Transcript Highlights:

• We should move it to square footage for the parking areas and the building itself.
• Why would they ever want to even consider just putting an establishment in an area like that?
• And businesses throughout the community are hurt by fewer customers coming to the area to shop.
• Just a really quick example: several years ago, a store closed in the Issaquah area.
• Especially in the rural areas. Thank you for the opportunity to testify this afternoon.

Bills: HB2517 , HB2480 , HB2588 , HB1529 , HB2223 , HB2006 , HB2573 , HB2141

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: municipal permitting, transit projects, high capacity transit, infrastructure, urban development, residential development, commercial zones, mixed-use zoning, urban planning, state regulations, county ferry district, ferry district, passenger-only ferry, passenger ferry, Puget Sound, Vashon, Seattle, Southworth, county transportation, local taxing authority

Transcript Highlights:

• So this bill simply strikes passenger only to give counties like mine and the other three around the
• So this bill simply strikes passenger only to give counties like mine and the other three around the
• And it is both a passenger and a car ferry. I don't know if you or one of the staff can explain.
• does not apply to tax increment financing areas in effect prior to June 2, 2026.
• I want to make sure that TIF isn't introduced in an area where the work has already been done.

Bills: HB2451 , HB2298 , HB2566 , HB2267 , HB2530 , HB2388 , HB2588 , HB2094

Committee: House Local Government

Keywords: tax increment financing, local government, economic development, municipal finance, public infrastructure, property title protection, land record fraud, county auditors, voluntary program, real estate, procurement, contracting, transparency, financial oversight, urban forestry, environmental policy, tree management, community planning, public facilities district, regional aquatics

Transcript Highlights:

• So we have, in state statute currently, county ferries that have passenger-only vessels.
• So we have, in state statute currently, county ferries that have passenger-only vessels.
• And currently it only applies to a certain weight limit for passenger vehicles. Is that right?
• So under current law, all passenger cars, regardless of their weight, pay a vehicle license fee.
• This has created some ironic results as the size of passenger trucks has gotten larger and heavier.

Bills: HB2588 , HB2722 , HB2727

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: county ferry district, ferry district, passenger-only ferry, passenger ferry, Puget Sound, Vashon, Seattle, Southworth, county transportation, local taxing authority, property tax levy, general obligation bonds, municipal corporation, public transportation benefit area, WTSC, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, ferry terminal, wharf, shuttle service, marine transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 292 establishes a Washington State Amtrak Cascades Passenger Rail Advisory Committee to be
• three times per year with representatives of the Rail Freight and Ports Division of WSDOT to review passenger
• requires that WSDOT conduct a review of community member input on the challenges experienced within the area
• Office of the Governor, and Legislative Transportation Committee leadership on issues impacting passenger
• It requires the advisory committee to consider available grant opportunities to support passenger rail

Bills: HB2092 , HB2114 , HB2172 , HB2251 , HB2374 , HB2410 , HB2552 , HB2588 , HB2718 , HB2722 , HB2727

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: passenger rail, transportation, committee, advisory, infrastructure, defective license plates, vehicle registration, Department of Licensing, state regulations, route jurisdiction, abandonment, local governance, climate change, commitment act, emission reductions, sustainability, environmental policy, electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• at one area.
• at one area.
• </c><00:48:42.760><c> is</c> resources to two different areas is resources to two different areas is
• </c> if the mot update potential passenger if the mot update potential passenger numbers<00:56:40.640
• Chicago has 9.6 million, 9.26 million in their metro area. 3.7 in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Bills: HF1167 , HF1242

Committee: House Transportation Finance and Policy

Keywords: Northern Lights Express, NLX, Minneapolis-Duluth rail, passenger rail, intercity passenger rail, high-speed rail, Duluth, Minneapolis, MnDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Council, transportation funding, rail appropriation, general fund, trunk highway fund, rail project cancellation, infrastructure spending, commercial driver training, CDL, financial assistance

Bills: SSB1098 , SSB1058 , SSB1009 , SSB1051 , SSB1126 , SSB1097

Committee: Joint Judiciary

Keywords: open container, THC beverage, tetrahydrocannabinol, hemp beverage, hemp products, cannabis beverage, motor vehicle, passenger area, traffic safety, roadside enforcement, simple misdemeanor, scheduled fine, Iowa Code 321.284, Iowa Code 321.284A, alcohol open container, hemp-derived THC, public safety, assault, law enforcement, health care

