Transcript Highlights:

• It establishes a grant program for the Critical Infrastructure Mapping Grant program.
• And all of a sudden, you know, that they applied for this revolving grant program would be business malfeasance
• Those business business is whether we want to admit it or not, they're losing revenue.
• Trite businesses do infrastructure improvements, but we don't have a system to help those businesses
• So I think this bill creating this little long program for temper support to help these businesses.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• program.
• Are you referring to like the fortified programs? Yeah, fortified programs.
• The BOOT program.
• under the BEAD program.
• might be, what the goals of the program in the office were in announcing such a program.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Orderly conduct of official business.
• This program works. It puts fresh locally grown food on... This program works.
• This program is about helping school lunch programs for poor children eat balanced, locally sourced meals
• We literally only have a pilot program, the farm-to-school program that was started a few years ago.
• Back to business on the daily file.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then held its Latino Spirit Awards ceremony. Members adopted House Resolution 16, proclaiming May 4–11, 2025 as Cinco de Mayo Week, after supportive remarks from several caucuses emphasizing Mexican history, women’s contributions, LGBTQ solidarity, Black and Brown unity, and AAPI and Jewish community support. The chamber then recognized 11 Latino Spirit honorees for achievements in human rights, business, arts, public service, community empowerment, health and science, environmental justice, philanthropy, and entertainment. After the ceremony, the Assembly returned to floor business and approved a series of measures. AB 60, banning synthetic nitro musks in cosmetics and personal care products, passed 56–3. AJR 6, urging Congress to protect federal school meal and local food funding, drew extensive debate and broad bipartisan support; members cited child hunger, farm economies, and local food systems, and it passed 76–0 with 73 coauthors added. Other measures adopted included AB 679 on state park land acquisitions, AB 681 expanding Dream Loan Program caps for undocumented graduate students, AB 1224 on substitute teacher continuity, AB 831 on gaming technical changes, AB 259 extending Brown Act teleconferencing flexibility, AB 467 extending Los Angeles Neighborhood Council teleconferencing authority, and AB 519 targeting deceptive puppy mill sales. The chamber also passed AB 1522, an urgency Judiciary Committee bill protecting attorneys from politically motivated discipline and creating an expedited licensing path for some former federal attorneys, and AB 263, which extends temporary water flow requirements on the Shasta and Smith Rivers; that bill drew sharp disagreement over water rights, tribal participation, and impacts on farmers, but ultimately passed 51–16. Additional measures approved included AB 428 on pooled insurance for water corporations, AB 492 requiring notice to local jurisdictions when recovery treatment facilities are licensed, and AB 536 preserving colorectal cancer screening coverage. The Assembly also adopted a motion to suspend file notice so Appropriations could hear AB 379 on May 7.

Transcript Highlights:

• and businesses and injured workers.
• <00:03:13.760> and<00:03:14.319> businesses and system for business and businesses
• and system for business and businesses and<00:03:15.040> injured<00:03:15.640> workers.
• insurance programs. insurance programs.
• That concludes our business today. much. That concludes our business today.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• c><02:17:09.240> California<02:17:10.240> program program.
• It's not the California program program.
• And then, as income into the business, we'll be paying on either the business profits tax or the business
• And then, as income into the business, we'll be paying on either the business profits tax or the business
• the business profits tax or the business the business profits tax or the business enterprise<02:

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair lays out as pending business House Bill 685.
• The chair lays out as pending business House Bill 29.
• The chair lays out as pending business House Bill 16.
• as a separate program.
• As I mentioned earlier, more details... ...infrastructure fund program as a separate program.

Bills: HB16, HB16, HB1618, HB2692, HB2712, HB2970, HB3609, HB3628

Keywords: judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, water infrastructure, Texas Water Development Board, financial assistance, water supply projects, rural municipalities, water access assessment, aquifer storage, Edwards Aquifer, water injection, environmental regulations, groundwater management, San Antonio River, pollution control

Transcript Highlights:

• MASA, the Make America Skilled Again program, and the Violence Against Women program.
• program, Vera Lynn Mendez.
• The SSBCI program I mentioned, that one is a federal program.
• Programs like the native language programs and so forth.
• We're trying to maintain businesses like a cattle ranching business.

