Transcript Highlights:

• Workers engaged in agriculture, manufacturing, construction services, and logistics are all protected
• We believe this bill is greatly needed to provide some oversight on construction projects that are being
• and labor codes, and that required prevails. consistent with our strong public contract and labor codes
• Millions of California tax dollars go toward public works construction.
• Second, the request for certified payroll cannot slow down or stop the construction of projects.

Summary: The committee heard several labor-related bills, with AB 1424, AB 1340, AB 288, and AB 746 all advancing on due-pass motions to Appropriations after testimony and roll calls. AB 1424 would require climate resiliency and extreme-heat protections in CDCR facilities; supporters described dangerous heat conditions for incarcerated workers and staff, while no opposition testified. AB 1340 would allow rideshare drivers to unionize and collectively bargain; drivers, labor groups, and researchers testified that app-based work is low-paid and unstable, while TechNet, Uber, Lyft, and other business groups argued the bill conflicts with Proposition 22 and could raise costs. AB 288 would let PERB step in when federal labor remedies are unavailable; supporters said it is needed because of NLRB dysfunction, while the Chamber of Commerce raised preemption and enforcement concerns. AB 746 would create an inmate cooperative program and a green reentry reserve; supporters framed it as a recidivism-reduction and reentry strategy, and there was no opposition testimony. The committee also heard AB 858, which would extend hotel and hospitality worker recall rights after declared emergencies and extend existing COVID-era protections. Hospitality workers and unions supported the bill as a way to protect jobs after pandemics, wildfires, and other disasters, while hotel, chamber, retail, restaurant, trucking, travel, and attractions groups opposed it, saying the current recall rules were meant to sunset and that the bill would create broad liabilities and hiring complications. The bill was moved to Appropriations but remained on call after the roll. AB 291, creating a credentialed educator apprenticeship program to address teacher shortages and improve diversity, drew support from education groups and stakeholders who said apprenticeships could lower preparation costs and provide better support; it was also moved to Appropriations and placed on call. Later, the committee took up AB 1104, a solar-energy bill intended to clarify that private solar customers are not “awarding bodies” and to ease certain business-to-business solar transactions while preserving prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements for contractors. Supporters said the current interpretation has chilled commercial solar adoption and harmed jobs, while opponents from electrical workers, PG&E, and others warned about expanded “over-the-fence” power sales and the need for clearer limits. Members questioned the lack of a definition of “small,” and the bill was held without a second. The committee also heard AB 338, which seeks $50 million for Los Angeles and Ventura wildfire workforce recovery; the author and county officials described major job loss and business destruction and said the funds would support displaced workers and rebuilding, with the testimony continuing beyond the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• If I get in a contract dispute and I have the contract, I don't go to the sheriff.
• I know it's a contract dispute.
• Not even from the construction industry. Not even from the construction industry.
• So, in construction, diversion.
• individual with that with that contract. individual with that with that contract.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I thank my colleagues for their feedback and their really, really constructive recommendations.
• I think my colleagues for their feedback, and they're really, really constructive. in the process, I
• think my colleagues for their feedback and their really, really constructive recommendations.
• The amendment removes from the bill the provision authorizing FDOT to contract, operate, and maintain
• It authorizes FDOT to acquire, own, construct, and operate certain airports, and it requires FDOT to

Bills: S0260, S1220, S1352, S1362, S1370

Keywords: electric vehicle, EV, battery fire, lithium-ion battery, towing, wrecker service, vehicle storage, submerged vehicle, saltwater damage, fire marshal, fire safety, tow yard, impound, storage fee, administration fee, local ordinance, county ordinance, municipal ordinance, insurance coverage, motor vehicle insurer

