Video & Transcript Research : 'judicial approval'
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MN
Bills:
HF3900
Keywords:
permanent school fund, school endowment fund, Minnesota constitutional amendment, school aid, public school funding, State Board of Investment, investment income, distributable amount, school districts, property taxes, income taxes, voter approval, ballot question, constitutional amendment 2026, education finance, fund perpetuity, purchasing power, trust lands, swamp lands, internal improvement land fund
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee 3/3/26
Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Motion prevails and the minutes are approved.
- once approved. once approved.
- Conditions related to submittal approval Conditions related to submittal approval of<00:14:03.360
- <00:35:01.920>
for your time but we got approved for your time but we got approved for several - Um but since that approval was staff.
Keywords:
natural resources, environment, sustainability, conservation, outdoor recreation, land acquisition, real property, trust fund, commissioner approval, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, conservation easement, land purchase, state land, public lands, property acquisition, value assessment, tax assessed value, Metropolitan Council, Board of Water and Soil Resources
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Kentucky Housing Task Force 2025 (9-22-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- We're going to wait until the end of the meeting to approve the minutes from the July 28th meeting.
- , uh, our end and our board approves it to, uh, the loan closing.
- those things approved through the development<01:28:41.360>
side? - the mon the mo the minute say approving the mon the mo the minute say I.
- oppose say no. minutes are approved >> All oppose say no. minutes are approved and<01:39:19.199
Keywords:
Meeting Start 00:00:03
Roll Call 00:00:08
Discussion of Indiana Residential Infrastructure Fund 00:01:27
Discussion of Affordable Housing Trust Fund 00:33:30
Discussion of Urban Infill 01:12:37
Approval of Minutes from July Meeting 01:39:00
Adjournment 01:39:42, 958, all
Summary:
The Housing Task Force heard a presentation from Anita Sanford of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky and Sheri Cybert of Indiana’s Residential Infrastructure Fund about Indiana’s low-interest loan program for local housing infrastructure. They described the program as a voluntary, locally driven model that helps communities finance roads, sewers, sidewalks, traffic lights, turning lanes, and other infrastructure needed for new housing development. Sanford emphasized that infrastructure and regulation are major drivers of housing costs, citing estimates that infrastructure can account for up to 30% of a home’s cost and regulations another 25%, and said the association is studying Kentucky-specific regulatory costs. She also noted that every $1,000 added to new home construction can price out about 2,000 Kentucky households.
Cybert explained that Indiana’s program, administered through the Indiana Finance Authority, began in 2023 with $75 million appropriated over two years and has since closed 17 loans totaling $60.7 million, with more than 2,700 projected housing units. The program reserves 70% of funds for rural communities and 30% for urban communities, requires applications from local governments rather than developers, and asks communities to show need through a market study, describe the infrastructure and housing to be built, and provide preliminary engineering plans and a repayment source. She said the loans currently carry an interest rate around 3.5%, reset quarterly, and that the program has generated about $25 million in savings to communities compared with private borrowing. She also described recent Indiana legislative changes that encourage higher density and other zoning reforms, and said a majority of those local ordinance changes must be adopted for an application to be fundable.
Members asked about the ordinance requirements, the funding split between rural and urban areas, repayment mechanisms, and whether there were caps on project size. Cybert said repayment is worked out case by case, often through existing or project-specific TIFs, temporary tax agreements, or letters of credit, and that the program has no cap on request size or income/affordability restrictions. She said the largest request funded was $19 million for a 700-unit project. Co-chair Mills and others discussed whether Kentucky could adopt a similar model and what it would cost, while Sanford and Cybert said they were still refining budget estimates. Later, Scott Welch, president of the Homebuilders Association of Kentucky, testified that upfront infrastructure costs are a major barrier in his projects, citing a $1 million pump station and road-widening and utility relocation costs as examples, and said an infrastructure fund would help get projects off the ground.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- tax rate, and how often voters have approved tax rates in excess of the voter-approval rate. ...how
- often they have adopted tax rates at the voter-approval tax rate, and how often voters have approved
- rate, and 19% of cities approved by voters tax rates above the voter-approval rate.
- counties had tax rates above the voter-approval rate that were approved by voters.
- Oh, the voter-approved rate. Right.
