Transcript Highlights:

• Assembly Bill 1 by Assemblymember Connolly and others, an act relating to insurance.
• We have an insurance crisis on our hands, and every bit. Of relief is needed for these homeowners.
• Because they can't afford their insurance premium anymore.
• And them being on the hook for very, very large fines if there was joint and several liability.
• Our costs are going to go through the roof for homeowners insurance.

Transcript Highlights:

• person living in the house has 100% of the liability.
• c> liability uh liability uh to<00:38:32.480><c> be</c><00:38:33.240><c> If</c><00:38:33.359><c> you're
• </c><00:38:44.400><c> Um</c> has 100% of the liability. Um has 100% of the liability.
• </c><00:38:58.480><c> threshold,</c> threshold with tax liability threshold, threshold with tax liability
• </c><00:40:02.920><c> and</c> you have to pay mortgage insurance and you have to pay mortgage insurance

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:35:38.359><c> would</c><00:35:38.520><c> be</c> city's obligation and liability would be city's
• obligation and liability would be to<00:35:39.440><c> um,</c><00:35:39.880><c> make</c><00:35:40.080
• because they do not qualify insurance because they do not qualify for<00:53:48.080><c> Medicare</c><
• liabilities within our pension<01:20:57.080><c> system.
• </c><01:21:15.000><c> for</c> to help with unfunded liabilities for to help with unfunded liabilities

Transcript Highlights:

• Medical review panels have been termed traditionally in the area of medical professional liability.
• We know that at the board, not because we get involved in medical malpractice, but because the insurance
• And unlike the medical liability review panel, they're required to do four a year.
• I would hope so, but the experience in the medical and professional liability arena indicates that that's
• the committee is House Bill 1217 by Representative Eccles, relative to pharmacy benefit managers, insurers

Bills: HB689 , HB742 , HB926 , HB946 , HB948 , HB1028 , HB1095 , HB1114 , HB1121 , HB1155 , HB1185 , HB1217 , HB1220 , HB1227 , HCR76

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: public assistance, child welfare, benefit adjustment, DCFS, LDH, fraud detection, household reporting, Medicaid, immunization, healthcare eligibility, Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program, health policy, vaccination requirements, vaccination status, vaccine mandate, medical freedom, medical autonomy, public buildings, public access, government services

Transcript Highlights:

• So would they be subject to liability if they were not able to get the policy in place as the law directs
• That fee will be if you choose to, it's like buying an insurance policy.
• If you choose to pay it into this association, If you choose to, it's like buying an insurance policy
• plan today and burn anything, but if it gets away, if you follow your plan, there's no criminal liability
• , but there could be financial liability.

