Transcript Highlights:

• The efficacy of these therapies is far greater than most traditional therapies.
• This substitute is not a broad legalization of psilocybin therapy.
• It is important to emphasize that this alternative therapy has been the subject of FDA-recognized breakthrough
• therapy designation.
• therapy designation.

Summary: The House convened, established a quorum, and welcomed special guests including the Freedom of the Road Riders and students from Warsaw High School. The chamber then took up House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1855, a reporting bill on alpha-gal syndrome. The sponsor described alpha-gal as a serious tick-borne condition affecting many Missourians, especially rural and outdoor workers, and argued that mandatory reporting would help the state track prevalence, identify hotspots, support physician education, and strengthen requests for funding. Supporters from both parties said the bill would improve public health data and help families who have struggled for years to get a diagnosis; one member raised concerns about cost and whether the data would be useful, but the bill sponsor said the fiscal impact was justified by the medical and economic burden of missed diagnoses. House Amendment 1, changing the department’s follow-up language from “may” to “shall,” was adopted, while House Amendment 2, which would have required patient consent before reporting, failed on a 41-10 vote. The committee substitute for HB 1855 was then adopted and ordered perfected and printed. The House next considered House Committee Substitute for House Bills 2230 and 2978, a measure on school screen time and cursive/handwriting instruction. The sponsor said the bill was revised from a more prescriptive version into a research-based framework that creates a state-level focus group to study screen time’s effect on learning and to make recommendations, while also asking school districts to review policies and provide parents information about screen time. Supporters said excessive screen use has hurt literacy, behavior, and mental health, and that the bill gives local districts flexibility while moving schools toward evidence-based practices. Members raised questions about carve-outs for special education students and English language learners who rely on technology, and the sponsor said those concerns could be handled locally. An amendment to exclude the virtual school program was adopted, and the committee substitute for HB 2230 and 2978 was then adopted and ordered perfected and printed. Finally, the House took up House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2355, the Food Is Medicine Initiative for Missouri. The sponsor said the bill would allow Missouri to use federal 1115 waiver funds for pilot programs that provide medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, nutrition counseling, and related supports, arguing that food access is a preventive health tool that can reduce chronic disease and lower Medicaid costs. Supporters described food deserts and said the program could improve health outcomes and help families access healthier foods. An amendment adding cleanup language and allowing certain vitamin therapies was offered, but discussion focused on concerns about supplement quality and whether the amendment language was too broad. The transcript ends during debate on that amendment, before final action on HB 2355 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's substrate reduction therapy. There's symptomatic management.
• There are exploratory therapies and cures.
• We're developing new treatments and new therapies monthly.
• They are designed to identify serious medical conditions before symptoms appear, before irreversible
• Every week seems to bring another breakthrough, another machine...

Keywords: 1212, all

Summary: The House took up several Senate and House bills, first handling conference and referral motions on a Senate bill promoting student learning and mental health and a Senate petition on poverty relief. The House insisted on its position on the mental health bill and appointed conferees, and it referred the poverty petition to the Committee on Children and Families after declining Judiciary. It also advanced a series of Ways and Means bills on second reading, adopting amendments and ordering them to third reading, including measures on police interactions with people with autism, honoring Blue Star Families, Bolton land conveyances, newborn screenings for congenital cytomegalovirus, affordable housing and cultural space in Brighton, increasing access to epinephrine, and civil rights and technology. Several bills were debated at length. The epinephrine bill drew strong support as a life-saving measure to allow public venues to stock and administer EpiPens, with testimony centered on the death of Michael Brown and the need for rapid response to anaphylaxis; it passed to engrossment by a 149-0 roll call. The newborn CMV screening bill also passed after debate over a proposed amendment to add other rare diseases and a broader parental opt-out; supporters argued universal screening would prevent missed diagnoses and long-term harm, while opponents warned against mandatory testing and defended parental choice. The amendment was rejected 153-1, and the bill passed 154-1. The House also passed to engrossment the civil rights and technology bill, which would prohibit weaponized drones and robotic devices, restrict threatening or harassing use, allow law enforcement use in limited emergency situations, and require warrants for certain entries; it passed 154-1. The Blue Envelope bill for autism-related traffic stops passed 156-0, and the Blue Star Families license plate bill honoring families of fallen law enforcement officers also passed 156-0 after emotional floor speeches. Other measures, including the Bolton land bill and the Brighton affordable housing/cultural space bill, were passed to engrossment without recorded opposition. The session included a moment of silence for former Congressman Barney Frank and a separate tribute to State Trooper Kevin T. Traynor, and the House adjourned to meet the next day in informal session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Behind every breakthrough is a human being, a researcher who chose to dedicate their life to discovery
• Mosaic was designed to strengthen the biomedical research workforce... ...program.
• was a Forest Service grant, part of the wildfire crisis strategy, that specifically supported the design
• Grant part of the wildfire crisis strategy specifically supported the design of management strategies
• My work aims to design clean tech responsibly, building in resilience and sustainability from the start

