Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, and why is this being crossed out as well? So this was not my piece of legislation.
• Page 7, once again crossed out: motor vehicle safety inspection.
• Page 13, crossed out again: vehicle inspection. Less vehicle inspections.
• Page 15, the word “all” is crossed out.
• And so vehicles, it says right here, every vehicle of the type required to be inspected, and it crosses

Transcript Highlights:

• You got farmers that cross those roads all the time.
• You got farmers that cross those roads all the time.
• You got farmers that cross those roads all the time.
• You got farmers that cross those roads all the time.
• </c><01:44:28.440><c> this</c> for the 4,200 vehicles that cross this for the 4,200 vehicles that cross

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Cross: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Representative Cross: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Representative Cross: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Representative Cross: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
• Representative Cross: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Transcript Highlights:

• If you leave Lake Worth to cross over to West End, you want to leave even earlier.
• Representative Cross, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• Representative Cross, you're recognized in debate. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Representative Cross, you were recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
• Seeing no further business before the committee, Representative Cross moves that we rise.

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee met and heard several bills on boating, anchoring, plastics, coastal resilience, and permitting. HB 735, expanding the Boating Improvement Program to fund boat-trailer parking at public ramps and offering a submerged land lease discount for manufacturers using environmental best practices, drew no opposition and was reported favorably. HB 371, a nature-based coastal resilience bill, was amended with a strike-all and then reported favorably with committee substitute. HB 287, allowing building or plumbing permits to move forward while septic system permits are still under review, also passed favorably after testimony from the onsite wastewater industry and a brief debate about construction delays and final occupancy certification. The committee also took up HB 565 on auxiliary containers, which would preempt local regulation of items like bags, cups, and bottles and maintain statewide uniformity. The sponsor argued it protects consumer choice and business consistency, while environmental groups, PTA representatives, and others warned it would worsen plastic pollution, microplastics, and local cleanup burdens. Despite opposition and a 13-5 vote with several members opposed, the bill was reported favorably. Members also discussed HB 565’s policy background, including prior DEP studies and the tension between state preemption and local environmental regulation. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 565 in the transcript’s boating context, actually HB 565 on anchoring limitations in Biscayne Bay and other heavily impacted areas. Supporters from Miami Beach and North Bay Village said derelict and anchored vessels are harming waterways, seagrass, public safety, and enforcement efforts, while cruisers and boating groups argued the bill would displace responsible boaters and fail to solve derelict-vessel problems. The committee adopted an amendment, then reported the bill favorably with committee substitute by an 18-0 vote. The meeting concluded after all agenda items were completed and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, it's both a pedestrian crossing and a wildlife undercrossing.
• Well, it's both a pedestrian crossing and a wildlife undercrossing.
• And it can't cross... individual species.
• And it can't cross. ...including his extra lane, and it can't cross.
• I'm excited about the crossing in our... I appreciate the bill.

Summary: The committee heard SB 1393, an omnibus update to the Fish and Game Code covering steelhead trout and Dungeness crab management. Supporters from The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, CalTrout, and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations said the bill would strengthen the steelhead report card program, refine crab fishery rules, and clarify vessel transit through closed crab areas. There was no opposition, and the bill was accepted with amendments and moved on a 4-0 vote to the Appropriations Committee. The committee also heard SB 1250, which would require Caltrans to incorporate wildlife connectivity into transportation planning and asset management, with performance targets and coordination with wildlife agencies. The author and supporters argued it would improve ecosystem connectivity, reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, and save money by integrating crossings, culverts, and fencing into planned projects. The California Building Industry Association moved to neutral after amendments clarifying the bill would apply to transportation rights-of-way and not create exactions on private property. The bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. Members then considered SB 1212, which would repeal California’s ban on importing and selling kangaroo products. The author argued kangaroo harvest in Australia is tightly regulated and that California’s ban is outdated, while opponents from Humane World for Animals, Animal Legal Defense Fund, and others said the bill would reopen the market to products from a cruel commercial slaughter industry and undermine long-standing wildlife protections. No motion was taken at that point. The committee also heard SB 1268, codifying the Outdoors for All initiative, which supporters said would protect and expand equitable access to parks and outdoor recreation; it advanced 3-0. Finally, the committee heard three Western Joshua Tree bills from Senator Arreguín: SB 1061, SB 1062, and SB 1063. Supporters from water agencies, local governments, and industry said the bills would reduce fees and streamline permitting for tree relocation, public infrastructure, and basic utility hookups in desert communities. Opponents withdrew or softened opposition on the first two bills after amendments, but objected to SB 1063 as too broad. SB 1061 and SB 1062 each passed 2-0 to Appropriations, while SB 1063 was still under discussion at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• Managed to cross all judicial districts.
• The occupants advised the trooper that they had recently crossed the U.S. border into Texas.
• The illegal aliens and blockers Van Cross the southern border, the United States of America and more
• that crossing began process of illegally entering the country did not did not conclude their entry into
• There are other ways to better enable cross share in combine those assets to get more cross collaboration

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is another cleanup bill to codify current practices and fix cross-references.
• Many of the provisions were put into areas of the law that no longer apply or use cross-references to
• This bill is another cleanup bill to codify current practices and fix cross-references.
• Current practices and fix cross-references.
• So federal law prohibits cross-gender strip searches?

