Transcript Highlights:

• When dire weather events or catastrophic storms occur, our maintenance forces are on the leading edge
• When dire weather events or catastrophic storms occur, our maintenance forces are on the leading edge
• When dire weather events or catastrophic storms occur, our maintenance forces are on the leading edge
• When dire weather events or catastrophic storms occur, our maintenance forces are on the leading edge
• edge of the government of the leading edge of the government of the government<00:03:03.760> response

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:47 Maintenance 12:40 Approval of Minutes 12:55 Vehicle Regulation 21:08 General Admin and Highways 34:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum at first, then later approved the minutes once quorum was established. The committee heard presentations from Transportation Cabinet officials Mike Hancock, Jeremy Slinker, and Sean McCarnieran on maintenance, vehicle regulation, general administration, highways, and related capital projects. Hancock emphasized that maintenance is the cabinet’s most visible public service, especially for snow and ice removal and routine roadway upkeep, and said rising costs have outpaced funding. He cited a 61% increase in highway construction costs since 2020 and said maintenance spending was $488 million in FY 2024 and $511 million in FY 2025, while the FY 2026 baseline request was $483.3 million. The cabinet’s additional maintenance request would add $23.6 million in FY 2027 and $38.6 million in FY 2028, with expected impacts on litter pickup, mowing, vegetation management, and pothole repair if not funded. The cabinet also outlined five maintenance-related capital projects: additional funding for Ballard County maintenance/salt storage, Hopkins County maintenance/salt storage, Whitley County maintenance/salt structure, and the District 2 office and materials lab, plus reauthorization of the Breckinridge County maintenance and salt facility. Hancock also asked for budget language allowing the cabinet to use unexpected restricted and federal funds more quickly, similar to existing authority for federal earmarks. McCarnieran described the governor’s inclusion of funding for the ASHTOWare system, employee health exams, priority IT projects, and a District 7 office renovation request, noting that some items were not funded because they ranked low among competing projects. He also said the governor’s budget included a $7.5 million annual maintenance pool for the cabinet’s 1,200 facilities and requested additional restricted fund authority for Trimark and the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. Slinker focused on the Department of Vehicle Regulation, saying recent investments in staffing and equipment had reduced wait times and improved customer service in driver licensing offices. He requested $535,600 to keep temporary contract workers in place for the rest of the year, warning that without it regional office operations would have to be reduced. He said the surge in demand was driven by new 15-year-old licensing requirements, vision testing, and Real ID implementation, but believed the volume was beginning to level out. He also outlined FY 2027 and FY 2028 plans totaling $20.38 million and $19.85 million, including six new regional offices and a shift away from temporary workers toward state positions. Additional requests included $106,000 for debt service on the new driver’s license modernization system and operating costs of $5 million in FY 2027 and $2.5 million in FY 2028 to support the transition from the old system. Members asked about the cabinet’s funding sources, and officials said the road fund is the primary source, supported by motor fuels tax, usage tax, driver-related receipts, and some restricted funds; they stressed that the requests were not for additional general fund dollars. Questions also covered employee health exam reimbursements, the annual Trimark/Cumberland Gap contract, and the District 7 renovation request. No votes were taken on the budget items during the meeting, beyond approval of the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Member Krell will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
• It causes more delays and is more expensive in the long run, which leads to worse health care outcomes
• care that they need: breast cancer screenings, cervical cancer screenings, screenings for STIs that lead
• level to reject racism unequivocally, and to understand that words carry consequences and words do lead
• We in this body have the ability to lead with love, to lead with understanding, and to lead our community

