Transcript Highlights:

• A15 amendment will be distributed. If I could, Chair. >> Go ahead, Senator Draheim.
• It's caused untold damage, and I think that you're putting in a responsible amount, distributing it in
• And it's caused untold damage, and I think that you're putting in a responsible amount, distributing
• And while it's being distributed, maybe... And while it's being distributed, maybe Ms.
• to the school dollars get distributed to the school districts<00:59:32.160> that<00:59:32.320

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They forwarded them to Grant for distribution to the committee, so hopefully you've gotten those.
• I will go on and talk a little bit about distributed ledger technology.
• We were not able to use it in distributed ledger fashion.
• It's not one of those topics where we sit down and we say, let's do distributed ledger.
• So this distributed ledger technology is... Not knowing very much.

Summary: The committee received several informational reports from NDIT and DPI. Justin Data reviewed the quarterly major IT project portfolio, noting the portfolio was slightly under budget and behind schedule overall, with three red schedule items: Bed Management System and Vital Records were essentially complete and being closed out, and the Roadway Capital Planning Project was delayed by vendor bug fixes after testing. He also summarized recent project startups and closeouts, including the Victim Notification System, Medicaid data exchange, Highway Patrol’s motor carrier permit system, and several completed HHS and RIMS projects. Members asked for follow-up on ADA compliance work, the public-facing RIO website, and the state’s mainframe retirement timeline, and staff agreed to provide updates later. Craig Falkley reported on coordination of services with political subdivisions and higher education, including StageNet, cybersecurity, radio/911 services, and PeopleSoft coordination. He also explained distributed ledger technology as a tool for transparency and fraud prevention, but said it is not widely used in state government and suggested the report be modernized to focus more broadly on emerging technologies such as AI and cybersecurity. The committee generally agreed that the topic should be updated. Chris Gurgan presented the mandatory cybersecurity incident reporting program created by HB 1314, explaining how agencies and political subdivisions report incidents through NDIT’s website or service desk. He said 77 incidents had been reported since 2021, 47 met the statutory definition, and most were phishing-related; most reported incidents were resolved, with one recent ransomware matter still open. He also reviewed notable incidents since the last report, including the PowerSchool compromise, a SimpleHelp intrusion at a school district, a court intrusion, a WSUS vulnerability, a business email compromise, and a recent ransomware incident involving a non-state critical infrastructure entity. Members asked about recovery of stolen funds, early warning signs, smishing, training, MFA, conditional access, and cybersecurity maturity assessments; Gurgan said the state uses MFA and conditional access, provides awareness training to state employees, and would return with more information on maturity assessments. Tony Ambrose then updated the committee on the K-12 student information system bridge project. He said district implementation of Infinite Campus had begun statewide, but the data migration vendor originally selected was terminated for poor performance and replaced by Aurora Educational Technology, which had experience with similar statewide migrations. He also said DPI is migrating special education data from Tynet into Infinite Campus, and that some SLDS-based tools such as e-transcripts and Choice Ready may not function exactly as they do now at July 1, requiring interim or alternative solutions. Members raised concerns about summer school disruptions, the timing of the cutover, and whether the new system would support existing reporting and transcript functions; DPI said it was working on identity, authentication, data-sharing agreements, and post-go-live integrations, and would continue to refine the plan beyond June 30.

Transcript Highlights:

• to make it a more exists is distributed to make it a more efficient<00:17:33.720> program<00:
• It will allow for immediate deposit into a designated account, which will enable quicker distribution
• this sort of the country to distribute this sort of emergency<00:20:03.559> aid<00:20:03.760>
• I think the intention was to just change the way the money was distributed, but if counsel could just
• I think the intention was to just change the way the money was distributed, but if counsel could just

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In fact, under our current laws, individuals who distribute copyrighted material for their own financial
• In fact, under our current laws, individuals who distribute copyrighted material for their own financial
• It expressly applies existing statute for civil liability to the intentional creation and distribution
• Once it is distributed and continually distributed, the harm to the person is just perpetuated over and
• Even though existing law prohibits the creation and distribution of nonconsensual AI-generated pornography

