Transcript Highlights:

• We don't grade our questions around here. Anything else, Chairman Devere? Any other questions?
• We're not grading the questions, We're not grading the questions, but I think that was a good answer.
• And when you do, you can grade the question too. I, I, a, a minus. Thank you. Mr. Chairman.
• I'm not going to grade any questions today. I'll leave that to Donna.
• I will not grade it. Mr. Chairman, I think it's an A question. Representative Wagner, it's an A.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum, approved the March 18 minutes, and then received a series of updates on health-related projects and Department of Health and Human Services budget matters. Representatives from CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck and Williston, and Altru in Grand Forks, reported progress on behavioral health expansion projects, including demolition and construction milestones, updated timelines, funding status, staffing plans, and barriers such as an unbudgeted air handler replacement in Williston. Members asked about original completion dates, use of telehealth, recruitment of psychiatrists and other staff, and whether the new beds might reduce the need for patients to travel to Jamestown State Hospital. The projects were described as on track overall, with completion expected in 2027 for the larger builds and earlier openings for some phases in Williston. The committee then heard from HHS leadership on technical line-item transfers and the Salaries and Wages Block Grant. Donna Ockland explained that recent transfers were administrative corrections to place spending in the proper budget lines and did not involve new spending, and she reviewed FTE counts and vacancies across the department. Questions focused on behavioral health staffing changes and the use of consultants in the Rural Health Transformation Program. Pat Rainer outlined the rural health program’s first-year grants and priorities, including workforce retention, rural rotations and housing, community wellness initiatives, behavioral health promotion, safety net services, hospital equipment, suicide prevention training, technology, and EMS support. He said North Dakota’s plan was drawing positive national attention, but the department still needed to obligate roughly $199 million by September and was working with CMS on timing and compliance. The committee also received an update on certified community behavioral health clinics from Elena Zeller. She said North Dakota had been accepted as a demonstration state, with certification efforts underway in Williston, North Central, Fargo, and Dickinson. Members asked about care coordination, service growth, staffing, and whether certification would expand to all clinics; the department said it was still collecting baseline data and evaluating impacts before making future recommendations. Finally, Rebecca Askins reviewed SNAP payment error rates, explaining that the 2025 rate was finalized at 9.89 percent and that the department is working on training, system changes, and quality assurance steps to get below 6 percent. Members pressed on the causes of monthly variability, the performance of the SPACES system, and accountability for ongoing errors, and the department said it expects improvement over the next 6 to 12 months.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it was independently verified that, based on the preliminary information from the investment grade
• It requires grade separation at Marine Drive.
• the four scenarios that the Transportation Commission has been studying as part of the investment grade
• So that is part of the public. commissions have been studying as part of the investment grade analysis
• The recent investment-grade traffic and revenue forecast, that's a very specialist sort of thing.