Summary: The Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee held its final meeting of the 2026 session, opening a public hearing on Senate Bill 6321, which would authorize up to $6 billion in state general obligation bonds over six years and create the Washington Institute for Scientific Advancement within the Department of Commerce. Staff explained that the institute would oversee grants for scientific research and facilities, with the proposal requiring voter approval for the debt and institute creation. Senator Slatter, the prime sponsor, said the bill was intended to stabilize research funding in Washington in response to federal cuts and uncertainty, and noted it was modeled in part on similar efforts in California and Texas. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support. Representatives from Washington State University and the University of Washington described the state’s research enterprise as an economic engine and emphasized the importance of stable funding for jobs, innovation, and competitiveness. University of Washington witnesses said federal funding disruptions had reduced new NIH awards, cut student support, and threatened research programs in medicine, mental health, clean energy, forest resilience, and climate adaptation. Several early-career researchers and union members testified about personal impacts from grant terminations, furloughs, and delayed career transitions, arguing that the bill would help protect scientific work, workforce development, and public health outcomes in Washington. After closing the hearing on SB 6321, the committee moved into executive session. It voted do pass on Substitute House Bill 2525 and sent it to the Rules Committee. The committee also approved a slate of gubernatorial appointments for confirmation recommendation, and then adjourned after thanking staff and members for their work during the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• What if or some other designated area.
• , and plans to seek breakthrough therapy designation in recognition of the state’s commercial interest
• , and plans to seek breakthrough therapy designation in recognition of the state’s commercial interest
• and seek breakthrough therapy designation, then enter into an agreement with a similar consortium in
• and seek breakthrough therapy designation, then enter into an agreement with a similar consortium in

Keywords: Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 25 February, 2026; 3:00 PM, 925, all

Transcript Highlights:

• firsthand what uninterrupted research and science makes possible: vaccines that prevent suffering, therapies
• And behind every breakthrough is a human being, a researcher who chose to dedicate their life to discovery
• Lucas O'Brien: We co-designed new treatments for youth and the clinicians that care for them to enhance
• was a Forest Service grant, part of the wildfire crisis strategy, that specifically supported the design
• My work aims to design clean tech responsibly, building in resilience and sustainability from the start

Bills: SB6321, SGA9245, SGA9247, SGA9250, SGA9252, SGA9253, SGA9254, SGA9259, SGA9260, SGA9261, SGA9262

Keywords: scientific research, innovation, economic growth, Washington Institute, public funding, 904, all

Summary: The Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee held its final meeting of the 2026 session and opened a public hearing on Senate Bill 6321, which would authorize up to $6 billion in general obligation bonds over six years and create the Washington Institute for Scientific Advancement within the Department of Commerce. Staff explained that the institute would be overseen by an appointed administrator and council to award grants for scientific research, development, and related facilities, and that the bond sections would require voter approval. Senator Warnick asked about the financing, including interest rates and tax-exempt status, and staff noted the fiscal note indicated the bonds would not be tax exempt. Prime sponsor Senator Slatter described the bill as a response to instability in federal research funding and argued that Washington should protect its research ecosystem, citing major federal dollars flowing to universities and research centers and the economic value of research-driven innovation. Testimony in support came from representatives of Washington State University, the University of Washington School of Medicine, and several researchers and union members. They said federal cuts and grant uncertainty were harming research jobs, training pipelines, and projects in areas such as cancer, substance use disorder, suicide prevention, forest fire resilience, clean energy, salmon habitat, and climate adaptation. Several witnesses pointed to California and Texas as examples of states using public funding or bond programs to strengthen research capacity and attract talent and investment. After closing the public hearing, the committee moved to executive session. It passed Substitute House Bill 2525 with a do pass recommendation to the Rules Committee and approved a slate of gubernatorial appointments for confirmation, subject to signatures. The chair then thanked staff and members, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, you know, we currently restrict occupational and physical therapy to kids to to adults under the
• Um, you know, we currently restrict occupational and physical therapy to kids to to adults under the
• </c><00:05:16.200><c> to</c> occupational and physical therapy to occupational and physical therapy to
• </c><00:13:49.040><c> is</c> to effective obesity therapies is to effective obesity therapies is crucial
• I'm... you know, this is a system that I mean, every day we're making huge breakthroughs in some of these

