Transcript Highlights:

• building codes, the structure may be considered uninsurable.
• Senate Bill 3065 is reported to the full Senate.
• Senator Nichols moves that House Bill 247 be reported to the full Senate.
• Senator Nichols moves that House Bill 2464 be reported to the full Senate.
• Senator Paxton moves that House Bill 5084 be reported to the full Senate.

Bills: SB2784, HB23, HB247, HB1533, HB2011, HB2013, HB2273, HB2421, HB2464, HB3120, HB3424, HB3575, HB3788, HB4370, HB4809, HB5057, HB5084, HB5534, HB5668, HJR34, HB23, HB247, HJR34

Keywords: Somervell County, hospital district, board of directors, elections, local governance, staggered terms, third-party review, property development, local government, permits, construction inspection, regulatory authority, land development, liability, occupancy certificate, border security, tax exemption, ad valorem, real property, infrastructure

Transcript Highlights:

• This uneven structure means that a majority of the board can change at once, disrupting continuity and
• Currently, heavy equipment dealers must file hundreds of pages of documentation each month, reporting
• Each month, reporting every individual rental as a separate taxable account is overly burdensome.
• building codes, the structure may be considered uninsurable and ineligible for coverage under TWIA.
• House Bill 3575 be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation to do pass and be printed.

Bills: SB2784, HB23, HB247, HB1533, HB2011, HB2013, HB2273, HB2421, HB2464, HB3120, HB3424, HB3575, HB3788, HB4370, HB4809, HB5057, HB5084, HB5534, HB5668, HJR34

Keywords: Somervell County, hospital district, board of directors, elections, local governance, staggered terms, third-party review, property development, local government, permits, construction inspection, regulatory authority, land development, liability, occupancy certificate, border security, tax exemption, ad valorem, real property, infrastructure

Summary: The committee heard and left pending several local government, property tax, development, and public safety measures before later voting some of them out. Senator Birdwell explained SB 2784 for the Somerville County Hospital District, which would move the board to staggered four-year terms after a transition and was requested to be held pending until the House companion could be acted on; no public testimony was offered. HB 5084 would allow local approval for fireworks sales tied to Lunar New Year celebrations, with testimony from Hutchinson County Judge Cindy Irwin emphasizing local fire risk and the need for county discretion. HB 5534 would let county commissioners post agendas electronically instead of on a physical bulletin board. HB 4370 would expand permissible projects for certain special districts to include geothermal water conveyance systems, and HB 312 would require residential child detention facilities to enter local MOUs, report health and safety information, and conduct background checks for state-funded facilities; both drew supportive testimony and were left pending. HB 5057 would give displaced solid waste providers time to wind down after a city grants an exclusive franchise, and HB 2421 would extend the life of the Save Historic Muni District to continue work on preserving Lions Municipal Golf Course; both were left pending after supportive testimony. HB 2011 would let former owners repurchase property taken by eminent domain if the acquiring entity fails to pay property taxes for two years, and the committee substitute to SB 3065 was also laid out and left pending after a technical correction to eminent-domain language. The committee then took up additional bills on development, appraisal, and local regulation, including HB 3575, HB 4809, HB 2273, HB 247/HJR 34, HB 2464, HB 3424, HB 2013, HB 5668, HB 3788, HB 1533, and HB 23, with testimony ranging from support to opposition on issues such as appraisal procedures, historic property valuation, Galveston emergency governance, border-security tax treatment, home-based businesses, chicken covenants in HOAs, municipal utility district authority, hospital authorities’ use of assets, and third-party building review. HB 23 drew the most extensive testimony, with builders, engineers, counties, and cities split over third-party plan review and inspection authority, liability, licensing, and local code enforcement; many witnesses said the House amendments created problems and the bill was left pending. In the end, the committee voted SB 2784, SB 3065, HB 5686, HB 247, HJR 34, and HB 2011 out of committee, with the first several receiving local and uncontested calendar recommendations where applicable.

