Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2218 requires an employer to inform an injured worker of this right and prohibits an employer
• And that is the penalties around the prohibition on directing or...
• And that is the penalties around the prohibition on directing or, in any way inducing, as the bill puts
• But this bill creates and codifies a new prohibition on directing care or in any way inducing a worker
• By way of brief background, federal law prohibits employers from knowingly hiring immigrants who are

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 2091, a collective bargaining measure that would require state agencies and other employers covered by the Personnel System Reform Act to provide unions with employee contact and job information similar to what other public employers already must share. The sponsor and union witnesses said the bill would close a gap left by prior legislation and improve communication with represented employees; no one testified in opposition during the hearing portion shown. Action on the bill was deferred. The committee then moved to House Bill 2264, which would allow workers who voluntarily participate in an employer-initiated layoff or reduction-in-force plan to qualify for unemployment insurance if the separation results from that plan. The sponsor and a member described it as a narrow fix to clarify eligibility and reduce disputes. After brief supportive testimony, the committee voted 9-0 to report the bill out with a due pass recommendation. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 2218, a workers’ compensation bill that would expand provider choice, require notice to injured workers of their right to choose a provider, limit employer steering, speed utilization review, allow more flexibility from treatment guidelines, and change rules for reopening or continuing treatment on certain claims. Supporters, including injured workers, unions, attorneys, firefighters, and a psychiatrist, argued the current system delays care and over-relies on rigid guidelines; opponents from business groups and the Department of Labor and Industries said the bill would weaken evidence-based standards, raise costs, and create uncertainty. No final action was taken in the portion shown. The committee also heard House Bill 2105, as a proposed substitute, which would require employers to notify workers after an ICE Form I-9 inspection notice or results, limit voluntary access to certain records without a subpoena or warrant, require workplace postings, and create enforcement by the Attorney General and private lawsuits. Supporters said the bill would provide due process, transparency, and protection for immigrant workers; opponents, especially small business and agricultural groups, warned of conflicts with federal law, burdensome notice requirements, and severe penalties. The hearing continued with additional testimony, and no vote was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The immediate policy recommendations, and this is the same as it was last year, is to extend prohibited
• It also prohibits isolation as a planned behavior intervention.
• Megan, the last part about not prohibiting an SRO to do their duties, I'm assuming that means in response
• PSC Foley supports the language in this bill that prohibits the use of restraint, which reflects our
• School principals in particular support the definitions prohibiting chemical, mechanical, and physical

Summary: The House Education Committee held a work session on reducing restraint and eliminating isolation in schools, then moved into a public hearing on House Bill 1795 and its proposed substitute. Chair Sharon Santos reviewed committee procedures and emphasized the short session timeline, then framed the discussion as part of a longer-running effort to address student restraint and isolation. Representative Callan, the bill sponsor, said the committee’s pilot and demonstration sites would help identify both benefits and implementation challenges for legislation. OSPI Acting Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs Misha Cherniski presented an update on the state’s demonstration project, saying it is in its third year and has $2 million per year in the current budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. He described intensive, targeted, and universal supports, including grants to pilot and demonstration districts, a technical assistance manual, and statewide professional learning. He reported that 68% of project sites saw reductions in restraint and isolation compared with the prior year, and said OSPI’s immediate policy recommendations are to extend prohibitions on dangerous restraints such as prone, supine, wall, mechanical, chemical, and noxious spray restraints, and to clarify the definition of “imminent likelihood of serious harm.” Committee members asked for more detailed disaggregated data by race, ethnicity, grade level, incident type, and sample size, and raised questions about authorized entities, student movement, and whether data captures incidents in nonpublic settings. Representatives from Auburn, Bainbridge Island, and Concrete school districts described how the grant-funded work has affected their districts. Auburn reported major reductions in isolation after removing its last isolation room, expanding behavior supports, and training staff through multiple professional development options; the district said the biggest challenge has been shifting staff mindset and navigating delayed access to vendors and grant systems. Bainbridge Island said it has used grant funds for universal staff training, administrator training, social-emotional MTSS work, and partnerships with multiple providers; it reported zero isolations and sharply reduced restraints, while noting the need to monitor nonpublic agencies closely. Concrete, a much smaller district, said the grant allowed it to hire a part-time BCBA, adopt Safety-Care training, and use OSPI’s manual and tracking tools, but staffing shortages and limited substitute coverage make it hard to attend demonstration sites or training in person. During the public hearing, the substitute bill was summarized as prohibiting certain restraints, banning isolation as a planned intervention, narrowing the definition of serious harm, and extending requirements to other providers of public educational services, while preserving lawful duties of school resource officers. Proponents included disability advocates, the Washington Education Association, and public school employees, who said the bill would reduce trauma and align practice with student safety and dignity. A parent testified about a child harmed by a room that was later used for involuntary confinement. A representative from a specialized learning center testified in opposition, arguing that a complete elimination of isolation for younger students could increase danger in some settings, that medical-provider requirements could be difficult to meet, and that specialized providers need broader exemptions. No vote was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I don't think it would be fair to say that it would always prohibit us from terminating rights in
• hire homeless persons, parolees, as well as persons who have been convicted of crimes which would prohibit
• , in order to protect the health and well-being of those residents, we are asking legislators to prohibit
• This legislation would prohibit a person from administering an immunization... ...legislation would prohibit
• Senate Bill 1887 provides an exemption from this prohibition for mRNA material used for cancer treatment

