Transcript Highlights:

• Steve Jobe runs that, to talk with them to see the impact it's going to have throughout the entire state
• Steve Jobe runs that to talk with them to see the impact it's going to have throughout the entire state
• HB 2306, $81 million to the local government, $546,000 loss to the state pension fund.
• We need to cut waste. We need to cut... ...find out what the priorities are in the state.
• It's an honor to be your state representative.

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Transcript Highlights:

• Steve Jobe runs that to talk with them to see the impact it's going to have throughout the entire state
• HB 2306, $81 million to the local government, $546,000 loss to the state pension fund.
• The bottom line is how are we going to come up with $239 million when the state has to cut $2 billion
• We need to come up with solutions. We need to find out what the priorities are in the state.
• It's an honor to be your state representative.

Committee: House Veterans and Armed Forces

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first went into executive session, where it adopted committee substitutes and voted do pass on House Bills 383, 2940, and 1869 by unanimous roll-call votes. The chair then moved to public hearings and announced shortened testimony times because of the late hour. A large portion of the hearing focused on several nearly identical proposals to provide property tax relief to disabled veterans and, in some versions, surviving spouses. Representatives Jobe, Crosley, Bolerking, Schmidt, and Jones described different approaches: tiered exemptions based on VA disability ratings, homestead-based exemptions, county opt-in or opt-out provisions, sunsets, and in some bills relief tied to assessed value or personal property/vehicle taxes. Committee members raised questions about acreage limits, transfer of benefits to new residences, remarriage of surviving spouses, annual recertification, and whether counties should have discretion. Several witnesses in favor, including veterans and veterans’ advocates, urged broader eligibility, especially for 100% permanent and total veterans and those with individual unemployability, and argued the benefit would help veterans remain in Missouri. A public advocate opposed the bills on fiscal grounds, citing large projected costs to local governments, school districts, and state funds. The committee also heard testimony from veterans and advocates on the importance of recognizing spouses and families, and on the need to avoid burdensome county administration. Representative Schmidt presented two related bills, one offering a percentage-based property tax discount and another creating a homestead tax credit with county participation and a market-value cap; members discussed combining the measures and revising sunset and spouse language. Representative Jones presented bills extending relief to 100% disabled veterans and to personal property/vehicles, emphasizing that counties could opt in and that the credit should not shift costs to other taxpayers. The hearing ended before the final witness finished, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've taken over publication for Chris Lewis, who's moved on to the State Department.
• State Bar, and so I'm going to open nominations for the new vice chair.
• And last year we had 127 copies that were given away to libraries. 127 copies that were given away to
• So the law requires that we give away free copies to the law libraries and the courts.
• go out to the libraries.

Committee: Joint Statute Law Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Uber recently agreed to this provision in the state of Virginia, and we understand several other states
• It doesn't matter to the state.
• And then also individually, just wanting to share what our underwriter for the state found as well.
• Paces, just curious your experience in other states if you can speak to that at all.
• respect to fee sharing with out of state and AB 931 as well as attorney advertising in SB 37.

Committee: House Communications and Conveyance

Transcript Highlights:

• You've given us life and the favor to live in the great state of Texas.
• game of golf to the state of Texas.
• Certain states and cities have tournaments to drive people, to bring people, not just the professionals
• with respect to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to be able to either sell or Senator
• deliver full City services to those areas which state law requires.

