Transcript Highlights:

• It will help Texas landowners and Texas families from losing tax benefits due to technical changes in
• House Bill 140 amends Chapter 40 of the Texas Human Resources Code by adding Section 43.031 to establish
• Coastal Texas Project, which is expected to cost $35 billion.
• Tax Code.
• Members, there have been issues in North Texas. House Bill 353.

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation, received a House message announcing passage of HB 74 creating the Puerto Verde Port Authority District, and heard a recognition from Senator Hancock about a weekend human trafficking operation in Fort Worth in which Unbound Now and the Fort Worth Police Department freed 19 victims. The Governor also submitted nominations to the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board. The chamber then repeatedly suspended rules to take up and pass a series of House bills and one House joint resolution, mostly by wide margins, along with several local and honorary designations. Among the substantive measures, the Senate passed HB 1244 on open-space appraisal after property transfers, HJR 99 and HB 1399 to exempt animal feed from ad valorem taxation, HB 166 expanding child/endangered-person protections to fentanyl-related conduct, HB 1672 speeding DMV enforcement against unsafe motor carriers, HB 2018 clarifying the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program, HB 140 creating a DFPS advisory committee on child protective investigations, HB 467 providing for dissolution of the Cedar Creek Hospital District, HB 2000 requiring sex-offender registration for child grooming, HB 331 creating presumptions for first responders who suffer heart attacks or strokes after strenuous shifts, HB 1089 creating the Gulf Coast Protection Account, HB 2730 limiting when appraisal districts may require new homestead exemption applications, HB 2723 easing cemetery tax-exemption procedures, HB 353 creating a trespass offense near schools and day care centers, and HB 3248 authorizing defense-based development authorities to employ and commission peace officers. Several of these bills drew brief explanations and, in some cases, questions from other senators about their scope and purpose. The Senate also passed numerous memorial highway and facility designations, including HB 767 for Paul P. Mendez, HB 1708 for Trooper Kevin Ramirez-Vasquez, HB 2415 for Senior Police Officer Louis Andy Taylor, HB 2143 for Army Specialist Joey Lenz, HB 2457 for the Molly Mullins Mile, HB 2523 for Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia, HB 2198 for Officer Jacob Candinoza, and HB 2763 naming a TxDOT facility for Eduardo Eddie Garcia Jr. Other local or administrative measures included HB 3513 on the Moore County Juvenile Board and HB 3135 creating specialty plates for retired firefighters. The chamber also adopted several concurrent resolutions and later moved through a large local calendar, including HCR 80, which designated Brenham as the ice cream capital of Texas. Most measures passed with little or no opposition, though a few votes on rule suspensions and final passage recorded small numbers of nays.

Transcript Highlights:

• trends that we have seen on the streets regarding fleeing from police that ranges from a single occupant
• ranges<00:04:48.840> from<00:04:49.039> a<00:04:49.199> single<00:04:49.639> occupant
• <00:04:50.440> fleeing ranges from a single occupant fleeing ranges from a single occupant
• created a public safety crisis on our roadways with regard to this bill and the Minnesota criminal code

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Writer 80 creates a new Texas.
• You are here to serve Texas. And what Texas asks for is more. funding for our schools.
• That is one of the core Texas values that we all hold. That is one of the core Texas.
• Roughly 30% of Texas AIM is operating in this area. 30 different clubs across Texas.
• So, the Texas...

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• code a little bit too.
• Texas regulators—Texas operates somewhat uniquely within the U.S. because the ERCOT system is solely
• contained within Texas, so there's less federal authority over ERCOT—but the Texas regulators just, I
• Texas, although as a percentage, Texas is projected to be kind of similar to North Dakota.
• Texas, although as a percentage, Texas is projected to be kind of similar to North Dakota.

