliability or specialized-technology situations, and extending some provisions until 2045; supporters from PUDs, labor, and industry said the changes are needed because of rising costs, long lead times, and grid reliability demands, while committee members asked about the size of the threshold increases and the scope of the bidding waivers. Substitute Senate Bill 5729 would prohibit local governments from charging applicants for third-party plan review when a licensed local staff professional of the same discipline has already reviewed the materials, while still allowing third-party review at the applicant’s cost in certain cases; the sponsor said the bill was narrowed from a broader version and was intended to prevent duplicative fees, and builders supported it as a permitting streamlining measure. Senate Bill 6132 would create a narrow debt-limit exception for the Port of Moses Lake to support a rail project and preserve federal funding eligibility; the port and economic development supporters said the project is ready to bid and needs additional borrowing capacity because of inflation, and the sponsor clarified that the bill is intended to apply only to that port. Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5374 would require tribal governments to be included in transportation planning coordination under the Growth Management Act and create a tribal traffic safety coordinator grant program; the sponsor emphasized severe pedestrian fatality disparities for Native people and said the bill is about consultation and safety, while county representatives supported the policy goal but asked for clearer cross-references to existing GMA consultation and dispute-resolution processes. The committee also took up Substitute Senate Bill 6070/6076-related testimony and, at the end of the hearing, announced that bills would be executed the next day and amendment requests should be submitted as soon as possible.

Transcript Highlights:

• Energy Safety doesn't set compensation values and rates.
• And third, develop state-led financing strategies for resilience.
• can be financed, and victims are protected.
• can be financed, and victims are protected.
• And then tomorrow afternoon, I'll be at the Assembly Energy Committee. Yeah.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tracy Taylor, staff to the Finance Committee.
• Welcome to House Finance. Let's hear about your bill.
• Welcome to House Finance. Let's hear about your bill.
• Welcome back to House Finance. Let's hear about your bill.
• Good morning, members of the House Finance Committee.

Summary: House Finance heard several bills and took no recorded votes. HB 2367 would end special tax and emissions exemptions for the Centralia coal plant by limiting its Climate Commitment Act exemption to pre-2026 emissions, removing limits on additional greenhouse gas requirements, and repealing coal sales and use tax exemptions. The sponsor, Rep. Fitzgibbon, said the bill would help keep the plant’s transition to cleaner natural gas generation on track; Climate Solutions supported it, while business and clean-energy groups raised concerns about allowance-market impacts and asked for amendments to adjust the cap-and-invest allowance budget. HB 1974 would authorize public housing authorities, public corporations, and nonprofits to operate as land banks for affordable housing, give them priority for tax-foreclosed properties, and provide property tax, leasehold excise tax, and REET exemptions for land bank transactions. Rep. Hill said the bill was narrowed to reduce fiscal impact and support existing land banking work in Spokane; supporters said it would lower land costs and speed affordable housing development, while questions focused on how public land would be used and whether affordability should be permanent rather than limited to 30 years. HB 2650, a Department of Revenue request, would standardize notice and effective dates for local REET and lodging tax changes and clarify documentation for an affordable housing sales tax deferral. DOR supported the bill as an administrative efficiency measure, and there was no opposition testimony. HB 2626 would raise the premium tax on health maintenance organizations, health care service contractors, and self-funded multiple employer welfare arrangements from 2% to 3%, remove a dentistry-related exemption, and add a new 1% tax on certain disability and group stop-loss insurers. The sponsor said the bill is intended to help fund Apple Health and subsidies amid federal funding concerns; insurers and business groups opposed it as a cost increase likely to be passed on to consumers and employers, while patient and advocacy groups supported the revenue idea but urged that funds be dedicated to subsidies or other health care supports and that pass-through to consumers be prevented.

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee on Finance respectfully submitted, Glendee Jeffries, Chair.
• Office of Energy, and has amended same.
• Office of Energy, and has amended same.
• Office of Energy, and has amended same.
• for the Office of Energy.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> The Energy Committee will meet today at 1:30 in room 409. >> Energy 1:30 409. Mr.
• :21:43.200><c> Committee</c> &gt;&gt; The Energy Committee Energy Committee &gt;&gt; The Energy Committee
• Finance will meet at 10:30 in room 216. >> 10:30, 216, Finance. Senator Hobson. >> Thank you, Mr.
• &gt;&gt; 10:30, 216, Finance. Senator Hobson. &gt;&gt; 10:30, 216, Finance. Senator Hobson.
• Energy meets in room 409 1:30 room 216. Energy meets in room 409 1:30 p.m. p.m. p.m.

