Video & Transcript Research : 'crumbling concrete'
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MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 22nd, 2026
Joint Committee on Financial Services
Transcript Highlights:
- At its heart, the bill creates a crumbling concrete assistance fund administered by the Community Economic
- Here we are again, after the 2026 Crumbling Concrete Stakeholder Working Group released its report in
- Fast-forward to 2025, I served on the crumbling concrete stakeholder group.
- I think most of the problems are going to arise where a homeowner's going to find crumbling concrete
- Crumbling concrete foundations is a serious problem for our communities and our industry.
Keywords:
crumbling concrete, pyrite, pyrrhotite, homeowner assistance, financial relief, CEDAC, construction, insurance surcharge, foundation repair, Massachusetts
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a public hearing on two late-file matters, centered on S. 3091, a bill to create relief for homeowners affected by the crumbling concrete/pyrrhotite crisis. Senator Peter Durant presented the bill as a way to establish a crumbling concrete assistance fund, administered by CEDAC, to help replace failing foundations and reimburse homeowners who already paid out of pocket. He said the proposal follows recommendations from a state commission and would be funded by a $6 fee on homeowner/condo insurance policies and a $6-per-cubic-yard surcharge on concrete, with the goal of spreading costs broadly rather than placing them on homeowners alone. Several affected homeowners testified about severe financial and emotional harm, including expensive foundation replacements, lost equity, inability to sell or refinance, and long delays in getting help.
Homeowners Karen Riani, Michelle Iglesi, Karen Bellotti, and Russell Dupierre described living with homes that became unsellable or unaffordable to repair, and urged the committee to move the bill forward. Committee members asked about inspection practices, whether pyrrhotite can be detected during home sales, whether the bill would ban pyrrhotite, and how much funding the program would need. Witnesses said the problem is broader than originally understood, affecting at least 52 municipalities, and that the only fix is full foundation replacement. They also said the bill includes training and education for inspectors, but does not ban pyrrhotite outright because the issue is now being addressed through quarry testing and material controls.
Representatives of the concrete industry, including Craig Dauphinay, Karen Marshall, and Guy Glottis, said they support homeowner relief and the creation of a fund, but strongly opposed the concrete surcharge. They argued the industry has already taken significant steps, including supporting state testing and regulation of aggregate sources, and said the surcharge would unfairly assign blame, raise costs for residential, municipal, and infrastructure projects, and create cross-border competitiveness issues with neighboring states. They favored a Connecticut-style model funded primarily through insurance assessments, noting that Connecticut’s program has been successful and that Massachusetts could adopt a similar approach. No vote was taken at the hearing.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Financial Services Jun 22nd, 2026
Joint Committee on Financial Services
Transcript Highlights:
- At its heart, the bill creates a crumbling concrete assistance fund administered by the Community Economic
- Here we are again after the 2026 Crumbling Concrete Stakeholder Working Group released its report in
- Fast forward to 2025, I served on the crumbling concrete stakeholder group.
- I'm here today in support of the state action to support homeowners affected by the crumbling concrete
- Crumbling concrete foundations is a serious problem for our communities and our industry.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- The concrete batch plant is not...
- Or in this concrete batch permitting process, they only regulate the air.
- The best we can, because I know I'm not the only one that has concrete batch plant bills.
- Concrete batch plants and concrete mixing contribute to particulate matter pollution.
- They do not pose a value judgment on a concrete mix.
Keywords:
environmental enforcement, legislative oversight, inspection, concrete plants, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, environmental product declaration, grant program, ready-mixed concrete, manufacturers, sustainability, concrete plant, concrete batch plant, wet batching, dry batching, central mixing, standard permit, TCEQ, environmental regulation, air quality, construction permit
TX
Keywords:
concrete crushing, hospital proximity, environmental regulation, public health, zoning laws, concrete plants, standard permit, construction regulation, environmental compliance, health and safety code, water rights, property transfer, disclosure requirements, coastal property, Texas legislation, real estate, environmental impact, Gulf of America, coastal resources, Texas sovereignty
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Currently, a concrete batch plant.
- In addition to regulated air pollutants, concrete crushing facilities...
- This concrete crushing plant has no place in proximity to our new hospital. Thank you.
- Can you look at every concrete crushing facility you have and do the mission analysis?