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, completed the roll, and opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several guest introductions recognizing visitors, students, and a long-serving committee secretary, Tabitha Volga-Sang, who was honored for 32 years of service. Members also took up a procedural motion by Assembly Member DeMaio to immediately consider ACA 14, the Taxpayer Protection Act, without reference to file; that motion failed on a 14-44 vote. The main policy debate centered on SB 106 by Senator Laird, a budget appropriation to provide $90 million in one-time funding for Planned Parenthood and related women’s health and family planning services after federal cuts. Assembly Member Tangipa offered amendments arguing the money should be directed more broadly to women’s health and hospitals, but the Assembly voted 41-13 to lay the amendments on the table. Supporters, including Gabriel, Sharp-Collins, Gibson, Krell, Bonta, and others, said the bill was needed to preserve access to cancer screenings, contraception, STI testing, and reproductive care, especially in rural and underserved communities, and to offset the effects of federal defunding. Opponents, including Johnson, DeMaio, Patterson, and Tangipa, criticized the bill as lacking transparency, favoring a politically connected organization, and diverting attention from hospital funding and other health needs. After extended floor debate, SB 106 passed the Assembly 55-10 and was transmitted immediately to the Senate. The chamber then took up H.R. 84, a resolution condemning racism after President Trump circulated racist imagery depicting former President Obama and Michelle Obama. Members from the Black, LGBTQ, Latino, AAPI, Jewish, Native American, and other caucuses spoke in support, saying the post normalized dehumanization and had real-world consequences; Assembly Member Tangipa also stated the post was wrong and apologized on the record. The transcript ends during continued debate on H.R. 84, before a final vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's also used combined with lead in bullets, artillery shells, missile systems, optical systems, etc
• All right, we are now to Lead Acid Battery Amendments, again another committee bill file.
• It was heard in both May and June, and with a vote of 14 to 1, the committee elected to remove the Lead
• Acid Battery Program Act from the Sunset Act, so... ...Lead Acid Battery Program Act from the Sunset
• The Lead Acid Battery Disposal Act deals with the disposal of lead acid batteries, so I'd be happy to

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Now, I will say that New Mexico leads most of the states in our area regarding how much of that water
• going beyond these metrics, is to also provide a basis for really cutting-edge research that will lead
• We found certain metals such as aluminum, arsenic, chromium, iron, manganese, lead, and. selenium were
• I believe the OSC and ISC are leading the study, and the drilling program could potentially identify
• It would also lead to reduced reliance on federal oversight; it would put the oversight in the hands

Transcript Highlights:

• Jason Rarick, Senate, Republican lead, education finance. Sure.
• Sydney Jordan, uh, House DFL education policy lead chair.
• Policy lead chair, Mary Francis Clardy, House vice co-chair finance.
• <00:07:37.520> So,<00:07:38.160> I also um minority lead uh Coleman.
• So, I also um minority lead uh Coleman.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, it's a great opportunity for Texas to lead in AI.
• Senator Parker helped co-lead this council where the benefits of AI use in Texas were showcased.
• Senator Parker has been leading on this issue, balancing ethics and innovation in AI for years now.
• I lead the payments team at Racetrack.
• ETA is the leading payments industry trade association with many members based here in Texas.

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• to collaborate, his ability to assess different perspectives, because he will need all of that in leading
• His abilities and legislative experience are a unique blend that's necessary to lead a department that
• blend that's experience are unique blend that's necessary<00:26:18.320> to<00:26:18.480> lead
• /c><00:26:18.919> department<00:26:19.480> that<00:26:19.600> is necessary to lead
• a department that is necessary to lead a department that is set<00:26:20.000> to<00:26:20.120

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• president of the student body<00:25:48.480> and<00:25:48.720> holds<00:25:49.039> lead
• 00:25:49.279> and<00:25:49.520> holds<00:25:49.760> leadership body and holds lead
• and holds leadership body and holds lead and holds leadership roles<00:25:50.559> in<00:25:51.039
• This bill would potentially lead to increased electricity costs in our state, and HEO already has some
• <01:03:52.720> to This bill would potentially lead to This bill would potentially lead to

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House convened with 46 members present and five excused, deferred reading of the journal, and noted there were no messages from the governor or Senate communications. Members then offered several introductions recognizing guests in the gallery, including LifeSmarts awardees, DCCA and LifeSmarts program officials, former Representative Pono Chong and his children, an intern from District 39, a landback advocate, and staff from the Education Committee office. The chamber also marked the close of Education Week 2025 with applause and recognition of the visiting students and supporters. The main floor presentation was House Resolution 211, which congratulated the first- and second-place teams at the 2025 Havi LifeSmarts State Competition and the 2025 U.S. Senate Youth Program delegate. Representative Tam presented the resolution, praising the Eolani Raiders for winning first place and wishing them well at the upcoming Chicago competition. Representative Hashimoto recognized Kalanianaole High School’s second-place team, and Representative Woodson honored Wilson Chow of Maui High School for his leadership and service. The resolution was adopted by voice vote, and the House recessed briefly to allow members to congratulate the honorees. After recess, the House took up a large block of standing committee reports, moving reports 1406 through 1504 with a series of member notations including no votes, reservations, and a few brief explanations. Several members raised concerns about specific measures involving emergency readiness centers, immigration-related legal access, blank votes on ballot questions, electricity costs and Hawaiian Electric, and gambling. Some members spoke in support of measures while noting reservations about cost, process, or policy effects. The full package of reports was ultimately adopted by voice vote. During announcements, Representative Garcia read a statement from Representative Jean Ward announcing her resignation effective at the end of the month due to ongoing health issues, including anemia, sciatica, and pneumonia, after nearly 27 years of service. The House then adjourned by voice vote until 12:00 noon on Monday.

