Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs will come to order.
• Brian McMath, Executive Administrator, Texas Water Development Board.
• So we're going to develop supply. I just think we can develop without having harm. We too, Senator.
• So we're going to develop supply. I just think we can develop without having harm. We too, Senator.
• We have a Texas Water Development Board here as a resource witness.

Summary: The committee met with limited attendance at first, then took up a series of water, agriculture, and rural affairs measures. HB 3898 would allow the Texas Water Development Board to provide financial assistance for brackish water desalination projects in certain border counties and related nonprofit suppliers even if the projects are not in the state water plan. Supporters said it is needed to address severe water shortages in places like Webb County and to support future planning; opponents, including the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, argued it bypasses the regional and state water planning process. The bill was left pending after testimony. The committee also heard HB 5339, which would create a higher-education grant program for regenerative agriculture research. A rancher testified that regenerative methods improved soil health, water retention, and farm viability, while a senator noted existing university research but said better coordination could help. Public testimony was closed and the bill was left pending. Members then heard HB 1523, a temporary prohibition on TCEQ issuing Austin a Class 5 injection well permit for an aquifer storage and recovery project in Bastrop and Lee counties until December 2027. Local officials from Bastrop supported the pause, citing unanswered questions about water treatment, recovery rates, and impacts on the aquifer, while Austin Water opposed the substitute, saying the project is central to its long-term water plan and that stakeholder talks were already underway. TCEQ explained its ASR permitting process and said public participation is possible but not always used in the current authorization process. The bill was left pending. HB 5659, concerning the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District and requiring majority city-council approval before certain water sales or interbasin transfers, drew testimony from district officials who said the change could interfere with existing contracts and district authority, but the chair emphasized the need for local buy-in and said the stakeholders had reached a workable compromise; testimony was closed and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 1690, which would expand notice requirements for groundwater export permits so neighboring landowners and potentially affected aquifer areas are informed by certified mail and publication. The sponsor tied the bill to impacts from the Vista Ridge project, and no one testified against it; it was left pending. HB 3333 would prohibit TCEQ from issuing new wastewater discharge permits directly into the Devils River in Val Verde County. The sponsor and a conservation witness said the bill protects one of Texas’s most pristine rivers and reflects a local stakeholder agreement, while TCEQ said it can ensure water quality but acknowledged the river’s unique sensitivity; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HCR 108 urging continuation of the U.S.-Mexico tomato suspension agreement, with supporters warning of major Texas job and consumer-price impacts if it ends, and HCR 76 urging federal action on imported shrimp, citing public health and industry concerns; both were left pending. Additional measures heard and left pending included HB 4158 on compensation for Texana Groundwater Conservation District directors, HB 654 creating a dismissal path for certain first-time deer hunting violations after self-reporting and hunter education, HB 4530 requiring Texas Water Development Board review of groundwater rights placed in the Texas Water Trust, HB 2128 directing a study of rural versus urban firefighting and rescue disparities, and HB 278 requiring groundwater districts and management areas to track progress toward desired future conditions over shorter intervals. On HB 278, witnesses split over whether the bill’s interim tracking would improve accountability or create new triggers that could be used against local districts, but no final vote was taken and the bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• least 20 million to get all the rural least 20 million to get all the rural health<00:20:53.679>
• <00:25:05.679> So, especially in rural communities. So, especially in rural communities.
• Um, relating to rural emergency 1179.
• <00:43:12.800> and of Housing and Community Development and of Housing and Community Development
• <01:07:46.319> and appropriations for development and appropriations for development and establishment

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee opened its Health and Human Services calendar, noted quorum, and first took up HB 194. The chair explained amendments to add an exemption for a person invited by a patient to attend a birth outside an accredited birth facility when no compensation is involved, remove a date reference in section 9, and accept Department of Health amendments. Members raised no objections, and the committee voted to pass HB 194 with amendments. The committee then heard HB 139 on insurance, with the Attorney General flagging possible unlawful delegation issues and suggesting clarifying language, while the Insurance Division stood on written testimony. A number of health organizations and advocates, including HMSA, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, oncology and fertility groups, testified in support. HB 613 on homeless youth drew broad support from state agencies, counties, youth advocates, and community groups; testimony emphasized the need for permanent safe spaces and more attention to unaccompanied minors, with one witness asking for clarity on funding and shelter capacity. HB 71 on a tax credit for family caregivers drew support from AARP, Alzheimer’s and children’s advocates, and several individuals, while the Tax Foundation raised concerns about blank provisions and the cost-effectiveness of administering a small credit. The Department of Taxation said a prior version with a $5,000 nonrefundable credit would have cost the general fund about $397.4 million. HB 716 on health care technology support received strong support from SHPDA, OHIN, and many provider groups, who described it as a one-time investment of roughly $20–25 million to connect rural and neighbor island providers to electronic health records; members questioned how the grant program would be allocated. HB 799 on physician hospital privileges also drew mixed testimony: supporters said it would align Hawaii with updated CMS rules and improve access, especially on Maui, while Maui Health and some members worried it could reduce on-call coverage and hospital safety, leading to discussion of a possible report and sunset date.