Summary: The committee held its first meeting on artificial intelligence and data centers, establishing its purpose as a study and policy-development body rather than one aimed at producing many bills. Majority Leader Hogue urged members to move quickly, focus on federal and other states’ AI laws, consider possible federal preemption, child protections, and the siting and economic impacts of data centers. Committee leadership echoed that the goal is practical, balanced governance that protects North Dakota while allowing innovation to continue. Legislative Council staff provided a background memo and NCSL presented a detailed overview of AI concepts and the current state legislative landscape. The presentations distinguished narrow AI, generative AI, agentic AI, and theoretical AGI/ASI, and summarized major state policy themes: comprehensive AI laws in states such as Utah, Colorado, Texas, California, and Illinois; targeted laws on deepfakes, chatbots, health, education, notifications, and digital likeness; and growing use of appropriations and agency inventories. Members asked about Colorado’s repeal and reenactment, Texas’s sandbox and training provisions, oversight structures, and whether AI regulation is bipartisan; presenters said most issues cut across party lines, with broad agreement on child safety and deepfakes but more division on broader regulatory approaches. The federal update focused on executive orders, preemption, and congressional activity. NCSL described a White House framework favoring a single federal standard, a DOJ litigation task force, Commerce Department review of state laws, and possible funding conditions tied to state AI policy, though no formal state-law challenge had yet occurred. The presentation also covered a recent executive order creating a voluntary federal vetting process for advanced frontier models after safety concerns, and congressional proposals including a failed 10-year state moratorium, Senator Blackburn’s child-safety bills, the Kids Online Safety Act, a House-passed children’s digital safety package, a Senate data center moratorium proposal, and a House ratepayer/data-center bill. The committee took no formal action beyond receiving testimony and asking questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Fourth, we have narrowed the specific provisions of a section of code that applies to ed prep providers
• and certification bill that happened to pass and there was a conflict between those policies in the code
• and certification bill that happened to pass and there was a conflict between those policies in the code
• And they ...between those policies in the code.
• It's going to make a huge difference, and we just all thank you from South Texas.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met to consider House Bill 2, the major public education and school finance bill. The committee first reconsidered and withdrew the prior committee substitute, then took up a new substitute. Senator Creighton explained several changes, including a correction to the golden penny yield weight, an increase in the special education evaluation incentive cap from $45 million to $67 million, timing changes to avoid a funding gap for Bluebonnet curriculum training grants, narrowed language affecting educator preparation providers, added facility-usage reporting language, incorporation of bilingual allotment language from Senate Bill 2185, removal of the $20 million annual cap on JROTC funding, and a prevailing-clause provision to make HB 2 controlling over conflicting measures. Members generally praised the bill’s historic funding level but raised concerns about details and future floor debate. Senator Menendez said he appreciated the special education, safety, and teacher pay funding but was not ready to fully support the bill because of inflationary pressures, facilities funding, and district-specific impacts, and indicated he might vote present. Senator Parker strongly supported the bill, emphasizing historic funding, teacher pay, and the need to continue refining the package. Senator Witt also said he would vote present while seeking more refinement, especially on certification issues for public and charter schools. Senator Bettencourt highlighted the bill’s scale, including about $8 billion in new funding and $1.3 billion for special education, while Senator Hinojosa asked for more flexibility in the basic allotment and thanked the author for bilingual education and coastal-area provisions. The committee then adopted the new committee substitute and voted to report HB 2 favorably to the full Senate. The motion passed 9 ayes and 2 present not voting, with the bill reported as committee substitute do pass and be printed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Data from the Texas Organized Retail Crime Association estimates that the Texas retailers have lost more
• McCord as John McCord of the Texas Retailers Association.
• All over Texas. And He was given 7 years because he pled guilty.
• The whole state of Texas needs to be no trafficking zone.
• One boy, a Texas boy was recovered in New Mexico. Texas girl was recovered in Kansas City.

Transcript Highlights:

• > Native Without the code talkers, Native Without the code talkers, Native Americans<00:07:36.720
• , languages into an unbreakable code, languages into an unbreakable code, American<00:07:41.360><
• West Texas. West Texas.
• across Texas. across Texas.
• recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr. recognizes the gentleman from Texas, Mr.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• enforcement officer or a zoning code enforcement officer or a planning<01:33:38.639> and<01:33
• and wouldn't be covered under fire code and wouldn't be covered under this<01:46:15.440> piece
• The fact of the matter is sewer systems are made by bedrooms, not by occupants.
• The fact of the matter is sewer systems are made by bedrooms, not by occupants.
• So that's an important occupants.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's like occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists; there's a long list of them
• successful superintendents are superintendents that have spent a lifetime being a superintendent in Texas

Transcript Highlights:

• code a little bit too.
• code a little bit too.
• But the Texas contained within Texas, so there's less federal authority over ERCOT, but the Texas regulators
• Texas, although as a percentage, Texas is projected to be kind of similar to North the Texas, although
• data center growth in Texas.