Keywords: 907, all

Summary: The committee first received an informational update on the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project from Carly Francis and Travis Brower. They described the project’s purpose as improving seismic resilience, safety, freight movement, transit, and bicycle/pedestrian access across the Columbia River, and said the updated cost estimate is $13.2 billion to $14.4 billion for the full corridor. They explained the increase from the 2022 estimate as driven by construction inflation, a more conservative inflation curve, schedule delays, more detailed engineering, and risk modeling. They also outlined the funding plan, including $2.1 billion in federal funds, $1 billion each from Oregon and Washington, and $1.5 billion in projected toll revenue, and said they are working to obligate federal funds by the end of September. The panel described a first funded phase that would include the bridge, highway connections, tolling infrastructure, bridge removal, and transit design, with light rail to Vancouver still intended but dependent on additional funding. Members questioned the risk of losing federal transit funds, whether bridge design decisions were being made with legislative input, and whether the space reserved for light rail could be used for buses if transit funding does not materialize. The committee then heard testimony on maintaining Oregon’s existing roads and bridges from representatives of Knife River, the Asphalt Pavement Association of Oregon, and CRH. Witnesses said pavement and bridge preservation is severely underfunded, with ODOT needing about $400 million per year for pavement preservation but receiving roughly $100 million annually. They showed examples of deteriorating highways such as U.S. 97 and I-84 and argued that delaying maintenance leads to much higher reconstruction costs, more safety risks, and higher user costs. Knife River described layoffs and reduced work in Oregon because of limited preservation funding, while witnesses also said rising wages, equipment costs, fuel, and permitting delays are increasing project costs. Committee members asked about the role of prevailing wage, diesel equipment, hauling distances, and whether preservation work could be prioritized more effectively. Finally, economist Joe Cortright presented on recent ODOT megaproject cost overruns. He said Oregon has experienced persistent overruns driven by overly optimistic revenue forecasts, heavy reliance on debt, consultant costs, inflation above forecast, and projects that have become much larger in scope than originally presented. He cited major increases in the Interstate Bridge, Rose Quarter, and Abernathy Bridge projects and argued that some designs are far wider and more expensive than necessary. Cortright said better accountability, clearer priorities, and more disciplined project sizing are needed, and committee members pressed him on why agencies proceed with larger designs even when consultants recommend narrower, less expensive alternatives.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in your model, are you accounting for steep slopes, steep grades that are going to slow trucks when
• Steep slopes, steep grades that are going to slow trucks when you're looking at the speed limits.
• If they're adverse grade, they're going to be at 25 or 30 miles an hour taking that grade.
• We do not have grades in the model.
• The grade work, the model currently works upon total distance traveled.

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Joint Transportation Committee study of transportation impacts if the Lower Snake River dams were removed. WSDOT and Jacobs described the study’s phases, including current work on geology, infrastructure risk, and a total logistics cost model. They explained that the study is examining how freight now moved by barge—especially wheat, fertilizer, and wood—could shift to rail and roads, and they outlined several scenarios ranging from no-dam future conditions to new unit-train terminals, short-line rail options, and a combined “many solutions” scenario. Members asked about irrigation, impacts in Idaho and Oregon, port capacity, emissions, competition, EV trucks, and whether the model could estimate transportation effects if grain volumes decline. The presenters said the study assumes current production levels continue, does not model irrigation changes or broader farm-economics impacts, but does account for transloading costs and can estimate transportation impacts under different volume assumptions. WSU’s independent review team said the model has improved substantially but still needed refinement, especially in routing, road data, and spatial detail, and that stakeholder engagement had been strong though delayed by model development. No votes were taken. The committee then received a presentation on the alternative sidewalk funding study. Staff and consultants said the study is exploring ways local governments could sustainably fund sidewalk maintenance, repair, and new construction, using a statewide survey, interviews, national research, and case studies in eight jurisdictions. They noted sidewalks are important for pedestrian safety and connectivity, but there is no dedicated funding source in Washington, and existing grants and local revenue tools are highly competitive or limited. The consultants highlighted sidewalk fees or utility-style charges as the most promising option to study, while a parcel tax was largely set aside because of state property-tax uniformity concerns. Members asked whether the study would duplicate existing funding or add to current taxes, and how a sidewalk fee would be collected; the consultants said the goal is to expand local options, not mandate adoption, and that fees would likely be billed through utilities rather than property taxes. A preliminary draft report is due December 15, with a final report due in mid-June. Next, staff gave a brief update on the ocean-going vessels study, which is examining shore power and emissions rules for vessels at berth. The presenter explained that federal Clean Air Act rules and California waiver authority create legal limits on how far Washington can go if it wants to adopt similar standards, and that deviations from California’s approach can increase litigation risk. The report will summarize stakeholder outreach and will be presented in draft form at the next JTC meeting. Finally, county engineers from Chelan and Douglas counties began a presentation on county transportation challenges, with the association’s director emphasizing collaboration with state agencies and local partners on issues such as fish passage barriers and infrastructure needs. The county presentation was only beginning when the transcript ended, and no committee action or votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's entirely an invention of us, the gap between 12th grade and college.
• While you might choose a different school, you're guaranteed, when you finish sixth grade, you're going
• to get into seventh grade.
• And we've operationalized that top one-third in the form of the well-known A-G courses and the grade-point
• that you have completed, or you are on track to complete, the full A to G curriculum with whatever grade