Bills:
SB9
Keywords:
property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap, tax rollback, tax levy, maintenance and operations, debt rate, disaster relief rate, Texas Legislature, local taxing unit
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Local Government met to hear Senate Bill 9, which would lower the voter-approval tax rate for certain local taxing units from 3.5% to 2.5%. Sen. Bettencourt, the bill author, argued the change would continue the state’s property tax reforms begun in 2019, slow local levy growth, and give voters more say over larger tax increases. He and supporters cited data showing property tax levies have grown faster than population plus inflation, and said the bill would help protect taxpayers while preserving the state’s broader investments in school tax relief, water, rural law enforcement, and ambulance funding.
Supporters included the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the Texas Association of Manufacturers. They said the bill would improve transparency, encourage more disciplined budgeting, and create certainty for homeowners and businesses. They argued that lower tax-rate growth would help attract and retain employers and investment, and that voters would still be able to approve higher rates when needed.
Local officials and other opponents said the bill would constrain cities and counties facing rapid growth, inflation, infrastructure needs, and public safety costs. Testimony from county judges, city finance officials, firefighters, and urban county representatives emphasized pressures from jail operations, roads, water, EMS, police and fire staffing, and unfunded mandates. Several witnesses asked for carve-outs or exemptions for public safety and disaster-related costs, warning that a one-size-fits-all cap could force service cuts or shift costs elsewhere. The committee heard extensive questioning but no final vote or disposition on the bill was taken in the portion provided.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Three-fourths of all those have been approved by local government officials for complexes inside their
- Houston Housing Authority most recently now with the approval of the city of Houston and even Harris
- In the six years I've served on council, I think we've actually approved every one of them.
- These projects that I showed you in Dallas, every single one of them was a PFC approved by the cities
- We had a judicial order that came down that said this is not... a problem and you need to go ahead and
Keywords:
HB 21, Texas Tax Code, ad valorem tax, property tax, delinquent taxes, tax delinquency, penalty reduction, interest rate, split payment, installment payment, tax relief, county tax collector, taxing unit, property owner, tax collection, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax increase election, supermajority, 60 percent threshold
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Public Pension Oversight Board (6-1-26)
Transcript Highlights:
- If so, I'd entertain a motion to approve them. >> Motion.
- Minutes are approved and Brad, the floor is yours.
- >> Okay.<00:03:44.560>
Minutes <00:03:44.959>are <00:03:45.280>approved <00 - Minutes are approved and Brad, the >> Okay.
- Minutes are approved and Brad, the floor<00:03:47.920>
is <00:03:48.159>you.
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00:09
Attendance Roll Call: 00:01:42
Approval of Minutes: 00:03:23
Overview of Actuarial Audit Process: 00:03:47
Overview of Reemployment After Retirement Provisions: 00:25:26
Teachers’ Retirement System: 00:25:26
Kentucky Public Pensions Authority: 00:50:32
Adjournment: 01:02:55, 958, all
Summary:
The meeting began with quorum, approval of the prior minutes, and an announcement that the June meeting had been canceled and replaced by this combined May/June meeting; the next official PPOB meeting was announced for July 21 at 2:30. Staff then gave an overview of the Public Pension Oversight Board’s required actuarial audit process, explaining that House Bill 238 requires a review every five years of the retirement systems’ actuarial assumptions and methods, funded by the systems themselves. The presentation distinguished this audit from a financial or forensic audit, described the three possible audit levels (full replication, limited/spot review, or basic review), and noted that the last audit in 2021 was a level one performed by Milleman Consulting at a cost of about $190,000. Members discussed timing for the next audit cycle, with a request to LRC likely needed in July or August to target the June 30, 2026 valuation, and several members expressed interest in another level one review. Questions also addressed whether prior audits found major issues; staff said the 2021 review was generally clean but recommended more consistency in reporting and assumptions across systems.
The committee then welcomed new staff and interns, including Odet Guanzi of KPPPA and Team Kentucky intern Amamira Bowman. Bo Barnes of the Teachers Retirement System presented an overview of the statutory framework for reemployment after retirement under KRS 161.605. He explained that the law is intended to let retirees return to help with staffing needs, do so in an actuarially sound way through required contributions, and keep TRS compliant with federal tax rules for a qualified plan under section 401(a). Barnes described the required breaks in service and earnings limits for retirees returning part-time or full-time, including the three-month or 12-month break depending on the employer, the 6,900-day limit, and the daily wage threshold based on years of service. He also noted a lightly used critical shortage program that allows school districts to hire retirees without a wage cap, while still observing the break-in-service rules.
