Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Rules Soakins at the filing bills are proper for consideration.
• State Department, High-Love 526, relating to utilities, high-load factor, customers, submits the filing
• a For new extra high load factor customers, et cetera, exempts the electric public service corporations
• I don't see a reason to exempt smaller electric companies. I think... ...apply to them.
• I don't see a reason to exempt smaller electric companies.

Summary: The Senate convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, recorded attendance, approved the journal, and received routine communications from the governor and House. The body then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider several House bills, including HB 2369 on photo-enforcement traffic citations, HB 2423 on advanced math course enrollment, HB 2481 on school district financial records, HB 2621 on access to special education in public schools, and HB 2756 on public utilities and high-load factor customers. Each of these bills received amendments and were advanced with do pass recommendations. Members discussed HB 2423 at length, with supporters saying it would better identify high-achieving students for advanced math while critics argued the larger issue was funding and teacher shortages. HB 2756 also drew debate over data centers, utility reporting, and ratepayer impacts, but was amended and advanced. The Committee of the Whole then rose and reported its recommendations, which the Senate adopted. The Senate also adopted a proclamation supporting stronger Arizona and U.S. relations with Taiwan, and welcomed Taiwan’s Director General Jason Poyon Ma. The chamber calendared HB 2192 for additional Committee of the Whole consideration, adopted a Bolick amendment clarifying that telecom and broadband providers are not included in the definition of online hosting platform, and advanced the bill as amended. Later, the Senate took up third-reading votes on multiple measures, including HB 2249, HB 2482, HB 2641, HB 2661, HB 2662, HB 2673, HB 2745, HB 2752, HB 2895, HB 2923, and several House concurrent memorials on foreign ownership, endangered species, and related federal policy. Most passed, though several senators explained no votes on grounds such as budget concerns, policy objections, or opposition to limiting testimony or subpoena enforcement authority. At the end of the session, the Senate also passed HB 2369, HB 2423, HB 2481, HB 2621, HB 2756, HB 2192, and other listed bills by recorded roll call, with final vote totals announced for each. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted, bills were properly assigned, and committee announcements were made for the following Monday. The Senate then adjourned until Monday, April 20, 2026 at 1:15 p.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• So any person carrying and transporting for that reason would now be exempt.
• Exemption one, exemption 2, 3, 4. Instead of 2, 3, 4, it would be... Instead of where it's...
• This exemption for D probably... this exemption for D, it probably could have included the letter C,
• We're requesting an exemption for video games.
• All of them exempt video games.

Bills: SB324, HB395, HB222, HB310, HB285, HB144, HB251, HB380

Keywords: Morgan County, judge of probate, legal qualifications, equity jurisdiction, constitutional amendment, campaign finance, electronic notifications, civil penalties, Fair Campaign Practices Act, Secretary of State, sex offenders, treatment programs, electronic media, post office box restrictions, Class C felony, parole, probation, human cloning, criminal penalties, embryo

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill has fees if the immunity holds.
• a few, that are exempted.
• Chief Clerk, please call the roll. there are exemptions for the state of there are exemptions for the
• The tribal governments have exempted.
• I thought maybe exemptions for vehicles.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Always stock market volatility, reemerging inflation, the latest fires, and recent delayed tax filing
• And therefore, it is not exempt from the state appropriations limit.
• Our proposal seeks to raise the mandatory deposit from 10% to 20%, as well as the exempt deposits to
• Is that the hospital quality assurance fee?
• And if the hospital quality assurance fee isn't...

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• A different file. Got it.
• If we were to exempt the Department of Hawaiian Homelands from just the water user fees alone, it would
• If we were to exempt the Department of Hawaiian Homelands from just the water user fees alone, it would
• If we were to exempt the Department of Hawaiian Homelands from just the water user fees alone, it would
• If we were to exempt the Department of Hawaiian Homelands from just the water user fees alone, it would

