Transcript Highlights:

• my state Senate district is in District 27, the southern coastal area of Texas, all the way to the border
• I have a significant part of the Rio Grande Valley border between Texas and Mexico.
• Senate District is in 27, the southeastern coastal area of Texas, all the way to the border.
• I have a significant part of the Rio Grande Valley border between Texas and Mexico.

Bills: SJR36, SB2, SR9, SR10, SR16

Keywords: American Public Works Association, public works, infrastructure, Texas, recognition day, local government, municipalities, APWA, Texas Chapter, community development, engineering, professional recognition, community impact, Texas Society of Professional Engineers, Lubbock leadership, recognition, professional achievement, Alpha Kappa Alpha, sorority, social service

Transcript Highlights:

• c> you<00:24:08.679> choose<00:24:09.000> to<00:24:09.159> live person's control
• that person being here by controlling that person's sustaining resources, does that change your opinion
• that person being here by controlling that person being here by that<00:28:16.279> sustaining
• <02:15:19.840> um<02:15:20.559> and border um and border um and the<02:15:22.360> right
• <02:15:32.079> New Hampshire across the border New Hampshire across the border New Hampshire

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, they do retain full ownership of their land, so their privacy, control of their land, um, and they
• so this is just something that is the camel's nose under the tent way too far, trying to sort of control
• It's private property in the context of the borders of a state that has laws. Absolutely, it does.
• the borders of a state that has laws. the borders of a state that has laws.
• There's no control over the land by whoever buys that credit.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with introductions and approval of the previous minutes, including a small amendment clarifying a note about “leakage” in a prior presentation. The committee then heard a presentation from Sarah Hall of the American Forest Foundation on the Family Forest Carbon Program, which she described as a voluntary carbon and forest management program for smaller landowners. She said the program provides annual payments and technical assistance, requires a forest management plan within two years, and is designed to support improved forest management while still allowing compatible uses such as recreation, hunting, and some harvesting. Hall emphasized that the program is intended as one tool among many and is not a fit for every property. She said most enrolled landowners did not previously have a forest management plan or work with a forester, and that the program helps bring “unengaged” landowners into active management. She also said the program is compatible with current use and other commitments on a case-by-case basis, and that landowners retain ownership of their land and timber rights while AFF holds the carbon rights for the contract term. She highlighted examples of landowners using the program to support taxes, family ownership, wildlife habitat, timber stand improvement, and continued recreational or business uses. Committee members asked about registry compliance in New Hampshire and the relationship between carbon markets and the program. Hall responded that AFF handles registry administration for landowners and would follow up on the specific registry count raised by a member. She explained that the program is funded through a mix of carbon market revenue, philanthropy, and grants, and that carbon credits are generated through landscape-level methodology and monitored using randomly selected plots compared with FIA data. She also noted that consulting foresters are key partners in the program and that AFF has paid more than $3 million to consultants nationwide.

Transcript Highlights:

• more deed history, develop other plans, and that can prolong the timeline, which is outside of our control
• <00:36:36.560> So,<00:36:37.280> you<00:36:37.440> know, outside of our control
• So, you know, outside of our control.
• I think that we got three because a number of rental car companies went across the border into Massachusetts
• <01:01:21.359> into companies went across the border into companies went across the border