- So most of our concrete crushing facilities are authorized under the rock and concrete crushing standard
Keywords:
concrete crushing, hospital proximity, environmental regulation, public health, zoning laws, SB 2203, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, State Office of Administrative Hearings, SOAH, contested case, administrative law judge, ALJ, discovery, scope of discovery, certification, administrative procedure, permit dispute, agency rules, Government Code
TX
Keywords:
concrete plants, environmental regulation, permit process, air quality, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, SB 1061, uranium mining, production area authorization, TCEQ, Water Code, groundwater, groundwater conservation district, restoration table value, restoration values, contested case hearing, Chapter 2001, mineral rights, surface owners, notice requirements, environmental permitting
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- A number of times on similar concrete issues, and I have said time and time again.
- Where concrete crushing facilities are prohibited from operating. I have witnesses here to speak.
- We believe a concrete crushing plant doesn't belong near a hospital. It puts our patients at risk.
Bills:
HB1730, HB1823, HB2048, HB2266, HB2440, HB3333, HB4086, HB4271, HB4413, HB4839, HB4841, HB5151
Keywords:
PFAS, perfluoroalkyl substances, polyfluoroalkyl substances, forever chemicals, public health study, environmental regulation, drinking water, groundwater, surface water, food packaging, chemical exposure, firefighters, chemical manufacturing workers, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, Railroad Commission of Texas, Department of State Health Services, University of Houston, occupational exposure, contaminants
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- substitute for Senate Bill 763 requires the TCEQ to conduct a periodic effectiveness review for concrete
- This legislation will require TCEQ to conduct a protectiveness review of standard permits for concrete
- . concrete batch plants every six years.
- name is Rich Sachey, I'm the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Texas Agricultural and Concrete
- The bill requires a scheduled six-year protectiveness review for standard concrete batch plants.
Keywords:
concrete plants, environmental regulation, permit process, air quality, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, SB 1061, uranium mining, production area authorization, TCEQ, Water Code, groundwater, groundwater conservation district, restoration table value, restoration values, contested case hearing, Chapter 2001, mineral rights, surface owners, notice requirements, environmental permitting
TX
Keywords:
concrete plants, environmental regulation, permit process, air quality, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, SB 1061, uranium mining, production area authorization, TCEQ, Water Code, groundwater, groundwater conservation district, restoration table value, restoration values, contested case hearing, Chapter 2001, mineral rights, surface owners, notice requirements, environmental permitting
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- HB1823 is Representative Thompson's bill relating to the operation of a concrete crushing facility near
- This legislation will require TCEQ to conduct a protectiveness review of standard permits for concrete
- This legislation takes a practical, balanced approach to ensuring the concrete batch plants in Texas
- There have been three protectiveness reviews about every 11 to 12 years of these concrete plants.
- SB 763 is the bill relating to standard permits for certain concrete plants.
Keywords:
translation, environmental quality, complaints, accessibility, multilingual, TCEQ, environmental justice, environmental complaints, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, language access, public information, Texas Commission, multilingual access, administrative actions, environmental regulations, state representatives, state senators, penalty notice, Water Code, legislative notification
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- tire load restrictions are outdated and do not reflect the unique operational needs of ready-mixed concrete
- Uh, increased fuel consumption, higher operating costs of concrete delivery.
- We currently allow 46,000 on a tandem axle ready mix, uh, concrete truck, uh, but when they add a third
Keywords:
transportation, TxDOT, Texas Department of Transportation, road projects, highways, infrastructure, bridge construction, interchanges, corridor improvements, road widening, railroad grade separation, sound barrier, unified transportation program, legislative notice, project prioritization, capital projects, state highway system, Farm-to-Market Roads, San Antonio, Harris County
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- loader restrictions are outdated and do not reflect the unique operational needs of ready-mixed concrete
- weight limits lead to inefficient routing, increased fuel consumption, and higher operating costs for concrete
- Currently, we allow a weight of 46,000 pounds on a tandem axle ready-mix concrete truck.
Keywords:
transportation, TxDOT, Texas Department of Transportation, road projects, highways, infrastructure, bridge construction, interchanges, corridor improvements, road widening, railroad grade separation, sound barrier, unified transportation program, legislative notice, project prioritization, capital projects, state highway system, Farm-to-Market Roads, San Antonio, Harris County
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Jul 23rd, 2026
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- This amendment is helping us move forward and take the next step toward solving the crumbling concrete
- We're currently at a town number of, I think, 51, 52, oh, 53 towns that are affected by crumbling concrete
- concrete, sewage, roofs, some major parts.
