Transcript Highlights:

• Granted.
• Members, today in the chamber Granted.
• > to<02:22:59.120> consider granted the committee to consider granted the committee to
• allocation formula. allocation formula.
• unprocessed marijuana that is allocated unprocessed marijuana that is allocated to<04:39:27.801>

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, yeah, the grant program. One of the other things that it commissioned was a grant program.
• Commerce was directed to provide grants to local governments for one of two things.
• There was one set of grants to go to local governments...
• systems, and we provided a range of grants to local governments to do that.
• And we have a request into the Governor's Office for restarting that grant program.

Summary: The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further. The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package. Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• It grants the Division of Motor Vehicles the authority to evaluate out-of-state certification programs
• to ensure that we maintain strong safety requirements rather than automatically granting reciprocity
• to ensure that we maintain strong safety requirements rather than automatically granting reciprocity
• of decision-making authority, allocation of decision-making authority, a<01:28:39.640> parenting<
• <01:29:34.040> of should be a particular allocation of should be a particular allocation of

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• :12:52.160> block of that money so in essence we block of that money so in essence we block grant
• them the money hoping that they grant them the money hoping that they will<00:12:55.120> spend
• We just grant them certain dollar amounts for funds to do the work that they feel is responsible.
• to a project that wasn't could allocate to a project that wasn't requested<00:23:14.520> right
• so it's and and already been allocated so it's and and the the the new<01:21:45.120> and<01:21

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met to review the lapse extensions in the back of House Bill 25, which governs capital budget appropriations and bonding. Members were walked through how the bill is structured: section 1 covers general, federal, and other funds; section 2 covers highway fund appropriations; later sections authorize borrowing, restrict spending to the stated purposes, and explain why community colleges and the university system operate through their boards of trustees. The chair also explained that lapse extensions are needed because capital projects can span multiple years, and that appropriations normally expire at the end of the biennium unless extended. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on how to identify unspent balances and whether they should be extended, repurposed, or allowed to lapse. Members discussed that if a project is complete or an agency confirms it no longer needs the money, the remaining balance can be reused for another project or, if not needed, lapse back. The committee also reviewed the meaning of bill references and chapter numbers, and how to read prior-year appropriations and extensions in the worksheet. One example discussed was a 2023 Department of Administrative Services courthouse generators item, and members noted that some agencies may rely on encumbered balances rather than explicit lapse extensions, though the chair said he prefers including the extension for flexibility. The committee identified at least one specific change: the Jeffrey Ringe CTE renovation was removed from the governor’s recommended budget because the required local match was not approved, freeing about $18.5 million for possible reuse. Later, the chair noted that lapse extension 49 on the worksheet was no longer needed and could be removed, leaving an unspent balance of $81,500 available for repurposing. The discussion also referenced a Department of Transportation item, Caroline Stratford Freight Rail Improvements, which the agency asked to keep alive through a lapse extension so the funds would not expire on June 30. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• place before now, Florida would have been in much better position to compete for federal rural health grants
• , which is a 50 billion dollar allocation from the federal government over the next five years.
• Position to compete for federal rural health grants, which is a 50 billion dollar allocation from the
• Regardless of how we did with our grant application, though, these are still good policies, many of which
• For the grant for the royal renaissance, there are a hundred points.

Transcript Highlights:

• This legislation makes no funding allocation changes.
• to ensure that money recovered through statewide opioid settlement agreements with companies is allocated
• governing the award of state funds by governmental bodies have hindered the council's ability to award grants
• requires council members to recuse themselves from participating in reviewing, discussing, or voting on grant
• The overall council still has a sufficient quorum to vote on grants.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard several tax and economic development bills. SB 935 would exempt counties from the motor fuels tax on fuel used exclusively in county vehicles; Sen. Hall and Cass County Judge Travis Ransom argued it would save counties money without changing fund allocations, and the bill was left pending while the committee waited for the House version. SB 2206 would extend and revise Texas’s research and development incentives by tying the franchise tax credit more closely to federal law and changing the program’s effective date; supporters from business, manufacturing, and tax policy groups said it would protect innovation jobs and help startups, while the Comptroller’s office explained the fiscal note and said the committee substitute was no longer needed. The committee later withdrew the substitute and left the bill pending before ultimately voting it out favorably. The committee also heard SB 2020, which would repeal the “rehab tax” on nonresidential remodeling. Sen. Campbell said a large fiscal note led him to delay a full presentation, but builders, architects, and contractors testified that the tax raises remodeling costs, complicates audits, and discourages reuse and reinvestment in existing buildings. The bill was left pending. SB 2018 would create a two-year “strong families” tax credit for businesses donating to nonprofits that provide family support services; supporters from Family First, Buckner International, and Texas Baptist said it would strengthen families, father engagement, and upstream prevention, while the author said the Comptroller and HHSC were still working on administration details. That bill was also left pending. After a quorum was established, the committee heard and later reported several bills favorably. SB 1030 would exempt certain aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul parts from sales tax for general aviation; industry, airport, and local economic development witnesses said it would keep high-wage aviation work in Texas and improve competitiveness with neighboring states, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 214 would create a temporary sales tax holiday for qualifying residential HVAC systems; it was laid out and left pending. SB 1901 would make administrative and ethics changes to the Opioid Abatement Fund Council, including staggered terms, conflict rules, and fund reallocation procedures; it was reported favorably. SB 266 would repeal the Texas Research Incentive Program and use the appropriation to address the existing backlog of unmatched donations; the chair and Sen. Paxton said the state should honor past commitments, and the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you. concentration grant dollars.
• or block grants or whether it's LCFF funding that is increased.
• Is there any objection to granting reconsideration for this bill?
• Hearing no objection, reconsideration is granted.
• Is there unanimous consent to grant reconsideration?

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They are expanding, and they've taken out a loan on that grant, and that grant was pulled.
• They are expanding, and they've taken out a loan on that grant, and that grant was pulled.
• They are expanding, and they've taken out a loan on that grant, and that grant was pulled.
• They are expanding, and they've taken out a loan on that grant, and that grant was pulled.
• Grant and that Grant was pulled um and Grant and that Grant was pulled um and so<01:15:35.840> they're

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It’s really an allocation for a classroom, not for pupil basis.”
• into positions it's really an allocation into positions it's really an allocation for<00:16:19.920
• <02:22:25.040> so aspects and she wrote for a grant so aspects and she wrote for a grant so
• You know, we get other departments that apply for federal grants.
• They get that, and once the grant is done, then they want funds to keep it going.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The first grant was launched with awards beginning in August 2026.
• We just got granted a JET grant for HVAC.
• Thank you. we just got granted a jet grant for HVAC, so that's another pathway, and let's say we add
• They won the biggest grant in S-FIG history—an extra $67 million over five years.
• Today, we are down to 61, with allocations still being cut.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• additional changes by reorganizing the priority structure and the priority... ...private activity bonds allocation
• some additional steps so that the process doesn't stop, and we're not waiting until next biannual allocations
• Because if you don't perform within the 180 days, you lose that bond allocation.
• You're not changing it, Representative, but I'm on page two of your bill, and it's saying in granting

Bills: HB1342, HB2889, HB3002, HB3254, HB4820, HJR40, HJR40

Keywords: private activity bonds, housing, residential rental projects, low-income, affordable housing, bond measures, funding equality, political subdivisions, public communications, election fairness, debt collection, consumer rights, disclosures, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, settlement agreements, State Board of Education, group benefits program, health insurance, state employees, dependents eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• The money that was spent in part was allocated to Ramsey County, but in the RFP process and the grant
• The money that was spent in part was allocated to Ramsey County, but in the RFP process and the grant
• Currently, the statute grant without a hearing. grant without a hearing.
• offenses are eligible for that grant. offenses are eligible for that grant.
• <01:35:05.640> those if the board were to grant those if the board were to grant those waivers