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 74, which would require agencies issuing certain real-property-related permits to track and report how many permits they issue and how long the process takes. Representative Carol McGuire introduced the bill and said the goal is to gather data on permit timing and fees, especially for DES and DOT permits involving wetlands, alteration of terrain, driveway permits, and similar approvals. Supporters argued the state needs better visibility into permitting delays and whether statutory deadlines are realistic; they also noted the bill had passed the House on a voice vote with no debate. Adam Crapo of the Department of Environmental Services said DES is generally supportive of the reporting concept but warned that the agency’s data are spread across many separate, partly manual databases. He said DES can already do this for some land resources permits through its new system, but not across all of its more than 90 permit types without additional help. DES estimated it would need two part-time positions to compile the reports, especially for waste management and water programs, and said otherwise existing permitting staff would have to do the work, potentially slowing permit processing. He also said the agency is already working to simplify rules and move more permits onto a new online platform, but could not meet the bill’s 2026 reporting deadline with current staffing and systems. Committee members questioned whether delays are often caused by incomplete applications rather than agency inaction, and Crapo said that is frequently the case. He said DES already tracks timelines to some extent for management and statutory compliance, but not at the individual-permit detail the bill would require. He also said some letters and records are captured in One Stop, but not all are. Members expressed support for the bill’s transparency goals while also worrying about added workload and possible slowdowns. The discussion then moved to DOT, where Susan Clawson said DOT is neutral on the bill because it recently implemented Salesforce and now has good data for reporting; DOT’s fiscal note reflects software-related costs, but the agency can already track the required information in its system.

Transcript Highlights:

• He gave some geographic background: Lake of the Woods County is right next to Canada, they border where
• <01:26:49.199> Canada<01:26:50.159> we<01:26:50.840> we<01:26:51.080> border
• <01:26:51.639> where right next to Canada we we border where right next to Canada we we border
• These things just keep snowballing, and it's so hard to control these costs for our local governments
• these costs for our so hard to control these costs for our local governments governments governments

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The House Capital Investment Committee met on January 23 and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. The main presentation was from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on its evaluation of Minnesota’s Sustainable Building guidelines, also referred to as B3. The auditors said the guidelines apply to certain new buildings and major renovations funded with general obligation bonds and are intended to improve energy efficiency, occupant health, and environmental quality. They described the program as involving the Departments of Administration and Commerce, the University of Minnesota’s Center for Sustainable Building Research, and project teams, but found widespread confusion over who is responsible for administering and enforcing the program. The auditors reported that oversight and accountability are limited, compliance is not clearly tracked, and there is no agency assigned to ensure projects follow the guidelines or to require compliance data. They said many projects in a review of 2020 bonding projects had not begun tracking compliance, and that up-to-date data were often missing. They also found the law’s stated program objectives are outdated because the referenced energy-code provision was repealed in 2009, and that measurable goals have not been established for most of the guideline categories. The office recommended that the legislature designate a responsible agency, clarify duties in statute, require compliance monitoring and data collection, update the program’s stated goals, and direct systematic evaluation of cost and sustainability outcomes. Members asked about consequences for noncompliance, funding, and whether cost impacts should be studied first. The auditor said the requirements are legal obligations, but no real enforcement consequences have been used so far, and any consequences discussed have been mostly theoretical. She said the Departments of Administration and Commerce were receiving about $1 million combined to support the contract with the Center for Sustainable Building Research, while other state agencies were not receiving dedicated funding for oversight. In response to questions about costs, she said the overall effect of the guidelines on project costs and sustainability is still unknown, but that the legislature could direct an analysis of cost impacts before taking further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Um, all the things in life you can control. >> I sent it in to ... Can you help me?
• Uh, so one concern I have is when we take away that local control and the ability to do that.
• I'm not a purist on local control. I am on protecting kids. Thank you.
• I'm not a purist on local control. I am on protecting kids. Thank you.
• <01:30:33.120> Um,<01:30:34.239> I border. I'm not sure about that. Um, I border.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then obviously, breaking ground on a multitude of projects, as well as the Westie Air Traffic Control
• One of the trailers has kind of the command and control piece where it's got a room where a Couple of
• So don't get me wrong, Graardi's is not going to be at the controls of the spaceplane at the end of the
• as a part of this project along with some other things that were put in the tower, some lighting control
• Same thing for our friends south of the border in Mexico.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One is air traffic control.
• We've been challenged in terms of recruiting and maintaining air traffic controllers.
• wildland fire team has been active, actually, and our forest department, previous to this, to do some control
• So we continue to do control burns to be able to mitigate potential large-scale fires.
• Northern Command for the southern border mission, U.S.

