Video & Transcript Research : 'terms of service'
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OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
House of Representatives Second Regular Session of the 60th Legislature Day 51 May 4th, 2026
Oklahoma House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, among others.
- Her essay was Service and Sacrifice to the Life and Legacy of C. L. Daniel.
- Point of personal privilege, I would ask that you not, what's the term, demean my character?
- I take a moment of personal privilege to tell you thank you for your service and your friendship.
- contacted post-adoption and made aware of services available to their child after they have already
Bills:
SB1543, HB1933, HJR1088, HJR1090, HJR1091, HJR1092, HJR1093, HJR1095, SB1859, HB2988, HB3016, SB237, SB2065, HB3418, HCR1027, SB1641, SB1589, SB44, SB563, SB1403, HB1979, HB3075, SB2045, SB1653, SB1655, SB2030, HB2951, SB2028, SB2071, SB206, SB1849, HB3755, SB1509, SB1314, SB1561, SB1217, SB1618, HJR1096, HJR1099, HJR1100
Keywords:
driving under the influence, felony offense, ignition interlock device, community service, criminal assessment, nitrous oxide, Maddix Bias Act, intoxication, underage sale, misdemeanor, drug paraphernalia, enforcement, education rules, administrative rules, joint resolution, Oklahoma State Department of Education, higher education, State Regents for Higher Education, Teachers' Retirement System, charter schools
Summary:
The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including Veteran of the Week Colonel Stanley L. Evans, Oklahoma City Young Professionals, state contest winners for America’s 250th anniversary, and a long series of page introductions. The chamber then moved into floor action on a large number of measures, many of them Senate bills and House joint resolutions dealing with administrative rules and agency oversight, public safety, education, health, agriculture, business, and tax policy.
Among the major bills discussed were SB 1543 on aggregating multiple DUI charges within one year into a single felony case, HB 1933 on nitrous oxide violations, SB 1859 creating an OSBI Cybercrimes and Fraud Unit, SB 237 on ad valorem tax NAICS code changes, SB 2065 designating pollinator-related state symbols, SB 44 extending nonprofit sales tax exemptions to contractors, SB 2030 updating automated expungement procedures, SB 2045 expanding the Grow Your Own education program, and several water and agriculture measures including SB 1509, SB 1314, and SB 2071. Members also considered multiple joint resolutions approving permanent administrative rules for education, energy and agriculture, business and commerce, health agencies, and building code rules, with Kendricks explaining that some major rules were separated out for transparency and, in one case, a cost mitigation agreement had been reached.
Testimony and debate were generally brief and focused on clarifying amendments. Several authors explained that amendments were added to address constitutionality, remove outdated or incorrect language, or reflect negotiated changes with agencies and stakeholders. Notable discussion included concerns about forum shopping in SB 1543, questions about the scope of the Grow Your Own program in SB 2045, and clarification that SB 1618’s pretrial report language had been changed to a public safety report agreed to by sheriffs and district attorneys. The House adopted numerous amendments without objection and passed the bills by wide margins, including some unanimous or near-unanimous votes, while a few measures drew more opposition, such as SB 1403, SB 1509, SB 2071, and SB 1618. The House also adopted HCR 1027 setting sine die adjournment for Thursday, May 14, and adjourned until the next day, May 5, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Veterans and Military Affairs Apr 9th, 2026 at 11:00 am
Veterans and Military Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- Otherwise, I am very happy with it from a military point of view.
- And yes, you're right, it would double that amount of time.
- Yes, because when you do this kind of employing of part-time staff, you can pay them a good rate and
- And I'm worried about that for us in terms of Oklahomans having access to benefits and stable employment
- the state of Oklahoma.
Keywords:
Oklahoma National Guard, compensation, education assistance, career technology, military benefits, veterans, donations, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, state agency, executive branch, HB3043, ODVA, seasonal employees, project labor, pro rata jobs, unclassified service, state personnel law, state employee benefits, paid leave, paid holidays
AZ
Arizona 2026 Regular Session
03/10/2026 - House Natural Resources, Energy & Water
Natural Resources, Energy & Water
Transcript Highlights:
- Madam Chair, members, Senate Bill 1202 requires the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources
- of this legislation and defines relevant terms.