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard several bills, beginning with SB 1362 on advanced air mobility. Senator Harrell described the bill as a framework for vertiports and eVTOL aircraft, but an amendment removed the sales tax exemptions and narrowed the sovereign immunity provisions to vertiports co-located at airports. Supporters said the bill would help Florida lead in emerging aviation technology, while opponents and some members raised concerns about safety, local control, and extending immunity to unproven facilities. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably. The committee also considered SB 260 on storage of damaged electric vehicles. The bill, as amended, would allow local governments to set a daily administrative fee of up to three times the normal rate for storing EVs with visible battery damage or saltwater intrusion, reflecting fire-safety spacing requirements. Testimony from insurers, towing interests, and fleet operators focused on whether the fee was justified, whether cleanup language could lead to cost shifting, and whether more data reporting should be required. The amendment was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. Members then approved SB 1352, which creates a secure online portal for license plate seizures and related DMV functions, preserves disabled veterans’ plate designations, prohibits license plate covers that obscure plates, and routes online license and ID renewals through county tax collectors. SB 1370 was also reported favorably; it closes a loophole so drivers who never obtained a license can still face habitual traffic offender penalties after repeated offenses. Finally, the committee took up SB 1220, a broad FDOT transportation package. After amendment, it retained provisions on trails, SunTrail, seaports, airports, drone delivery, autonomous vehicle protections, and FDOT coordination on federal funding, while removing the digital driver’s license provision and the rapid rail compact language. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• near military construction near military construction near military installations, mainly Fort Noell
• tall structures within a construction tall structures within a construction tall structures within a
• Well, just to stop construction if it's they just want to construction if it's they just want to construction
• Yes, is future construction, right? Yes, is future construction, right? Yes, ma'am.
• this is for future construction, right? this is for future construction, right? Yes, ma'am.

Bills: HB 10, HB 12, HB 147, HB 1522, HB 422, HB 675, HB 204, HB 748, HB 912

Keywords: regulatory reform, government efficiency, administrative law, rulemaking, agency deference, judicial review, de novo review, Texas Government Code, Administrative Procedure Act, state agencies, plain language, regulatory burden, regulatory reduction, cost-benefit analysis, fiscal note, public benefits and costs, contested case, rule challenge, Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, advisory panel

Transcript Highlights:

• Substitute for House Bill 4012, relating to reducing the regulatory burden on utility companies when constructing
• and maintaining elected. ...to reducing the regulatory burden on utility companies when constructing
• Bill 4602, relating to requiring the Department of Human Services to establish a pilot program to contract
• Bill 4602, relating to requiring the Department of Human Services to establish a pilot program to contract
• Bill 4602, relating to requiring the Department of Human Services to establish a pilot program to contract

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So with that I'll just turn over to the page two which is the project design and construction program
• So if you look down on the roadway maintenance contracts and the roadway and that was a really high priority
• This makes those available for roadway maintenance through either contract maintenance or For the department
• I will say the LFC recommendation did move some money out of the contracts line.
• That would be in the contracts line versus the Air Service Assistance Program So that's one thing to

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in duth hired me so I was a construction in duth hired me so I was a construction project<00:03:
• These are contracts that have to be negotiated between utilities and providers.
• These are contracts that have to be negotiated between utilities and providers.
• These are contracts that have to be negotiated between utilities and providers.
• These are contracts that have to be negotiated between utilities and providers.