Summary: The committee met for a very long session and considered a large number of bills, with the chair noting the meeting would run late and providing pizza and a recess. Early measures included HB 1752, authorizing the AG’s office and district attorneys’ counsel to buy vehicles with available funds, and HB 2961, a tuition waiver for Gold Star recipients; both advanced with strong support, though HB 2961 drew a question about its estimated annual cost of roughly $312,000 to $520,000. Members also approved HB 2967, exempting certain family vehicle transfers from motor vehicle excise tax, and HB 2973, requiring school districts to use a specific accounting code to show how state-appropriated dollars are spent. Several education and transparency bills also moved forward, including HB 3031 on common course numbering, HB 3057 centralizing statutorily required reports with LOFT, and HB 3052 codifying child welfare procedures related to fentanyl exposure cases. The committee then took up a series of public safety, health, and infrastructure measures. HB 3242, which would create a framework for student prayer during non-instructional time, generated extensive debate over whether it was a mandate, whether it could create fiscal and supervision burdens, and whether it raised local control and constitutional concerns; it passed 17-10. Other bills approved included HB 3066 creating a revolving fund tied to rural behavioral health workforce dollars, HB 3086 requiring the DOC director to brief the board annually on budget and inmate deaths, HB 3175 creating an Oklahoma Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 3177 letting the Oklahoma Corporation Commission set salaries for its court reporters, HB 3178 establishing standard depreciation tables for farm equipment, HB 3429 creating an alternative funding mechanism for career tech capital projects, HB 3548 encouraging youth-run small businesses, HB 3638 directing Oklahoma to participate in the federal Summer EBT program, and HB 3704 expressing intent to opt into a federal tax credit for scholarship-granting organizations. Later, the committee approved HB 1590 creating an education infrastructure linked deposit program for charter and nonprofit schools, HB 3759 requiring temporary school allocations to be set before June 30, HB 3831 recognizing and funding Oklahoma Task Force One after federal support declines, HB 3904 unbundling Medicaid maternal health payments, and HB 4092 creating a protected 988 mental health trust fund and related oversight. After a brief recess, the committee continued with HB 1979 creating a task force to study a centralized early childhood office, HB 1983 requiring a middle school course on online scams and digital safety, HB 1242 expanding agricultural sales tax exemptions to deer and elk, HB 1250 creating a law enforcement public safety technology revolving fund, HB 2952 changing motor vehicle excise tax treatment for trade-ins, HB 3404 setting up a prescribed burn association fund, HB 3671 allowing experienced teachers to carry career teacher status to a new district with approval, HB 3920 extending a tax exemption to organ transplant nonprofits, HB 4118 creating a nonrefundable caregiver tax credit, HB 3944 cleaning up the State Finance Act, HB 3969 renaming a correctional facility after a former sheriff, HB 3973 creating a revolving fund tied to reopening Swojack, HB 3975 and HB 3976 creating mechanisms for oversight and potential funding of rural health initiatives, HB 3978 updating the Oklahoma World Jobs Act, HB 3983 serving as a placeholder for tobacco tax negotiations, and HB 3984 creating a mechanism to recruit productive new residents. Most bills passed on strong votes, while HB 1983 failed in committee 13-14 and was not reported out.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no information about what kind of insurance someone had that's contained in this data.
• And the Guttmacher data actually does also contain information about what kinds of insurance people had
• Lowering statutory expectations shifts risk and liability from the state to local governments, often
• of Senate Bill 50, cautions that removing enforceable refresher standards in these evolving high-liability
• areas can weaken statewide consistency and increase exposure under well-established liability frameworks

Bills: HB99 , HB49 , HB164 , SB30 , SB43 , SB50 , SB136

Committee: Senate House Judiciary

Summary: Senate Judiciary began by announcing that Senate Bill 136 would be rolled over because the sponsor was unavailable. The chair then addressed criticism from the floor over how a prior bill had been handled, defending the committee’s practice of using committee substitutes and amendments without waiting for a new version from council, and emphasizing his authority to set hard stops and limit debate when he believes discussion is repetitive or dilatory. Several members responded, with some supporting the chair’s approach and others arguing that contentious bills deserve more time and fuller committee vetting. The committee then heard Senate Bill 30, which would repeal New Mexico’s requirement that induced abortions be reported to the state registrar. The sponsors argued the reporting law is outdated, unnecessary for public health, and potentially dangerous because provider information can be disclosed under broader vital statistics statutes; supporters from the ACLU, League of Women Voters, Bold Futures, and NOW echoed privacy and safety concerns. Opponents argued the reporting requirement provides transparency and public health data. After debate, the committee approved SB 30 on a roll call vote. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 43, a bipartisan measure to modernize the Adult Parole Board statute after a prior veto. The bill would update parole factors for life-sentenced inmates, authorize per diem and closed hearings, and prevent parole hearings from being scheduled on victims’ birth or death dates. It received support from corrections officials and victims’ advocates, and the committee passed it without objection. The final major item was Senate Bill 50, which would remove several statutory in-service training mandates for law enforcement and give the Standards and Training Council more flexibility to set curriculum. Supporters said the current requirements are outdated and too rigid; opponents warned the bill could weaken recurring training in domestic violence, sexual assault, crisis intervention, and other high-risk areas. A motion to table failed, and the committee ultimately passed SB 50 on a roll call vote, despite divided member views.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yeah, so that would be handled through the Department of Commerce and Insurance, and more specifically
• So the other question I had, moving away from that, deals with the carrier liability. I'm sorry.
• My other question deals with carrier liability.
• Would the carrier's liability be any different if the driver is an employee of the carrier as opposed
• Obviously, they're responsible for their own insurance coverage, any liability versus a motor carrier

