Transcript Highlights:

• the West Point liaison officer for three successive members of Congress, beginning with Congressman Sam
• the West Point liaison officer for three successive members of Congress, beginning with Congressman Sam
• the West Point liaison officer for three successive members of Congress, beginning with Congressman Sam
• the West Point liaison officer for three successive members of Congress, beginning with Congressman Sam
• the West Point liaison officer for three successive members of Congress, beginning with Congressman Sam

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, November 17, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of the preservation board and the Senate's plan to renew the Sam Houston building, several tenant
• We have some staff in the Sam Houston Building.
• Facilities Commission, but the Ethics Commission is one of those agencies that's been asked to vacate the Sam
• Houston building.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As part of the Preservation Board’s plan to renew the Sam Houston Building, several tenant agencies have
• We have some staff in the Sam Houston Building.
• Facilities Commission, but the Ethics Commission is one of those agencies that's been asked to vacate the Sam
• Houston building.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee began with Article I budget items for the Secretary of State. LBB staff outlined recommendations that would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million, including changes to HAVA funding, removal of one-time business system replacement money, and a rider directing the agency to use Fund 5095 first. Secretary Jane Nelson and staff then defended several exceptional items, especially additional staffing for elections and business filings, a new website, digitization of records, cybersecurity tools, and renovation of the James Earl Rudder Building. Members focused heavily on election administration, cross-checking voter rolls, Harris County complaints, call-center response times, and whether online voter registration should be expanded. No votes were taken; the discussion was informational and budget-focused. The committee then heard the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB presented a recommended $2.4 million decrease for the governor’s office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs driven by one-time funding and unexpended balances, while still preserving major border security funding and victim assistance funding. Governor’s staff emphasized Texas’ economic growth, the importance of border security, and efforts to seek federal reimbursement for the roughly $11 billion Texas has spent on border operations. Members discussed whether shifting National Guard deployment to federal control could reduce state costs, and they also reviewed the music incubator program, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, and the semiconductor innovation consortium. Staff highlighted a $5 million late-added request for grants to protect nonprofits from violence and terrorism. Again, the exchange was largely explanatory, with no formal action. Finally, the committee took up the Texas Facilities Commission and lease payments for revenue bonds. LBB recommended major reductions overall, including removal of border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, but added money for higher utility costs, renovation of the Rudder Building, and additional facilities staff. George Purcell also noted stable maintenance-and-renewal funding and new riders related to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission building, tenant communications, and space utilization. For lease payments, LBB recommended a smaller appropriation tied to revenue-bond costs allocated across agencies. The discussion was informational, with members asking about the Rudder Building renovation, border wall progress, and capital complex construction timelines; no votes were recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we allowed them to come through my district... to get to Lake Houston to have water.
• I'm from Houston and we don't have zoning in Houston.
• Because we're going to get an increase in water bills right now in the city of Houston.
• If you don't know Red Oak, Red Oak's about an hour south of Dallas, kind of toward Houston.
• Well, I certainly would like to visit with you all because I have a Houston Community College in Houston

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have parks both in Austin and Houston.
• I arrived in Houston, Texas, when I was two years old. I went to John H.
• Reagan High School and then to Sam Houston State University.
• Every year, I help over 4,000 students in the city of Houston, a lot of whom are undocumented.
• They work for Dell, Microsoft, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston ISD, and UT Austin.

Bills: SB1798, SB1835, SB1319, SB2942, SB2928, SB784, SB1049

Keywords: higher education, tuition rates, financial support, immigration status, Texas law, SB 1835, resident tuition, nonresident students, scholarship students, public higher education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Education Code Section 54.213, tuition waiver, in-state tuition, out-of-state students, higher education finance, enrollment cap, capacity limit, workforce development area, nonimmigrant visa

Transcript Highlights:

• Sam Houston was inaugurated as president on October 22, 1836, and the House and Senate met in two.

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• Judge Baylor delivered the invocation at President Sam Houston's presidential inauguration, and the two
• Mexican heritage as well as for its proximity to both Houston and the Gulf Coast, it's excellent schools

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• Getting back to the days of the republic, Judge Baylor delivered the invocation at President Sam Houston's
• small town way of life, its check danish and mexican heritage as well as for its proximity to both houston

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Sam, we'll talk to people here. We've got three people wishing to testify.
• Sam Parker, all right, you're up. HB 332. You are recognized on your bill. Thank you.
• I was born in Houston, lived in Beaumont, and went on vacation in Galveston.