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The Committee on Energy Finance and Policy met for an informational session and quorum was present, but the chair stated no action would be taken. Members and staff introduced themselves, and Chair Chris Swedzinski outlined the committee’s broad goals of improving Minnesota’s energy system for families and businesses, with an emphasis on affordability, reliability, and development. Several members echoed those priorities, especially concerns about electric reliability, base-load generation, and the needs of rural communities, co-ops, munis, farms, and small businesses. House fiscal analyst Ashley presented a budget overview for the committee’s jurisdiction. She reviewed spending and base amounts for the Energy Resources Division, the Renewable Development Fund, the Petroleum Tank Release Cleanup Fund, and the Public Utilities Commission, and explained that the committee also oversees special revenue and other accounts. She noted that the Renewable Development Fund is supported by utility payments for spent nuclear fuel storage, the cleanup fund by a petroleum distribution fee, and that the Commerce Department receives significant federal LIHEAP and weatherization funds. Members asked about the large increase in the Climate and Economic Development Fund and the status of recent appropriations; staff explained that the 2023 session set a larger target, that about $79 million had been spent from the relevant budget, and that some funds may carry forward. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on community solar gardens. Representative Dave Baker asked for an update on the program, and staff explained that Minnesota has about 1,600 megawatts of solar, with more than 900 megawatts in community solar. Staff said 2023 legislative changes capped annual additions and created new incentives for low- and middle-income participation. Members also discussed concerns about program cost, local siting opposition, and a large interconnection queue; staff said there is a backlog of projects, including a reported 56 gigawatts in the MISO queue, and that utilities need distribution upgrades to handle new capacity. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's going to take about 7 to 8 years, so construction of this, we're looking at 10 to 11 years from
• Um, so is H working on a contract with an emergency charter, you know, to help the residents of M?
• It's very difficult for them to just be available unless we had some kind of open-ended contract with
• So the intent is for us to get an open-ended contract that will allow state agencies and legislative
• <00:38:15.280> Services essential service for Contract Services essential service for Contract

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on SB 540, which would make the most recent state building codes supersede county codes beginning in 2028 and limit county changes without State Building Code Council approval. Grassroot Institute testified in support, while IBEW Local 1260 strongly opposed the bill as written, warning it could let counties weaken state minimum standards and create problems for fire code and sprinkler requirements. Members discussed the need for consistency in building codes and the impact of the State Building Code Council’s status, and the chair said the measure would be deferred indefinitely. The committee also heard SB 626 on disaster preparedness, which would prohibit planting large trees along evacuation routes and require HEMA to identify and remove obstructive trees. Testimony included comments from DLNR, HEMA, and others, with HEMA opposing the measure. The chair said more coordination was needed between DLNR and HEMA and deferred the bill. SB 692, regulating retail and wholesale spray paint sales and assigning jurisdiction to the Department of Law Enforcement, drew opposition from the Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi, which said the bill would impose costly storage and reporting burdens on small retailers and raise identity-theft concerns. The committee deferred that measure as well. In a separate decision-making segment, the committee considered SB 9 on fireworks and recommended passage with amendments. The amendments narrowed or removed several sections, increased certain penalties from $500 to $1,000, adjusted forfeiture allocations, accepted an Attorney General amendment, added an appropriation for community safety education programs, and changed the effective date to July 1, 2077. The motion to pass with amendments was adopted by a vote of 2-1. Later, in a joint hearing, SB 1102 on the aircraft rescue firefighting unit drew support from DOT but opposition from the Hawaiʻi Firefighters Association, which asked that the bill be held. SB 41, establishing Hawaiʻi Disaster Drill Day on August 8, received support from HEMA and a public testifier. SB 1570, addressing Molokaʻi air service disruptions and a possible runway expansion, drew strong public support from Molokaʻi residents and service providers, while the Attorney General raised separation-of-powers concerns about the emergency declaration language and DOT noted the high cost and feasibility issues of runway expansion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Audits on construction projects of a public work are subject to the Texas Prompt Pay Act, and audits
• I am a construction lawyer who practices in this area, and I'm here really for any questions you have
• Two, it allows them to enter into contracts. Three, it allows them to hold and transfer property.
• The bill also provides legal certainty by clarifying how DUNAs can engage in contracts, hold property
• It provides clear instruction on how the governance of a protocol and the construction of a compliant

Bills: HB111

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Under the bill, APCO shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at
• With respect to Dominion, it shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure
• , Madam Chair, SB 823 from Senator Bagby authorizes the Board of Contractors to require specific contract
• sale, lease, or power purchase agreement for a residential solar energy system to have a written contract
• sale, lease, or power purchase agreement for a residential solar energy system to have a written contract

Keywords: House Room A, General Assembly Building, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with an attorney and keep them on contract for some of those cases.
• So it's the contract attorneys who are doing the bulk of the work.
• Are they meeting the requirements that are in their contract? How are we doing?
• We have four that are closed and under construction.
• Where are they in their permits and their final construction costs?