Summary: The House first established a quorum, then heard a presentation from Debbie Huang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver. Huang thanked Missouri lawmakers for their annual Taiwan resolutions and described Taiwan as a democratic and economic partner of the United States, emphasizing cooperation with Missouri in agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, semiconductors, and AI, while also warning about pressure from China and the need for stronger Taiwan-U.S. ties. The chamber then took up House Bill 311, which would move oversight of bail bondsmen under the existing board for private investigators and fire investigators, add bail bondsmen to that board, and increase training and oversight. Members said the bill was industry-requested, had unanimous committee support, and carried no fiscal note. The House adopted the committee substitute and perfected and printed the bill. Lawmakers also debated and adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 3009, a pharmacy bill aimed at clarifying rules for pharmacies serving low-income and underserved patients, emergency medication dispensing, and out-of-state pharmacy accreditation. Amendments were adopted to update the title and align Missouri law with national pharmacy board accreditation standards. The bill was described as a response to access problems during the 2025 St. Louis tornado and was said to have no state cost. A large block of floor action followed on a combined package of bills and amendments covering public safety, criminal law, health, and licensing. Measures discussed and adopted included changes to the sex offender registry and related corrections, an offense for impeding first responders, Mason’s Law to flag drivers with disabilities in law enforcement databases, a hands-free cell phone law update, Highway Patrol equipment purchasing authority, psilocybin language for first responders and veterans, AI-generated explicit material and child pornography provisions, gift card fraud penalties, stronger fentanyl trafficking penalties, Melanie’s Law on ignition interlock/DUI penalties, a domestic violence registry, boiler inspection and Missouri fire/life safety standards, Kansas City police retirement age corrections, and a commercial driver English proficiency bill with stronger penalties for drivers and carriers. One amendment on the sex offender registry was withdrawn after debate, and the House ultimately adopted the remaining amendments and referred the combined House Bills 368 and 3049 substitute to the Committee on Legislative Review.

Transcript Highlights:

• always hit the insured with it.
• because the insurance companies because the insurance<03:41:04.760><c> companies</c><03:41:05.520><c
• </c> because ultimately is it's the insurance because ultimately is it's the insurance company<03:42:
• </c> you have any example of an insurance you have any example of an insurance company<03:44:33.080><
• </c> was a insurance was a insurance company company company um<03:48:02.920><c> had</c><03:48:03.439

Summary: The committee first heard testimony on House Bill 167, a PFAS-related measure to add ski, snowboard, and boat wax to the state’s list of banned consumer products containing PFAS. The sponsor said the product is already banned in many other places, alternatives exist, and the concern is that these products go directly into water rather than landfills. She cited high PFAS levels in several New Hampshire lakes and argued the bill would help stop further contamination. A member of the public also described personal experience with ski wax products disappearing from the market, suggesting PFAS may have been the reason. The chair then closed the hearing on HB 167. The committee next opened a hearing on House Bill 312, dealing with college athletes’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Representative Moffett explained the bill was prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s NCAA v. Alston decision and was modeled on New Jersey law. He said the bill would prevent colleges from restricting NIL compensation, require athletes to use licensed attorneys or registered sports agents, and limit certain endorsements involving addictive drugs, adult entertainment, firearms, and weapons. He framed the measure as a proactive response to a changing college sports landscape and noted possible future conflicts involving schools, agents, and endorsements. Committee members raised several concerns and suggested changes. One member questioned the bill’s exclusion of two-year institutions, another objected to the weapons restriction, and others asked how the bill would affect scholarships. The sponsor said the intent was to protect scholarships, especially athletic scholarships, and clarified that need-based scholarships were not meant to be affected. He also acknowledged discomfort with the endorsement restrictions and said the committee might want to broaden or revise the language. The hearing remained open for further consideration, with no vote taken in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• of what their ultimate liability will be.
• If their liability was $100, they can't keep on account more than $500.
• If their liability was $100, they can't keep on account more than $500.
• That would be 500% of your prior year's liability. Correct. Yep.
• </c> 1 to three we'll hear from the insurance 1 to three we'll hear from the insurance department<04:

Summary: The committee received an overview from Chris of the Legislative Budget Assistance Office on how it will estimate unrestricted revenues for the General Fund, Education Trust Fund, Highway Fund, and Fish and Game Fund. He explained that the committee’s work is based on current law, not pending bills, and that the estimates will feed into a House resolution and an amendment to House Bill 1, the operating budget. He also described the broader budget process, including how House and Senate estimates are reconciled, how surplus statements account for revenue changes from enacted bills, and how a committee of conference could resolve differences later in the session. No votes were taken. Members then asked about why the Education Trust Fund was running below plan. Chris said the shortfall appeared to be driven largely by business taxes, including differences in the BET/BPT split and improved tax-processing systems that better track where business tax payments belong. Representative Orr also asked about tobacco tax collections and out-of-state sales; Chris said tobacco revenue was likely overestimated in 2023 based on COVID-era patterns, with more people smoking at home, and noted that e-cigarette tax revenue goes to the General Fund while cigarette taxes are split between the General Fund and Education Trust Fund. He said he did not have a specific estimate for cross-border sales. Commissioner Lindsay St. Pierre of the Department of Revenue then began a deeper dive into the department’s role and the taxes it administers. She reviewed the department’s mission, organizational structure, taxpayer services, and the tax policy and legislative analysis staff who prepare fiscal notes and testify on bills. She noted that the department administers about $2.9 billion in revenue across major taxes such as business taxes, meals and rooms, and utility property tax, and that the figures being discussed were preliminary because the annual report had not yet been issued. The discussion was informational only, with no formal action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• So in Newton, we're self-insured.
• So in Newton, we're self-insured.
• Today is health insurance cost.
• First, you pay for insurance premiums, then you pay a deductible when you use your insurance.
• See. paid insurance executives.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Health Care Financing

Summary: The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a public hearing on 16 bills, with the chairs noting a busy legislative day and asking speakers to keep testimony brief. The committee first heard testimony on Senate 860/House 1405, the Medicare for All bill, with Sen. Jamie Eldridge and many advocates, clinicians, municipal officials, and patients arguing that a single-payer system would make care a right, reduce administrative waste, lower costs, and protect residents from rising premiums, medical debt, and hospital closures. Several speakers cited the Steward hospital crisis, affordability problems, and polling or ballot questions showing public support for single-payer coverage. No vote was taken during the hearing. The committee then took testimony on S. 863, a bill on non-opioid options for chronic pain. Pain specialists, patients, and advocates said the bill would improve care coordination for MassHealth members, expand access to non-opioid medications, require provider education, and collect data on chronic pain. Testifiers described long delays in diagnosis and treatment, stigma toward pain patients, and the need for multidisciplinary care and transportation support. Again, the committee heard testimony only and took no action. A large portion of the hearing focused on H. 1360/S. 869, which would prevent discrimination against people with disabilities in health care. Disability advocates, clinicians, and patients described being denied or delayed care, pressured into DNR orders, or treated based on assumptions about quality of life rather than medical facts. Speakers referenced COVID-era crisis standards of care, discriminatory metrics, and personal stories involving canceled procedures, inadequate accommodations, and poor treatment in hospitals. Committee members thanked speakers for their testimony and said they would review the bill and its implications, but no vote was announced. The committee also heard testimony on H. 1399, an individual Medicare marketplace option for municipal retirees, where supporters said it would give cities and towns a lower-cost alternative for retiree health benefits through HRAs and individual Medicare plans. The hearing then returned to Medicare for All testimony, with additional supporters repeating arguments about cost, access, municipal budget pressure, and the need for global budgeting and universal coverage. The transcript ends with continued testimony and no recorded committee vote or final action on any bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• He blackmailed me for Stephen's insurance. I was afraid of having my daughters taken from me.
• It's so that you can insure your firearms.
• They insured those loans and underwrote them with that same slave labor.
• They insured those loans and underwrote them with that same slave labor.
• That truth about insurance companies that exist today because of capital gain from slavery.

