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[Legislative Affairs Committee]
WE ARE RECORDING.WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
AND THIS IS THE, UH, MEETING OF THE CITY GARDEN, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
I'M CHAIRMAN ROBERT, JOHN SMITH, UH, WITH ME I'VE COUNCIL MEMBERS, B JOE WILLIAMS AND RICH ALBAN, UH, FROM CITY STAFF.
WE'RE DELLA VEGA, CITY ATTORNEY, BRAD NEIGHBOR, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE CITY SECRETARY, RENEE DOUBT, UH, LISTING.
AND LET'S START WITH, UH, ITEM NUMBER ONE ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD THE CHANCE TO READ THE MINUTES? AND ARE, IS THERE A MOTION? I'M SORRY, MR. WILLIAMS, WHATEVER.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, ROBIN, UH, FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
NONE OPPOSED THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS PUBLIC INPUT.
I'M LOOKING AT OUR ATTENDEES LIST HERE AND I SEE NO ATTENDEES.
UH, SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, A ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION BILLS AND COMMITTEE HEARINGS.
UM, WELL I GUESS WE'LL START OFF WITH, UH, CONGRATULATIONS.
UH, WE'VE MOVED THE VETERANS HOUSING BILL THROUGH THE HOUSE COMPLETELY THROUGH THE HOUSE IN THE HANDS OF THE SENATE.
UM, AND WE'LL START TRACKING IT OVER THERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT, WANTED TO GO INTO THE GOSSIPY SORT OF DETAILS ON THE, SENDING THOSE ON THAT, THAT WE'RE STILL PUZZLING THROUGH.
I DID REACH OUT TO, TO REPRESENTATIVE PATTERSON THIS WEEKEND, UH, WHO CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD CAST A NO VOTE, BUT COULD NOT GIVE ME THE SPECIFICS AS TO WHY I ASSUME THERE'S SOME SORT OF CAUCUS POSITION ON THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FREEDOM CAUCUS OR, UH, PEOPLE ARE JUST VOTING NO ON ANYTHING THAT SAYS TDH DA ON IT.
UH, BUT HE, HE WAS UNABLE TO GIVE ME THE REASONING BEHIND THE NO VOTE AND, UH, HE SHOULD BE GETTING BACK TO ME.
WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS FOUND THROUGH, THROUGH, UH, OUR ASSETS DOWN THERE? UH, TY IS STILL LOOKING, ALTHOUGH MY SUSPICION IS THAT, OF COURSE WE DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE CONTEXT UNDERWEIGHT.
THE THING GOT RIGHT DOWN THERE, UM, A LOT GOING ON WITH AUSTIN, THE USUAL SUSPECT, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN BUYING, UM, UH, PROPERTIES, UH, HOTELS TO, TO PLACE HOMELESS PEOPLE.
UM, THERE'S A FIGHT GOING ON, ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE IT'S IN, IT'S IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND THERE'S A FIGHT GOING ON BETWEEN WAYNE COUNTY AND AUSTIN, UH, OVER THE OPENING OF, UH, HOMELESS SHELTERS, THAT HOTEL, UH, AND, AND SOME OF THAT MAY FLAVOR IT.
AND, UM, THEY MAY SUSPICIOUS, UH, LIKE YOU SAY, UM, UH, ANYTHING THAT MENTIONED LOW INCOME HOUSING, IT COULD JUST BE THAT IN THAT ALONE.
AND I DON'T, IT'S ODD THAT THEY WOULD TAG ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH, UH, VETERANS.
UH, SO FOR APPS IT'S DEEPER THAN THAT, BUT I DOUBT IT.
I THINK IF YOU SAY IT'S SOMETHING TO DO WITH TEXT COMMUNITY, TO PARENTS HOUSING, UM, AND SO THEY VOTED NO, BUT WHETHER THAT WILL FLAVOR THINGS OVER IN THE SENATE, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHY PERHAPS WE START STRESSING THE BEDROOMS ASPECT OF IT.
ADD FULL MERIT TO THE BILL BECAUSE THE BILL IS A GOOD ONE AND ATTEMPTS TO DO GOOD THINGS.
AND WITHOUT PUTTING PRESSURE ON TD HCA OR, OR ANYBODY ELSE, HE JUST, UH, ONE OF THOSE THINGS I KEEP GOING BACK TO THE OTHER PROBATION AND NOTARY SERVICES, OR WE HAVE SOME POINTS, YOU GET POINTS FOR PROVIDING FREE NOTARY SERVICES.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT PROMOTES BETTER HOUSING FOR LOW INCOME THAT TIES ON TOP OF IT? UM, HE'S SHUFFLING IT THROUGH, UH, TIE.
UM, THEY'RE ALL BUSY DOWN THERE.
THIS IS A BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR AND THINGS ARE STARTING TO SORT OF SHAKE OUT.
UM, I WOULDN'T EXPECT A LOT OF COMMUNICATION FROM TYLER'S WEEK UNLESS WE REACH OUT TO HIM DIRECTLY BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT HE'S NOT WORKING.
UM, AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEK,
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I'M JUST GOING TO GO BY WHAT CML SENT OUT, BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST RESOURCE.AND Y'ALL PROBABLY GOT THIS THROUGH YOUR EMAIL.
UM, COUPLE OF BILLS THAT WE WERE WATCHING, WE DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE GOING TO GET MOVING.
AND THESE HAVE TO DO WITH VACANT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
THESE ARE HOUSE BILLS AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SET FOR A HEARING, UH, TOMORROW.
UM, THESE ARE ODD BECAUSE, UM, THEY, IN MY READING, I SAY, UM, IF YOU'RE THE OWNER OF A VACANT RESIDENTIAL BUILDING, UM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPAIR DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING OR IMPROVE IT TO A, UM, THE CURRENT THING, CURRENT REQUIREMENTS.
AND THAT'S ODD BECAUSE WHAT IF HE HAD AS WELL, OFTEN SEE, UM, VACANT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS SENT THERE FOR YEARS.