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The Public Safety Policy Conference Committee met on May 8, 2026, with all conferees present. The chair opened with decorum instructions, explained that the meeting was policy-only, and noted that no public testimony had been signed up. Members then introduced themselves, with several noting they were retiring at the end of the session or year. The committee adopted a series of provisions, mostly by unanimous voice vote, including House language on identity theft and financial crimes updates, supervision abatement and restitution considerations for corrections, protective-order enhancements for murder penalties, prediction markets, victim-notification requirements for plea and sentencing hearings, research data privacy, ignition interlock and impaired-driving license changes, DOC licensing and sanctions for juvenile/adult community-based residential facilities, criminal-conviction employment and licensing standards, jail medication procedures, domestic abuse law changes, and a grant-use extension for dual-status/crossover youth funding. Several items were described as technical or clarifying changes, while others updated law to address AI-related identity theft, foreign protective orders, victim privacy, and corrections oversight. The committee also heard discussion on a Senate provision allowing victims of domestic violence to petition for wireless account and phone-number transfers. A witness supported the concept but urged changes to better align the state language with existing federal law; members noted the issue might need another vehicle or further work. For the domestic abuse item, staff explained that an A15 amendment would later adjust the warrantless-arrest window from 28 days to 14 days. On the jail-medication item, a member emphasized the changes were clarifying and not an admission that last year’s law was flawed. All adopted provisions passed by voice vote without opposition.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's about a five-hour drive getting up here, so I stayed in Grants last night, but glad to be up here
• Then we were locked out of grant information, so we did not turn that around quickly enough.
• I believe the current formula is almost upside down in that it allocates the majority. of the money in
• Do you know if those grant applications are out for that money?
• And so we've applied for the attendance grant, and we've been told that we're getting that grant, and

Transcript Highlights:

• And this will be allocated through the funding model.
• Again, really major drivers of workforce education, and this will again be done through the allocation
• We're putting $29.8 million to support the community school grant program administered by the University
• The community school grant program is something we want to expand across the state of Florida, and this
• This is to come with—we want to develop that allocation funding formula with our universities.