Summary: The Assembly Higher Education Committee heard several Senate measures focused on student access, workforce needs, and institutional stability. Senator Laird presented SJR 4, which urges the federal government to restore NIH funding cuts and protect California’s research universities; UC testified in support and there was no opposition. Senator Ashby presented SB 761, the CalFresh for Students Act, to connect Cal Grant applicants with potential CalFresh eligibility and expand qualifying programs; the bill drew broad support from higher education, student, anti-hunger, and county groups, with members sharing personal experiences with food insecurity and no opposition. Senator Cabaldon presented SB 520 to create a California Nurse Midwifery Education Fund for a new master’s-level nurse midwifery program, citing maternal health disparities and provider shortages, especially in rural and Central Valley communities. Supporters from the California Nurse Midwives Association and the Black Wellness and Prosperity Center emphasized workforce shortages and maternal mortality; one member raised concerns about the bill’s use of inclusive language, but the bill was otherwise well received. Cabaldon also presented SB 640, which would create a statewide direct admissions process to CSU for eligible high school seniors using existing data systems; supporters said it would reduce barriers, improve equity, and help declining-enrollment campuses, while members raised questions about special education students, rural access, dual enrollment, and measuring effectiveness. The committee voted SB 640 out on a 6-0 roll call. Cabaldon’s SB 744 would preserve California students’ access to enrollment and financial aid if a federally recognized accrediting agency loses approval, by treating affected institutions as accredited for state purposes; the bill drew no public testimony and advanced on a 4-2 roll call. Senator Cortese’s SB 494 would require classified school employees’ disciplinary appeals to be heard by an administrative law judge, matching protections already available to teachers and community college faculty; labor groups supported the bill, while school districts and administrators opposed it over cost, local control, and implementation concerns. The committee also heard SB 550, a revised pilot to allow San Jose State and a nonprofit, state-accredited law school to jointly develop a public law school pathway; supporters argued it would expand affordable legal education and public-interest careers, while UC and independent colleges opposed it as inconsistent with the Master Plan. Members debated access, jurisdiction, funding, and bar pass rates, and the bill advanced on a 4-2 roll call to the Judiciary Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• Since fourth grade, that is all I wanted to do.
• I'm a seventh-grade athlete, and I support this bill. Thank you. Rebecca Mark.
• I'm a seventh-grade athlete, and I support this bill. Thank you. Hello, my name is Meg Mark.
• I'm in seventh grade, and I support this bill. Thank you.
• Hi, I'm Johanna Lawler, an eighth-grade volleyball player, and I strongly support this bill.

Summary: The committee met on April 1, 2025, first adopting its rules and then taking up AB 89, a bill to require CIF to align girls’ high school sports with federal policy and restrict participation to biological females. The author and supporters argued the bill was needed to protect fairness, safety, privacy, and competitive opportunities for girls, citing individual student-athlete stories and examples of transgender participation. Opponents, including parents, athletes, advocates, and technical witnesses, argued the bill would stigmatize transgender youth, invite invasive scrutiny and harassment, and solve a problem they said was extremely rare or unsupported by data. After lengthy public testimony and debate, the committee rejected AB 89 on a 2-7 vote and sent it to the Committee on Education as a failed motion. The committee then heard AB 844, a related measure framed by the author as restoring competitive integrity, protecting student privacy, and bringing California into compliance with Title IX and federal directives. Supporters, including Matt Walsh and a student athlete who said she lost a varsity spot to a transgender student, argued that sex-based sports rules are necessary because biological males retain athletic advantages and that California risks federal funding if it does not change course. Opponents, including educators, parents, LGBTQ advocates, and trans youth, said the bill would increase bullying, harassment, and exclusion, and that existing policies have worked without evidence of harm from transgender athletes. Public comment was again heavily divided, with many speakers on both sides. The transcript ends during public testimony on AB 844, before any final committee vote or action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• The REACH Act also called for implementing performance-based letter grades.
• reduce overhead and administrative cost, and it called for implementing performance-based letter grades
• The REACH Act also called for the REACH office to develop criteria for assigning letter grades to each
• The new letter grade system is a tool for CareerSource Florida, the local workforce development boards
• While federal reporting measures are part of the letter grade calculation, our evaluation goes above