Transcript Highlights:

• We've actually already completed three in the development of this so far.
• can inform the development of national policy.
• We developed meeting schedules and...
• We developed meeting schedules and... ...and consistent participation.
• Land's rural and underserved communities.

Summary: The committee held a work session focused on technology in government, AI, broadband, and digital equity. Seattle CTO Rob Lloyd described the city’s AI strategy, emphasizing responsible use, privacy, security, community input, and data strategy. He said Seattle is using small pilots and partnerships to test AI for tasks such as public records processing, infrastructure inspection, and permitting, while keeping humans as the final decision-makers. Members asked about bias, liability, training on best practices, labor involvement, and public records; Lloyd said AI should remain an assistant tool, not a replacement for human judgment, and that Seattle is still testing solutions for records requests and permitting. WATech CTO Nick Stow and Deputy Director Mark Quimby discussed the state’s broader AI policy, the generative AI executive order, a sandbox with more than 15 agencies, and use cases including a resident portal, cybersecurity, and wildfire detection. They stressed consent, closed systems, human-centered design, and the need to govern all forms of AI, not just generative AI. Committee members raised concerns about federal data access, labor issues, and wildfire detection effectiveness. Spokane County IT staff described a more restrictive approach to AI, citing privacy, bias, and cyber risks. The county standardized on Microsoft Copilot as its only approved chat-style AI tool, blocked other AI chat platforms, and requires human review of all AI-generated content. They said AI is also being used by criminals for phishing and deepfakes, underscoring the need for strong policy and security controls. The committee also received an update from the Attorney General’s AI Task Force. Yuki Ishizuka said the task force has 19 members and eight subcommittees covering ethics, consumer protection, labor, health care, public safety, education, government efficiency, cybersecurity, and industry/energy. The task force is working toward an interim report due December 1, 2025 and a final report due July 1, 2026, and is reviewing recommendations through public forums and advisory committees. Ishizuka warned that a federal budget reconciliation provision could bar states from enforcing AI regulations for 10 years, and several members voiced support for state authority and asked about possible 2026 legislation. The committee then heard updates on broadband and digital equity. Commerce’s Dave Pringle said the BEAD broadband program is being reshaped by new NTIA guidance, which removed or reduced emphasis on several prior priorities, and Washington is now working under an expedited process to submit its state application by September 4. He noted that no projects have been built yet, that four counties did not receive applications in round two, and that the state is trying to keep applicants engaged through office hours and a shortened review window. The Office of Equity and the Digital Equity Forum reported increased participation, new members, and ongoing outreach to tribal, rural, and underserved communities, while previewing recommendations such as creating an interdepartmental digital equity team and improving data use. Finally, Lumen’s Robert Thoms described private-sector broadband deployment challenges, including permitting, regulation, and the economics of extending fiber, while noting continued investment in overbuild projects, a $30 low-cost service option tied to the former ACP, and work with the state, tribes, and libraries. No votes were taken; the meeting consisted of presentations and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• "Rural areas throughout the state will be absolutely devastated, devastated both in their rural hospitals
• You and I both live in rural areas.
• I know you don't live in a rural area, but can I hear what this bill in your mind does for the rural
• I know you don't live in a rural area, but can I hear what this bill in your mind does for the rural
• Representative Lopez, I understand that you come from a rural area and you're familiar with the rural

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of the veteran homes fall in rural counties like Wilson.
• Counties are rural counties are absorbing the overflow with already gaps in existence.
• That's why we support this bill and rural areas need to help as much as the big cities.
• We have 254 counties, about 191 are considered rural depending on the matrix that you're looking at.
• We know 1.5 million veterans and growing in Texas, many of them in those rural areas, and we have the

Bills: HB101

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding

Transcript Highlights:

• However, the last couple of developed.
• With this in mind, the development.
• <00:45:54.880> areas, switching, particularly in rural areas, switching, particularly in rural
• we've had conversations about developing we've had conversations about developing a<00:56:36.240
• fact, East Central Energy is developing fact, East Central Energy is developing many<00:57:05.280

