Transcript Highlights:

• So a little four-word, one-page bill codifying the administrative code that DPS already practices.

Bills: HB668, HB677, HB766, HB3133, SB3070

Keywords: HB 668, Texas, handgun license, license to carry, LTC, concealed carry, open carry, firearm permit, gun license renewal, public safety, Department of Public Safety, DPS, Government Code Section 411.185, renewal fee, handgun permit, Second Amendment, carry permit, firearms regulation, HB 677, Texas Election Code

Bills: HB1342, HB2889, HB3002, HB3254, HB4820, HJR40, HJR40

Keywords: private activity bonds, housing, residential rental projects, low-income, affordable housing, bond measures, funding equality, political subdivisions, public communications, election fairness, debt collection, consumer rights, disclosures, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, settlement agreements, State Board of Education, group benefits program, health insurance, state employees, dependents eligibility

Bills: HB 842, HB 1907, HB 2844, HB 2892, HB 3439, HB 4211, HB 4536, HB 5111, HB 5138, HB 5182, HB 5247, HB 5269, HB 5323, HB 5435, HJR 201, SB 871, HB 3896, SJR 40

Keywords: power lines, Gulf Coast, weather-related outages, Public Utility Commission, infrastructure, government contracts, Chinese companies, information technology, cybersecurity, state regulations, food safety, mobile vendors, licensing, permitting exemptions, health inspections, nonprofit organizations, personal information, government disclosure, privacy, criminal penalties

Transcript Highlights:

• and bans any fees or profit... ...sharing from those transfers, and it applies the Deceptive Trade Practices
• the Attorney General, which by law is given authority to investigate violations of deceptive trade practices
• bill requires public bodies to provide written notice to the contractor or subcontractor as soon as practical
• Despite the evolution of campaign finance practices and the increasing complexity of political operations

Bills: HB842, HB1907, HB2844, HB2892, HB3439, HB4211, HB4536, HB5111, HB5138, HB5182, HB5247, HB5269, HB5323, HB5435, HJR201, SB871, HB3896, SJR40

Keywords: power lines, Gulf Coast, weather-related outages, Public Utility Commission, infrastructure, government contracts, Chinese companies, information technology, cybersecurity, state regulations, food safety, mobile vendors, licensing, permitting exemptions, health inspections, nonprofit organizations, personal information, government disclosure, privacy, criminal penalties

Bills: HB842, HB1907, HB2844, HB2892, HB3439, HB4211, HB4536, HB5111, HB5138, HB5182, HB5247, HB5269, HB5323, HB5435, HJR201, SB871, HB3896, SJR40

Keywords: power lines, Gulf Coast, weather-related outages, Public Utility Commission, infrastructure, government contracts, Chinese companies, information technology, cybersecurity, state regulations, food safety, mobile vendors, licensing, permitting exemptions, health inspections, nonprofit organizations, personal information, government disclosure, privacy, criminal penalties

Bills: HB258, HB324, HB333, SB270, HB258, HB324, HB333, SB270

Keywords: primary election, election calendar, off-presidential year, May primary, second Tuesday in May, fourth Tuesday in May, runoff primary, special primary, presidential primary, election administration, candidate filing, ballot access, political parties, county election officials, state election law, Alabama elections, sheriffs, term of office, Alabama law, local government

Bills: SB874, SB2098, SB2110, SB2126, SB2154, SB2160, HB818, SB2047, SB2116, SB2246, SB2250, SB2334, SB2505, SB2520, SB2561, SB2721, SB2820, SB2971, SB3019

Keywords: veterinary medicine, prescription, consumer rights, transparency, pet medication, agriculture, clean plant program, disease-free plants, Hawaii agriculture, plant propagation, conservation, soil health, climate change, food security, small farmers, technical assistance, Hawaii, grant program, small farms, midsize farms

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we should kind of take practice in that and a lot of the other things that we do as we update
• they have on the board, but that role is very, very limited to the scope that they're actually practicing
• they have on the board, but that role is very, very limited to the scope that they're actually practicing
• they have on the board, but that role is very, very limited to the scope that they're actually practicing
• they have on the board, but that role is very, very limited to the scope that they're actually practicing

Bills: HF2196, HF2586, HF2187, HF2037

Keywords: mental health, emotional disturbance, terminology update, statutory cleanup, conforming amendments, children's mental health, serious mental illness, severe emotional disturbance, case management, residential treatment, outpatient services, crisis services, health plan coverage, antipsychotic drugs, medical assistance, Medicaid, foster care, juvenile court, school discipline, county board