Summary: The Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee met with a new membership roster and adopted its committee rules after quorum was established. The hearing then began with AB 412, the AI Copyright Transparency Act, which would require generative AI developers to provide copyright holders notice when registered copyrighted works are used in training data. The author and supporters, including SAG-AFTRA, the Transparency Coalition, voice actors, writers, labor groups, and other creators, argued the bill would give artists a practical way to learn whether their works were used and to vindicate their rights. Opponents, including EFF, CalChamber, RIAA, CCIA, Chamber of Progress, Bay Area Council, BSA, and TechNet, said the proposal was technically unworkable, could burden startups, conflict with existing law and pending litigation, and raise federal preemption concerns. Members discussed the bill’s amendments, including a fingerprinting approach and narrowing the bill to model developers, and the committee voted 8-2 to pass AB 412 as amended to the Judiciary Committee. The committee then heard AB 446, which would prohibit “surveillance pricing,” or the use of personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service. The author and supporters, including Consumer Watchdog, UFCW, labor organizations, and consumer/privacy groups, described examples of differential pricing tied to device type, location, shopping behavior, and digital price tags, and argued the bill would protect consumers from discriminatory and predatory pricing. Business and industry opponents, including CalChamber, grocers, retailers, travel, broadband, and other associations, said the bill could conflict with the CCPA, interfere with loyalty and rewards programs, and create confusion about personalized discounts and dynamic pricing. The discussion focused on how the bill would treat loyalty programs, whether existing privacy law already covers the issue, and whether the proposal would unintentionally affect legitimate discounts and promotions.

Transcript Highlights:

• life-saving legislation that requires firearm manufacturers to incorporate microstamping into guns distributed
• respectfully ask Commission members to recommend to the Legislature microstamping inside firearms distributed
• their thoughts in writing, which we will also be able to post to the special commission website and distribute
• Thank you. to the special commission website and distribute to all of our members.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Special Commission on Emerging Firearm Technology convened its fifth hearing, led by co-chairs Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Senator Michael Moore, with a quorum present. The co-chairs reviewed the commission’s charge to study emerging firearm technologies, including personalized firearms and microstamping, and to assess their feasibility, utility, legal issues, commercial availability, and potential costs and impacts in Massachusetts. They noted prior hearings on smart guns and microstamping and said this session was for public testimony. The only registered speaker was Matthew Nugent of Beverly, who urged the commission to recommend microstamping legislation. He argued that microstamping could help identify crime guns, solve shootings, and hold traffickers accountable by imprinting a unique code on cartridge casings when a firearm is fired. He cited other states, including New Jersey, California, and New York, as having adopted similar requirements and asked Massachusetts to follow suit. No other oral testimony was offered, though the co-chairs reminded the public that written testimony would continue to be accepted and posted for commissioners. Senator Moore thanked attendees for their input, and the commission then voted to adjourn without any substantive action or recommendations taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• So now we'll distribute those per that action. Yes. Uh, Mr.
• number 19 provided $5 million of additional funds in the Wyoming Community College Commission, distributed
• So<00:02:26.080> now<00:02:26.320> we'll<00:02:26.440> distribute<00:02:26.959><
• c> those<00:02:27.640> uh So now we'll distribute those uh So now we'll distribute those uh
• through the state Commission distributed through the state aid<00:05:24.000> formula.

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first addressed an unintended consequence in the Joint Conference Committee report involving dual and concurrent enrollment funding. Staff explained that a dollar-for-dollar reduction tied to Senate File 81 would have fully funded public school dual/concurrent enrollment while leaving no funds for non-public school students. Senator Salazar moved to strike that provision, the motion was seconded, and it carried. Budget and Fiscal Administrator Don Richards then walked through the conference committee report and the major adopted amendments. He reviewed Senate and House amendments affecting items such as sign language interpreters, rural veterinary education, predator management authorization, petroglyphs and pictographs, senior services, community college funding, school district entitlement payments, the School Foundation Program reserve transfer, a tourism-related rodeo museum change, archaeological work on human remains, a jet airplane reduction, abortion-related language, livestock ear tags, provider rates for developmental disabilities, student-athlete endorsement restrictions, a forensic audit for the Wyoming Business Council, and the Yellowstone tree inscription. He also described several deleted sections and policy changes, including removal of spending-policy provisions, flex authority language, and other budget sections. Richards further summarized new or revised appropriations and conditions, including funding for local cybersecurity, stormwater fees, the Wyoming Natural Resource Trust Fund, lab services, IT modernization, Wyoming Public Television, matching funds, cloud services, and restored governor FTE requests. He noted a compromise on the outdoor trails matching program, a conditional $10 million University of Wyoming operational review appropriation tied to future cost savings, and a stablecoin appropriation. He also explained that the report retained the base-bill reversion language, discussed the remaining general fund balance and statutory reserve, and said the committee would circulate the amendment and signatures for floor action later that day. The meeting then adjourned without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• The other two individuals submitted their comments to me, and Paul will distribute them to the members
• The more money there is, the more benefits can be distributed to various beneficiaries.
• You can find our app at my address online, and we're happy to distribute those to you.
• On the next slide, slide 11, I mentioned I would come back to the power law distribution.
• I'm sure you're all familiar with a normal distribution curve, and that's here on the left.