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee first considered House Bill 1324, which would require the Judiciary to contract for legal services for residential tenants in landlord-tenant disputes and allow attorneys, paralegals, and law students to provide those services, with an appropriation. The Department of the Attorney General recommended removing reference to Hawaii Public Housing Authority tenants because HPHA eviction proceedings are administrative and could conflict with the bill. Hawaii Appleseed and other testifiers strongly supported the measure, citing studies showing much higher tenant retention when counsel is available, and suggested adding notice of the right to counsel at key points such as rent increases, eviction notices, and lease signing. The committee adopted amendments, including the Attorney General’s suggested change and a technical amendment, and passed the bill out with a recommendation to move it forward; members voted aye, with one member voting with reservations and several excused. The committee then heard House Bill 126 on property forfeiture, which would increase transparency and accountability in civil asset forfeiture by clarifying covered property, changing disposition rules, and removing language requiring liberal construction of the forfeiture act. The Attorney General said forfeiture remains an important law enforcement tool and that the bill would not impair its use. The Office of the Public Defender supported the measure but argued civil forfeiture is broadly problematic because many people cannot meaningfully challenge it and are not entitled to counsel. Honolulu Police Department opposed the bill, saying forfeiture is useful in fighting illegal activity and that added procedures would delay enforcement and reduce operational funding from forfeiture proceeds. Community Alliance on Prisons, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and other supporters urged reform or abolition of civil forfeiture, citing transparency concerns and the risk of abuse. No vote on HB 126 was taken in the portion provided. The final measure discussed was House Bill 166, which would require the state to defend professionally licensed or certified state employees in certain civil actions, allow employees to hire their own counsel at their own expense, and set a process for the Attorney General to transfer or withdraw representation if the state declines to defend. Testimony from the Hawaii Association for Justice and labor representatives was in strong support, describing the bill as a negotiated clarification that balances employee protections with accountability and noting it had passed previously but died in conference. The transcript cuts off before any committee action on HB 166.

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now Rural hospitals and clinics will be left out of the mandate to exempt fees because we want
• What I was going To say is the fees would prohibit fees on certain things.
• And how much money are these fees?
• , you will be charged an extra fee.
• From what the fees and the services you described, we're going to remove the fee from the screening and

Bills: SB273, SB37, SB100

Keywords: SB273, appropriations, general fund, hold harmless, local government finance, municipal revenue, county revenue, correctional facility, jail contract, private prison, detention facility, immigration detention, revenue bonds, clawback, child welfare, juvenile justice, protective services, school improvement, New MexiCare, aging services

Transcript Highlights:

• to House Bill 1322 and recognize Representative Hopper to explain the differences between the bill filed
• Our records really start in 2022 now, but we have a situation where somebody claimed that they filed
• Just add in the word homestead exemption in the proposed district, and that's our request, sir.
• They have to be David Billings: A homestead exemption landowner because they already said they bought
• Right, so this exempts, that's correct.

Transcript Highlights:

• when those fees are incurred.
• In order for fees to be incurred, the client must owe the fees to their attorney, meaning that the attorneys
• This bill, and, and we, and we filed those cases.
• I, I have filed 5, our office has 5 or 6 lawsuits on file right now.
• In investigating these cases before we file them.

Transcript Highlights:

• These bills are file item six, SB 1170, file item seven, SB 1206, file item eight, SB 1444.
• So the newer guy's like, well, I don't see that in your file. And then you start over.
• So, what we're asking for is a small business exemption. for is a small business exemption that recognizes
• , which pales in comparison to the exemption that the legislature provided in CCPA.
• There is some fee income and that type of thing.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:19:42.160> because mentioned that would be exempt because mentioned that would be exempt
• thousands of dollars in legal fees thousands of dollars in legal fees challenging<00:27:15.919><
• to remove citizen signatures from a fees to remove citizen signatures from a petition<00:28:34.640><
• papers are submitted from when filing papers are submitted all<01:32:57.679> the<01:32:57.840
• <01:33:33.760> before down, including the audio files before down, including the audio files

Keywords: Discussion of BR 25 (2026 RS) 04:15 Presentation on voting systems by ES&S 48:14 Presentation on voting systems by Hart InterCivic and Harp Enterprises 01:13:07, 958, all

Summary: The committee met to approve the October 21 minutes and then took up BR 25 for the 2026 regular session, a proposal relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and public resources. The sponsors said the bill is intended to strengthen existing law by adding civil and criminal penalties for taxpayer-funded advocacy on ballot questions, especially in light of controversies during the 2024 election over school officials and districts using public resources to oppose a constitutional amendment. They also described related concerns about school districts hiring third-party lobbyists and public relations firms, particularly in Fayette County, and said the proposal was meant to keep tax dollars focused on public services rather than political persuasion. Committee members raised several concerns about scope and drafting. Some asked whether the bill should specifically mention schools, school boards, and school employees, and the sponsors said they would add that language. Others questioned whether the measure would also affect local government lobbying through groups like KLC and KCO, and the sponsors said they intended to focus narrowly on schools while exempting certain advocacy organizations and internal government lobbyists. Members also asked whether public employees could still speak as private individuals, and the sponsors said yes. Several members suggested splitting the lobbying and ballot-advocacy issues into separate bills, and the sponsors said they would consider that. Members also pressed for clarification on how the bill would apply in practice, including whether it would cover legal challenges to petition drives or only advocacy after a question is on the ballot. Counsel for the sponsors said the bill would not cover some petition-related litigation as drafted, though they believed it should. The sponsors and supporters argued the proposal was needed to give the existing prohibition real enforcement, while some members warned that the language could unintentionally limit legitimate public representation or be too broad if not carefully drafted. No final vote was taken during the discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• and will be exempted through SB 5.
• , and $20,000 for annual fees.
• These fees are the norm in both blue and red cannabis legal states, except those state fees are actually
• So the bill, the bill that was filed, That was in your binder is what we filed in the Senate last session
• and what the House filed.