Bills: HB111

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an extremely proud third-generation Texan that was born and raised in Houston.
• My name is Rhonda from Houston.
• My name is Rhonda from Houston.
• My son had mild anxiety and started using the products at 18 when he went off to college at Sam Houston
• Thank you to Uncle Sam for providing that care.

Bills: SB 3, HB28, SB3

Keywords: flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program, backup power, weather siren, emergency management, flood-prone area, warning system, hemp regulation, consumable products

Transcript Highlights:

• My committee staff is located in the Sam Houston... ...of the Aggie Corps of Cadets.
• My committee staff is located in the Sam Houston Building, Room 440, so please contact them if you have
• My name is Jessica Arafan, and I was born in Houston.
• I was raised in the North Houston suburb of Conroe.
• My name's Hayden, a Houston ISD high school graduate and current college student from Houston, and state

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Several senators emphasized support for public education, teacher pay and safety, parental choice, and the combined K-16 jurisdiction of the committee. The chair also reviewed hearing procedures, including public testimony registration and time limits. The main item was Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, laid out by Chairman Creighton. He described the bill as an education savings account program intended to expand school choice, with a $200 million universal eligibility pool and an additional $800 million targeted to students with disabilities and lower-income families. He said the bill includes anti-fraud safeguards, criminal background checks for vendors, reporting requirements, data protections, and annual testing for participating students, while not imposing STAAR on private schools or homeschoolers. He also said the bill removes a prior hold-harmless provision for public schools and is separate from public school funding and teacher pay legislation. Members questioned the bill’s income threshold, lottery and priority structure, treatment of homeschoolers, microschools, charter schools, religious freedom protections, citizenship/lawful presence language, cybersecurity, open records, and disability-related issues, including whether 504 students and foster children should be included. Creighton said the bill is designed to prioritize former public school students with disabilities or lower incomes, while also allowing universal eligibility within the program’s first funding tier, and that the Comptroller would oversee vendor screening and cybersecurity rules. He said the bill does not direct curriculum or interfere with religious beliefs and that amendments may be offered later on citizenship and other issues. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, starting with EdChoice representative Robert Inlow, who testified in support of SB 2 and cited national growth in school choice programs and studies he said show positive effects for students and public schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Sam Greer. Thank you for being here today.
• That, Apple announced plans for a $500 billion investment with a big plant in Houston.
• Our primary location is in Houston, with offices in Tyler and Beaumont.
• That question maybe is more appropriate for the people that work in the Houston area. So, Mr.
• [Name], you work in the Houston area.

Bills: HB149, HB252, HB643, HB1442, HB1500, HB1672, HB1851, HB1893, HB2028, HB2768, HB2818, HB149, HB252

Keywords: artificial intelligence, regulation, biometric data, ethical AI, consumer protection, AI governance, employment compensation, state agencies, salary payments, general appropriations, government efficiency, public works, contractors, payment bonds, government contracts, construction law, transparency, open meetings, government accountability, public access

Transcript Highlights:

• In Houston, we have two of the two largest cities without zoning. So we have some issues there.
• Chairman Benton Court and members of the committee, I am Stephanie Reyes, city manager of Sam Market
• I'm the managing partner of Concentric Community Advisors, a Houston-based real estate advisory firm
• citizen deal where the HFC in Houston did not want to do that deal.
• And Harris County, Houston, friends, everybody had already outlaid that and then some, and Galveston

Bills: SB467, SB325, SB867, SB994, SB1052, SB1237, SB1449, SB1531, SB2063, SB2172, SB2173, SB2520, SB2529, SB2538, SB2541, SJR46, SJR84

Keywords: SB 467, Texas property tax, ad valorem tax, homestead exemption, residence homestead, fire damage, house fire, destroyed home, temporary tax relief, appraisal district, chief appraiser, local taxing unit, tax rollback, tax refund, Tax Code Chapter 11, prorated exemption, homestead improvement, disaster relief, property tax exemption, residential property