Keywords: MS Senate Floor - 3 March, 2026; 10:00 AM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, your Committee on Finance.
• securing and implementing grants for qualified clean energy projects.
• As you heard, it makes an appropriation of $500,000 to the Nevada Clean Energy Fund.
• It went towards numerous projects that helped bring jobs, clean energy jobs, clean energy.
• I have Amendment No. 892 proposed by the Senate Committee on Finance. Senator Donate.

Keywords: 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The purpose of this amendment is to empower the Office of Energy to develop a comprehensive energy development
• to create a comprehensive energy policy.
• Beyond energy savings programs, to create a comprehensive energy policy and development plan that embraces
• , natural gas, nuclear energy, hydropower, hydrogen, and geothermal energy.
• The Office of Energy will also work with communities to designate energy-ready development sites.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate considered and passed House Bill 4245, the Department of Revenue rules bundle covering 27 rules from six agencies. Members withdrew the committee amendment, adopted a floor amendment making changes to two lottery rules and one tax rule related to pre-need cemetery companies, then passed the bill 30-1. The Senate also adopted a title amendment and made the bill effective from passage by a 31-0 vote. Later, when the House rejected the Senate’s amendments, the Senate receded from its amendments and again passed the bill, making it effective from passage. The chamber also adopted several concurrent resolutions from the Rules Committee, including studies on school finance transparency, divorce grounds, the Southern West Virginia water crisis, athletic trainer access in public secondary schools, the eastern gray fox population, upland game bird stamp purchases, and the Public Service Commission. Senate Concurrent Resolution 50, calling for a study of the PSC, was also adopted. In addition, the Senate passed House Bill 5381, which expands the Office of Energy’s role to develop a comprehensive energy policy and grid stabilization plan, and House Bill 5412, the Future Ready Education Act, after amending it to require annual vocational and agriculture offerings unless not viable and to set science-of-reading training requirements for K-5 literacy teachers by 2028-29. The Senate passed House Bill 845, a supplemental appropriation to the Governor’s Office Civil Contingent Fund, after concurring in a House amendment that reappropriated federal match grant funds and increased the civil contingency surplus fund from $15 million to $25 million; it was made effective from passage. The chamber also concurred in House amendments to House Bill 4106 on constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds, House Bill 4004 creating the Recharge West Virginia training reimbursement program, House Bill 5453 revising the school aid funding formula for special education weighting, and other measures including House Bill 4009 on portable benefits, Senate Bill 164 on substitute teacher definitions, and House Bill 4606 on pretrial release for certain felonies. A lengthy debate centered on House Bill 4198, the E-Verify Safe Harbor Act. The Judiciary Committee amendment would have required public and certain private employers to use E-Verify, while a further amendment from the Senator from Randolph would have limited the mandate to public employers and made E-Verify optional for private employers with liability protections for good-faith use. After extensive discussion about small business impacts, federal-state conflicts, and enforcement, the Senate adopted the Randolph amendment and then passed the bill 31-3, with a title amendment also adopted. The Senate later refused to concur in House amendments to House Bill 4010, concurred in House amendments to House Bill 5438, receded from amendments to House Bill 4765, and adjourned sine die.

Transcript Highlights:

• :00] Welcome, presenters, and all those who are watching live from TVW to the Senate Environment, Energy
• But they should also have a sense of what is a lifetime cost, what are energy costs?
• And I think of transmission as energy efficiency.
• I'm here testifying on behalf of Puget Sound Energy, testifying as other today.
• I'm a finance guy. I went and read the port's financial statements for 2024.

