Transcript Highlights:

• And this will connect, so just bear with me.
• And this will connect, so just<00:10:47.839> bear<00:10:48.079> with<00:10:48.240> me
• <00:10:49.040> Um just bear with me. Um just bear with me.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I think somebody who stood up and wanted the bill said that the utilities would bear the risk.
• It bears the cost and cannot see cost recovery. All right. Do we have any other questions?
• So who bears the loss of the cost of construction?
• plant's not certified, if it's required to be certified by the PRC and it's not, then ratepayers will bear

Bills: HB303, SB96, HM6

Keywords: public utility, certificate of public convenience and necessity, certificate of need, Public Regulation Commission, PRC, utility regulation, ratemaking, energy storage, battery storage, grid reliability, renewable energy, transmission, distribution, generation plant, utility expansion, service territory, mutual domestic water consumer association, economic development department, clean energy, fossil fuel reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• to jump into the Chesapeake Bay for the Ches Bay Polar Bear Plunge.
• the Chesapeake Bay for the Ches Bay into the Chesapeake Bay for the Ches Bay Polar<00:19:16.320> Bear
• 18.240> I<00:19:18.559> just<00:19:18.720> want<00:19:18.960> to Polar Bear
• Um, I just want to Polar Bear Plunge.

Keywords: House streaming session for Friday, January 23, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 118 members present, opened with prayer, and proceeded through the day’s desk work. The clerk read introductory House bills 445 through 488, which were first read and referred to the appropriate committees, along with introductory House joint resolutions and several bond initiatives referred to Appropriations. A letter reassigning House Bill 149 to Economic Matters was also journalized. Committee announcements noted that several standing committees would not meet that day, while the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee would meet virtually on Monday at 1:00 p.m. because of the snowstorm; the fiscal briefing was moved to 4:00 p.m. on Zoom. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on questions about the Rules Committee hearing process for House Bill 488, the congressional redistricting bill. Members asked about witness sign-up timing, whether the weekend extension was allowed, and whether there were conflicts of interest in the process. The parliamentarian and Speaker responded that the chair has discretion, that testimony sign-up had been extended through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday due to weather, and that if there were no electricity on Monday the hearing would be rescheduled. The Speaker also said the fiscal note for HB 488 would be available before the hearing. The rest of the session consisted largely of caucus, delegation, and guest announcements. Members announced upcoming meetings for the Waterman’s Caucus, Legislative Jewish Caucus, Women’s Caucus, LGBTQ+ Caucus, and a fire/EMS coalition, and noted the cancellation of an in-person Holocaust Remembrance event in favor of a virtual format. Guests and interns were recognized in the gallery, including representatives from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, 100 Black Men of Charles County, Howard University students, and several student interns. The House also recognized the pages for their service and celebrated Delegate Marlon Amprey’s upcoming birthday. The chamber then adjourned until Monday, January 26 at 8:00 p.m., with the public again invited to submit testimony over the weekend.

Transcript Highlights:

• they are excluded from the subsidized childcare opportunities because their classes aren't credit-bearing
• reliable, high-quality child care, and they can't access child care because they're not yet in credit-bearing
• These classes are not credit-bearing and don't meet the required hours for a single-parent household.
• She deserves support now, not only once she has reached a credit-bearing class.

Bills: HB 1087, HB2504, HB4113, HB5144, HB5146, HB5377, HB5543, SB140, SB264, SB1244, SB1343, SB2121, HR868

Keywords: property owners, board vacancy, special election, association governance, community management, property owners' association, resale certificate, fees, real estate regulation, homeowners, HB 4113, Texas Rising Star Program, child care, child-care providers, Texas Workforce Commission, TWC, safety barriers, crash-rated bollards, bollards, playground safety

Transcript Highlights:

• try to spend a lot of time, uh, thinking about the grid, thinking about how to bring technology to bear
• The goal in this bill is to bring technology to bear that already exists in the marketplace to make our
• The ability to manufacture firearms is essentially the right to keep and bear them.
• Texans will stand firm in protecting their right to keep and bear arms.

