Transcript Highlights:

• in Texas.
• Investment Council, the Texas Music Office and Texas Film Commission, and Travel Texas.
• Texas.
• Texas Farm Bureau is in full support. of the Additional Funding Request for this beneficial program.
• CCA has contributed, here in Texas, over $20 million to marine conservation funding. in fish hatcheries

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• all funds.
• Those are federal funds. What are those federal funds?
• In terms of our funding structure, the Texas Medical Board operates without any reliance on the state's
• Texas. Yes.
• Medical Board is part of that and we support a strong, well-funded well-resourced and efficient Texas

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII

Transcript Highlights:

• And so there isn't the funds that you would think would be coming to the state of Texas.
• So, very specifically then, let's talk about the Texas University Fund and engineering research at Texas
• So what you do then is you take the Texas University funds, funds that you get from that to build out
• It's funded by the Health Sciences Center at Texas Tech, but we utilize it for Amarillo College and WSU
• And the Texas University Fund for Texas Tech University, I will tell you, so for example, Angelo State

Committee: House Higher Education

Transcript Highlights:

• We renew any sort of money as a Texas Energy Fund, but more of a seaport or deep port.
• It would be risky to taxpayers, and you remember the Texas Energy Fund was loans, and then completion
• Under existing Texas property law, 90 percent of all funds...
• The Texas Construction Trust Fund Act should be extended to protect the 10% reserve funds as well.
• Classifying reserve funds as trust funds will greatly benefit my company and benefit all of Texas general

Bills: SB1468 , SB1612 , SB1789 , SB2530 , SB2571 , SB2717 , SB2967

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas added... And 33.6 gigawatts in 2024. Texas added 11.6 gigawatts in... Mr.
• state of Texas.
• Trust Fund.
• Texas 2036 appreciates this bill's focus on the integration of the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas
• The Texas Workforce Commission will distribute around $80 million in federal WIOA youth funds to the

Bills: SB913 , SB1086 , SB1087 , SB1143 , SB1534 , SB1553 , SB1718 , SB1754 , SB2004 , SB2322 , SB2448

Committee: Senate Economic Development

Summary: The Senate Economic Development Committee met to hear a series of bills and informational primers, with several resource witnesses from the Governor’s Office, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The chair opened by noting the death of Senator King’s son and asking members to keep the family in their prayers. Most bills were laid out and left pending subject to the call of the chair after brief author presentations and public testimony. The committee heard several local hotel occupancy tax bills: SB 1553 for Kerr County, SB 1086 for Childress County, SB 1087 for Mason County, and SB 913 for Alpine. Supporters, including the Texas Hotel and Lodging Association and local officials, said the measures would allow counties or the city to use hotel tax revenue for tourism-related projects and local development. The committee also heard SB 1534, which would direct a study on health physics education and workforce needs in Texas; resource witnesses from TWC and THECB testified on the bill. All of these measures were left pending. A major portion of the hearing focused on SB 1754, which would prohibit local tax abatements for renewable energy facilities selling power at wholesale, with an exception for certain battery storage tied to dispatchable generation. The bill drew strong support from witnesses who argued counties should not subsidize wind and solar projects that can harm neighboring landowners and that renewables already receive substantial federal support. Opponents from the solar and storage industry argued the bill would remove a voluntary local economic development tool, raise power prices, and discourage investment. Senators also debated landowner impacts, grid reliability, and whether the bill was the right policy tool; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard SB 2322, a committee substitute related to the Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act, which would exempt electric generation facilities from the program’s compelling-factor test so they can qualify for school tax limitation agreements. Supporters said the change would correct an unintended barrier for dispatchable generation, while Senator Johnson argued it would weaken the program’s purpose by subsidizing projects that would locate in Texas anyway. SB 1718 would add the NRA annual meeting to the major events reimbursement program; the NRA supported it, while gun violence prevention advocates opposed using state incentives for the organization. SB 2004 would add the Arlington Grand Prix to the major events program, and SB 2448 would create a rural workforce development grant program; both drew supportive testimony and were left pending. The committee also heard SB 1143, a substitute bill aimed at improving transparency and coordination in programs serving opportunity youth ages 14 to 24, with witnesses supporting better reporting and workforce alignment. At the end of the meeting, Senator Johnson moved that the committee stand in recess subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• by the Public Education Funding Commission.
• This is federally funded and administered by individual states, and these funds can be used for purposes
• This is federally funded and administered by individual states, and these funds can be used for purposes
• Mental Protection Fund.
• The Community Environmental Protection Fund was created by the General Assembly in 2004 and is funded