Summary: The Joint Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs met to hear updates from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the Washington Military Department, the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Commerce on federal and state impacts affecting veterans, military families, and military installations. JBLM’s garrison commander said the base remains focused on housing, child care, and spouse employment, but is facing workforce reductions tied to federal personnel actions, especially in air traffic control, 911 dispatch, and firefighting. He also said JBLM is preparing for increased mutual-aid needs during fire season, and that the Army Transformation Initiative could change unit composition at JBLM over time without a major overall population shift. He confirmed that the Lewis Army Museum is on a closure list, but said the building will remain in use for training and that the base is exploring partnerships to keep museum functions operating, possibly with volunteers or local partners. The Washington Military Department reported about 400 Guard members deployed on federal missions and described ongoing state missions in cybersecurity and firefighting. The department said the Army National Guard’s 81st Stryker Brigade will transition to a mobile combat team, with associated changes in equipment, manning, and end strength. It also warned that continuing resolutions are delaying funding, limiting new military construction starts, and increasing costs. The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs outlined a $3.2 million reduction from the governor’s budget and related cuts affecting internships, vacant positions, outreach travel, claims support contracts, counseling and wellness, veterans’ innovation assistance, and the military transition and readiness council staff position. WDVA said it is ending or scaling back several programs, including in-house nursing assistant training, the veteran farm at Ordean, Vet Corps due to AmeriCorps funding changes, and the tobacco cessation program, while noting that the legislature funded about $23.7 million in capital projects for veteran homes, cemeteries, and transitional housing. The Department of Commerce presented on the Defense Community Compatibility Account, which funds projects that reduce conflicts between military installations and nearby communities. The program currently has 10 projects across five legislative districts, including school and child care improvements, water wells, land acquisition, and a joint firefighting training center in Everett. The presenter said the main challenge is that DCCA projects often need non-state funding secured before they can compete, which can make it hard to leverage federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program dollars; he recommended more flexible state timing to help projects qualify for federal funding. In closing discussion, members raised possible future agenda items including child care near bases, veteran homelessness, suicide prevention, Navy Day, military family housing, and a possible Department of Licensing issue involving guard and reserve designations on driver’s licenses. No formal votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after members were invited to suggest topics for the October and December committee meetings.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas retains sovereign control over the 10-mile zone off its coast, an important expression of our state's
• trafficking that we're trying to stop, and you know how prevalent it's become in recent years on the border
• HB 18 required internet sources to implement systems that give parents greater control over their child's
• , so these are, um, social media applications, websites, and others, um, we'll have to establish controls
• Uh, uh, you know, I'm good at controlling time. So, uh, the chair calls Doctor, uh, Lindy McGee.

Transcript Highlights:

• providing key trade routes, energy resources, and national security benefits. ...retain sovereign control
• It's become more so in recent years on the border, and I think this would be a great effective tool that
• HB 18 required internet sources to implement systems that give parents greater control over their child's
• service providers, including social media applications, websites, and others, will have to establish controls
• You know, I'm good at controlling time, so the Chair calls. Also, Dr.

Bills: SB1361, SB2105, SB2690, SB2713, SCR38, SB2637, SB2881

Keywords: SB 1361, Texas disaster recovery loan, small business loan, micro-business loan, community development financial institution, CDFI, economic disaster assistance, post-disaster financing, business recovery fund, Texas Economic Development Bank, zero-interest loan, working capital, payroll support, health benefits, job retention, declared disaster, small business relief, microenterprise, franchise exclusion, private equity-backed business

Transcript Highlights:

• challenge to preserve its independence from federal oversight of our state, particularly in maintaining control
• to prevent it; we're just setting certain parameters as long as it stays out of the FERC and NERC control
• the proposed interconnection... must not subject the aircraft power region to additional federal controls
• And we control what happens in Texas, as far as gas-fired and other types of technologies, but we don't
• easing new residents' entry into the workforce, reciprocity agreements can also support Texans in border

Bills: HB 11, HB 14, HB 132, HB 1584, HB 1606, HB 5061, HB 1041, HB 2286

Keywords: licensing, reciprocity, regulation, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, interstate agreements, nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 132, Texas Government Code Chapter 418, Public Information Act, confidential records, homeland security, foreign adversary, terrorism, critical infrastructure, emergency response, law enforcement

