Transcript Highlights:

• So this bill would allow hemp beverages, hemp-infused beverages, but not the edibles, and also not the
• Cannabis has been around just as long as alcohol, and in Texas, we have the freedom to consume alcohol
• We need more than just beverages.
• The pills lead to alcohol abuse.
• There are laws against marketing alcohol to children, and Texans can enjoy their beverage of choice without

Bills: SB 3, HB28, SB3

Keywords: flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program, backup power, weather siren, emergency management, flood-prone area, warning system, hemp regulation, consumable products

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:05:20.599> beverages it's legal to drink alcoholic beverages it's legal to drink alcoholic
• beverage outside restaurants alcoholic beverage outside restaurants and<01:07:48.279> bars<01
• > alcoholic<01:08:47.120> beverages enforcement allowing alcoholic beverages enforcement
• <01:09:20.640> beverages<01:09:21.640> so containers of alcoholic beverages so containers
• <01:12:29.480> beverages that are selling the alcoholic beverages that are selling the alcoholic

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 167, a PFAS-related measure expanding the state’s restrictions to include ski wax and related fluorocarbons. The sponsor said the bill was a follow-up to last year’s PFAS law and largely targeted products already off the market, describing it as a reaffirmation of the state’s intent to keep PFAS out of water. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the bill ought to pass and then placed it on the consent calendar. Next, the committee considered House Bill 275 on health career credentialing requirements. The discussion centered on a proposal that would have required insurance companies to pay for training mandated by federal requirements. Members concluded that approach was not appropriate and voted unanimously to make the bill inexpedient to legislate, then placed it on the consent calendar. House Bill 276, dealing with on-premise beverage license requirements, was then reconsidered after an initial ITL vote. The committee adopted an amendment creating a tavern license for establishments limited to patrons over 21, with a higher fee and no food requirement, and then voted 15-0 to recommend the bill ought to pass as amended; it was also placed on the consent calendar. The committee then took up House Bill 310, which would establish a commission to study a regulatory framework for stable tokens and tokenization of real-world assets. The sponsor said the amendment added blockchain-based trusts and discussion of privacy and environmental concerns. The committee approved the amendment 16-0 and then voted 16-0 to recommend the bill ought to pass as amended, placing it on the consent calendar. House Bill 312, concerning intercollegiate student athletes’ right to earn compensation from name, image, and likeness, was retained because members said the issue was not ready and the NCAA had not resolved how to handle it. Finally, the committee began discussion of House Bill 316 on ground ambulance reimbursement, with an amendment that would replace the bill’s reimbursement provisions with a study commission; members debated how it related to another bill, HB 725, and whether the amendment would delay immediate relief for ambulance providers.

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't know of any repercussions they've had or detriment to the service of alcoholic beverages.
• They're not hugely partaking in alcoholic beverages.
• I do know one of of alcoholic beverages. I do know one thing.<01:25:54.719> Uh thing.
• not hugely partaking in alcoholic not hugely partaking in alcoholic beverages.<01:26:18.480>
• c><01:26:48.560> you partake in alcoholic beverages, you partake in alcoholic beverages, you know

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:28:08.240> Alcohol<00:28:08.720> sales<00:28:08.960> would tightly controlled
• Alcohol sales would tightly controlled.
• the updated NCAA guidelines on alcohol the updated NCAA guidelines on alcohol sales.<00:28:28.640
• :35.840> the<00:28:36.559> the alcohol services enhances the the alcohol services enhances
• We are alcohol, it would it would help.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've included some research on your desk for your review, but in 2023 the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control
• <03:34:23.800> Beverage 2023 the Virginia Alcohol Beverage 2023 the Virginia Alcohol Beverage
• 90% um states that allowed alcohol 90% um states that allowed alcohol delivery<03:34:42.800>
• This guide is distributed through the National Alcohol and Beverage Control Association.
• There are some alcohol drinks, like the Jim Beam and Coke, in the six to eight percent ABV beverage level