Transcript Highlights:

• And the interoperability lead was not advertised. It was not advertised. Correct. Okay.
• The interoperability lead, their job is to—thank you, Rep.
• The interoperability lead is, her, their job is to exchange—thank you, sir. Thank you, Rep.
• These are leading experts in the country that do this... ...cybersecurity for us.
• These are leading experts in the country that do this at the federal level, and we have been lucky to

Summary: The subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, then returned to its ongoing budget workshop with the Department of Management Services. DFS’s Division of Risk Management described its role as the state self-insurance fund, covering about 200,000 employees and 27,000 vehicles, paying roughly $150 million in claims last year, and managing a pilot ETS treatment program for veterans and first responders that had 49 patients and 804 treatments as of the latest report. The Division of State Fire Marshal outlined its fire prevention, training, emergency response, and grant programs, including hurricane deployments, the Florida State Fire College, and several capital and grant requests for roof, courtyard, memorial, and equipment needs. The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation explained how it handles insolvent insurers under Chapter 631, currently administering 14 estates with $1.2 billion in assets and $3.7 billion in liabilities, and said no new receiverships had been opened since February 2023. Members asked about grant backlogs, fire truck procurement delays, memorial repairs, and whether affiliate transfers were occurring in insurer liquidations. Secretary Griffin then updated the committee on DBPR’s implementation of House Bill 1021 on community associations. He said the department had used the new authority to expand education, complaint handling, and ombudsman services, including 10 free standardized courses, a new condo website, and a four-hour board certification course that had already drawn more than 12,000 attendees. He reported that outreach to condominium communities had increased by more than 60%, that complaint filings were up 39% while jurisdictional dismissals dropped to 11%, and that about 81% to 82% of the 65 new positions had been filled. Members pressed him on whether the department had enough authority and funding, how condominium counts are determined, how self-reported structural integrity reserve study data is verified, and whether more public-facing complaint tracking and better reporting from local governments or developers would improve the system. The committee then resumed questioning Secretary Allende of DMS about outstanding budget and operations issues. Members focused on the delayed People First contract extension required by statute, with the secretary saying the delay involved technical and contractual complexity in moving a legacy hard-coded system to the cloud. They also revisited the state data team and data catalog project, asking why a statutory 2022 deadline had not been met, how the four-person team and broader data staff were organized, how many applicants were considered for key positions, and what each role was doing. The secretary said the catalog work was being simplified into six metadata fields and supported by a broader community of practice, but no firm completion date was given during the exchange.

Transcript Highlights:

• what was designed as a safeguard has evolved into a burdensome administrative obstacle that too often leads
• We rank 46th in preventable hospitalizations and premature deaths, and we know that many leading causes
• causes of of death that me many leading causes of of death including<00:27:32.159> heart<00:27
• Thank you for allowing me to participate, and thank you, Representative Neighbors, for leading on this
• Thank you for allowing me to participate, and thank you, Representative Neighbors, for leading on this