Bills: HF3830, HF3688

Keywords: utilities, rate cases, cost recovery, reporting requirements, gas infrastructure, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We have been negotiating a series of issues raised by the rural county representatives of California,
• Thank you. both current and planned solar development to meet our climate targets into the future.
• John Kennedy with RCRC on behalf of California's 40 rural counties.
• It's not saying the state's gonna make this law and then solar developers are gonna go out and just go
• I'm not an expert on rural issues.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, there has been a growing trend of CEQA being used as a legal defense to slow development of
• can set bad precedent and inhibit future development throughout the state, as requiring speculative
• Travis LaGault with the Rural County Representatives of California, in support. Thank you so much.
• I live rural in the northern Sierras, very much in support of wildfire mitigation.
• It is developed by a community organization to identify local concerns and develop recommendations.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• opportunities in this idea, but I would also urge members to think carefully about regional access, rural
• I know rural Vermont is feeling like they have a win in this bill, but I'm worried about rural Vermont
• I'm worried about our small schools, our schools in the rural... small schools, our schools in the rural
• Development for technical assistance for communities.
• But anyway, that being said, I'd really love to have an update on Economic Development issues.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But we were able to do that, and especially in rural Virginia.
• But we're able to do that, and especially in rural Virginia.
• Speaker, in rural Virginia.
• And even educating others in rural Virginia how different the rural coastal region is, where I represent
• Speaker, living that lifestyle in rural Virginia is worth protecting.

Keywords: March 14, 2026 - Regular Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Rural districts like ours do more with less every day.
• So, it speaks to differences in hiring practices or professional development that still allow.
• We represent about 350 rural schools across Texas and every educational service center.
• This salary disparity affects rural schools' ability to recruit new teachers and gives our rural schools
• We partner with employer partners to develop and design a program within their school district.

Bills: HB2

Keywords: public education, teacher compensation, certification, funding, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You're a rural legislator, as am I, and you understand.
• However, there are other steps needed for developers to finalize a deal and start on the housing development
• This leaves farmers and developers in a state of limbo: the development can't proceed yet, but farming
• The development can't proceed yet, but farming must stop.
• My heart goes out to the rural areas. I'm semi-rural, urban, even though I represent LD3.

Bills: SB1137, SB1176, SB1287, SB1335, SB1336, SB1445, SB1677

Keywords: underground utilities, utility locating, dig safe, call before you dig, 811, excavation safety, damage prevention, one-call center, locate request, white lining, large project coordination, buried infrastructure, subsurface utilities, utility marking, locator wire, locator strip, interactive positive response system, landlord duties, apartment community, mobile home park

Transcript Highlights:

• rural area unless you grew up in one. rural area unless you grew up in one.
• <01:26:17.280> rural<01:26:17.760> veterinarians support for rural rural veterinarians
• that if he four paths for a developer that if he was<03:19:42.399> developing<03:19:43.200>
• We're going to develop that.
• We're going to develop that.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Respectfully, I ask for your support for the Icane drug development grant program. Mr.
• support for the Icane drug development support for the Icane drug development grant<00:26:06.400
• Maybe we'll still be in session. rural transformational fund coming down rural transformational fund
• Being able to find and rural locations.
• Uh in a rural area where very much so.