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The next one is in Carthage, Texas, and the other one is over near Timpson, Texas.
• What are the building codes?
• in East Texas.
• I assume you were talking about Texas in general, not East Texas.
• In 2012, Timpson, Texas had a 4.8, the largest earthquake ever in the state of Texas.

Keywords: 965, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard an update on the Northwest Louisiana earthquake cluster. Laura Sori of the Department of Conservation and Energy said the agency has inspected Class II injection wells within 12 miles of the earthquakes, found no permit violations, and is requiring monthly reporting of daily injection data. LSU and Tulane researchers explained that the swarm includes about 50 earthquakes detected by USGS since December 2025, including a 4.9 magnitude event on March 5, and that better monitoring is needed because Louisiana has very limited seismic station coverage. Dr. Cynthia Ebinger said her temporary array has detected more small quakes than USGS, that the pattern looks more like a swarm than normal aftershocks, and that the data suggest pressure changes in the subsurface, though no definitive cause was identified. Keith Hall of LSU described how other states responded to suspected induced seismicity with more monitoring, more frequent reporting, injection limits or moratoria, and “traffic light” systems that escalate regulatory responses as seismicity increases. Members asked about depths, fault locations, possible links to injection or fracking, and whether more monitoring and data-sharing should be pursued; several speakers said Louisiana likely needs a denser monitoring network and more structured data collection. A Texas geoscientist, William Berger, also testified that Texas uses large-scale data analysis and AI to study injection-related seismicity and argued for secure sharing of operator data to improve forecasting and risk management. The committee then took testimony on UAV and drone incursions over Barksdale Air Force Base. GOSEP said the incident was logged in WebEOC and the common operating picture, but that Barksdale did not request direct GOSEP resources and that the matter was handled through law enforcement channels. Louisiana State Police and the FBI said they were limited in what they could disclose, but confirmed multiple drone sightings on the morning and evening of March 9 and continued monitoring for several days. State Police said they have created a task force with the Police Chiefs Association, Sheriffs Association, GOSEP, and LSP, and that officers are receiving FBI-related training to help detect and, where authorized, mitigate drones. Members discussed whether the activity was nefarious, what counts as an incursion, and the need for better public education about drone restrictions near military and critical infrastructure sites. No formal action was taken, but members said the issue will continue to be tracked alongside pending legislation. Finally, the committee received a one-year update on the merger of GOSEP with the Louisiana National Guard and Military Department. Major General Thomas Freelieu and Brigadier General Jason Maffus said the merger has reduced GOSEP from seven divisions to three, shifted administrative functions to the Military Department, and produced about $10.5 million in first-year cost avoidance. They said the agency has modernized its common operating picture, returned staff to in-person work, and continued statewide preparedness exercises. Freelieu highlighted Guard missions including cyber expansion, the new Air National Guard cyber squadron at Jackson Barracks, modernization of the 159th Fighter Wing, and ongoing support for homeland security missions in New Orleans and Washington, D.C. Maffus said GOSEP’s core mission remains emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, and that the merger is intended to make state support to parishes faster and more efficient.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a physician in Austin, and I'm here representing the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Pediatric
• I, I'm still here for the Texas Pediatric Society and the Texas Medical Association, and, um, we are
• Dejara Sims with the Texas Association of Naturopathic Doctors. OK, great.
• As a naturopathic doctor in Tyler, Texas, I am seeing patients come in.
• I'm supporting Senator Hughes because I'm from Tyler, Texas.