Summary: The Senate reconvened, read committee reports, and assigned House Bill 89 with House Amendment 1 and House Bill 393 with House Amendment 1 to the Senate Finance Committee. It then adopted Consent Calendar 64, which included resolutions recognizing Take Our Children to Work Day, Juneteenth, National Farmers Day, Invisible Disabilities Week, Stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day, National Nonprofit Day, and two property-assessment working group resolutions. The calendar passed by a unanimous roll call, and the chamber heard remarks supporting Juneteenth, Delaware agriculture, invisible disabilities awareness, and the nonprofit sector. The Senate passed the fiscal year 2026 and 2027 revenue estimates in Senate Joint Resolution 16 and Senate Joint Resolution 17, and approved the fiscal year 2027 operating budget in Senate Bill 335 after extended debate on budget growth, recurring costs, health care, education, public safety, retiree obligations, and fiscal restraint. It also passed Senate Bill 336, the one-time supplemental appropriation bill, which includes one-time investments such as a $100 million transition toward a weighted education funding formula, election support, early childhood education, classroom projects, lead remediation, and campaign finance modernization. Several members praised the budget process and staff, while others cautioned against future spending growth. Among policy bills, the Senate passed House Bill 369 to codify the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety, House Bill 268 to increase penalties for assaulting postal workers, House Bill 374 to require workforce reporting on large public works projects, Senate Bill 253 with House Amendment 1 to standardize school bullying parental-notification procedures, Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 342 to modernize the Delaware Motion Picture and Television Development Commission, House Bill 402 to extend Clean Air Act Title V permit fees, and Senate Bill 346 with Senate Amendment 1 to streamline Environmental Appeals Board timelines. The Senate also began consideration of House Bill 293, which would add hate crimes to the Victims’ Compensation Assistance Program, but the transcript cuts off before its vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and Senate Bill 19 will ban taxpayer-funded lobbying in Texas.
• And this ban on taxpayer funded lobbying needs to be at the top of the Texas DOJ agenda.
• Not ban or prohibit associations like Texas Association of Counties, Texas Municipal League.
• lobbying in Texas.
• Texas Cog.

Bills: SB 18 , SB 19 , SB18 , SB19 , SB666 , SB688 , SB707 , SB888

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> repeatedly and that's space and funding. repeatedly and that's space and funding.
• </c><00:14:44.800><c> and</c> deposited into a restricted fund and deposited into a restricted fund and
• </c> allows those funds to carry forward. allows those funds to carry forward.
• It is restricted funds.
• Senator Storm. trust fund. trust fund.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides five billion dollars as the second tranche of funding for the Texas Energy Fund to ensure
• There's also an additional $1.3 billion contingent funds for the Texas University Fund, and the bill
• This is not our funding. It's not ours. It belongs to the people of Texas who earned it.
• Texas today is 46th in the nation in indigent defense funding per capita. Thank you.
• Texas today is 46th in the nation in indigent defense funding per capita.

Bills: SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• to meet our growing infrastructure and mobility needs.
• But the goal is that they are trying to meet the mobility options or improve the mobility options of
• We found mobility management and mobility managers at transit agencies doing a great job of coordinating
• funding of that.
• That funding agreement established how FDOT and the local government partners... ...partners, that funding

