Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm sure it's not just in my district, but others as well.
• Well, I just want to thank you.
• as to our budget health chair as well.
• as to our budget health chair as well.
• Nearly 45% of our hospitals operate at a deficit.

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a long agenda of health-related bills, with most items presented for later vote once quorum was reached. Early in the hearing, the committee adopted a consent calendar of multiple bills with motions for due pass to Appropriations, and it noted that AB 2029 had been pulled from the agenda. The committee also took up AB 1973, a bill by Aguiar-Curry to expand who may provide procedural abortion care. Supporters, including physicians and certified nurse midwives, argued the bill would align law with current training and improve access, while opponents said later-term abortion procedures require physician-level surgical training and raised safety concerns. The author emphasized hands-on training, consultation, and transfer protocols, and the bill was held pending quorum with a motion and second recorded. The committee then heard AB 1558 by Arambula, which would adopt the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act to speed the use of out-of-state licensed volunteers during declared disasters. Supporters from the Uniform Law Commission and the Red Cross said the bill would reduce delays and clarify legal authority for volunteer health workers; there was no opposition testimony. AB 2282 by Alanis, a temporary rural emergency stabilization center for Patterson while a permanent hospital is built, drew support from local emergency responders and a late opposition from the California chapter of ACEP. The chair praised the bill as a creative local solution and agreed to coauthor it; a motion and second were recorded, with the vote to occur later. Several public health access bills followed. AB 1843 by El-Hawari would limit prior authorization and align hepatitis C treatment coverage with medical guidelines; supporters said it would remove barriers to a curable disease, while health plans opposed it as a mandate, citing premium impacts and the recent SB 306 prior-authorization process. AB 2247 by El-Hawari would create the THRIVE program for mental health services for youth affected by gun violence; Youth Alive and other supporters described trauma-informed, community-based care, and the chair and another member asked to be added as coauthors. AB 2138 by Krell would expand access to certified peer support specialists in enhanced care management and remove automatic disqualifications based solely on criminal history; supporters said peers are essential to engagement and recovery, and the bill was held with a motion and second. Later, AB 1682 by Hart would require coverage of scalp cooling for chemotherapy patients, with emotional testimony from cancer survivors and clinicians; insurers opposed it as another mandate, but the author stressed the modest per-member cost and the bill was moved with a motion and second. AB 1879 by Dixon would standardize data reporting for alcohol and drug treatment facilities, including private providers, to improve statewide information on outcomes and access; the bill drew broad support from recovery organizations and the prior opposition was withdrawn after amendments. AB 1906 by Aguiar-Curry would require coverage of at-home cervical cancer screening kits without cost sharing; supporters cited improved access for rural and working Californians, insurers opposed it on affordability grounds, and the bill passed on a recorded roll call after quorum was established. Finally, AB 1556 by Haney would clarify and support drug-free recovery housing and return-to-use policies; supporters said it would expand sober housing options, while opponents warned it could allow evictions after relapse and conflict with Housing First principles. The hearing ended with the bill still under discussion and opposition-unless-amended concerns noted.

Transcript Highlights:

• > levy Lease Levy as well as safe schools levy Lease Levy as well as safe schools levy that<00
• understand that it's a well-intentioned understand that it's a well-intentioned new<00:31:55.159
• that does not have a local operating that does not have a local operating Levy<00:47:27.119>
• <00:47:45.559> and lean operations and lean operations and Staffing<00:47:47.520> all
• That's not how we want to operate.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Education Policy Committee met under a co-chair arrangement and heard opening remarks emphasizing civility, direct testimony from school leaders, and a focus on whether state policy is meeting student needs in the least intrusive and most cost-effective way. Chair Coleman asked testifiers to keep remarks brief and policy-focused, and the committee began with a series of superintendents describing local budget pressures and the cumulative impact of state mandates. Anoka-Hennepin Superintendent Corey McIntyre said the district, the state’s largest, is serving about 37,000 students and faces a roughly $26 million deficit even after major reductions, including cutting about $44 million and roughly 250 central office jobs. He cited rising costs tied to compensation, special education and multilingual cross-subsidies, unemployment, paid leave, READ Act implementation, student/staff safety and K-3 discipline requirements, and transportation, saying the district still faces about $50 million in mandate-related shortfalls and may need to reduce class size and student supports. Senator Kunesh responded that summer unemployment claims are paid from a separate state budget line, not the district general fund, and asked about paid leave costs; McIntyre and the chair clarified the district’s concern was the possibility of future costs if state funding ends. Prior Lake-Savage Superintendent Michael Thomas said district revenues are rising only about 2.5% to 3% while expenses are growing 5% or more, driven by inflation and vendor costs. He argued that the state’s inflationary funding tie should be maintained, and asked for an increase in local optional aid of $250 per pupil and more flexibility for districts that struggle to pass local levies. Minnetonka Superintendent David Law argued that schools are being asked to absorb broader community burdens, including food and mental health needs, while still being judged on academics and graduation; he said REACT funding fell short, forcing the district to shift reading funds to staff development, and urged the committee not to roll mandates forward without funding. Fergus Falls Superintendent Jeff Drake said expanded unemployment, earned sick and safe time, and paid family leave are creating staffing and budget challenges for rural districts, estimating unemployment costs could reach $240,000 annually and sick and safe time about $25,000, with added difficulty recruiting support staff and substitutes. No committee votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, when...
• Questioner: Well, okay.
• Chairman: Well, it's circular.
• Ullman: Well, we're Ms.
• I think well over 100 studies.

Bills: HB 3

Keywords: emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management, public safety infrastructure, Project 25, P25, broadband emergency alerting, outdoor warning sirens, homeland security, disaster response

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, now they're trying to give you that opportunity.
• Medicare is in trouble as well.
• We did not react very well.
• Louisiana just passed legislation to do a similar thing as well.
• Well, and let me, let me, let me tell you where I'm going. Sure.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, thank you, Mr.
• And I think we have to be mindful of that as well. Thank you. Well, I think...
• are crucial to their well-being.
• . ...operate.
• Well, I mean, it is live in its own way as well.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Well, thank you, Mr. Chair.
• operating adjustment there. Thank you. operating adjustment there. Thank you.
• Well, thank you, Mr. Chair, and I ready. Well, thank you, Mr.
• level as well. level as well.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• As the chair said, we had a new member being sworn into the Senate, and I know the House is in as well
• all the commissioners for being here and for the work that we're about to endeavor to perform, as well
• The commission is tasked with studying and reviewing: one, the cost of small businesses operating in
• Hope you did well on St. Patrick's Day. So, welcome.
• However, as commission members, you all drive that as well, right?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House and Senate chairs opened the first organizational meeting of the special initiative commission created by Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024 to study the future of payments and sales transactions by credit card and the impacts on small businesses. They explained that no testimony would be taken at this meeting; instead, the commission would begin its work, introduce members, and prepare for future hearings and a final report with recommendations on credit cards and other payment methods. The chairs outlined the commission’s charge: to examine payment trends, cashless transactions, credit card fees, mobile payments, buy now, pay later financing, and the effects of section 28A of chapter 140D on small businesses. They said the commission would likely organize hearings around business and consumer impacts, the legal and regulatory landscape, and policy options such as transparency measures, reporting requirements, and possible limits. Members discussed the importance of hearing from retailers, restaurants, banks, small businesses, and possibly experts, and suggested considering cryptocurrency and whether hearings should be held outside the State House or include regional access. Several commissioners and stakeholders introduced themselves, including representatives from the Attorney General’s office, the House, the Executive Office of Economic Development, the Commissioner of Banks, retail and restaurant associations, a banking representative, and two small business owners. The chairs said interested parties could sign up to testify or receive notices, written testimony would be accepted, and the first hearing was tentatively set for April 8 in Gardner Auditorium. The meeting ended with a motion to close, which passed unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• Item 5 discusses DPS's vehicle and aircraft operations.
• I think you're very well with El Paso, but I'm more familiar with San Antonio.
• Border Security Operations Center, and to the law enforcement in those areas.
• And Colonel Goodson knows that very well. But all of that is built into this to fix dry rust.
• Well, that'd be nice.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, and >> Well, well, thank you, Mr.
• Well, Mr.
• Well, Mr.
• Well, Mr.
• Well, Well, Well, thank<01:02:28.880> you,<01:02:29.119> Mr.<01:02:29.359> Speaker.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:50:57.960> if limiting to a blockchain operation if limiting to a blockchain operation
• for a large scale data mining operation for a large scale data mining operation so<00:51:44.680>
• competition this these mining operations competition this these mining operations so<01:04:04.279
• <01:04:18.520> so assets uh in the mining operation so assets uh in the mining operation so
• issue is that um someone might say well issue is that um someone might say well gee<01:10:41.719