Bills: HB18 , HB37 , HB116 , HB18 , HB37 , HB 116 , HB388 , HB879 , HB913 , HB 1151 , HB2216 , HB2358 , HB2809 , SB577 , SB1590 , SB1782 , SB1887 , SB2744

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Summary: The committee first reopened testimony on House Bill 2216, which would strengthen child welfare requirements by expanding “active efforts” to help families avoid removal and support reunification, while also raising standards related to removals and terminations. Supporters from child welfare and family defense groups said the bill would better protect families and align Texas more closely with ICWA-style principles, but several warned it would require significant new funding, staffing, and community services such as mental health care, housing, child care, and substance use treatment. The committee then left HB 2216 pending. The committee next heard Senate Bill 1782, aimed at boarding and group homes. Senator Miles said the bill closes enforcement gaps left by prior law by requiring retention of background-check records and creating misdemeanor penalties for failing to conduct or keep them, or for knowingly hiring people with serious convictions. Harris County sheriff’s investigators testified in support, describing illegal boarding homes, operators who evade permits and background checks, and exploitation of vulnerable residents; the bill was left pending. The committee also took up Senate Bill 481 on emergency preparedness for nursing facilities and assisted living facilities, adopted a new committee substitute that softened some requirements and removed the fiscal note, and left the bill pending. The committee then heard House Bill 388, which would require the Texas Department of Insurance to create a single standardized coordination-of-benefits form for dual health plans to reduce errors and surprise bills; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1590 would move paternity registry searches for adoptions to an electronic process with a 10-day target, and House Bill 2809 would track child suicide attempts in managing conservatorship and require related reporting and parental notice; both were left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 1887, which would prohibit administering mRNA-containing products for immunization for 10 years, with exceptions for cancer and genetic disorders. Supporters argued the bill was needed for safety, informed consent, and medical freedom, while opponents from the medical, research, and public health communities said mRNA vaccines are well-studied, save lives, and that the bill would harm access, research, and Texas’s biotech economy. The bill remained under discussion as testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> than merely prohibiting than merely prohibiting retaliation<00:49:33.240><c> you</c><00:49:33.359
• So where in statute is the prohibition?
• We feel it is redundant, as retaliation is prohibited in 144G.92 for residents in assisted livings.
• </c> discussion um this bill would prohibit discussion um this bill would prohibit um<01:23:06.040><c
• </c> state law 169a 284 that prohibited state law 169a 284 that prohibited individuals<02:42:41.800><

Committee: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, just for clarity, does the amendment constitutionally prohibit using property taxes to run our
• So, to clarify, it does not prohibit us from running elections. Correct. Senator Bracey Davis.
• Under G, then, can future legislatures prohibit too. Thank you, Mr. President.
• Under G, then, can future legislatures prohibit a specific local expenditure by general law?
• So to your question, yes, future legislatures can prohibit some sort of action from local government