Summary: The committee heard several local government and property tax bills, with most testimony focused on appraisal disputes, tax administration, and development rules. Senate Bill 1052 by Senator Hinojosa would address coastal county appraisal litigation by requiring property owners in certain large-value disputes to report an uncontested taxable value while appeals are pending, so taxing units can base truth-in-taxation calculations on more realistic revenue. Nueces County, Del Mar College, and Corpus Christi ISD testified in support, describing major budget shortfalls caused by refinery valuation disputes; the committee substitute narrowed and clarified the bill’s scope. No opposition was heard, public testimony closed, and SB 1052 was left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1531, which would require local tax collectors to accept common electronic property tax payments such as credit cards, debit cards, and e-checks. Witnesses supported modernizing payment options and the committee substitute removed ACH/electronic funds transfer language to avoid bank-account disclosure concerns. Public testimony closed and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 325, by Senator Perry, would restore platting and groundwater-certification requirements that were unintentionally weakened by prior legislation; supporters from county government, water groups, and builders’ representatives debated whether the real issue was groundwater protection or road standards for private roads. The bill was left pending after extensive testimony and no vote. The committee then took up Senate Bill 994 and SJR 46, which would exempt certain livestock feed inventory from property tax and provide the constitutional amendment needed for that change. Feed store and Farm Bureau witnesses supported the measure as relief for seasonal inventory taxes, and the bills were left pending. Senator Paxton presented SB 467 and SJR 84 to create a temporary property tax exemption for homes completely destroyed by fire, with refunds or corrected bills based on the date of loss; both were left pending. SB 1237 would clarify charitable property tax exemptions for senior housing and retirement communities, with testimony from Catholic and Baptist retirement organizations and a resident describing rising costs and exemption revocations; it was also left pending. The committee later voted 6-0 to report SB 2073, a pending bill on appraisal district authority to purchase or finance real property, and recommended it for the local and uncontested calendar. Finally, the committee heard SB 2172, SB 2173, and SB 2063, all related to property tax administration. SB 2172 would limit when appraisal districts can require homeowners to reapply for homestead exemptions, requiring a specific reason and written notice; SB 2173 would protect new homeowners from surprise tax liabilities caused by prior owners’ erroneous homestead exemptions, with testimony describing large back-assessment bills; both were left pending. SB 2063 would bar appraisal districts from using market-value evidence in unequal appraisal protests, and testimony sharply divided between taxpayer advocates, who said market data improperly overwhelms equity claims, and appraisal district representatives, who argued market value is inherently tied to equal-and-uniform taxation and cited a recent Texas Supreme Court decision; the bill was left pending after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• In Houston, it's 10%.
• I'll say I'm short show you registered to Sam short. have TCEQ testifying neutrally, correct?
• Texas's resources, so Texans from El Paso to San Antonio to Houston and Dallas.
• Subchapter A The dredging district service area is geographically defined which includes Lake Houston
• The number of directors appointed by the City Council of the City of Houston has decreased from three

Bills: HB1520, HB1525, HB1530, HB1535, HB2068, HB2091, HB2347, HB2372, HB2805, HB2815, HB2867, HB3154, HB3482, HB3483, HB3663, HB3781, HB3901, HB3915, HB4135, HB4153, HB4158, HB4329, HB4331

Keywords: Angelina and Neches River Authority, river authority, Sunset Advisory Commission, Texas Sunset Act, Special District Local Laws Code, local government, natural resources, board of directors, director training, board governance, public testimony, open meetings, public information, conflict of interest, ethics, complaint system, general manager, board president, staggered terms, removal of director

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, my understanding is in the city of Houston.
• And if it helps, Sam, I'm also a mom. My children are watching, so...
• I'm Andy Kahn, Director of Victim Services for Crime Stoppers of Houston. and I'm here in support of
• I thought, and by the time I found out where he was, he literally had paroled out to Houston.
• And I had no clue that he'd parole out to Houston.

Bills: HB47, HB1552, HB1686, HB1953, HB2151, HB2355, HB2582, HB2697, HB2895, HB3073, HB3418, HB47

Keywords: sexual assault, victim rights, forensic examination, medical care, trauma-informed care, crime victims compensation, evidence retention, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, digital services, reporting requirements, children's protection, sex offender registration, indecent assault, educator-student relationship, criminal justice, legislation, crime victims, compensation fund, information disclosure

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Greg Lowry, I'm a Deputy Investigator employed by the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston
• So we're teaching them all over the country, but there's one based in the Houston area that does it.
• Like self-amplifying mRNA called SAM RNA, circular RNA, or vaccine-laced foods without transparency or

Bills: HB18, HB37, HB116, HB18, HB37, HB116, HB388, HB879, HB913, HB1151, HB2216, HB2358, HB2809, SB577, SB1590, SB1782, SB1887, SB2744

Keywords: HB 18, Texas Legislature, quorum break, quorum-busting, legislative walkout, absent legislators, political contributions, campaign finance, political expenditures, legislative caucus, specific-purpose committee, Texas Ethics Commission, civil penalty, show cause order, district court, Fifteenth Court of Appeals, session fundraising, travel lodging food expenses, legislative session, compelled attendance

Transcript Highlights:

• We have Councillor Aaron Salazar, Councillor Nanette Rodriguez, and Councillor Sam Ladeau.
• Many of them are from Houston; they're from all over the world, east of us mostly.
• We also have the Port of Houston. We have, believe it or not, the Port of New Orleans.