Transcript Highlights:

• As explained by Senator Bettencourt, this bill seeks to make an equitable distribution of the surplus
• And right now the mechanism for distributing that money is Harris County Commissioners Court, which is
• Now the mechanism for distributing that money is Harris County Commissioners Court, which is the governing
• Number two, it removes politics from the distribution of surplus revenues, requiring they be distributed
• But the Commissioners Court needs to solve their own distribution problem.

Bills: SB39, SB2129, SB2141, SB2246, SB2323, SB2439, SB2722

Keywords: commercial motor vehicle, truck liability, motor carrier, trucking, civil liability, respondeat superior, negligent entrustment, negligent maintenance, negligent loading, negligent repair, bifurcated trial, exemplary damages, punitive damages, personal injury, collision, employer liability, vicarious liability, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Texas tort reform, commercial truck accident

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee reconvened on SB 2722, as substituted by Senator Bettencourt, which would redirect a portion of Harris County Toll Road Authority surplus revenues to the City of Houston and impose audit and tax-rate penalty provisions. Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz and Fire Chief Thomas Munoz testified in support, arguing that Houston bears a large share of toll-road public safety burdens, citing thousands of police and fire responses on toll-road property and the need for compensation for emergency services. Bill King, testifying neutrally, said the toll authority generates large excess revenues and urged stronger oversight and clearer controls on how the money is spent. Opponents, including Harris County officials, business and neighborhood representatives, and toll-road critics, argued the bill would divert transportation dollars, create a precedent for taking toll revenues for general municipal use, and could worsen project delivery and incentives; several also questioned the accuracy and interpretation of the revenue figures and the lack of comparable audit requirements for the city. The committee took extensive testimony but left SB 2722 pending without a vote. The committee then heard SB 2129, which would increase fines for motorists who disregard railroad crossing gates or flaggers, and SB 2323, which would redact railroad crew members’ personal information from public accident reports. Both bills were presented as safety measures, with railroad labor testimony in support, and both were left pending after brief public testimony. The committee also heard SB 2141, a Zaffirini bill concerning specialty license plates for judges, with the substitute aimed at reducing security risks by changing how judges are identified on plates; it too was left pending. Finally, the committee heard SB 2439, another Zaffirini bill, described as a TDLR cleanup measure related to ATV and off-highway vehicle safety certification. The bill would abolish the current training and certification program, which supporters said was burdensome and underused given the small number of approved instructors statewide. With no significant opposition on the record, the committee closed testimony and left SB 2439 pending as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• The prosperity that is being created with the oil and gas industry can be distributed on a broad base
• This industry here locally, if we have some contraction, then that distribution would go down, but it
• Program is the retiree health care distributions from the personal income tax program.
• In the long run, when we look at the estimate, the growth in the distribution.
• Retiree health care distributions.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have a substitute ending in 0.06c, and it's been distributed. I move for its adoption.
• It's been distributed. I move for its adoption.
• It's been distributed. I move for its adoption. Any discussion on the substitute? Mm-hmm. Yeah.
• It's been distributed. I move for its adoption. Any discussion on the substitute?

Summary: The Committee on Health and Mental Health met in executive session and considered several measures. On Senate Bill 878, a pharmacy-related bill, the committee adopted a substitute and an amendment that added language related to pseudoephedrine, 340B, and ivermectin, then voted the House Committee substitute do pass by a vote of 13-2. One member raised concerns about making hydroxychloroquine available over the counter and about allowing pharmacists to prescribe certain class II devices such as CPAP machines without a direct doctor-patient relationship. The committee then took up House Bill 3457, the medically complex patients bill. Members adopted a substitute that narrowed the definition of “medically complex patient,” changed one provision from “shall” to “may,” and required primary care physician approval of care plans before they are entered into an alert system. The committee voted the House Committee substitute do pass unanimously, 15-0. Two resolutions were also approved. House Resolution 538, an ALS Awareness resolution, was amended to add encouragement for assistive technology and augmentative/alternative communication, then passed 15-0. House Resolution 4661, a resolution on chronic kidney disease, also passed unanimously 15-0. The meeting ended with brief closing remarks and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Two, it removes politics from the distribution of surplus revenues, requiring they be appropriately distributed
• So, in number one, it says 30% of that remaining amount shall be distributed...
• Earlier, a handout was distributed. It has a plot on the lower corner.
• The distribution of funds within the precincts for mobility—you heard earlier that on Monday...
• I have distributed that letter to the committee for the record.