- We have the Department of the Interior, BIA, Bureau of Reclamation, and WAPA all in support of what we're
- impact of storage definitions and has applied for years to area of impact of storage definitions so
- And so if you recovered your long-term storage credits within the area of impact, it is still the stored
Keywords:
groundwater, water conservation, Arizona water resources, drought management, water quality, irrigation, active management area, domestic use, stock watering, water rights, small modular reactors, energy regulation, environmental compatibility, utility construction, agricultural use, industrial users, water storage, recovery well, Arizona Revised Statutes, water management
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee 3/25/26
Public Safety Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- For us as investigators, any lengthening of statute of limitations is valuable to us in terms of being
- For us as investigators, any lengthening of statute of limitations is valuable to us in terms of being
- It was looked at in terms of what did we see for cases and when it may have been identified.
- is valuable to us in<00:39:11.920><c> terms</c><00:39:12.240><c> of</c><00:39:12.320><c> being</c><00
- of being able to bring a viable in terms of being able to bring a viable case<00:39:14.280><c> and</
Keywords:
HF4371, Minnesota background checks, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, Office of the Legislative Auditor, Legislative Auditor, criminal history records, national criminal history record information, public safety, statutory amendment, section 299C.76, requesting agency, state audit, oversight, background screening, criminal records, county agencies, MNsure, Department of Revenue, Department of Human Services
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- for municipalities and counties by utilizing three years of the University of Florida Schimberg study
- because of Live Local.
- Last year, the Joint Administrative Procedure Committee issued a notice of nullification of the rule
- We do have a couple of appearance forms.
- of transition.
Keywords:
recreational vehicle parks, special assessments, property tax, occupancy rates, commercial assessment, ad valorem, homestead exemption, disabled veteran, veteran surviving spouse, first responder, line of duty, service-connected death, tax exemption transfer, remarriage, primary residence, Florida Statutes 196.081, property appraiser, local government revenue, surviving spouse tax relief, alcohol distribution
Summary:
The Committee on Finance and Tax met with a quorum present and heard several bills, most of them focused on tax policy and property-related exemptions. CS/SB 118 clarified how non-ad valorem special assessments apply to recreational vehicle parks, and an amendment removed a requirement that local governments consider RV park occupancy rates when apportioning assessments. The bill was supported by a Florida Retail Federation representative and was reported favorably.
The committee also reported favorably on SB 1520, which modifies Live Local Act property tax exemption provisions by extending the vesting period for the missing middle exemption and expanding the data used for local government opt-outs; SB 678, which reestablishes the framework allowing distributors to deduct unsellable alcohol from monthly excise tax; and CS/SB 680, which creates a sales tax exemption to address double taxation on electricity used at EV charging stations. Each of these bills had support from industry or trade groups, and CS/SB 680 drew comments from Senator Gaetz praising the bill as a solution to prior tax collection confusion.
The committee then approved CS/SB 450, which updates property tax exemption rules for surviving spouses of permanently and totally disabled veterans by allowing transfer of a larger portion of the exemption to a new homestead; an amendment raised the transferable amount to up to 120% of the prior exemption. The final bill, CS/SB 1074, was amended to establish uniform rules for rounding cash transactions to the nearest nickel in light of the Federal Reserve’s suspension of penny distribution, while preserving tax calculations and providing liability protections; it also included safeguards for pawn and recycling transactions. All bills considered were reported favorably, Senator Gaetz asked to be recorded as voting yes on all bills, and the committee adjourned without objection.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House State Government Finance and Policy Committee 2/26/26
State Government Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- The time of school personnel and money being spent on services like brokers would be much better used
- The time of school personnel and money being spent on services like brokers would be much better used
- service in the legislature and taking time away from their years of public service as a public servant
- </c><01:30:32.800><c> service</c><01:30:32.960><c> in</c> harmless for their years of service in harmless
- > a</c> from their years of public service as a from their years of public service as a public<01:30:
Keywords:
state grants, grant oversight, grants management, executive agencies, Minnesota Department of Administration, commissioner of administration, fraud prevention, waste prevention, grant monitoring, financial reconciliation, grant compliance, state government, public funds, grant recipients, competitive grants, grant administration, administrative oversight, monitoring visits, grant policy, legislative leave
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee 3/24/26
Commerce Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- I was going to say a two-tier service, but we already have like a 40 tier service of health care access
- I was going to say a two-tier service, but we already have like a 40 tier service of health care access
- This bill gives people a shorter term of long-term care. Now, why would you want that?