Summary: The committee met to receive a base budget overview for agencies under its jurisdiction, which include the Division of Emergency Management, Department of Commerce, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of Military Affairs, and Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Staff explained the budget format and noted that the Legislature appropriated more than $20.2 billion to these agencies in the current fiscal year, a 66.7% increase over 10 years. The Department of Transportation then presented on the Moving Florida Forward initiative, describing it as a $7 billion effort to advance 20 major congestion-relief projects statewide. Secretary Jared Perdue said the department is ahead of schedule, with 14 of 20 projects expected to be underway by the end of the calendar year. He highlighted major projects including I-4 in Polk and Osceola counties, I-75 improvements, Southwest 10th Street in Broward County, Fruitville Road, Capital Circle in Tallahassee, and I-275, and discussed innovations such as aggregate supply grants, modified phase design-build, workforce hiring events, and voluntary acceleration. Senators asked about business impacts from construction, tourism-related transit funding, aggregate sourcing, and labor shortages; the secretary said FDOT works with local businesses and that additional revenue sources for transit would require legislative action. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reviewed motorist services, revenue collection, licensing, vehicle titling, specialty plates, insurance compliance, driver safety, and commercial driver licensing. Officials said the department collected about $2.9 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2023-24 and described modernization efforts, including electronic verification systems, Real ID compliance, mobile licensing units, and a planned digital driver license. Members asked about the driver license backlog in Miami-Dade and Broward, and the department said service delays were driven by growth and staffing constraints but should improve with $7.5 million in recent funding and the eventual transition of services to county tax collectors. Questions also addressed temporary paper licenses and birth certificate fraud prevention. The Department of Commerce presented on the Job Growth Grant Fund and Visit Florida. Commerce said the grant fund, created in 2017, has awarded $257 million to 70 projects in 37 counties since 2019, with demand exceeding supply about four to one. Officials emphasized that the program supports targeted industries and workforce and infrastructure projects, and they highlighted examples in CDL training, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and health care. Senators raised concerns about small businesses affected by transportation construction, and Commerce said it has an Office of Small Business Innovation and other tools, though the grant fund is limited by statute to targeted industries. Visit Florida then described its public-private tourism marketing role, saying the state’s $80 million appropriation is matched by private investment and that the latest EDR review found a $3.30 return in tax revenue for every state dollar spent. Visit Florida reported record visitation and tourism spending, along with hurricane recovery marketing and rural promotion efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the district I'm in right now in Heber, we've been dealing with a similar issue where we have a grade
• or do we break it down and have a K-through-4 and the K-through-3 building now and continue with grades
• school, a middle where we have a grade school, a middle school,<00:18:39.080> and<00:18:39.240
• <00:18:52.880> four<00:18:53.400> uh continue with grades four uh continue with grades
• or the one bad grade, and they took<01:54:01.680> their<01:54:01.840> life."

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We had a fifth-grade young lady come and talk about what she was exposed to in the fifth grade. >> Yeah
• We had a fifth-grade young lady come and talk about what she was exposed to in the fifth grade. >> Yeah
• Trying to find where it talked about the grade level, Senator.
• fifth grade.
• You know I didn't say 11th or 12th grade.

