Transcript Highlights:

• We'll have outcries or we'll do peer-to-peer type investigations where people are sharing files back
• The foundation is supportive of every single one of them. witness just laid out is before I came to Texas
• So the ultra focus that y'all have is fabulous and HPD supports all of these bills and thank you for
• We are here in support of Senate Bill 412 and the committee substitute, because this removes a 50-year
• I'm also the president of Protecting Texas children, and our organization strongly supports Senator Middleton's

Bills: SB20, SB1621, SB412, SB441, SB442

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, visual material, artificial intelligence, criminal penalties, law enforcement, defense against prosecution, obscenity, judicial officer, deepfake, deep fake, synthetic media, AI-generated content, machine learning, nonconsensual pornography, revenge porn, sexually explicit media, intimate images, digital manipulation, visual depiction

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:10:55.519> any well um but we would support any well um but we would support any deterrent
• I'm here today in support of SB 14.
• recovery inside and out we have uh peer recovery inside and out we have peer<00:53:46.119> recovery
• My background was in family support.
• when you are selling drugs to support when you are selling drugs to support your<01:05:07.319>

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This will allow a community of people who are ready to be fully sober to have housing, peer support,
• This bill is a support supported and I ask for your support. Thank you, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva.
• On their advocacy, their research, the peer support.
• I rise in support. I'm in support of AB 736.
• So I understand it to be a support, support bill.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• AB 510, Addis, health care peer-to-peer review: hold in committee.
• AB 1128, Muratsuchi, California student teacher support grants: do pass out on an A roll call.
• AB 804, Wicks, Medi-Cal Housing Supports: holding committee. Thank you.
• AB 804, Wicks, Medi-Cal Housing Supports: holding committee.
• AB 804, Wicks, Medi-Cal Housing Supports: holding committee.

Summary: The Assembly Appropriations Committee held its May 23, 2025 suspense hearing and opened by emphasizing the difficult budget environment, rising costs for constituents, and the need to make tough choices. The chair said many bills would be held, amended to reduce costs, or made two-year bills because the state could not afford broad program expansions this year. The committee also noted the agenda was organized alphabetically by author and that results would be posted later that day. The committee then acted on a large suspense file, taking up hundreds of Assembly bills across topics including housing, health care, education, labor, public safety, climate, water, transportation, elections, and technology. Many bills were held in committee, while many others were approved with cost-saving, clarifying, or author’s amendments. Examples included measures on CalABLE, Covered California enrollment, wildfire and insurance issues, reproductive health, school and college programs, prison and juvenile justice matters, AI and data privacy, and local government and utility regulation. Several bills were converted to two-year bills to continue discussion. Throughout the hearing, the committee repeatedly voted on bills by A roll call or B roll call, often with Republicans not voting on amended measures. Some bills were advanced with notable amendments, such as narrowing scope, removing appropriations, delaying implementation, or striking costly provisions. The committee also approved a number of committee bills and omnibus measures, including emergency management, judiciary, insurance, and water-related bills. At the end of the hearing, the chair stated that the committee had moved 435 bills to the Assembly floor, either as do pass or do pass as amended, and adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know many of my peers and colleagues feel similarly.
• And we would appreciate your support on this bill. Thank you. Mr.
• <00:01:43.200> and my beliefs I know many of my peers and my beliefs I know many of my peers
• on this Bill thank support on this Bill thank you<00:02:18.760> Mr<00:02:19.080> chair
• Resources improve reimbursement support Resources improve reimbursement support quality<00:24:03.480