Bills: SB48, SB64, SB100

Keywords: State Fairgrounds District, fairgrounds bonds, public financing, bond authorization, gross receipts tax, gaming tax, tax-backed bonds, infrastructure funding, Albuquerque fairgrounds, State Fair Tid, economic development, municipal bonds, revenue pledge, capital projects, New Mexico finance, special education, office of special education, deputy secretary, public education department, IEP

Transcript Highlights:

• And just some background, I do construction.
• And so we were able to contract with them very quickly off of that list.
• How do we clean it up on a state level and how does that contracting work?
• How do we clean it up on a state level and how does that contracting work?
• construction companies.

Summary: The committee first heard a presentation from the Environment Department on PFAS contamination in private wells in La Cienega, Santa Fe County. Staff said the plume likely came from historic use of firefighting foam associated with airport and National Guard fire-training activities, with possible additional contribution from septic systems and consumer products. They described the contamination as affecting about 200 private wells, the short-term response of providing residential filters through a $2 million legislative appropriation, and ongoing work to define the plume’s full extent, identify responsible parties, and consider longer-term regional water solutions. Members asked about filter costs, replacement schedules, disposal of used cartridges, follow-up testing, health studies, and whether cleanup or containment had begun; the department said cleanup would follow once the plume is fully mapped and that DOH is soliciting interest in a blood study. The committee also discussed the need to track disposal of PFAS filters and the possibility of broader statewide capacity for similar work. The committee then took up abandoned uranium mine cleanup. NMED and EMNRD staff reviewed the new uranium mine reclamation program created by HB 164, the state dashboard tracking sites, and the FY26 appropriation of $20 million for neglected contaminated sites, of which $12 million is being used for neglected uranium mines and the remainder for other contaminated sites. They said six contractors were hired, three priority sites in Grant County are moving forward quickly, and additional sites are being prepared for possible FY27 work. Members pressed for details on how funds are spent, why the revolving fund remains unfunded, how federal, state, tribal, and landowner requirements are coordinated, where contaminated material will be moved, and whether cleanup could also address homes built with contaminated materials. Staff said the work is governed by multiple regulatory layers, that the state is seeking an additional $25 million for FY27-FY28 plus a time extension, and that partnerships with tribes would require longer-term agreements. The committee also discussed federal cleanup efforts and the new Good Samaritan law, with members urging stronger advocacy for New Mexico sites, including tribal lands, and asking whether the Attorney General should pursue legal action against federal parties responsible for legacy contamination. Staff explained that some sites are already covered by settlement funds tied to responsible parties, while neglected sites are those with no responsible party and no other cleanup program. The committee then heard from EMNRD on Class VI carbon sequestration primacy. Staff said New Mexico currently has no operating Class VI wells, about 27 Class II acid-gas injection wells are operating, and only a small number might be candidates for conversion. They explained that the state’s primacy application would require more public outreach than federal rules alone, and that cost estimates for post-injection site care are based on long planning horizons, with some costs borne by operators and some by the state after closure. No votes were taken on the substantive items discussed; the committee approved the prior meeting minutes and took a brief recess between presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• well as the next construction season.
• And so the spent on the construction.
• There's another 6% in active construction and 3% complete.
• But as you construction and 3% complete.
• :33.680> versus<01:02:34.000> when employee contracts settled versus when employee contracts

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I permitted and sighted and oversaw you know public communication throughout construction of a lot of
• And not entering into the contract would pose a greater threat.
• I know I've worked on military bases before on construction and in federal contracts...
• I know I've worked on military bases before on construction and in federal contracts.
• Representative Aguilar: Bases before, on construction and in federal contracts, you have requirements