Summary: The Senate took up Committee Substitute for Senate Joint Resolution 2F, a proposed constitutional amendment to expand homestead property tax relief, lower the assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%, and limit county and municipal ad valorem tax revenues to specified uses. Senator Avila presented the measure as a major property tax reform intended to provide relief to homeowners and restrain local government spending, while opponents argued it would shift costs to fees, services, and state appropriations and could harm local budgets, public safety, schools, and other services. Several senators also raised concerns about the ballot language and the lack of a completed fiscal analysis. The chamber considered and rejected multiple amendments. Senator Sharif’s income-based “circuit breaker” amendment failed, as did Senator Smith’s sunset clause amendment and Senator Berman’s amendment to rewrite the ballot statement for greater accuracy. During questioning, Avila said the revised language was meant to preserve flexibility for local governments and that future legislatures could set implementing procedures and, if necessary, prohibit certain local expenditures by general law. He also confirmed that the proposal would not affect refinancing or portability, and said the measure would not prevent local governments from continuing to fund many services such as libraries, parks, animal control, code enforcement, mosquito control, public housing, county health departments, and elections. Debate on final passage was extensive. Supporters described the proposal as overdue relief for homeowners and a way to force local governments to prioritize spending, while critics called it a risky tax shift that could reduce local revenue by billions and force cuts or higher fees. Some senators emphasized concerns about public safety funding, mental health and social services, and the accuracy of the ballot summary; others argued the measure would give voters a chance to decide on property tax reform. After debate, the resolution was rolled over for third reading and the Senate continued discussion, but the transcript provided does not include a final vote on the joint resolution.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:19:06.000><c> the</c> that ban by criminally prohibiting the that ban by criminally prohibiting
• This legislation would not prohibit any VA-accredited attorneys or agents from representing veterans
• This legislation would not prohibit any VA-accredited attorneys or agents from representing veterans
• Thank you. for a fee is legally accredited and for a fee is legally accredited and prohibiting<00:26:
• from prohibiting any individual from guaranteeing<00:26:28.159><c> VA</c><00:26:28.480><c> benefits<

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development - Subcommittee on Veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:14:23.760><c> on</c> does not impose blanket prohibitions on does not impose blanket prohibitions
• </c> could still enact a could still prohibit could still enact a could still prohibit on<02:10:20.880
• It's really the zoning that is a prohibitive portion of it.
• Um, we need prohibitive portion of it.
• Um the new law prohibits a changed it.

Committee: House Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><04:27:48.560><c> I</c> would simply require or prohibit I would simply require or prohibit I should
• But what I would have been interested in is expanding those who are prohibited to also be prohibited
• But it's one or more... who's prohibited by the who's prohibited by the non-disclosure.<04:31:05.760>
• to also being those who are prohibited to also being prohibited<04:31:25.760><c> at</c><04:31:25.840
• </c><04:31:26.399><c> Thank</c> prohibited at the state level. Thank prohibited at the state level.

Transcript Highlights:

• This one is a little bit different in that it does not prohibit minors from being on these systems, but
• This does not prohibit them from being on those systems.
• This does not prohibit them from being on those systems.

Bills: SB1521

Committee: House Government Modernization and Technology

Summary: The Government Modernization and Technology Committee met with quorum and heard Senate Bill 1521, presented by Representative Maynard. The bill is a child-protection measure aimed at conversational AI systems that simulate human companionship or emotional attachment. Maynard explained that, unlike a related House bill that bars minors from social AI companion systems entirely, SB 1521 would allow minors to use broader AI systems but require disclosures that they are interacting with an AI, not a human, and require safeguards against sexual conversations and encouragement of self-harm, including suicide prevention features. Representative Alonso Sandoval asked how the bill would interact with the earlier House-passed measure. Maynard clarified that the House bill applies narrowly to social AI companions, while SB 1521 applies more broadly to general-purpose systems such as ChatGPT or Gemini. He emphasized that the bill does not prohibit minors from using those systems, but requires reasonable protections and notice to minors. After the presentation and brief discussion, the committee moved to a due pass recommendation, with no further questions or debate. The vote was opened and closed, and the bill passed the committee 7-0. The meeting then adjourned with no other agenda items.