Bills: SB8 , SB10 , SB11 , SB12 , SB13 , SB14 , SB16 , SB17 , SB18 , SB20 , SB21 , SB22 , SB416 , SB455 , SB456 , SB477

Committee: House Retirement

Keywords: Municipal Employees' Retirement System, Louisiana, participation, employer, retirement, SB 10, Act 222, Louisiana State Police Retirement System, state police retirement, retirement system funding, employer contributions, actuarial gains, amortization, Permanent Benefit Increase, PBI account, benefit increase reserve, supplemental permanent benefit increase, public retirement systems, state pension, pension funding

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER CROSS. >> Rep. Cross: HERE. >> REPRESENTATIVE ALBERT. >> Rep.
• RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER CROSS. >> YES. REPRESENTATIVE ABBOTT. REPRESENTATIVE ALBERT.
• RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER CROSS. REPRESENTATIVE ABBOTT. REPRESENTATIVE ALBERT.
• RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER CROSS. >> YES. >> REPRESENTATIVE ABBOTT.

Transcript Highlights:

• Ryan Cross, FML, present in opposition, do not wish to speak.
• Blue Cross?
• But this is crossing state lines.
• Matthew Cross, Anna Antune, Anna Tran. And then...
• We can't keep crossing these lines.

Bills: HB62 , HB124 , HB182 , HB193 , HB198 , HB203 , HB223 , HB237 , HB469 , HB486 , HB574 , HB779 , HB796 , HB919 , SCR2 , SB4 , SB36 , SB38 , SB109 , SB152 , SB168 , SB195 , SB216 , SB221 , SB236 , SB404

Committee: House Health and Welfare

Keywords: Louisiana Women's Policy, gender equality, policy research, commission membership, women's representation, Domestic Violence, judicial experience, legislation, criminal law, family law, HB182, sexual assault, rape kit, forensic examination, forensic medical exam, sexual assault survivor, sexual assault nurse examiner, SANE, emergency department, hospital staffing

Transcript Highlights:

• It's hard enough for victims and survivors to testify and face cross-examination.
• It's hard enough for victims and survivors to testify and face cross-examination.
• After being cross-examined by my perpetrator, a convicted serial voyeur rapist, I was immediately forced
• But choosing to represent himself, he again, as you've heard, had the chance to cross-examine numerous
• Drivers develop tunnel vision and may not be able to notice other road users crossing or entering roadways

Summary: The committee heard several public hearings on criminal justice and victim-related bills. SB 6087 would expand existing liability protections for donations of children’s items to include religious organizations and add strollers and car seats to the definition of children’s items; the sponsor said it would make it easier to donate usable baby equipment, and the Washington State Board of Health said it supported the goal but noted rulemaking and funding concerns under the original version. SB 5934 would change the standard for post-conviction DNA testing so courts must grant testing unless the state shows by clear and convincing evidence that the results could not demonstrate a likelihood of innocence; the Innocence Project and a DNA exoneree supported it as a way to reduce years of litigation, while prosecutors and sheriffs/police chiefs opposed it as a burden shift that could increase frivolous motions and strain lab and attorney resources. SB 5520 would revise Washington’s wrongful-conviction compensation law by broadening definitions, extending filing deadlines, removing the waiver requirement, and making other process changes; the sponsor and Innocence Project said it would reduce barriers and better fulfill the state’s promise to exonerees, and a DNA exoneree described years of litigation just to access compensation. The committee also heard SB 6017, which would expand victim-centered and trauma-informed protections. The bill would allow a court to appoint a representative to ask questions of victims when a defendant represents themself, extend forensic exam consent to minors 13 and older in non-fatal strangulation cases, add female genital mutilation survivors to protections similar to the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights, and reauthorize and broaden the Safe Advisory Group’s mandate. Survivors, advocates, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy strongly supported the bill, describing courtroom questioning by self-represented defendants as retraumatizing and urging broader access to services for FGM survivors; defense advocates raised constitutional concerns about limiting a pro se defendant’s right to personally question witnesses and said the bill could be vulnerable to challenge without narrower guardrails. The hearing drew extensive survivor testimony, and the chair noted 108 people signed in support and one opposed. Finally, the committee heard SB 5890, which would create an alternative reckless-driving offense for driving more than 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. The sponsor, a former firefighter, framed the bill as an accountability measure aimed at preventing severe crashes caused by extreme speeding. A committee member asked about officer discretion in emergencies, and the sponsor said the bill targets excessive speed while acknowledging that some situations may still be problematic. A preliminary fiscal note had been received.