AND SO WHAT DO YOU BRING THEM UP TO? THE ONE THAT PREVAILED IN 1947 WHEN IT WAS BUILT? AND THAT'S A REALISTIC EXAMPLE BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME OLD HOUSES AND YOU HAVE TO KIND OF SCRATCH YOUR HEAD ON ME AGAIN, I GO OVERBOARD.
IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR PROBLEM, UH, WITH SOME CITY, UM, THEY'RE NOT EXPLAINING WHAT THEIR PROBLEM IS, SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE DIRECTED.
AND IF THERE'S ROOM TO NEGOTIATE SOMETHING, EXCUSE ME, UH, HELP THEM TAILOR THE BILL TO THAT PARTICULAR CONCERN.
UM, THESE LIKE THE OTHERS WE'VE SEEN PUSHES US COMPLETELY OUT OF THE WAY OR A LOT OF, UH, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT I CAN SEE, UH, COMING OUT FROM THESE SORT OF THING.
AND ESPECIALLY FOR COMMUNITIES LIKE BARLIN REALLY ANY COMMUNITIES FOR WHATEVER RAISING, UH, YOU GET A VACANT HOUSE AND IT SITS THERE AND STARTS TO DETERIORATE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN IT AND KEEP IT UP, IT'S GOING TO START FALLING APART AND THEY BUILD GO OVERBOARD.
AND IN SAYING THAT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T MAKE THE OWNER OF THAT.
WHETHER IT'S A FLIP HOUSE OR IT WAS GRANDMA'S HOUSE THAT'S BEEN TIED UP OR, OR JUST SOMEHOW WHERE THE OWNER WALKED AWAY, WHICH WE SAW A LOT OF BACK IN 2008, SWEEPS THEM ALL TOGETHER AND SAYS THEY'RE MORE OR LESS UNTOUCHABLE.
I THINK A LITTLE LATE TO GET DOWN THERE IN FRONT OF THAT ONE, BUT WE CAN TRY TO, UM, EXPRESS OUR PLEASURE, UM, GML, EXCUSE ME, IT WAS ON THIS OTHER, UH, THIS ONE IS, UH, UH, WEDNESDAY, I BELIEVE, OH, I'M SORRY, THIS IS ALREADY GONE TO CALENDAR.
UM, THIS IS OUR GOOD REPRESENTATIVE IS SWANSON.
SWANSON WAS THE ONE TO OFFER TO BILL AGAINST WHICH I TESTIFIED ON.
THAT WOULD SAY, IF YOU HAVE A STATE ISSUED OCCUPATION WISE, YOU'RE EXEMPT FROM ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, WHICH KINDA CRAZY, BUT THAT FILM THOUGH, THIS ONE HAS TO DO WITH RAPE ALL LIKE 10 AND VALID PROPOSITIONS.
AND I READ THROUGH THIS BILL, IT'S ANOTHER CONSOLE.
I DON'T KNOW, AGAIN, REALLY WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PARTICULAR PROBLEM IS, BUT IT WOULD UPEND OUR CARE CAREFULLY CRAMPING RATE GRANTS TO REDRAFTED CHARTER PROVISIONS ON, UM, UH, RECALL ELECTION REFERENDUM, WHICH ARE BY THE WAY, A CREATURE OF HOME RULE CHARTER.
THERE'S NOT A STATE LAW THAT CONTROLS, SO YOU CAN HAVE, UM, RAPE HALLS REFERENDUM IF YOU PROVIDE IT IN A CHARTER, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY CORRESPONDING PROVISION FOR A GENERAL LAW CITIES.
AND SO THIS BILL GOES DIRECTLY AFTER HOMEWORLD CITIES.
AND, UM, IT GOES TO A SORT OF TIERED PROCESS, UH, WITH RESPECT TO BALLOT PROPOSITIONS THAT, UM,
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IF, UH, IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE IT, THEY GET TO CHALLENGE IT AND THEN YOU GO BACK AND TRY TO REDRAFT IT, AND THEN THEY DON'T LIKE THAT.AND YOU REDRAFT IT AND, AND LIKE THIRD STRIKE YOU'RE OUT.
AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE AS IF THEY KNOW BETTER AT A GRAPH, A BALLOT PROPOSITION REGARDING RECALL OR WHATEVER, THE THINGS THAT WE PUT ON OUR, UM, ON OUR BALLOT.
UM, I THINK, UM, SOME OF THE ISSUES DIRECT TO ME AND I HAD A NUMBER OF THE LIKING WHERE THE PROPOSITION WAS CHALLENGE, AND IT WAS VERY POLITICALLY HEATED.
UH, I THINK ONE TIME ON, UM, UH, HAD TO DO WITH SAME-SEX MARRIAGE OR INSURANCE BENEFITS FOR SAME SEX COUPLES, WHICH IS A MOOT POINT NOW.
UM, AND THEN THERE WERE SOME OTHERS ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PROTECTION WAS IN, IT WAS THE ONE AFTER CHURCHES.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT GENERATED THIS THING, BUT IT'S, IT'S A VERY BAD BILL.
UM, UNLESS THERE ARE QUESTIONS ON THOSE, I'M GOING TO SWITCH OVER TO ELECTRIC.
WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT MUCH THAT WE CAN DO.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? HEY, BRETT, WHAT, JUST ONE QUESTION, UH, GOING BACK TO THE VETERAN.
SO I THINK THE FIRST THING YOU TALKED ABOUT, HAVE YOU MAYBE HEARD ANYTHING? I WAS, I WAS TALKING TO A REMINDERS.
ANYTHING ABOUT A LAWSUIT BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, UH, INITIALLY THE UMBRELLA IS A HOUSING ISSUE, BUT UNDERNEATH THAT IS A VETERANS AND THE NUMBER OF VETERANS WHO ARE IN THAT, WHO ARE QUOTE, BEING TEMPORARILY HOUSED IN COTE TENT CITIES IN AUSTIN.
AND HE WAS ONLY SELLING ABOUT THAT EITHER EITHER A LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED OR ONE IS PENDING.