Transcript Highlights:

• Firearms on campus by prohibiting them from banning the lawful possession of concealed weapons by individuals
• Chair and members, Senate Bill 1069 removes firearm suppressors from Arizona's definition of prohibited
• I'm opposed to SB 1069 because it would no longer be unlawful for prohibited possessors like domestic
• I just want to make a comment: prohibited possessors can't own guns in the first place unless you can
• Chairman, Senate Bill 1271 prohibits a municipality from imposing any fine or penalty on a business based

Bills: SB1039 , SB1061 , SB1068 , SB1069 , SB1099 , SB1127 , SB1148 , SB1271 , SB1426 , SB1448

Committees: House Judiciary , House House Judiciary Committee of Reference

Keywords: attorney discipline, legal costs, reputation damage, state bar, court costs, fentanyl, drug offenses, narcotic drugs, criminal penalties, Arizona Revised Statutes, educational institutions, public order, disruption, concealed weapons, safety regulations, firearms, muffling devices, weapon regulations, Arizona law, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• content to be used in the products in the designated PCRC category from which it originated and prohibits
• Some of them are products and one of them is packaging, and it prohibits compliance from being counted
• Hall, the original version of the bill, addressed a statute created a statutory prohibition on 6PPD and
• substitute by Rep Hall the original version of the bill addressed a statute created a statutory prohibition
• Abell, this is LIPS 483, excludes from that 2035 prohibition on 6PPD and regrettable 6PPD substitutes

Bills: HB2436 , HB2322 , HB2343 , HB1420 , HB2426 , HB2271 , HB2215 , HB2421 , HB2301 , HB2296

Committee: House Environment & Energy

Keywords: oil tanker, tank vessel, restricted waters, Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, Rosario Strait, Admiralty Inlet, Discovery Island, New Dungeness, tug escort, pilotage, marine safety, spill prevention, oil transport, petroleum shipment, coast guard authorization, Board of Pilotage Commissioners, articulated tug barge, bunker vessel, refueling vessel

Transcript Highlights:

• content to be used in the products in the designated PCRC category from which it originated and prohibits
• Some of them are products and one of them is packaging, and it prohibits compliance from being counted
• Hall—the original version of the bill addressed a statutory prohibition on six PPD and regrettable six
• substitute by Rep Hall the original version of the bill addressed a statute created a statutory prohibition
• Abel, this is LIPS 483, excludes from that 2035 prohibition on 6PPD and regrettable 6PPD substitutes

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2436, a technical fix to Washington’s oil tanker escort tug requirements in Puget Sound waters. The bill would require escort tugs to have either horsepower equal to 5% of the tanker’s deadweight tonnage or 3,000 horsepower, whichever is greater. Rep. Lekanoff and the Washington State Board of Pilotage Commissioners said the change aligns statute with existing rules and industry practice and supports protection of the Salish Sea and southern resident killer whales. No opposition was raised, and the hearing was closed without action at that point. The committee then heard House Bill 2322, which changes Clean Fuels Program rules and tax incentives for alternative jet fuel. Supporters, including Rep. Dent, Sky Energy, 12, and the City of Moses Lake, said the bill would provide certainty for large-scale sustainable aviation fuel investment by changing the trigger for tax incentives and clarifying that certain renewable electricity, including hydro, can count as zero carbon. Ecology opposed the bill’s treatment of electricity accounting, saying it would weaken incentives for new renewable generation and could reduce the clean fuels program’s emissions benefits. U.S. Oil asked for additional clarification or changes to allow Pierce County participation or define “blender.” No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing. In executive session, the committee passed several bills. Substitute House Bill 2343, dealing with discharge permits for publicly owned animal facilities, passed 21-0. Proposed second substitute House Bill 1420, creating a textile and apparel coordinating organization for a needs assessment, passed 12-9. House Bill 2426, allowing Pollution Control Hearings Board appeals to be heard by a single member or alternative panel by agreement, passed 19-2. Substitute House Bill 2271, expanding post-consumer recycled content requirements for certain plastic products, passed 12-9. Substitute House Bill 2215, adjusting Climate Commitment Act fuel supplier thresholds, passed 12-9. Substitute House Bill 2421, restricting 6PPD and certain substitutes in tires, passed 11-9 with one excused after an amendment to exempt rural eastern Washington was rejected. Action on House Bill 2301 and House Bill 2296 was deferred to a later meeting due to time constraints.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2008 prohibits a school library that is operated by a public school from using public monies
• And of course, the measure also prohibits foreign funding of elections in any capacity.
• This constitutionalizes that prohibition on a broad base.
• Madam Weapon members, House Bill 2131 prohibits those who trafficked more than three weapons or explosives
• House Bill 2104 prohibits a county assessor from reclassifying agricultural property for four years if