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first discussed scheduling, noting that Town Meeting Day would cancel the next Tuesday meeting, that they would meet Wednesday instead, and that remaining bills would be handled through subcommittees and a likely final executive session on the 19th to meet the deadline for committee action on the 20th. The committee then took up several bills, with repeated roll calls and votes, often placing measures on the consent calendar after committee approval. House Bill 185 on ambulance reimbursement rates was described as a perennial issue and was voted inexpedient to legislate, with members noting concerns that an any-willing-provider approach would make premium impacts hard to evaluate. House Bill 186 on cannabis legalization was retained for further work, with members saying the bill addressed stopping marijuana arrests but that the sales and implementation details still needed more development. House Bill 241 on treatment alternatives to opioids was also retained because the sponsor could not attend and the committee wanted more time to continue work. The committee then considered House Bill 302 on state treasury investments in digital assets and precious metals. The amendment narrowed the proposal, removing more complicated provisions like stable tokens and staking, lowering the authorized allocation from 10% to 5%, and limiting eligible digital assets to those with very high market capitalization; members discussed volatility, the treasurer’s discretion, and oversight through bond-rating concerns. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed, and the bill was placed on the consent calendar. Other measures moved quickly: House Bill 451 on a paint product stewardship program was amended to remove direct funding and framed as manufacturer-run enabling legislation, then passed and was placed on consent; House Bill 499 made technical corrections to insurance laws and passed unanimously; House Bill 538 on relocating Liquor Commission positions passed unanimously; House Bill 552 on children covered under the state retirement insurance plan was cleaned up to remove a student requirement and passed unanimously; and a blockchain/digital currencies bill was amended to address noise and local regulation concerns for data mining operations, with supporters emphasizing energy-use issues, municipal authority, and a separate commission studying regulation. That bill also passed and was sent to consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 998, Baltimore City alcoholic beverages 46 alcoholic beverages district, favorable.
• House Bill 998, Baltimore City alcoholic beverages 46 alcoholic beverages district, favorable.
• ><00:57:49.000> wine County, alcoholic beverages, wine County, alcoholic beverages, wine festival
• c><00:58:38.040> of alcoholic beverages, alteration of alcoholic beverages, alteration of license
• > beverages, House bill 999, alcoholic beverages, House bill 999, alcoholic beverages, class<01

Keywords: House streaming session for Saturday, March 21, 2026, 957, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 126 members present, heard the prayer, approved the previous day’s journal, and then took up a series of Senate messages and committee reports. Senate bills on consent calendars 21 and 22 were read the first time and referred to committees. The House then adopted favorable reports, often without amendment, on a wide range of bills including workers’ compensation evaluation procedures (HB 1325), a state shark designation (HB 97), several local alcoholic beverages measures, commemorative months for Muslim American Heritage and Jewish American Heritage (HB 661), and local license commissioner changes in Anne Arundel, Worcester, Harford, Baltimore City, and Prince George’s counties. Several bills were amended before being ordered printed for third reading. HB 121 (Baltimore County alcohol sales) was amended to change the sponsor to the Baltimore County delegation. HB 1335 on Department of Information Technology workforce recruitment and retention was amended to convert the measure into a study and recommendations report. HB 1037 on PSC oversight of broadband and VoIP was similarly amended from direct oversight to a study and report. HB 1164 on water and sewage rate consolidation and limited-income mechanisms was amended to remove rate-consolidation provisions, require a PSC study, and delay implementation. HB 1381 on stopping or parking in bike lanes added exceptions for emergency, transit, disability pickup/drop-off, disabled vehicles, loading/unloading, and construction or maintenance; HB 1504 prioritized sidewalk and bicycle pathway projects near highways with complete streets or Vision Zero policies; HB 912 adjusted community cat trap-neuter-return rules; and HB 969 clarified electric vehicle charging billing and service fees. The most extended debate centered on HB 639, the Transportation Aviation Passenger Health and Safety Act. After amendments turned it into a reporting measure for fixed-base operators and aviation service companies regarding flights carrying detained individuals, warrants, refueling, and emergency-response documentation, members questioned its practical operation, safety implications, and possible federal preemption issues. The floor leader explained the bill as amended was intended to gather information for Maryland safety and emergency planning. On motion of the committee chair, the House agreed to special order HB 639 until the end of the session for further clarification. The House also amended and advanced HB 1063 on hunting management, including deer damage permits and Sunday hunting rules, and heard a brief statement from an Eastern Shore delegate about the Rural Caucus’s approach to offering amendments rather than opposing bills outright. The session ended with HB 972, creating the Maryland Fair and Agricultural Education Promise Fund, amended to rename the bill in honor of the late Delegate Charles Otto and to replace lottery funding with an annual appropriation; the House adopted the amendments and the favorable report.