Summary: The meeting was a thorough exploration of multiple bills, most notably focused on innovative energy solutions and public safety enhancements. Key discussions centered around HB14, which aims to bolster the state's nuclear energy capabilities through the establishment of a Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office. Senators and expert witnesses discussed the potential of nuclear power as a clean energy source and a strategic necessity for Texas's growth. There was strong support for the bill, with various stakeholders highlighting its importance for the future energy landscape. Additionally, other bills like HB132 addressed the need for enhanced confidentiality protections regarding sensitive information, while HB1584 sought improvements in power restoration procedures during emergencies. Overall, the committee engaged with multiple viewpoints, balancing innovation with safety and ethical considerations.

Transcript Highlights:

• California, I'm a Californian, that we got that Californians are significantly more endangered by out-of-control
• So regardless of climate. changes, which again we have very little near-term control over, we can radically
• So in the case where it's the government controlled thing.
• Of those, risk is the only one a homeowner has any control over.
• are much more affluent but also have suffered from multiple fires that have continued to cross our border

Keywords: homeowners insurance, natural disasters, insurance costs, climate change, disaster preparedness, federal policies, bipartisan solutions

Summary: The meeting reviewed critical issues surrounding the rising costs and accessibility of homeowners insurance across the United States, particularly in light of increasing natural disasters linked to climate change. Members engaged in extensive discussions regarding the implications for families and the economy, citing significant increases in premiums and decreasing availability of policies in high-risk areas. Supervisor Peysko highlighted the direct impact of federal policies on local communities, emphasizing the growing burden on homeowners as they face skyrocketing insurance costs amidst a backdrop of environmental challenges and regulatory constraints. The committee expressed a unified call to action for bipartisan solutions, focusing on improving building codes and enhancing disaster preparedness measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• entrusted with command. of that same mission, leading a combined operation of U.S. and allied partners in control
• major basing decisions, currently including platforms and mission sets like F-15EX, KC-46, and space control
• about a certain place in the world he called it the most strategic place on the planet and whoever controlled
• that place would control the world Mr.
• exact kind of misinformation that Russia pushed to justify them rolling troops and tanks across the border

Keywords: Department of Defense, nominations, Matthew Lohmeyer, Justin Overbaugh, global security, military readiness, NATO, Russia, China, defense infrastructure

Summary: The meeting was primarily focused on discussing nominations for key positions within the Department of Defense, specifically for roles such as the Undersecretary of the Air Force and the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. Senators expressed urgent concerns about global security threats, the need for robust military readiness, and the emphasis on effective collaboration with NATO allies amidst rising tensions with adversaries such as Russia and China. Several senators highlighted the challenges facing military infrastructure and defense capabilities, suggesting a critical need for improvements and investment in these areas to ensure national security.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the Rio Grande Valley, where I'm from, is situated along the border.
• What the letter is, instead of like a quality control customer care issue system going on.
• While modern vehicles are manufactured with better emissions and have cleaner emissions, of controls,
• Senate Bill 27 gives business owners more control over their costs and reduces the financial burden when
• So what we really need to do is still allow a city to You sort of control who comes in and make sure

Bills: HB5057, HB4519, HB5033, HB3997, HB 1237, HB1904, HB4400, HB 1227

Keywords: solid waste management, exclusive contracts, public agency, contract amendment, notification requirements, Texas Health and Safety Code, Texas Emissions Reduction Plan, TERP, air quality, emissions reduction, clean fleet, alternative fuel, natural gas vehicles, hydrogen fuel, hydrogen infrastructure, diesel replacement, fleet grants, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, clean school buses

Transcript Highlights:

• Completely out of control. 63% increase, our population is growing 2.6%.
• We've never had a process to control federal spending.
• The Budget Control Act did restrict discretionary spending for a couple of years, but we weaseled around
• there thinks everything is enough. world, the business world doesn't have to defend, you know, two borders
• We've had the same sort of thought with air traffic controllers, and Reagan fired them famously. at one