Bills: HB2989, HB3724, HB2992, HB3464, HB4246, HB3989

Keywords: wildland fire, wildfire, electric utility, electric cooperative, utility liability, vegetation management, power lines, grid hardening, public utility, rate recovery, National Electric Safety Code, NESC, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, wildfire mitigation, fire prevention, landowner incentives, cost-share program, revolving fund, property damage, trespass

Bills: HB2989, HB3724, HB2992, HB3464, HB4246, HB3989

Keywords: wildland fire, wildfire, electric utility, electric cooperative, utility liability, vegetation management, power lines, grid hardening, public utility, rate recovery, National Electric Safety Code, NESC, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, wildfire mitigation, fire prevention, landowner incentives, cost-share program, revolving fund, property damage, trespass

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 4246, which would expand training and technical assistance options for rural water-related programs by allowing the state to consider qualified suppliers other than the Rural Water Association. After brief questions about the type of vendors involved, the bill received a 7-0 due pass vote. House Bill 3989 followed and was described as cleanup language continuing prior negotiations among the oil and gas industry, electric co-ops, and investor-owned utilities; the committee adopted the PCS and passed the bill 7-0. Members then considered House Bill 2992, the Data Center Customer Protection Act of 2026. The committee adopted a PCS and an amendment reducing the threshold from 100 megawatts to 75 megawatts. The bill would require data centers to pay infrastructure costs tied to their electricity demand so those costs are not shifted to other ratepayers; it passed 7-0. House Bill 3464, which adds protections and regulatory requirements for battery storage and updates transparency and decommissioning provisions for wind and solar projects, also passed 7-0 after adoption of a PCS. House Bill 3724, as revised in a second PCS, drew the most debate. It would define high-demand facilities to include data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, AI computing facilities, and large battery storage systems, and would impose restrictions on subsidies, infrastructure costs, water use, foreign ownership, agricultural land siting, noise, decommissioning, and local approval processes, including a petition mechanism to overturn local decisions. Supporters argued it was needed to protect communities, landowners, water resources, and ratepayers; opponents raised concerns about property rights, agricultural land restrictions, local control, and the petition/recall process. The bill failed on a 2-6 vote and remained in committee. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 2989, which would allow electric utilities to prepare wildfire mitigation plans, create a wildfire mitigation revolving fund, and direct the Conservation Commission to develop a wildfire mitigation test pilot and refine mitigation strategies. With a PCS adopted and no debate, the bill passed 8-0, and the meeting adjourned.

Bills: SB6181, SB6154, SB6211, SB6234, SB6242, SB5633, SB6279, SB6291, SB6274, SB6309

Keywords: city incorporation, local governance, municipalities, state law, government structure, culvert replacement, fish passage, hydraulic project approval, Department of Fish and Wildlife, stream crossing, bank stabilization, flood control, erosion control, emergency permit, expedited permit, SEPA, environmental review, local government, county authority, agricultural irrigation

Summary: The Senate Local Government Committee took executive action on several bills before cutoff. Earlier, the chair announced that Senate Bills 6181, 6154, and 6242 would be removed from the executive calendar. Staff then summarized bills including SB 6211 on real estate excise tax procedures for GMA-planning cities and counties; SB 6234 on sewage grinder pumps, with a proposed substitute narrowing the bill to single-family residences, adding public utility districts, clarifying conditions for installation, and assigning maintenance and repair responsibilities; SB 5633 on subdivision of land, with a proposed substitute and a partial fiscal note showing costs to the Department of Commerce; SB 6291 on extending the time a non-certified individual may inspect on-site wastewater systems under supervision; SB 6274 on street standards and frontage improvements, requiring infrastructure barriers be identified in housing analyses and standards be periodically reviewed; and SB 6309 on regional transit authority permitting and land acquisition, with a proposed substitute allowing earlier permit applications and modifying subdivision-law exemptions, along with a partial fiscal note for Commerce. In executive session, the committee adopted the proposed substitutes for SB 6234, SB 5633, and SB 6309, and passed SB 6211, SB 6234, SB 5633, SB 6291, SB 6274, and SB 6309 out of committee. SB 5633 and SB 6309 were referred to the Ways and Means Committee, while the others were sent to the Rules Committee. One member noted concerns about the fiscal note and public input on SB 5633 before the vote, but the substitute and bill still advanced. All final actions were reported as passed subject to signatures.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Washington State Forester, and I'm the deputy supervisor over DNR's Forest Resilience and Wildfire
• I urge lawmakers, with their staff or colleagues, to put forward practical solutions, including at-the-register

Bills: SB6073, SB6113, SB6116, SB6129, SB6162, SB6114, SB5857

Keywords: SB 6073, LEOFF, Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System, retirement system, pension, public safety retirement, wildland firefighter, aviation firefighter, wildland fire, forest firefighter, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, firefighter benefits, retirement benefits, service credit, disability retirement, survivor benefits, employer contributions, Washington RCW, public employees