Bills: HB2121, HB2134, HB2451, HB2700

Keywords: modification, electronic equipment, consumer rights, OEM restrictions, civil penalties, intellectual property, critical infrastructure, foreign adversaries, China, communications, security, Arizona Space Commission, strategic plan, aerospace, economic development, space industry, education, workforce training, assistive technology, disability services

Transcript Highlights:

• construction that's built on the site. construction that's built on the site.
• towns that have denied all construction towns that have denied all construction of<01:15:44.800>
• <01:20:50.000> housing jump through if they construct housing jump through if they construct
• construct in your town for a long time. construct in your town for a long time.
• We pull back and contract a little bit.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held a public hearing on Senate Bill 291, which would update religious land-use and property tax exemption rules for church-owned parsonages, parish houses, and similar properties. Senator Tim Lang, speaking for the sponsor, said the bill was intended to address situations where former parsonages are no longer occupied by clergy and are instead used for church-related purposes such as housing staff, religious education, or congregate living tied to ministry, including addiction recovery. He emphasized that the bill was not meant to create commercial rental housing and that it also preserves reasonable zoning and environmental regulations. Committee members pressed the sponsor on how the bill would be applied, especially the meaning of “religious purposes,” the six-unit limit, the “same lot” language, and whether churches could use the exemption to rent units for revenue. The sponsor said the six-unit cap was added to prevent large-scale commercial rental use, that congregate housing would be limited and defined, and that the bill was meant to cover uses like substance abuse recovery, homes for unwed mothers, and religious education, but not apartments converted for ordinary rental. He also said churches would still file annual exemption paperwork and towns could challenge claims they believed were commercial. Questions also raised concerns about whether the bill treated religious and nonreligious housing trusts differently; the sponsor responded that the bill was aimed at church-owned property used in pursuit of a religious mission. Several witnesses testified in support. Representative Mark Pearson, an active clergyman, said the bill would not remove additional property from the tax rolls because clergy housing allowances typically lead clergy to buy taxable homes elsewhere, while the church-owned parsonage remains exempt. Nick Taylor of Housing Action New Hampshire supported the bill as a modest expansion that could help create more attainable housing by allowing better use of existing religious land and structures, though he noted his organization would support even broader use. The hearing ended without a vote or final action, and the chair closed questions after the testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we entered into a contract with New Mexico State Forestry to take on this project.
• And then they did the construction.
• DHSCM is the lead agency, and we've contracted out that PPDR.
• The contract with NMACD is a good option.
• To bring on added capacity through contracts. I've got 144 contract staff helping me do this.

Transcript Highlights:

• moratorium on data center construction moratorium on data center construction in<01:50:07.480>
• a year into the contract that the contract<02:37:33.480> expired contract expired contract expired
• construction is planned. construction is planned.
• <03:12:59.200> entity<03:12:59.480> the contract the the contracting entity the contract
• constructed in Maryland, 8 years. constructed in Maryland, 8 years.