Transcript Highlights:

• navigator program report. navigator program report.
• <00:08:19.320> Working Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working
• firewood needed to heat the structure, firewood needed to heat the structure, and<00:24:32.920> then
• ,<00:24:56.720> or or calculated parabolic structures, or or calculated parabolic structures
• , a policy analyst from Consumer Reports, a policy analyst from Consumer Reports, Legislative<01:

Keywords: 926, house, all

Summary: The House opened with a devotional and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved through first readings and referrals of several bills. House Bill 950, the pay act for certain state employees, was read and referred to Appropriations, and House Bill 951, the government appropriations bill, was read and referred to Ways and Means. Senate bills referred included S. 138 on commercial property assessed clean energy projects, S. 181 on eliminating a pre-sentence investigation requirement for deferred sentences, S. 206 on licensure of early childhood educators, S. 219 on an energy navigator program report, S. 239 on the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Working Group, and S. 291 on travel disclosures for legislators and certain executive officers, each sent to the appropriate committee. The chamber also read several House concurrent resolutions adopted on the consent calendar. These included resolutions congratulating Rice Memorial High School’s Division Two girls soccer team and Division One field hockey team, designating March 2026 as Athletic Trainers Month in Vermont, and remembering the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters in Japan. The Japan remembrance resolution included a message from the Japanese consul general expressing gratitude for Vermont’s solidarity and friendship after the disaster. Later, members offered announcements recognizing guests in the gallery, including Rice Memorial athletes and coaches, representatives of the Vermont Association of Athletic Trainers, and students and teachers from Pondbrook and Sterling College. The House also heard a detailed floor speech in support of House Bill 861, which would establish a statewide Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator. The sponsor described accessibility barriers faced by disabled Vermonters, argued that ADA responsibilities are currently uneven across state government, and said a coordinator would improve coordination, compliance, and access across agencies. The House then announced the order of upcoming bills, starting with H. 861 and H. 931, but no final vote on H. 861 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• And because of its unique structure, Duval is reported under Jacksonville and not separately as a county
• And because of its unique structure, Duval is reported under Jacksonville and not separately as a county
• Of each local government's exercise of discretion over its fiscal structure.
• That's our last homework report that we have at the moment.
• That's our last homework report that we have at the moment.

Summary: The Select Committee on Property Taxes met for a listening session focused on a presentation by Amy Baker of the Joint Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research on local government revenues and expenditures. Baker reviewed statewide financial data for counties, municipalities, and independent special districts, using 2018-19 as a baseline year because it was stable and pre-COVID. She explained that counties rely heavily on taxes, with ad valorem taxes making up about 73% of county tax revenue and about 24% of total county revenues statewide, while municipalities rely more on charges for services and have a lower statewide ad valorem share of about 14.7%. She also noted wide variation across local governments, with some counties and cities highly dependent on property taxes and others using them minimally or not at all. Special districts were shown to be very different from counties and cities, with hospital-related revenues and expenditures dominating many of them, while water management districts were more reliant on ad valorem taxes and focused expenditures on the physical environment. Baker also summarized expenditure patterns: counties spent the largest share on public safety, while municipalities spent the largest share on general government services, followed by physical environment and public safety. She emphasized that local government structures vary widely and that the committee should study what characteristics are associated with greater property tax reliance. She said the next research steps would be to extend the analysis through later years, including the COVID and inflation period, and to examine institutional and legal factors that shape local fiscal structures. Members asked about unfunded mandates, fuel taxes, reserves, school taxes, millage rates, and how property taxes relate to specific services such as police and fire. Baker said the current analysis did not yet account for mandates or school taxes and that further work could examine links between revenues and expenditures, commercial versus residential tax burdens, and other factors. After the presentation, members reported back on local meetings with counties and municipalities. Several described large differences in millage rates, revenue mixes, and the impact of any property tax changes on fiscally constrained counties versus larger, wealthier ones. Concerns were raised about how local governments would replace lost revenue, especially for public safety and emergency response, and members discussed the need to consider both revenue replacement and ways to rein in spending. The co-chairs said the committee would continue gathering information, send members follow-up homework and requests for panel suggestions, and invite additional input from constituents, stakeholders, and local governments. The meeting ended with no votes or formal actions beyond adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1343 is favorably reported.
• Senator King moves that Senate Bill 610 be reported.
• Senate Bill 610 is to report it to the local and contested calendar.
• There being 10 ayes and 0 nays, SCR 8 is favorably reported.
• It's self-reporting.