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> we're still drivable to the metro area we're still drivable to the metro area it's<00:16:20.839>
• This would take care of the north area.
• <01:03:32.200><c> again</c> area again area again um<01:03:34.839><c> uh</c><01:03:35.440><c> we've</
• </c><01:15:22.800><c> have</c> and homeowners along the area have and homeowners along the area have
• </c><01:39:35.639><c> Sanitary</c> for Alexandria Lake Area Sanitary for Alexandria Lake Area Sanitary

Bills: HF220 , HF230 , HF240 , HF241 , HF295 , HF429 , HF490 , HF505 , HF574 , HF576 , HF581 , HF865 , HF918 , HF1085 , HF1449 , HF1452 , HF1454 , HF602

Committee: House Capital Investment

Keywords: HF220, Minnesota transportation, highway user tax distribution fund, trunk highway fund, Minnesota Department of Transportation, MnDOT, transportation finance, dedicated funds, funding restrictions, arts in transportation, cultural strategies, transportation project planning, project design, project construction, placemaking, public art, infrastructure spending, state statutes 161.045, HF230, Wyoming

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, the biggest area that I am involved with and that you hear many, many, many projects related to every
• </c><00:05:11.199><c> I</c><00:05:11.440><c> am</c><00:05:11.680><c> involved</c> Um the biggest area
• that I am involved Um the biggest area that I am involved with<00:05:12.240><c> and</c><00:05:12.479
• Those are all important areas that also need investments.
• also need are all important areas that also need um<00:35:56.200><c> investments.

Bills: HF220 , HF230 , HF240 , HF241 , HF295 , HF429 , HF490 , HF505 , HF574 , HF576 , HF581 , HF865 , HF918 , HF1085 , HF1449 , HF1452 , HF1454 , HF602

Committee: Senate Capital Investment

Keywords: HF220, Minnesota transportation, highway user tax distribution fund, trunk highway fund, Minnesota Department of Transportation, MnDOT, transportation finance, dedicated funds, funding restrictions, arts in transportation, cultural strategies, transportation project planning, project design, project construction, placemaking, public art, infrastructure spending, state statutes 161.045, HF230, Wyoming

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, House Bill 5346 gives voters in the affected area control over whether... ...tolls to continue
• Simply providing socialized roads without assigning costs to users, especially in booming metro areas
• as a result of that horrific crash, six people lost their lives, and another 36 were transported to area

Bills: HB483 , HB3345 , HB3643 , HB3821 , HB3849 , HB4472 , HB4523 , HB4524 , HB5346 , HB5347 , HB5376

Committee: House S/C on Transportation Funding

Keywords: high-speed rail, Texas Department of Transportation, TxDOT, public-private partnership, comprehensive development agreement, CDA, Interstate 35, I-35 corridor, Dallas, Waco, Austin, San Antonio, intercity passenger rail, rail infrastructure, private entity, transportation infrastructure, rail corridor, passenger rail, infrastructure finance, vehicle registration

Transcript Highlights:

• One of our friends and neighbors, Nancy Oliver, in Our community, an 80-year-old woman lives in an area
• contact with her to figure out why the And that there's I can't do that sir where they serve the entire area
• this bill does is say that it only applies, it's really important to note, this only only applies to areas

Bills: HB483 , HB3345 , HB3643 , HB3821 , HB3849 , HB4472 , HB4523 , HB4524 , HB5346 , HB5347 , HB5376

Committee: House S/C on Transportation Funding

Keywords: high-speed rail, Texas Department of Transportation, TxDOT, public-private partnership, comprehensive development agreement, CDA, Interstate 35, I-35 corridor, Dallas, Waco, Austin, San Antonio, intercity passenger rail, rail infrastructure, private entity, transportation infrastructure, rail corridor, passenger rail, infrastructure finance, vehicle registration

Transcript Highlights:

• Life in our area.
• The areas where you would not have a conflict.
• We just need to get the area...
• The area that we serve is over 600 square miles. This Houston area is over 600 square miles.
• Or is it being in a commercially zoned area?

Bills: HB341 , HB791 , HB1564 , HB1695 , HB1722 , HB1729 , HB1772 , HB2003 , HB2954 , HB2989 , HB3084 , HB3134 , HB3135 , HB3309 , HB3611 , HB3679 , HB3727 , HB3832

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates

Transcript Highlights:

• This doesn't just affect us in urban areas. The detrimental impact is equally felt in rural Texas.
• Emergency situations throughout the state, in urban and rural areas, show that railroads often become
• We've had issues with blocked rail crossings in our area, and it's a tremendous problem.
• In our area, the majority of traffic that we see on the...
• That being said, most of the customers in our area are aggregated bulk material.