Keywords: 920, all

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a quorum present, then quickly handled routine motions to excuse absent senators, dispense with the prior journal, and allow bills and committee reports throughout the day. The chamber first took up House amendments to Senate Bill 19 on insurance, including a changed start date and a bill name honoring David McHanie and Roy Johnson. On a long roll, the Senate concurred 22-0 with one abstention. Senator Singleton then used personal privilege to present a Black History observance highlighting Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Benjamin O. Davis Sr., and Mahalia Jackson. Committee reports followed, with the Senate confirming Brandy Williams to the Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards and Education Commission and Lynn Brewer to the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors. Senator Singleton spoke at length in support of the trades-related confirmation, emphasizing the importance of skilled labor, contractor oversight, and workforce training, while also discussing the need to support such professions and the role of boards in protecting consumers. The Senate also received favorable reports from Judiciary, Education Policy, Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development, Tourism, and Local Legislation on a range of bills, many with amendments or substitutes, and placed them on the next day’s calendar. In motions and resolutions, Senator Elliott recommitted Senate Bill 310 to local legislation and introduced Senate Joint Resolution 50 honoring Coach Tim Carter, which was sent to rules. The Senate adopted Senate Joint Resolution 51 mourning Junior Harold Sorrells and several House resolutions from the Rules Committee, including recognitions for the Alabama State Games, Mack McCutcheon’s retirement, the Black pioneers of Macon County, Alicia Cannon, Joseph William Jones Jr., and Louis Vuitton the Pitbull Day. The chamber also recognized several school leaders in the gallery and then moved into local bills, beginning with Senate Bill 266, a proposed constitutional amendment regarding Covington County, for which a bill reading was requested using the previous roll.

Transcript Highlights:

• Students in grades K through 3 start at Maple Elementary School today, and students in grades 4 and 5
• Students in<00:28:41.279> in<00:28:41.520> grades<00:28:41.840> K<00:28:42.080><
• K through three start at um in in grades K through three start at um Maple<00:28:44.399> Elementary
• four and five started students in grades four and five started at<00:28:47.440> Disart<00:28:
• <00:28:59.200> gig classrooms and two third grade gig classrooms and two third grade gig classes

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• There are some mental health topics in older grades, but it is not something that we're talking about
• <00:34:36.399> but mental health topics in older grades but mental health topics in older
• Your science grades aren't meeting national standards.
• grades aren't meeting national grades aren't meeting national standards.<00:48:56.400> Get
• <00:50:56.880> when in kindergarten through 12th grade when in kindergarten through 12th grade

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Overall, you get good grades. You get good grades. Works for everyone. Works for everyone.

Transcript Highlights:

• kids because, like anybody, what you think you want to do as an eighth grader enrolling in a ninth-grade
• grader enrolling in a ninth grade grader enrolling in a ninth grade program<00:10:29.399> might
• eligible grades to identify eligible students<01:10:17.840> as<01:10:18.040> enrollments
• He believed in third-grade test score requirement to get into the class.
• over me he believed in um third grade over me he believed in um third grade test<01:31:59.320>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:09:43.800> levels want to think about what grade levels want to think about what grade
• <00:13:50.040> reading there was also a third grade reading there was also a third grade reading
• Mark mentioned there was a third grade reading grant that was discontinued beginning FY 24.
• have our ADM for kindergarten in grades have our ADM for kindergarten in grades 1<01:31:03.280><
• mentioned there was a third grade mentioned there was a third grade reading<01:31:12.360> grant