Bills: SB66 , SB317 , SB393 , SB397 , SB456 , SB614 , SB628 , SB629 , SB636 , SB715 , SB731 , SB801 , SB872 , SB905 , SB986 , SB1012 , SB1013 , SB1015 , SB1032 , SB1113 , SB1181 , SB1212 , SB1241 , SB1250 , SB1278 , SB1285 , SB1376 , SB1444 , SB1449 , SB1524 , SB1525 , SB1528 , SB1556 , SB1588 , SB1660 , SB1704 , SB1708 , SB1802 , SB1833 , SB1844 , SB1854 , SB1863 , SB1957 , SB1959 , SB1965 , SB1999 , SB2035 , SB2056 , SB2082 , SB2119 , SB2138 , SB2165 , SB2199 , SB2201 , SB2203 , SB2245 , SB2284 , SB2419 , SB2422 , SB2452 , SB2487 , SB2523 , SB2529 , SB2533 , SB2541 , SB2586 , SB2595 , SB2605 , SB2615 , SB2675 , SB2690 , SB2717 , SB2753 , SB2778 , SB2835 , SB2841 , SB2891 , SB2929 , SB2933 , SB3016 , SB3039 , SB3044 , HB912 , HB2525 , SJR3 , SB5 , SB29 , SB326 , SB494 , SB530 , SB769 , SB783 , SB963 , SB1238 , SB1271 , SB1786 , SB1967 , SB2312 , SB72 , SB616 , SB1143 , SB1172 , SB1267 , SB1273 , SB1506 , SB1759 , SB2361 , SB1 , SB260 , SB1637 , SJR36 , SJR50 , SJR63 , SJR59 , SCR12 , SCR39 , SCR48 , SCR19 , SB2023 , SB1524 , SB2422 , SB2119 , SB2753 , SB1863 , SB62 , SB666 , SB847 , SB284 , SB854 , SB1073 , SB810 , SB1505 , SB583 , SB507 , SB1434 , SB1376 , SB1772 , SB2016 , SB1163 , SB1122 , SB731 , SB397 , SB508 , SB1436 , SB287 , SB261 , SB1882 , SB393 , SB1791 , SB209 , SB2429 , SB1999 , SB511 , SB2309 , SB510 , SB1085 , SB1975 , SB2717 , SB1262 , SB636 , SB2056 , SB884 , SB517 , SB1200 , SB1845 , SB2681 , SB2199 , SB2458 , SB801 , SB2533 , SB3014 , SB3013 , SB758 , SB1013 , SB2797 , SB2076 , SB2876 , SB2284 , SB2929 , SB2595 , SB715 , SB1640 , SB1241 , SB2538 , SB1449 , SB2529 , SB986 , SB1181 , SB1359 , SB2245 , SB410 , SB1234 , SB456 , SB1012 , SB2926 , SB2138 , SB2615 , SB2972 , SB2841 , SB3016 , SB1856 , SB2035 , SB1528 , SB1373 , SB672 , SB2891 , SB1854 , SB317 , SB2539 , SB2532 , SB1250 , SB2082 , SB2203 , SB1285 , SB1959 , SB1454 , SB2520 , SB2541 , SB1708 , SB1237 , SB1844 , SB1586 , SB3039 , SB2819 , SB66 , SB629 , SB1015 , SB2342 , SB2903 , SB2933 , SB1965 , SB2477 , SB3029 , SB2605 , SB2419 , SB1957 , SB375 , SB250 , SB777 , SB628 , SB2523 , SB2367 , SB2703 , SB2608 , SB2778 , SB3044 , SB2965 , SB2521 , SB865 , SB1032 , SB2165 , SB2501 , SB2675 , SB2452 , SB2835 , SB872 , SB1212 , SB1278 , SB1588 , SB1602 , SB1704 , SB1723 , SB1833 , SB1858 , SB1946 , SB2009 , SB2177 , SB2460 , SB2785 , SB2373 , SB1660 , SB614 , SB867 , SB1608 , SB1525 , SB905 , SB640 , SB2487 , SB1698 , SB383 , SB705 , SB748 , SB1113 , SB1117 , SB1802 , SB2340 , SB2586 , SB2680 , SB2690 , SB2994 , SB2747 , SB1950 , SB913 , SB1071 , SB1086 , SB1087 , SB1483 , SB1444 , SB1553 , SB1556 , SB1703 , SB2133 , SB2297 , SB2298 , SB2622 , SB2955 , SB3059 , SB2782 , SB2781 , SB2637 , SB2633 , SB2337 , SB2334 , SB1861 , SB2043 , SB1367 , SB946 , SB945 , SB2857 , SB128 , SB571 , SB1263 , SB3058 , SB612 , SB2221 , SB2587 , SB2044 , SB2363 , SB2713 , HB 1109 , HB1392 , HB22 , HB2525 , HB3093 , HB517 , HB912 , HB 1130 , HB142 , HB1689 , HB2018 , SB2311 , SB1986 , SB2565 , SB2943 , SB1888 , SB2417 , SB3048 , SB3052 , SB3053 , SB3036 , SB3057 , SB3056 , SB3043 , SB3037 , SB3050 , SB3063 , SB3047 , SB3035 , HJR98 , HJR99 , HB136 , HB2884 , HB1393 , HB2730 , HB1399 , HB 1244 , HB467 , HB331 , HB2559