Summary: The committee first took up a confirmation for UCF trustee reappointment candidate Mr. Christie, who described his long service on the board, his UCF business-school background, and his focus on strengthening UCF’s financial foundation, workforce alignment, and engineering and technology programs. Members praised his service and asked about UCF’s future direction, including its role in Florida’s space and engineering sectors. He was allowed to leave early for a meeting with the governor. The committee then heard the Higher Education Appropriations budget presentation for fiscal year 2025-26. The chair outlined a proposed $11.5 billion higher education budget emphasizing workforce education, Florida College System operations, career and technical education, the GATE program, nursing education through the Florida Center for Nursing, UF/IFAS agriculture technology, tutoring, autism and neurodevelopment services, student financial aid, and $250 million for state universities through the Board of Governors. Senator Davis asked about line grant flexibility, and the chair said a conforming bill would address details. The committee adopted a motion allowing technical corrections and then adopted the budget proposal as a recommendation to the full Appropriations Committee. The remainder of the meeting focused on confirmations for university boards, especially the University of West Florida, where several nominees were questioned about Title IX compliance, free speech, workforce readiness, military/veteran ties, and prior statements about privatization and higher education. Rebecca Matthews, Rachel Moyah, Ashley Ross, and Adam Kessel each described their backgrounds and goals for UWF; Kessel faced extensive questioning about his past writings on privatization, the GI Bill, and speech suppression, and said he would not recommend privatizing Florida universities and supported veterans’ education benefits. Public testimony on UWF was largely opposed, with speakers arguing the nominees lacked local ties and warning the slate would harm the university and community. The committee also heard from FAMU reappointment nominee Judge Belvin Perry, who emphasized student success, workforce quality, and FAMU’s continued rise, and from UCF nominee Mark Philburn and FSU nominee Peter Jones, both of whom highlighted their professional experience and commitment to student success and prudent stewardship. The meeting extended its time to 6:30 p.m. to continue hearing nominees and public testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• This program is a grant-funded program. We have had great success with this program.
• In the 88th legislative session, we were allocated 12 vehicles.
• This grant has not had an increase since its inception over 20 years ago.
• Again, I'm here. grants in the OAG budget. Y'all may be familiar with these funds.
• This grant has not had an increase since its inception over 20 years ago.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard the Legislative Budget Board’s overview of the Texas Department of Public Safety’s 2026-27 budget, followed by extensive testimony from DPS leadership. The LBB presentation covered funding and staffing changes across driver license services, facilities, troopers and recruit schools, crime labs, vehicle and aircraft operations, and border security. The recommendations included added support for customer service staffing and trooper hiring, but did not include several DPS exceptional items such as major driver license staffing and technology requests, new regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio, and other capital projects. Members also discussed proposed rider changes, including a new rider to lapse unused trooper funding and require reporting after recruit schools. Much of the committee’s questioning focused on driver license operations, where senators criticized long call wait times, low call-answer rates, appointment delays, and what they viewed as an overreliance on adding staff rather than improving processes. DPS and LBB witnesses said the agency is pursuing some technology upgrades, including automation, online pre-population of applications, and appointment-system improvements, but acknowledged that the driver license division remains a major problem area. Senators also raised concerns about whether the 2019 efficiency study led to meaningful changes and whether the agency should consider broader process redesign or even a different administrative structure. Colonel Freeman and other DPS officials then defended the agency’s broader law enforcement and border-security work, emphasizing the need for the Williamson County training academy, the 500 additional troopers funded in prior sessions, and continued support for Operation Lone Star. They described DPS’s role in border interdiction, threat-to-life investigations, oilfield theft cases, Capitol and Alamo security, and highway safety, and said the agency is stretched thin by deployments and overtime. Members asked about border reimbursement possibilities, regional staffing differences, pursuit safety, fleet and aircraft replacement needs, and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame museum. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a resource allocation problem. This measure helps to address that.
• intent to increase pay for teachers this is not a resource efficiency problem this is a resource allocation
• And what we've seen is districts have instead prioritized grant writers, right?

Bills: HB2035, HB2041, HB2611, HB2860, HB4004, HB4049, SCR1032

Keywords: kinship care, child welfare, foster care, relative placement, child protection, child neglect, financial resources, behavioral health, Christian Science treatment, parental rights, group homes, children's rights, safety protocols, employee training, mental health, child safety, oversight, independent committee, transparency, accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• We all know about the drawing of political districts, the allocation of federal funds.
• Now some people might say, well, that's because Medicare data is really, it's... um the allocation of
• data than if you're below that number, and being able to move in and out of qualifying for certain grants
• They may allocate based on a nearby household.
• the actual quantities, to the bank for some purpose like local redistricting or even, you know, allocating