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Department of Education’s Bureau of School Finance provided an adequacy-funding training for Division II, led by Mark Mello. He walked the committee through the adequacy formula using Albany, Allenstown, and Alton as examples, explaining average daily membership, base adequacy aid, and differential aid for free/reduced-price meals, special education, and English language learners. He also noted a recent change requiring home-education differential aid and emphasized that these aid streams are generally unrestricted district funding rather than money tied to specific students or programs. A major focus was the ongoing litigation over the adequacy base amount and the statewide education property tax, or SWEPT. Mello explained the historical basis of the current base amount, the 2008 legislative report that set the original methodology, and the later court ruling that the adequacy amount should be $7,356, which is now before the Supreme Court. He also described how SWEPT currently raises a fixed statewide amount of $363 million and how that revenue is used to offset the state’s adequacy obligation. For the example towns, Albany and Allenstown receive state adequacy grants because their SWEPT revenue is below their calculated adequacy cost, while Alton is an excess SWEPT community because its local SWEPT revenue exceeds the cost of adequate education. The discussion then turned to the pending “excess SWEPT” issue in the Supreme Court and what would happen if excess collections had to be remitted to the state. Mello said the Department is preparing a hypothetical walkthrough and explained that, if the court upholds the Superior Court ruling, DRA would likely be directed to collect excess SWEPT. Members raised concerns about whether SWEPT must be used for educational purposes and about the cash-flow burden on towns if money had to move from municipalities to the state and then back to districts. Mello and members discussed possible administrative workarounds, such as credits against other state aid distributions, and noted that the committee would continue reviewing the mechanics if the court decision comes down during budget work.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill represents a historic level of investment in our TK through grade 12 schools, including a record
• This bill represents a historic level of investment in our TK through grade 12 schools, including a record
• And finally, at a time when fewer than half of California students can read or do math at grade level

Summary: The Assembly met with an initial quorum call, then proceeded through routine floor business, guest introductions, and several procedural motions. Members approved requests to suspend rules for adjournment-in-memory remarks and guest seating, removed some bills from the consent calendar, and re-referred or withdrew several measures. The chamber also took up a number of second-reading and concurrence items later in the day. Two major bills drew floor debate. SB 762, a tax measure allowing eligible local governments to seek voter approval for transactions and use tax rates above the statutory cap, was presented as a response to local fiscal pressures and was described by supporters as giving voters local choice rather than imposing a tax increase. It passed with an urgency vote of 54-13 and was sent immediately to the Senate. AB 126, the education budget trailer bill, was presented as a major investment in TK-12 education, special education, community schools, and educator leave; one member supported many provisions but objected to policy changes affecting charter schools being included in a budget bill. The Assembly concurred in the Senate amendments on AB 126 by a vote of 56-1. The Assembly also concurred in AB 35, an urgency environmental protection bill intended to speed implementation of Proposition 4-funded projects by narrowing administrative delay; supporters said it would accelerate wildfire prevention, water, and other environmental projects. The measure passed unanimously, 66-0. The consent calendar was then adopted, including AB 2796 on criminal history information, which passed 67-0. The session concluded with multiple adjournment-in-memory tributes, including remarks honoring victims of a B-52 test flight crash at Edwards Air Force Base, former West Covina Mayor Lloyd Johnson, civil rights leader Harold Brown, educator and activist Kiyoko Nancy Oda, and Auburn Mayor John Mike Holmes, followed by announcements of summer recess and adjournment until August 3.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jardis’ third-grade classroom... ...Mr. Jarden’s third-grade classroom and Ms. Wang’s classroom.
• This journey began not in an important office or State House, but within the walls of a third-grade classroom

