September 29, 2026 · COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY · 468 words · 13 speakers · 29 segments
I call this meeting of the Senate Communications and Technology Committee to order.
Matt, please call the roll. Baker?
Here. Here.
Boscola?
Proxy. Proxy.
Ferry?
Here. Here.
Gephardt?
Proxy. Proxy.
Kane?
Here. Here.
Malone?
Here. Here.
Miller?
Here. Here.
Phillips Hill?
Proxy. Proxy.
Picozzi?
Here. Here.
Kay Ward?
Proxy. Proxy.
Penny Cook.
Here. Here.
Having established a quorum, we have one bill on our agenda today. I call up Senate Bill 1408, printer number 1891, sponsored by myself. This bill prohibits a public agency from entering into a nondisclosure agreement with the owner or operator of a data center concerning the construction, development, or location of a data center. This bill would cover both state and local entities. Is there a motion to move the bill? Senator Baker, do I have a second? Senator Ferry. Senate Bill 1408 is now before the committee. Data centers are part of our modern economy, but decisions that drastically shape a community should not be made behind closed doors. When a data center developer requires a non-disclosure agreement, residents are kept in the dark while plans that directly affect their lives take place. Local officials should be free to speak openly with the people they represent about what is being proposed. I recognize that Senator Kristen Phillips Hill is here. Thank you. Senate Bill 1408 prohibits state and local agencies from signing agreements that restrict what they can disclose to the public about a data center project Transparency is essential to local control and I ask my colleagues to support this bill so residents have a meaningful voice in decisions that will affect them for years to come. Are there any questions or comments on the bill? Senator Malone? I just want to make the
one comment that, you know, we, our municipalities already have explicit points where they can have executive session for very delicate issues in case anyone's worried about that kind of thing. It is, as Senator Pennycook said, there is no reason for an NDA in, at least in municipal work with this kind of contracts.
Thank you, Senator Malone. Is there any other comments? There is an amendment to the bill. I will offer amendment number A04297. This is a technical amendment adding the word public on page 2, line 6. I will move the amendment. Do I have a second?
Senator Miller?
We will proceed to a vote. Are there any negative votes on the amendment? The amendment has been adopted unanimously. On the bill as amended, we will proceed to a vote. Are there any negative votes on the bill? Seeing none, Senate Bill 1408 is reported as amended unanimously. That concludes our agenda for today. The Senate Communications and Technology Committee stands and recests until the call of the chair.
I'm getting really fast.