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first discussed scheduling, noting that Town Meeting Day would cancel the next Tuesday meeting, that they would meet Wednesday instead, and that remaining bills would be handled through subcommittees and a likely final executive session on the 19th to meet the deadline for committee action on the 20th. The committee then took up several bills, with repeated roll calls and votes, often placing measures on the consent calendar after committee approval. House Bill 185 on ambulance reimbursement rates was described as a perennial issue and was voted inexpedient to legislate, with members noting concerns that an any-willing-provider approach would make premium impacts hard to evaluate. House Bill 186 on cannabis legalization was retained for further work, with members saying the bill addressed stopping marijuana arrests but that the sales and implementation details still needed more development. House Bill 241 on treatment alternatives to opioids was also retained because the sponsor could not attend and the committee wanted more time to continue work. The committee then considered House Bill 302 on state treasury investments in digital assets and precious metals. The amendment narrowed the proposal, removing more complicated provisions like stable tokens and staking, lowering the authorized allocation from 10% to 5%, and limiting eligible digital assets to those with very high market capitalization; members discussed volatility, the treasurer’s discretion, and oversight through bond-rating concerns. The amendment and the bill as amended both passed, and the bill was placed on the consent calendar. Other measures moved quickly: House Bill 451 on a paint product stewardship program was amended to remove direct funding and framed as manufacturer-run enabling legislation, then passed and was placed on consent; House Bill 499 made technical corrections to insurance laws and passed unanimously; House Bill 538 on relocating Liquor Commission positions passed unanimously; House Bill 552 on children covered under the state retirement insurance plan was cleaned up to remove a student requirement and passed unanimously; and a blockchain/digital currencies bill was amended to address noise and local regulation concerns for data mining operations, with supporters emphasizing energy-use issues, municipal authority, and a separate commission studying regulation. That bill also passed and was sent to consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, uh, thank you for bringing that up.
• Well, thank you.
• Well, howdy.
• So we're very proud of that as well.
• Well, members, that concludes today's agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, sir, we appreciate your presentation.
• Well, you're welcome.
• Well, and I know we talked about the Oklahoma family.
• And those funds are also used as well.
• Well, it's a case-by-case basis.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The only difference is we've allowed one more month for the bad actors to be able to continue to operate
• 53.200> and<00:04:53.600> veterans<00:04:54.080> on<00:04:54.200> this operate
• And for me and veterans on this operate.
• made to the Attorney General's portion for consumer protection, I think those are good additions, as well
• made to the Attorney General's portion for consumer protection, I think those are good additions, as well