Bills: SB264, SB542, SB924, SB1008, SB1029, SB1036, SB1057, SB1058, SB1185, SB1202, SB1358, SB1364, SB1376, SB1569, SB1664, SB1697, SJR50

Keywords: SB 264, Texas Workers' Compensation Act, group self-insurance, self-insured groups, workers' compensation, Texas Department of Insurance, commissioner of insurance, certificate of approval, guaranty fund, trust fund, wind down, dissolution, labor code, insurance regulation, employer coverage, risk pool, business and commerce, trade workforce economic development, property owners' association, water conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides more structure for the judge to follow, and it addresses everything from how to deal with
• the parties who have an interest in the parcel subject to that report.
• It provides more structure for the judge to follow, and it addresses everything from how to deal with
• It provides more structure for the judge to follow, and it addresses everything from how to deal with
• the parties who have an interest in the parcel subject to that report.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 627 should be able to report it.
• Senate Bill 7- AB 1303 is favorably reported.
• Senate Bill 72 is favorably reported, Senator King moves that Senate Bill 72 be reported favorably to
• Report it.
• It's favorably reported. Senator King.

Bills: SB 6, SB6, SB504, SB765, SB815, SB929

Keywords: hemp, consumable hemp, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, cannabidiol, CBG, cannabigerol, delta-8, delta-9, intoxicating hemp, hemp gummies, hemp vape, edibles, cannabinoid regulation, hemp licensing, retailer registration, product registration, QR code labeling, child-resistant packaging, minor access

Transcript Highlights:

• If they file reports.
• If they file reports.
• If they file reports.
• So you'll see down at the duties, we have some reports that are structured in terms of the number of
• reports reports uh<04:06:05.359> that<04:06:05.680> are<04:06:06.279> structured

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you can see here I have five direct reports: Elizabeth Field, who is our general counsel; Joe Gappa
• We have new processes and new structure, and we also have more people.
• Before, we didn't have any reporting coming out of our system.
• It's hard to manage something when you don't have the right reporting.
• We have the Right structure, we have the right processes, etc.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee reports...
• Committee<00:24:11.840> reports Committee reports.
• I move the committee rise and report. >> Uh, sorry. The motion is to rise and report.
• report. All in favor, please say I. report. All in favor, please say I.
• of the whole report.

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the February 2, 2026 journal, and received committee reports. The Education Committee recommended Senate Bill 19 be amended and sent to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, and also recommended confirmation of several appointments, including James JB Holston as Executive Director of the Department of Higher Education and two members of the Private Occupational School Board. The Judiciary Committee recommended Senate Bill 5 be amended and referred to Appropriations with a favorable recommendation. The chamber then moved out of order for resolutions and took up Senate Joint Resolution 7, recognizing February 2026 as Black History Month. The resolution was read at length and included extensive findings on Black history nationally and in Colorado, highlighting figures such as Barney Ford, Clara Brown, early Black legislators, and more recent Black civic and legislative leaders. Senator Exum said there were no additional comments and noted that remarks would be made later in the House. The resolution was adopted on a 33-0 vote, and the current roll call was added as co-sponsors. The Senate also considered Senate Bill 10 on the third-reading consent calendar, a bill clarifying definitions used in agricultural property taxation. It passed unanimously, 33-0. The body then took up Senate Bill 4, which would expand who may petition for an extreme risk protection order. Senator Sullivan and supporters framed it as a public safety measure, while Senator Minority Leader and Senator Zamora Wilson opposed it, arguing it could create administrative burdens, unintended consequences, constitutional concerns, and costs. The debate continued with extended opposition remarks, but the transcript ends before a final vote on SB 4 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• They have reported reductions in hospitalization and incarceration, alongside improved access to care
• They have reported reductions in hospitalization, incarceration, alongside improved access to care.
• Lastly, the staff report correctly highlights confusing governance between DHCS and Cal OES.
• The warm handoff, there need to just be more sort of, But there need to just be more structure.
• There's a very complex governance structure.