YOU HEAR ANYTHING? HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT? YEAH.
IF WE HEARD ANYTHING BETWEEN, ABOUT A LAWSUIT AND HE WAS SHARING WITH ME THAT, THAT THERE WAS AN ACTION AND HE SAID, HE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT, CORRECT.
HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THESE EXECUTIVE ORDER, BANNING THE 10 CITIES AND MAKING THE FOLKS WHO RESIDE THERE, UH, MAKING THE, A MISDEMEANOR, AND THEN THERE WAS A LAWSUIT PENDING COMING OUT OF THE URINE.
ANYTHING ABOUT THAT'S WHAT LEE WAS SAYING, AND THIS IS WE TIED TO, YEAH, IT MAY BE TIED TO WHAT I DO KNOW ABOUT, UM, THIS ACTUALLY, UH, CAME THROUGH, UH, WHICH IS THE INTERNATIONAL MINUTES.
UM, AND THE, UM, WELL, W WE WERE WATCHING IT BACK HERE AND THE COVID DAY, UH, THERE WAS A SUIT BETWEEN STATE AND CITY, UH, OR BEING FRONTED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND AUSTIN REGARDING, UH, WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE HELPED FORWARDER, PANDEMIC RELATED ORDER.
CAN YOU REMEMBER BACK, UH, YOU KNOW, DARREN EARLY KIND OF A DAY WHERE WE'RE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH EVERYBODY, WE GOVERNOR'S INTO THE MENTAL WORDS.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO ULTIMATELY CONTROLS AND THAT'S WHAT, UH, UH, THIS, UH, MUNICIPAL, UH, CITY ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION REACHED OUT FOR HELP WITH AN AMICUS SPREE.
HER FRIEND KNEW THE COURT BRIEF AND THAT LAW, UH, AND THE ISSUE THERE WAS, AGAIN, WHO, WHO CONTROLS? IS IT, UM, THE GOVERNOR, OR IS IT CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN, UH, ULTIMATELY ISSUED THROUGH ITS MAYOR, UM, UH, A SERIES OF ORDERS THAT CONFLICTED WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER, UH, ORDERS AND PROCLAMATIONS.
AND, UH, AUSTIN WAS TAKING THE POSITION THAT NO, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY.
UM, AND I, I RESPONDED TO EMMA THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO HELP HIM WITH HIS, UH, MAINTENANCE BRIEF,
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UM, BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ANALYZED QUITE HEAVILY, UH, DURING A BOWL, EARLY STAGES OF THE PANDEMIC, UM, CROSS ORDERS SORT OF DISPUTE.UH, AND I ASKED FOR THE BRIEFS, UH, IN THAT CASE, BECAUSE I HADN'T READ THEM ALL LIKE AGES.
SO IT MAY BE THAT, UH, THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH HOMELESS CAMPS, UH, EXTENSIVELY, YOU KNOW, TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID BOUND UP, YOU KNOW, UM, HOMELESS VETERANS AND I'LL LOOK, I'LL LET YOU KNOW, UM, UH, I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM YET, SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF I GET THIS.
UM, IF SHE HADN'T, THAT WAS EARLIER TODAY, I HADN'T HEARD BACK FROM HER.
UM, ON THE ELECTRIC SIDE, WELL, LET ME JUST CATCH WHAT SOUNDS ROOM GOT TO BE, BUT I THINK I NEED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU BECAUSE IT IMPACTS WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW SOME EMAILS FROM TODD.
UM, UH, BRIAN SLEDGE SENT ME SOMETHING MONDAY NIGHT OR A PRIVATE NIGHT ON ONE OF OUR ELECTRIC BILLS THAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING AND IT'S, IT'S A GOOD BILL, OR AT LEAST IT'S NOT A HORRIBLE BILL, AND IT'S WHAT WE CALL A SWIFT FUNDING BILL.
AND, UM, YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT BEFORE IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR WATER DISTRICT, UM, THE WATER DISTRICT CAN GET LOANS AND BETTER INTEREST RATES AND, UH, OTHER, UH, KINDA SEE, OH, SHORT TERM DEBT LIKE WE USE, UM, THROUGH SWIFT GARDENS WITH DARREN WAS SET UP FOR WATER DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
AND IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY GOOD THING ON WATER SIDE.
SO THE IDEA WAS TO EXPAND THAT BECAUSE OF, UM, THE DEMAND FOR WEATHERIZATION IN WINTERIZATION, UM, UH, BECAUSE OF THIS PUSH AND, AND PROBABLY A LEGISLATIVE MANDATE THAT WE, UH, WEATHERIZE AND WINTERIZE OUR ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, AND THEN ON THE NATURAL GAS SIDE, SAME SORT OF THING.
AND SOMEBODY THOUGHT, WHY DON'T WE EXPAND THIS SWIFT FUNDING TO NOT JUST BE WATER DEVELOPMENT FOR LADIES, BUT TO ALSO ALLOW THE SAME SORT OF, UM, FINANCING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES, UH, TO FINANCE, UH, THE WEATHERIZATION WINTERIZATION EFFORTS, BOTH ON THE ELECTRIC SIDE AND ON THE WATER SIDE TO, UH, WATER ELECTRIC AND GAS.
AND WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THAT BILL, UM, IT COULD BE HELPFUL.
WE MAY NOT HAVE IMMEDIATE PLANS FOR IT, BUT EXCUSE ME, IT COULD BE HELPFUL TO US.
AND WE'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN IT.
UH, IF, IF WE COULD, WHEN WE LOOKED AT, UM, THE BILL ACTUALLY I'LL GIVE THE CREDIT TO BRIAN SLACK, ONE OF THE LOBBY TAPES DOWN THERE, UM, HE SAID, I DON'T THINK THEY'VE INCLUDED US AND I DON'T KNOW WHY.
AND IT CAME DOWN TO A DEFINITIONAL PROBLEM.