Bills: SB5, SB11, SB12, SB 5, SB 11, SB 12

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, occupational licenses, criminal offenses, SB 11, Texas attorney general, election crimes, election law enforcement, criminal prosecution, Election Code, Government Code Chapter 402, local prosecutors, county attorney, district attorney, grand jury, probable cause reports, state election offenses, voter fraud, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 76 offers nursing mothers an exemption from...
• Senate Bill 76 offers nursing mothers an exemption from jury duty.
• So again, this bill offers nursing mothers an exemption from jury duty, and again, we... ...exemption
• PIP's already got a fee schedule about what they're going to pay for certain things.
• , it's filed.

Bills: SJR 1, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 36, SJR 1, SJR 5, SB 9, SB 40, SR 61, SR 91, SR 97, SR 103, SR 104, SR 112, SR 115, SR 116, SCR 16, SB 26, SB 26

Keywords: bail denial, illegal aliens, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, law enforcement, bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunctive relief, taxpayer rights, bail, criminal justice reform, Texas Music Advocacy Day, music industry

Transcript Highlights:

• specific budget augmentations not related to the departments before us, please refer to the daily file
• Without an APA exemption, we expect the implementation of programs will be delayed by a year or more
• Third, we think this exemption could create some efficiencies.
• So this is a sensitive issue for the Assembly from the standpoint of asking for an exemption.
• I'd like to echo the support for the proposed APA exemption, which will ensure that funding.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can't get a—I file a request in Alexandria. I can't get a report.
• And that's why, because when you file things, you don't get it from the troopers.
• "Well, yeah, if there are attorney's fees, you know." "Yeah, I thought so.
• So this, you're trying to exempt them from providing that information?
• We're trying to exempt providing the information to the public. This is a...

Summary: The committee first deferred Senate Bill 49, which would remove the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from the list of offices subject to closed party primary elections, after the sponsor said additional amendments were being prepared. It then took up House Bill 1247, which creates a statewide sexual assault nurse examiner coordinator within the Department of Justice to improve access, evidence collection, and coordination for sexual assault survivors. Members adopted a committee amendment package that clarified the coordinating structure, geographic response considerations, reimbursement language, and related public records issues, and the bill was reported favorably as amended with support from health care and law enforcement-related groups. House Bill 1245, also dealing with public records, was amended to protect certain personal identifying information in criminal history records of criminal justice agency employees who serve as witnesses in criminal proceedings. The discussion focused on limiting release of Social Security numbers, home addresses, and dates of birth while preserving disclosure required for court proceedings and impeachment-related purposes. The committee adopted a further amendment narrowing the protection to those PII items in records held by the clerk of court, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. House Bill 1011, allowing jurors to donate per diem compensation to CASA, and House Bill 1186, which standardizes construction code and inspector licensing records while protecting inspectors’ personal information, were also reported favorably. Senate Bill 425, which implements the constitutional mandate for removal by suit of certain elected officials for felony conviction, malfeasance, or gross misconduct, drew the most extended debate. Supporters said it creates a civil process to address serious misconduct when criminal prosecution is unavailable or incomplete, while opponents warned it could be abused for political targeting, duplicate existing remedies, and rely on vague standards. After amendments clarifying the process and standards, the committee voted 10-5 to report the bill favorably as amended. The committee also adopted amendments and reported favorably House Bill 1057, extending absentee-by-mail eligibility for overseas service members from one year to two years, and began discussion of House Bill 709, which would create a rulemaking notification system, a 10-year sunset for certain rules, and an Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the governor’s office.

Transcript Highlights:

• bill that just got filed today.
• So these numbers are going to change, and as exemptions go up and the state compresses more, people come
• It creates a process by which certain providers can seek an exemption from the task force.
• It creates a process by which certain providers can seek an exemption from the task force.
• I'm here today to testify on the filed version of Senate Bill 2619.