Bills: HB2065, HB2462, HB2621, HB3187, HB3539, HB3563, HB3726, HB4164, HB4207, HB4368, HB4706, HB4916, HB4950, HB4967, HB5177, HB4429, HB5597

Keywords: commercial vehicles, parking regulations, residential areas, local governance, land use, traffic safety, high occupancy vehicle lane, pregnant operators, transportation, parental rights, motor vehicle regulations, live video feed, state agency, transparency, public safety, regional transportation, mobility program, sales tax, public infrastructure, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• I do have a substitute ending in 0.06C, and it's been distributed. I move for its adoption.
• It's been distributed. I move for its adoption.
• It's been distributed. I move for its adoption. Any discussion on the substitute? Mm-hmm. Yeah.
• It's been distributed. I move for its adoption. Any discussion on the substitute?

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Health and Mental Health met in executive session with a quorum present and considered several measures. Senate Bill 878, Senator Fitzwater’s pharmacy-related bill, was amended with a committee substitute that incorporated language previously seen on pseudoephedrine and 340B issues, along with Senate floor language on ivermectin. One member expressed concern about making hydroxychloroquine available over the counter and about pharmacists effectively prescribing Class II devices such as CPAP machines, but the committee adopted the substitute and then voted the bill do pass by 13 ayes and 2 noes. The committee next took up House Bill 3457, Representative Burns’s medically complex patients bill. A substitute was adopted that narrowed the definition of “medically complex patient,” changed one provision from “shall” to “may,” and required primary care physician approval of a care plan before it could be entered into the alert system. The substitute and the bill both received unanimous approval, 15 ayes and 0 noes. The committee also approved two resolutions. House Resolution 538, Representative Harbison’s ALS Awareness resolution, was amended to add encouragement for assistive technology and augmentative/alternative communication, then passed 15-0. House Resolution 4661, also by Representative Harbison and focused on chronic kidney disease, was then voted do pass unanimously, 15-0. After brief closing remarks, the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's the distribution from returns that UTIMCO is made. Okay.
• It's a 7% distribution, 7% distributed annually. And so that's 7% approximately.
• They make a 7% distribution.
• That distribution is then what's given to the...
• The MUD doesn't have any role in power distribution. Okay, copy that.

Summary: The committee heard testimony first from the Texas General Land Office and School Land Board. GLO officials described the agency’s role in managing more than 13 million acres of state lands and mineral interests for the Permanent School Fund, overseeing the Alamo, coastal programs, veterans’ services, and federal disaster recovery. They said the agency has generated about $6 billion for the Permanent School Fund since Commissioner Buckingham took office, and that its disaster recovery portfolio is about $14 billion across multiple events, with more than 22,000 housing units rebuilt or reconstructed since Hurricane Harvey. Members asked about land purchases such as Brewster Ranch, rare earth mineral leasing, SpaceX-related beach access, and whether the lands are public access lands; GLO staff said the holdings are managed to maximize revenue for education, that most land is leased rather than open to public access, and that they are coordinating on coastal access and compliance. On the School Land Board, members sought clarification on the difference between GLO-managed lands and the Permanent School Fund Corporation’s investment role, and staff explained that GLO generates the revenue while the separate corporation invests it. No votes or formal actions were taken. The Board for Lease of University Lands then testified. University Lands officials explained that they steward 2.1 million acres of surface and mineral interests in West Texas for the Permanent University Fund, which supports UT and Texas A&M institutions. They said a 2025 lease sale produced about $50 million in bonus revenue from 28,000 acres, and described the Board for Lease’s role in approving lease forms, lease sales, and development agreements. Members asked about the size and use of the PUF, how distributions work through UTIMCO, whether PUF money can be used for athletics, and how the land is managed; the witness said the fund is a constitutional endowment, the land is largely leased rather than sold, and distributions are generally used for buildings, labs, and other permanent structures, with some institutions also using a portion for operations. No votes or formal actions were taken. The committee then took up municipal utility districts. Testimony from a law firm, the Texas Municipal League, Fort Bend County Commissioner Vincent Morales, and Johnson Development largely supported MUDs as a financing tool for infrastructure tied to growth. Witnesses said MUDs help fund water, sewer, drainage, roads, parks, and related infrastructure, allowing development to proceed without shifting costs to existing taxpayers and helping keep housing affordable. They emphasized that MUDs are created with disclosure to homebuyers, are subject to the Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act, and are overseen by TCEQ for bond issuance and related financial stress tests. Members questioned whether MUDs are taxing entities, whether they can be created inside city limits or ETJs, how much control cities and counties retain, and whether MUDs are becoming permanent local governments; witnesses acknowledged they levy taxes and debt, can exist within city limits with city consent, and often function as long-term local entities. The committee did not take any formal action during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And because there's a multi-month lag between when it's production versus collection versus distribution
• , and that return... ...distributions, and that return has to meet those and also meet and exceed inflation
• , there is a limit to... ...fund out of the Legacy Fund distributions, there is a limit to how much prudent
• up your money and you never get cash flow back, you're not going to be able to serve the next distribution
• to the state, the distribution after that, the generation after you.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Line nine also has an update on FY 26 for the SB 9 distribution.
• in Farmington, San Juan County and then finally $50 million which will be an appropriation or a distribution
• that based on SB 9 and the total distribution districts received to come up with the share and so we'll
• Do you have a distribution sheet yet for the 50,000 distribution for CTE safety? Mr.
• That, that reminds me of the distribution that I asked about earlier that money can go to maintenance