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• breakthroughs breakthroughs or<00:08:14.880><c> research</c><00:08:15.320><c> into</c><00:08:15.480>
• </c> and or speech therapy and or speech therapy that<00:19:01.679><c> would</c><00:19:01.840><c> begin
• There's delayed speech therapy.
• 34.120><c> is</c> Because speech language therapy is Because speech language therapy is engaging<00:46
• </c> necessary for some therapy appointments. necessary for some therapy appointments.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:10 SB 6 Discussion 00:40 SB 6 Vote 00:13:30 Cochlear Implants 00:16:25, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee heard Senate Bill 6, sponsored by Senate President Robert Stivers, which would create an endowed research fund to support collaborative university research in Kentucky. Stivers described the bill as an extension of earlier higher-education research efforts, arguing that Kentucky should build research “hubs” by requiring or encouraging partnerships among universities and outside entities, with potential focus areas including health care, engineering, aerospace, agriculture, and other emerging fields. He said the proposal would establish five research tranches over five years and sought a $30 million endowment for each, generating annual interest to fund consortium-based research and leverage additional private and federal dollars. Senators Frommeyer, Neal, Givens, Boswell, and Richardson spoke in support, emphasizing economic development, job creation, and examples from other research clusters such as Boston and North Carolina’s Research Triangle. The committee voted 12-0 to report the bill favorably to the Senate floor. The committee then received a presentation from Dr. Matthew Bush of the University of Kentucky on pediatric hearing loss and cochlear implants. Bush explained that early hearing detection and intervention is critical because hearing loss in newborns is a neurocognitive emergency that affects language, literacy, and long-term outcomes. He outlined national screening benchmarks, Kentucky’s incidence of childhood hearing loss, and the high educational and societal costs of untreated hearing loss. Bush also highlighted disparities in rural and western Kentucky, where children face delayed diagnosis, longer waits for hearing aids or cochlear implants, and more difficulty accessing follow-up care. He described cochlear implants, the multidisciplinary care they require, and research showing improved language development, quality of life, and cost savings when children are treated early.

Transcript Highlights:

• Over the past century, public health advances and medical breakthroughs have nearly doubled the lifespan
• The FDA needs clear guidelines for aging-targeted therapies.
• The 21st century has the potential to witness one of the most profound medical breakthroughs in history
• Virden, what's the most important breakthrough in aging research that we should be paying attention to
• Butner, you're talking about trying to design a city for the right food choice.

Keywords: health policy, lifespan, quality of life, community health, public testimony

Summary: The committee meeting was marked by discussions surrounding health policies aimed at enhancing the lifespan and quality of life for the community members. The chairperson initiated the session with personal reflections on the importance of extending not just the years of life but also the quality of those years, especially from the perspective of parents and grandparents. Members engaged in thoughtful dialogue regarding potential legislative measures that could address public health in a more holistic manner, emphasizing the need for community outreach and effective health education programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• Let’s say I want to work on ALS, I might work in RNA biology and ALS, I might work in gene therapy in
• Suffolk's medical dosimetry and radiation therapy programs, in partnership with MGH and Dana-Farber,
• Our 147-acre campus, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, you may know him from designing Central Park,
• This is MIT's NCI-designated cancer center, one of only seven basic research and NCI-designated cancer
• This is MIT's NCI designated cancer center, one of only seven basic research and NCI designated cancer

