Transcript Highlights:

• I love Mayor Whitmire, but number one, the water loss piece of that doesn't add up with the math that
• We think this is something that the committee should consider instructing TCEQ to begin looking at.
• Further to that initiative, in 2015, the 84th Legislature passed HB 30 that instructed the Development

Summary: During the meeting, legislative members discussed the practice of municipalities diverting water and sewer revenues to their general funds, which impacts infrastructure maintenance and project delays. Vice Chair Sparks proposed limiting public testimony to two minutes, which was adopted without objection. The committee heard from various witnesses, including Perry Fowler from the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, who emphasized that utility revenues should primarily support water services and that transfers should be transparent and justified. He noted that many utilities face financial pressures that could hinder infrastructure projects. Larry French from the Texas Public Policy Foundation highlighted the significant financial impact of water loss and general fund transfers, estimating the annual loss at $1.5 billion. He argued that these transfers can create disincentives for municipalities to address water loss issues. Brian Butcher, Assistant City Manager of Sugar Land, defended the city's cost allocation model for general fund transfers, asserting that they are necessary for equitable service provision and operational efficiency. The committee also discussed the implications of rising construction costs and the need for better procurement processes to ensure effective use of taxpayer dollars. The second part of the meeting focused on the New World Screwworm and the state's preparedness to manage potential infestations. Dudley Hoskins from the USDA outlined the federal response efforts and the importance of collaboration with state agencies. He emphasized the need for ongoing surveillance and the production of sterile flies to combat the pest. Dr. Philip Kaufman from Texas A&M discussed the historical context of the screwworm and the challenges posed by its potential reintroduction, urging proactive management strategies among livestock producers. The committee acknowledged the need for increased resources and research to effectively address the threat of the screwworm.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I did a little—I didn't do the math; I asked for a little bit of math—and if we combine the state
• So I did a little—I didn't do the math; I asked for a little bit of math—and if we combine the state
• So I did a little—I didn't do the math; I asked for a little bit of math—and if we combine the state
• So I did a little—I didn't do the math; I asked for a little bit of math—and if we combine the state
• So I did a little—I didn't do the math; I asked for a little bit of math—and if we combine the state

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I might be wrong with my math here, but what I was looking at is the difference between creating and
• So if we do some math here, you take 50 million divided by 5, or divided by 50 million, and one-third
• and and I might be I'm a some math and and I might be I'm a social<01:35:03.800> studies<01:35
• here uh but might be wrong with my math here uh but what<01:35:07.360> I<01:35:07.440> was
• here you take 50 billion do some math here you take 50 billion divided<01:35:53.000> by<01:35

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so my question is again, when I do some basic math, it's four even if all 450 people were at the
• <00:23:49.200> do<00:23:49.360> some<00:23:49.520> basic<00:23:49.840> math
• , it's four even I I do some basic math, it's four even if<00:23:51.600> all<00:23:51.919>
• <00:38:22.240> Do<00:38:22.400> you I'm not always right on math.
• Do you I'm not always right on math.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Fiscal Committee met on December 19, with Senators Long and Lang serving as replacements. The committee approved the November 21 minutes and adopted the consent calendar after removing two Department of Health and Human Services items for separate discussion. It then took up an HHS request involving nursing facility rates, where Nathan White explained that $2.2 million would be transferred from a long-term care Medicaid eligibility contract to the nursing facilities budget. He said the funds would offset an otherwise projected 3.9% average rate decrease and bring the overall average change to zero for the next six months, with rates reset again in July under state law. Members asked about the budget adjustment factor, bed counts, and whether additional funds could raise rates further; White said the factor is statutory, capped at 28.76%, and that more money would lower the factor and increase rates. The committee also corrected a date in the request from February 1, 2025 to February 1, 2026, and approved the item. The committee next approved another HHS item related to rural health transformation grants. Members confirmed the request covered the full amount applied for this biennium, and asked about the technology component. HHS said the grant is not solely about AI, but about broader technology improvements such as electronic medical records, back-end systems, and tools to improve access and sustainability in underserved areas. The committee approved that item as well. The Judicial Council then requested funds for contract attorneys providing indigent defense on a fixed-fee basis. The council said current funds had already been exhausted and that the new appropriation would be used immediately. Members questioned the size of the request and the number of people awaiting counsel; the council reported about 150 incarcerated people and about 300 non-incarcerated people waiting for counsel, more than in recent years. It attributed the increase to competition for attorneys, public defender offices closing intake in some locations because of caseload limits, and broader case and court-system changes. One member raised constitutional concerns about delays in counsel for incarcerated defendants. The committee ultimately amended the request downward to $1 million, approved it, and then approved a motion to place several annual financial reports on file and release them to the public when available. The committee also discussed dashboard reporting from HHS, asking for more detail on community mental health center caseloads and budget-reduction information, and HHS agreed to provide more useful monthly detail.