Transcript Highlights:

• THC beverages with the same common-sense framework used for alcohol.
• > than<00:03:34.560> 75%<00:03:35.280> of Alcohol Policy, more than 75% of Alcohol
• common sense framework used for alcohol. common sense framework used for alcohol.
• hemp beverage conference, as well as a hemp beverage festival at the guild.
• The beverage folks here know very well that all of our beverages start as a plant.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's what is found in beverages. Hash oil is a controlled substance under federal law.
• But we regulate alcohol.
• Just to clarify, this is Senate Bill 5, hemp product restrictions, not alcohol restrictions. alcohol
• Alcohol is more readily available than THC and yet alcohol is far more harmful and so as we talk about
• Centers for Disease Control disease control and prevention in the monitoring of future surveys indicates

Bills: SB5, SB11, SB12, SB9, SB42, SB15, SB5, SB11, SB12, SCR1

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, occupational licenses, criminal offenses, SB 11, Texas attorney general, election crimes, election law enforcement, criminal prosecution, Election Code, Government Code Chapter 402, local prosecutors, county attorney, district attorney, grand jury, probable cause reports, state election offenses, voter fraud, election integrity

Bills: HB4274, HB3076, HB4358, HB3312, HB3288, HB3885, HB3147, HB4299, HB4265, HB4266, HB3011, HB3143, HB3144, HB3881, HB3519, HB3522, HB3530, HB2976, HB4459, HB3142, HB4316, HB4338, HB4230, HB3985, HB3883, HB4335, HB3416, HB3417, HB3418, HB3619, HB3624, HB3463, HB4423, HB3342, HB3645, HB3647, HB3887, HB4430, HB4431, HB2964, HB3834, HB4193, HB4272, HB3277, HB3148, HB3651, HB3323, HB4287, HB4105, HB3304, HB3345

Keywords: HB4274, Oklahoma schools, interdistrict transfer, open transfer, school enrollment, military families, active duty, National Guard, Reserve orders, military installation, residency requirements, district of choice, public school transfer, student transfer, special education, IEP, Section 504, military housing, base housing, electronic enrollment

Bills: S0204, S0540, S0772, S1294, S1474, S1504, S1708

Keywords: gaming, slot machines, veterans organizations, regulatory compliance, Florida Gaming Control Commission, declaratory statement, criminal penalties, financial regulation, vulnerable adults, information security, financial exploitation, licensing, biosolids, agronomic rate, land application, environmental protection, Florida statutes, nutrient management, recordkeeping, farming

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government met with a quorum present and first took up confirmation votes for appointees on tabs 2 through 6, which were recommended favorably without public testimony. The committee then heard CS/SB 1474, which would direct DEP to stop issuing or reissuing permits for Class B biosolids land application when a wastewater treatment facility is reasonably accessible within 50 miles, and it was reported favorably. The committee also heard SB 1708, which removes a timing requirement for veterinarians licensed in good standing elsewhere to qualify for Florida licensure; it received support from Americans for Prosperity and the ASPCA and was reported favorably. Members then considered CS/SB 204 on illegal slot machine operations. An amendment was adopted that set the baseline penalty at a second-degree misdemeanor, elevated violations involving six or more machines or repeat offenses to a third-degree felony, and made violations by a person of authority involving six or more machines or multiple prior convictions a second-degree felony. Testimony supported the bill’s effort to target larger illegal operations while protecting veterans’ organizations and other lawful users from felony exposure; the bill as amended was reported favorably. The committee also adopted a strike-all for CS/SB 1294 addressing Class AA biosolids, requiring agronomic-rate application, recordkeeping, IFAS guidance, and application of fertilizer-related requirements to bulk land application products, with an effective date of November 1, 2026; it was reported favorably after limited questions about oversight and IFAS’s role. Later, CS/SB 772 was heard to allow portable electronics limited licensees to sell “iware” insurance and define that term, and it was reported favorably. CS/SB 1504 updated pre-licensure education for the 440 customer service representative license so a high school student completing a half-credit insurance and personal finance elective can apply upon turning 18; it received supportive testimony from industry groups and was reported favorably. Finally, the committee adopted a strike-all amendment to CS/SB 540 creating cybersecurity program requirements for mortgage and money service businesses, extending oversight to certain investment advisers, clarifying emergency suspension authority for anti-money laundering violations, extending payment deadlines for examination costs, and adjusting director experience requirements for financial institutions; the bill as amended was reported favorably. Senators McClain and Truenow requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on tabs 11 and 13, and the committee adjourned at the end of the agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• On page three, line se by Inserting after the word 'control' and before the period the following language
• I'm sorry that we're making it harder, but we as a body, we have got control of the feral swine issue
• Moving through things through the controlled hunt would be something the first time the legislature's
• hunts facility, some of those are not controlled hunts facility.
• Is there any control over that at all? No, it's like your debate from earlier.