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held an informational hearing on the economic impact of Massachusetts higher education institutions, with opening remarks noting the significance of September 11 and the role colleges and universities play in the state’s economy, workforce, and research ecosystem. UMass leaders testified first, describing UMass as a major employer and economic driver that educates large numbers of Massachusetts residents, supports thousands of jobs, and generates billions in annual economic activity. They emphasized the importance of research funding, warned that federal grant cancellations, suspensions, and slowdowns were harming research operations and talent retention, and voiced strong support for Governor Healey’s proposed DRIVE initiative as bridge funding to protect research capacity and jobs. Committee members focused heavily on workforce preparation in emerging fields such as AI, cyber, quantum computing, and engineering. UMass leaders said AI is being embedded across curricula and research, but also warned that financial constraints forced reductions in PhD admissions, especially in computer science and engineering, which could weaken the future workforce pipeline. They also described the practical effects of grant uncertainty, including reduced graduate admissions and concerns about losing researchers to institutions abroad. Members asked for more detailed data on grant timing, funding gaps, and where students and researchers were going. A second panel from private colleges and universities, including AICUM, Suffolk, Smith, and Clark, highlighted the broad economic and civic contributions of private higher education. Testimony cited large annual economic impacts, job creation, tax revenue, community service, legal clinics, dual enrollment, entrepreneurship support, sustainability investments, and access programs. Speakers also discussed enrollment pressures, COVID-related social and mental health challenges, student visa and federal policy concerns, and the need to preserve liberal arts alongside career-focused training. The committee then heard from MIT, where testimony focused on research commercialization, biotech spinouts, and the role of federal, philanthropic, and industry funding in sustaining innovation; members pressed for more data on funding sources and asked what state policy could do to keep talent and businesses in Massachusetts. The hearing continued with additional public higher education testimony, including Bridgewater State, Bristol Community College, and Northeastern, which emphasized workforce-aligned programs, social mobility, apprenticeships, co-op education, and the need for better coordination between higher education, employers, and state workforce systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas legislature has previously established an overweight corridor for this designation.
• Rather, it just clarifies the route designation.
• The program was designated to expedite freight and international trade while improving roadway safety
• Senate Bill 2841 does not seek to expand the existing corridor designation; rather, it brings parity
• and uniformity to the use of the designated bridges and reports existing in the overweight corridor.

Bills: SB 682, SB 1013, SB 1369, SB 1422, SB 2001, SB 2080, SB 2366, SB 2705, SB 2841

Keywords: memorial highway, Captain Kevin Williams, Firefighter Austin Cheek, Smith County, transportation, pedestrian right-of-way, sidewalk users, bicycle safety, micromobility, electric scooter, motor-assisted scooter, electric personal assistive mobility device, skateboard, roller skates, driveway crossing, alley crossing, traffic safety, yield law, Texas Transportation Code, vehicle-pedestrian collision

Summary: The meeting of the committee focused on several bills aimed at enhancing the operational efficiency of Texas transportation and port authorities. Key discussions included the implications of SB2080, which seeks to streamline operations for navigation districts by raising procurement authority, exempting security discussions from recording requirements, and aligning Texas ports with national standards to foster economic growth. Senator Alvarado advocated fervently for the bill, emphasizing its positive impact on competitiveness with ports in states like Virginia and New Jersey. Public testimony reflected mixed responses, with strong support from industry representatives but opposition from some municipal authorities concerned about the potential overreach of port authorities into local development.

Transcript Highlights:

• This designation authorizes the port to issue overweight permits along their approved routes, which includes
• Rather, it just clarifies the route designation, cleans up the small oversight, and brings parity among
• The program was designated to expedite freight and international trade while improving roadway safety
• Senate Bill 2841 does not seek to expand the existing corridor designation; rather, it brings parity
• and uniformity to the use of the designated bridges reported as existing in the overweight corridor.

Bills: SB682, SB1013, SB1369, SB1422, SB2001, SB2080, SB2366, SB2705, SB2841

Keywords: memorial highway, Captain Kevin Williams, Firefighter Austin Cheek, Smith County, transportation, pedestrian right-of-way, sidewalk users, bicycle safety, micromobility, electric scooter, motor-assisted scooter, electric personal assistive mobility device, skateboard, roller skates, driveway crossing, alley crossing, traffic safety, yield law, Texas Transportation Code, vehicle-pedestrian collision

Transcript Highlights:

• — Funding to go and complete engineering and design, much less go to bid, okay?
• Chairman, members, House Bill 965 by Representative McMath designates a portion of Louisiana Highway
• And then once we get those initial numbers, we kind of work through the final design.
• So this is really designed for traffic stops, so when the officer is approaching the vehicle.
• We're advancing through our design plans right now.