Transcript Highlights:

• But during instructional time, why are we going to allow the organization during instructional time,
• But during instructional time, why are we going to allow the organization during instructional time,
• concern of during instructional time. concern of during instructional time.
• So, my motion would be to strike instructional and replace it with non-instructional.
• with strike instructional and replace it with non-instructional.

Bills: HB0159

Keywords: student rights, free expression, K-12 education, speech protection, religious views, political speech, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates a math problem, right? So it's not something we're just picking and choosing.
• It's a legitimate math problem that if it's one plan, they've got to hit, you know, we all wanted it
• issue about whether a doctor knows or not they have a gold card, and there is an issue of solving the math
• I think there's lots of ways to fix what I call the math problem.
• So I think there's a lot of opportunity to reduce the friction, fix the math numbers, different things

Bills: SB227, SB269, SB407, SB463, SB527, SB547, SB1283, SB1380, SB1383, SB1511, SB1640, SB1784, SB2069

Keywords: school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, healthcare policy, vaccines, exemptions, religious beliefs, public health, workplace violence, healthcare facilities, definition expansion, safety regulations, health and safety code, health insurance, anesthesia, pediatric dental services, coverage, medical necessity

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with several members initially absent, then later established a quorum. The committee heard multiple bills, with most testimony focusing on access to care, insurance practices, senior safety, and health care worker protections. Several bills were laid out with committee substitutes, and public testimony was limited to two minutes per witness. Most bills were left pending after testimony, with no final votes taken in the portion provided. Senate Bill 2069 would create a work group to study the feasibility of a statewide acute psychiatric bed registry; the substitute shifts appointment authority to the Health and Human Services Commissioner and extends reporting and sunset dates. Senate Bill 463 would expand workplace violence protections to additional hospice, home and community support, intermediate care, and state-supported living center settings. Senate Bill 1283 would require background checks and transparency measures for senior retirement communities after testimony about the Dallas-area serial killings of elderly residents. Senate Bill 1784 would require 60 days’ written notice before medical debt is sent to collections. Senate Bill 527 would require medical insurance coverage for general anesthesia for medically necessary pediatric dental procedures for children under 13 with qualifying conditions; pediatric dentists testified that denials delay needed care. A major portion of the meeting centered on prior authorization. Senate Bill 1380 would eliminate prior authorization for a broad list of services, including emergency, primary, mental health, substance use, chemotherapy, preventive, pediatric hospice, and certain chronic-condition care. Physicians and hospice advocates supported the bill, describing delays, administrative burden, and patient harm, while health plans opposed blanket exemptions and argued prior authorization helps prevent unnecessary care and control costs. Relatedly, Senate Bill 547 would require insurers to report gold-card prior authorization exemptions to TDI and create a centralized database and annual report; TMA supported better tracking, while health plans warned of duplicative reporting and administrative cost. Senate Bill 407 would require health care facilities to honor conscience- and religion-based vaccine exemptions for employees, with testimony from a physician and vaccine-choice advocate supporting the bill. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1383, which would regulate senior living referral agencies, allow more flexible compensation structures, and add disclosure and consumer protections; an out-of-state referral company and A Place for Mom supported it. Senate Bill 1511 would allow freestanding emergency centers to provide outpatient services in addition to emergency care, with consumer protections such as estimates, limits on facility fees, and restrictions on balance billing. The chair repeatedly announced that bills were being left pending after testimony, and no final committee action or recorded votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there exceptions to instructional instructional instructional needs<00:31:54.800> with<00:
• cell phones for instructional purposes. cell phones for instructional purposes.
• Describe why instruction and teacher-led instruction—what's the difference between the two?
• Most instruction, you know, that is defined within law is teacher instruction or an instruction by some
• instruction with cell phones?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up Senate Bill 206, which requires public schools to adopt policies limiting student cell phone use. Supporters argued that cell phones and personal devices contribute to student mental health problems, bullying, distraction, and disruptive behavior, and said teachers and administrators want a clear statewide rule rather than having to enforce policies themselves. Opponents raised concerns about local control, the breadth of the term “personal communication device,” and whether the bill would interfere with instructional uses of devices, especially in schools that rely on bring-your-own-device or have limited access to school-issued laptops. Members debated Amendment 2249H, which added an exception for teacher-led instruction and clarified that superintendent-approved exceptions could still apply for medical, disability, or language-proficiency needs. After discussion about whether the amendment was too restrictive or too broad, the committee adopted the amendment on a 9-8 vote, with one member not voting. The committee then voted 9-8, with one not voting, to recommend Senate Bill 206 ought to pass as amended. The committee then moved to Senate Bill 96, concerning mandatory disclosure by school district employees to parents. The sponsor offered Amendment 2199H to replace language that would have required referral to DCYF whenever an educator withheld information due to concern about possible abuse at home. The amendment instead allows a district to withhold information if a reasonably prudent person would believe disclosure would result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect, and requires the decision to be documented in the student record. The amendment was discussed as a narrower, more workable safeguard, and the committee was still in discussion on the bill at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Outside of this motion to instruct.
• On your motion to instruct.
• . instruct.
• On the amendment to the motion to instruct. Okay. The amendment to the motion to instruct. Okay.
• Members, this motion to instruct is very simple.