- Crumbling concrete, sewerage, roofs, some major projects that are necessary.
- concrete.
Summary:
The Senate considered a large number of amendments to an economic development bill and adopted them one by one, with repeated brief recesses as members finalized language. Early amendments made permanent the option for hybrid public meetings and added procedures for alleged open meeting law violations, authorized speed camera enforcement in school and construction safety zones, and created a retirement credit option for part-time teachers who reduced hours to care for children. Other adopted amendments updated gateway municipality designations every three years, capped ticket resale prices and banned speculative “ghost tickets,” and addressed vulnerable road users, crumbling concrete, and a fund for seasonal communities housing.
Members also approved amendments to create a new framework for responding to crimes against women, including better investigation of staged suicides and adding sex and gender to the hate crimes statute; to establish a trigger law protecting private-sector labor organizing rights if federal labor law is weakened; to create a bottom-up “Enough Act” fund to fight poverty; to allow airport restaurants and bars at Logan to operate during flight hours; and to protect seniors and adults with disabilities from financial scams by allowing temporary delays of suspicious transactions and reporting to protective agencies. Additional housing-related amendments were adopted for rural communities, residential PACE financing, and a five-community tenant opportunity to purchase pilot program. A Senate Ways and Means amendment was then adopted, the substitute draft was applied to the underlying bill, and the bill was ordered to a third reading and then passed to be engrossed.
The chamber also adopted an order to reconvene the following Monday at 11 a.m. and to dispense with printing a calendar. The Senate then adjourned.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Informal House Session 45 May 14th, 2026
Massachusetts House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Ashe for legislation to create crumbling concrete relief for homeowners to the Committee on Financial
- Ashe for legislation to create crumbling concrete relief for homeowners to the Committee on Financial
- Ashe for legislation to create crumbling concrete relief for homeowners to the Committee on Financial
Summary:
The House began with routine ceremonial business, including adoption of resolutions congratulating Judy and Dick Jolin on their 50th wedding anniversary and commending the National Brain Tumor Society for Brain Tumor Awareness Month. The chamber also welcomed guests recognizing Apraxia Awareness Day. A gubernatorial message was filed and referred to the Committee on Public Service regarding injured-on-duty compensation for Chelmsford firefighter Nicholas Spinalee.
The House concurred in Senate referrals of several petitions, including legislation on consumer-connected devices, crumbling concrete relief for homeowners, and naming the Hianus Transportation Center. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 for a petition by Omar Gomez concerning reports of crimes to law enforcement, and for a petition by Michael S. Day on quantum investment tax incentive programs; in the latter case, the question was divided and the petition was ultimately referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The House also advanced several local bills, including the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code, a Holyoke Charter change removing the treasurer as acting mayor, and raising the retirement age for special police officers in Kingston.
The chamber then passed to be enacted several engrossed bills: a measure on special town meeting petitions in Andover, a Plymouth charter amendment, and an additional all-alcoholic-beverages license for Pembroke. It also passed to be engrossed bills expanding small property tax abatements in Auburn, validating the New Salem annual town election, and authorizing land acquisition and disposition in Falmouth. Finally, the House adopted an order to meet the following Monday at 11 a.m. and then adjourned.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- And finally, we include a crumbling concrete commission.
- group with recommending new legislative and regulatory changes needed to address the remediation of crumbling
- concrete that has been caused because of the presence of pyrrhotite.
- distinguished chair of the Committee on Ways and Means and our Senate conferees with regard to the issue of crumbling
- concrete.
Summary:
The Senate first took up and passed several House bills establishing sick leave banks, including House 4182 for a Massachusetts Department of Transportation employee and House 1590 for Eric J. Awaniak. It also advanced and then enacted House 4237, a fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill providing interim funding before final action on the general appropriations act. During the session, Senator Collins also recognized Chaplain Clementina Cherry of the Lewis D. Brown Peace Institute as a distinguished guest, with remarks entered into the record.
The main business was the conference committee report on the fiscal year 2026 state budget, House 4001/House 4240. Senate Ways and Means leadership described the budget as balanced, on time, and fiscally responsible, with $61.01 billion in spending, no new taxes or fees, and a $33 million deposit to the stabilization fund. They highlighted major investments in Chapter 70 school aid, special education circuit breaker reimbursements, unrestricted local aid, MassEducate, universal free school meals, MBTA and regional transit funding, MassHealth, food security, and mental health services. The report also included policy items such as broker fee responsibility, fare-free regional transit, housing studies, a gold star family annuity provision, and a crumbling concrete commission.