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 132, a health care conscience-protection measure. Supporters said the bill would protect health care professionals from being forced to participate in procedures or services that violate sincerely held religious or ethical beliefs, while explicitly excluding emergency care. They argued it would help recruit and retain providers, preserve ethical integrity in medicine, and has worked in several other states. Supporters also emphasized that the bill is aimed at procedures or services, not at denying care based on who a patient is, and noted that the bill includes a civil cause of action to give it enforcement teeth. Several supporters described personal experiences. A nurse said lack of conscience protections affected her career choices and limited her path into women’s health. Dr. Warman said he had requested not to perform anesthesia for abortions and later chose non-narcotic pain management because he objected to heavy opioid prescribing, saying conscience protections allow professionals to practice responsibly. Senators asked about examples, the bill’s scope, whether it could be used to discriminate, and which states have similar laws; Mississippi, Florida, Montana, Ohio, South Carolina, and Arkansas were named. Questions also focused on the bill’s civil enforcement provisions and whether it could be used against patients based on identity or religion. Opponents warned the bill was overly broad and could allow refusals of care by a wide range of health workers, including clerks, ambulance drivers, pharmacists, nurses, and physicians. Dr. Karen Abrams said it could lead to denial of birth control, Plan B, blood transfusions, and other care, especially in rural areas with few alternatives, and could worsen Kentucky’s provider shortages. David Conway said the bill lacked patient protections, could increase delays and discrimination, and could prevent reassignment of objecting staff. The chair noted there were seven people signed up in opposition, limited testimony to two minutes each, and said the committee would return to the bill after hearing additional opposition and other pending bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah,<01:17:43.360> I'm<01:17:43.520> in<01:17:43.760> support<01:17:43.920>
• of Yeah, I would be Yeah, I'm in support of Yeah, I would be kind<01:17:45.280> of<01:17:45.360
• And they have the support, you know, from the department on that, at least in the beginning until they
• ,<04:14:31.600> you<04:14:31.760> know, and they have the support, you know, and they
• other students who are now in their peer other students who are now in their peer group<04:55:32.240

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee reviewed a handout comparing House Bill 2 to current retirement law and walked through the bill section by section with staff from the retirement system. The discussion focused on vesting, earnable compensation, average final compensation, compensation-over-base limits, special duty pay, normal retirement age, re-retirement, and maximum benefit rules for Group 2/Tier B members. Staff explained that some provisions would restore pre-2011 rules, including counting certain end-of-career payments such as unused sick and vacation time in earnable compensation and reducing the AFC averaging period from five years back to three. They also described how the bill would eliminate the current cap on compensation over base, which mainly affects overtime, and noted that the actuarial cost of the AFC-related changes is interrelated rather than easily broken out by feature. A separate discussion covered the special duty pay limitation, which currently applies to Tier A and would be removed under the governor’s bill for both Tier A and Tier B members after their vested buy date. Staff said the actuary estimated that removing the special duty limitation would increase costs by about $13.9 million. Members also asked about the practical difference between overtime and special duty, with staff explaining that special duty generally involves work for a private third party, often police detail work, while overtime depends more on staffing and scheduling. The committee also reviewed the normal retirement age changes for Tier B and the possibility that some members would need to work longer to reach the new vested buy date. Members raised concerns about an ambiguity in the bill that could allow already-retired Tier B members to return to work, then re-retire and claim the higher benefits, or allow vested deferred members to stop working and wait for the new vested buy date. Staff said the governor’s office did not intend to allow that result and requested clarifying language, noting that the bill as drafted does not expressly prohibit it. The committee also discussed part-time and seasonal work after retirement, with staff explaining that such work generally does not restore membership unless the person takes a full-time position requiring enrollment. Finally, the committee reviewed the maximum benefit provisions and noted that HB 2 in the current year does not change the maximum benefit date or include the 1.5% annual escalator that had been part of the 2023 proposal, making the current bill more costly than the earlier version.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's out of respect for your peers.
• And did I ever come to support that bill? No, because I don't believe in supporting that bill.
• And I just appreciate your support.
• And I just appreciate your support. It was not a phase. And I just appreciate your support.
• I am here in support of HB 1608.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This additional $5 million will really be to support addressing our SNAP error rate.
• It will be used for other things, I'm sure, to support the athletic program. Mr.
• So we were, we were, we The revenue share is going to require some additional support.
• And we should because the state supports the University of Arkansas for Arkansas.
• We've graduated 18. look at child support obligations, sort of those reentry barriers.