HE WAS RIGHT WHEN I RE-READ THE BILL, I TALKED ABOUT ELECTRIC UTILITY AND WE'RE NOT BAD, UM, BY DEFINITION OR BY THE DEFINITION THAT THEY PULLED OUT OF UTILITIES.
UM, SO, UH, HE WENT BACK TO, UH, WITH GOING TO TALK TO, UM, THE AUTHOR OF THAT BILL.
UM, THE AUTHOR OF THAT BILL GOT ARRESTED FOR DWI.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF SLOWED THINGS DOWN.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT REPRESENTATIVE PATTY WHO WE HAVE CONTACT WITH IS GOING TO PICK UP THE BILL, BUT THEY DID PULL DOWN THE HEARING ON IT TODAY.
UM, SO THERE WERE, UH, THERE WAS ONE LITTLE THING, BUT IT PROBABLY WORKED TO OUR ADVANTAGE BECAUSE, UM, AND, UH, CURRENT TIME WITH BOTH DR.
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I SAID, NO, NO, WE DIDN'T MEAN TO EXCLUDE MOU.WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THAT WAS THE WRONG CHOICE OF DEFINITIONS.
AND THEY PROMISED US, THEY PROMISED BRIAN FLIGHTS AND TABLETS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FIX THAT PROBLEM.
THERE'S A NEW DRAFT COMING OUT.
MAYBE GET OUR HANDS ON IT TOMORROW.
UM, IT'S NOT A HUGE ISSUE TO US, BUT CERTAINLY ONE OF THOSE WE'D LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A NEW, UM, THE OTHER BIT OF GOSSIP, UM, MORE TROUBLING IMPACT ON TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING ISSUE.
AND THAT IS THAT, UM, UH, IT WAS TWO COMPLETELY, THERE'S TWO LOBBYISTS FROM ONE OF THE BIG NOTE WHERE THE VERY POWERFUL LOBBYING GROUPS DOWN THERE.
UM, THEY ALLEGEDLY WELL, THEY TOOK, UH, UM, STAFFERS, FEMALE STAFFERS, UH, OUT WITH THEM FRIDAY NIGHT, UH, BLUES FRIDAY NIGHT, UM, WENT TO A BAR AND, UH, THESE YOUNG LADIES, UH, ARE ALIVE DURING THAT THE TWO YOUNGER LOBBYISTS DRUGGED THEM.
THEY ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL, UM, AND THEY ARE PRESSING CHARGES.
NOW THE, THAT LOBBYING FIRM TO MY MEMORY WOULD NEVER USE THEM.
UM, THEY WERE INVOLVED THOUGH BECAUSE THEY, THEY WERE LOBBYING ON BEHALF OF THE BOND MARKETING SORT OF INTERESTS, AS FAR AS OUR HB 1869, WHICH IS THE CEO'S BILL, UM, AND DOING IT POORLY FROM WHAT WAS REPORTED TO US, WE HAD TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND BACK OFF, YOU'RE MAKING AUTHOR THAT BILL GRAY, MAD.
UM, SO ALL THAT TIES TOGETHER THAT, UH, UH, CAN, IS, YOU KNOW, IS OVER ON THE HOUSE SIDE AND, AND, UM, THE WHITE COMPANION START MOVING, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HEAR TALKS ABOUT EVIL LOBBYISTS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY IT IMPACTS US ON THE MUNICIPAL SIDE.
THEY'RE NOT OUR LOBBYIST, WE'VE NEVER USED THEM.
I PROBABLY NEVER WOULD HEAR ABOUT THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO IF IT GETS TIED INTO THE HEARINGS, I DON'T KNOW GERMANE, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE RULES ON THAT.
AS FAR AS IN COMMITTEE HEARINGS, EVERYTHING GOES AND WE'LL SEE, UM, UNFORTUNATE NEWS.
UH, SO THERE'S SB 10, STILL WAITING.
UM, THE OTHER BIG ONE IS SECURITIZATION BILL AND SECURITIZATION.
WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ALL OF THE MONEY OWED, UH, FROM THE FEBRUARY WEATHER EVENT.
OF COURSE THERE ARE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE CAUGHT, AS COMMENT IS DISPATCH BANK.
WHAT HAVE YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY COLLECT MONEY IN AND MONEY OUT, AND THE ACT IS KIND OF THIS CONDUIT THROUGH WHICH ALL THE, UH, COSTS AND PAYMENTS SETTLED.
AND, UM, AFTER THE FEBRUARY, WELL, THINGS KIND OF GOT FROZE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, BRAD'S IS DECLARED BANKRUPTCY.
THERE'S A BIG LAWSUIT ILLUMINATE SAYING, HEY, YOU, CAN'T GOING BACK TO A LITTLE BIT AS A REMINDER, THE BIG DEAL IS THESE UPLIFT CHARGES, AS WE CALL IT CHARGES, UPLOADS CHARGES ARE FOR WHAT SOMEBODY HADN'T PAID IS SUPPOSED TO BE CHARGED AGAINST A WHOLE, THE WHOLE WHOLESALE MARKET.
UM, AND NOBODY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
SO, UH, RATHER THAN LEAVING SOME PEOPLE UNPAID AND MAKING PEOPLE PAY A LOT OF MONEY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE, EXCUSE ME, UM, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A SECURITIZATION BILL.
IT CREATES A CORPORATION THAT WILL BE USED,
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UM, THROUGH ERCOT, BUT MANAGED BY THE PUC TO CREATE A FUNDING DEVICE TO SECURITIZE, UM, THOSE COSTS.AND, UH, I RE-READ THE SAME TODAY AND, AND STILL SCRATCH MY HEAD.
IT'S GOT SOME, WHAT ARE CALLED THROW INS.
IT SEEMED TO ACCOMMODATE SOME SPECIAL INCURRED.
I DON'T THINK THEY HEARD US, SO I'M NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT IT.
UM, THE CHAIRMAN, PATTY, PATTY SAYS, HE'S READY TO MOVE THAT BILL.