Bills: SB2108, SB2121, SB2171, SB2061, SB2112, SB2138

Keywords: feral swine, nuisance control, wildlife management, hunting permits, agriculture, cultivated meat, food safety, public health, misbranding, advertising, food labeling, food distribution, state regulations, hunting licenses, fishing licenses, veterans, controlled hunts, deer population, wildlife conservation, food policy

Bills: HB630, HB685, HB1318, HB2692

Keywords: outboard motors, certificate of title, vessel regulation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, marine documentation, HB 685, municipal utility rates, water rates, sewer rates, local government code, rate discrimination, tax-exempt entities, sales tax exemption, ad valorem tax exemption, nonprofit organizations, charitable organizations, municipal water service, municipal sewer service, utility billing, public utilities

Summary: The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs met with no quorum at the start, but later reached quorum and took up several bills. House Bill 2692, codifying the San Antonio River Authority’s enabling legislation and making non-substantive modernization changes, received brief supportive testimony from the River Authority and was left pending before later being voted out favorably. House Bill 685, which would prevent municipalities from charging higher water or sewer rates to tax-exempt entities than comparable customers, also drew support and was reported favorably. House Bill 1318, clarifying compensation issues when a municipality decertifies part of a retail water utility’s service area, was heard without opposition and passed out of committee. House Bill 630, exempting certain older outboard motors from title requirements, likewise passed and was placed on the local and uncontested calendar. The committee spent the most time on Senate Bill 2497, relating to filtration systems for certain public drinking water systems. Senator Zaffirini described the bill as a response to ongoing secondary water quality complaints, while TCEQ testified that such contaminants are aesthetic rather than health-based and that the water remains safe to drink if primary standards are met. The Texas Rural Water Association opposed the bill as written, arguing filtration may not solve most water quality problems and could be costly for small systems, while a consumer witness from Floresville supported it and described repeated rate increases and brown water after a filtration system was removed. Members discussed narrowing the bill through a committee substitute and emphasized the need for flexibility and technical expertise; the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably, with Senator Kolkhorst later asking to be recorded as voting no. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2850, which would create a pollinator task force to study habitat loss, public education, and best practices for protecting bees and other pollinators. Senator Menendez and invited witness Erica Thompson of Texas BeeWorks highlighted major colony losses and the economic importance of pollinators to Texas agriculture, and Environment Texas and the Texas Beekeepers Association supported the measure. Members discussed monarch butterflies, native grasses, milkweed, and conservation efforts, and the bill was reported favorably and sent to the local and uncontested calendar. After testimony, the committee also voted out several pending items, including House Bill 5560 with a committee substitute addressing water-loss penalties and infrastructure improvements, and then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Bills: HB 16, HB 1618, HB 2692, HB 2712, HB 2970, HB 3609, HB 3628

Keywords: 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, flood management, water quality, conservation district, bonds, utility rates, ratemaking, water services

Bills: HB 16, HB 1618, HB 2692, HB 2712, HB 2970, HB 3609, HB 3628

Keywords: 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, flood management, water quality, conservation district, bonds, utility rates, ratemaking, water services

Bills: HB1480, HB1781, HB1905, HB2018, HB2842

Keywords: library grants, construction, public libraries, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, community resources, livestock, rodeo, grant program, agricultural education, county fairs, funding, economic development, prescribed burn, Texas A&M Forest Service, Parks and Wildlife Department, fire safety, environmental management, agricultural conservation, land preservation, environmental protection

Transcript Highlights:

• to prevent alcohol from falling into the hands of minors.
• the laws don't apply to other alcohol the laws don't apply to other alcohol producers<00:11:07.360
• that falls in love with the beverage that falls in love with the beverage when<00:24:50.240>
• <00:25:49.080> there's FedEx is going to ship alcohol there's FedEx is going to ship alcohol
• 364 this is relating to animal control 364 this is relating to animal control our<00:32:24.679><

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce met on January 29, 2025, and heard testimony on HB 108, which concerns intoxicating liquor and would expand direct-to-consumer shipping for beer and spirits. Supporters included representatives of Koloa Rum Company, Maui Brewing Company, and Ola Brew, who argued the bill would modernize alcohol laws, help small local producers compete, support jobs and local agriculture, and give consumers more access to Hawaii-made products. They also said Hawaii already has experience regulating direct wine shipments, with age verification and carrier-based delivery systems in place, and that direct shipping could help businesses reach visitors after they return home and diversify beyond tourism. Opposition came from the Hawaii Public Health Institute, whose representative said the bill could increase access for underage drinking, especially because liquor commissions do not currently conduct compliance checks on alcohol shipments and may lack capacity to do so. The group also raised tax-enforcement concerns, saying the existing three-tier system makes excise and sales tax collection easier, while direct shipping would require additional auditing. They urged the committee to oppose the bill or defer it until more research is done, and suggested a common carrier reporting requirement to help reconcile shipments. Committee members questioned both sides about whether current law already allows some alcohol shipments, whether a Kentucky distiller could ship directly to Hawaii, and how reciprocity with other states would work. Supporters said the bill is modeled on wine-shipping language and could be amended to clarify reciprocity, while opponents said the bill lacks a common carrier reporting requirement and would place a burden on county liquor commissions. No vote or final action on HB 108 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• barber shop to serve one alcoholic barber shop to serve one alcoholic beverage.
• Um beverage means a malt beverage not uh a soft drink.
• Um beverage means a malt beverage not uh a soft drink.
• Um beverage means a malt beverage not uh a soft drink.
• a malt beverage not uh a beverage means a malt beverage not uh a soft<00:51:26.319> drink.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Bills: HCR54, HCR79, HCR87, HCR94, HCR104, HB1209