Transcript Highlights:

• From its beginning, the PAGE program has enjoyed broad bias.
• put them out of business.
• who actually have to implement this program.
• Business owners clearly do not understand this.
• It has to recognize that small businesses are different.

Transcript Highlights:

• Room 307, 7 to 8 a.m. on Early Childhood Program Issues, Outcomes for Kids, State Programs, and Funding
• That's a very needed program.
• That business is gone. That business is gone.
• and business community. education and workforce sector, as well as in the small business and business
• Cost of the program, extending the sunset date of the spay and neuter program fee, repealing certain

Transcript Highlights:

• Members will begin taking up pending business.
• Chair lays out as pending business House Bill 1813 by Bucy.
• program funding.
• , dual language immersion programs, and special language programs.
• the quality of these programs for our students.

Bills: HB178

Keywords: efficiency audit, political subdivision, tax rate, fiscal management, government accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think it's worth noting that good business process reinforces program integrity.
• So that means we built our program to scale up in busy season.
• <01:18:59.920> process<01:19:00.400> reinforces<01:19:01.120> program good business
• process reinforces program good business process reinforces program integrity.<01:19:02.159> So
• we built our program to scale up in busy we built our program to scale up in busy season.<01:19:

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• to develop this program.
• than creating a new government program. than creating a new government program.
• program is just a microcosm of that. program is just a microcosm of that.
• Next order of business is of business.
• business, which is adjournment? business, which is adjournment?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a roll call establishing a quorum. The House then communicated passage of House Bills 184 and 265 and House Joint Resolution 24, requesting concurrence. The Senate also approved the prior day’s journal, excused absent senators, and received committee reports advancing several measures, including Senate Bill 76 with committee substitute, Senate Bill 12, Senate Joint Resolution 23 with committee substitute, and Senate Bills 27 and 40 with committee substitutes. New bills introduced included Senate Bill 1 on education, Senate Bill 3 on school district finances, and Senate Bill 112 on short-term rentals. The chamber then took up Senate Bill 29 on solid waste management facilities. The sponsor explained that the bill would prohibit counties from charging designation or origination fees to solid waste facilities located in other counties, while leaving intact local authority over facilities within a county and existing host fees. The bill passed on a roll call vote of 36 yeas, 0 nays, and 1 pass. Senate Bill 49 on battery stewardship was next. Its sponsor described growing fire risks from lithium batteries in landfills, recycling trucks, and waste facilities, and said the bill would prohibit lithium batteries in curbside trash and recycling containers and create a statewide stewardship program with a phased implementation timeline. The measure passed 37-0. Senate Bill 38 on pharmacist reimbursements and services followed; supporters said it would improve access to routine care through pharmacists, reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, and align Medicaid and KCHIP reimbursement policies with private insurance standards. It also passed unanimously, 37-0. Finally, the Senate considered Senate Concurrent Resolution 9, which directs the Legislative Research Commission to procure a vendor for a feasibility study on an accountable communities for health Medicaid delivery model pilot project. The sponsor argued that Medicaid and broader health care costs are unsustainable and that a community-based model could reduce bureaucracy and improve outcomes. Several senators spoke in support, including questions about the cost of managed care organizations and administrative overhead. The resolution was adopted after debate and roll call, with strong support from members who described it as a potentially revolutionary approach to health care delivery.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our business filings division has over 12 million interactions with the business community every year
• How do you start a business? Our website..." "Business. The first thing they do is go online.
• all the big businesses.
• Moving to the trustee programs, one of my favorites is the music incubator program.
• our child care programs.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee first heard the Legislative Budget Board and Secretary of State Jane Nelson on the Secretary of State budget. LBB said the recommendation would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million overall, with major changes including removing federal HAVA funding and one-time business system replacement money, adjusting the agency’s base request, deleting an outdated Interstate Crosscheck rider, and directing HAVA funds to be drawn down first. Secretary Nelson and staff defended the agency’s needs, emphasizing election security, business filings, international protocol, and the Texas Register, and requested additional staff, a new website, digitization of records, IT and cybersecurity upgrades, and renovation of the Rudder Building. Senators discussed voter-roll maintenance, cross-checking data, call-center response times, and the need for online voter registration and more efficient election administration. No votes were taken. The committee then took up the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB outlined a $2.4 million decrease for the office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs, driven by unexpended balances and the removal of one-time federal and border-security items, while noting continued funding for disaster response, victim assistance, and $2.9 billion for border security at roughly the prior level. Governor’s staff said Texas remains focused on border security, economic development, and public safety, and discussed efforts to seek federal reimbursement for prior border spending. Members asked about the National Guard’s status, possible federal assumption of border costs, the music incubator program, the Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, defense economic adjustment grants, and a new $5 million nonprofit security grant proposal. Staff said the semiconductor program has 12 approved projects totaling about 948 jobs and $17 billion in capital investment, and that the nonprofit security request was added late to address threats to houses of worship and other nonprofits. No formal action was taken. Finally, the committee heard the Texas Facilities Commission and lease-payment recommendations. LBB said the Facilities Commission recommendation would reduce appropriations by about $2.0 billion, mainly by removing border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, while adding money for higher utility costs, Rudder Building refurbishment, and additional staff. The lease-payment recommendation would decrease general revenue by $9.3 million. LBB also noted new riders related to completing the State Library and Archives building, tenant communication during disruptions, and a space-utilization report. In agency testimony, members asked about border wall maintenance responsibility, total facilities-related debt, and the status of capital complex construction. The Rudder Building renovation and related security needs were repeatedly discussed as important one-time infrastructure investments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, we'll begin taking up pending business.
• The chair lays out as pending business House Bill 2107 by.
• The chair lays out as pending business House Bill 2598 by.
• program funding.
• the quality of these programs for our students.