AND SO IT SHOULD BE COMING OUT LIKE REAL SOON, BECAUSE AS FAR AS THE MOVIE, BUT THERE'S STILL A MINIMAL TO CHANGE IT, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD NEWS.
SO IF WE SPOT SOMETHING IN THERE THAT CONCERNS US.
AND SO FAR, I HADN'T, BECAUSE I HAD A COUPLE OF QUITE THINGS.
KURT, SIMON HAD SOME OF THE ANSWER, RIGHT.
UM, AND SO MY, MY CONCERNS HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, LAID BY THEM SO FAR.
UM, HAS, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING CHANGES DOWN THERE.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE SEEN THE FINAL VERSION OF 44 92 YET.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE, UM, WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADEQUATELY COVERED IN THERE AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WE WOULD BE INCLUDED AS WELL, UM, TO OTHERS, UH, DISTRIBUTED GENERATION.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S BEING PUSHED BY ATB BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PUT SOLAR ON ALL OF THEIR STORES.
AND, UH, THEY'RE GOING TO GENERATE MORE THAN WHAT THE STORE NEEDS.
THEY WANT TO SELL IT INTO THE GRID.
UM, WE HAVE CONCERNED JUST LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT ELECTRONS BACK INTO THE GRID, THERE ARE SAFETY CONCERNS, AND THERE ARE ALSO SOME PRACTICAL CONCERN FROM THE, FROM THE ENERGY SIDE OR FROM THE PEOPLE WHO CONTROL SAYING THAT, HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR ALL THAT? YOU KNOW, SO, UM, UH, ATP SELLS IT BACK INTO THE GRID.
WELL THEN DO WE SET UP THIS WHOLE NEW GENERATORS COURSE? UM, AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE PARTICIPANTS WHEN, UH, INDIVIDUALLY THEY'RE SMALL, UH, COLLECTIVELY LIKE THEY REPRESENT OR SOMETHING.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT BILL IS, UM, IS RIGHT YET MAYBE ANOTHER SESSION.
UH, ATB IS APPARENTLY VERY, BEEN VERY OPEN AND COOPERATIVE.
UM, THE BOTTOM LINE ON THAT IS WE'RE KIND OF RELYING ON THE TEXAS PUBLIC POWER FOUNDATION OR ASSOCIATION GROUP.
UM, I HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE THAT SAY THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THAT REGARD.
UM, UH, CURRENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS GENERAL MANAGER OF, UH, UH, TMPA FOR MANY YEARS.
AND HE UNDERSTANDS THAT EVERY CITY, EVERY MOU IS DIFFERENT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IN SAN ANTONIO, I THINK WE'LL BE OKAY.
UH, WE'RE STILL WATCHING IT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT AS A CITY, UH, GOING TO PUSH AN INTEREST IN IT.
UH, LASTLY, UM, UH, THERE'S THIS ONE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, AND IT'S A RENEWABLE PRICING, ANCILLARY SERVICES, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE TO PROVIDE IF YOU'RE A GENERATOR, UM, THEY GOT REAL EXPENSIVE DURING THE FEBRUARY.
UM, THEY WANT TO, THE SENSE WAS I NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO CONTROL THAT THAT ALSO NEEDS TO DO, UM, UH, SOMETHING TO MAKE RENEWABLE, UH, BE A PART OF IT BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAD TO BUY ANCILLARY SERVICES FOR THAT GIVEN RIGHT FROM THEIR WORK, NO BY ASSETS STILL RUNNING.
UH, OUR MAIN CONCERN WAS, WELL, THAT'S FINE GOING FORWARD, OR, OR AT LEAST WE CAN LIVE WITH IT GOING FORWARD.
WHEN YOU COME UP WITH A NEW DEAL, THE EXISTING DEALS DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR
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ANCILLARY SERVICES, AND SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO PAY EITHER US AS THE BUYER OR THEM AND THE SELLER, UM, AND THAT'S CONCERNING.SO, UM, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET WAS AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD EXCLUDE EXISTING DEALS.
AND WE'RE STILL TRYING TO PRESERVE THAT AS THIS MOVE, THIS BILL MOVES THROUGH THE PROCESS.
APPARENTLY IT WILL BE MOVING PLUS THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER BILL FILED THAT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT SEEMS LIKE WITH FASHION, BUT I GUESS IT COULD STILL BE DONE.
UM, IT'S SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS THE $9,000 POWER, WHICH YOU ALL HEARD ABOUT FOR, AND ANSWER THE $14,000, UM, ANCILLARY SERVICE HOUR.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT DOES OR HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
MAYBE THEY DIP IT INTO THE RAINY DAY FOR, I DON'T KNOW, BUT, UM, WE'RE WATCHING FOR THAT.
UM, RYAN CURT, WE'RE ALL OVER THAT.
BRIAN HAD HEARD SOME, UH, SOME GOSSIPS ABOUT IT.
UM, AND AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, UM, THINGS KIND OF CALM DOWN.
WE DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE UNDER IMMINENT THREAT WAITING, BUT SHE'S WAITING FOR SOME, UH, UH, SOME MOVEMENT ON NOTICE THAT WE CAN SEE WHERE WE'LL BE IN MS. GERMINAL.
I'LL PAUSE THERE AND TAKE ANOTHER DRINK OF MY WATER.
KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT I COULD GLEAN FROM IT, IT SAID THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OR MOST CITIES AND THEY, THEY, THEY WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH.
AND, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO AGGRESSIVELY DEFEND OUR RIGHTS AS A HOMEOWNER CITY, PROBABLY THROUGH LITIGATION.
UM, I DON'T THINK THEY'VE RESPONDED WELL TO ANY OF OUR ATTEMPTS TO GET THEM TO BACK OFF AND, AND AVOID THIS EVENTUAL CONFLICT.