- insurance cover more, uh, services or different services, or is it kind of just the same but it's a
- care long-term care and long-term care services<00:42:23.040><c> and</c><00:42:23.520><c> the</c><00
Keywords:
real estate, appraisers, disciplinary actions, sanction matrix, Minnesota Statutes, direct primary care, healthcare agreements, medical services, patient care, health insurance, mortgage fees, residential loans, commercial loans, finance regulations, investment properties, insurance, supplemental health insurance, short-term care, home health care, nursing care
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Veterans and Military Affairs Division 3/11/26
Veterans and Military Affairs Division
Transcript Highlights:
- or as a result of their service.
- We have forgotten about the service of our veterans. I have not.
- individuals who wake up every morning reminded of their service?
- A summary of the grants, the number of veterans, active service members, and their family members served
- Behind every number is a family, a community, and a life of service.
Keywords:
veterans property tax, homestead exclusion, disabled veteran, totally and permanently disabled, service-connected disability, property tax relief, market value exclusion, surviving spouse, family caregiver, county veterans service officer, Minnesota property tax, assessment year 2027, homestead tax benefit, veterans tax exemption, DD214, VA disability rating, veterans, veterans affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, grant standards
LA
Transcript Highlights:
- Is this a bank located outside of the country or outside of the state of Louisiana?
- Is this a bank located outside of the country or outside of the state of Louisiana?
- the state is uniform, no matter what the company looks like, what kind of service they're providing,
- I'm curious as to whether we're tracking the jobs that are going to, I guess for lack of a better term
- Of that $100 billion of investment here in the state of Louisiana, it was noted that $40 billion of that
Keywords:
Louisiana Auctioneers Licensing Board, auctioneer licensing, professional licensing board, board membership, gubernatorial appointments, consumer members, public at large, Public Service Commission district, East Baton Rouge Parish, venue, domicile, licensure requirements, licensed auctioneer, occupational licensing, state board governance, Act 138, home inspectors, licensing, term limits, Louisiana State Board
OK
Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session
Veteran and Military Affairs REVISED: Links added Feb 5th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Veteran and Military Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- and, by virtue of my military service, qualify to become a US citizen. according to US Customs Immigration
- In your estimation, if one of those service members becomes 100% disabled would they qualify for this
- peak times of the year, peak hours of the day.
- He was a member of the National Guard after 40 years of service.
- service.
Keywords:
veterans, disability benefits, federal law, Oklahoma Statutes, military service, veterans benefits, workplace poster, human resources, employment law, mental health resources, educational resources, HB3043, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, ODVA, seasonal employees, project labor, pro rata jobs, unclassified service, state personnel law, state employee benefits
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Is it a term of art for lawyers? I don't know.
- We have short-term rental regulations to protect the property rights of the people like me who own there
- And so, if we pass this into law, the state of Texas will only use the term "HUD code manufactured home
- Maybe it's a county-wide thing as opposed to a city..." ...a lot of people need this service.
- I guess you could use the option of using somebody that has a free service, but are those found in rural
Keywords:
municipality, local government, Type A, Type B, Type C, change authority, emergency medical services, civil service status, municipal government, public safety, local government code, school funding, education, state budget, local control, equity, tenant legal services, eviction, low-income tenants, disability rights
OK
Transcript Highlights:
- A comparison of our incentives to those elsewhere in our state and out of state.
- Lengths of certain members of the OStrad boardard, which is the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of
- So this allows for alternate terms of service so that we have a continuity within that board.
- a product or service, especially in the tailor-made world of information technology.