Summary: The committee heard public testimony on three bills. SB 5652 would require the University of Washington, Commerce, the King County Department of Public Health, and the Port of Seattle to study and mitigate aviation-related air quality and noise impacts around Sea-Tac, create a work group and grant program, address failed noise insulation “port packages,” and require a state auditor review. The sponsor and supporters from affected cities and community groups described serious health and quality-of-life harms from airport noise and pollution, while the Port of Seattle, Washington Public Ports Association, and AWB opposed the bill, arguing it would impose new mandates, raise cost and governance concerns, and interfere with airport operations. Testimony on the bill was reopened after other business and then closed; no vote was taken. SB 6124 would direct Commerce to study an appliance affordability index that would consider repairability, maintenance, recyclability, performance life, and related factors. The sponsor said the bill is meant to help consumers compare lifetime costs and repair options, drawing on family experience with durable appliances. Consumer and environmental advocates supported the idea as a way to improve transparency and encourage repairable products, while industry groups opposed a state-specific index, warning it would create a patchwork of standards and compliance burdens. The hearing closed after testimony, with no action reported. SB 5466 would create a Washington Electric Transmission Authority, give it powers to support transmission development and, in some cases, acquire property and own or sell transmission projects, and provide a SEPA categorical exemption for certain transmission upgrades with tribal and resource-protection conditions. Supporters from clean energy, labor, utilities, and state agencies said the bill is needed to expand grid capacity, improve reliability, speed clean energy interconnection, and create jobs, though many asked for bonding or financing authority and refinements to the exemption language. Some utilities and business groups supported parts of the bill but opposed state ownership or said the authority should focus more on permitting and coordination; others raised concerns about ratepayer risk and duplication. The hearing closed after extensive testimony, with no vote announced.

Transcript Highlights:

• Energy Advisory Council?
• , you know, the energy office does for energy efficiency.
• financing for generation, transmission, and energy storage projects, purchase and sell electric power
• F, provide financing for generation, transmission, and energy storage projects.
• Moving on, let's see, provide financing for generation, transmission, and energy storage projects, purchase

Keywords: 1064, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill does go to the Finance Committee.
• In fact, our commitment to producing clean energy is sought after by other states because the energy
• Energy burdens should reduce energy burdens, not increase them.
• Mike DeAntonio with Xcel Energy.
• leadership in the energy transition.

Bills: SB12 , SB36 , SB92 , SB120 , SB133 , SB151 , SB18 , SB96

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Keywords: tax credit, physician, healthcare, income tax, rural health, quantum technology, infrastructure, economic development, New Mexico, corporate tax, research and development, innovation, affordable housing, gross receipts tax, tax deduction, construction materials, multifamily housing, low income, journalism, local news

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> energy transition. energy transition.
• </c> of solar energy. of solar energy.
• At the time, solar energy in Minnesota was a tiny part of our energy mix.
• </c><00:42:17.359><c> cheapest</c><00:42:17.599><c> energy</c> Solar energy is now the cheapest energy
• Representative Craft moves that House File 4233 be recalled from the Committee on Energy Finance and

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the associate general counsel at CenterPoint Energy in Minnesota.
• CenterPoint Energy has over 900,000 customers in Minnesota, supplying natural gas.
• </c><00:04:28.960><c> in</c><00:04:29.080><c> Minnesota</c> Point Energy in Minnesota Point Energy in
• </c> that uh you know some of the financing that uh you know some of the financing costs<00:10:33.000
• And with that, Senate File 9.99 is laid over for possible inclusion in an energy omnibus.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to supply nuclear energy operations, and extending is developed specifically to supply nuclear energy
• Washington has several tax increment financing programs, including the community revitalization financing
• Authority to provide conduit financing for eligible partners that request transmission financing.
• renewable energy build-out.
• renewable energy build-out.