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census met on December 8 at 9:32 a.m. to examine the dynamics that drive census undercounts and overcounts, with testimony first from Joseph Salvo and then from Susan Strait of the UMass Donahue Institute. Salvo explained the Census Bureau’s two main evaluation tools: demographic analysis, which uses vital records, migration estimates, and Medicare data to produce a national benchmark, and the post-enumeration survey (PES), which compares a separate sample-based count to the census. He said the 2020 census showed a small national net undercount, but larger age- and race-based disparities, including the highest undercount among children ages 0 to 4, higher undercounts for men, substantial undercounts for Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and overcounts among some older and college-age groups. He also described how self-response, non-response follow-up, administrative records, proxy responses, and imputation affected data quality, arguing that proxies and imputation were especially weak and that outreach remains critical for 2030. Committee members asked Salvo to clarify the methods and error bands, the role of international migration estimates, and how the PES differs from the census address list and LUCA. He explained that PES is based on a separate sample of blocks and can add units within sampled blocks, but it does not measure units missed entirely from the original address list; LUCA matters because it improves that list before enumeration. He also discussed age heaping, duplicate responses among older adults, and why group quarters and COVID-related disruptions complicated the 2020 count. Senator Driscoll briefly interrupted to describe Randolph’s successful appeal of its 2020 count after an undercount in disability care homes, and Salvo noted that the post-census group quarters review helped correct some missed facilities. Susan Strait then focused on Massachusetts-specific results. She said Massachusetts’ 2020 count was strong overall, with population growth above the national average and a PES-based finding that the state was overcounted by 2.24 percent, though she emphasized that this did not mean all areas were accurately counted. Using demographic analysis, she said Massachusetts had an estimated 4.15 percent undercount of children ages 0 to 4, with the largest county-level undercounts in Hampden, Suffolk, and Essex, and she linked higher child undercounts to lower educational attainment and female-headed households. Strait also reviewed operational metrics showing that Massachusetts had relatively strong internet self-response, but that non-response follow-up relied heavily on household interviews, administrative records, proxies, and imputation in different counties. She highlighted higher proxy use in college-heavy counties such as Hampshire and Suffolk, and said counties with more minority residents were more likely to have population-count-only cases and other indicators of harder-to-count populations. The hearing ended with discussion of how these findings could inform outreach and census planning for 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is supported by a grant from the Walton Family Foundation.
• This is to make grant payments related to the All Kids Bike program.
• Section H, these are miscellaneous federal grant appropriation requests.
• In Perry County, in 2024, you got 1,935 acres through this land grant.
• not allocated like whatever the total price is divided by the acreage.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of those kinds of contributions so that schools are not left with a preponderance of tax credits allocated
• but I was thinking in future years to have this in the bill already written and perhaps make it a grant
• But I was thinking in future years to have this in the bill already written and perhaps make it a grant
• being fiscally conservative more than we're being fiscally responsible with the way in which we allocate

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development heard House Bill 3359, presented by Representative Wilson on behalf of Representative Riggs. The bill would create a 20% state income tax credit, capped at $10 million annually beginning in tax year 2027, for donations to registered school robotics/STEAM programs. Eligible contributions were described as cash, equipment, software, materials, supplies, and possibly employee volunteer hours, with a six-year sunset. Committee members asked for clarification on whether the credit applies to individuals or businesses, whether volunteer time by parents or other non-experts would qualify, which state agency would administer reporting, and whether the 20% rate should be higher. Wilson said the bill would need clarifying language, including on volunteer eligibility and the reporting department, and said he was open to revisiting the percentage and other details with the sponsor. The primary witness in support was Sarah Waldron, an 18-year-old Westminster Christian Academy senior and robotics team CEO who said she wrote the bill. She argued the credit would help businesses invest in robotics programs, address unequal access across Missouri, and strengthen workforce readiness in STEM and AI. She said the bill was intended to support business employee volunteer hours, not individual volunteer claims, and noted she had drafted an amendment to provide larger credits for under-resourced schools based on free-and-reduced-lunch percentages. Committee members praised her work and discussed how to target aid toward rural and under-resourced districts. One witness testified in opposition, State Public Advocate Arne C. A. C. Dinoff, who said he supported robotics and the student’s effort but opposed the tax credit because of the state’s budget deficit and the broader cost of tax credit programs. He objected particularly to subsidizing volunteerism and said robotics should be supported locally rather than through a state tax credit. The hearing concluded without a vote or other formal action on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hearing none, four privileges were granted.
• Representative Hendricks said, "Let's welcome them in." privileges granted.
• Re Hendricks. privileges granted. Re Hendricks.
• delayed a $1.8 $8 million allocation delayed a $1.8 $8 million allocation that<01:27:49.600>
• So this language will allocate $2.4 million.

Keywords: 1136, house, all