Summary: The House convened with prayer, pledges, and several ceremonial recognitions, including Wilson County Day, San Antonio Mission Indian Descendants Day, and Blue Ribbon Lobby Day, along with acknowledgments of visiting groups and a birthday greeting. The chamber also announced committee meetings and then moved into floor business, including conference committee action on Senate Bill 1, the state budget. A series of motions to instruct House conferees on SB 1 were debated and voted on. One motion sought to restore salary for Attorney General Ken Paxton after his impeachment-related suspension; it passed 88-56. Another, from Rep. Olcott, directed conferees to support amendments requiring data collection on the costs of undocumented immigrants in hospitals and prisons; after extended debate and a failed amendment from Rep. Martinez Fischer to also study immigrants’ economic contributions, the motion passed 86-61. The House also adopted instructions to eliminate Texas Lottery Commission funding, to support amendments restricting public education institutions from affirming gender identities inconsistent with biological sex, and to seek an additional $4 billion in property tax relief, with each motion passing on recorded votes. The House then took up a supplemental calendar and passed several bills, including HB 39 on veteran death data, HB 102 on priority registration for certain students entering military service, HB 126 on student-athlete compensation and representation, HB 290 on tuition and fee assistance for members of the Texas military forces, HB 300 on Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program updates, and HB 2143 naming a highway in honor of Army Specialist Joey Lins. The chamber also postponed consideration of HJR 2 and HJR 6. Later, the House considered HB 120 on career and technology education pathways and HB 20 on applied science pathway programs for high school students. HB 120 received a perfecting amendment and was advanced after discussion about workforce preparation. HB 20 prompted extensive questioning about transportation, costs, and how students would access partner campuses such as community colleges and TSTC sites; debate continued as the transcript ended, with members examining how the program would operate and whether approval authority would rest with TEA.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, Kentucky is facing a simple but pressing math problem.
• a simple Right now, Kentucky is facing a simple but<00:02:52.800> pressing<00:02:53.360> math
• <00:02:54.480> We<00:02:54.720> currently but pressing math problem.
• We currently but pressing math problem.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:38 HB 576 discussion: 01:56 HB 576 voting: 06:54 HB 593 discussion: 08:25 HB 593 voting: 21:58, 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Economic Development and Workforce Investment met with a quorum and first considered House Bill 576, which would create the Kentucky Talent Recruitment Grant Program. Representative Robert Duvall said the bill is intended to address Kentucky’s workforce shortage by funding local recruitment efforts for out-of-state talent, with grants of up to $500,000 to cities, counties, and nonprofits, a required 20% local match, and performance-based payments. He said the program is modeled on existing efforts already operating in Kentucky and cited projected economic and tax benefits. The committee substitute removed an appropriation and emergency clause so funding would go through the regular budget process, and members approved the committee substitute, the bill, and a title amendment with favorable expression. The committee then took up House Bill 593, sponsored by Representative Josh Bray, which addresses data centers and utility costs. Bray said the bill is designed to protect ratepayers from subsidizing data center infrastructure and to ensure projects either bring their own generation, use power purchase agreements, or pay upfront for any needed transmission or generation upgrades. He explained that the committee substitute made mostly technical changes, including giving municipal utilities more time to set tariffs, clarifying terms, adding exemptions for certain TVA- and DOE-related projects, and preserving existing contracts and net metering arrangements. Members asked about local control, the $75,000 prepayment, and TVA authority; Bray said the prepayment covers utility due diligence and screens speculative projects, local requirements must be certified before incentives apply, and TVA is federally regulated. The bill received supportive comments from several members, who emphasized protecting utility bills and ratepayers, and it passed the committee with favorable expression.