Committee: Senate Transportation

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee met, took roll, and heard introductory remarks from members about their districts and transportation priorities, with several senators noting congestion and mobility challenges in their regions. The committee then received a presentation from the Florida Transportation Commission on its oversight role for FDOT, including annual and quarterly performance reviews, review of the five-year work program, and monitoring of tolling and transit authorities. Members asked whether the commission gets involved in project prioritization; the answer was no, because it is statutorily limited to high-level oversight rather than day-to-day project decisions. The committee next heard two reports related to transportation disadvantaged and paratransit services. FDOT’s Melissa Smith described the statewide Transportation Disadvantaged program, its governance structure, service models, and challenges such as fragmented administration, cost, inconsistent reporting, and rural service limitations. She outlined recommendations including better use of technology, regional partnerships, improved training, and alternative delivery models like microtransit and TNC partnerships. A University of South Florida researcher, Martin Katala, discussed best practices for paratransit and demand-response service, emphasizing route optimization software, dynamic dispatching, service standards, vendor accountability, and the use of TNCs and mobility management to improve efficiency and reduce travel times. A later presentation from UF’s I-Street program focused on emerging technologies for transit, including in-cabin monitoring, automatic restraints, accessible booking and tracking tools, and the need for statewide safety standards and better driver interfaces. Finally, FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue and District 5 Secretary John Tyler provided an update on the transition of SunRail local entities. They explained the differences among commuter rail, intercity rail, and light rail, and said SunRail’s financial transition to local partners was completed on January 1, with operational transition to follow over up to three years. They contrasted that with Tri-Rail, where FDOT still funds operations and discussions about a future transition are ongoing. Members asked about the differences between SunRail, Tri-Rail, Amtrak, and Brightline, and the presenters explained that commuter rail serves regional daily commuters while intercity rail connects regions. The committee concluded without taking any formal votes or other legislative action.

Transcript Highlights:

• staff to the committee: House Bill 2325 establishes a tourism self-supported assessment program to fund
• Washington State Tourism Marketing Authority the state agency responsible for the governance of tax funds
• From the conclusion of the mobilization. Thank you very much. Any questions about this amendment?
• Since then, the industry has recognized that the general fund we funded with is just not enough, and
• under the Washington State Fire Services Mobilization Plan.

Bills: HB2325 , HB2481 , HB2503 , HB2397 , HB2278 , HB2417

Committee: House Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans

Keywords: tourism, tourism promotion, Washington Tourism Marketing Authority, assessment, self-supported assessment, visitor economy, destination marketing, statewide marketing, lodging, hotels, restaurants, travel services, attractions, recreation, retail, beverage producers, arts and culture, tribal nations, tribal businesses, rural communities

Transcript Highlights:

• We've also been able to fund food trucks, and that kind of led to our mobile farmers' market program.
• And we do have some funding from Prop 4 to increase the mobile market. Absolutely.
• And we do have some funding from Prop 4 to increase the mobile market. Absolutely.
• So that's why Proposition 4 provides infrastructure funding for farmers markets, mobile farmers markets
• So that's why Proposition 4 provides infrastructure funding for farmers markets, mobile farmers markets

Summary: The joint oversight hearing focused on food insecurity in California and how state and federal nutrition programs, agricultural production, and food distribution systems intersect. Assemblymembers emphasized that many Californians, including farmworkers, seniors, children, and communities of color, remain food insecure despite California’s agricultural abundance. Panelists and members discussed CalFresh, WIC, school meals, Sun Bucks, food banks, and the impact of federal policy changes, including possible nutrition cuts, tariffs, and immigration enforcement, on access to food and the agricultural workforce. Secretary Karen Ross described CDFA programs aimed at improving access to fresh food and supporting local agriculture, including the senior farmers’ market program, California Nutrition Incentive Program, Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program, Community Food Hubs, Farm to School, urban agriculture, and a proposed tribal food sovereignty program. She said these efforts help connect local producers to consumers, expand healthy food access, and build infrastructure such as refrigeration, mobile markets, and aggregation hubs. Department of Social Services Deputy Director Alexis Fernandez Garcia outlined CalFresh, CFAP, Sun Bucks, CACFP, emergency food programs, and tribal nutrition assistance, noting that CalFresh and related programs significantly reduce poverty and food insecurity, but participation gaps remain for non-English speakers, some Asian American communities, and undocumented households. PPIC researcher Tess Thorman presented data showing that 13% of California households experienced food insecurity in 2023, with higher rates among households with children and Latino, Black, and other households. She said nutrition programs reduce poverty and food hardship, but federal rules, income thresholds, immigration restrictions, and high living costs limit their reach. Members asked about simplifying applications, improving call center access, increasing outreach in multiple languages, and adjusting benefits for inflation. Officials said the state has used available federal options to streamline enrollment, improve customer service, and target outreach, but many core rules and benefit levels are set federally. The second panel shifted to food production and market access. A farmer, a UC food systems leader, and a produce distributor described efforts to connect small and medium farms with food banks, schools, universities, and Medi-Cal food-as-medicine programs. They highlighted programs such as Farms Together, the USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center, Farm to School, food hubs, and climate-smart infrastructure grants as ways to create stable markets for local growers while improving food access. Speakers also raised concerns about land tenure, consolidation, regulatory burdens, labor constraints, and the loss of federal funding, and members discussed whether state investments and Prop. 4 funds could help sustain and expand these efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides $5 billion as the second tranche of funding for the Texas Energy Fund to ensure long-term
• There's also an additional $1.3 billion in contingent funds for the Texas University Fund, and the bill
• It's not, I mean, I'm probably have the smallest fund being that I'm out in West Texas. Yeah.
• It's not, I mean, I'm probably have the smallest fund being that I'm out in West Texas. Yeah.
• Texas today is 46th in the nation in indigent defense funding per capita.