Members asked questions about who decides the scope and level of the actuarial audit, how the audit would treat leave balances and other benefit-related items, and whether the prior level one audit identified substantial problems. Staff said the committee would request the audit, but LRC would handle contracting, and that the audit scope could include items like sick leave and annual leave costs if requested. On the reemployment topic, Barnes emphasized that the rules are designed to avoid pre-arranged retire-and-return arrangements that could jeopardize TRS’s tax-qualified status. No formal votes were taken beyond approving the minutes, and the meeting concluded with the presentations and discussion of these pension oversight issues.
WY
Transcript Highlights:
- We're going to give this much of a tax break by approving this and potentially another voter-approved
- We're going to give this much of a tax break by approving this and potentially another voter-approved
- We're going to give this much of a tax break by approving this and potentially another voter-approved
- We're going to give this much of a tax break by approving this and potentially another voter-approved
- Many special districts operate without a recurring four-year approval structure.
Keywords:
property tax, homeowner exemption, Wyoming, voter initiative, tax legislation, HB0127, recreation mill levy, recreational facilities, public recreation, mill levy, local tax, county commissioners, school district levy, voter approval, ballot measure, general election, tax referendum, special purpose tax, Wyoming taxation, W.S. 18-9-201
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Education (11-4-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:03:53.120>
All <00:03:53.200>right, Do I have a motion to approve minutes? - Minutes approved. All right, just one more reminder to our presenters.
- Kansas selected three approved vendors through the state 911 center.
- approved vendors through the state 911<01:34:24.560>
center. - We have to ask documents are approved.
Keywords:
Call to Order and Roll Call – 0:00:04
Approval of Minutes – 0:03:57
United Way of Southern Kentucky –0:04:30
Preschool Education – 0:36:46
School Safety Updates – 1:01:41
Kentucky Association of School Superintendents – 1:41:47
Educational Cooperatives – 1:55:18
Adjournment – 2:07:37, 958, all
Summary:
The committee opened its sixth meeting of the 2025 Interim Joint Committee on Education, confirmed a quorum, recorded attendance votes, and approved the minutes. Chair Lewis reminded presenters to keep remarks brief because of the full agenda and limited time. The first presentation was from United Way of Southern Kentucky, with Anne Puckett, Craig Browning, and Warren County Schools Superintendent Rob Clayton introducing a regional early childhood initiative.
The presenters argued that kindergarten readiness and early childhood support are critical to later academic and life outcomes. They cited research and statistics about brain development in the first five years, the effects of unprepared kindergarten entry, and links between low literacy, school discipline, dropout rates, and incarceration. They said their region’s readiness scores fell during COVID and after a tornado, and that the most effective response was in-home parent education to help families support children from birth to age five. They described the model as voluntary, community-based, and not requiring new buildings, and said similar programs have been successful in Missouri.
The group said it had already raised more than $1 million in private donations and committed three years of funding for four additional staff, expanding service in Allen, Logan, and Warren counties. They requested $600,000 per year for the next two-year budget cycle to add 12 more educators, serve about 360 families and 660 additional children, and build evidence for a possible statewide model. Members generally expressed support for the concept, with Representative Tipton and Representative Jackson discussing a prior home-based preschool pilot and the importance of starting early. Representative Calloway questioned whether increased family chaos and government involvement justified the approach; presenters responded that the program uses community educators, not a government-run organization, and is aimed at helping overwhelmed families. Representative Stalker asked about eligibility and early intervention, and presenters said the program serves children from birth to age five and can help identify needs early enough to connect families with services such as First Steps.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
S/C on Disease Prevention & Women's & Children's Health Apr 3rd, 2025
S/C on Disease Prevention & Women's & Children's Health
Bills:
HB46
Keywords:
local government spending cap, expenditure limit, political subdivision, property tax, ad valorem tax, budget cap, taxpayer protection, spending restraint, inflation adjustment, population growth, voter approval, supermajority vote, county budget, municipal budget, school district finance, junior college district, hospital district, special district, attorney general enforcement, local fiscal limits
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
House Standing Committee on Transportation (3-11-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- If you've had time to review those, I'd like to entertain a motion to approve the minutes. please call
- If you've had time to review those, I'd like to entertain a motion to approve the minutes.