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the top of the state to the bottom of the top of the state to the bottom of the<00:15:00.959><c>
• </c> outside the state going from the Gulf to outside the state going from the Gulf to the<00:27:41.360
• and</c><00:29:28.880><c> decided</c> the state listening to MPB and decided the state listening to MPB
• value back to this state.
• it's</c> shifted from USD to the states, uh, it's shifted from USD to the states, uh, it's just<01:39

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would expand that to include state jail drug possession.
• This bill would give too much power to a state agency.
• In his concurring opinion, Justice Kennedy gave a striking warning to all states, stating that if the
• If the case is filed, both the state and the person are entitled to additional evaluations.
• And it varies depending on your own ability to get access to attorneys, or the law library, or things

Bills: HB1826 , HB1969 , HB2708 , HB2729 , HB3618 , HB4515 , HB4764 , SB1021 , SB1610

Committee: House Corrections

Keywords: mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, inmate release, identification certificate, Texas Department of Corrections, personal identification, driver's license, state law, reentry services, nondisclosure, criminal history, criminal defendants, community supervision, misdemeanors, felonies, rehabilitation, hearsay

Transcript Highlights:

• We used to have a state hospital there that worked with people with alcohol issues, and we got the state
• To the schools we we worked in agreement with the New Mexico State Police.
• be attuned to the ideas and the problems that they have in each corner of our state, whether it be Raton
• from the state in their efforts to recognize and honor military service and provide services to military
• The United States and we don't want to lose our bases because we don't have the people who want to even

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm trying to look back here, United States v. Boehm. This guy was convicted in 2021.
• So I want to tell you about the different organizations that have publicly stated or written about this
• So I want to tell you about the different organizations have publicly stated or written about this.
• I know the intention is to assure parental involvement, but the effect is that the state and not the
• I think we're going to lose vital providers of those services in this state.

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Transcript Highlights:

• Finally, obviously insurers pay a considerable amount to the state revenues.
• to the state revenues towards state revenues we make up about one and a half percent of the state's
• We would be at a big disadvantage in other states. I'll try to wrap up quickly.
• If the state is going to move away from the 95% performance standard and go to all claims within a specified
• the state how they choose to pay for Medicaid patients.

Bills: SB5845 , SB5916 , SB6102 , SB6071 , SB6103 , SB6159 , SB5877 , SB5967 , SB5904 , SB5915 , SB6025

Committee: Senate Health & Long-Term Care

Keywords: health insurance, health carrier, insurance carrier, prompt pay, timely payment, claims processing, clean claim, remittance advice, provider reimbursement, hospital billing, medical billing, prior authorization, claims denial, interest on late claims, administrative penalty, Washington insurance commissioner, RCW 48, public employees benefits board, school employees benefits board, Medicaid managed care

Transcript Highlights:

• And this is just another. example how our state employees that we ask to go to work every day in these
• You've got to think about all the kids. that we have in the state of Texas. 55,000 referred to us go
• I am proud to have Senator Mays Middleton as my state senator and extend my greatest thanks to him for
• to provide the data to you, is it that out-of-state, contract with?
• You do have to report to the State Board of Educators.

Bills: SB476 , SB664 , SB745 , SB826 , SB989 , SB1080 , SB1171 , SB1320 , SB1437 , SB1727 , SB1809 , SB2289 , SB2320

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: education, funding, school infrastructure, public schools, teacher support, intoxication manslaughter, criminal penalties, ignition interlock devices, youth offenders, vehicular homicide, Texas courts, judicial officers, associate judge, magistrate, master, referee, hearing officer, court administration, Government Code Chapter 54, Government Code Chapter 54A

Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice convened to address pressing issues surrounding oil field crime and safety on Texas highways. The meeting was initiated by Chair Flores, who emphasized the need for improved tools to combat repeat offenders having committed intoxicated driving, alongside tackling oil field theft that has escalated due to organized criminal activities. The committee heard public testimonies and engaged with various stakeholders, including law enforcement and industry representatives, who highlighted the complexities and dangers associated with these crimes. Notably, a significant focus was placed on Senate Bill 1320, which aims to establish a dedicated unit within the Department of Public Safety to investigate and address thefts specific to the oil and gas industry. This initiative seeks to strengthen coordination among various law enforcement agencies and improve training for local officers to combat these sophisticated theft operations more effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• 2 3 4 On state affairs, come to order, Clerk, call the roll. Chairman King? Here. Vice Chair.
• Not one of them made it to committee, which was very disappointing to many Texans across the state.
• This is very important to me and I think a lot of people across the state.
• And I will also point out there is. no fiscal impact to the state of Texas.
• The state of Texas supports you. And you're right to do so.