Minority leader Senator Tarr and others questioned the spending reductions, use of one-time funds, and the treatment of excess capital gains, arguing for greater fiscal caution and concern about future federal actions and long-term spending growth. Supporters responded that the reductions reflected revenue uncertainty, federal policy risks, and the need to preserve budget stability, while using some one-time sources to balance the plan. The conference report was adopted by a roll call vote of 38-2, the emergency preamble for House 4240 was approved by standing vote, and the FY26 general appropriations bill was then enacted and sent to the Governor. The Senate also adopted an order to dispense with printing a calendar for the next session and adjourned until Thursday at 11 a.m.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Informal House Session 45 Jun 21st, 2026 at 11:00 am
Massachusetts House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Ashe for legislation to create crumbling concrete relief for homeowners to the Committee on Financial
- Ashe for legislation to create crumbling concrete relief for homeowners to the Committee on Financial
Summary:
The House took up several committee and Senate messages, including a Rules Committee report adopting resolutions congratulating Judy and Dick Jolin on their 50th wedding anniversary and commending the National Brain Tumor Society for recognizing May 2026 as Brain Tumor Awareness Month. The chamber also welcomed guests in the gallery for Apraxia Awareness Day and received a gubernatorial message proposing injured-on-duty compensation for Chelmsford firefighter Nicholas Spinalee, which was referred to the Committee on Public Service.
The House concurred in Senate referrals for bills on consumer-connected devices, crumbling concrete relief for homeowners, and naming the Hianus Transportation Center, and it also suspended Joint Rule 12 for a petition by Omar Gómez concerning reports of crimes to law enforcement. Another petition, by Michael S. Day on quantum investment tax incentive programs, had Joint Rules 12 and 9 suspended, was then referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies after a division of the question.
The House also advanced several bills from the Steering, Policy and Scheduling Committee, including the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code, a Holyoke Charter change removing the treasurer as acting mayor, and a Kingston special police retirement-age bill, all ordered to a third reading. The chamber passed to be enacted or engrossed multiple local bills, including measures for Andover, Plymouth, Pembroke, Auburn, New Salem, and Falmouth. Finally, the House adopted an order to meet the following Monday at 11 a.m. and then adjourned to that time in informal session.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Revenue Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm
Joint Committee on Revenue
Transcript Highlights:
- than just energy efficiency, for other important items like septic-to-sewer conversions, replacing crumbling
- concrete foundations, seawalls for coastal areas, etc.
- financing can be used for more than just heat pumps and energy-efficiency measures, for products like crumbling
- They're all expensive, and crumbling concrete foundations, as an example of an expensive repair, can
Summary:
The Joint Committee on Revenue held a hearing on several housing-related bills, with chairs Adrienne Madaro and James Eldridge framing the discussion as part of the Legislature’s broader response to the state’s housing crisis and noting that many of the bills build on the 2024 Affordable Homes Act. The chairs reviewed hearing procedures, including the three-minute oral testimony limit, the option to submit written testimony, and the hybrid format. No votes were taken during the hearing.
Testimony began with support for H. 3278, a bill to create a graduated deed excise tax for affordable housing. Representative Worel argued that higher-end real estate transactions should contribute more to fund affordable housing production, saying the measure would not burden working families and would help address racial inequities in homeownership and displacement. Representative Soder then supported H. 3247, which would promote redevelopment of abandoned buildings through expanded tax incentives for renovating vacant properties for sale or rent, arguing that it would bring blighted units back into use and generate future tax revenue.