Summary: The committee took up executive action on the capital budget, Proposed Substitute Senate Bill 6003, and several policy bills. Staff described amendments to the capital budget that shifted funding among behavioral health, local/community projects, irrigation projects, and juvenile rehabilitation capacity, plus a technical fix to the water pollution control revolving program. The committee adopted Senator Dozier’s budget-neutral amendment and a technical amendment, then advanced the amended capital budget to the Rules Committee. It also moved House Bills 2441, 2124, 2471, 2133, 2610, and 2338 forward with due-pass recommendations, and advanced Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2251 on Climate Commitment Act accounts to the Transportation Committee after adopting two amendments and withdrawing three others. A major public hearing focused on Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2034, which would terminate and restate LEOFF Plan 1 in 2029, transfer surplus assets, and direct portions to the Climate Commitment Account and the pension funding stabilization account. Staff said the plan is currently about 160% funded and explained the bill’s IRS-review process, statute of limitations, and estimated implementation costs. Testimony was sharply divided: some retirees, firefighters, counties, and cities opposed the bill as an improper use of pension assets and urged benefit enhancements or protection of local medical obligations, while others supported using the surplus for broader public purposes. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. The committee also heard House Bill 2179 on PERS coverage for certain port workers, with ports and the Washington Public Ports Association supporting clarification for railroad employees covered by the federal railroad retirement system. House Bill 1069, allowing Department of Corrections employees to bargain over supplemental retirement benefits, drew support from Teamsters and corrections workers, while House Bill 2091, expanding employee-information sharing with bargaining representatives, drew union support and privacy objections from Washington Policy Center. Finally, Second Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1210 on targeted urban area tax preferences drew support from labor, local governments, and project proponents, and opposition from contractor groups and environmental advocates over project labor agreement requirements and nuclear-related concerns; Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1408 on community preservation and development authorities and Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1974 on land bank authorities for affordable housing were also heard, with both receiving supportive testimony from community and housing advocates.

Transcript Highlights:

• Department of Finance. Tom Con, Department of Finance.
• Department of Finance. Tom Con, Department of Finance.
• Department of Finance. You have anything? I know I'm calling Department of Finance.
• Department of Finance? Kayla? Department of Finance, nothing further to add. LAO?
• For example, utility assistance and financial energy assistance are areas the energy providers feel they're

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Human Services heard an overview of efforts to streamline access to safety net programs and move toward more automatic, person-centered enrollment. CDSS, DHCS, and CalHHS described current cross-enrollment between Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and CalWORKs, including data showing high overlap among programs and a text-message outreach pilot that increased CalWORKs applications and enrollments but reached only a small share of potentially eligible people. Witnesses emphasized barriers such as differing federal eligibility rules, data-sharing limits, privacy concerns, and the need for better technology, consent management, and stakeholder engagement. Members pressed the administration on how to institutionalize these efforts across administrations and asked for concrete budgetary and regulatory steps to support “no wrong door” enrollment and automatic referrals. The committee also reviewed several chair priorities. On the proposed foster care multi-agency office, CDSS said existing coordination structures already address much of the intended work and asked to verify prior fiscal scoring. On the Employment First Office, CalHHS explained that the office’s $1 million budget was eliminated in the 2024-25 budget as part of deficit reductions, while noting that employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities remains an administration priority through existing departmental coordination. For the food insecurity proposal, CDSS said it could provide technical assistance but would need new data-sharing agreements, could not separately calculate a CFAP participation rate with current data, and would likely need until July 1, 2027, plus ongoing staffing, to complete the requested report. The mandated reporter proposal drew support for reform, with CDSS estimating low-millions in one-time training costs and ongoing costs in the hundreds of thousands. The subcommittee also discussed a guaranteed income proposal. CalHHS suggested drafting new statutory language and considering a county-administered model rather than a state-run competitive grant process to reduce administrative burden, while members and public commenters urged support for AB 661 and a study of a permanent statewide guaranteed income program. Public testimony also supported automatic enrollment, community-supporting mandated reporting reforms, and cash assistance for fire recovery. In the final items, CSD described how local nonprofit partners helped during the Los Angeles fires with food, housing vouchers, transportation, and emergency energy assistance, and explained that LIHEAP and CSBG remain important but limited tools for disaster response. CSD also said recent federal staffing cuts and possible future federal budget threats could affect LIHEAP and CSBG administration, though no immediate service disruptions had occurred and additional LIHEAP funds were expected to be released soon.