Transcript Highlights:

• Blue Shield, specifically a department within Blue Cross Blue Shield called Lucet.
• I think it's relevant that Blue Cross Blue Shield also referred to Ella as a him in formal paperwork.
• that Blue Cross Blue Shield also referred in one of their denials of Ella, they referred to her as a
• For Blue Cross Blue Shield, our direct contact is Lucet. After a plan is submitted, Lucet may.
• For Blue Cross Blue Shield, our direct contact is Lucet.

Committee: All TASK FORCE ON AUTISM

Summary: The meeting began with approval of the June 4 minutes and then heard an update from the Attorney General’s office on Medicaid fraud investigations, including ABA-related fraud concerns. Justin Brasher explained how the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates providers using credible allegations, hotline tips, data mining, subpoenas, surveillance, and federal partnerships, and described the choice between civil and criminal cases. He cited examples such as impossible-hours billing, caregiver fraud, DME fraud, and updates on the Brian Hyatt and Joseph Schwartz cases. Members asked about ABA fraud and safeguards; Brasher said the office is aware of the federal ABA fraud toolkit and emphasized that investigations require a credible allegation so legitimate services are not disrupted. Representative Clowney clarified that the examples discussed were Medicaid fraud generally, not ABA-specific cases. The committee then heard extensive testimony from Rachel Dodson and ABA provider Jessica Linnehan about Dodson’s nine-year-old daughter, Ella Grace, who has autism and multiple medical conditions. Dodson described how ABA has helped Ella improve communication, school participation, safety, hygiene, and medication management, but said insurance denials and reduced authorization hours are now the biggest barrier to care. Linnehan explained the authorization process, saying insurers often issue unclear denials, caregivers are excluded from physician review calls, and delays or partial approvals can interrupt services. She said Ella’s current plan was reduced to 25 hours per week despite the family requesting 34 hours, and argued that children should not have to regress before receiving higher-intensity care. Dodson and Linnehan also cited CASP guidance supporting higher-intensity ABA when safety concerns are present. Representatives from DHS and Empower Healthcare Solutions responded that Medicaid ABA services are covered through the PASSEs and fee-for-service, that Empower uses InterQual medical-necessity criteria, and that care coordinators help families but do not make clinical determinations. DHS said it is working on clearer ABA-related notices and a new policy/manual that is moving toward public comment and later legislative review. Members discussed whether the issue should be added to the task force’s legislative priorities, but several said they had not yet seen the draft priorities. The committee ultimately approved a motion to have the chairs finalize the report before submission to the General Assembly, then voted to expunge that vote after members objected to voting without reviewing the document. The meeting ended with a plan to circulate the draft by email and reconvene before the report deadline later in the month.

Transcript Highlights:

• County officials have also monitored the low water crossing heavily during storms and rains, as well
• This road was closed on 11 different occasions due to high water being over the low water crossing.
• And that's the water going over the low water crossing. Same thing there.
• These barriers will prevent vehicles from crossing into oncoming traffic, significantly improving the
• Because, again, a collision with a train occurs when a vehicle tries to cross the tracks while the arms

Bills: HB767 , HB 1242 , HB1373 , HB1404 , HB1708 , HB1936 , HB2041 , HB2198 , HB2270 , HB2315 , HB2415 , HB2427 , HB2455 , HB2457 , HB2522 , HB2523 , HB2686 , HB2763 , HB2775 , HB2944 , HB3034 , HB1683 , HB1695

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: highway designation, memorial, Montgomery County, Paul P. Mendes, transportation, HB 1242, Texas Transportation Code, U.S. Highway 281, Brooks County, Ernesto Soliz Cantu, memorial highway, road naming, TxDOT, road signage, commemorative resolution, memorial markers, county road 304, Huppergate Road, Los Robles Trail, Farm-to-Market Road

Transcript Highlights:

• the Oliver Ames volleyball team won the MIAA Division II State Volleyball Championship, and the boys cross
• country team won the MIAA Division State Cross Country Championship.
• the Oliver Ames volleyball team won the MIAA Division II State Volleyball Championship, and the boys cross
• country team won the MIAA Division State Cross Country Championship.
• The boys cross country championship.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's something the food industry struggles with because of cross-contamination.
• have systems in place in the kitchen, because it sounds to me if Brandon just gets into any kind of cross-contamination
• , during your— you said you've been in many schools— is that the biggest problem that you see, the cross-contamination
• Is that the biggest problem that you see, the cross-contamination, the airborne gluten pass-over?
• At that age, I didn't have the language to explain cross-contamination or ingredient sources, so I wasn't

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Higher Education

Summary: The Joint Committee on Higher Education held a hearing on two late-filed bills, H. 5012 and S. 2927, titled An Act Relative to Student Access, Food, and Nutritional Information, also referred to by witnesses as the “Snack Act.” The bills would require schools to make gluten-free and allergen-related meal information easier to find online, including menus, ingredients, food safety procedures, and contact information, so students with celiac disease and other medically necessary dietary restrictions can safely participate in universal school meal programs. Committee leaders explained the hearing process and invited testimony from pre-registered and in-person witnesses. Most testimony came from parents, students, physicians, and advocates who described celiac disease as a serious autoimmune condition requiring a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. Witnesses said many families avoid school meals because information is hard to find or not clearly communicated, and they emphasized that the bill would not create a new system so much as make existing information accessible. Several speakers cited research showing that many children with celiac disease do not participate in school breakfast and lunch programs, and that communication gaps between school administrators, nurses, and food service staff are a major barrier. Witnesses also said the bill could help students with food allergies more broadly and would support equity in the state’s universal school meals program. A number of students with celiac disease gave personal testimony about feeling excluded, managing food anxiety, and relying on clear school communication to stay safe. One parent and clinician described a child’s severe malnutrition before diagnosis and shared a photo to illustrate the seriousness of gluten exposure, while other doctors discussed long-term health risks from uncontrolled celiac disease and the need for better access to safe meals. Committee members praised the witnesses, especially the young students, and asked questions about cross-contamination, school procedures, and whether regulations or agency action might also address the issue. Senator Joan Lovely, the Senate sponsor, briefly endorsed the bill and thanked the panel. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the committee closed the hearing after testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaker, the delegate from Fairfax said thousands of people are killed crossing the street.
• They should be 21.5 times more afraid to cross the street, for starters.
• So they're probably about 250 times more likely to die crossing the street.
• They should be 21 and a half times more afraid to cross the street, for starters.
• So they're probably about 250 times more likely to die crossing the street.

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you just kind of tell me, in that cross-country meet, who did they beat?
• Every 'i' has to be dotted and every 't' has to be crossed. Are there any questions?
• I've got a motion. ...Every 'i' has to be dotted and every 't' has to be crossed.
• This resolution is for the Arkansas Tech University Golden Suns cross-country team.
• The cross-country team won a Great American championship in fall 2025. Are there any questions?

Committee: All HOUSE MANAGEMENT

Summary: House Management considered a series of House resolutions honoring individuals, teams, and organizations. Resolutions passed recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month and commending CASA programs, the Mountain Home Bombers’ boys and girls cross-country championships, a corrected honor for a girls’ team roster, Mount St. Mary Academy’s state golf title, Central Arkansas Christian High School Choir, a local candy shop, Joe T. Robinson’s football and swim/dive state championships, Arkansas Tech University’s Golden Suns and their cross-country team, and North Little Rock’s girls basketball championship. One resolution honoring the Passion Play was pulled from the agenda and moved to regular session. Most of the honors were approved without opposition after brief presentations and no questions. The committee then took up House Resolution 1052, which drew extended discussion. Sponsors and several legislators argued that many Arkansas girls selected for Girls State were being denied participation because school counselors missed an application deadline, despite the students meeting requirements and similar deadline flexibility having been granted in prior years. They said the issue affected roughly 150 girls statewide, that the American Legion Auxiliary board had not been responsive to calls or requests for a meeting, and that the legislature was offering to help with space, funding, or volunteers if needed. Supporters framed the resolution as a matter of fairness, civic opportunity, and not punishing students for adult mistakes, especially since Boys State deadlines had been extended in some cases. Committee members asked about the impact on girls whose brothers were allowed to attend Boys State and whether the situation sent a negative message about equal opportunity. Sponsors said the girls were being treated unfairly and that the resolution was intended to urge the Auxiliary to allow participation. After discussion, the committee voted to pass the resolution. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It also creates the Washington Wildlife Corridor Account and the Washington Wildlife Crossings Account
• one amendment, M-894 by Representative Hall, that would add a section to the Washington Wildlife Crossings
• producers, and other members of the community to be consulted prior to the construction of any wildlife crossing
• it requires landowners, farmers, and the community to be consulted before constructing wildlife crossings
• Starting at a high level, in terms of the value statement here, wildlife crossing structures are an important