Bills: SB 1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee convened for its first hearing of the 89th regular session, confirmed a quorum, adopted committee rules by a 15-0 vote, and began review of Senate Bill 1, the state budget for fiscal years 2026-27. Chair Huffman outlined the committee’s organization, introduced staff, and described the budget as conservative and focused on one-time investments. She highlighted major SB 1 priorities including property tax relief, full funding for public education formulas, teacher pay, school safety, border security, Medicaid growth, dementia research, energy and water infrastructure, transportation, wildfire suppression, and other capital and public safety needs. Comptroller Glenn Hager presented the biennial revenue estimate, saying the state has $194.6 billion available for general-purpose spending in 2026-27, with a projected $23.8 billion ending balance from the current biennium. He cautioned that revenue growth is returning to more normal levels and that lawmakers should avoid committing short-term surpluses to ongoing expenses. He also explained that the Economic Stabilization Fund is projected to hit its constitutional cap, meaning an estimated $5.6 billion in severance tax and related revenue would remain in general revenue in the upcoming biennium rather than flow into the fund. Senators discussed whether to raise or rename the fund and the implications of keeping more severance-tax revenue in general revenue. The Legislative Budget Board then gave an overview of SB 1 and the budget’s major funding changes. LBB staff explained that the bill is essentially flat at $332.9 billion in all funds, but includes large method-of-finance shifts and major property tax relief. They detailed how prior property tax relief enacted in the 88th Legislature grew from an estimated $18 billion to $22.7 billion because of higher property values and hold-harmless provisions, and said SB 1 continues that relief with a total of $51 billion in ongoing and new property tax support. Members asked extensive questions about the automatic growth in school tax compression, the constitutional homestead exemption, COVID-era federal funding, Medicaid assumptions, and the sunset of the non-homestead circuit breaker. No additional votes or final budget actions were taken beyond adoption of the committee rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• Mass Transportation Trust Fund and the MTA Financial Assistance Fund.
• Dwyer Fund. $8 million. That funding is frozen. We didn't increase that.
• and VAPAP funding.
• AND VAPAP FUNDING.
• Dwyer funds, no increase. And other funds have been decreased. That's a shame.

Summary: The Senate opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation, then approved the prior day’s Journal and moved into motions, resolutions, and budget-related business. Senator Gianaris called up Senate Print 5898A for reconsideration; the Senate voted 59 ayes to restore the bill to the third reading calendar. Several amendments were also received on third-reading bills, and the Finance Committee was called into session while the chamber proceeded with resolutions. The Senate adopted Resolution J.2106 recognizing Second Chance Month and the mental health impacts of incarceration, with Senator Brisport speaking in support and a guest from the community recognized in the chamber. The body also adopted Resolution J.1492 designating May 27, 2026, as Taiwan Heritage Day, with remarks from Senators Sepúlveda, Stavisky, and Liu highlighting Taiwanese contributions to New York and expressing support for Taiwan amid current geopolitical tensions. The Finance Committee then reported several budget bills, including Senate Prints 9003D, 9004D, 9007C, and 9009C, which were moved to third reading. The remainder of the session focused on the supplemental and controversial budget calendars, especially tax and spending provisions. Senators debated the “Protecting Our Wallets” energy rebate, with supporters describing it as a one-time check for eligible taxpayers and critics arguing it was too small and not tied directly to utility bills; the chamber accepted the message of necessity and laid the bills aside. Members also debated extensions and changes to tax provisions affecting corporations, alternative fuel exemptions, Broadway and theatrical production tax credits, charitable deductions for certain 501(c)(3)s, nicotine pouch taxes, a new New York City pied-à-terre tax, and a standardbred horse-racing testing fee. Several senators criticized the budget as raising costs or favoring certain industries, while supporters defended the measures as revenue-raising, affordability, or public-health policies. No final votes on the controversial budget bills are shown in the excerpt beyond procedural rulings, adoption of the resolution calendar, and acceptance of committee reports.