Summary: The joint Assembly Health and Select Committee on Native American Affairs held an oversight hearing on AB 988, California’s 988 crisis line and mobile crisis response system, followed by a discussion of suicide prevention and intervention in California Indian communities. Members and witnesses repeatedly emphasized that AB 988 was intended to create a true alternative to 911 for behavioral health crises, with “someone to call, someone to come, and somewhere to go,” and that Native communities continue to face disproportionately high suicide rates and barriers to culturally responsive care. The first panel of call center and stakeholder witnesses largely argued that implementation is falling short of the law’s intent. They said 988 call centers are underfunded, text/chat answer rates remain far below call answer rates, staffing is strained, and the system still lacks meaningful statewide interoperability between 988 and 911. Several witnesses said mobile crisis teams are not being dispatched through 988 as envisioned, and that funding formulas and governance are too opaque. San Joaquin County was presented as a local success story, with integrated 988, access lines, and mobile crisis handoffs that have reduced reliance on emergency departments and involuntary holds. Witnesses also discussed the need for better tribal outreach, the role of CCBHCs, and the importance of culturally competent services. State officials from CalHHS and DHCS described the five-year 988 implementation plan, the current governance structure across multiple agencies, and efforts to support training, public awareness, and referral tools. They reported growth in 988 contacts, ongoing training with the Trevor Project, a statewide resource directory, and a tribal awareness campaign. DHCS also outlined proposed trailer bill language that would create a formal designation process for 988 centers, set statewide standards, and require existing centers to obtain designation by 2029. Officials said current funding includes SAMHSA grants, block grant dollars, and an expected $67.3 million from the 988 fund in the next budget year, with a large share earmarked for Medi-Cal mobile crisis services. No formal vote or committee action was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reading in the report, Mr. Speaker. Representative Garrison, you are recognized on the report.
• Show the special order report adopted. Are there other reports? Are there other reports?
• Everyone here is required to be reporting abuse when we see we have to report it.
• would the child or parent go to report it?
• Because now if there's a problem, they can report it to HR, they can report it to legal, they can report