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee held public hearings on several tax and retirement-related bills. Senate Bill 6073 would move eligible Department of Natural Resources wildland and aviation firefighters from PERS into LEOFF 2 prospectively. Committee staff outlined the higher retirement age and benefit costs under LEOFF 2 and noted a small implementation cost and a modest actuarial rate increase. DNR and labor representatives supported the bill, saying the firefighters face significant physical and mental risks and deserve LEOFF coverage; a senator asked about LEOFF board review and was told the bill was requested by DNR, not the board. Senate Bill 6113 was presented as a set of technical and administrative tax-code fixes tied largely to last session’s ESSB 5814, including clarifying taxable retail services, use tax treatment, a transition period for businesses reclassified into retailing B&O, and other corrections. DOR said the bill codifies guidance and is revenue neutral, while several speakers from schools, arts groups, newspapers, broadcasters, and business organizations said some provisions go beyond technical cleanup and would continue or expand unintended consequences from last year’s tax changes. Concerns focused on sales tax treatment of school services, live presentations and rehearsals, and a new section affecting newspaper and broadcaster advertising exemptions if litigation is lost. Some business groups were supportive of the technical fixes but asked for amendments. Senate Bill 6116 would restore the vapor products tax structure for nicotine-containing vapor products, moving them back to the per-milliliter tax and restoring revenue distributions to the Andy Hill Cancer Research account and the Foundational Public Health Services account, retroactive to January 1, 2026. Supporters from public health and the cancer fund said the bill would correct an unintended diversion of revenue and preserve funding, while tobacco-control groups opposed lowering the tax on vapor products, arguing it would weaken public health policy. Retailers and harm-reduction advocates supported the bill, saying the 95% tax created compliance problems, harmed small businesses, and encouraged illicit sales. Senate Bill 6129 proposed a broader overhaul of nicotine and tobacco taxes, including a single 90% tax on nicotine products, a 10% flavor tax, higher cigarette taxes, and new distributions to cancer research and public health accounts. Public health, pediatric, and anti-tobacco groups strongly supported the bill as a way to reduce youth use and raise revenue, while retailers, tobacco businesses, and some consumers opposed it as regressive, harmful to small businesses, and likely to drive sales to illicit or out-of-state markets. Several speakers also raised concerns about tribal consultation, the treatment of menthol and flavored products, and the impact on modified-risk products. The committee also heard briefings and began testimony on Senate Bill 6162, a property tax reform bill that would expand senior and disability property tax relief, increase income thresholds and deductions, and consolidate the state property tax rate.

Transcript Highlights:

• respond to these situations and establish a wildfire risk study that will be conducted by the Texas Forest
• I'm going to say that our member companies of Texoga are the best standards and best practices.

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

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

Bills: HF2446, HF2563, HF2444

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Bills: HF2446, HF2563, HF2444

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• much appreciate, I know there's um major cuts in the National Endowment for the Arts, uh, for our forests
• our</c><01:32:52.000><c> our</c><01:32:52.560><c> uh</c><01:32:52.800><c> uh</c><01:32:53.280><c> forests
• </c><01:32:53.760><c> and</c><01:32:54.159><c> national</c> um our our uh uh forests and national um
• our our uh uh forests and national parks<01:32:55.040><c> etc</c><01:32:55.280><c> coming</c><01:32:55.679

Bills: HF2446, HF2563, HF2444

Keywords: agriculture finance, broadband development, Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Office of Broadband Development, food safety, food handler license, cottage food, home processed food, livestock dealer, meat packing company, milk marketer, milk marketing license, grain buyer, grain storage, beginning farmer, emerging farmer, farm down payment assistance, livestock investment grant

Transcript Highlights:

• I began my career as Judge Herman's law clerk about 30 years ago, and I've practiced in front of the
• the region, leaving a legacy that can still be felt today. still be seen today in the land, the practices
• I'm laying out HCR72 designates Newton County as the forest capital of Texas.
• These forests and preserves allow for activities such as hiking, bird watching, hunting, camping, and
• provided written testimony that you have, it is my request that you designate Newton County as the forest

Bills: HB1397, HB1886, HB3088, HB4187, HB4229, HB4230, HB5032, HCR6, HCR34, HCR50, HCR55, HCR58, HCR70, HCR71, HCR72, HCR74, HCR75, HCR80, HCR86, HCR93, HCR100, HCR107, HCR116, HCR117, HCR6

Keywords: Texas Constitution, Declaration of Independence, victory or death letter, display, historic preservation, lifeguard requirements, public beaches, municipalities, county regulations, exemptions, Parks and Wildlife, procurement, goods and services, revenue generation, Texas legislature, historical preservation, Texas Historical Commission, fees, nonprofit organizations, fundraising