Keywords: nominations, Scott Cooper, Eric Ulan, federal workforce, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, accountability, collective bargaining

Summary: The committee convened to discuss the nominations of Scott Cooper for Director of the Office of Personnel Management and Eric Ulan for Deputy Director at the Office of Management and Budget. This meeting highlighted the critical roles both positions play in managing the federal workforce, which comprises over two million civilian employees. Concerns were raised regarding the current administration's approach to federal employment, citing issues like mass firings and the undermining of collective bargaining rights. Members expressed the need for better accountability and transparency within the federal system, emphasizing the importance of attracting talented public servants.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to item nine, border security.
• And the, and, but we need to control our rate of attrition to provide the greatest degree of service.
• And apart from controlling attrition, another part of having an impactful organization is having the
• Uh, the chair calls, uh, Lisa Craven, the Deputy Controller. Please state your name, position.
• Uh, good morning, Lisa Craven, Deputy Controller of Public Accounts.

Transcript Highlights:

• So above all else, first and foremost, with the amount of money that they can control, for others.
• And during the open border policies in this country, this loophole, which is the reasonable opportunity
• And during the open border policies in this country, this loophole, which is the reasonable opportunity
• So we did not have any efficiencies, but we are doing absolutely everything within the control of the
• department to But we are doing absolutely everything within the control of the department to make sure

Bills: HR267, HCR105, HCR107, HCR110, HCR113, HCR114, SB4, SB52, SB57, SB145, SB152, SB194, SB237, SB333, SB433, SB483, SCR37

Keywords: diabetes, amputation, amputations, diabetic foot ulcer, peripheral artery disease, PAD, wound care, podiatry, vascular disease, endocrinology, limb salvage, health policy, public health, healthcare costs, insurance coverage, Louisiana Department of Health, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana Center for Health Innovation, patient education, screening

Transcript Highlights:

• probably less than an hour, the game wardens showed up a little after 10 a.m. and started taking control
• I'm not going to put an 18-year-old with 15-year-olds because that's a difficult age gap to help control
• They required us to map our borders. We’re going to be... They required us to map our borders.
• Under basic Texas statutory construction, a specific later statute controls over a general earlier one
• And that is what the APA controls, and that is what the process is.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the warrant is less than zero, the of the warrant is less than zero, the state<00:23:05.280> controller
• would be required to state controller would be required to transfer<00:23:07.440> sufficient<
• <01:11:58.640> I Many of the districts, and I've worked in a couple near the border, send
• <01:38:51.600> It's that's controlled by environment.
• It's that's controlled by environment.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The commission met to approve the November 21, 2025 minutes, making several clerical corrections before adopting them as amended. The edits included adding the date, correcting a misspelled name, clarifying references to a scholarship fund representative’s title, removing an incorrect “DOE” reference, and fixing a few wording errors. The minutes were approved with one abstention from members who were absent. The bulk of the meeting focused on organizing the commission’s work under SB 57 and identifying which special education cost issues should be prioritized for research and reporting. Members discussed a long list of topics, including student referral rates, why students are classified as other health impaired, increases in referrals since school closures, interventions before referral, costs of non-medically necessary services in IEPs and 504 plans, differences between federal and state requirements, reporting of special education costs, out-of-district and residential placements, dispute resolution, Medicaid and insurance use, graduation rates, and adult learning participation. Several members emphasized the need to combine or narrow topics and to gather better data before the report due July 1, 2026. Representative Ames highlighted HB 742, which would eliminate prorated special education aid payments when state appropriations fall short, and explained that the Education Funding Committee recommended interim study. He argued that local districts are bearing too much of the cost and that the state and federal governments should provide more support. Other members raised concerns about rising special education identification rates, possible overidentification, school climate and mental health factors, bullying, staffing, speech therapy access, and residential placements. One member cautioned that DOE website numbers may be inflated or at least difficult to interpret because of how students are counted. Department of Education staff then explained how special education data and costs are monitored. They said student counts are tied to IEPs and SASIDs in the state system, districts are checked through both desk audits and on-site monitoring, and billed services are compared against IEP requirements. They also described IDEA funding, noting that most DOE special education staffing is federally funded, with a large share of federal money flowing through to local education agencies and the remainder supporting administration, monitoring, and training initiatives. Members discussed whether more staff and more robust oversight would improve accuracy and accountability.