Bills: HB506, HB590, HB647, HB685, HB692, HB839, HB860, HB873, HB887, HB965, HB972, HB982, HB1072, HB1157

Keywords: license plates, prestige plates, Fraternal Order of Police, charitable donations, high school representation, waterway projects, application timeline, government funding, semi-annual submissions, Louisiana waterways, public procurement, motor vehicles, rolling stock, FAST Act, Louisiana bid law, hospital service district, construction management, public works, contract limit, bidding process

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 1157, which would create a Louisiana State Infrastructure Bank to provide a new funding mechanism for transportation projects, including roads, bridges, rail, ports, and airports. The chairman and DOTD Secretary Glenn LaDoux said the bank would help leverage state, federal, local, and private dollars, modelled in part on programs in Florida and other states, and would be used for gap funding and faster project delivery. Members asked extensive questions about board makeup, oversight, seed funding, application priorities, and how the program would differ from capital outlay and other existing funding tools. Support testimony came from Greater New Orleans, Inc. and other groups, and the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then approved several mostly technical or local bills, including HB 860 allowing fillable electronic public bid forms; HB 972 naming a portion of Highway 93 in Lafayette Parish the Desert Shield Desert Storm Memorial Highway; HB 965 naming a portion of Highway 163 for Sergeant William Billy Earl Collins Jr.; HB 692 allowing local governments to use group purchasing organizations, as amended; HB 685 allowing cooperative procurement for public motor vehicles and rolling stock under FAST Act procedures, which passed after a roll call vote with one no vote; HB 982 designating portions of highways in Morehouse Parish, as amended; HB 506 creating specialty license plates, as amended; HB 839 lowering the CMAR threshold for hospital service districts from $2 million to $1 million via substitute bill; HB 647 revising the waterway assistance program and application timelines via substitute bill; and HB 887 revising construction management-at-risk procedures, as amended. Most of these measures were reported favorably or favorably as amended, with little or no opposition. The committee also received an update on the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction from Representative Chesson, who said the office will assume control of about 4,000 miles of roadway and 2,000 bridges and has been moving projects quickly using internal procurement procedures. HB 1072, which reforms the office’s powers and emergency authority, was amended to narrow emergency provisions and clarify funding and reporting language, then reported favorably as amended. The final major item was HB 873, which would fund pursuit-intervention technology and training for law enforcement through a $2 fee on driver’s licenses; the bill was presented alongside emotional testimony from the widow and daughter of Sergeant Grant Candies and from a St. John the Baptist Parish captain, who argued the fee would help agencies buy safer equipment and obtain grant support. The transcript ends during questioning on HB 873, before any final committee action on that bill is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• HF 4595 updates our marriage and family therapy licensure by reciprocity laws by moving requirements
• Instead, the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy would issue...
• </c> updates our marriage and family therapy updates our marriage and family therapy by<00:26:23.679>
• </c><01:03:06.960><c> is</c> to effective obesity therapies is to effective obesity therapies is crucial
• </c><01:30:53.880><c> so</c> you know, our our system is designed so you know, our our system is designed

Bills: HF4493, HF3133, HF4595, HF4143, HF4142, HF3756, HF4289, HF1724, HF2291, HF4568, HF4547

Keywords: opioid use disorder, OUD, medication-assisted treatment, MAT, pharmacist prescribing, pharmacy practice, controlled substances, Schedule III, Schedule IV, Schedule V, DEA registration, Board of Pharmacy, substance use disorder, addiction treatment, buprenorphine, naltrexone, harm reduction, prescription authority, pharmacist intern, Minnesota pharmacy law

Transcript Highlights:

• US HEALTHCARE MARKET ISN'T STRUCTURED TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROPOSAL OF HB 697 AS DESIGNED FOR FLORIDA.
• INNOVATIVE THERAPIES.
• SO WE WILL LIKELY SEE NOT JUST ONLY LACK OF ACCESS TO NEEDED THERAPIES BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO
• NOW WE HAVE GENE THERAPY MEDICATIONS SUCH AS SICKLE CELL ANEMIA SO A $1.6 MILLION POT TO CURE SICKLE
• THEN ALSO FURTHER UNDERSTANDING THE FORMULA DESIGN PATTERNS OF WHAT IS GOING ON AND I THINK AS WE GO

Transcript Highlights:

• of psilocybin as a breakthrough therapy, which of course is itself built upon decades of work from researchers
• And our best evidence-based therapies are not enough.
• And our best evidence-based therapies are not enough.
• This therapy, I want to be very clear, is not for casual or recreational use.
• We make psilocybin therapy, legal, local unaffordable.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It was designed to make the system fully funded in the year 2005.
• It's designed to reduce the risk of the unfunded liability creeping up again.
• The driver, to your point, exactly, is two different drugs designed to treat diabetes.
• With continued investment in CPRIT, investing in new, emerging therapies...
• And he, with a... he's designing, and we are supporting this, his effort. ...with a... he's designing

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard budget presentations for the Texas Historical Commission, the Pension Review Board, the Employees Retirement System (ERS), Social Security and benefit replacement pay, the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System (TESSRS), and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The Legislative Budget Board outlined recommendations and major changes for each agency, including reductions tied to one-time projects at the Historical Commission, continued funding for courthouse grants, heritage trails, and Holocaust/genocide education, as well as new or modified riders and capital items. For the pension-related items, LBB described funding changes for PRB, ERS, Social Security, and TESSRS, including ERS health plan cost growth driven largely by pharmacy costs, the status of pension funding reforms, and TESSRS’s request for additional state support to address its unfunded liability and staffing needs. Members asked extensive questions about the Historical Commission’s one-time funding, unexpended balance authority, courthouse preservation, the Presidio La Bahia and National Museum of the Pacific War projects, and coordination of Texas history messaging across sites such as the Alamo, San Jacinto, Washington on the Brazos, and other heritage locations. The Historical Commission chair emphasized heritage tourism, economic development, and the need for continued investment in historic sites, staffing, IT modernization, and vehicles. On the pension items, senators discussed PRB oversight of local systems, including the Dallas police and fire pension situation, and ERS investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health costs. ERS officials said the plan remains well funded overall, noted a 2021 cash balance reform and a planned supplemental legacy payment, and explained that GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro are a major driver of pharmacy spending; they also said the agency is working with the Texas Pharmacy Initiative and that rebates are contractually returned to ERS. For TESSRS, LBB and agency staff said the system serves volunteer and part-paid emergency personnel, is facing an infinite amortization period, and is requesting additional appropriations, staffing, and IT funding, along with a statutory change to allow an actuarially determined state contribution. The agency said it may otherwise need to cut benefits for volunteer firefighters. For CPRIT, LBB reported about $600 million in recommended funding for the biennium and a 10-FTE increase, while the agency described its $6 billion voter-approved program, $3.75 billion in grants awarded to date, and $10.4 million in revenue sharing since 2011. CPRIT’s only exceptional item was a request for a 10% salary increase for two exempt positions. No committee votes or formal actions were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• as a breakthrough therapy.
• A breakthrough therapy is a process for the FDA given only to drugs that seem to be as good or better
• as a breakthrough therapy.
• therapy designations and are in phase three clinical trials nearing approval for medical use.
• therapy.

Bills: HB216

Keywords: HB216, Texas abortion law, abortion-inducing drug, medication abortion, mifepristone, misoprostol, telemedicine, in-person exam, physician presence, out-of-state physician, reproductive healthcare, abortion regulation, Health and Safety Code, Occupations Code, consultation services, remote prescribing, pro-life, pro-choice