Bills: HB178, HB1551, HB1939, HB2040, HB2354, HB2674, HB3029, HB3460, HB3631, HB3662, HB5201, HB5381, HB178

Keywords: Texas education, public schools, curriculum, social studies, high school graduation requirements, State Board of Education, Education Code, ethnic studies, world history, world geography, U.S. history, government, economics, personal financial literacy, free enterprise, religious literature, Hebrew Scriptures, Old Testament, New Testament, ninth grade

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, annually funded programs.
• It is that flagship program.
• Um, that's that program. We are a AAA. Uh, bonded program.
• That includes 32 programs for um the COVID-related programs.
• If you were a business that Want to open or expand a childcare program for your employees, you were not

Transcript Highlights:

• These programs help families balance. 5% and 27%.
• The Technical Assistance Program, TAP, and the Capital Infusion Program, SIP, are extraordinarily important
• business, right?
• comes to the success that we've had with that program.
• You are very familiar with the farmer program.

Summary: The joint informational hearing of the Assembly Committees on Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact and Agriculture, held at Fresno State, focused on cost pressures in California’s food system, household affordability, and the Central Valley’s role in agriculture. Opening remarks emphasized Fresno State’s regional importance, the Central Valley’s outsized contribution to food production, and the connection between agricultural health, food security, and the broader economy. Members also noted the impact of the federal shutdown on CalFresh benefits and the state’s efforts to respond with food assistance funding and National Guard support for food banks. The first panel featured academic and policy experts who described agriculture’s economic importance in the San Joaquin Valley and the rising pressures on farms and households. Dr. Conduro highlighted agriculture’s large share of regional GDP, farm receipts, jobs, exports, and food manufacturing, while identifying water scarcity, SGMA-related land fallowing, labor shortages and rising labor costs, market volatility, invasive pests, and production cost inflation as major barriers. Caroline Danielson of PPIC said food prices remain about 30% above 2019 levels, food insecurity affects about 1.8 million California households, and nutrition programs such as CalFresh, WIC, and school meals are essential in reducing poverty, especially in the Central Valley. Susie Pryor of the Central California Small Business Development Center described technical assistance, capital access, and training for small food and farm businesses, while warning that reduced funding limits support for rural and immigrant entrepreneurs. The second panel brought testimony from a small produce business owner, a food entrepreneur, and the Fresno County Farm Bureau. They said input costs for fertilizer, fuel, irrigation, labor, land leases, and compliance have risen sharply while commodity prices have remained flat or fallen, squeezing small farms and food businesses. Panelists stressed the need for small-batch processing facilities, local supply chains, education on food manufacturing compliance, land access for small farmers, and more pathways into agriculture through trade programs, community colleges, and FFA. Ryan Jacobson said California agriculture is facing a prolonged downturn, with farm bankruptcies, weak commodity prices, export-market uncertainty, water reliability problems, and costly ag-burning rules all contributing to financial strain. No formal votes or legislative actions were taken; the hearing was informational and concluded with discussion of possible policy solutions and continued engagement with stakeholders.