Keywords: migratory waterfowl, hunting regulations, flooded crops, wildlife management, environmental impact, hunting, Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, deer hunting, dogs, conservation, hunting heritage, federal regulations, Senator Kennedy, wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, legislative support, environment, protective measures, boating safety

Summary: The Senate Natural Resources Committee met on March 27 with a quorum present, approved prior minutes, and then took up several resolutions and one bill related to wildlife, water resources, and conservation. H.C.R. 79, as amended, urged the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to work together to allow the use of dogs for hunting in Kisatchie National Forest; supporters described it as a traditional hunting practice that has been restricted for years and could benefit local hunters and businesses. H.C.R. 104, as amended, asked the Department of Conservation and Energy and the Louisiana Geological Survey to study and modernize the collection, retention, and access to subsurface data, with members emphasizing the need to avoid sharing company-specific information. H.C.R. 87 was reported favorably to support correspondence from U.S. Sen. Kennedy regarding duck flyway management, H.C.R. 54 was reported favorably to study the impact of flooded corn on migratory waterfowl and restore an enforcement mechanism related to hunting over intentionally flooded crops, and H.C.R. 94 was reported favorably to require annual boating safety reports to legislative committees. The committee then heard HB 1209, which would have paused new cooperative endeavor agreements for surface water withdrawals while allowing existing agreements to continue and be renewed through December 31, 2036. The author said the bill was intended to give the state time to develop a more comprehensive, data-driven surface water strategy and to address invasive species such as giant salvinia, which he said has severely affected waterways in his district. Members and witnesses acknowledged the seriousness of the issue, but there was concern that the bill was too complex to move quickly in the session. The committee discussed converting it into a study resolution instead, and the bill was deferred without objection. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:49:37.120> And products from alcoholic beverages.
• And products from alcoholic beverages.
• purpose, it's sort of outside of the alcohol beverage definition and goes into this 175.5.
• purpose, it's sort of outside of the alcohol beverage definition and goes into this 175.5.
• Basically, if it's not fit for beverage purpose, it's sort of outside of the alcohol beverage definition

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:03:26.640> or um any uh place that sells alcohol or um any uh place that sells alcohol
• There was just an article in the New York Times about how non-alcoholic beverages are soaring.
• York Times about how non-alcoholic York Times about how non-alcoholic beverages<01:17:02.159>
• Then, when you throw in dry January and the rise of non-alcoholic beverages, it seems like every week
• , so there are business models that work that require alcohol and that don't require alcohol, or that

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee first dealt with a brew pub license bill and corrected some sponsor/subcommittee roster confusion before voting to pass it without discussion. The main item of debate was a bill allowing patrons to take purchased alcoholic beverages into restrooms. The bill sponsor argued the current ban is outdated, rarely enforced, and can leave patrons vulnerable if they set drinks down and leave them unattended; he said establishments could still post their own rules if they wished. Liquor enforcement officials said they were neutral overall, noting both the risk of drinks being left unattended and the practical concerns of underage drinking, over-service, and restroom monitoring. Testimony split between those who saw the law as a non-issue and those who viewed it as a safety measure. One member said he had never seen anyone take alcohol into a restroom and opposed changing the law, while others cited drink-spiking concerns and suggested alternatives such as safe zones behind bars, drink covers, and alert apps. Industry representatives said many operators would prefer to keep the law as-is because it helps with policing drinking in their establishments, though they acknowledged the motivation behind the bill. Several members also raised drafting concerns, saying the wording was confusing about whether the rule applied to patrons or establishments. The committee ultimately voted 5-2 to recommend the bill ought to pass. Afterward, members discussed amending the language to clarify that establishments could still prohibit the practice, but one member suggested a simpler fix would be to strike the word “restroom” from the prohibition entirely. The committee then unanimously voted to reconsider its action so the language could be revised later, and the amendment discussion was left for a future meeting.