Summary: The meeting covered a long list of House bills, mostly on third-read consent calendars, spanning appropriations, elections, education, public safety, water, taxation, and criminal law. Early discussion focused on HB 2148, which would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal funds, described by the sponsor as a transparency measure. Other measures discussed included HB 2091 on insurance-related assessment limits, HB 2122 on reciprocity for BTR-related professions, HB 2138 clarifying firefighter workers’ compensation coverage, and HB 2008 barring public school libraries from using public money to pay library professional associations. HB 2110, removed from consent, would allow school governing body members to pray at meetings, with members noting Supreme Court precedent supporting such prayer. Several bills addressed school safety and parental rights. HB 2142 would create a School Safety Center at the Arizona Department of Education and allow up to 10% of school safety program funds for administration, with supporters citing an audit and lack of oversight. HB 2249 would expand the Parents’ Bill of Rights to require notice if a school employee facilitates social transitioning of a minor and to provide broader access to educational records, with penalties discussed for violations. HB 2074 would add mandatory reporting for anyone in a medical facility who knows a partial-birth abortion is occurring, and HB 2144 would allow child support calculations to begin during pregnancy based on a confirmed pregnancy test and related DNA testing provisions. The committee also took up election-related measures. HB 2022 would make permanent changes tied to the federal Electoral Count Act, including moving Arizona’s primary earlier to preserve military and overseas voting access, while keeping petition dates valid and preserving existing deadlines for candidates. HCM 2001 urged federal designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, and HCM 2002 supported a separate congressional effort involving CARE and related federal review and designation processes; members debated the distinction between direct designation and a request for federal investigation. HCR 2001 proposed a constitutional amendment to limit voting to U.S. citizens, require government ID to register, prohibit foreign contributions, and end early voting by the Friday before an election. Water, land use, and tax bills were also reviewed. Measures included HB 2024 on snowpack augmentation as a water supply development project, HB 2029 and HB 2030 tightening how Water Conservation Grant Fund money is used, HB 2053 appropriating $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping, HB 2096 expanding revolving fund uses to address cesspools, HB 2097 capping groundwater withdrawal in irrigation non-expansion areas, and HB 2116 funding potential Colorado River litigation. On the tax side, HB 2016 would remove late-filing penalties when no tax is due, HB 2104 and HB 2105 would protect agricultural property owners from repeated reclassification and require notice of inspections, and HB 2289 would update truth-in-taxation examples to reflect higher home values. The committee also heard bills on criminal penalties and other matters, including HB 2043 on felony murder involving an unborn child, HB 2045 on discharging a weapon near a vehicle, HB 2131 and HB 2132 on weapons trafficking and fentanyl penalties, and HB 2062 authorizing a Buffalo Soldiers memorial in Wesley Bolin Plaza.

Transcript Highlights:

• It prohibits exemplary damages unless claimants meet strict evidentiary and statutory thresholds and
• It doesn't prohibit it. It says, you said it does not.
• I'm sorry, it does prohibit the turnover receivership of non-exempt, of exempt property.
• Why does it say this subsection does not prohibit the turnover of non-exempt property?
• It doesn't prohibit the turnover of non-exempt property.

Bills: HB2242 , HB2446 , HB2799 , HB4502 , HB2920 , HB2790 , HB5620 , HB5060 , HB5076 , HB5080 , HB5081 , HB5128 , HB5130 , HB3847 , HB5116 , HB2969 , HB4546 , HB4202 , HB5624 , HB3964 , HB4803 , HB872 , HB4775 , HB4777 , HB4961 , HB5570 , HB2988 , HB4260 , HB1375 , HB5009 , HB5411 , HB5134 , HB4388 , HB3095 , HB1387

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• REFUSE AND WHEN I AM ASKING YOU IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO THIS SESSION WITH THIS A BILL THAT PROHIBITS
• INDIVIDUALS PROHIBITED FROM OWNING ANIMALS ARE ALSO INCLUDED.
• ALSO IT PROHIBITS THE POSSESSION OR ALTERATION OF WITH ATTACHED WEAPONS FIREARMS OR OTHER SUCH LICENSES
• THE BILL DOES NOT PROHIBIT THE CREATION OF DIGITALLY FORGED IMAGES, ONLY THEIR DISSEMINATION.
• THE FEDERAL SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRATION ACT PROHIBITS ONLINE REPORTING OF OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL RESIDENCES

Transcript Highlights:

• The city of San Antonio, like all cities, I mean, it's a statewide prohibition.
• The city of San Antonio, like all cities, I mean, it's a statewide prohibition.
• The Secretary will read the caption: Senate Bill 241, relating to prohibitions on camping in a public
• The Secretary will read the caption: Senate Bill 241, relating to prohibitions on camping in a public
• The Secretary will read the caption: Senate Bill 241, relating to prohibitions on camping in a public