Transcript Highlights:

• K1 is a surplus income and distribution report.
• K1 is the surplus income and distribution report.
• The restricted reserve fund in the middle table shows $608 million in distributions and an overall balance
• It was originally allocated at $13 million; $75,000 has already been distributed from that set-aside.
• For the month of February, $90 million has been distributed from the fund for private nursing home care

Summary: The committee considered a series of appropriation, transfer, and review items, approving most requests in Sections B through J. These included temporary appropriations for state technology upgrades, personnel management, court reporters and interpreters, crime victim claims, juvenile sex offender assessments, radiation lab testing, higher education workforce grants, an ARPA grant for the UAFS LPN program, an IIJA grant for geological/critical minerals work, a restricted reserve transfer for 102 State Police vehicles, a transfer to the Arkansas Heroes Program, several cash fund requests for the Real Estate Commission HVAC and AV needs, and overtime appropriations for Emergency Management and Military. One budget classification transfer request from the Commissioner of State Lands for $250,000 to cover operating expenses tied to a new building was discussed at length but failed on the vote after questions about the lease and operating costs. A major portion of the meeting focused on a $25.7 million pay plan appropriation request for 15 agencies. Members questioned why the Department of Human Services had not requested additional pay-plan dollars for human development centers, where DHS acknowledged staffing shortages, high turnover, and heavy overtime but said the issue was not lack of pay-plan funding. DHS was asked to provide a written plan to address staffing problems. The Department of Corrections testified that the pay plan had improved retention and hiring, and committee members asked for follow-up data on vacancies and staffing outcomes. Members also clarified that the pay-plan request was appropriation only, not new funding, and approved it. The committee then reviewed fund reports, including the restricted reserve, Budget Stabilization Trust Fund, Tobacco Settlement, State Central Services, Education Adequacy, Medicaid Trust Fund, IIJA, and Revenue Services transfer reports. DHS and DFA were questioned closely about the Medicaid Trust Fund, with members noting a $90 million February draw and asking about projected year-end balances; DFA and DHS said February was a high-expense, low-revenue month and projected the fund would remain solvent through the fiscal year, ending between $150 million and $200 million, while a second $100 million set-aside is planned for FY27. The committee also discussed a state hospital damage report, where DHS explained that insurance proceeds would not fully cover the repair costs because of depreciation and the age of the buildings; members expressed concern that the state would recover far less than originally expected, and DHS said any additional insurance recovery would be limited and returned to restricted reserve.

Transcript Highlights:

• DUNAs are governed by their members using blockchain and distributed ledger technologies.
• What is the reason why this is through the use of a distributed ledger?
• One of the things that's prohibited inside the DUNA is distributions of value to the members.
• Distributions of value would be similar to stock options, and that would represent a share of value.
• that the members of the community can't vote that value to themselves in the way that a stock distribution

Bills: HB2226, HB2269, HB2343, HB2760, HB3621, HB4079, HB4204, HB4518, HB4531, HB4555, HB4850, HB4876, HB4903, HB4996, HB5122

Keywords: construction trust funds, Property Code, Chapter 162, construction payments, mechanics lien, contractors, subcontractors, laborers, material suppliers, materialmen, real property improvement, assignment of payment rights, unpaid trust funds, trust fund beneficiaries, construction industry, payment protection, Texas construction law, property owners association, landscaping, grass maintenance

Transcript Highlights:

• And these are our points of distribution locations that we set up.
• Our feeding partners, outside of the capabilities that we have with our warehouse, were able to distribute
• This does not account for the MREs that we also provide at these points of distribution.
• Over 1.5 million bottles of water and 83,000 tarps were distributed at our PODs. 1.1 million hot meals
• in addition to those MREs were also distributed.