Keywords: MS House Floor - 21 January, 2026; 2:00 PM, 925, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, a quorum call, and several guest introductions, including a pastor, a doctor of the day, medical students and physicians for MSMA White Coat Day, and visitors in the galleries. The chamber then moved to the calendar and took up House Bill 314, the Ibogaine Treatment Drug Development Grant Program Act. The sponsor described ibogaine as a potential treatment for opioid use disorder, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, depression, and related conditions, emphasizing that the bill would not legalize the drug but would authorize the State Department of Health to fund a consortium for FDA-regulated clinical trials with private matching funds, a university and hospital partner, and a requirement that at least 20% of commercialization revenue go to the state. Members asked about VA involvement, whether the trials would serve veterans or civilians, how the drug would be administered and monitored, why a statute was needed, and the source of the proposed state funding. The bill passed by a vote of 110 yeas and 1 nay. The House then considered House Bill 534, as a committee substitute, creating the Mississippi Health Exchange, a statewide health information exchange for real-time sharing of admission, discharge, transfer, and related patient information among hospitals, clinics, payers, and public health officials. The sponsor said the system would improve continuity of care, help with bed availability and mental health placements, and support public health analysis while protecting privacy through HIPAA compliance, an opt-out process, and limits on access to identified data. The bill would require hospitals, community mental health centers, and state hospitals to participate as a condition of licensure, designate a single nonprofit operator selected by the Department of Health, and create a fund for implementation and cybersecurity costs. Members questioned the bill about privacy protections, the opt-out process, whether data could be sold or shared improperly, costs to hospitals, whether hospitals and the hospital association supported the measure, and how the exchange would work in transfer scenarios. The sponsor said the bill would make unauthorized sharing illegal, that most hospitals already participate in some form of HIE, and that the exchange would not cost the state anything immediately because there was no appropriation attached. The discussion also noted possible help from rural transformation funding. The transcript ends during continued questioning of House Bill 534, before final passage or other action is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:13.599> although was very positive development although was very positive development
• I'm a member of a rural 100% bill.
• And those rural co-ops south of you.
• rural co-ops if we get to that point. rural co-ops if we get to that point.
• So, we found out in development.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're starting our doctors around $600,000 to get them to our rural hospital.
• If I'm in private, if I'm a solo family doctor in rural New Mexico, what's my pay?
• I just... okay, we didn't even break them down by frontier, rural, or metro.
• in establishing or expanding rural healthcare infrastructure and to support...
• That was allocated to Title I to rural—you know, I'll use K 5 Plus as the example.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• it with the re renewable development it with the re renewable development account.<00:24:22.000>
• <00:52:36.160> to thing, it it did require developers to thing, it it did require developers
• <01:03:47.200> every development every development every year.<01:03:49.280> You<01:03:
• > small<01:15:09.280> local developers, many of them small local developers, many of them
• megawatts of CSGS would be developed megawatts of CSGS would be developed each<01:17:35.280>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So this bill is all about when a developer, puts in a development, and the city might say, you need to
• President, is the classic small rural county bill.
• Classic small rural county bill that has statewide ramifications.
• Rural themselves.
• Because in my district, in many rural districts, that's not always true.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's a very rural part of the area, but I will contest that we are the most beautiful district in the
• The Board of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine developed and approved a GAP application and developed
• Upon passage, MQA developed a schedule for each board to meet and begin implementation.
• Upon passage, MQA developed a schedule for each board to meet and begin implementation.
• Just for a reference, a HPSA may not be a rural area.

Summary: The Health Professions and Program Subcommittee met for an introductory and oversight briefing from the Florida Department of Health on implementation of several 2024 laws. The committee heard first from Jennifer Winhold on practitioner-regulation measures, including SB 1716 and SB 1600, which expanded workforce pathways through foreign-trained physician licensure, area-of-critical-need temporary certificates for APRNs and physician assistants, graduate assistant physician licenses, interstate compacts, and a new universal licensure-by-endorsement process. She also reviewed HB 197 on massage therapy enforcement, HB 975 on broader background screening, HB 1561 on office-surgery and liposuction safeguards, HB 159 on pharmacist HIV post-exposure prophylaxis certification, and HB 1063 on chiropractic dry needling and foreign degree licensure. Members asked about compact scope, foreign graduate requirements, massage enforcement overlap with DBPR, and registration thresholds for liposuction procedures. Dr. Emma Spencer then outlined implementation of SB 76 and related programs, including changes to the FRAME and dental loan repayment programs, the volunteer health care provider program, the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program, the Health Care Innovation Council and revolving loan program, and the Andrew John Anderson Pediatric Rare Disease Grant Program. She said the department had updated portals, posted forms, launched or was developing public search tools, and submitted required reports and contracts. Members questioned whether loan repayment funds were reaching rural and underserved areas, how nonprofit applicants were being informed about the Alphonse screening grant program, the short application window for that grant, and how the department would evaluate whether the programs were improving recruitment and retention. A third presentation, delivered by Mike Mason standing in for Shea Holloway, covered maternal and child health and other public health initiatives. He reported on the telehealth maternity care program’s expansion from a pilot in Duval and Orange counties to 23 counties, the pregnancy-and-parenting resources website required by HB 415, CMV newborn screening requirements under SB 168, sickle cell registry and research grants under HB 7085, and the swim lessons voucher program under SB 544, which received nearly 10,000 requests for 3,500 vouchers and enrolled 86 facilities. Members asked about utilization, marketing, website launch timing, and how the department was promoting these services. No bills were voted on; the meeting concluded with the chair noting that more committee presentations and bills would follow and that briefing materials would be distributed to members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because that's what I'm concerned about with my rural counties. It's very hard to get them.
• I think that would be really imperative, especially in our rural areas.
• Our members span across the building industry from market rate developers, affordable housing developers
• These exercises are grounded in existing disaster response plans developed by OES and FEMA.
• We do it out of survival, because we're so rural and remote.

Keywords: 988, house, all