Transcript Highlights:

• UT Health Science Center in Houston, shortened to UT Health, is the receiver of that data?
• The chair calls Jackie Schlegel, Michelle Evans, Mamun Sam, Nicole Lussardi, and Fran Rhodes.
• Again, I'm going to call Michelle Evans, Jackie Schlegel, Mamun Sam, Nicole Lussardi, and Fran Rhodes
• We'll start with Sam Amen, and then we'll go to you next.
• Mammon Sam. I'm a hospitalist from Pearland in Senator Middleton's district.

Bills: SB227, SB269, SB407, SB463, SB527, SB547, SB1283, SB1380, SB1383, SB1511, SB1640, SB1784, SB2069

Keywords: school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, healthcare policy, vaccines, exemptions, religious beliefs, public health, workplace violence, healthcare facilities, definition expansion, safety regulations, health and safety code, health insurance, anesthesia, pediatric dental services, coverage, medical necessity

Summary: The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services met with several members initially absent, then later established a quorum. The committee heard multiple bills, with most testimony focusing on access to care, insurance practices, senior safety, and health care worker protections. Several bills were laid out with committee substitutes, and public testimony was limited to two minutes per witness. Most bills were left pending after testimony, with no final votes taken in the portion provided. Senate Bill 2069 would create a work group to study the feasibility of a statewide acute psychiatric bed registry; the substitute shifts appointment authority to the Health and Human Services Commissioner and extends reporting and sunset dates. Senate Bill 463 would expand workplace violence protections to additional hospice, home and community support, intermediate care, and state-supported living center settings. Senate Bill 1283 would require background checks and transparency measures for senior retirement communities after testimony about the Dallas-area serial killings of elderly residents. Senate Bill 1784 would require 60 days’ written notice before medical debt is sent to collections. Senate Bill 527 would require medical insurance coverage for general anesthesia for medically necessary pediatric dental procedures for children under 13 with qualifying conditions; pediatric dentists testified that denials delay needed care. A major portion of the meeting centered on prior authorization. Senate Bill 1380 would eliminate prior authorization for a broad list of services, including emergency, primary, mental health, substance use, chemotherapy, preventive, pediatric hospice, and certain chronic-condition care. Physicians and hospice advocates supported the bill, describing delays, administrative burden, and patient harm, while health plans opposed blanket exemptions and argued prior authorization helps prevent unnecessary care and control costs. Relatedly, Senate Bill 547 would require insurers to report gold-card prior authorization exemptions to TDI and create a centralized database and annual report; TMA supported better tracking, while health plans warned of duplicative reporting and administrative cost. Senate Bill 407 would require health care facilities to honor conscience- and religion-based vaccine exemptions for employees, with testimony from a physician and vaccine-choice advocate supporting the bill. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1383, which would regulate senior living referral agencies, allow more flexible compensation structures, and add disclosure and consumer protections; an out-of-state referral company and A Place for Mom supported it. Senate Bill 1511 would allow freestanding emergency centers to provide outpatient services in addition to emergency care, with consumer protections such as estimates, limits on facility fees, and restrictions on balance billing. The chair repeatedly announced that bills were being left pending after testimony, and no final committee action or recorded votes were taken in the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• At how Houston solved their problem.
• I think you know, you're correct; you mentioned Houston.
• Sam Duncan, please. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Looking at the Houston model, I will tell you that in Houston, I did not see any homeless people.
• Houston does not have Zoning regulation.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've got Sam Houston State University, the Public Medical School, UTSA, the UT Health Science Center,

Bills: SB1998, SB646, SB2786, SB2076, SB2615, SB1961, SB1418, SB2647, SB1322, SB2788

Keywords: pediatrics, medical education, subsidiary, preceptorship, medical training, student programs, mental health, loan repayment, education funding, mental health professionals, healthcare access, Texas Success Initiative, exemption, public officers, employees, higher education, Capitol view, Austin, urban planning, construction