Summary: The committee first considered revisions to the JBC rules, which staff said were all prompted by acts passed in the 2025 legislative session. The rules were adopted without objection. Members then received a balanced budget presentation from DFA Secretary Jim Hudson on the governor’s FY27 proposal, which he said was built around three priorities: limiting state government growth, continuing investments in education, and advancing income tax cuts. He highlighted major additions for education funding, EFA growth, pay plan costs, higher education productivity funding, drug task forces, corrections medical costs, the governor’s 1033 initiative, SNAP error-rate reduction, and Medicaid sustainability, while also explaining a new A/B funding category structure intended to prioritize recurring costs and preserve room for tax cuts. Members questioned Hudson about the cost of income tax reductions, the constitutional balanced-budget requirement, education funding, the Educational Adequacy Fund, Medicaid trust fund balances, and the impact of federal changes on Medicaid and SNAP. Hudson said each tenth of a percent income tax cut would cost about $58 million, the budget remained balanced, public education would still receive historic increases, and the Medicaid trust fund would be monitored closely with additional set-asides proposed. He also said the FY27 SNAP administrative cost increase would be about $18 million. The committee then heard from the Division of Higher Education, which reported institutions were 2.61% more productive overall and that the budget recommendation followed the statutory productivity formula. Questions focused on why some institutions were receiving decreases or large increases, how the formula works, and how the new return-on-investment metric and committee composition would affect future funding. The committee approved several higher education-related actions, including personnel changes for nine institutions and special language for North Arkansas College’s move into the University of Arkansas system. Staff then walked members through the higher education appropriation summary, explaining large percentage increases at several institutions were tied to federal funds or corrected carry-forward issues, including the U of A School of Mathematical, Sciences and the Arts, South Arkansas College, SAU Tech, ASU Mountain Home, and ASU Newport. Members also discussed UAPB’s 1890 extension program and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s land-grant matching funds; officials said UAPB’s recommendation was being aligned with actual spending and that the Division of Agriculture’s Smith-Lever and Hatch matches were included within its overall appropriation. The committee ultimately adopted the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recommendations for all institutions and then moved on to the Department of Corrections section, with the chair outlining how the committee would proceed through those appropriations by section.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're here for New Mexicans when they need our support.
• She didn't have any type of support, no type of treatment coordination.
• So, I'd love to see how we can support. And I know Rep.
• So, we hope to keep You being able to support them and fund them.
• But we have these small farms but They support families. They support families year-round.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm here to support the law that Marjorie Decker filed. I'm supporting this FFN.
• So this law will support.
• Many of them need support.
• So we ask you to support this law. We ask you to support this law. Thank you. Thank you.
• I am here in support of H.B. 542 and S.B. 341. We are here to ask for your support.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education held its sixth public hearing and took testimony on a large slate of bills, with the chair moving H. 542/S. 341 on family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) child care to the top of the agenda so young constituents would not have to wait. Witnesses from labor, community organizations, and FFN providers strongly supported the bill, saying FFN care fills critical gaps for families working nonstandard hours, especially in low-income, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. Testimony emphasized that FFN providers are currently underpaid, often receive only about $24 per child per day, and should be guaranteed at least the state minimum wage. Witnesses also backed changes to the voucher system to allow families to combine formal and FFN care more flexibly, and they supported creating an FFN advisory council. Committee members asked about the difference between FFN and center-based care, registration requirements, fingerprinting/background checks, EEC’s ongoing study group, and the fiscal impact; witnesses said the current annual cost is about $1.8 million and could rise to about $6 million if all current FFN providers were paid minimum wage, still under 1% of the EEC budget. The committee then closed testimony on that bill. The committee next heard testimony on several preschool and universal pre-K bills, including H. 707 on public preschool facilities, H. 687/S. 339 on universal pre-K and mixed delivery, and related bills such as H. 606, H. 523, H. 618, H. 522, H. 510, and H. 615, many of which were later closed without additional witnesses. A Lowell school official testified that space and facilities funding are major barriers to expanding preschool and that the city has hundreds of children on voucher waitlists. Other witnesses and organizations, including the Early Care and Education Consortium and AFT Massachusetts, supported mixed-delivery universal pre-K and warned that public-school expansion should not undermine community-based providers, whose preschool tuition helps subsidize infant and toddler care. Several witnesses also urged stronger standards for preschool teachers, better staffing ratios, and more integrated special education and support services. The committee accepted written testimony on some bills and closed testimony on the others when no one else came forward. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 541/S. 373, which would ban school exclusion in pre-K through third grade. Advocates from Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Mass Appleseed, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, AFT Massachusetts, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee argued that suspensions and expulsions at young ages harm learning, worsen inequities, and contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. They cited data showing disproportionate impacts on Black and Latinx students, students with disabilities, and low-income children, and described personal stories of children whose behavior improved when schools kept them in class and addressed underlying needs. Committee members asked for updated data on the number of students and districts affected, and witnesses said they would provide more detailed written information. After testimony on this and a few other bills, including S. 372, S. 357, and H. 275/S. 133, the committee closed testimony and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• They support Steve Balmer leading age waives in support.
• in support again.
• We'll be support of today.
• Waiving in support Amanda Frazier, American Diabetes Association waiving in support.
• It's a support. Thank you. A Smith Mayo Clinic waives in support. Thank you.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• IN THE BIGGEST AREA OF SUPPORT IS FOR GRADUATION.
• DOCTOR ANDREW WEATHERALL IS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES MR.
• MISS ARON PICKARD SCHOOL LIAISON WITH THE NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY IN PANAMA CITY.
• WE ALSO RUN PENSACOLA VETERAN SUPPORT ORGANIZATION NETWORK.
• HOW CAN WE SUPPORT YOU?