Bills: HB2306 , HB2711

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: transportation budget, capital budget, operating budget, appropriations, Washington State Department of Transportation, WSDOT, Washington State Patrol, Department of Licensing, ferry funding, state ferries, highway maintenance, road preservation, bridge replacement, tolling, express toll lanes, traffic safety, speed cameras, ignition interlock, transit grants, public transit

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Hinojosa: Oversize and overweight freight traffic plays a key role in cross-border trade in Hidalgo
• Once the expansion is complete, we forecast an increase of over 40% in commercial crossings.
• Oversize and overweight freight traffic plays a key role in cross-border trade in Hidalgo County.
• Currently, the port of entry crosses roughly 6,000 commercial entries.
• House Bill 2455 will allow aggregate to cross at the port of entry that is the Luis Bazan: Closest to

Bills: HB2026 , HB2427 , HB2455 , HB2560 , HB3510 , HB3966 , HB3986 , HB4429 , HB5436 , SB3062

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: memorial highway, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, Archer County, highway designation, vehicle weight, ports of entry, Texas Transportation Code, truck regulations, load limits, Adopt-a-County Road, funding, road maintenance, county partnership, public recognition, memorial designation, highway, Sergeant Mark Butler, transportation, Brazos County

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard a series of mostly local transportation and memorial designation bills. Several measures would rename highway segments in honor of fallen service members or public servants, including HB 2026 (Gary C. Johnston memorial highways in Archer County), HB 4429 (McIlroy Family Memorial Highway in Blanco and Burnet counties), SB 3062 (Hamby-Webb Memorial Highway in Panola County), HB 3510 (Sergeant Mark Butler Memorial Highway in Brazos County), and HB 3986 (Corporal Speedy Espiriueta Memorial Highway in Mission). The committee also heard HB 2560, which would create an optional county-road “adopt-a-road” style program allowing donations for county road repair and maintenance. Two bills drew more substantive policy discussion. HB 2427 and HB 2455 concerned oversized/overweight freight corridors and permit authority in Hidalgo County tied to cross-border trade near the FARR International Bridge. Supporters, including the bridge director, said the measures would correct prior road descriptions, put existing TxDOT actions into statute, improve truck routing, and support trade and bridge expansion. The committee substitute for HB 2427 also removed Roma permit language, barred certain hazardous-material permits, raised permit fees, required local cost responsibility for road maintenance, and made the bill contingent on SB 2949. HB 5436 would allow licensed automotive recyclers to buy certain older, long-unregistered vehicles for dismantling or scrap without a title, with reporting, lienholder notice, and anti-theft safeguards; recyclers and dealers supported it as a way to curb illegal untitled-vehicle sales and VIN cloning. HB 3966, authored by Sen. Alvarado, was the most contested bill. It would require commercial passenger bus companies to mail advance notice to residents within one mile before opening a new stop or terminal. Alvarado said the bill responded to the relocation of a Greyhound terminal into a Houston neighborhood without notice and to resulting crime and nuisance concerns. Greyhound opposed the bill, arguing the notice requirement would be burdensome and could delay emergency relocations during hurricanes, flooding, or lease changes. After testimony, the committee voted to report most bills favorably, with HB 3966 passing on a 5-2 vote; the other reported bills passed unanimously. Several bills were also placed on the local and uncontested calendar, and the committee recessed to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• It holds the distinction of being the number one border crossing for the United States for produce and
• As demand for fresh produce rises, particularly from Mexico, efficient border crossings like FAR are
• Example, Tuesday, today, product leaves... the packing houses in Mexico, tomorrow, Wednesday, will cross
• When fresh produce crosses the border, it must undergo an inspection. to ensure compliance with U.S.
• -Mexico trade, crossing 35% of the nation's imported fresh fruits and vegetables. vegetables from Mexico

Bills: HB2013 , HB4163 , HB4810

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock

Keywords: property owners associations, chickens, urban farming, land use, homeowner rights, agriculture, municipal regulation, governmental requirements, farm management, inspections, border control, trade, state funding

Transcript Highlights:

• So again, 45 individual crossings would be addressed with this proposal.
• So again, 45 individual crossings would be addressed with this proposal.
• So again, 45 individual crossings would be addressed with this proposal.
• So $44 million for ports, $300 million for grade crossings.
• So $44 million for ports, $300 million for grade crossings.

Committee: Senate Capital Investment