Bills: HB 551, HB 1281, HB 1378, HB 1617, HB 2868, HB 2881, HB 3374, HB 4439, HB 4726, HB 4732, HB 4878, HB 4914, HB 4921, HB 4958, HB 5200, HB 5318, HB 5360, HB 5402, HB 5568, HB 5573, HB 5623, HJR 218

Keywords: political contributions, address privacy, Texas Ethics Commission, election transparency, campaign finance, international organizations, World Health Organization, jurisdiction, state law, enforcement, United Nations, World Economic Forum, attorney general, Texas attorney general, state sovereignty, legal enforcement, Texas Attorney General, electric energy storage, municipal regulation, county regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• This is just a little more complicated, so bear with me a second, but in the fund balance that's published
• This is just a little more complicated,<00:01:54.880> so<00:01:55.040> bear<00:01:55.200
• with<00:01:55.280> me<00:01:55.439> a<00:01:55.600> second, complicated, so bear
• with me a second, complicated, so bear with me a second, but<00:01:55.920> in<00:01:56.079>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Garcia of Bear for recognition. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Welcome. Good morning.
• productions right here in the Lone Star State, but more specifically in my home of San Antonio and Bear
• HB 3934 by Hopper relating to governmental action and that infringes on the rights to keep and bear arms
• HB 4113 by Lopez and Bear relating to the rating of childcare providers participating in the Texas Rising

Transcript Highlights:

• and safety, the current system often penalizes providers for minor technical mistakes that have no bearing
• minor technical mistakes that<00:04:35.560> have<00:04:35.759> no<00:04:36.000> bearing
• on<00:04:36.720> child<00:04:37.080> safety<00:04:37.440> or that have no bearing
• on child safety or that have no bearing on child safety or well-being<00:04:38.919> for<00:04

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 2617, and first adopted a DE1 amendment. The bill, as amended, was presented as a major child care licensing reform that would narrow licensing to core health and safety requirements, reduce what supporters described as punitive or overly technical citations, and shift quality standards toward accreditation and professional organizations. The author also described the bill as a response to long-standing problems in the current licensing structure and county oversight of family child care. Public testimony was uniformly supportive. Child care providers and directors from Duluth, Rochester, and Esko said the current system penalizes minor clerical or cosmetic issues, creates inconsistent interpretations, and contributes to provider burnout and the child care shortage. They argued the bill would separate health-and-safety licensing from quality measures, which they said are better addressed through accreditation, coaching, and national standards. One testifier also said the bill would help with background study delays by creating a liaison to improve visibility into the process. Members asked about the difference between licensing and accreditation, how other states handle similar models, and how the bill would interact with the department’s licensing modernization work. The bill’s supporters said licensing would remain focused on foundational health and safety items such as ratios, background checks, hygiene, and facilities, while quality standards would be left to national organizations like NAEYC or the National Family Child Care Association. They cited Connecticut, Indiana, and Florida as examples of states using national standards in some form. The committee closed public testimony, took member questions, and the author renewed his motion to lay over House File 2617 as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bear with us as we figure out some technical difficulties.
• Bear with us as we figure out of some technical difficulties. Thank you. Okay, so...