Transcript Highlights:

• Programs for Texas businesses that receive grants from these particular funds will be housed in the Office
• The Texas grant would depend on the amount of funding available, but these are small grants that help
• based here in Texas.
• Texas ranks third nationally in academic R&D funding, and SEPRIT is the second largest source of cancer
• It includes the Texas Restaurant Association, Texas 2036, Early Matters Texas, as well as the Texas Association

Bills: SB209 , SB529 , SB1265 , SB1592 , SB1728 , SCR37 , SCR38

Committee: Senate Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:

• it's a very important fund for our military bases here in Texas.
• Moving to page 4, the agency maintains two funds outside of the Treasury: the Capital Fund and the Texas
• Page five contains information on the Capital Fund and the Texas State History Museum Fund, summarizing
• The Texas Space Commission is an organization that provides funding to its members.
• The Texas Space Commission is a nonprofit organization that provides funding to the Texas Commission

Bills: SB1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• Public pension funds invest the retirement savings of workers, and those funds should be subject to clear
• But now the portfolios of many public pension funds, including the biggest, By public pension funds is
• If the bond doesn't pass, it would not be funded.
• Who funded the studies?
• In order to, for example, to fund the wildfire fund, a certain amount of money needs to be collected.

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Transcript Highlights:

• Doug is a member of the Kappa Sigma Texas Tech Southwest. Fund.
• The importance of deploying the Texas University Fund that we passed last session, which of course Texas
• fund.
• Why isn't the Puff Fund...
• How's Texas?

Committee: Senate Nominations

Transcript Highlights:

• these have that there are funds available to fund.
• And so they're funds were not. They didn't receive funds for certain quarters.
• Let's take a pet student, for example, as their only funded with FTC funds.
• Yeah, we. >> We would ask for the return of funds from the scholarship funding organizations.
• That fund.

Transcript Highlights:

• Enterprise Fund, Military Preparedness, the University Research Initiative, and the Texas Semiconductor
• In all, TFC is managing $4.5 billion in taxpayer funds, with projects and facilities in 240 Texas counties
• This bill created the Texas State Buildings Preservation Endowment Fund to consolidate three existing
• funds.
• Texas State History Museum Fund.

Bills: SB 1 , SB 1

Committee: Senate Finance

Summary: The committee began with Article I budget items for the Secretary of State. LBB staff outlined recommendations that would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million, including changes to HAVA funding, removal of one-time business system replacement money, and a rider directing the agency to use Fund 5095 first. Secretary Jane Nelson and staff then defended several exceptional items, especially additional staffing for elections and business filings, a new website, digitization of records, cybersecurity tools, and renovation of the James Earl Rudder Building. Members focused heavily on election administration, cross-checking voter rolls, Harris County complaints, call-center response times, and whether online voter registration should be expanded. No votes were taken; the discussion was informational and budget-focused. The committee then heard the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB presented a recommended $2.4 million decrease for the governor’s office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs driven by one-time funding and unexpended balances, while still preserving major border security funding and victim assistance funding. Governor’s staff emphasized Texas’ economic growth, the importance of border security, and efforts to seek federal reimbursement for the roughly $11 billion Texas has spent on border operations. Members discussed whether shifting National Guard deployment to federal control could reduce state costs, and they also reviewed the music incubator program, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and the semiconductor innovation consortium. Staff highlighted a $5 million late-added request for grants to protect nonprofits from violence and terrorism. Again, the exchange was largely explanatory, with no formal action. Finally, the committee took up the Texas Facilities Commission and lease payments for revenue bonds. LBB recommended major reductions overall, including removal of border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, but added money for higher utility costs, renovation of the Rudder Building, and additional facilities staff. George Purcell also noted stable maintenance-and-renewal funding and new riders related to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building, tenant communications, and space utilization. For lease payments, LBB recommended a smaller appropriation tied to revenue-bond costs allocated across agencies. The discussion was informational, with members asking about the Rudder Building renovation, border wall progress, and capital complex construction timelines; no votes were recorded.