The committee also heard testimony on H. 3040/S. 1969, residential improvement or R-PACE legislation. Robert Giles of Home Run Financing and Nicole Steele of Amalgamated Bank described the program as a voluntary, assessment-based financing tool that could help homeowners pay for energy efficiency, resilience, and other major repairs without upfront costs, and said it could complement existing Mass Save programs while expanding access to more homeowners. In contrast, Judith Lieben of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute opposed H. 3039/S. 1946, the Housing Development Incentive Program bill, arguing it would expand subsidies for market-rate and luxury housing in Gateway Cities instead of directing resources to low-income renters. Representative Hawkins also testified in support of H. 3121, which would end large investor control of homes in Massachusetts by imposing an excise tax on large owners of small residential properties and using the revenue for first-time homebuyer down payment assistance. After testimony and a few member questions, the chairs asked whether anyone else wished to testify and then adjourned the hearing.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Informal House Session 45 May 14th, 2026
Massachusetts House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Ashe for legislation to create crumbling concrete relief for homeowners, to the Committee on Financial
- Ash for legislation to create crumbling concrete relief for homeowners to the Committee on Financial
Summary:
The House began with routine ceremonial business, including adoption of resolutions congratulating Judy and Dick Jolin on their 50th wedding anniversary and commending the National Brain Tumor Society for Brain Tumor Awareness Month. The chamber also welcomed guests recognizing Apraxia Awareness Day. A gubernatorial message proposing injured-on-duty compensation for Chelmsford firefighter Nicholas Spinale was filed and referred to the Committee on Public Service.
The House concurred in several Senate petitions referred under suspension of Joint Rule 12, including measures on consumer-connected devices, crumbling concrete relief for homeowners, and naming the Hianus Transportation Center. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 for a petition on reporting crimes to law enforcement, and for a quantum science tax incentive petition, which was then referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. The Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling placed three House bills on the calendar: the Massachusetts Uniform Commercial Code, a Holyoke Charter change removing the treasurer as acting mayor, and a Kingston measure raising the maximum retirement age for special police officers to 70.
The House then advanced and passed to be enacted three engrossed bills concerning Andover special town meetings, the Plymouth town charter, and an additional all-alcoholic-beverages license for Pembroke. It also passed to be engrossed bills on expanded small property tax abatements in Auburn, validation of the New Salem annual town election, and land acquisition/disposition in Falmouth. Finally, the House adopted an order to adjourn to meet the following Monday at 11 a.m., and then adjourned.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommitee Jul 16th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Because there are actually areas of the road that the edges are crumbling. There are no shoulders.
- The edges are crumbled away, where there's no white line anymore.
- It's a two-lane road in areas, the edges crumbled. And this road is used by school buses.
- Rehabilitation is a little bit more intensive treatment; we're doing concrete replacement.
- They go down to sound concrete and will go below.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:06 am
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- This is about the crisis that we face of crumbling foundations, and it's no longer an isolated crisis
- and Boxford, families are grappling with a silent catastrophe caused by pyrrhotite, a mineral in concrete
- The stress that they feel is not just about concrete.
- They worry that the biggest investment of their life is literally crumbling underfoot.
- Amendment number 766, first, creates a crumbling concrete assistance fund, a dedicated special revenue
Summary:
The Senate took up a long series of FY26 budget amendments during debate on the Ways and Means budget bill. Early on, an amendment on debt service and the Debt Affordability Committee was rejected. A major education amendment offered by Senator Lewis and supported by Senator Comerford was then adopted; it directs DESE to begin a public process, with $200,000 in funding, to review and recommend updates to the Chapter 70 municipal contribution formula and related school funding structures as the Student Opportunity Act nears full implementation. Senators argued that school districts across the Commonwealth are under severe fiscal strain, citing rising special education, transportation, health insurance, and Proposition 2 1/2 pressures, and that the current formulas are increasingly out of alignment with local needs.
The chamber also considered and voted on many other amendments, with several adopted and several rejected. Adopted amendments included measures on public payroll transparency, regional EMS, a small business group purchasing cooperative pilot, simplifying Medicaid eligibility determinations, and early education background checks. Rejected amendments included proposals on first-time homebuyer savings accounts, population change studies, competitiveness studies, emergency contract reform, natural gas cost containment, a $200 per pupil aid increase, regional school reimbursement increases, a Foundation Budget Review Commission-related study, special education service studies, welfare benefit audits, short-term capital gains, and an MBTA sustainability plan. Senator Durant also spoke in support of Amendment 766, which would create a crumbling concrete assistance fund for homeowners affected by pyrrhotite, with tax-exempt aid, federal funding applications, audits, and a stakeholder working group.
Near the end of debate, Senator D. DiDomenico praised the Shannon Grant program for gang violence prevention, and the Senate adopted a final corrective amendment containing technical fixes and local earmarks. The bill was then ordered to a third reading and, after a roll call on engrossment, passed to be engrossed by a vote of 38-2. The Senate also approved a motion to adjourn to the following Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. and recessed in memory of Yaron Lashinsky, Sarah Lynn Milgram, and Leslie A. Feeney.