Summary: The committee considered several waiver requests from school districts and a municipal-related waiver tied to a prior law encouraging local governments to use .gov domains. One request was to waive bidding requirements so a high school kitchen damaged in winter storms could be rebuilt quickly; members asked how many bids were received, were told the insurance provider’s process produced two bids, and then approved the waiver. Another request involved a district seeking to use Covington for work; after a brief question about prior experience with the firm, the committee approved that item as well. The committee then heard from the superintendent of Smackover North School District, who requested a waiver to use TIPS for a football field turf project because the existing drainage had collapsed. Members questioned the funding source, particularly whether education dollars would be used on a football field. The superintendent said the project was intended to be funded through a Buckaroo Foundation with about half a million dollars already pledged, additional donor support being pursued, and no state or local tax dollars planned for the turf. He also said the district had obtained three bids. The committee approved the waiver. Finally, the committee considered a waiver for Jonesboro related to the .gov domain requirement. Representative Jack Ladyman presented that the city would use .gov for its main website and communications, but wanted to keep its current billing system because converting billing would be expensive and could create software compatibility problems. After brief discussion, the committee approved the waiver. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Go Bears, Berkeley alumni, from day one, I think when I came in here, William said, all right, you're
• gonna be okay. you're a bear, you know.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is individuals, families, and businesses who will ultimately bear the burden of these costs, both
• critical to remember that research consistently shows that drug prices often reflect what the market will bear
• cost-sharing structure pass through for a particular drug, I think the reality of the marketplace doesn't bear
• cost-sharing structure pass through for a particular drug I think the reality of the marketplace doesn't bear
• So bear with me. Nerves are in my feet, hopefully not in my voice.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on a broad set of health care bills focused on cost, market oversight, pharmaceutical access, transparency, hospital closures, and pharmacy access. Chairs John Lawn and Cindy Friedman opened by emphasizing recent health care reforms and the need for further action on the drug supply chain, PBMs, private equity, and affordability. The committee heard testimony on several measures, including a Betsy Lehman Center bill to make technical changes and create a permanent trust account for federal and private funding, and bills on hospital profits and fairness, hospital closures and health planning, pharmacy deserts, and health care market oversight and pharmaceutical access. No votes were taken during the hearing. On the hospital profits bill, physicians and labor advocates strongly supported capping hospital CEO compensation at 50 times the lowest-paid worker, requiring greater financial transparency, and directing penalties from high-margin public hospitals into a Medicaid reimbursement fund. Testifiers argued that executive pay is excessive while frontline staff and safety-net services are under strain. Committee members raised concerns about unintended consequences, including whether hospitals might shift workers to contract status or lose executive talent, and whether the bill would actually direct money to the safety net. Supporters responded that the measure is one piece of a larger effort and that the bill’s Medicaid reimbursement provisions would help underserved hospitals. Testimony on market oversight and pharmaceutical access centered on rising health care and drug costs, PBM practices, and the proposal to give the Health Policy Commission authority to set upper payment limits for certain drugs. Consumer advocates, disability advocates, an independent pharmacist, the Attorney General’s office, and others supported stronger oversight, citing premium increases, affordability problems, and the impact of high drug prices on patients and community pharmacies. Pharma and some industry witnesses opposed parts of the bill, warning that upper payment limits could disrupt access, create legal issues, and fail to address the broader supply chain. The committee also heard support for stronger hospital closure notice and public hearing requirements, and for a pharmacy deserts bill aimed at identifying and addressing closures like the one in Roxbury that affected thousands of patients.

Transcript Highlights:

• But one of the biggest things that I'm trying to bring to bear within the cyber office and the way we
• And so we are going to bring as much training to bear as we can to help our employees protect themselves
• And so we, we are, we're going to bring as much training to bear as we can to help our employees protect
• I would say it bears monitoring in the same way that, you know, our pension underfunding bears monitoring

Summary: The Legislative Joint Auditing Committee met on June 5 and first adopted prior minutes and several committee reports. The executive committee report noted adoption of its minutes, staff updates on scheduled audits, approval of an annual financial audit for the City of Horseshoe Bend, and an update on the intern program. The Counties and Municipalities report covered delinquent private water and sewer audits, compliance follow-up with towns including Denning, Gum Springs, Omer, Fargo, Jericho, and Haynes, and review of current and deferred reports; the committee filed most current reports but deferred several and referred some matters to prosecutors and the Attorney General. The Educational Institutions report said 103 education audits were reviewed, most with no findings, while several school districts had findings and one Booneville School District finding was referred to law enforcement. The State Agencies report included findings at the Department of Finance and Administration and a deferred Department of Health report, and the committee filed 13 reports. The committee then received lengthy presentations on the State of Arkansas annual comprehensive financial report and the state single audit for fiscal year ended June 30, 2025. Legislative Audit issued unmodified opinions on the state financial statements, but identified two material weaknesses: insufficient internal controls at the Office of State Technology to monitor threats and unauthorized access, and improper methodology changes and documentation issues at the Division of Workforce Services affecting year-end estimates for unemployment-related accounts. The single audit covered $12.4 billion in federal awards across 469 programs, with 16 major programs reviewed. Auditors reported 33 findings overall, including 31 federal findings, $12.9 million in outstanding questioned costs, and qualified opinions for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, and the Child Care Development Fund cluster. Committee members questioned DHS, the broadband office, OST, DFA, Education, and Workforce Services about the findings, corrective actions, cyber protections, federal drawdowns, child care reporting, and accounting methodology changes. Several agencies described corrective steps. DHS said it had changed how it draws Summer EBT funds, addressed provider revalidation and incarceration-related Medicaid issues, and updated internal processes and staffing. The broadband office said the questioned costs reflected invoice documentation disputes rather than missing payments and expected Treasury review to resolve the issue. OST said it was expanding logging, endpoint detection, and enterprise monitoring, and described broader cybersecurity investments, training, and a roadmap. DFA and Workforce Services addressed the workers’ compensation and unemployment accounting issues, with Workforce Services saying it had updated its policy and submitted the methodology to DFA. After discussion, the committee voted to hold the two statewide audit reports over until the August meeting, with members asked to submit specific questions in advance so only needed agencies would return. The final item was a special report on the Hot Spring County Solid Waste Authority for January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025. The audit reviewed compliance with laws, board procedures, bidding, payroll, permits, inspections, and cash handling. It noted prior private audit findings on segregation of duties, that recent private audit reports had not been obtained for 2023 through 2025, and that the current administrator said prior office staff and bookkeeping contractors resigned when he was hired. The authority’s operations and revenue sources were described, and the report was presented for committee review.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know it's a form, but I'm saying is a uniform across the state of Texas, like, uh, if I apply in Bear
• But my other question is, have you gotten any feedback from, um, Bear County or the, uh, municipalities
• To Bear County is that. Different counties expressed different levels of concern.
• Um, the green light, the enthusiastic green light came from Bear County.
• funding like, um, Community Lifeline Center in Collin County, grandparents raising grandchildren in Bear