- motion to approve the motion to approve the minutes<00:01:46.799>
motion <00:01:47.280>do
Keywords:
Roll Call 00:39
Approval of Minutes 01:45
SB 136 Discussion 02:51
SB 136 Vote 07:14
SB 43 Discussion 08:49
SB 43 Vote 20:02
SB 38 Discussion 20:45
SB 38 Vote 35:50
SJR 66 Discussion only 37:08
Admin. Reg. Review 41:10, 958, all
Summary:
The House Transportation Committee met with a quorum, approved the March 4 minutes, and then took up several Senate measures. Senate Bill 36, dealing with cleanup language for CAVIS and electronic submission of liens and satisfactions, was amended by committee substitute to require lien holders to begin using electronic title and registration systems starting July 1, 2026. After questions from members and testimony from county clerk Jason Denny and title-industry representative Tom Underwood, the committee adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably with the substitute attached.
The committee then considered Senate Bill 43, which updates the medical review board process under KRS 186.444. Senator Donald Douglas and Senator Jimmy Higdon described the bill as a response to complaints about fairness and transparency in medical review cases, including a constituent example involving a disabled veteran whose VA medical clearance was rejected. The bill changes who may serve on the board, adds flexibility and transparency, shifts reimbursement language to allow the Transportation Cabinet to set costs by regulation, and includes provisions aimed at broadening participation by qualified health care providers. Members discussed the role of school resource officers, the use of family affidavits in reporting, and the need to keep costs down; the committee adopted the substitute, approved a title amendment, and reported the bill favorably.
Senate Bill 38, concerning stop-arm violations on school buses and the use of cameras and enforcement procedures, also received a committee substitute and was reported favorably. Senator Greg Elkins and supporters said the bill is intended to address widespread illegal passing of stopped school buses and to help fund stop-arm cameras, while critics raised concerns about automated enforcement and the role of a live officer. Members cited survey data and personal stories about school-bus safety, and the sponsor explained that school resource officers would work with local law enforcement on citations, which are contemplated as civil penalties. The committee also heard discussion-only testimony on Senate Joint Resolution 66, which would create a task force on aviation, aerospace, and logistics economic development; no vote was taken on the resolution because it had just passed the Senate and had not yet been formally received by the committee.
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force (8-27-24)
Keywords:
KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNyDhxNCbk, 2026-06-21T07:17:08+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Call to Order and Roll Call – 00:04:40
Approval of Minutes – 00:06:39
Public Comment – 00:08:00
Announcements and Adjournment – 01:28:10, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation (2-26-24)
Keywords:
KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_If_Z8gEtxw, 2026-06-21T07:17:06+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, 00:02 Call to Order and Roll Call
00:40 Approval of Minutes
01:00 Revenue Sharing Flex Funding
21:44 Highway Contingency Projects
59:08 Adjournment, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee (10-18-23)
Keywords:
KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDa-Gvswn8, 2026-06-21T07:17:05+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Approval of Minutes – 00:46
OEA Report: Effectiveness and Efficiency of School Districts – 01:01
Other Business: 2023 OEA Research Agenda Proposed Topics – 43:28, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, Personnel and Public Protection (9-20-23)
Keywords:
KY LRC YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjc6WlU0zxM, 2026-06-21T07:17:05+00:00, 2.2.24, Data collected via generic collector engine, Meeting Start 00:00:00
Attendance Roll Call 00:00:05
Local Taxes Collected on Remote Workers 00:01:53
Approval of Minutes 00:21:45, 958, all, 2.2.42, 2.1.47
AZ
Transcript Highlights:
- Approval of the minutes.
- there's no corrections, without objection, Public Safety Committee minutes from February 11, 2026, are approved
- The resolution is subject to vote or approval, and with that I'm happy to answer is unavailable.
- The resolution is subject to voter approval and with that I'm happy to answer any questions.
- It also allows the state to use this product once the FDA approves it.