Bills: HB341 , HB791 , HB1564 , HB1695 , HB1722 , HB1729 , HB1772 , HB2003 , HB2954 , HB2989 , HB3084 , HB3134 , HB3135 , HB3309 , HB3611 , HB3679 , HB3727 , HB3832

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates

Transcript Highlights:

• These areas could see a quarter to three-tenths of an inch of ice, which could result in power outages
• A winter weather advisory starts at 9 p.m. in the D.C. metro area and lasts through mid-morning tomorrow
• A cold front is expected to move through the area later this week, as we could be seeing some wet conditions
• many members on both sides of the aisle about whether he would make continued investments in other areas
• The consequences are as devastating as some of the major events in the Louisiana area.

Bills: SB161 , SB195 , SB216 , SB245 , SB246 , SB257 , SB258 , SB260 , SB278 , SB281 , SB283 , SB93 , SB98 , SB99 , SB306 , SB314 , SB315

Committee: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

Keywords: vehicle safety, crash test, crashworthiness, NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New Car Assessment Program, NCAP, motor vehicle safety standards, 49 CFR parts 571 and 572, THOR dummy, THOR-50M, THOR-05F, WorldSID, female crash test dummy, male crash test dummy, occupant protection, frontal impact, side impact, vehicle ratings, automotive safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Our school buses that carry our most precious passengers should be met with the same standard.
• doors to a development that's in 38 other states, which is replacing requirements designed for 60-passenger
• S. 3021 updates Section 7 of Chapter 90 to create a modernized tier of requirements for passenger vehicles
• . 3021 removes three mandates designed for full-sized school buses that do not really fit modern passenger
• It also adds the requirement, as I mentioned, for passenger vehicles to be manufactured after 2018, which

Bills: S2743 , S2861 , S3021

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

Keywords: domestic violence, police training, suspicious deaths, homicide investigation, victim support, school bus safety, commission, student safety, operator training, safety standards, Legislative oversight, public health, student transportation, school bus, school pupil transportation, pupil transport, child passenger safety, school van, transportation contractor, motor vehicle safety

Transcript Highlights:

• The Yakima area is planning a multimodal facility.
• The Yakima area is planning a multimodal facility.
• success of a statewide passenger rail network.
• with passenger rail users.
• This is a different area for me.

Bills: HB1823 , HB2092 , HB2111 , HB2114

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: transportation improvement board, TIB, transportation improvement account, motor vehicle fund, arterial streets, local match, private match, grant funding, transportation grants, county roads, city streets, transportation benefit district, urban county, small city program, active transportation, pedestrian, bicycle, bike routes, transit, public transit

Transcript Highlights:

• THE PASSAGE -- THE PASSENGERS ON FLIGHT 93 WHO FOUGHT BACK.
• THESE AREAS INCLUDE THE SEQUOIA MUSEUM, A MEMORIAL AND ANOTHER MEMORIAL.
• Within view of the D.C.A. runway, we know all 64 passengers and three Army soldiers perished.
• WITH 65 PASSENGERS AND TWO CREW MEMBERS ONBOARD.
• RUNWAY, WE KNOW ALL 64 PASSENGERS AND THREE ARMY SOLDIERS PERISHED.

Bills: HR776 , HR43 , HR226 , HR42 , HR835

Keywords: Coptic Christians, human rights, Egypt, religious freedom, US-Egypt relations, minority rights, violence prevention, inauguration, Congress, House attendance, ceremony, legislative session, inaugural ceremony, House of Representatives, President, Vice President, adjournment, aviation, transportation, centennial

Transcript Highlights:

• After the bus station was moved, the area saw a Senator Alvarado: Sharp rise in crime, including thefts
• Commercial passenger bus services like Greyhound are not required to notify or engage with surrounding
• looked into it because we were curious if we found another piece of property for you in the general area
• What we have around the bridge and the surrounding area is TxDOT roads.

Bills: HB2026 , HB2427 , HB2455 , HB2560 , HB3510 , HB3966 , HB3986 , HB4429 , HB5436 , SB3062

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: memorial highway, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, Archer County, highway designation, vehicle weight, ports of entry, Texas Transportation Code, truck regulations, load limits, Adopt-a-County Road, funding, road maintenance, county partnership, public recognition, memorial designation, highway, Sergeant Mark Butler, transportation, Brazos County