IS THERE, WHAT'S YOUR OPINION? I, I SEE THAT, IN FACT, I SHARED THAT WITH, UM, UH, MONI WHEN TMI OVERRIDE THE OTHER DAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN TRENDS IN MUNICIPAL LAW AND LITIGATION, UH, OVER THE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN PART OF THAT CONSTITUTIONALITY TO CIVIL SERVICE PROBATION, SOME OF IT, UM, AND, AND, UM, THINGS THAT DON'T REALLY INTERESTED WITH, LIKE EXIT TERRITORIAL, JURISDICTION, ANNEXATION, UM, SOME OF IT WAS IN THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF MUNICIPAL IMMUNITY.
AND I SEE THE NEXT TREND AND LITIGATION IS BEING LITIGATED.
AT SOME POINT, THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO BE CONSTRAINED BY THE CONSTITUTION AND YOU HEAR IT SAID OVER AND OVER, ESPECIALLY BY CERTAIN GROUPS DOWN THERE.
UM, WELL, CITIES ARE A CREATURE OF THE STATE AND WITH RESPECT TO HOME RULE CITIES, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
HOME RULE STUDIES ARE CREATURE, THE CONSTITUTION JUST AS ASSUREDLY AS THE LEGISLATURE.
AND, UH, HAD SOME, SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE NOW WE HAVE PREEMPT STUBBLE FOAM ROLL IN TEXAS, AS OPPOSED TO SOME STATES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE HOME REWIND.
SOME STATES HAVE KIND OF A LEGISLATOR HOME ROLE IN SOME STATES UNPRINTABLE UNPREVENTABLE, LIKE YOU SAY, IN COLORADO WHERE EACH CITY DENVER IS TRULY A SOVEREIGN TO ITSELF, BUT, UM, YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF AT WHAT POINT DOES THE PREEMPTION GO SO FAR THAT THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR HOME RULE CITIES.
YOU CAN'T DO THIS, YOU CAN'T DO THIS.
OR IF YOU DO THIS, YOU HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY.
AND IN MY MIND THAT RUNS CONTRARY TO THE INTENT AMENDMENT.
THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.
AND SO I AGREE WITH CHAIRMAN, UH, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT MINUTE THE LAW IS EXPLORING THE, THE PREEMPT, THE BUILDING OF TEXAS.
AND THEN AS YOU SAID EARLIER WITH THAT, UH, THAT RECALL LEGISLATION, THAT MAY BE AN AVENUE FOR THAT DISCUSSION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WILLIAMS AND ALBAN.
[00:35:01]
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO THROW IN? UM, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER OVENS, HEAD SHAKES SUMS UP MY WHOLE FEELING ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION SO FAR.SO I'M NOT PUTTING WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT, UH, INTERPRET HIM FOR EXPRESSIONS.
I MEAN, GIVEN, GIVEN, UM, UH, THE LANDSCAPE IS DESCRIBED BY THE CHAIR AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING WE, IF, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, IF I THINK IT'S WHEN THE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATURE CONTINUES OR WHAT DO YOU THINK THE, THE GAME CLIENT'S GOING TO BE THROUGH, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH TMA, TML OR INDIVIDUAL BLOCK OF CITIES, UH, TO BE IN A POSITION TO PULL THE TRIGGER AND, UH, UH, IN DEFENSE OF HOME RULE AND OTHER ISSUES, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IN THE FUTURE, UH, RATHER THAN WAIT UNTIL WE SAY, WELL, LET'S WAIT UNTIL THEY HATCH ALL THE EGGS.
AND THEN, THEN WE'LL SEE HOW WE WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO THE CHICKENS.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IF THIS TREND CONTINUES AND I'VE SEEN NO EVIDENCE THAT IT'S GOING, THAT IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE? MATTER OF FACT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO INTENSIFY.
UM, I THINK, UM, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A LOCAL ELECTION SEASON AND SOME OF THE STUFF THAT I'M HEARING AND READING AND SEEING, PARTICULARLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I THINK IT'S GOING TO ATTEMPT TO FIRE FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES.
I WON'T GET INTO THAT CAUSE THAT'S NOT ON OUR AGENDA, BUT WHAT, WHAT DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON STRATEGISTS MOVING FORWARD TO BETTER PREPARE US TO, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, UH, STRATEGIZE AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE VALUES, THAT TERM LOOSELY APPROPRIATE ACTION, UM, TO ADDRESS, UH, SOME OF THE TRENDS COMING OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE.
WHAT DO YOU, WHAT I'M JUST, I GUESS I'M ASKING YOU TO DO A LITTLE CRYSTAL BALLING, ET CETERA, BUT ON A PREPARATION PIECE, WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO, TO HELP CITIES HELP US BE IN A MORE PREPARED STATE TO ADDRESS THOSE WHEN THEY OCCUR? I DON'T THINK IT'S, IF THEY'RE THERE.
I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF WHEN CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY? YEAH.
I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS FIND THE RIGHT VEHICLE.
UM, AND WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE REACHING AND SO FAR, IT, IT COULD WELL BE THAT THEY'RE HANDING US ONE, SPECIALLY LIKE LET'S TAKE THAT OCCUPATION, UM, PREEMPTION BILL, UM, THE BREADTH OF THAT, DEPENDING ON WHAT WORDS THEY FINALLY USE IS SO WIDE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, CAN GIVE THEM THE GERMAN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
UM, BUT HERE, I THINK THERE REALLY ARE INTENDED YOU HAVE THE, UH, WHOLESALE PREMIERE AND, UM, AND YOU WOULD THINK THAT BY NOW THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN EMBARRASSED BY SOME OF THE BRANCHES, LIKE ON THE BUILDING MATERIAL.
UH, APPARENTLY NOT HERE THERE, IF THAT BILL GOES INTO LAW, UH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME THINGS HAPPEN THAT, UH, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO RISE.
YOU MEAN THAT BECAUSE THIS GUY HAS A USED CAR, UM, A LICENSE ISSUED BY THE STADIUM IN SOLOMON AND HIS HOUSE.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING SAY, OH, NO, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO TALK TO THE, TO THE LEGISLATURE WHO THEY TOOK THAT AUTHORITY AWAY FROM US, AND THAT DOESN'T GET REAL FAR, BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A POPULAR CORE MINUS.