Bills: SJR12 , SJR81 , SB22 , SB32 , SB241 , SB393 , SB414 , SB458 , SB464 , SB568 , SB583 , SB609 , SB660 , SB664 , SB693 , SB731 , SB732 , SB746 , SB779 , SB783 , SB785 , SB868 , SB897 , SB921 , SB955 , SB1008 , SB1029 , SB1036 , SB1057 , SB1059 , SB1120 , SB1122 , SB1147 , SB1163 , SB1188 , SB1197 , SB1209 , SB1245 , SB1321 , SB1332 , SB1365 , SB1394 , SB1396 , SB1470 , SB1484 , SB1494 , SB1537 , SB1596 , SB1598 , SB1637 , SB1644 , SB1809 , SB1814 , SB1822 , SB1841 , SB1948 , SB2064 , SB2065 , SB2112 , SB2155 , SB2226 , SB2320 , SB2406 , SJR36 , SJR81 , SJR50 , SJR4 , SJR40 , SJR27 , SCR22 , SCR12 , SCR39 , SCR38 , SCR37 , SB1396 , SB1209 , SB765 , SB62 , SB666 , SB888 , SB687 , SB847 , SB1248 , SB504 , SB305 , SB296 , SB284 , SB241 , SB304 , SB1023 , SB204 , SB609 , SB670 , SB850 , SB854 , SB413 , SB1346 , SB1033 , SB1220 , SB1073 , SB810 , SB1539 , SB447 , SB1119 , SB1505 , SB1215 , SB1302 , SB583 , SB673 , SB681 , SB1172 , SB955 , SB957 , SB541 , SB266 , SB1415 , SB53 , SB1352 , SB785 , SB1450 , SB1502 , SB1566 , SB1062 , SB711 , SB746 , SB1404 , SB1448 , SB507 , SB1026 , SB1349 , SB1355 , SB1433 , SB1434 , SB1596 , SB1403 , SB667 , SB1059 , SB1567 , SB310 , SB311 , SB505 , SB1210 , SB1470 , SB264 , SB1358 , SB1364 , SB1569 , SB1376 , SB1228 , SB519 , SB1350 , SB462 , SB827 , SB1585 , SB1484 , SB1273 , SB927 , SB1227 , SB1229 , SB1353 , SB1464 , SB1709 , SB1729 , SB1733 , SB1744 , SB1772 , SB1841 , SB1147 , SB1008 , SB2016 , SB1173 , SB1163 , SB996 , SB1370 , SB1321 , SB1101 , SB860 , SB993 , SB693 , SB1537 , SB1332 , SB1307 , SB963 , SB493 , SB984 , SB619 , SB1122 , SB455 , SB522 , SB1057 , SB1239 , SB1254 , SB1255 , SB1259 , SB1341 , SB1877 , SB1277 , SB32 , SB732 , SB660 , SB731 , SB921 , SB268 , SB1822 , SB1589 , SB397 , SB1058 , SB1267 , SB2112 , SB1930 , SB532 , SB2155 , SB508 , SB292 , SB291 , SB901 , SB1333 , SB1436 , SB1494 , SB964 , SB779 , SB1378 , SB2312 , SB1719 , SB287 , SB2143 , SB1245 , SB261 , SB1247 , SB1948 , SB2406 , SB2407 , SB1882 , SB1814 , SB618 , SB38 , SB393 , SB1371 , SB1394 , SB1365 , SB2243 , SB2226 , SB2039 , SB1919 , SB1895 , SB1598 , SB1493 , SB1810 , SB1791 , SB1706 , SB1644 , SB1238 , SB783 , SB458 , SB22 , SB651 , SB897 , SB1809 , SB1080 , SB745 , SB826 , SB989 , SB1320 , SB1437 , SB2320 , SB2289 , SB1171 , SB664 , SB1637 , SB2064 , SB868 , SB1079 , SB1243 , SB1504 , SB1851 , SB1879 , SB2237 , SB1257 , SB2034 , SB1522 , SB883 , SB249 , SB1318 , SB1151 , SB596 , SB1191 , SB226 , SB570 , SB870 , SB991 , SB60 , SB365 , SB1067 , SB1786 , SB326 , SB1401 , SB1592 , SB1728 , SB1265 , SB586 , SB529 , SB217 , SB209 , SB1923 , SB1559 , SB1839 , SB387 , SB1874 , SB1872 , SB1873 , SB1921 , SB1883 , SB1677 , SB95 , SB1620 , SB1838 , SB2024 , SB2429 , SB1999 , SB511 , SB2309 , SB2166 , SB871 , SB510 , SB33 , SB2420 , SB1860 , SB1541 , SB1316 , SB1314 , SB1313 , SB1426 , SB1398 , SB1869 , SB1750 , SB1871 , SB36 , SB855 , SB1233 , SB760 , SB2425 , SB2037 , SB1758 , SB1759 , SB2365 , SB1924 , SB762 , SB1271 , SB1818 , SB605 , SB1405 , SB1762 , SB1968 , SB1977 , SB2077 , SB2148 , SB2321 , SB1967 , SB1662 , SB1663 , SB2124 , SB2204 , SB1855 , SB863 , SB37 , SB241 , SB1147 , SB1394 , SB1814 , SB1948 , SB2155 , SB1209 , SB1396 , SB609 , SB660 , SB921 , SR373 , SR374 , SR376 , SR377 , SR379 , SR381 , SR386 , SB2332 , SB3040 , SB3041 , SB2332 , SB3040 , SB3041