Transcript Highlights:

• source for the reinsurance program source for the reinsurance program without<00:03:15.159> this
• Nations have medical cannabis programs Nations have medical cannabis programs uh<00:16:04.839>
• requirements for cannabis businesses requirements for cannabis businesses business<00:23:07.159>
• the future medical program under the future medical program under 342<00:25:20.039> and<00:25:
• there's no more no more business there's no more business<00:27:01.000> before<00:27:01.200>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And many small and medium-sized businesses utilize AI to help and social... ...and medium-sized businesses
• It also violates businesses' basic right to decide who they want to engage in business with and under
• of what bureaucrats, not consumers or other business partners, consider a fair or reasonable business
• Not everybody knows the Constitution and a lot of businesses and business owners don't spend their time
• They can get that experience from a business that may be a small business, maybe a local business, that

Summary: The committee first took up SB 702, as amended by a strike-all amendment on digital content provenance and authenticity. Senator Burgess said the bill would require generative AI providers to add provenance data to content wholly generated by AI, allow provenance tags on AI-modified images, require social media platforms to retain and display provenance data in an accessible format, and apply content credentials to online election advertisements. He also described a two-year pilot program for the Division of Emergency Management to test provenance data in emergency communications, and said the bill would be enforced only by the Attorney General with no private right of action. Supporters from Microsoft and Adobe waived in support, while TechNet and the James Madison Institute raised concerns about broad definitions, implementation burdens, and the possibility that the rules could be easily circumvented. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported CS for SB 702 favorably. The committee next considered CS for SB 282 on home and service warranty association financial requirements, which would allow extended warranty companies to use multiple insurance policies to back obligations and let companies with a $100 million net worth satisfy proof requirements through SEC filings or an audited financial statement. The Florida Service Agreement Association supported the bill, and the committee reported it favorably. The committee also passed CS for SB 678, which allows pawnbroker transaction forms to be printed or digital; the Florida Pawnbrokers Association and a business representative supported the change, the amendment was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard SB 1132, the Portable Wireless Device Repair Act, which would require manufacturers to provide diagnostic tools, repair information, and parts to owners and independent repair providers, and would also extend right-to-repair concepts to agricultural equipment through an amendment. Supporters argued the bill would expand consumer choice and repair access, while opponents including TechNet, the Repair Done Right Coalition, the James Madison Institute, and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance warned about privacy, cybersecurity, trade secret, safety, and compliance concerns. After debate, the committee reported CS for SB 1132 favorably. Finally, the committee took up SB 676, which would create a framework for employees to knowingly and voluntarily waive the Florida minimum wage in certain internship, apprenticeship, and work-study settings, with a parent or guardian sign-off for minors. The sponsor said the bill was intended to expand job training and first-job opportunities for young people and others seeking experience, but multiple speakers and senators argued it conflicted with the Florida Constitution and existing case law, could be exploited by employers, and would undermine the voter-approved minimum wage. The committee continued extensive debate on the bill, with strong opposition testimony and questions about constitutionality, definitions, and enforcement.

Transcript Highlights:

• It removes language that allows up to 50% of the allocation for the improvement of instructional programs
• The first section directs the Department of Human Services to pay licensed child care program subsidy
• The bill is to impose a business and occupation tax on certain business activities.
• The bill to impose a business and occupation tax on certain business activities.
• Are there any further business to come before the committee?

