Votes at a glance: committee advances several transport and housing measures

The House Transportation Committee and the joint Transportation-Housing hearing on March 27 produced a string of committee decisions. Key outcomes were:

SB 3152 SD2 — Rename Harbors Division to Commercial Ports Division: The committee adopted HD1 and several technical amendments to clarify jurisdictional language and requested DOT to work with the next committee on potential transfers of small boat harbors; committee recommendation adopted by voice vote.

SB 2694 SD2 — Remove inflation-index language and prohibit PUC cross-subsidization: Chair described amendments that remove an automatic inflation carrier index and prohibit the Public Utilities Commission from making cross-subsidization decisions for regulated water carriers, leaving subsidy decisions to the Legislature; committee passed the bill with amendments.

SB 299 SD1 HD1 — Clean fuel standard (rule-making authority clarifications): The committee amended SB 299 to reflect HB 1986 HD2 language on rule-making authority and adopted HD1 with technical edits; the measure was advanced for further consideration.

SB 3029 SD1 — Pilot county for program implementation: The committee amended SB 3029 so that each Community Development Authority (CDA) may pick one county to pilot a program (limited to a county meeting the population threshold) and asked agencies to clarify pilot costs in subsequent committee stages; committee voted to pass with amendments.

Across items the committee used technical amendments and directed agencies (notably DOT and HHFDC) to provide additional cost and jurisdictional details as the measures proceed. Several representatives were recorded as excused on some roll calls.