Transcript Highlights:

• energy energy authorizes<01:02:27.039><c> certain</c><01:02:27.319><c> government</c><01:02:27.720><
• </c><01:05:57.119><c> storage</c> provided for solar and energy storage provided for solar and energy
• </c> acceleration of rooftop solar and energy acceleration of rooftop solar and energy storage<01:12:
• energy ulona initiative sunp energy<01:13:20.920><c> Blue</c><01:13:21.159><c> Planet</c><01:13:21.480
• </c> developer to get paid more for energy developer to get paid more for energy because<02:26:54.920

Committee: House Energy & Environmental Protection

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee on Energy and Environmental Protection heard testimony on Senate Bill 897, which would create a Wildlife Liability Trust Fund within DCCA for administrative purposes. The chair opened by noting the hearing had to end by noon because of floor session, and that written testimony would be considered if not all witnesses could speak. Testimony included support from DCCA, the Attorney General’s office, the Public Utilities Commission, Charter Communications, Ulupono Initiative, AES Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric, Clearway Energy Group, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Hawaiian Telcom, and IBW Local 1260, with opposition or concerns from the Hawaii Association for Justice and some others. Hawaiian Electric strongly supported the bill and asked for amendments, saying the fund would help address wildfire liability, protect customers and the economy, and support restoration of investment-grade credit; it also proposed a larger shareholder contribution and said the bill was part of a broader effort to raise settlement funds and improve grid safety and resiliency. Committee members focused heavily on whether the bill would actually lower costs for ratepayers and improve credit ratings. DCCA said there was a nexus between limiting liability, creating a sufficiently large wildfire fund, and transparent mitigation requirements, but acknowledged there was no guarantee of a credit-rating improvement or precise estimate of rate impacts. Members questioned Hawaiian Electric about the assumptions in its cost comparisons, the 30-year securitization structure, and whether funding could be shifted later to shareholders after credit was restored. Hawaiian Electric responded that the bill assumes the fund is paid through securitization, that removing that presumption could undermine the credit-rating benefit, and that its models suggest credit-spread savings could offset the customer charge over time; it also said it would follow up with additional analysis. The company and Ulupono both described the measure as a difficult but potentially necessary way to socialize wildfire risk and avoid a larger crisis later. The Hawaii Association for Justice opposed the bill’s liability caps and raised concerns about consumer rights, oversight discretion, statute-of-limitations changes, and evidence rules. Hawaiian Telcom suggested amendments to clarify compliance with FCC pole-attachment agreements. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided, and members indicated they wanted more analysis before being comfortable with the bill’s long-term ratepayer impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• Alternative financing mechanisms such as these publicly financed loans or grants are a key recommendation
• Alternative financing mechanisms such as these publicly financed loans are grants.
• Alternative financing mechanisms such as these publicly financed loans or grants are a key recommendation
• Madam Chair, Mark Fenster-Maker for Peninsula Clean Energy and Valley Clean Energy in support.
• Energy Authority, Apple Valley Energy Authority, Pomona Choice Energy, Santa Barbara Clean Energy, and

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy met without a quorum at first and proceeded as a subcommittee, then later established quorum and took up three bills. AB 1715, by Assembly Member Schiavo, would require the CPUC to create a searchable online database of utility advice letters, responses, and resolutions dating back to 2020, and add quarterly reporting on taxpayer-funded loans and grants to investor-owned utilities. Supporters, including TURN, said the bill would improve transparency and accountability around utility financing and ratepayer savings; no formal opposition testified, though SDG&E and SoCalGas said committee amendments addressed their main concerns. The bill was moved do pass as amended to Appropriations and ultimately passed 16-0. AB 1761, by Assembly Member Rogers, would improve transparency around the PCIA charge paid by community choice aggregators and other departing load customers by allowing advance access to data used in the calculation through an existing CPUC nondisclosure process. CalCCA, several CCAs, local governments, and clean energy groups supported the bill, arguing that current PCIA-setting practices are opaque and can cause rate shock; IOUs opposed, citing concerns about market-sensitive data and noting an existing CPUC process they said had not been fully used. After discussion of confidentiality protections and the committee amendments, the bill passed 15-0 to Appropriations. AB 1787, by Assembly Member Schultz, would require the CPUC to direct the large investor-owned utilities to offer optional dynamic rate tariffs once smart meter and related system upgrades approved on or after January 1, 2027 are in place. Supporters said dynamic pricing can help customers shift usage to lower-cost, cleaner periods and reduce peak demand costs, while opponents from PG&E, SDG&E, and SCE argued the bill was too prescriptive, could conflict with ongoing CPUC proceedings, and might create cost or implementation issues. The author said he would continue working with opponents and accepted committee amendments; the bill passed 13-0 to Appropriations. All three measures were reported out, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, you're looking into our energy costs and you feel that, in other words, our energy costs
• We didn't look at other renewable energies.
• I'm glad that you favor thermal energy.
• This bill will move to finance. Next.
• This bill will move to the Finance Committee.