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum, an invocation, and routine motions to excuse Senator King and dispense with the reading of the previous journal. Members then took up several ceremonial resolutions and recognitions, including honoring Duncanville High School’s boys basketball state championship, recognizing the city of Palestine, welcoming the Texas African American Lawyers Foundation and Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute, acknowledging the Cibolo Chamber of Commerce, and designating Texas County Treasurer’s Day and Mesquite Day. A memorial resolution for Clyde Vance Dunham of Waco was adopted, with multiple senators speaking in tribute to his long legal career and community service; the Senate agreed to adjourn in his memory. The chamber then considered a series of bills, most of which were advanced on expedited motions. Senate Bill 1948, concerning fire prevention standards for certain agricultural facilities, passed after suspension of the rules and the three-day rule. Senate Bill 1394, updating weight and tire-load rules for ready-mix concrete trucks, passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1814, creating an electronic database to provide information to certain veterans, also passed unanimously. Senate Bill 241, tightening enforcement of the public camping ban and authorizing state enforcement and reimbursement mechanisms, drew questions about impacts on unhoused people but ultimately passed. Senate Bill 1147, withdrawing Texas from the Interstate Mining Compact, passed unanimously. The Senate also passed Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 921 on Medicaid ex parte renewals after a narrower vote, and Senate Bill 609, requiring school districts and charter schools to comply with legally required policies, after rejecting an amendment by Senators Menendez and Perry that would have added a good-faith/resource-limitation safeguard for districts. Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 660, requiring bollards or similar barriers near certain hospital emergency rooms, passed with rural exemptions and exceptions for existing protections. Senate Bill 2155, a cleanup bill returning veterinary board authority from TDLR to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, passed with amendments. Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1209 on election dates and Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1396 prohibiting national sex education standards in public schools also passed. The Senate then received first-reading bills and adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Coca-Cola, all the beverage companies, and many other companies have invested in this to help the farms

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The hearing in Barnstable opened with remarks from the House and Senate co-chairs about the importance of holding Ways and Means budget hearings on the Cape, especially given the region’s seasonal economy and infrastructure needs. The committee then heard testimony from Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones on the governor’s FY27 budget proposal. She highlighted funding for workforce programs including the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, Career Technical Initiative, registered apprenticeship, YouthWorks, reentry workforce programs, and services for young adults with disabilities. She also discussed MassHire career centers, the MassHire Innovation Project, and the Department of Unemployment Assistance modernization effort, noting improved call wait times and claims processing, but acknowledging continued challenges and federal funding uncertainty. Members asked about job-seeker barriers such as child care, housing, and transportation; domestic outmigration of young workers; youth work permits; unemployment insurance costs and the COVID assessment on employers; and the state’s unemployment rate and UI trust fund solvency. Jones and Undersecretary Josh Cutler explained the difference between workforce training funds and the unemployment trust fund, described the statewide trigger that extends unemployment benefits from 26 to 30 weeks when regional unemployment averages 5.2 percent, and said the administration is reviewing the trust fund with labor and business stakeholders. They also said the administration is trying to preserve front-line DUA staffing while shifting resources to customer service and adjudication, including a Friday adjudication pilot and seasonal hires. Senators and representatives also pressed the administration on regional equity in workforce funding, especially for Hampshire Franklin MassHire, which was described as serving a large rural area with fewer resources than other regions. Administration officials said they are reviewing MassHire funding formulas and modernizing the system with a policy committee and state workforce board input, but did not offer an immediate fix. The committee also heard that early childhood education apprenticeships are expanding quickly, with state funding leveraged to secure federal grants and support new Grow Awards. The hearing then moved to the Executive Office of Economic Development, where Secretary Eric Paley outlined House 2 proposals for economic development, including support for the Community One Stop for Growth, rural economic development, workforce partnerships, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, AI, small business assistance, tourism, and tax incentives. Undersecretary Leila D’Amilia followed with testimony on consumer affairs and business regulation, describing funding for consumer protection, banking oversight, occupational licensure, and public safety inspections.