Bills: HB14 , HB 106 , HB146 , HB267 , HB274 , HB 1127 , HB1359 , HB1393 , HB1584 , HB1640 , HB1710 , HB2152 , HCR101 , HJR8 , HR51

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund

Transcript Highlights:

• to put in perspective senate states to put in perspective senate states to put in perspective senate
• lines to say Columbus or across state lines to say Columbus or across state lines to say Columbus or
• Revolution to Revolution to reconciliation we need to be a state reconciliation we need to be a state
• the state uh this could dollars to the state uh this could dollars to the state uh this could really
• it ought to apply to state law it ought to apply to state law it ought to apply to everybody and so seems

Bills: SB82 , SB78 , SB4 , SB6 , SB62 , SB66 , SB77 , SB63 , SB79 , SB53 , SB55 , HB14

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: SB82, warrant recall, outstanding warrants, stale warrants, misdemeanor warrants, Class B misdemeanor, Class C misdemeanor, municipal magistrate, circuit court clerk, criminal procedure, court administration, docket cleanup, warrant audit, law enforcement notification, domestic violence, sex offense, weapons offense, deadly weapon, dangerous instrument, felony-related charges

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:23:12.480><c> of</c> and enact law to increase the state of and enact law to increase the state
• </c> of money and the state needs to pay for of money and the state needs to pay for them.<01:44:37.440
• </c> to our education system in the state. to our education system in the state.
• </c><01:59:25.760><c> uh</c> general fund to the office of state uh general fund to the office of state
• </c> and then it goes to the office of state and then it goes to the office of state lands<01:59:28.639

Bills: SSB3030 , SSB3045 , SF2068 , SF2078 , SF2037

Committee: Joint State Government

Keywords: state contracts, vendor agreements, public policy, liability, procurement, voter registration, citizenship verification, elections, immigration, appeal process, massage therapy, licensure, establishment license, sanitary inspection, criminal background checks, public safety, regulation, campaign finance, foreign nationals, ballot issues

Transcript Highlights:

• the following Senate file: Senate File 1832, a bill for an act relating to state government.
• I want to say peace for peace in our state, but also recognizing the fact that the work that we do is
• So I am so glad to hear about this library construction and can't wait for it to open up.
• Um, and I was a young city counselor and my plan was frankly to run for the state House.
• Um, and I was a young city counselor and my plan was frankly to run for the state House.

Transcript Highlights:

• He said this bill would help them provide these services to the state and to legislators.
• With this, if this were to go into effect, the state would go to Louisiana Association for the Blind
• So I guess to the point that you stated earlier that... ...to the point that you stated earlier, that
• amend that 15%, not-to-exceed section out, is that no extra cost or additional cost to the state?
• Extra costs or additional cost to the state. I mean, can we say that?

Bills: HB82 , HB143 , HB145 , HB160 , HB222 , HB430 , HB445 , HB490 , HB603 , HB619 , HB670 , HB672 , HB763 , HB773 , HB781 , HB810 , HB874 , HB981

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: DWI, driving under the influence, vehicular homicide, penalties, criminal justice, inmates, department of public safety, per diem, local correctional facilities, jail funding, firefighters, law enforcement, medical expenses, dental expenses, disability benefits, domestic violence, domestic abuse, battery of a dating partner, domestic abuse battery, strangulation

Transcript Highlights:

• The purpose of the fund is to develop a state and local database on domestic violence deaths within 24
• So will the ongoing expectation be that state dollars are going to be used to maintain that asset that
• Yes, and so several states actually allocate money to be able to do this again because the return on
• In the edition of providing this to the secretary of state, what are we trying to accomplish by, I guess
• that it gets to the secretary of state.