Bills: HB9, HB177, HB181, HB202, HB225, HB398, HB459, HB540, HB906, HB1052, HB1057, HB1245

Keywords: HB 9, HB9, Act 527, Shreveport, Stuffed Shrimp Capital, state symbol, Louisiana symbols, municipal designation, honorary title, cultural designation, tourism, local pride, seafood, shrimp, stuffed shrimp, cuisine, city branding, Louisiana Revised Statutes 49:170.26, court reporter, official court reporter

Bills: SCR8, SCR40, SCR83, SCR179, SCR90, SCR94, SCR159, SCR165, SCR177

Keywords: building permits, seniors, health care, disability, safety modifications, county regulations, expedited processing, environment, pollution, tourism, disposable bodyboards, polystyrene, marine ecosystems, lithium-ion batteries, environmental safety, recycling, public safety, waste management, Honolulu, Maui County

Summary: The committee heard several resolutions related to water, coastal management, and permitting. Early measures included SCR 8 on faster county action for certain home-modification permits for older adults and people with disabilities, SCR 40 on banning disposable body boards, SCR 83 on creating a lithium-ion battery disposal facility, SCR 179 on enforcing Maui fire-code provisions for brush clearance and emergency access, and SCR 90 on kupuna-friendly permit requirements. No testifiers were present for those measures, and the chair moved through them without taking votes in the portion provided. The most extensive discussion was on SCR 94, endorsing Waikiki as a world surfing reserve, and SCR 159, urging shared guiding principles for restoring and maintaining Waikiki’s beaches and shoreline. University of Hawaii testimony said the surfing-reserve designation would bring recognition, could help attract grants, and would require a stewardship committee and management plan, but would not itself block beach nourishment or shoreline restoration. Members asked about possible effects on dredging, beach nourishment, and shoreline structures; the witness said impacts on surfing were not expected to be immediate or significant. For SCR 159, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the resolution but requested clarifying amendments to broaden references to law, stakeholder collaboration, and coastal science expertise. The Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association also supported the measure, emphasizing coordinated maintenance, public access, and the economic importance of Waikiki beaches, while noting that existing legal agreements and court decisions should be reflected in the resolution. The discussion also covered whether the state and private owners share repair and maintenance obligations for Waikiki seawalls; testimony said existing agreements remain relevant but must yield to current law. The committee also heard SCR 165 designating March as Water Month, with support from the Board of Water Supply and others, and SCR 177 requesting DAGS to convene a cooperative working group on state projects needing county permits. Mary Alice Evans said the latter would help expedite permitting, especially for housing and other state projects, and would complement efforts to standardize county permitting processes. No final votes or dispositions were announced in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> This bill ends that practice.
• </c> of compliance with the Data Practices of compliance with the Data Practices Act.<00:26:41.280><c
• And I've had a little while to... just a data center practice. just a data center practice.
• </c> or someone that does a data practices or someone that does a data practices react<00:48:00.960><
• This is a practical fix.

Bills: HF4077, HF3809, HF3639, HF4478, HF3363, HF3874

Keywords: municipal nondisclosure agreement, NDA, public records, transparency, local government, county, city, town, school district, housing and redevelopment authority, economic development authority, port authority, economic development, land development, public financing, tax increment financing, TIF, abatement, municipal bonds, debt obligations

Summary: The Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee approved the minutes from March 25 and March 26, then took up House File 4077, a bipartisan bill authored by Representatives Greenman and Roach. The bill would prohibit municipalities from entering into non-disclosure agreements with private entities that restrict disclosure about land development, economic development, or publicly funded projects, while preserving existing Chapter 13 data practices rules and trade secret protections. The authors argued the bill is needed to prevent secret agreements and backroom decision-making that undermine public transparency, and they moved that the bill be re-referred to the general register. Several local officials and residents testified in support, including a St. Louis County commissioner, the mayor of Lonsdale, and residents from Farmington and Hermantown. Supporters said NDAs had been used in connection with data center and other development projects to keep elected officials and the public in the dark, eroding trust and limiting community input. They described the bill as a common-sense transparency measure and said existing law already protects legitimate trade secrets. Opposition came from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Business Partnership, which argued that NDAs are often necessary in early-stage economic development discussions to protect sensitive business information and remain competitive with other states. They warned the bill could discourage investment, jobs, and tax growth, and said it would impose a one-size-fits-all state mandate that limits local discretion. Committee members then debated whether the bill was too broad and whether it should be narrowed to data centers; supporters responded that the issue extends beyond data centers to other forms of economic development. A roll call vote was requested on the motion to re-refer the bill to the general register, but the final vote result was not stated in the transcript excerpt.