Transcript Highlights:

• at golf courses by tourism, but the biggest winners in this entire industry are lodging, food and beverage

Bills: HF1016 , HF2800 , HF156 , HF3051 , HF526 , HF2658 , HF2062 , HF2801

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• up the executive session for the House Election Law Committee, and we'll start with SB 223 FN, prohibiting
• Um, do any other states prohibit out-of-state students from voting in their states?
• </c> prohibited political expenditures. prohibited political expenditures.
• And it's already prohibited. that. And it's already prohibited.
• <01:33:19.760><c> on</c> prohibition on prohibition on um<01:33:22.680><c> foreign</c><01:33:23.080><

Committee: House Election Law

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, Members, House Bill 2308 prohibits a dental insurer or holding company of a dental insurer
• invest and actually purchase our own dental clinic to provide indigent care, and this bill would prohibit
• The bill further prohibits a retailer from selling these products to a person under the age of 21, with
• Prohibits advertising to children, all the normal things, As well as prohibiting devices from having
• House Bill 2342 prohibits an HOA from prohibiting the backyard installation or use of a shade structure

Summary: The committee took up House Bill 2308, which would prohibit a dental insurer or its holding company from owning interests in dental practices regulated by the Arizona Board of Dental Examiners. The sponsor and Arizona Dental Association argued the bill is meant to prevent vertical integration and insurer control over provider care, while Delta Dental opposed it, saying the measure would block nonprofit insurers from investing in clinics for indigent care and create divestment burdens. After discussion of possible exemptions and market-share caps, the committee passed HB 2308 on a 7-0 vote. The committee then considered House Bill 4001, as amended, which creates a licensing and enforcement framework for alternative nicotine products beginning in 2028, increases penalties for sales to minors, restricts youth-oriented marketing, and licenses manufacturers and distributors. Supporters, including the sponsor, Border Security Alliance, Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, and Vapor Technology Association, said the bill would improve supply-chain transparency and help curb illegal products and youth vaping. Opponents, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, argued it should instead use a full tobacco retail licensing model and that the bill’s enforcement structure lacks sufficient resources. The committee adopted the amendment and passed the bill 6-1. House Bill 2873, as amended, was also approved unanimously. The strike-everything amendment allows a person or organization that filed a city or town referendum petition to withdraw it before ballot qualification, applies the rule retroactively to withdrawals filed on or after January 1, 2026, and bars tallying or canvassing votes for referenda with a withdrawal notice. The sponsor described it as a common-sense governance fix, and the committee gave it a 7-0 do-pass recommendation. The committee next heard House Bill 2408, which revises Arizona Board of Nursing complaint procedures, confidentiality, investigation timelines, expungement authority, and related disciplinary processes. Nursing board officials opposed parts of the bill, warning that changes to nursing education oversight and tighter deadlines could weaken patient safety and increase costs and liability, while the Arizona Nurses Association and several nurses supported the bill as a way to prioritize serious complaints, improve timeliness, and allow expungement in appropriate cases. After adopting the amendment, the committee passed HB 2408 on a 5-2 vote. The committee also passed House Bill 2342, which limits HOA restrictions on backyard shade structures, and House Bill 2323, which extends Arizona’s motor vehicle lemon law protections to lessees, both by unanimous votes. Finally, the committee began hearing House Bill 4010 on creating a Board of Genetic Counselors, with the sponsor and supporters describing it as a licensure and patient-safety measure; the transcript ends during testimony on that bill.