Transcript Highlights:

• Check my math there; that comes up to 100%. I don't like doing public math on the spot.
• I hate doing public math, 11 for the pro-growth aviation infrastructure side of things.
• So if you look in totality Of the $10.5 million, and I hate doing public math, $10.5 million of investment

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• literacy piece, which I also like because that's, that's our number one problems, but it's, but it's not math
• Oh well, we teach that math class. No, financial literacy is up here.
• This is math, OK, at least modern math. Although I still use a pencil and paper as mold, but uh.

Transcript Highlights:

• Like, obviously, we did the math with the other... the 310, but why the 500? Yeah.
• Like, obviously, we did the math with on the other... The 3-10, but why the 500? Yeah.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The conference committee on Senate Bill 2294 met to reconcile differences in the bill’s edible cannabis provisions. Members discussed three main changes: increasing the edible possession/purchase limit from 250 milligrams to 500 milligrams, aligning another section to 500, and removing the words “or possess” so a person could still have product at home while traveling to restock. Supporters said the 500-milligram amount was still a small dosage, would allow users to titrate doses more easily, and would be more practical for people living far from dispensaries. Senator Clemens noted he had been a dissenting vote earlier but agreed with the amendment as presented. Representative Holly moved the amendment to make the sections match, and Representative Dobervich seconded it. The committee adopted the amendment on a 5-1 vote, with Senator Clemens voting no. Afterward, the committee reconvened to take final action on the amended bill. Representative Dobervich moved to approve Senate Bill 2294 as amended, Senator Weston seconded, and the committee again passed it 5-1, with Senator Clemens voting no. The final action was a do pass as amended recommendation. Representative Bolinske and Representative Dobervich were designated as House carriers, and Senator Roers and Senator Weston were designated as Senate carriers. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It basically instructs from the executive level.
• Okay, so why do we need this motion to instruct?
• All we're doing, all this does is instruct.
• On the amendment to the motion to instruct. The amendment to the motion to instruct.
• To amend the instruction. instruct. This is a record vote. The clerk will ring the bell. Show Mr.

Bills: HB 120, HB20, HB150, HB6, HB 100, HB 124, HB210, HB215, HB1393, HB1587, HB 1151, HB 1268, HB142, HB451, HB39, HB 102, HB 126, HB290, HB300, HB2143, HJR2, HB147, HJR6, HB 120, HB20, HB150, HB6, HB 100, HB 124, HB210, HB215, HB1393, HB1587, HB 1151, HB 1268, HB142, HB451, SB1

Keywords: career readiness, education reform, workforce training, public schools, financial aid, applied sciences, career education, high school diploma, certificate program, work-based learning, job placement, high-growth jobs, technical training, cybersecurity, state command, information resources, data protection, incident response, mental health, telehealth

Transcript Highlights:

• The Secretary is instructed to record the action and notify the House.
• Secretary is instructed to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.
• Secretary, instruct to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.
• Secretary is instructed to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.
• Secretary is instructed to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary, instruct to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.
• Secretary, instruct to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.
• Secretary, instruct to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.
• Secretary, instruct to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.
• Secretary, instruct to record the action and transmit the bill to the House.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The Senate opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, recognized guests including participants in the Southern Arizona Water Leadership Institute and the Doctor of the Day, and then proceeded through committee and floor action on a large slate of House and Senate bills. Early Committee of the Whole work focused on air quality and local regulation measures, including HB 2428 and HB 2875, both amended and recommended do pass. HB 2875’s amendment added small hub airports to a 2.5-mile buffer provision. HB 2877, dealing with timeshare sales and licenses, was also amended and advanced. Later, the Senate adopted the Committee of the Whole report and moved to additional calendar items. On water and related policy, the chamber debated HB 2026 on assured water supply and HB 2029 on the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority program. HB 2026 drew opposition over concerns that the issue of commingling had already been addressed through the alternative designation of assured water supply process, but it ultimately passed 16-13. HB 2029 saw a failed floor amendment by Senator Sundareshan to broaden water-conservation analysis statewide; the amendment failed 13-14, and the bill later passed 29-0 after supporters said WIFA already performs the analysis. The Senate also advanced HB 2132, HB 2261, and HB 2428 from the Committee of the Whole, and later passed HB 2010 on advertising with an amendment concerning prorated refunds for digital goods. The Senate then took up third readings and final votes on numerous bills, including election administration, radiologic technologies, probation, monuments, retirement, county water augmentation authority, technical registration, venue changes, firefighters, health-care institutions, AHCCCS, property tax, state agencies, tourism, employment relationships, motor vehicle warranties, the state fire marshal, and education. Several members explained votes on HB 2177, which concerned a Medicaid waiver issue affecting American Indian services, and on HB 2395, which emphasized physical education and school facilities. The chamber also concurred in House amendments to SB 1092, SB 1430, and SB 1479, then passed those bills on final reading. The meeting concluded with adjournment until April 8, 2026, at 10 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I do understand the math. Okay. Yeah. Any objection to the previous roll? All right.
• So we’ll ask Senator Figures to give us some head math and come up with that last...
• And so to waive the taxes for the bricks and mortar coming in, we've done it for the art school, the math

Bills: HB86, HB273, HB379, HB386, HB387, HB388, HB389, HB487, HB600, SB120, HB176

Keywords: rural health, hospital funding, tax credits, qualified donations, Alabama Department of Revenue, HB273, Hunger-Free Campus Act, hunger free campus, food insecurity, college hunger, student hunger, campus pantry, food pantry, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, basic needs, student food assistance, meal vouchers, meal credits, food vouchers

Transcript Highlights:

• Raymond, but even for me that math isn't mathing.
• I did a little back-of-the-napkin math, Mr. Chair.
• I did a little back-of-the-napkin math, Mr. Chair.
• They figured with their tax accountant that if they went to South... chair um if we is your math mathing
• then chair um if we is your math mathing then it<01:49:58.080> is<01:49:58.239> Ma<01:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, I see a lot of... accountant or math major. We can take that up later. No, I thought so.
• ><00:56:03.400> an<00:56:03.640> accountant<00:56:04.119> or<00:56:04.440> math
• rep tyrany an accountant or math rep tyrany an accountant or math major<00:56:07.079> we<
• we confirmed math we confirmed our math we confirmed math we confirmed our math yeah<03:08:04.920
• is right if you use the 1.06 if my math is right if you use the 1.06 for<03:39:15.399> fiscal

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in a work session on revenue estimates and reviewed updated spreadsheet pages for several tax categories, using prior agreements and new testimony to refine FY 2025-2027 estimates. Early discussion covered insurance tax estimates, where members reviewed a letter from the insurance commissioner saying he was comfortable with the numbers provided; the committee accepted those estimates without opposition. Members also discussed utility property tax, with testimony about recent infrastructure buildout, tariffs, depreciation, and the difficulty of forecasting future growth. After debate over whether to use the average of high and low estimates or lean lower, the committee unanimously adopted the utility property tax numbers. The committee then turned to real estate transfer tax and communications tax. For real estate transfer tax, members cited county input, housing market conditions, interest rates, lumber costs, and uncertainty about future policy; they agreed to use the averages and adopted those estimates unanimously. For communications tax, members noted the decline in landline-based revenue and the shift to data services. After discussion of whether to use the low estimate or the average, the committee settled on the average with a small rounding-down adjustment when the figure ended in .5, and adopted the numbers unanimously. The chair also clarified that these estimates remain subject to change until the final resolution is adopted. The committee next accepted interest and dividends estimates as presented, with members noting the decline in that revenue source and the lack of additional information beyond the department’s analysis. Finally, the committee began discussing tobacco tax revenue, with members noting long-term declines in smoking, offsetting effects from out-of-state sales, and a suggestion to take a slightly conservative approach by reducing the average by 0.5. The transcript cuts off during that discussion, so no final vote on tobacco is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• religious training or religious education, but would be surprised if they were not also providing math
• religious training or religious education, but would be surprised if they were not also providing math
• religious training or religious education, but would be surprised if they were not also providing math
• The speaker said they would be surprised if religious schools were not also providing math and reading
• The speaker said they would be surprised if religious schools were not also providing math and reading

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You can do the math. If not, we'll help you do the math.

Keywords: 996, all