Keywords: House streaming session for Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a quorum call showing 116 members present, and approval of the previous day’s journal. It then took up three ceremonial resolutions. One honored Robert Buchanan for his philanthropy, community leadership, and service in the greater Washington region; another welcomed a visiting delegation from County Tipperary, Ireland, and recognized efforts to strengthen Maryland-Ireland ties; and a third congratulated Dr. Miriam Rogers on her retirement as superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools and her 2026 Woman in School Leadership Award. The chamber then moved through a series of committee reports, largely adopting favorable reports on bills without objection and ordering them to third reading. Measures included House Bills 435, 954, 1087, 1470, 936, 1110, 1554, 187, 324, 688, 776, 1152, 1320, and 1348, covering topics such as movie captioning in public accommodations, procurement and finance, health care facilities, school food procurement, tax foreclosure notice requirements, agricultural electricity tax study, expungement, child support rights, intercepted communications penalties, juvenile supervision, police orders studies, victim notification, and human trafficking reporting. Several bills were amended before being advanced, including House Bill 768 on benefits for children in custody, which added a foster youth savings program; House Bill 877 on institutional debt reporting, which changed reporting dates and required a data dictionary; House Bill 1092 on child advocacy centers, which clarified continuity-of-care standards and technical assistance grants; House Bill 310 on restrictive housing for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities, which required assessment at admission; House Bill 634 on police training, which added training on intellectual and developmental disabilities; House Bill 750 on access to religious facilities; House Bill 752 on gift card valuation and forgery; House Bill 1005 on child abuse and neglect reporting; and House Bill 1105 on consumer protection limitations, which was amended to apply only to civil suits. House Bill 1105 drew additional discussion, with the minority leader asking for a special order to review the changes, and the House agreed to postpone it until the appropriate time the next day. Later, House Bill 953, which would authorize transfers from the Revenue Stabilization Account to the State Disaster Recovery Fund, prompted extended questioning about Western Maryland flooding, FEMA denials, and the state’s response; the bill was presented as a way to provide relief after federal aid was denied. The transcript ends with the House still in session and continuing through the appropriations report.

Transcript Highlights:

• entered into a 20-year contract entered into a 20-year contract agreement<00:06:11.520> to
• <00:28:21.600> And<00:28:21.840> I as the contracts on the back end.
• And I as the contracts on the back end.
• Our contracts run through 2027.
• Our contracts run through 2027, the year 2027.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• WE CAN SEE THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AND THE LARGE SCAFFOLDING.
• MAYBE A LOT OF THEM HAVE HAD CONSTRUCTION DEFECT SETTLEMENTS BUT THOSE SETTLEMENTS WERE PENNIES ON THE
• SO WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO DO THE REPAIR FOR THE CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS THAT THEY RECOVERED MAYBE 10 OR
• COMMUNITY THAT KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONTRACT SIGNED WITHIN ONE YEAR.
• IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT; THEY ARE SORT OF HELD HOSTAGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GET THESE CONTRACTS SIGNED.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We currently, if you take a snapshot today, have over 12,000 active contracts.
• These contracts are being managed by FDOT employees.
• It would have taken seven to ten years, even with the project under construction, to fully realize the
• Currently, to manage our portfolio of assets, we use about 80% contract and 20% in-house skilled labor
• We have five under construction, and a megaproject is $500 million or more.

Summary: The committee held a panel discussion on micro-mobility device regulation and enforcement, focusing on e-bikes and e-scooters. Sheriff Robert Hardwick and Chief Jamie Cruz described serious injuries involving children, including crashes at high speeds, and argued that current law is outdated because it folds e-bikes into the bicycle statute. They urged a separate statewide framework with clearer age limits, licensing or training requirements, helmet rules, and penalties for modifying devices to go faster. Both also emphasized that parents should bear responsibility and that enforcement should include education, progressive discipline, and, if needed, civil citations. FDOT District 6 Secretary Daniel Iglesias and DHSMV representative Lonnie Groner said their agencies are prioritizing education, outreach, and better data collection. They noted that micromobility devices are increasingly common, create safety and accessibility issues on sidewalks and shared-use paths, and are difficult to track because crash reports often do not identify them consistently. Members discussed whether motorized devices should be barred from sidewalks, whether riders should be licensed and insured, and how enforcement could be made uniform statewide. The panel also said manufacturers have not been meaningfully engaged and that local approaches vary widely. The committee then heard 2026 legislative priorities from FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and DHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. Perdue outlined FDOT’s large five-year work program, ongoing congestion-relief projects, investments in ports, airports, rail, workforce, heavy equipment, facilities, and cybersecurity, and the need to do more with flat revenues. Kerner summarized DHSMV’s agency bill priorities, including requiring a Florida address and proof of residence for vehicle registration, updating identification requirements, aligning tank vehicle and motor carrier rules with federal standards, improving IFTA administration, raising the crash-report damage threshold, and allowing electronic notices. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.