Summary: The Committee on Education K-16 heard testimony on SB 1635, which would give certain coastal, recapture-paying school districts a credit against recapture payments for mandatory windstorm and hail insurance costs. Senator Hinojosa said the bill is intended to offset unusually high insurance expenses for districts in Tier 1 or Tier 2 coastal zones, and he estimated about a $12 million impact to state revenue. Witnesses from Port Aransas ISD and Gregory-Portland ISD described sharp premium increases, reduced coverage, higher deductibles, and the effect on teacher pay and classroom spending. Senators asked about the number of affected districts, the accuracy of the fiscal estimate, and whether the bill might encourage districts to maintain coverage. Public testimony was closed and SB 1635 was left pending. The committee then took up several other bills and committee substitutes, adopting and reporting favorably SB 2786, SB 2623, SB 646, SB 843, SB 2392, SB 1998, SB 1418, SB 2788, and SB 2076, with most votes unanimous or near-unanimous. SB 2392 was amended to add improper relationship between educator and student to mandatory reporting offenses and to authorize an attorney general civil penalty for failure to report. SB 2623 was revised to clarify duties and exemptions related to the Safe Schools and Neighborhood Task Force and school proximity restrictions. SB 843 would create a TEA database of school district bonds and related projects, and SB 2788 would exempt certain PSAT scorers from the Texas Success Initiative assessment. The committee also heard SB 2929, which would allow referees and other officials at school athletic events to immediately eject disruptive spectators. The Texas Association of Sports Officials testified in support, citing abusive spectator behavior and a shortage of officials. SB 2929 was left pending. Finally, the committee heard a substitute for SB 2927 on 1882 partnerships and a substitute for SB 2619, which would require more transparency and accountability for failing school districts, superintendent hiring, trustee training, and takeover timelines. Testimony on SB 2619 was mixed, with one witness from Texas 2036 supporting parts of the bill’s accountability provisions. The committee adopted the substitute for SB 2619, left it pending, and then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was also very costly, not just the permit fee, but the consultant fees.
• They have a greater permit fee.
• Even the fees for the Water Board.
• don't have that big upfront fee.
• So they paid the Water Board their fees, they paid the consulting engineer their fees.

Summary: The hearing focused on oversight of AB 658 and the State Water Resources Control Board’s five-year temporary permits for groundwater recharge. Assembly Member Arambula and committee members discussed how the permits are intended to help capture high flows during wet periods, support SGMA implementation, and store water underground for later use. The State Water Board chair said the five-year permits have become an important tool, with seven five-year permits issued this season and over 43,000 acre-feet authorized, but noted that actual recharge depends on hydrology and that the board is open to improvements. Members and witnesses discussed several possible changes to make the program more effective: allowing a two-year delay before the five-year permit clock starts, codifying CEQA exemptions that have been used through executive order, and shifting from a public objection model to a public comment model to reduce delays. There was also discussion of water availability analyses, with some members asking whether the state could develop a broader statewide assessment to reduce consultant costs and make permitting more predictable. The board said such an effort would be large and costly, but could potentially save applicants money and improve consistency. District representatives described their experiences. Stockton East said the five-year permit was more cost-effective than repeated 180-day permits, but that the 90-20 methodology, consultant costs, and a burrowing owl survey condition made use difficult. Omaha-Hartnell Water District said its recharge work depends on simple, low-cost infrastructure and that five-year permits, CEQA reform, and lower upfront fees would help small districts. A consultant working with Scott Valley and Sierra Valley said five-year permits can work well in different basins, but local infrastructure, stakeholder coordination, streambed alteration agreements, and upstream flow constraints can limit recharge. Members also raised concerns about basin connectivity, downstream water rights, and the need to pair recharge with sustainable groundwater pumping and broader water storage planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate File one, >> Senate File one, general<01:02:46.200> government<01:02:46.720>
• File HB1 and ask you to vote I. File HB1 and ask you to vote I.
• Uh, I think we've dealt with the House Bill Senate File 1 and Senate File 119.
• I think we've dealt with Senate File 1 and Senate File 119.
• severance tax is based on Senate File severance tax is based on Senate File 123.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• have with them, if we can advance them and give them money, because of delays in the quality assurance fee
• Each year during the budget cycle, Covered California conducts a participation fee rate study.
• Therefore, we're evaluating a temporary reduction in the participation fee before gradually raising it
• And if we hold our participation fee constant, that will drive in more revenue.
• We'll review health plan filings and monitor compliance through our routine medical surveys.