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard a series of mostly local transportation and memorial designation bills. Several measures would rename highway segments in honor of fallen service members or public servants, including HB 2026 (Gary C. Johnston memorial highways in Archer County), HB 4429 (McIlroy Family Memorial Highway in Blanco and Burnet counties), SB 3062 (Hamby-Webb Memorial Highway in Panola County), HB 3510 (Sergeant Mark Butler Memorial Highway in Brazos County), and HB 3986 (Corporal Speedy Espiriueta Memorial Highway in Mission). The committee also heard HB 2560, which would create an optional county-road “adopt-a-road” style program allowing donations for county road repair and maintenance. Two bills drew more substantive policy discussion. HB 2427 and HB 2455 concerned oversized/overweight freight corridors and permit authority in Hidalgo County tied to cross-border trade near the FARR International Bridge. Supporters, including the bridge director, said the measures would correct prior road descriptions, put existing TxDOT actions into statute, improve truck routing, and support trade and bridge expansion. The committee substitute for HB 2427 also removed Roma permit language, barred certain hazardous-material permits, raised permit fees, required local cost responsibility for road maintenance, and made the bill contingent on SB 2949. HB 5436 would allow licensed automotive recyclers to buy certain older, long-unregistered vehicles for dismantling or scrap without a title, with reporting, lienholder notice, and anti-theft safeguards; recyclers and dealers supported it as a way to curb illegal untitled-vehicle sales and VIN cloning. HB 3966, authored by Sen. Alvarado, was the most contested bill. It would require commercial passenger bus companies to mail advance notice to residents within one mile before opening a new stop or terminal. Alvarado said the bill responded to the relocation of a Greyhound terminal into a Houston neighborhood without notice and to resulting crime and nuisance concerns. Greyhound opposed the bill, arguing the notice requirement would be burdensome and could delay emergency relocations during hurricanes, flooding, or lease changes. After testimony, the committee voted to report most bills favorably, with HB 3966 passing on a 5-2 vote; the other reported bills passed unanimously. Several bills were also placed on the local and uncontested calendar, and the committee recessed to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• local government to establish the registry of qualified contractors with a minimum of six for larger areas
• Projects approved under the public hearing process must be within or abutting an urban service area,
• I know a lot of the folks that we work with in those rural areas, they do like an opportunity to comment
• These ag enclaves have to be in either an urban service area or an urban growth boundary.
• This is about someone that owns a piece of property in an area that's been designated for future growth

Bills: S0014 , S0016 , S0024 , S0168 , S0288 , S0548 , S0686 , S0830 , S1138 , S1234

Committee: Senate Community Affairs

Keywords: negligence, settlement, police conduct, municipal liability, personal injury, compensation, injuries, Miami-Dade County, rural electric cooperatives, energy production, Florida law, energy tariffs, regulation, impact fees, transportation capacity, local government, interlocal agreements, growth management, community planning, extraordinary circumstances

Transcript Highlights:

• , you've got areas by economics. disadvantages, etc.
• The one area that I noticed that we have heard from many superintendents that they're having a tough
• You know, unfortunately paying teachers in some rural areas in small districts in the 30s, but...
• The issue is going to be, we're going to find a lot of these also in suburban fast-growth areas where
• So Senator Menendez, thank you for your point. about someone should be able to work in the area that

Bills: SB26 , SB28 , SJR36 , SB26 , SB616 , SB565 , SB384 , SB28

Keywords: teacher compensation, education funding, public school educators, teacher retention, teacher designation, lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, aquifer, water management, Edwards Aquifer, sustainability, regulatory framework, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement

Transcript Highlights:

• infrastructure is because of excessive fragmentation. too many utilities providing service in these areas
• So that's one area. where we could see some delay because of a technicality like that, but otherwise
• makes it. possible for the newly developed aquifer storage recovery injection to go in. into that area
• Now we have clean water, injecting it down into a. deep geologic formation underneath those areas that
• We need every tool we can get to meet the water demands. in these high-growth areas in our basin, and

Bills: SB384 , SB503 , SB565 , SB616 , SB740

Committee: Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Keywords: hunting license, fishing license, donation, operation game thief fund, wildlife conservation, livestock, electronic registry, marks and brands, Texas Animal Health Commission, animal identification, SB 565, Texas Water Code, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, compliance agreement, enforcement suspension, utility consolidation, regionalization, water supply, sewer

Summary: The Senate Committee on Water and Agriculture and Rural Affairs convened under the leadership of Chairman Kelly Hancock, who opened the meeting with a prayer in remembrance of Chairman Perry, who was absent due to a personal loss. The session focused on the discussions surrounding SB384, which aims to support the longstanding initiative known as Operation Game Thief. Senator Flores presented the bill, emphasizing its essential role in the fight against poaching through public support. The operation has a successful track record of convictions but is currently dependent on donations and merchandise sales for funding. The committee aimed to vote on multiple bills during this session, contingent on achieving a quorum. Notably, discussions also revolved around fiscal notes on two bills that were set aside for later consideration, indicating the committee's intention to carefully manage their legislative decisions. The meeting showcased a productive atmosphere, with committee members actively engaged in the review and potential advancement of key legislative measures.