Bills: HB249

Keywords: real property, ad valorem tax, tax appraisal, property value limitation, real estate taxation, property ownership

Transcript Highlights:

• Rosenthal, please excuse representative Lopez of bear because of important business of the district on
• Garcia-Bear for a recognition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues.
• a breeder deer release site for the committee on culture recreation and tourism HB 4544 by Lopez a bear
• procedures the treatment of that child or for the committee on public health is you 4711 by Lopez a bear
• and Wildlife Department for the Committee of Rec. for Recreation and Tourism, page 4896 by Garcia-Bear

Bills: HB9, HB22, HB908, HB1392

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property, tax exemption, local government finance, appraisal district, chief appraiser, rendition statement, property tax relief, small business, commercial property, leased property, related business entity, unified business enterprise, tax situs, Texas Tax Code, local taxing unit, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• justification and immunity under the section has been raised by the defendant, the state continues to bear
• The state continues to bear the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt all of the elements of the
• On a status, which in most situations isn't constitutional, especially considering that we all bear the
• And who would bear that cost? Mr. Chairman, may I ask... Could I phone a friend real quick?
• the judge, and I order... ...and I'm the judge, and I order that, where would they go, and who would bear

Bills: HB43, SB81, SB178, SB138, SB89, SB183, HB27, HB188, HB199, HB190, SB117, HB43, HB27

Keywords: criminal procedure, split sentencing, probation, Class A felony, Class B felony, minimum confinement, speedy trial, visiting judge, court administration, violent crimes, Alabama Supreme Court, employment, criminal record, certificate of employability, occupational licensing, negligent hiring, rehabilitation, limited relief, tribal police, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota—I think about $565 million—would be a significantly lesser amount because we couldn't bring to bear
• Minnesota—I think about $565 million—would be a significantly lesser amount because we couldn't bring to bear
• lesser amount because we couldn't bring lesser amount because we couldn't bring to<00:25:21.000> bear
• 21.760> of<00:25:21.919> all<00:25:22.080> the<00:25:22.200> states to bear
• the resources of all the states to bear the resources of all the states cuz<00:25:22.760> we<