- Similar to the questions that Representative Popeiller was asking, in terms of how far is this going
Keywords:
2030 census, complete count committee, census outreach, decennial census, enumeration, population count, hard-to-count populations, hard-to-enumerate areas, State Data Center, Oklahoma Census, multilingual campaign, public outreach, school-based outreach, community organizations, minority groups, ethnic minorities, language minorities, self-response rate, census awareness, federal census
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- entry in the country in terms of commerce, really in the Western Hemisphere, we periodically will get
- regulatory gap concerning the removal of electric service infrastructure at long-term inactive well
- This is not a pilot project in the sense of the technology; it's a pilot project. in terms of demonstrating
- It's a lot of that. It's put back on the service center.
- We were strictly speaking in terms of the liability protections.
Keywords:
HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft
TX
Texas 89th Regular
S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs May 5th, 2025
S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm the CEO of the American GI Forum, arguably one of the largest veteran service providers in the state
- What that does is it builds a resistance to asking for help when you get out of the service. Okay?
- And as mentioned, a lot of us aren't originally from Texas, but we choose Texas to continue our service
- The reality of it is I think all of us have a special moment that we think of when we think of our moms
- The term husband means "man of the house." That's what it means.
Keywords:
veterans, service members, military transition, Texas Veterans Commission, pilot program, self-reliance, employment assistance, housing assistance, mental health services, career training, veterans service organizations, spouses and dependents, military families, Texas military forces, post-separation support, reentry services, workforce development, benefits navigation, transition assistance, SB 651
TX
Texas 89th Regular
S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs Apr 7th, 2025
S/C on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- honor that can be bestowed upon someone in military service, underneath the Medal of Honor.
- now obviously it's its own independent branch of service.
- It is a symbol of our gratitude and recognition of the sacrifices made by our service members. and their
- Law entitles certain public employees who engage in military service to a paid leave of absence of up
- Thank you for your service to the state of Texas. House Bill 2513.
Keywords:
Veterans of Foreign Wars, veterans, commemoration, military service, recognition, September 29, waiver programs, toll roads, discount programs, transportation, affordable housing, land bank program, low-income households, Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, HB 2061, Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 225, State Highway 242, Interstate Highway 69, Montgomery County
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Feb 24th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans
Transcript Highlights:
- and the coordination of community and economic development services, among many others.
- and the coordination of community and economic development services, among many others.
- service, a discharge with a general under honorable conditions characterization of service, or a discharge
- In terms of, I just wanted clarification on if I'm thinking of, In terms of, I just wanted clarification
- their service term.
Bills:
SB5420
Keywords:
veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on Substitute Senate Bill 6289, which would require the Department of Commerce to develop a statewide economic development and competitiveness strategic plan by June 30, 2027 and update it every five years. The sponsor said the bill is intended to coordinate existing efforts, set goals, and support businesses of all sizes with a data-driven statewide strategy. Commerce and the Washington Economic Development Association supported the bill, emphasizing the need for alignment, competitiveness, and adequate resources; witnesses also said the five-year update cycle would reduce costs. The committee discussed the fiscal implications and the need for annual check-ins, but no opposition was raised during the hearing.
The committee also heard Substitute Senate Bill 6149, which would broaden the definition of a rural county for certain public facilities and economic development purposes to include counties with population density of 100 or more people per square mile if they have no city larger than 45,000 residents. Senator Wilson said the bill is meant to preserve rural eligibility for counties like Cowlitz that have low-density areas but a single larger city, so they can continue to qualify for grants and other programs. Members asked about how the definition would affect counties and whether it would preserve existing rural designations. The hearing was then closed.
In executive session, the committee considered and advanced three bills. Senate Bill 5420, concerning access to state benefits and opportunities for veterans, was amended to update discharge terminology, include airmen in employment preference provisions, and revise qualifying discharge definitions; it passed 12-0 with one excused. Engrossed Senate Bill 5649, creating a supply chain competitiveness infrastructure program, was amended to prioritize projects benefiting Washington-produced goods and supply chain resilience and to avoid overlap with Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board funding; it also passed 12-0 with one excused. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5984, regulating AI companion chatbots, saw several amendments adopted and others rejected, including changes to gaming and educational exclusions, data minimization, and removal of an exemption for general-purpose AI models; it passed 8-4 with one excused. The committee adjourned after reporting all three bills out with due pass as amended recommendations.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans Feb 18th, 2026 at 08:00 am
Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans
Transcript Highlights:
- As additional background, the Public Health Corps is the uniformed branch of the Public Health Service
- That preference is extended to spouses of active duty service members, and additional details are included
- My name is Tammy Pro, and I represent the Department of War and the over 50,000 active duty service members
- Washington State Code to reflect the evolving needs of our military members, veterans, uniformed service
- , and benefits of members of other military branches.