Summary: The Committee on Public Health met with a quorum and heard public testimony on a long agenda, with members repeatedly reminded of a two-minute limit for witnesses. Several bills were voted out favorably, including HB 2588 on cottage food, HB 1639 on cancer incidence and female firefighters, HB 2581 on a reporting form for contracted services for pregnant women, and SB 922 on electronic disclosure of certain sensitive medical information. Those measures generally passed on party-line or near-unanimous votes, while HB 216 on itemized medical statements was left pending after the committee substitute was withdrawn. The committee also left pending HB 5141, HB 4638, HB 2035, HB 4813, HB 2264, HB 4014, and HB 3829 after hearing testimony and questions. The final item introduced in the excerpt was HB 4408 on health care market transparency and corporate consolidation, but the discussion was cut off before testimony or action was completed. A major theme of the hearing was mental health diversion and access to treatment. HB 5141, by Rep. Howard, would allow Travis County to use vacated Austin State Hospital property for a local mental health jail diversion center; law enforcement, the Travis County sheriff, county judge, and urban counties group all testified in support, describing the lack of alternatives for people in crisis and the burden on jails and emergency rooms. Members asked about eligible offenses, bed capacity, and whether the facility would serve only Travis County, and the bill was left pending. HB 2264, by Rep. Schoolcraft, would create a friends-and-family form for loved ones to provide information to providers during emergency mental health treatment; NAMI and hospital groups supported it, while one neutral witness and several members raised concerns about patient control, credibility of information, and liability protections. The bill was also left pending. The committee also heard multiple psychedelic-therapy and drug-policy bills. HB 4813 would speed Texas rescheduling of Schedule I substances if the FDA reclassifies them, with testimony focused on psilocybin and MDMA and their potential use for PTSD and depression; members questioned whether the bill was too broad and how state rescheduling works, and it was left pending. HB 4014 would direct HHSC to study psychedelic therapies, building on prior state research, and witnesses said Texas should prepare regulatory and clinical infrastructure before FDA approval; it too was left pending. HB 2035 would require parents to be informed that they may seek substance-use treatment for a child even if one facility turns them away, prompted by a constituent’s account of a fatal fentanyl overdose after receiving incorrect advice; it was left pending. HB 4638 would extend and expand the Texas Pharmaceutical Initiative board and timeline, with the author saying the program is still in early implementation and needs more time, and it was left pending as well. Other bills addressed public health administration and animal welfare. HB 3829 would require a study of the animal-friendly account and its grant process for spay/neuter funding, with the author arguing that the current application and reimbursement process is too burdensome for shelters and nonprofits; no opposition was heard and the bill was left pending. HB 2581 and HB 1639 were reported favorably, while HB 216 drew discussion about enforcement of itemized medical billing and was held after the committee substitute was withdrawn. Throughout the hearing, members also discussed broader concerns about homelessness, competency restoration waitlists, jail overcrowding, and the need for more treatment options outside the criminal justice system.

Transcript Highlights:

• Reflecting the racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic diversity is essential to developing therapies
• Prize, which was kind of my intro to this whole space, a global competition that incentivized breakthroughs
• Prize, which was kind of my intro to this whole space, a global competition that incentivized breakthroughs
• in age. space, a global competition that incentivized breakthroughs in aging research, attracted international

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• clerk will read the next bill, please. >> House Bill 42, Health Occupation State Board of Massage Therapy
• </c><00:10:09.680><c> Examiners</c> Board of Massage Therapy Examiners Board of Massage Therapy Examiners
• to look at uh, elderly and and designed to look at uh, elderly and and aging<00:43:09.440><c> issues
• No, they use these substances for really breakthrough cases where other therapies haven't worked, and
• breakthrough cases where other<01:02:18.559><c> therapies</c><01:02:19.119><c> haven't</c><01:02:19.359

Keywords: House streaming session for Thursday, February 19, 2026, 957, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Reflecting racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic diversity is essential to developing therapies
• which was kind of my introduction to this whole space, a global competition that incentivizes breakthroughs
• Prize, which was kind of my intro to this whole space, a global competition that incentivized breakthroughs
• in age. space, a global competition that incentivized breakthroughs in aging research, attracted international

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the journals, referred AB 1457 to Rules, and moved SB 1241 and SB 1422 to the inactive file. The chamber then considered two gubernatorial appointments: Tanya Pacheco Werner to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board and Dr. Paulette Brown-Hines to the California Transportation Commission. Both nominees were presented by Senator Grove, received unanimous support, and were confirmed by roll call votes of 34-0 and 36-0, respectively. The Senate also took up SR 104 by Senator Becker, a resolution recognizing healthy aging and longevity research as a public health and economic priority for California. Supporters argued that aging drives chronic disease, that California’s growing older population will increase health care needs, and that the state should lead in prevention, early intervention, and research partnerships. Senator Weber Pearson emphasized health equity concerns, including disparities affecting Black Californians and underrepresented communities in clinical research. SR 104 passed unanimously, 35-0. After adoption, Senator Becker introduced guests from USC, UC Berkeley, the Buck Institute, and other longevity and health organizations. Committee announcements followed, including upcoming meetings of Energy, Utilities and Communications; Military and Veterans Affairs; and Privacy, Digital Technologies and Consumer Protection. The Senate then heard adjournment-in-memory tributes for Larry Vane, a Pacific Palisades community volunteer who helped with wildfire recovery, and David Sandell, an educator, coach, National Guard veteran, and school administrator. The session concluded after completion of the daily file, with the Senate set to reconvene on June 11, 2026.