Keywords: 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay.<00:03:13.120> Well, Okay. Well, Okay.
• <00:35:42.760> Uh, as well. Uh, as well.
• long explanation as well. long explanation as well.
• be we can save a lot of time as well. be we can save a lot of time as well.
• also the long question as well. also the long question as well.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, let me just say this.
• <01:48:49.280> well<01:48:49.600> well these determinations are well well well these
• determinations are well well well qualified<01:48:50.639> to<01:48:50.880> do<01:48:51.040
• >> Well, thank you, Madam Chair. I mean, >> Well, thank you, Madam Chair.
• I I agree and I for that as well.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:08:36.800> So be a part of this work as well. So be a part of this work as well.
• And I at the FDIC and NCUA as well.
• We operate in Europe, in Asia, in the Middle East, as well as here in the United States.
• We've been operating United States. We've been operating since<00:58:15.599> 2013.
• uh as well as here in the United States. uh as well as here in the United States.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting began with roll call and introductions of commission members and guests, followed by approval of the agenda and a motion to approve the February 10 minutes with a correction clarifying that one quoted statement was misattributed. The commission then moved into presentations. The main presentation came from the Conference of State Bank Supervisors on implementation of the federal GENIUS Act for stablecoins. The speaker reviewed the OCC’s recent 367-page proposed rule, noting it raises many open questions and design choices for states, and discussed expected upcoming rulemaking from the FDIC, Federal Reserve, and Treasury. The presentation focused on six areas: permissible issuer activities, reserve assets and redemption, risk management and supervision, treatment of state-qualified issuers, capital/operational backstops, and foreign issuers. It also flagged unresolved issues around Bank Secrecy Act/AML requirements and the meaning of “digital asset service provider” activities. A substantial portion of the discussion addressed yield restrictions, with the presenter explaining the OCC’s broad definition of yield and its rebuttable presumption against issuer-affiliated or related third-party yield arrangements. The speaker said this likely forecloses many existing white-label structures but leaves some room for third-party payments depending on distance from the issuer, and noted ongoing Senate debate over similar provisions. The presentation also covered reserve valuation, liquidity and diversification requirements, redemption timing, and supervisory expectations such as third-party oversight, IT security, exam cycles, and reporting. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approving the amended minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Tiffany director operations Tiffany director operations um<00:10:30.959> yeah<00:10:31.079
• operations.
• operations.
• Well, so I...
• Well, they would...

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have training on the operations.
• > as um vice principal trainings as well as um vice principal trainings as well as uh<00:03:52.920
• it was folded into our operating it was folded into our operating budget<00:41:04.280> we
• <00:41:17.119> budget it's in the CIP or the operating budget it's in the CIP or the operating
• projects and you're having these well projects and you're having these well they're<01:05:49.319

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , operators, operators, people<00:12:38.000> who<00:12:38.240> want<00:12:38.399> to
• But taking well they're on the water.
• ,<00:28:45.679> is um very very well-intentioned, is um very very well-intentioned, is opposed
• , was pornography, but because oh well, was pornography, but because oh well, the<01:17:45.360>
• <01:20:20.480> I'm well, I'm going to give you 500. I'm well, I'm going to give you 500.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Keep jobs operational.
• Keep jobs operational.
• That's not operational or accessible. That's not operational or accessible.
• It works quite well.
• It works quite well.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: House File 3732, the Department of Employment and Economic Development appropriations bill, was presented as a package of budget and policy changes from the Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee. The author described it as a set of practical fixes, including changes to reporting requirements, repealing unused programs, recommendations from a Governor’s Workforce Development Board subcommittee on direct appropriations, and creation of an Office of Community Investment within DEED. Members also noted the bill had been revised after earlier floor debate and included a modified version of a previously contentious proposal. The first major floor debate centered on Amendment A12, offered by Representative Zeleznikar, which would create an exemption from meal and break requirements for certain 24-hour care settings such as disability group homes and home care. Supporters argued the current break law does not fit the realities of one-on-one or overnight care and could force providers into unsafe or impractical staffing models. Opponents, including Representatives Johnson and Pinto, said the amendment would weaken or repeal worker break protections and remove clear standards and remedies. After debate, the House took a roll call and the amendment failed on a 67-67 tie. A second amendment, A13 by Representative Tabke, proposed a $150,000 state aviation fund-backed loan fund to help TSA and other airport workers who had gone without pay during a federal shutdown, by backstopping bank loans for affected families. Tabke framed it as worker relief tied to the aviation system, while Representative Niska argued it was not a serious proposal, had not been vetted, and unfairly used state money to address a federal dispute. Debate on the amendment became highly partisan and included a point of order over personalities in debate before the Speaker ruled the point well taken and returned discussion to the amendment.