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there other witnesses in support?
• I support AB 1065. Thank you.
• In full support of AB 1065, and we are going to support this. Hi, I am Taramji Singh.
• I totally support AB 1065. Thank you.
• Any other witnesses in support?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um I think it's interesting that that's your reason why you don't want to support this is because
• So, um I think it's interesting that that's your reason why you don't want to support this is because
• So, um I think it's interesting that that's your reason why you don't want to support this is because
• So, um I think it's interesting that that's your reason why you don't want to support this is because
• peers who did not have their aid cut. peers who did not have their aid cut.

Bills: HF4252

Keywords: higher education, student aid, financial aid, grant programs, scholarships, Office of Higher Education, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, community college, technical college, postsecondary institution, college affordability, student fees, athletic facilities, competitive athletics, developmental education, remedial courses, pregnant students, parenting students, priority registration

Transcript Highlights:

• The PEER Subcommittee met on Tuesday, January 13.
• I will not be supporting a substitute to substitute.
• These funds support the program, I understand.
• I won't support it, but I will have that argument, that debate, that policy debate.
• During the Peer Subcommittee, there is a review item that we did not review.

Summary: The Arkansas Legislative Council meeting began with approval of the December 2025 minutes and a presentation from the Bureau of Legislative Research on the December revenue report. Dr. Carlos Silva said gross collections were about $4.02 billion, up slightly from the prior year, and net available for distribution was also above last year but down modestly from the previous month because of higher-than-expected corporate income tax refunds. Members asked about corporate tax trends, tariffs, and inflation, and Silva said it was too early to call the corporate decline a trend and that tariff effects would likely show up mainly in sales tax collections. The council then adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee Subcommittee, Administrative Rules, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, PEER, Review, State Insurance Program Oversight, and Personnel. The PEER report drew the most debate because of a Department of Agriculture grant tied to Perry County and Central Arkansas Water; members discussed whether removing the Perry County portion would affect the grant’s competitiveness, and the report was ultimately adopted with the item included. The Review Subcommittee also heard questions about a BDO contract for the rural health transformation program, with DFA explaining that the contractor would manage the program while state agencies would make funding decisions consistent with the state’s application. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Education Freedom Account appropriation tied to LEARNS. Senators and representatives debated whether the program helps families or diverts money from public schools, with supporters arguing it funds students and choice and opponents arguing it is costly, vulnerable to fraud, and harms public school funding. Department of Education officials said roughly 28,000 private school students and 17,500 homeschool students were participating, that EFA students must submit standardized tests annually, and that the requested $32 million was to cover existing participants. After multiple substitute motions and extended debate, the body rejected a motion to strip out the $32 million and then adopted the report and related motions. The meeting ended after routine approvals of additional agency items and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're already providing really robust reentry support.
• I'm supporting you on this cause.
• I would support that as well. A special record, that is.
• I would support that as well, too.
• I testify to support, in the spirit of transparency, every day.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission on correctional consolidation and collaboration heard testimony focused on how Massachusetts uses custody levels, staffing, programming, and medical release tools, with Prisoners’ Legal Services arguing that the system is overusing expensive high-security settings and underusing step-down options. Dave Rainey said the incarcerated population has dropped substantially over the last several years, but spending and staffing have not fallen in proportion. He argued that DOC overclassifies people into medium and maximum security, relies too heavily on behavioral assessment units that function like segregation, and keeps people in restrictive settings such as Souza-Baranowski and Shattuck Hospital longer than necessary. He also said medical parole is underused and that many people with serious chronic illness or advanced age pose little public-safety risk and should be released through existing legal pathways. Sheriffs and other commission members pushed back on some of those points, emphasizing that staffing needs are driven by the acuity of the current population, that corrections is not overstaffed, and that classification decisions involve serious public-safety judgments. They also stressed that some high-cost medical placements are necessary because people remain under sentence and require care, and that furloughs and other release tools can create security risks if contraband or substance use is involved. The discussion also covered the role of county sheriffs versus DOC in reentry, with several members saying county systems tend to do more day-to-day step-down and release planning, while DOC has more difficulty moving people through lower-security settings before release. Ben Foreman of MassINC offered a more systemwide, data-focused perspective, praising the state’s transparency and arguing that Massachusetts has made major progress in reducing incarceration and increasing public safety. He said the state still has an opportunity to improve by right-sizing facilities, investing in community-based mental health treatment, and using the commission to better understand the capital and operating costs of the current system. In response to questions, he said he was aware of DOC studies on programs like furlough but had not reviewed recent ones, and he noted that total-control facilities like Souza-Baranowski have long been criticized in the research literature for poor outcomes. Nora Wassel of the Women and Incarceration Project then testified that the commission should issue an interim report and scrutinize the planned new women’s prison, which she said is not justified by current population trends or available data. She argued that women are overclassified under DOC’s own tools, that reentry beds and minimum-security placements are underused, and that the system may be failing to account for women’s distinct medical and reentry needs. The meeting ended with continued discussion of reentry, furloughs, day reporting, and whether consolidation should mean fewer facilities, better step-down pathways, or both.