Bills:
SB1071, SB1315, SB1317, SB1416, SB1493, SB1537, SB1542, SB1584, SB1626, SB1740, SB1751, SB1804, SCR1047, SCR1049
Keywords:
Arizona Rangers, statutory repeal, security, state law, regulatory changes, school safety, interoperable communications, law enforcement, emergency response, funding, reentry programs, criminal justice, grants, recidivism, attorney general, missing children, kidnapping, reporting requirements, child safety, training
Summary:
The committee first took up SB 1071, which would repeal the statutory framework for the Arizona Rangers. The sponsor argued the bill was about accountability and transparency, citing concerns about missing training and firearms qualification records; Arizona Rangers representatives and several sheriffs opposed the bill, saying the Rangers provide valuable volunteer support and that the real issue was adding oversight rather than eliminating protections. After discussion, the committee voted 4-3 to give SB 1071 a do pass recommendation, with members noting they expected amendments later.
The committee then heard SB 1315, requiring school districts and charter schools to maintain interoperable emergency communications with law enforcement and to submit annual affidavits confirming testing and compliance. Testimony from school safety officials and sheriffs emphasized the value of real-time communication during emergencies and the need for secure sharing of campus maps and floor plans; concerns about cost and information security were addressed by supporters. The bill passed unanimously, 7-0. The committee also advanced SB 1317, which appropriates opioid settlement funds for county reentry planning programs; sheriffs and association representatives supported it, citing reduced recidivism and jail populations, and it passed 7-0.
Several public safety and missing-children measures were considered next. SB 1416, as amended, revises missing child reporting requirements, adds runaway children back into reporting, requires faster photo and information sharing, and expands training requirements; advocates for missing children and law enforcement supported the compromise language, and the bill passed 7-0. SB 1740, which updates Turquoise Alert training and procedures, was also advanced 7-0 after discussion about statewide versus geographically targeted alerts and the need to keep alerts effective. Later, SB 1493, a strike-everything amendment affecting police officer termination appeals and fee shifting when an employer rejects a favorable administrative ruling, passed 5-2 despite opposition from chiefs’ representatives. SB 1537, renaming the Peace Officer Training Equipment Fund and repealing its advisory commission, passed 5-2.
The committee also approved SB 1751 and SCR 1049, which expand execution methods to include lethal gas and firing squad and make firing squad mandatory in certain cases involving the murder of a law enforcement officer; opponents raised constitutional, ethical, and practical concerns, while supporters framed the measures as aligning Arizona with other states and providing additional options. Both measures passed 4-3. Finally, SB 1542, which would create a framework and funding for MDMA research and treatment for PTSD in first responders and peace officers contingent on FDA approval, was heard with testimony describing promising clinical trial results and the need for Arizona research; the bill was then moved forward, though the transcript cuts off before the final roll call result is fully shown.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- prohibit courts from declaring a statute unconstitutional, nor can it prevent individuals from seeking judicial
- But these efforts to evade judicial review only emphasize how deeply discriminatory this bill is.
- But male birth control, because of these symptoms, has not been approved.
- just like last session, so a bill we have every session adjusting jurisdiction of courts, etc., judicial
Keywords:
hemp, consumable hemp, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, cannabidiol, CBG, cannabigerol, delta-8, delta-9, intoxicating hemp, hemp gummies, hemp vape, edibles, cannabinoid regulation, hemp licensing, retailer registration, product registration, QR code labeling, child-resistant packaging, minor access
Summary:
The committee first took up Senate Bill 8, the Texas Women's Privacy Act, and heard extensive public testimony both for and against the measure. Supporters, including representatives of Texas Values and Texas Values Action, argued the bill was needed to protect women’s privacy and safety in restrooms, locker rooms, showers, prisons, domestic violence shelters, and other government-controlled spaces, and said it would provide clear, sex-based rules. Opponents, including many transgender Texans, civil rights advocates, clergy, business and public safety voices, and others, argued the bill would invite harassment, gender policing, lawsuits, and invasive inspections, while harming trans, intersex, and gender-nonconforming people as well as cisgender women who do not fit stereotypes. Several witnesses said the bill would conflict with federal law or prison standards, worsen safety in shelters and prisons, and hurt Texas’s reputation and economy. The chair repeatedly noted the compressed special-session schedule and said flood relief remained the session’s top priority. Public testimony on SB 8 was eventually closed, and the bill was left pending.