Summary: The House opened with prayer, a moment of silence for fallen Oviedo Officer Jimmy Serrano-Torres, the Pledge of Allegiance, and recognition of Chief Joseph Tuminelli as law enforcement officer of the day. The Rules and Ethics Committee report setting the special order calendar was adopted, and the Speaker announced schedule changes for the following week, including canceling the floor session on Monday and starting Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The main floor action centered on CS/HB 7033, the House tax package. Sponsor Rep. Duggan described broad tax changes, including reducing the state sales tax rate from 6% to 5.25%, exempting certain bullion sales, repealing the aviation fuel tax, delaying the natural gas fuel tax, changing corporate income tax treatment for charitable trusts, reducing the pari-mutuel tax on card rooms, and major changes to tourist development tax (TDT) use. The bill would redirect most TDT revenue toward property tax relief, dissolve tourist development councils, and include related property tax and local tax administration changes. Several amendments were debated: a Driscoll amendment to preserve local TDT flexibility failed; Duggan’s amendment giving local governments 25% discretion over TDT revenues was adopted; Eskamani’s combined-reporting amendment failed; and a Duggan amendment requiring audit certification of compliance with the TDT/property tax relief provisions was adopted. After debate, CS/HB 7033 passed 78-29. The House then took up CS/CS/HB 1221 on local option taxes, which was presented as a companion-style measure to give local governments more flexibility while redirecting TDT revenues toward property tax relief. Supporters argued the bill would provide immediate relief to property owners and restore accountability in local tax use, while opponents warned it would undermine tourism funding, infrastructure, and local services. An amendment allowing local governments to retain 25% of TDT revenues for general purposes was adopted, and the bill passed 62-45 after floor debate. The final item shown was the reading of CS/CS/HJR 1257, a proposed constitutional amendment related to property tax exemptions and assessment limits, but the transcript cuts off before debate or action on that measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• They reported in the very beginning of South Coast Rail the uptick from Boston visitors since that line
• appreciate your time and consideration regarding this legislation and urge you to offer a favorable report
• I respectfully urge the committee to report this bill favorably so municipalities can take full advantage
• I think this is a worthy opportunity to look at how we structure those fees and who's in charge of them
• It's a worthy opportunity to look at how we structure those fees and who's in charge of them.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 4987, the administration’s transportation bond bill centered on Chapter 90 roadway funding and related capital programs. Administration officials described the bill as a roughly $5.5 billion package that would continue $300 million per year for Chapter 90 over four years, with part of the funding distributed by the traditional formula and an additional $100 million based solely on road miles to better support rural and smaller communities. They also highlighted authorizations for municipal pavement work, Shared Streets and Spaces grants, accelerated bridge and pavement repairs, MBTA rail modernization and reliability, housing-related transportation improvements, and a new DCR-focused PRISM program for parkways and related infrastructure. Officials emphasized that the bill is financed through the Commonwealth Transportation Fund and Fair Share revenues, and said it would help municipalities plan more predictably, speed project delivery, and support housing, safety, and climate goals. Committee members and witnesses discussed the bill’s broader scope beyond traditional Chapter 90, especially the $200 million for transportation projects that support housing development and the $200 million for MBTA modernization and rail reliability. Members asked about the rationale for a four-year authorization amid fiscal uncertainty, federal funding volatility, and the status of commuter rail electrification. Administration officials responded that the capital authorization is backed by dedicated transportation revenues rather than the operating budget, and said multi-year certainty helps cities and towns make better long-term repair decisions. They also said the MBTA’s rail modernization funds would support locomotive procurements, including battery-electric and Tier 4 diesel locomotives, as part of a longer-term regional rail and electrification strategy. Municipal officials and regional advocates strongly supported the bill. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, along with town and city officials from Sherborn, Conway, and Yarmouth, said the increased Chapter 90 funding and road-mile-based distribution are especially important for small and rural communities with limited local revenue capacity, and that multi-year funding would let them bundle projects, bid at better prices, and address backlogs more proactively. A Better City and MAPC also supported the bill but urged the committee to treat it like a traditional bond bill by adding policy provisions and considering new transportation revenue tools, such as TNC fee changes, road pricing, parking taxes, and other mechanisms. The committee took no vote during the hearing and adjourned after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Roughly 30% of nonprofits that file an IRS Form 990 report stewarding public funding as part of their
• It can include streamlining nonprofit registration and reporting and clearing paperwork backlogs so our
• Registration and reporting, and clearing paperwork backlogs so our nonprofits can get to work, raising
• That fire destroyed more than 18,000 structures, burned 150,000 acres, and... 18,000 structures burned
• Yet the very structure built to serve them is also left to scramble for resources.