Summary: The committee received a program review from the Florida Division of Emergency Management on the 2024 hurricane season and FEMA reimbursement process. Deputy Director Keith Pruitt described the impacts of Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, including major storm surge, flooding, tornadoes, debris removal, power restoration, flood-control deployments, sheltering, and logistics missions. He emphasized that Florida’s approach is “federally funded, state managed, locally executed,” and said the division has already obligated large amounts of public assistance funding and mitigation dollars while continuing to work on remaining missions and reimbursements. A major focus of the discussion was how local governments can better document and vet debris-removal and other disaster costs so they are eligible for FEMA reimbursement. Chair DiCeglie and other senators raised concerns about local planning, commercial debris collection, and whether counties and municipalities that spend money up front will be reimbursed. Pruitt explained that eligibility depends on documentation, scope of work, insurance, and FEMA rules, and that the state’s FROC process is intended to help counties identify eligible work before costs are incurred. He also said commercial debris may be eligible in some cases but is not guaranteed, and that counties should coordinate early with FDEM and FEMA. Senators also asked about possible FEMA reforms, the age of outstanding reimbursement claims, and a proposed state fund to advance money to fiscally constrained counties while they wait for FEMA payments. Pruitt said Florida’s system is a national best practice, but that more county-level training and clearer coordination would help reduce de-obligations and audit problems. He said the reimbursement-advance idea is still being developed, and that the state continues to look at ways to streamline mitigation through programs like Elevate Florida. The committee took no formal action beyond hearing the presentation, and the meeting adjourned after closing comments from senators praising FDEM’s work.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I think that we have the mechanism in our state to be able to distribute information to our high school
• They would be able to distribute and disseminate to our parents of the athletes of all sports, not just
• So the LHSAA is very capable of distributing the information. ...the information where they would have
• So the LHSAA is very capable of distributing the information. Rep.
• This would be a distribution of information that would be available to each parent in regards to what

Bills: SB389, SB525

Keywords: athlete agent, registration, endorsement contracts, name image likeness, eligibility, unfair trade practices, student athletes, unclaimed property, abandoned property, escheat, state treasurer, administrator, claimant, purchase agreement, assignment, property recovery, owner verification, documentation requirements, fraud prevention, bankruptcy

Summary: The Civil Law and Procedure Committee met on May 18, 2026, and first took up Senate Bill 389 by Senator Connick, which would update Louisiana’s athlete-agent law to address NIL representation for high school and college athletes. Testimony from the Attorney General’s office said the bill is needed because NIL agents are currently largely unregulated, especially as NIL activity has expanded into high school sports. Assistant Attorney General Olivia Nuss explained that the measure adopts a revised Uniform Athlete Agent Act framework, creating a state registry and oversight process for agents representing student-athletes in endorsement and NIL matters. John Curtis, head of school and football coach at John Curtis Christian School, testified in support, saying agents are increasingly approaching young athletes and families without qualifications, charging high fees, and sometimes trying to steer athletes to schools. Committee members asked about how the system would work, who would administer it, and whether the Louisiana High School Athletic Association would have a role. Witnesses said the Department of Justice would house and enforce the program, while LHSAA would help disseminate information to schools, parents, and athletes. Members also raised questions about contracts involving minors and whether the bill should address agreements extending past the age of majority. The committee adopted technical Amendment Set 5462, then reported SB 389 as amended without objection. Afterward, Senate Bill 525 was voluntarily deferred at the author’s request, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• If they had had the endowment funds a few years ago, when the endowment was only distributing a couple
• Up to five percent of earnings can be distributed between the 60 libraries each year, starting, I believe
• So the $30 million that's in there now, what was the distribution this current fiscal year, Madam Chair
• Senator: The distribution was approximately...
• Senator: The distribution was approximately $23,000 this year from the fund.

Bills: SB61, SB62, SB99

Keywords: rural libraries, funding, cultural affairs, education, community support, appropriation, state investment, public resources, 996, all