AND THEN, UH, AT SOME POINT IT'S GOING TO BE SO EVIDENCE OVERSTEPPING THAT, UH, IT'S A MATTER OF CONVINCING THE COURT.
UM, BUT WHAT WE FOUND AND WHAT I'M SAYING IN MY CAREER IS THAT IT TAKES A LITTLE STEP AT A TIME.
THEY USUALLY DON'T HAVE A WHOLESALE BAKERY
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ALL AT ONCE.UM, AND I GO BACK TO OUR, UH, BATTLE ON A PARTICULAR ASPECT OF, UH, UH, SO SERVICE, UH, USED TO BE THAT WE HAD NO AS A CITY, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE JUST THE FED IN THE PROCESS, WE HAD NO RIGHT TO APPEAL, UH, KIND OF STARTED THE BALL ROLLING.
AND IT TOOK ABOUT 10 KITES AND ABOUT 15 YEARS, BUT EVENTUALLY A HARD SIDE ART SIDE, PREVAIL ART SIDE.
WE CONVINCED THE COURT BASED ON ITS OWN MADEA LAW, THAT, THAT WE WERE RIDING ON THAT ISSUE.
WE SAW THE SAME THING AND SOME TO ALCOHOL REGULATION, WE SAW THE SAME THING ON, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, SOME ASPECTS OF FULL IMMUNITY FROM SUIT.
AND, UH, BUT THAT ALL TAKE A LONG TIME.
IF YOU WON'T FIND ONE KEY CASE, YOU WIN ALL OVER.
UM, IT'S GONNA TAKE YEARS, MAYBE ANOTHER 10, 15 YEARS, BUT, UM, THE MORE BILLS WE SEE LIKE THIS, THE MORE, I THINK IT STRENGTHENS OUR POSITION AND THAT KIND OF ALL RIGHT.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER UPDATES? UM, I'M GOING TO TRY AND GET US OUT OF HERE BEFORE, UH, SUMMER'S PLAYTIME, ANY MORE UPDATES ON ANYTHING WE'RE GOOD.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING GOOD COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT, UH, UH, ANY STRATEGIC CHANGES YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE NOT WATCHING CLOSELY ENOUGH? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT SPECIFIC UPDATES ON? I KNOW WE'RE PRETTY LATE IN THE GAME AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST, UH, WE'RE JUST TAKING EVERY DAY AS IT COMES JUST FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE OR BRIAN, WHEN DO WE EXPECT, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOW AT THE PERIOD IT'S FROM AT LEAST TWO, IT SEEMS, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE IT OUT OF THAT COMMITTEE, YOU'RE DEAD AND OUT OF, I'M SORRY, IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE IT OUT OF COMMITTEE FROM THE ORIGINATING BODY, YOU'RE DEAD.
UM, SO I WOULDN'T MIND, MAYBE FOR OUR NEXT GETTING KIND OF A SURVEY OF WHAT'S, WHAT THINGS ARE STILL OUT THERE THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND WHEN DO WE EXPECT BILLS THAT HAVE CROSSED OVER TO START MOVING? IS THERE SOME KIND OF GUIDE GENERAL PROCESS? I MEAN, IS THAT BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF THE SESSION IS, IS WORKING EACH OTHER'S BILLS AND ANYTHING THAT'S NOT A COMMITTEE IS DEAD.
SO WERE THEY CHECK ON WHAT'S THE, AND THAT'S GOING TO PROBABLY BE BEFORE WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER LENS OF PLANNING COMMITTEE FROM ALL TURPIN LATER, AN EMAIL.
I JUST KNOW THAT THERE'S A BUNCH OF STUFF THAT WE WERE WATCHING AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE DEAD SORT OF, BUT, BUT THE COMPANION BILL HAS COME OVER FROM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS, IT WAS A SEVEN 49, THE CEO, WAS IT THE CEO BILL THAT WAS DEAD IN THE, NO, I'M SORRY.
IT'S NOT, IT WAS THE LOBBYING BILL WHO WAS DEAD IN THE HOUSE, BUT IT'S COME OVER IN THE FORM OF SB 10.
UM, I DUNNO, YOU KNOW, SO JUST, JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN AND HOW THESE THINGS MIGHT MOVE.
UH, AND, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING A SPATE OF HEARINGS AGAIN DOWN, AND YOU KNOW, THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT BEING THERE FOR KIND OF WHAT THE STRATEGY IS AS WE CLOSE OUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT FIVE WEEKS LEFT IN THE SESSION AND BY EMAIL WAS TOTALLY FINE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT WHAT THE LAST, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LAST MONTH, I KNOW IT'S MAYHEM, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT PIECES WE NEED TO BE PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT.
AND YOUR SECOND ONE WAS A PARAPHRASE IN HERE.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH, UH, WITH BILLS THAT HAVE CROSSED OVER TO THE OTHER CHAMBER? YEAH, AND I GUESS IT, I MEAN THE CONCEPT OF EVERY, IF IT'S NOT OUT OF COMMITTEE, IT'S DEAD.
IT'S JUST BECAUSE THESE COMMITTEES ARE GOING TO BE START TAKING UP.
UM, BASICALLY START TAKING UP THE BILLS FROM THE OTHER BODY, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TIME FOR ANYTHING THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT OF THEIR COMMITTEE DONE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO START REFERRING HILLS TO THESE COMMITTEES.
I GUESS I DO HAVE THURSDAY, THE 29TH IS THE PRACTICAL DROP
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DEAD DATE FOR THOSE BILLS.SO THIS THURSDAY, IDEALLY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BY MONDAY THE 19TH OF APRIL, BUT YOU CAN STILL GET BILLS THROUGH THIS WEEK OUT OF COMMITTEE.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON SOME, WE CAN SOME LATER, RIGHT.