Summary: The joint Senate and Assembly select committee hearing focused on the challenges facing California nonprofits in 2025 and possible state responses. Opening remarks emphasized the sector’s size and importance, the impact of federal funding disruptions and tax policy changes, and the need for stronger public-private partnerships, especially in disaster response and recovery. Witnesses from community foundations, food banks, Cal OES, long-term recovery groups, CalNonprofits, and nonprofit finance organizations described funding uncertainty, delayed reimbursements, reduced indirect cost coverage, staffing strain, and the effects of climate disasters and immigration-related fear on service delivery. Testimony highlighted several policy ideas, including advance payments for state grants and contracts, prompt payment standards, sustainable indirect cost rates, contract flexibility in emergencies, streamlined registration and reporting, and a possible new Office of Nonprofit Empowerment to serve as a central point of contact and coordination within state government. Speakers also described how nonprofits and VOAD networks support wildfire response and long-term recovery, but noted that recovery groups often lack stable operating funding even when they are recognized as best practice. A food bank leader described federal food aid cuts and disruptions to deliveries, while other witnesses stressed that nonprofits are increasingly forced to use reserves, loans, or service reductions to manage cash flow gaps. Committee members generally expressed support for the sector and asked how the state could better partner with nonprofits during both disasters and budget crises. Several members raised the possibility of incremental steps if full legislative changes are not immediately feasible, and witnesses suggested pilots, better sharing of best practices, and stronger state leadership on payment timelines. Public commenters echoed the need for better contracting practices, support for community-based organizations, and attention to nonprofit worker compensation and protections. No formal votes or committee actions were taken in the hearing, which concluded with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I'm going to do a summary part about the overall structure, and Dr.
• likelihood of success and the structure likelihood of success and the structure and<00:05:23.199
• A fire emergency has been reported to the building.
• A fire emergency has been<00:11:14.959> reported<00:11:15.360> to<00:11:15.600> the<
• A fire emergency has been reported to the building. Evacuate the building immediately.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met on November 12, 2025, approved the October 22 minutes, and heard an update from Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Steven Stack and Public Health Commissioner John Langfeld on Kentucky’s application for the federal rural health transformation grant. The presenters described the grant as a $50 billion, five-year program with annual CMS scoring and rescorings, no state appeal rights, and a December 31 deadline for CMS to announce awards. They said Kentucky submitted its application on November 3 and had gathered stakeholder comments earlier in the process. The testimony emphasized that the grant is intended to support new models of rural care rather than replace existing funding or pay for clinical services or lost hospital revenue. Officials said the state had to address at least three of five federal strategic goals, including prevention and chronic disease, sustainable access, workforce development, and care/technology innovation. They also reviewed restrictions such as no new building construction, no payment for monthly broadband costs, and a cap of 5% for electronic medical record-related spending. The presenters said CMS has been clear that funding should focus on innovation in care delivery, rural access, and related policy goals, and that the state’s award could vary year to year based on performance milestones. The meeting was interrupted by a building fire alarm and evacuation announcement before the presentation was completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not structured that way. So, again, it's intended to be there in case there...
• Any reports? A lot of lists of recommendations, but not a lot of substance with it.
• are not likely to report on that, because...
• That's the handout, but the report that you provided for the committee, the best report.
• -based entity that can also provide us with SOC 2 Type 2 audit reports.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Reported favorably. Congratulations. Thank you.
• By your vote, CS for SB 872 is reported favorably.
• By your vote, CS for SB 650 is reported favorably. Yes. Chair Collins. Yes.
• And by your vote, SB 1318 is reported favorably. Congratulations, Senator Grohl.
• And, Senators, by your vote, Senate Bill 662 is reported favorably.