The committee then moved to Senate Bill 6, dealing with consumable hemp product restrictions. Testimony on SB 6 focused on whether the bill went too far in restricting hemp-derived THC products. Opponents argued hemp and THC have medical and economic value, that the bill would criminalize conduct and burden courts, and that regulation—not prohibition—was the better approach. Some witnesses supported tighter rules such as testing, child-resistant packaging, and limits on marketing to children, but still opposed the bill’s broad THC ban, higher fees, and age restrictions. Several speakers emphasized benefits for veterans, chronic pain patients, and small businesses, and warned that prohibition would push consumers toward the illicit market. The committee heard the testimony and then continued with additional witnesses, with no final vote or disposition reported in the excerpt.
NM
Transcript Highlights:
- I still remember that day she was approved and appointed as SPO director.
- So she has my full approval. Thank you. Morning, Chair, members. My name is H.C. Hawkins.
- And who approves that? Is it approved by a majority of the board, or how does that work, Chair?
- that the state personnel office will present proposed rules changes to the board, and the board will approve
- Now, what makes this land grant unique, Madam Chair, is that it's governed by the Fourth Judicial District
Keywords:
land grant, Las Vegas, governance, self-governance, judicial management, forced sterilization, coerced sterilization, Indigenous women, Native American women, women of color, reproductive justice, reproductive sovereignty, truth and reconciliation commission, memorial, trauma-informed care, reparative justice, human rights, bodily autonomy, Indian Health Service, Indian affairs
AL
Transcript Highlights:
- You got to love the last judicial hearing. I said motion. Yeah.
Keywords:
law enforcement, immunity, civil liability, use of force, recruitment, bail reform, cash deposit, judicial discretion, criminal justice, Alabama law, youthful offender, capital murder, public safety, victims' rights, juvenile offenders, delinquent acts, juvenile court, nonfelony offenses, water safety offenses, illegal immigration
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- and allow denied or delayed payments to be appealed to the presiding judge of the administrative judicial
Keywords:
judicial bond, guardianship, probate law, county judge, statutory county court, attorney general, criminal prosecution, public order, law enforcement, jurisdiction, attorney ad litem, parent-child relationship, compensation, legal representation, government entity, probate, court proceedings, record delivery, wills, legal documentation
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Jurisprudence heard several family-law and probate bills. Senate Bill 2052 would codify a rebuttable presumption that a parent acts in the best interest of a child and require clear and convincing evidence to overcome that presumption in disputes involving non-parents; the author and several witnesses supported the bill as a clarification of existing case law, while one witness suggested refining the modification language. Public testimony was closed and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1923, which would allow child support to follow a child placed temporarily with kin or fictive kin under a parental child safety placement or authorization agreement; the bill’s author and a grandparent caregiver testified in support, while one witness suggested the Attorney General could handle the change administratively. That bill was also left pending.
Senate Bill 1838 would standardize fee schedules and compensation rules for attorneys ad litem and related court-appointed counsel in DFPS child-protection cases. The author said the bill would clarify unclear current law, and witnesses from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and family-defense bar supported it, though one asked that expert-witness expenses be expressly included. Senate Bill 387 would raise the bond requirement for county judges handling guardianship proceedings to at least $500,000; the author described it as a refiling of a prior bill that passed unanimously but was vetoed, and a statutory probate judge testified in support. Senate Bill 1839 would require original or paper wills to be delivered to the transferee court when probate proceedings are transferred; the committee substitute broadened the delivery methods, and the district clerk witness supported the change. All three bills were left pending.
The committee also took up Senate Bill 1536, which had previously been voted out with the wrong committee substitute; members reconsidered the vote, adopted the corrected substitute, and then voted 3-0 to report the bill favorably to the full Senate, with local and contested calendar certification. Finally, Senate Bill 1940 would create a transfer-on-death mechanism for manufactured homes classified as personal property, similar to existing tools for real property and vehicles; the author and an estate-planning attorney testified that it would streamline transfers and reduce probate costs. A non-substantive committee substitute was still being prepared, and the bill was left pending.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- TMB would have to approve their renewal for another 2 years of practicing under a provisional license
- Which those are done here, right, so TMA already has approved agencies abroad that um.
Keywords:
judicial liability, personal bond, felony offenses, judges, criminal justice reform, voter registration, election procedures, change of address, residence requirements, Texas Election Code, Texas election law, residence address, precinct voting, county move, same-county move, Election Code, registrar, statement of residence, polling place, local elections