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Roll Call: 00:13 HB423 Discussion: 01:38 HB423 Vote: 12:30 HB415 Discussion: 13:50 HB415 Vote: 15:13 HB390 Discussion: 16:30 HB390 Vote: 21:48 HB3 For Discussion Only: 23:15, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 423, a prior authorization reform measure sponsored by Representative Kim Moser. A committee substitute was adopted to clarify that the bill’s prior authorization exemption program does not apply to Medicaid. Supporters, including the Kentucky Medical Association, said the bill would reduce red tape, improve transparency, and let providers spend more time on patient care. The bill would create a framework for insurers to establish a gold carding or waiver program for certain health services, exclude prescription drugs, prohibit retrospective reviews based solely on an exemption, and require annual reporting by the Department of Insurance and the Department for Medicaid Services. After questions about how exemptions would work and whether the bill addressed repeat prior authorizations, the committee voted to pass HB 423 with favorable expression. The committee then considered House Bill 415, sponsored by Representative Pollock and supported by AFLAC representatives. The bill was described as clarifying that health insurance coverage mandates are generally intended to apply only to primary major medical policies. With no substantive opposition or questions, the committee voted to pass HB 415 with favorable expression. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 390 from Chair Meredith, presented with support from multiple insurance industry representatives and the Department of Insurance. The bill would move motor vehicle insurance verification data from the old system to the CAVIS database and shorten the reporting turnaround from 30 days to a ceiling of seven days, with the possibility of a shorter period by regulation. After brief discussion and no objections, the committee voted to pass HB 390 with favorable expression. The committee also heard House Bill 3 for discussion only, sponsored by Representative Neighbors and supported by the Kentucky Pharmacists Association. The bill would require Kentucky Medicaid to reimburse pharmacists for covered clinical services they already provide, aligning Medicaid with existing commercial insurance policy. Supporters argued it would improve access, especially in underserved areas, and could reduce emergency room use and improve outcomes; the bill was not voted on during this meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's just a technical difference that's leading to a notable programmatic effect this year.
• Finally, we've been building on the university's academic and research excellence, including leading
• It's not leading to more students.
• Those vacancies lead to unsafe discharges and readmissions.
• At my campus, we're looking towards a proposed loss of core departments and majors that can only lead

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to respiratory illnesses and can lead to cancer.
• Chair, you don't believe this will lead to any regulatory overlap and confusion between the Environment
• That showing that oil and gas pollution leads to respiratory illness.
• So one of the, I guess it sort of leads me in two places around the testing, the water quality testing
• And I guess what my question is going to lead to, so I'll just go ahead and ask it now.

Transcript Highlights:

• Republican senators who served as co-chair under the power-sharing agreement will now be the committee's leads
• Republican senators who served as co-chair under the power-sharing agreement will now be the committee's leads
• Republican senators who served as co-chair under the power-sharing agreement will now be the committee's leads
• price that a house is sold at, and so if we can reduce any one of those individual components that lead
• <00:13:36.680> to those individual components that lead to those individual components that

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And obesity, of course, is the leading cause of chronic disease and, therefore, of shorter lifespans.
• It could lead to liver failure, as the Chairman said.
• the larger picture and give the guy a break who says, "I just want to follow the science where it leads
• Listen, credibility matters so much when you lead the most important health agency in the world.
• this question about why in the... ...does the federal government continue to subsidize programs that lead

Transcript Highlights:

• We pray that through your powerful protection, O Lord, that she can lead our state with honesty and integrity
• Lord<00:39:45.280> that<00:39:45.440> she<00:39:45.640> can<00:39:45.880> lead
• c><00:39:46.400> our<00:39:47.079> state<00:39:48.079> with Lord that she can lead
• our state with Lord that she can lead our state with honesty<00:39:49.599> and honesty and honesty
• The Pledge of Allegiance by Natalie Healey of Exeter will now lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it leads me to talk about what And it leads me to talk about what Senator Cole was mentioning, because
• Imagine what Texas could do to lead this effort nationally.
• But I had to lead with the one that said, "I don't know."
• We had many discussions with Kellyanne leading up to camp.
• Complacency leads to negligence.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This cycle, it's been the House's opportunity to lead through the chairmanship.
• All STS offerings are provided by best. class vendors utilizing leading industry standards, proven best
• We have around. thousand nationwide, and we're the leading organization representing small businesses
• That can actually lead to a lot of.
• to any sort of outcomes impact or begins to lead to outcomes degradation, it's just.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , innovative, but if we're going to lead, innovative, but if we're going to lead, we<00:39:50.280
• And I would say, "Let's lead. Let's set that tone. Let's set that as a priority.
• And I would say, "Let's lead. Let's set that tone. Let's set that as a priority.
• Somebody's got to lead. I with somebody. Somebody's got to lead.
• And that will<01:15:12.440> lead<01:15:12.880> to will lead to will lead to people<01:15

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, members, that leads me then.
• That leads when it comes to natural gas.
• What they did was they chose not to make this decision and they chose not to lead.
• What they did was they chose not to make this decision and they chose not to lead.
• decision and they chose not to lead. decision and they chose not to lead.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• May they lead with integrity and compassion, always mindful of the people, municipalities, schools, and
• Senator Innis will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
• <00:09:36.320> and May they lead with integrity and May they lead with integrity and compassion
• us in the pledge Senator Inis will lead us in the pledge of<00:10:00.399> allegiance.
• <04:40:18.878> in<04:40:19.120> November, Leading up to the election in November, Leading

Keywords: 1191, senate, all