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with a quorum present, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then considered a series of House bills and committee substitutes. House Bill 5438, dealing with changes to Step 7 of the school aid formula and allowable uses of certain education allocations, was amended to adopt the Education Committee’s changes and then reported to the full Senate. House Bill 4087 creating the West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance was also reported, as was House Bill 4191, which expands child care tax credit eligibility for employer-sponsored facilities and changes subsidy payments from attendance-based to enrollment-based reimbursement; senators emphasized its workforce and economic development benefits. House Bill 5074, which reallocates medical cannabis fund balances and future revenues, was amended to increase the Child Protective Commission pilot funding from $3 million to $5 million and remove proposed ibogaine research funding for Marshall and WVU before being reported. House Bill 5353, regulating virtual currency kiosks and money transmission licensure, and House Bill 5527, creating licensure and oversight for wellness reimbursement program administrators, both received strike-and-insert amendments and were reported. House Bill 5687, which phases down the metallurgical coal severance tax and adds a temporary oil and gas tax reduction with county/municipal revenue adjustments, was amended and reported. House Bill 4418, creating an electronic system for municipal business and occupation tax filing and collection with a 1% administrative fee and a participation threshold, was also reported. The committee then took up House Bill 4245, the Revenue Rules Bundle, which bundles 26 legislative rules from the Department of Revenue and related agencies. The bundle included alcohol, banking, insurance, racing, and tax rules, with several sunset extensions and repeals of outdated rules; the committee adopted a strike-and-insert amendment affecting a lottery consumer protection rule and a pre-need cemetery company rule, then reported the bill. House Bill 5168, providing a $12 million lottery-funded stream for emergency medical services, was amended to clarify the uses of the funds, rename one fund, require a 30% county match for mental health treatment spending, and create two additional county-based EMS funds; senators described it as a needed permanent funding source for EMS, and it was reported. Throughout the meeting, members generally supported the measures, with some discussion on technical details, funding allocations, and the impact of the bills on local services and workforce needs. At the end of the meeting, the chair announced that Senate House Bills 4004, 4006, and 4009 would not be taken up that day, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House will be on the 14th order of business.
• It's a really interesting program.
• So it's a career exploration program where if a student is interested in a particular program, they will
• One of them is new and existing programs.
• as high schools add new programming.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, pledge, and roll call, establishing a quorum. It then took up a series of appropriations and policy bills, with the most extensive debate centered on Senate Bill 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs budget. The House approved amendments that shifted governance of the department and veterans’ home from ACOVA to the governor, citing concerns about ACOVA’s salary-setting actions and broader appropriation oversight. Members opposed to the change argued ACOVA had studied compensation and acted within its role. The amended bill passed 57-34, and the final bill passed 69-22 with the emergency clause carrying. The House also passed Senate Bill 2001, the legislative branch budget, which funds the 2027 session, legislative staff, chamber upgrades, IT improvements, and salary adjustments for legislative leaders; the bill passed 62-29, but the emergency clause failed. Senate Bill 2019, the Career and Technical Education budget, passed 82-10 with emergency clause. Senate Bill 2021, the Information Technology Department budget, passed 75-17 after discussion of data center migration, service automation, mainframe transition, ERP study, and DPI’s move from PowerSchool to Infinite Campus. Other measures passed included Senate Bill 2228 for rural grocery store sustainability grants, Senate Bill 2390 creating a rural catalyst community grant program, Senate Bill 2188 adjusting the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority, and Senate Bill 2265 authorizing a veterans national cemetery grant and line of credit with added reporting safeguards. Several House bills returned from the Senate were concurred in and then passed, including House Bill 1361 on mandatory minimum sentences for human trafficking offenders, House Bill 1017 for the Game and Fish Department, House Bill 1588 on firearms and dangerous weapons provisions, House Bill 1429 on harassment and stalking involving robots, House Bill 1591 on county fair resiliency grants, House Bill 1537 on service agreement protection for water projects, House Bill 1203 on edible medical marijuana products, and House Bill 1027 transferring administration of the State Fire and Tornado Fund from the Insurance Commissioner to OMB. The House also rejected a motion to reconsider Senate Bill 2307, which dealt with library materials and obscenity-related restrictions, by a vote of 48-51. In addition, the chamber appointed conference committees on several House and Senate measures where concurrence had failed, and laid over Senate Bill 2340 for two legislative days.