CAUSE THERE WAS STUFF I WAS TELLING ME LAST WEEK THAT, YOU KNOW, STUFF THAT HASN'T MADE IT OUT IS BY NOW, OR IT'S GETTING A HEARING LIKE LAST WEEK OR THIS WEEK IS, YOU KNOW, NOT DOING SO GREAT, SO TO SPEAK.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA WHAT THE LANDSCAPE'S GONNA LOOK LIKE THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WHEN WE'VE GOT IT TO BE READY TO ON SOME OF THESE THINGS AND WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE IN TERMS OF DELLS.
UM, I MEAN, I WOULD IMAGINE, FOR EXAMPLE, PAT, IF FATTIES BILL HASN'T MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE I MEAN MAYBE, MAYBE, MAYBE ALL THESE REALLY, MAYBE ALL THEY'RE REALLY DOING IS FOR PREPARING A REWRITE OF WHAT DOES THAT SB TWO OR THREE.
I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT MYSELF TOO.
UM, YOU KNOW, GOING TO START GETTING CONSOLIDATED AND SEEMS TO ME, AND WE SAY A LOT OF BUILD EVERYTHING I CAN REWRITE EVEN SAYING SUBSECTION OF STATUTE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, WELL, WHICH OF THESE FIVE BILLS IS THE LAW? UM, CAUSE THEY'RE ALL AMENDED THE SAME PROVISION.
AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, AS FAR AS WATCHING THESE BILLS AND HAVING STAKEHOLDERS, WE'LL CALL IT, THE STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED AT SOME OF THESE ELECTRIC BILL WOULD START BEING CONSOLIDATED.
YOU'VE GOT SOME, SOME BIG VEHICLES IN THE HANCOCK BILL FROM THE SENATE WHILE YOU COULD ROLL SOME OF THESE OTHER PROVISIONS IN THERE AND HAVE ONE BIG BILL IT'S ALL COLLATED AND COORDINATED AND NOT QUITE AS CONFUSING AND I'M SEEING I'M SEEING THE NEXT DEADLINE IS IF A BILL HAS NOT HAD A SECOND READING IN THE HOUSE BY MONDAY, MAY 10TH, THAT'S THE NEXT BIG DROP.
SO WE'LL KEEP IT ON THAT AS WELL.
WHERE ARE THEY? AND THEN EVERYTHING BY THE WHAT THE 12TH LET'S SEE.
I THINK IF IT HASN'T BEEN HANDLED BY THE 12TH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY DEAD, DEAD, DEAD.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12TH OR MAY 12TH.
I'M LOOKING AT TOO MANY CALENDARS HERE ANYWAY.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY, VERY ACTIVE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
IF NOT NEXT SIX, LET ME SPEAKING OF CALENDARS, I WANT TO DISCUSS OUR INTERNAL CALENDAR.
UM, I TALKED TO THE MAYOR AND WE AGREE THAT OUR, OUR CHARGE AS A COMMITTEE WILL END WHEN THE LAST SPECIAL SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE HAS CONCLUDED.
UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, UH, OBVIOUSLY I'M GOING TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS CAN GET AWAY FROM HERE FOR A WHILE FOR VACATION.
OF COURSE, WE'RE ALL ON ZOOM SO WE CAN, WE CAN DO THINGS REMOTELY, BUT I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR HOLIDAYS.
UM, I INTEND TO KEEP US MEETING EVERY MONDAY, OTHERWISE, UH, AS LONG AS THERE IS LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY FOR US TO DISCUSS.
SO, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN ADJUST AS WE GO, BUT IF YOU GUYS ARE, ARE UP FOR THIS, I'M UP FOR IT AS WELL.
WELL, WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET A RECURRING THING ON THE CALENDAR, UH, THAT WILL STRETCH THROUGH, LET'S SAY SEPTEMBER FOR NOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE LISTENING TO, UH, REDISTRICTING THEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE MIGHT GET LUMPED INTO THAT SPECIAL SESSION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE REALLY HAVE MUCH TO SAY ON THE REDISTRICTING SIDE, BUT, UH, WE'LL JUST KEEP THAT THOSE DATES OPEN IN CASE THAT THEY, UH, LUMPED SOMETHING ELSE INTO THE END OF THE DISCUSSION.
AND IN LINE WITH OUR SCHEDULING, UM, YOU MIGHT WANT TO, UH, GET WITH A GUEST CALMER OR, OR, OR SOMEBODY ON THE FOREFOOT WITH KARMA AND LOOK AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES.
UM, BECAUSE I LOOKED AT ONE LAST WEEK BOOK, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US OWN AT LEAST TWO AT SOME OF THESE THREE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.
AND WHO IS SCHEDULING MEETINGS.
AND SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE'RE IN THE QUEUE AND WE'RE NOT BUMPING UP AGAINST
[00:50:01]
SOMEBODY ELSE, OR THEY'RE NOT BUMPING UP AGAINST US SINCE WE'RE IN OUR STRETCH RUN.SO WE DON'T HAVE TO MOVE, I'LL WORK WITH THE NEW SLATE OF COMMITTEE CHAIRS, UH, IN MAY OR JUNE, WHATEVER THE MAYOR APPOINTS THEM.
AND WE'LL ENSURE THAT WE DON'T, UH, WE DON'T OVERLAP OUR TIMES.
BUT, BUT I, BUT I, BUT I THINK OURS SHOULD BE A MATTER UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE AND IT'S A MATTER OF PRIORITIES AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE US GET, SORT OF GET LOST IN THE CROWD AND HAVE TO HAVE TO RUSH, PARTICULARLY IF WE NEED TIME TO DO THINGS.
WELL, ONE THING A HEAVYSET PEOPLE ARE DOING ARE GOOD AT DOING IS THROWING THEIR WEIGHT AROUND AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
SO, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL ENSURE THAT OUR COMMITTEE GETS TOP BILLING.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD OR BRING UP FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION IN ANYTHING AT ALL THAT YOU CAN THINK OF THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS? THAT'S GERMANE TO THE COMMITTEE.
IT IS 4:52 PM AND THIS COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.