Bills: SB1189 , SB1295 , SB1297 , SB1330 , SB1333 , SB1338 , SB1341 , SB1344 , SB1355 , SB1377 , SB1378 , SB1546 , SB1859 , SB1946 , SB1990 , SB1998

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Keywords: school security, funding, public schools, security enhancements, resource officers, domestic violence, fatality review, revolving fund, database, public safety, Oklahoma, census accuracy, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, federal census, grassroots outreach, marketing campaign, SB1330, Pardon and Parole Board, parole board, pardon board

Transcript Highlights:

• So, welcome to the Alabama State House and to this uh this really fun committee.
• So, glad to have y'all here. ...to be recognized from the number one public high school in the state,
• So, welcome to the Alabama State House and to this really fun committee.
• So, welcome to the the Alabama state.
• <c> really</c> State House and to this uh this really State House and to this uh this really fun<00:02

Bills: HB163 , HB344 , HB163 , HB344 , SB11 , SB92 , SB164 , HB22 , HB89 , SB227 , SB6 , SB11 , SB92 , SB164 , HB22 , HB89 , SB227 , SB6

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: income tax, research expenditures, economic development, tax deductions, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Alabama tax law, educational intervention, State Superintendent, local boards of education, subpoena, accountability, state control, property improvement, private financing, energy efficiency, capital expenditure, local government, volunteer fire departments, federally insured financial institutions, fund management

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, our request to you is simple. Please. allow CLT to compete in the state of Texas.
• It includes a process for the public to follow to submit a report of noncompliance on any state laws.
• I'm going to start by stating the obvious, post-secondary education opens doors to job opportunities,
• and provide eligibility for those students to state financial aid and certain state grant programs.
• state financial aid and certain state grant programs.

Bills: SB530 , SB757 , SB769 , SB1085 , SB1241 , SB1242 , SB1409 , SB1878 , SB2138 , SB2314 , SB2231 , SB2361 , SB2431 , SJR59

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: accreditation, postsecondary education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, program delivery, faculty recruitment, higher education, performance standards, student loan debt, degree programs, funding, students with disabilities, accessibility, enrollment, report, SB 1085, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Del Rio

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met with a large agenda and repeatedly recessed for floor activity and other committee conflicts. The committee heard and left pending several higher education bills, including SB 2361 to transfer University of Houston-Victoria from the University of Houston System to the Texas A&M System and rename it Texas A&M University Victoria; testimony from university officials, local leaders, and industry representatives strongly supported the move as a way to better align degree programs with regional workforce needs in engineering, agriculture, and STEM. SB 530, which would align Texas accreditation statutes with federal rules allowing institutions to choose among nationally recognized accreditors, also received supportive testimony and was left pending. SB 1085, allowing Sul Ross satellite campuses to offer lower-division coursework toward bachelor’s degrees, was laid out and left pending as well. The committee also took up a series of education policy bills. SB 1241 would expand the standardized tests Texas public universities may accept for admission beyond the SAT and ACT, with supporters from the Classic Learning Test, homeschool advocates, and student-choice groups arguing it would increase access and competition; it was left pending. SB 769 would require a TEA/Higher Education Coordinating Board report on barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education, and testimony from The Arc of Texas and others emphasized the need for better data and accessibility; the bill was left pending. SB 2231 would designate the second week of October as Free College Application Week, and SB 1878 would modernize terminology and support workforce-oriented programs at the Josie School; both were laid out and left pending. The committee reported several bills favorably after adopting committee substitutes. SB 605, concerning charter school expansion applications while under conservatorship or a management team, passed on a 9-0 vote. SB 1871, SB 1873, and SB 1874, all related to school discipline and teacher immunity/placement review provisions, were adopted and reported favorably, with members noting the need for further discussion on some language. SB 762, dealing with flag displays in public schools, passed on a 7-1 vote. SB 1962, relating to public school accountability and challenges to school system operations, passed 7-1 after a corrected vote. SB 1750, replacing a $60 million statewide charter facilities cap with an attendance-growth-based allotment, passed 7-1 with one member voting present not voting. SB 2252, supporting kindergarten readiness and early literacy/numeracy, SB 2253, concerning educator preparation and certification, SB 2365, on student use of wireless devices during instructional time, and SB 1924, restoring local peace officer citation authority for school offenses and adding reporting and parent-notification requirements, were also reported favorably. The committee additionally heard SB 37 on higher education governance and compliance oversight, which passed 7-1 after a substitute that refined curriculum review, governing board authority, faculty senate rules, and a new compliance office within the Higher Education Coordinating Board.