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've got a couple questions, so bear with me.
• <01:40:36.679> me<01:40:37.000> sure<01:40:37.280> so couple questions so bear
• with me sure so couple questions so bear with me sure so you<01:40:37.760> know<01:40:37.920>
• really exclusively policy and so bear really exclusively policy and so bear with<02:42:30.399>
• Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown is 10,000, and then Puckaway, I believe, is around 5,000.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority officials, led by Executive Director Rob Dapice, briefed legislators on the agency’s structure and funding. They explained that the authority is created by state law but is not a state agency, its debt is not state debt, and it is governed by a board appointed by the governor and approved by the Executive Council. The discussion focused on the Affordable Housing Fund and the lead paint hazard remediation fund, including how state appropriations and federal resources are combined to finance affordable rental housing and lead abatement work. Dapice said the Affordable Housing Fund is used as gap financing for multifamily affordable housing projects, typically alongside federal tax credits and tax-exempt bonds, and that state dollars leverage roughly 2:1 to 10:1 in additional federal and private investment, averaging about 4:1. He said the fund has received historic appropriations in recent budgets, including $30 million over the last two biennial budgets and an annual $5 million set-aside from the real estate transfer tax. He also said the fund is usually structured as 0% interest, deferred loans rather than grants, with repayments returning to the fund if projects generate cash flow. Members asked about rents, oversight, staffing, revenues, and whether the programs had added positions. Dapice said affordability restrictions generally last 30 to 99 years, rents are tied to income limits and capped so tenants pay no more than 30% of income, and compliance staff inspect properties regularly to verify income eligibility and rent limits. He said the organization has about 130 to 135 employees, down from about 145, with no new positions added because of the appropriations. He estimated total revenues at roughly $300 million, with administrative budget around $22 million, much of it pass-through grant money. On lead paint remediation, he said the state first appropriated $6 million in 2019, plus $1 million in ARPA funds, and that the program has cleared more than 500 units. He said the federal grant program is not annual or predictable, with a recent award of about $7.75 million, and that the maximum federal grant per unit is $177,000, typically paired with up to $100,000 in state loan support. He also noted that the program can address homes before a child is poisoned if lead hazards are identified, but that cases involving an already exposed child are a higher priority. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• In their very fine presentation, Commissioner Mar Court and Joanna Bears presented the work, the opinions
• recommended to pass and instruct staff to make any technical and conforming changes. um and Joanna Bears
• um um and Joanna Bears um in<00:39:45.000> presenting<00:39:46.160> always<00:39:46.680
• Metro Surge with a two million dollar provision to ensure our communities and our taxpayers don't bear
• the cost of that recent don't bear the cost of that recent recent<00:43:55.520> action<00:43:

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But this creates even more of a one-sided system where the party with the least control bears the harshest
• And the jurisprudence bears that out. There's a good deal of jurisdiction.
• And the jurisprudence bears that out. There's a good deal of jurisdiction.
• If this were to pass in this form, I don't know if this is connecting to another bill, y'all bear with
• potentially the employees that you say that you need or want to appreciate and with, and I'm just bear

Bills: HB282, HB293, HB390, HB456, HB460, HB561, HB819, HB1023, HB1047, HB1101

Keywords: employment discrimination, criminal history, rehabilitation, hiring process, human rights, gender identity, sexual orientation, workplace equality, labor rights, domestic abuse, unpaid leave, employee rights, workplace protection, mental health, survivor support, workers' compensation, employment benefits, claims process, fraud prevention, legal petition

Transcript Highlights:

• Home buyers bear the cost of this dynamic, and ongoing HOA dues increase monthly housing expenses and
• Home buyers bear the cost of this dynamic, and ongoing HOA dues increase monthly housing expenses and
• Home buyers bear the cost of this dynamic, and ongoing HOA dues increase monthly housing expenses and
• Home buyers bear the cost of this dynamic, and ongoing HOA dues increase monthly housing expenses and
• Home buyers bear the cost of this dynamic, and ongoing HOA dues increase monthly housing expenses and

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: House File 2614 was heard with a delete-everything amendment adopted at the outset. The bill, as explained by the authors, would prevent local governments from requiring amenities or common property that effectively force the creation of a homeowners association, while still allowing developers to create HOAs voluntarily when needed. The authors said the language was negotiated with stakeholders, including the League of Minnesota Cities, and was intended to be moved on to the Housing Committee for further discussion. Supportive testimony came from Housing First Minnesota and the Minnesota Homeownership Center. They argued that unnecessary HOA mandates can raise housing costs, reduce homebuyer choice, and shift public infrastructure costs onto homeowners through dues in addition to property taxes. Testifiers cited examples involving single-family developments, a Burnsville case involving a large roof assessment and disputed ACH withdrawal, and the Heritage Park development in Minneapolis, where an HOA was required but later became difficult to dissolve. They said the bill would preserve HOAs where they are genuinely needed, such as townhomes or shared-amenity developments. Members raised questions about the removal of county-specific language in the amendment, the meaning of the bill’s references to services and common property, and whether the bill would still allow neighborhood signs or other developer-requested features. A major point of concern was stormwater ponds and drainage infrastructure: one member argued that prohibiting cities from requiring HOA maintenance of such facilities could shift costs to taxpayers, while the authors responded that the bill was meant to stop cities from mandating discretionary amenities and that maintenance issues had been partly addressed in the amendment. The committee did not take a final vote in the portion provided, but the amendment was adopted and the bill was discussed for referral onward.