Summary: The Transportation Committee met and considered a series of bills, beginning with SB 266, which would exempt sales and use tax on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft sold from manufacturers to operators. Senator Harold said the measure is intended to help Florida attract an advanced air mobility industry and create jobs. The committee adopted an amendment clarifying the definition of EVTOL aircraft and excluding drones, then reported the bill favorably. SB 350, by Senator DeSigley, was also reported favorably after a minor amendment; it allows local governments to permit vehicles to travel slowly on flooded streets without being treated as unlawfully impeding traffic. Supporters from the Florida PBA and Florida League of Cities waived in support. The committee next approved SB 706, designating part of U.S. 92/Gandy Boulevard as the Senator James A. Sebesta Memorial Highway. SB 628, Lucy’s Law, was heard with extensive emotional testimony from Lucy Fernandez’s parents and others. The bill strengthens boating safety by increasing penalties for reckless boating, requiring boating safety education after certain violations, and aligning some boating penalties more closely with motor vehicle laws. A substitute amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 872, dealing with county and municipal price controls for the removal and storage of electric vehicles, was also amended and reported favorably after testimony from towing industry representatives about the added costs and storage constraints posed by damaged EVs; the Florida Insurance Council spoke in opposition. The committee then approved SB 650, which expands hazardous walking condition criteria for elementary school students to include walkways along freeways, ramps, and interchanges, regardless of speed limit. SB 1318, the hands-free driving bill, generated substantial testimony from safety advocates and families affected by distracted driving; it would rename Florida’s texting law as a hands-free driving law and prohibit handheld use of wireless devices while driving. The committee also passed SB 994, increasing driver education requirements for standard and learner’s licenses, and SB 662, designating a portion of West Beaver Street in Duval County as Harry Frisch Street. Several senators recorded affirmative votes on bills after the roll calls, and the meeting adjourned after all listed measures were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• And by your vote, CS for SB 104 is reported.
• And by your vote, CS for SB 916 is reported favorably.
• Senators, by your vote, Senate Bill 1292 is reported favorably.
• Senators, by your vote, Senate Bill 1408 is reported favorably.
• Senators, by your vote, Senate Bill 1408 is reported favorably.

Summary: The Transportation Committee heard and acted on a series of transportation, licensing, and memorial bills. The first major item was CS/SB 462, the Department of Transportation agency package, which included provisions on transportation trust fund revenue for electric vehicles, county project reporting, speed limits, workforce grants, procurement and utility relocation procedures, airport participation, metropolitan planning, and related DOT administration. The committee adopted a substitute amendment after extensive discussion, especially over utility relocation reimbursement, penalties, and whether the bill was too rigid while stakeholders continued negotiating. Testimony came from industry and utility representatives both supporting the need to address delays and opposing the bill’s prescriptive approach. The bill passed 8-3. The committee then approved several specialty license plate and memorial measures. CS/SB 1024 added a United States Military Academy plate alongside the Naval Academy plate. CS/SB 824 created a Florida Highway Patrol specialty plate. CS/SB 666 created a Miami Northwestern Senior High School alumni plate, with supporters emphasizing the school’s history and scholarship uses for the revenue. CS/SB 916 authorized indemnification and insurance arrangements for commuter rail operations on the Brightline corridor, modeled on SunRail law, and was reported favorably after technical amendments. CS/SB 1290 updated DHSMV rules to conform to IFTA and federal motor carrier standards, raised the crash-damage reporting threshold, and made other registration and email-notification changes; CS/SB 1292 created a public-records exemption for certain email addresses used in motor vehicle and vessel notifications. CS/SB 1408 designated memorial highways for fallen officers Jesse Madsen and Elio Diaz, and CS/SB 1502 authorized FDOT blanket permits for mobile cranes to travel at night under specified conditions. All of these bills were reported favorably. The committee also received a lengthy informational presentation from FDOT on aggregates and the state’s construction-material supply chain. The witness described aggregate sources, transportation methods, recycling efforts, the importance of the Lake Belt and out-of-state imports, and the department’s supply-chain grant program. Senators asked about long-term reserves, stranded reserves, pricing, and the impact of regulation on future supply, and requested the study and a summary of regulatory impacts for members. The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• reporter in Las Vegas before joining CBS L.A.
• By adding a second rider, the structural and mechanical integrity could be compromised.
• And the reason no one's accountable is because our current governance structure is broken.
• There have been numerous reports. Our current governance structure is broken.
• And a lot of it does go back to the governance structure that we have in California.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly convened after initially lacking a quorum, completed the prayer and pledge, and then held a lengthy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month ceremony. Members from both parties and several caucuses spoke in support of HR 107, emphasizing AAPI contributions, resilience, and the need to oppose hate and discrimination. The resolution was adopted by voice vote, and the chamber then recognized 13 honorees for the 2026 observance, including community leaders, educators, advocates, business leaders, and cultural institutions. After guest introductions, the Assembly took up the Daily File and passed a series of measures, including AB 2050 on HOA reserve funding, AB 2106 on lawsuits involving licensed design professionals, AB 1794 on direct home delivery of enteral formula, AB 1829 on CalWORKs-related student aid, AB 2038 extending wildfire insurance moratorium protections, AB 2281 on election cybersecurity, AB 2448 on protecting sensitive medical information, AB 2568 on water district board compensation, and AB 1658 on county public contract change-order authority. Most of these bills passed with broad support, though AB 2050, AB 2038, and AB 2448 drew some no votes. The Assembly also adopted AJR 29, a resolution opposing a federal executive order affecting vote-by-mail and election administration, after a contentious floor debate over election trust, voter access, and decorum. Additional measures passed unanimously or near-unanimously, including AB 2125 on notice in water-rights adjudications, AB 2784 on State Bar fees, AB 1614 on e-bike passenger restrictions, AB 2503 on high school heat safety guidelines, AB 1703 on osteopathic title protections, AB 1920 on community college Promise eligibility, AB 1999 on veterinary workforce and animal shelter care, and ACR 123 recognizing Duan Wu Jie. The chamber then began consideration of ACR 189 designating May 2026 as Foster Youth Awareness Month, with supportive remarks from members, before the transcript cuts off.