Summary: The Senate Public Safety Committee met without a quorum and operated as a subcommittee while hearing a long agenda of bills. Early items included AB 2605, which would require statewide reporting on public defense services; supporters said California lacks basic data on how indigent defense is delivered and that the bill would help identify under-resourced counties, while no opposition appeared. AB 1650 would require rental vehicles used in law enforcement operations to display agency identification; supporters framed it as a transparency and community-trust measure in response to immigration enforcement tactics, while sheriffs and police groups opposed it unless amended, arguing it could compromise undercover and task-force operations and raise legal and indemnification concerns. AB 1930 would require notice to the Attorney General before business entities respond to subpoenas involving legally protected abortion or gender-affirming care information; supporters said it protects patient privacy and provider safety, while opponents raised constitutional, law-enforcement, and business-burden concerns. The committee also heard AB 458, directing state procurement guidelines for firearms and accessories so agencies buy from responsible vendors, with support from police chiefs, gun-violence prevention groups, and local officials, and no opposition testimony offered. The committee then heard AB 1588 on sideshows and street takeovers, which would update the definition of sideshows, include motorcycles and dirt bikes, and align penalties with street racing. Supporters, including police, city, transportation, and road-safety advocates, said the bill responds to dangerous events, property damage, and injuries; opponents from civil liberties and public defender groups argued higher fines and criminal penalties are ineffective and disproportionately harm low-income people, favoring roadway design and community-based prevention instead. AB 910, the Survivors Act, would expand affirmative defenses and vacature relief for survivors of trafficking, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence; supporters, including a survivor who described decades of abuse and wrongful conviction, said the bill gives survivors a chance to tell their stories and seek relief, while district attorneys opposed expanding relief to violent offenses and warned it could erase restitution and undermine victims’ rights. AB 2624 would expand Safe at Home confidentiality protections to immigrant service providers, employees, and volunteers; supporters described threats, doxxing, and harassment against immigrant-serving organizations, while opponents claimed the bill was prompted by investigative reporting on fraud and would chill journalism and transparency. The committee also heard AB 31, making the tribal police pilot program permanent and creating a missing and murdered Indigenous persons task force, which drew strong support from tribal representatives and no opposition. Later, AB 1959 sought to close a resentencing loophole tied to a 2001 Santana High School shooting case by restoring judicial discretion in resentencing for certain juvenile offenders; supporters said the current process can lead to automatic release even after parole denial, while opposition testimony began with concerns that the bill was responding to one case and lacked broader evidence. Throughout the hearing, members repeatedly noted they supported several bills but could not formally vote because the committee lacked a quorum, so motions were held for later action.

Transcript Highlights:

• owner can protect against the increases that may be coming in the future from property taxes or insurance
• That may be coming in the future from property taxes or insurance or cost of construction or utilities
• They may be contractors, economists, people that deal in the insurance industry, people that are renters
• we've done on parking reform, on transit-oriented development, on tax reform for housing, on condo liability
• Housing on condo liability reform. The list goes on and on.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, and observed a moment of silence for the unexpected death of Autumn Gildon, wife of Senator Gildon. The chamber then approved the previous day’s minutes and signed several bills before moving into caucuses and Senate messages. The main action of the day was consideration of the state operating budget, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5167, which the House adopted from conference committee and then passed on final passage after extended debate. Supporters of the budget said it was a balanced plan that protects core services, including food, shelter, health care, public schools, special education, behavioral health, and support for vulnerable residents, while making difficult choices in a tight fiscal year. Opponents argued it relied on the largest tax increases in state history, would burden working families and businesses, and could reduce access to health care and other services. The conference report was adopted 57-39, the bill then passed 52-45, and it was immediately transmitted to the Senate by a 58-39 vote. The House also took up Engrossed House Bill 1217, a rent stabilization measure affecting lease renewals and manufactured housing lot rents. Proponents described it as needed relief for renters facing steep increases and a way to provide predictability and stability, while opponents warned it would function as rent control, discourage new housing investment, and reduce supply. The conference report was adopted 55-42, and the bill passed final passage 54-44 before being immediately transmitted to the Senate 59-39. In addition, the House passed several housing and environmental bills: Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1096, focused on housing supply and buildable land, passed 94-4; Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1108, creating a cost-driver analysis process for housing affordability, also passed 94-4; and Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1293, dealing with litter reduction and plastic bag provisions, passed unanimously 98-0. The chamber also received Senate messages on other bills and recognized the work of staff and members at the close of session.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><04:57:07.200><c> targeted</c> goes to the unfunded liability targeted goes to the unfunded liability
• for you have private insurance.
• by the government, but it's an insurance program to treat it like an insurance program.
• </c><07:41:55.520><c> coverage</c> Bill 120 relative to insurance coverage Bill 120 relative to insurance
• </c><07:45:48.718><c> mandates</c> Uh yes, there are insurance mandates Uh yes, there are insurance mandates

Summary: The committee of conference for HB 1 and HB 2 reviewed the side-by-side budget comparison and began working through agreed and disputed items. Members first confirmed that grayed-out items were already settled and discussed a process for making later technical and intent changes, especially to true up abolished positions after additional decisions were made. They then moved through several budget sections, including judicial branch reductions, retirement systems, the Department of Justice, the Human Rights Commission, liquor enforcement, corrections, and the Department of Information Technology. Several items were agreed to or treated as settled package items, including the judicial branch position, the Department of Justice reduction, the Human Rights Commission item being held until related HB 2 language is finalized, the Housing Appeals Board being moved into the Board of Tax and Land Appeals, and the Office of Child Advocate. The committee also agreed to update the House bill language as needed based on HB 2 decisions, and to keep certain IT support rows in place unless related boards and commissions are eliminated. The effective date remained July 1, 2025, with no change. The main unresolved discussion centered on the retirement systems budget, where the Senate defended a large increase for deferred IT security and investment-function improvements, while the House argued the increase was too large and favored a back-of-the-budget cut. The Senate said the funds would support strategic IT and investment changes and would remain in the trust if cut, while the House emphasized the size of the increase and suggested a compromise. The committee ultimately retained the Senate position on retirement systems for the moment and said it would return to the issue later. On corrections and liquor enforcement, the committee described a negotiated back-of-the-budget cut structure, including a $10 million cut for corrections with some restoration of POS offices and administrative aides, and a liquor enforcement cut that was treated as part of a broader package. The Department of Safety item related to commercial enforcement and motor vehicle inspections was held for later discussion. The meeting ended with several items agreed, several held for coordination with HB 2, and some major budget questions still open.

Bills: HB2993 , HB3850 , HB3595 , HB3763 , HB3760 , HB4272 , HB3277 , HB3148 , HB3651 , HB3323 , HB4287 , HB4105 , HB3304 , HB3345

Committee: House Public Safety

Keywords: rural law enforcement, grant fund, public safety, financial assistance, coordination districts, grant funding, law enforcement coordinators, municipal assistance, education, inmates, literacy, high school equivalency, Department of Corrections, parole, rehabilitation, HB3595, Safer Counties Revolving Fund, Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, county grants, traffic barrier equipment

Bills: HB19 , HB170 , HB171 , HB173 , HB174 , HB19 , HB170 , HB171 , HB173 , HB174

Committee: House Children and Senior Advocacy

Keywords: Ebony Alert, missing youth, public safety, law enforcement, racial equity, HB170, supplemental appropriations, Education Trust Fund, Alabama education budget, school funding, K-12 education, local boards of education, textbook adoption, school buses, school safety, charter schools, summer programs, afterschool programs, reading intervention, college and career readiness