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight held a public hybrid hearing with several late-file bills and a large turnout. The main topics were symbolic designations and local property/lease matters: bills to designate the American lobster as the official crustacean of the Commonwealth, asparagus as the official state vegetable, and a Waltham bill concerning the Veterans Memorial Ice Rink lease and right of first refusal. Senator Howard also testified on a Lowell bill making a limited language change to facilitate redevelopment of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINK) at UMass Lowell. Testimony on the lobster bill emphasized the industry’s cultural and economic importance to coastal Massachusetts, its sustainability efforts, and its role in working waterfronts and the seafood economy. The asparagus bill drew especially enthusiastic support from Hadley Elementary students, teachers, local farmers, and legislators, who described asparagus as central to western Massachusetts agriculture, identity, and civic education. The Waltham rink bill was presented as necessary to protect a heavily used community and youth hockey facility after major city investment, while committee members noted concerns about privatization and affordability of ice time. The Lowell bill was described as a narrow technical fix to remove a reversionary clause that could impede a major redevelopment project. Committee members generally expressed support or favorable reactions to the proposals, with several lighthearted comments about lobster and asparagus. The hearing concluded after testimony ended, and a motion was made and seconded to close the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The American Lung Association states it is one of 20 counties in the nation to receive an F grade using
• The American Lung Association states is one of 20 counties in the nation to receive an F grade using
• consistently ranks among the most polluted in the region, along with our failing air pollution with an F grade

Summary: The committee considered several coastal, climate, and air quality measures. Senator Laird presented SCR 136 marking the 50th anniversary of the Coastal Act and Coastal Conservancy Act, and SJR 12 opposing the federal offshore oil and gas leasing program; both drew broad support from environmental groups, local governments, and other advocates, with no opposition heard. Senator Padilla presented SB 10, requiring state climate plans to include gender impact assessments, with supporters arguing climate harms fall disproportionately on women and LGBTQ+ people; the bill also drew no opposition in the hearing. Senator Padilla also presented SB 675 to restructure the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District board and expand public transparency, while supporters cited severe air quality problems and opponents raised concerns about unfunded mandates, consultation, and impacts on local permitting and economic development. Senator Allen presented SB 1229 to limit disaster-rebuild coastal permit exemptions when replacement structures would newly impede coastal access or sensitive protections, with supporters saying it would prevent investor abuse of post-disaster rebuilding rules. After testimony, the committee took up the measures and recorded votes. SCR 136, SJR 12, SB 10, SB 675, and SB 1229 all advanced on party-line or near-party-line votes, with some members voting no on the more regulatory measures. The consent calendar was also approved, including ACR 157, SB 899, SB 949, SB 963, SB 1008, SB 1207, SB 1428, and SJR 5. All of the listed measures were sent onward, generally to Appropriations, and the committee concluded its hearing after the roll calls.

Transcript Highlights:

• So three out of eight, which is probably a failing grade. You mentioned 66 a day per inmate.
• taking the initiative to fix the problem, and nobody's getting reimbursed, that's another failing grade
• And I appreciate your honesty because... ...how do we grade ourselves?

Transcript Highlights:

• saying that correctly, a minimum amount of attendance that is in order to receive credit for a final grade
• Of, of the time that the instruction is offered to be eligible for a final grade, which would be K-8
• law does not prohibit a student, um, It's not a final prohibition of their award of credit or final grade

Transcript Highlights:

• A third-party review that then the county gets to grade their paper, so that we don't give away our regulatory
• entity of the city or county or whoever, and that regulatory entity gets the ability ...to, in my term, grade
• like the idea. ...The idea of third-party reviewers, as long as we get to review their homework and grade

Bills: SB1708, SB2523, SB1450

Keywords: county platting, subdivision platting, Local Government Code Chapter 232, Section 232.022, Section 232.0014, model subdivision rules, Water Code Section 16.343, Texas county subdivision law, residential subdivision, land conveyance, gift deed, family transfer, consanguinity, affinity, third degree relative, five acres or less, county land use, platting exemption, rural land division, property subdivision

Transcript Highlights:

• they could maybe not trespass on property if they're out, say, hunting or they're going to go into an egg
• say, hunting or they're going to go into say, hunting or they're going to go into an<03:59:54.840> egg
• 03:59:56.280> if<03:59:56.400> you<03:59:56.520> have<03:59:56.640> a an egg
• But also, if you have a an egg field.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all