Transcript Highlights:

• You support that? Trying to support not library funds and not going to events that are.
• I'm here to testify in support of the Texas Family Project, and I'm here to testify in support of Senate
• Please proceed in support of Senate Bill 1535.
• With that, I recommend that you support this bill.
• But yeah, we're supportive of the concept.

Bills: SB34, SB75, SB330, SB1535, SB18, SB 18, SB 34

Keywords: wildfire, wildfire mitigation, wildfire prevention, volunteer fire department, Texas A&M Forest Service, West Texas A&M University, prescribed burning, fuel loading, fuel reduction, firefighting equipment database, emergency communications, disaster preparedness, rural fire protection, asset hardening, natural resource management, emergency management, large wildfire risk, fire grant funding, fire suppression, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:13.720> of<00:04:13.920> HF here in support of HF here in support of HF 2617
• I'm testifying in support of House File 2617.
• I urge you to support this bill. Thank you.
• <00:12:35.079> this positive ways I urge you to support this positive ways I urge you to support
• <00:14:44.720> you'll beautiful collection of support you'll beautiful collection of support

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2617, and first adopted a DE1 amendment. The bill, as amended, was presented as a major child care licensing reform that would narrow licensing to core health and safety requirements, reduce what supporters described as punitive or overly technical citations, and shift quality standards toward accreditation and professional organizations. The author also described the bill as a response to long-standing problems in the current licensing structure and county oversight of family child care. Public testimony was uniformly supportive. Child care providers and directors from Duluth, Rochester, and Esko said the current system penalizes minor clerical or cosmetic issues, creates inconsistent interpretations, and contributes to provider burnout and the child care shortage. They argued the bill would separate health-and-safety licensing from quality measures, which they said are better addressed through accreditation, coaching, and national standards. One testifier also said the bill would help with background study delays by creating a liaison to improve visibility into the process. Members asked about the difference between licensing and accreditation, how other states handle similar models, and how the bill would interact with the department’s licensing modernization work. The bill’s supporters said licensing would remain focused on foundational health and safety items such as ratios, background checks, hygiene, and facilities, while quality standards would be left to national organizations like NAEYC or the National Family Child Care Association. They cited Connecticut, Indiana, and Florida as examples of states using national standards in some form. The committee closed public testimony, took member questions, and the author renewed his motion to lay over House File 2617 as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• We support this bill and have supported this bill since it originally started the transition and change
• We appreciate y'all supporting this. Have a great day. Thank you.
• 20 nursing specialty organizations who support this bill and appreciate your support as well.
• I'm here representing myself and I support the bill. ...myself and I'm testifying in support of HB 1211
• I'm representing myself and testifying in support of House Bill 1211.

Bills: HB173, HB184, HB484, HB678, HB 1211, HB1507, HB1705, HB1868, HB2290, HB2851, HB2856, HB3041, HB3204, HB173, HB184

Keywords: foreign donations, higher education, public institutions, national security, funding, prohibition, Texas law, healthcare, insurance, affordability, access, public health, foreign influence, education policy, student loan repayment, prosecuting attorneys, border prosecution unit, financial assistance, tobacco, cigarettes

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Madam Chair and members, for your time, your attention, and your support.
• We actually have the lowest negotiated rate across the Big Ten of all of our peers.
• rate across the Big 10 all of our peers rate across the Big 10 all of our peers have<00:46:16.599
• generates those revenues to support generates those revenues to support those<01:08:52.920> debt
• the scale um uh uh to actually support the scale um uh uh to actually support academic<01:10:23.679

Keywords: 1187, senate, all