Bills: SB483 , SB522 , SB783 , SB1239 , SB1254 , SB1255 , SB1259 , SB1341 , SB1664 , SB1762 , SB1856 , SB1877 , SB1977

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: utility, proprietary information, customer data, data protection, electric service, customer information, emergency communication, electric utility, privacy, certification, public accountants, interstate licensing, accounting, regulatory amendment, energy efficiency, construction regulations, building codes, Texas, sustainability, cost-effectiveness

Summary: The Senate Business and Commerce Committee met with a quorum and first took up pending business, voting out several bills. Senate Bills 1697, 1569, 1202 as substituted, 1029, 1364, 1185, 924, 1008 as substituted, 264, 1376, and 1358 as substituted were reported favorably, with some sent to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also adopted a substitute for SB 1202 and later corrected votes on several measures. SB 924 and SB 1376 drew some opposition, while the rest of the pending bills were reported without dissent or with limited nays. The committee then heard testimony on SB 1856, which would create an annual capacity-cost recovery rider for Entergy Texas customers in the MISO region. The author and Entergy argued the bill would better match rates to actual capacity costs and improve transparency, while the Texas Association of Manufacturers and the Public Utility Commission raised concerns about the short 10-day review period, rider proliferation, and the preference for full rate cases over piecemeal adjustments. The bill was left pending. The committee also heard and left pending SB 522 on CPA reciprocity, SB 1664 requiring TDUs to provide clearer, standalone rate-change disclosures, SB 1877 expanding OPUC’s access to market data, SB 1254 and SB 1255 as TDLR cleanup bills on professional employer organizations and mold assessors, SB 1341 updating manufactured housing rules, SB 1239 on sovereign debt and Texas governing law, and SB 1259 streamlining the surveyor-in-training licensing process. Additional bills discussed included SB 1977, which would cap recoverable legal expenses in electric, water, and sewer rate cases; OPUC and some consumer advocates supported the idea as a way to reduce ratepayer costs, while utility representatives warned it could discourage participation and increase rate shock. The committee also heard SB 1762 clarifying that geothermal energy conservation wells are not battery resources, and SB 783 allowing SECO to proceed with future energy-code rulemaking for state-funded buildings. Both drew supportive testimony from industry and environmental groups. All remaining bills heard during the meeting were left pending, and the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also administers the alcoholic beverage tax and tax on insurers.
• And it's really just capped by the total diesel excise tax liability of a particular firm.
• So even if they don't have liability in that year, they can transfer it at least to some degree.
• Our understanding is that at least one of those firms has no diesel excise tax liability.
• excise tax liability.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> premiums for children health insurance premiums for children health insurance will<00:22:01.679>
• ,</c><01:27:49.120><c> and</c> rising property taxes, insurance, and rising property taxes, insurance
• My insurance has doubled. Um, so now I'm looking at almost $1,000 a month in just insurance.
• </c> liability for tenants in there. liability for tenants in there.
• ,</c> advantages such as reduced liability, advantages such as reduced liability, etc.,<02:47:31.520>

Committee: House Ways and Means

Transcript Highlights:

• Benefit plans part of the committee on insurance HB 1636 by Oliverson relating to designating certain
• HB 1641 by Munoz relating to the use of extrapolation claims referred to the Committee on Insurance,
• Issue was referred to the Committee on Insurance, HB 1643 by Oliverson, relating to the authority of
• HB 1649 by Kane relating to the availability of certain insurance from self-insurance trusts or health
• care liability claims for the Committee on Insurance.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill also provides requirements for insurers in notifying the insured of their rights to designate
• It empowers consumers with an additional safeguard without creating a new liability for the insurer or
• For background, pet insurance is property insurance that...
• Are there a lot of—I'm probably not a lot—how many insurers provide pet insurance? Do you know?
• Are there a lot of—I'm probably not a lot—how many insurers provide pet insurance? Do you know?

Bills: HB1269 , HB2624

Committee: Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development

Keywords: pawnbroker, fees, interest rates, consumer protection, financial regulation, real estate transactions, nonprofit, land conservancies, unsolicited offers, property rights