Bills:
SB5420
Keywords:
veterans, military spouses, service members, uniformed services, National Guard, reservists, active duty, qualifying discharge, veterans preference, hiring preference, public employment, state benefits, license renewal, professional licensing, retirement service credit, pension, public retirement system, Washington RCW, military leave, reemployment rights
Summary:
The committee held public hearings on two bills. Senate Bill 5420 would expand access to state benefits and preferences for veterans, uniformed service members, and military spouses. Staff explained that it would add members of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and NOAA Corps to certain retirement, civil relief, licensing, and employment preference provisions, and extend some hiring preference to military spouses. Senator John Lovick testified in support, saying the bill had been worked on extensively and had passed the Senate overwhelmingly. Tammy Peral of the Department of Veterans Affairs also supported the bill, emphasizing modernization of state law and stronger support for military families. No opposition was heard, and the chair closed the hearing on the bill.
The committee also heard Engrossed Senate Bill 5649, which creates a Washington state supply chain competitiveness infrastructure program for public and tribal ports. Staff said the Department of Transportation would set priorities for grants and loans, work with supply chain stakeholders, and require projects to fit freight development plans and program goals. The bill includes an amendment to limit eligible projects to those not already eligible for Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board funding, addressing concerns about duplication. Senator Marko Liias testified that ports are central to Washington’s trade economy and that the bill would create a targeted port grant program. Testifiers from the Port of Benton and Port of Kalama described rail, terminal, and marine highway projects that need state matching funds and said the program would help small and rural ports compete and attract investment. The committee asked questions about project eligibility and the relationship to other funding sources, then closed the hearing on the bill and adjourned.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- And now with this bill, in terms of the funding, the procurement reform, and the look at the due process
- And so there's certainly areas that can be improved upon in terms of the plugging process.
- And I can tell you that right now, our youth services center that Bernalillo County runs, one of the
- That is, this changes long-term and short-term sentencing for up to a longer period of time.
- Chairman and Senator, when I worked with a lot of our colleagues here to create the lactation services
Keywords:
general appropriation, budget, Medicaid, education funding, public safety, telecommunications, low-income assistance, lifeline, broadband, rural broadband, universal service fund, public regulation commission, PRC, 911 surcharge, telecommunications relay service, VoIP, mobile service, internet affordability, digital equity, digital inclusion
Summary:
The committee heard a series of capital, bond, environmental, economic development, juvenile justice, and health care bills. Senate Bill 240, the capital outlay package, was presented as a $1.3 billion statewide appropriation, including discretionary capital projects and agency projects; after questions about CYFD projects and House/Senate capital allocations, the committee voted do pass on the committee substitute. House Bill 248, the general obligation bond package totaling about $392.5 million for senior centers, libraries, higher education, and tribal projects, also received a do pass after questions about project vetting, bond timing, and school bus funding. House Bill 80, which increases the share of oil and gas conservation tax revenue going to the Oil and Gas Reclamation Fund to speed orphan well plugging and site cleanup, drew strong support from business, environmental, and industry groups; members discussed funding balances, procurement bottlenecks, and the distinction between abandoned and orphan wells before voting do pass. House Bill 184, making technical fixes to the Conservation Legacy Permanent Fund and related distribution rules, passed with little debate.
The committee also heard Senate Bill 172, which expands the TRIGGER program allowing companies to access national laboratory expertise; supporters from the labs, the governor’s office, universities, and business groups cited job creation, follow-on investment, and commercialization gains, while one senator raised concerns about the long extension of the program. The bill passed do pass. House Bill 95, creating a judge for the First and Second Judicial Districts, was described as matching a previously heard Senate bill and passed do pass. Senate Bill 165, a major juvenile justice bill, generated the most extensive debate: the sponsor said it updates the juvenile code, raises the age for certain serious offenses, extends services for youth sentenced as adults, and expands community corrections; law enforcement supported it, while the Public Defender, youth advocates, the ACLU, and a Bernalillo County commissioner opposed it, arguing it expands adult sentencing and relies too heavily on incarceration. Despite those objections, the committee voted do pass.