Summary: The Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health heard updates on five health-related budget items. First, members reviewed state support for distressed hospitals and health facilities. The California Health Facilities Financing Authority and HCAI described the Distressed Hospital Loan Program as a lifeline for 16 hospitals, many of which remain financially strained and are expected to seek loan forgiveness rather than repayment. Speakers cited reduced contract labor, new service lines, strategic partnerships, and the reopening of Madera Hospital as signs of progress, but also warned that federal policy changes under H.R. 1 will likely increase uncompensated care and pressure emergency departments. Public commenters from hospital, dental, and consumer groups supported additional funding, including a request to refresh the program with another $300 million. The committee then heard HCAI’s update on the California Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year federal initiative funded at $233.6 million for California. HCAI said the program will focus on rural care models, workforce development, and health technology, with grants to be rolled out on a fast timeline and all funds obligated by October 30, 2026. Members raised concerns about rural provider capacity to apply for grants, and HCAI said it will use a third-party administrator, a technical assistance center, webinars, and other supports to help applicants. HCAI also presented its budget request for the health care payments database, seeking ongoing non-General Fund support to continue operations and expand data, including pharmacy benefit manager data. The Emergency Medical Services Authority presented three budget change proposals: funding to replace disaster medical services fleet vehicles, funding for IT security work, and additional positions for HR, enforcement, and legal workload. A member also raised concern that EMSA has not yet completed the annual ambulance rate reporting required by AB 716, and EMSA said it remains committed to the requirement but lost prior funding through later budget reductions. Covered California reported that it is still finalizing its own budget, but expects a lower operating budget due to efforts to reduce baseline costs and align spending with actual expenditures; it also projected enrollment declines tied to the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits, H.R. 1, and federal rule changes, while noting that revenues may still rise because premiums are expected to increase. Finally, the Department of Managed Health Care outlined budget proposals tied to menopause coverage and education, PBM licensure and enforcement under AB 116 and SB 41, credentialing reforms under AB 1041, and prior authorization reporting under SB 306. Public testimony generally supported the menopause and PBM proposals, while also urging clearer language and attention to Medi-Cal parity. The hearing concluded after public comment, including additional advocacy for sickle cell services and rural health workforce funding.

Transcript Highlights:

• File item number three.
• We're going to pass and retain on file item number five, which gets us to file item number six.
• We’re going to pass and retain on file item number seven, which gets us to file item number eight, AB
• Okay, we are going to pass and retain on file item number 12. That gets us to file item number 13.
• We're going to pass and retain on file items number 15 and 16, which brings us to file item number 17

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call, prayer, and pledge, then took up a series of procedural motions and a large third-reading file focused heavily on housing, wildfire recovery, insurance, and related regulatory changes. Early actions included a successful motion to place Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 on the third-reading file, followed by a unanimous vote on SB 26, a cleanup measure related to lemon-law civil discovery procedures and automaker opt-outs from the AB 1755 framework. The chamber then moved through a package of urgency bills tied to the January 2025 Los Angeles-area wildfires and broader housing affordability concerns. Measures approved included AB 311 allowing displaced tenants to temporarily house wildfire victims and pets, AB 299 extending hotel/motel/short-term rental stays beyond 30 days for disaster-displaced families, AB 226 giving the California Fair Plan access to bond financing in catastrophic-loss scenarios, AB 253 allowing third-party plan checks when local review exceeds 30 days, AB 301 aligning state permitting timelines with local deadlines, AB 306 imposing a six-year pause on new residential building-code updates, AB 462 exempting certain ADUs in Los Angeles County coastal zones from coastal development permits, AB 493 requiring interest to be paid to homeowners on insurance proceeds held by lenders, and AB 597 tightening rules on public adjuster solicitation, fees, and contract transparency. Each of these urgency bills passed, generally with strong bipartisan support and mostly unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The Assembly also approved several non-urgency measures, including AB 293 on groundwater transparency and board disclosure, AB 251 on elder abuse litigation standards when evidence is intentionally destroyed, AB 59 removing a sunset on Reclamation District 108’s hydropower authority, AB 417 streamlining EIFD and CRIA financing tools, and AB 312 updating procedures for agricultural theft proceeds. In addition, ACR 6 was adopted by voice vote, recognizing Black April Memorial Month and the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon, with extensive remarks from Assembly Member Ta and support from other members. The consent calendar was adopted, and the body later heard adjournment-in-memory tributes for David Myers and Olivia Guerrero before adjourning to April 3, 2025. Several vote changes were announced after adjournment, including changes on AB 251 and AB 417.

Transcript Highlights:

• There are a couple exemptions and there, but it's going to make more of them. Do it.
• But just because you've never done it before with not exempt you. >> Additional questions, you know,
• And there's a number of different things exemptions I'd like to see.
• late filed amendment which is bar code 3, 7, 5, 0, 7, 6, seeing opposition.
• This exemption if they decline to practitioners offered, then requirement is no longer applies.

Keywords: 999, senate, all