Transcript Highlights:

• She said the immersive technology would allow officers to practice real-life scenarios in a controlled
• , anybody that's in the police authority is the one that'll be doing the mapping and keeping that control
• But at the end of the day, what this does is there's a lot of people who speed away in the border regions
• , away from those areas that... ...and the border regions, away from those areas that are actually fleeing

Bills: SB1046, SB1317, SB1376, SB1416, SB1448, SB1471, SB1493, SB1498, SB1502, SB1504, SB1538, SB1544, SB1550, SB1579, SB1581, SB1584, SB1624, SB1673

Keywords: telecommunications, broadband, internet infrastructure, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, national security, foreign adversary, China, Chinese equipment, supply chain security, network equipment, microchips, Arizona Corporation Commission, telecommunications provider, communications infrastructure, Huawei, ZTE, state-owned enterprise, sanctions, infrastructure security

Summary: The committee first approved its February 4 minutes and announced several bills would be held, including SB 1317, SB 1416, SB 1419, SB 1490, and SB 1493. It then heard SB 1579, which would appropriate about $4.7 million from the state general fund to expand a law enforcement data-sharing pilot through the Department of Administration, with funds for DPS, county sheriffs, university police, and city/town police departments. Testimony from the sponsor, Flagstaff’s mayor, Eloy’s police chief, and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office staff emphasized faster records access, better coordination, and officer safety; an amendment added $125,900 for the Scottsdale Police Department after it had been omitted. The committee adopted the amendment and gave SB 1579 a do pass recommendation by a 6-0 vote with one not voting. The committee next considered SB 1581, which appropriates about $1.4 million from the Peace Officer Training Equipment Fund for pepperball equipment and about $1.316 million for public safety training simulators, with an amendment increasing the Nogales Police Department’s pepperball allocation and expanding simulator funding so Yavapai County could buy two simulators with a three-year warranty. Supporters from Navajo County, Phoenix, Glendale, Flagstaff, and Cochise County described pepperball as a de-escalation tool and simulators as important for crisis-response and use-of-force training. The committee adopted the amendment and passed SB 1581 as amended on a 7-0 vote. SB 1673 was heard next and would appropriate $8.2 million from the general fund to the Law Enforcement Crime Victim Notification Fund, exempting the appropriation from lapsing. The sponsor and law enforcement witnesses said the automated notification system has improved victim communication, reduced workload, and sent millions of updates; committee members asked about funding sources and why a bill is needed for a constitutionally mandated program. The committee approved SB 1673 without amendment on a 7-0 vote. The committee also heard SB 1544, which would make adult probation records public on request, while requiring redaction or withholding of sensitive information such as victim data, minors’ information, medical or counseling records, active investigations, and confidential informants, and creating a process for written denials and court appeals. The sponsor said the bill is intended to increase transparency and data access, while witnesses raised concerns about risk-assessment language and confidential information; the sponsor said amendments would be brought later to clarify those provisions. The committee passed SB 1544 on a 4-3 vote. Finally, SB 1376, creating a civic leadership development special plate and fund for a youth mentoring nonprofit, passed unanimously, and SB 1550, a three-year Queen Creek pilot program to prevent runaway youth exploitation and improve investigations, also passed after testimony from Queen Creek officials and police; one senator voted no, citing concerns about how runaway youth are treated in other legislation. The committee then began hearing SB 1504, a pension bill modifying retirement dates and COLA timing for Tier 2 and Tier 3 public safety personnel, with supporters arguing it would improve recruitment and retention and opponents warning it would create significant unfunded liabilities, but the transcript cuts off before final action on that bill.