Finally, House Bill 4, which increases the Health Care Affordability Fund distribution to support premium assistance and related coverage programs, was amended so that a portion of the premium surtax would go to the Behavioral Health Program Fund and any unexpended balance would revert to the affordability fund. Supporters from BeWell, health advocacy groups, the insurance office, and homeless services said the bill would protect coverage gains and help offset federal changes; members asked about the amendment’s effect on the behavioral health fund and the bill’s flexibility if revenues decline. The amendment was adopted, and discussion on the bill continued.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
House Chamber - Mon Mar 30, 2026, 12:00PM HST - Day 35
Hawaii House Floor Meeting
Bills:
HR208, HR50, HCR54, HR102, HCR110, HR103, HCR111, HR114, HCR122, HR152, HCR162, HR20, HCR19, HR98, HCR106, HR49, HCR53, HR53, HCR57, HR93, HCR101, SB3225
Keywords:
Boys & Girls Club of Hawaiʻi, Youth of the Year, Military Youth of the Year, House Resolution, HR 208, keiki, youth recognition, student achievement, leadership award, community service, youth development, after-school programs, teen center, military families, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Legislature, commendation, congratulation, positive youth development, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- terms of the very intentional stakeholder-driven process that has been employed.
- If it's one piece of it or two pieces of it related to having to take any bank or any lending service
- They shouldn't be restricted in terms of the financing. That's exactly what I mentioned to this..."
- "They shouldn't be restricted in terms of the financing.
- And the staff that is working to provide the service to the state of Texas and the citizens.
Bills:
HB12, HB149, SB229, SB1361, SB1749, SB1897, SB2113, SB2566, SB2677, SB1652, SB2327, SB2344, SB2696
Keywords:
artificial intelligence, regulation, biometric data, ethical AI, consumer protection, AI governance, automobile sales, finance, retail seller, motor vehicle purchase, motor vehicle sales, pricing restrictions, third-party financing, education, funding, student assessment, accountability, standards, motor vehicle, financing
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce heard testimony on HB 149, the Artificial Intelligence Governance Act. Senator Schwertner described the bill as an outcomes-based AI framework that would require disclosure when people interact with AI, prohibit manipulative or social-scoring systems, address biometric capture, discrimination, and deepfake child exploitation, and give the Attorney General enforcement authority. It would also create an AI Sandbox and AI Council. Witnesses from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a Houston attorney, TechNet, and the Texas Association of Business strongly supported the bill, praising its stakeholder process and pro-innovation approach, while Texas Appleseed suggested regulators should have more examination authority over sandbox participants. The bill was left pending.
The committee then heard SB 229, which would prohibit motor vehicle dealers from conditioning a sale on dealer-offered financing or charging more because a buyer uses outside financing or cash. Senator West said the bill is meant to stop forced financing and bait-and-switch pricing, and he noted the bill passed the committee and Senate in the prior session. The Texas Automobile Dealers Association opposed the bill, arguing it would force dealers to accept any third-party lender or cash transaction on terms they cannot control. The Texas Credit Union Association supported the bill, saying consumers should be able to choose outside financing without hidden fees or pressure. After questions about cash purchases and dealer practices, the bill was left pending.
The committee also took up SB 2566, which would clarify legislators’ access to information from executive agencies, including confidential information, by setting response deadlines, limiting confidentiality agreements to statutory terms, requiring a standard AG form, and creating a complaint and penalty process for noncompliance. No witnesses testified, and the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 1749, as substituted, would let certain court-related employees and judicial conduct commission personnel keep personal information such as home addresses and phone numbers confidential, with work addresses used in place of home addresses for certain purposes. District clerk and judicial conduct commission witnesses described threats and harassment as the reason for the bill, and a court administration witness answered questions about how the address protections would work with voter registration and precinct records. That bill was also left pending, and the committee recessed without further business.