Committee: Senate Energy And Telecommunications

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications considered a large agenda focused mainly on energy affordability, the CLCPA, utility rates, and renewable energy siting. Senator Mattera and other Republican members argued that the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act has driven up utility bills, harmed reliability, and imposed costs on ratepayers, while Democratic members pushed back that rising costs are also driven by natural gas markets, infrastructure costs, and broader economic factors. Several bills sought to repeal or pause CLCPA-related policies, create a CLCPA task force, impose studies or moratoriums on new energy taxes and fees, and increase transparency around utility surcharges and state energy spending. Supporters framed these measures as ratepayer relief and accountability; opponents said some proposals would undermine clean-energy policy and existing consumer-benefit programs. The committee defeated S.1167, which would have repealed the All Electric Building Act, and S.1173, which would have created a CLCPA task force. It also failed S.5250, a bill to study CLCPA costs and impose a moratorium on new energy taxes, fees, or regulations, and S.7075, which would have prohibited the system benefits charge on utility bills. Several other bills advanced, including S.1236A on virtual access and electronic filing for Public Service Commission proceedings, S.1552 establishing reduced residential rates for low-income electric and natural gas customers, S.2484 directing a study of replacement timeframes for battery storage and renewable facilities, S.2638 on carbon allowance auction proceeds, S.3247 on electric vehicle charging stations, S.3553 requiring utilities to post promotional and educational materials on their websites, S.4571A creating a floating solar incentive education program, S.5518 shifting Public Service Commission funding to legislative appropriation, and S.6412A requiring itemized ratepayer disclosure of surcharges. S.9251, on labor-related legal costs, was referred to the Labor Committee. S.7710, which would have restricted energy storage systems near schools and homes in New York City, failed after concerns and support were debated. The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• We went through this in finance.
• There's just the finance committee report. Okay, then just the finance committee report.
• Back to the finance committee report. Any further discussion on the finance committee report?
• Energy program.
• Let energy work for us, not us work for energy.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Finances or things like that.
• They buy energy when it's dark and they sell energy when it's light.
• So, the New Mexico Finance Authority and Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources will have to spell this
• Renewable energy gets me excited.
• renewable energy available?

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the president of Positive Energy and also a board member of the Renewable Energy Industry Association
• Our energy future.
• Energy is everybody needs it.
• to clean renewable energy.
• I made a contract with Positive Energy.

Summary: The committee began with roll call, noting several members present and others absent, and then announced that HB 338 had been rolled. The first bill taken up was HB 332, a committee substitute authorizing or reauthorizing 376 previously approved capital projects, with changes that could extend reversion dates, alter purposes, or change administering agencies. After no public comment, members asked about the reauthorization period, project listings, and how HB 332 would interact with HB 247, which had been passed earlier in the session. The committee clarified that HB 332’s projects would be grandfathered in and that the standard extension is two years. The committee then voted 12-0 to do pass the committee substitute and do not pass the original HB 332. The committee next heard SB 55, which would increase a state solar tax credit from 10% to 30% while keeping the existing $30 million cap and sunset date. Legislative Finance Committee staff explained that the credit had been scored at about $9 million in recent years, so the bill would create an estimated $21 million general fund impact. The sponsor and supporters argued the bill would help New Mexico’s solar industry after the federal credit changed, preserve jobs, support small businesses, farmers, tribal communities, and lower-income households, and promote clean energy. Public testimony was strongly in favor, including from industry representatives, tribal advocates, and individual homeowners, while no opposition testified. Committee members raised concerns about fiscal impact, whether the credit should be part of the tax package, and whether an income test should be added. Some members also described consumer-protection concerns involving solar contracts, liens, and misunderstandings about credits and installation costs. The sponsor said the bill was intended to stand alone but acknowledged the fiscal issue and said it could be considered in the tax package. The committee ultimately voted 11-1 to table SB 55, with members noting it could be revisited later in the session.