Transcript Highlights:

• Instead, if you can start to encompass the Regulatory structures that exist in 73 Chapter 36 today for
• And we've got a good regulatory structure to regulate.
• It's on page 22 of that report that gives a summary of increased pumping.
• I'm not a geoscientist, so I'm just reading and repeating what I see in the report to you.
• So it's kind of a self-reported.

Bills: HB24, HB27

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Summary: The committee met to hear House Bills 27 and 24 on groundwater issues in East Texas, with members and witnesses focusing on a proposed large-volume groundwater export project and the need for more science before major permitting decisions are made. HB 27, which was within the special session call, would direct the Texas Water Development Board to conduct a hydrogeologic study of the aquifers in the affected area and temporarily pause new export permits while the study is underway. HB 24, a separate bill that would limit certain production and export permits to 5% of modeled available groundwater, was laid out but the chair said it would not be moved out of committee. Testimony on HB 27 was largely supportive, though some witnesses were neutral. Supporters, including representatives from a water supply corporation, the Trinity River Authority, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, said the region lacks enough hydrologic data, that the proposed pumping could affect private wells, surface water, and local economies, and that the state needs better information on sustainable yield and groundwater-surface water interaction. Several witnesses emphasized that groundwater conservation districts need clearer tools and better data, while also noting concerns about property rights and the rule of capture. Committee members discussed the scale of the proposed project, the absence of a groundwater conservation district in Houston County, and the possibility that the study should examine desired future conditions and maximum sustainable pumping rather than only modeled available groundwater. The committee adopted the committee substitute for HB 27 and voted it out favorably to the full House with a recommendation that it do pass, be printed, and be sent to the Committee on Calendars. The roll call was unanimous, 11 ayes and 0 nays. After the vote, members briefly reflected on the complexity of the issue and the need to continue working on broader groundwater policy in the interim and next session. HB 24 was discussed later in the meeting, but no final action on that bill was taken in the portion provided.