Bills: SB 25, SB 314

Keywords: nutrition, health standards, food labeling, education, dietary guidelines, medical education, food safety, school meals, child nutrition, food additives, public health

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1228 seeks to add language to the local government code, which would allow for new municipal and county
• So it's Texas Water Code 16315, um.
• the insurance side of things, it's just being brought forward over statute over here for building codes
• , a locked and coded gate, it's private to that community, right?
• Um, City, a lot of cities in Texas septic tanks are acceptable.

Bills: HB24

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 578 by Representative Michael Johnson is an act to amend the Civil Code, the Code of Criminal
• Dallas, Texas, is... ...crazy. In Mississippi, you know, it's $20,000. Texas is $14,000.
• Texas is 14. In Louisiana, in New Orleans, it's $35,000 in Shreveport, $17,000.
• Well, I think in Texas they do the merit system. Let's look at Texas. Let's look at Mississippi.
• Have we looked at Texas as far as the cap? Let's look at Texas. Let's look at Mississippi.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So Texas remains open for business.
• At TSS, we want to see as much equipment as possible made in Texas by Texans for the Texas power grid
• Now, to date, we have not had a battery storage fire in Texas, and again, we have new codes, new standards
• County fire code. Yes.
• in Texas.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• in Texas.
• Texas.
• I'll begin with water rights permitting, which is governed by the Texas Water Code, Chapter 11.
• So, Texas Water Code 16.060 outlines the criteria for zone designation.
• Water Code 36.122.

Summary: During the meeting, legislative members discussed the practice of municipalities diverting water and sewer revenues to their general funds, which impacts infrastructure maintenance and project delays. Vice Chair Sparks proposed limiting public testimony to two minutes, which was adopted without objection. The committee heard from various witnesses, including Perry Fowler from the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, who emphasized that utility revenues should primarily support water services and that transfers should be transparent and justified. He noted that many utilities face financial pressures that could hinder infrastructure projects. Larry French from the Texas Public Policy Foundation highlighted the significant financial impact of water loss and general fund transfers, estimating the annual loss at $1.5 billion. He argued that these transfers can create disincentives for municipalities to address water loss issues. Brian Butcher, Assistant City Manager of Sugar Land, defended the city's cost allocation model for general fund transfers, asserting that they are necessary for equitable service provision and operational efficiency. The committee also discussed the implications of rising construction costs and the need for better procurement processes to ensure effective use of taxpayer dollars. The second part of the meeting focused on the New World Screwworm and the state's preparedness to manage potential infestations. Dudley Hoskins from the USDA outlined the federal response efforts and the importance of collaboration with state agencies. He emphasized the need for ongoing surveillance and the production of sterile flies to combat the pest. Dr. Philip Kaufman from Texas A&M discussed the historical context of the screwworm and the challenges posed by its potential reintroduction, urging proactive management strategies among livestock producers. The committee acknowledged the need for increased resources and research to effectively address the threat of the screwworm.

Transcript Highlights:

• From Texas.
• School at Texas A&M.
• Texas economy needs.
• Texas keep Texas students and staff safe.
• Historically, a superintendent had to look in. in code defined the laws, had to go to the Texas School

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• KHOU in Houston, Texas.
• Our role is outlined in Chapter 418 of the Texas Government Code.
• Texas, East and West Texas.
• Texas.
• I think there are three: University of Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M, all of which are training hydrologists

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We lived through the Black Codes. We lived through the Jim Crow era.
• We lived through the Black Codes. We lived through the Jim Crow era.
• We lived through the Black Codes. We lived through the Jim Crow era.
• For Black folk in Texas to know that they were free.
• We lived through the Black Codes. We lived through the Jim Crow era.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Director of Public Policy for Texas CASA.
• Recently, due to federal audit findings, Texas...
• Arc of Texas. Arc of Texas? Okay, I did miss that at the beginning. Thank you very much. OK.
• I'm a Director of Government and Fiscal Policy with Texas 2036, and I'm here to express Texas 2036's
• I serve as the CEO for the Texas Council representing the 39 local mental health authorities across Texas

Bills: SB1, HB500, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, state budget, mental health funding, education funding, infrastructure improvements, public safety, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1184, house, all