Transcript Highlights:

• The committee will be utilizing an electronic system for registration.
• A county officer or employee that commits an offense if the officer or employee intentionally or knowingly
• I was a full-time employee and a mother of four young children.
• People like you a whole lot better being retired and being the firework guy.
• People like you a whole lot better being retired and being the firework guy.

Bills: SB434, SB844, SB898, SB1177, SB1214, SB1454, SB1920, SB1927, SB1935, SB1965, SB2010, SB2046, SB2068, SB2073, SB2183, SB2260, SB3034, SB907

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Summary: The committee heard several bills dealing with local government authority, homeowners associations, hospital district policing, school AED inspections, special district annexation, public contracting penalties, and guaranteed income programs. Senate Bill 2073 by Sen. Zaffirini would clarify that appraisal districts may finance purchases, leases, or construction of real property for appraisal offices without prior approval from taxing units; it was supported by the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts and left pending. Senate Bill 1935 by Sen. Hinojosa would increase homeowner control of property owners association boards, require more transparency, limit fines and assessment increases, and require accessible meeting locations; HOA and builder representatives opposed it, arguing it would hinder maintenance and make dues harder to manage, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 434 by Sen. Miles would authorize Harris County Hospital District police officers, was supported by Harris Health, and was left pending. Senate Bill 1177 by Sen. Alvarado, as substituted, would require school AED inspections during fire inspections and reporting to school leadership; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1214 by Sen. Perry would update Concho County Hospital District law to align with current procurement and notice rules; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1965 by Sen. Middleton, for Sen. King, would tighten notice and proximity rules for special district annexations; district witnesses warned the bill could interfere with service to noncontiguous tracts, and the bill was left pending. The committee also took up Senate Bill 2046 by Sen. Bettencourt, which would increase criminal penalties for county purchasing act violations involving unauthorized separate or sequential purchases to evade competitive bidding, and create a tiered penalty structure based on contract amount. Former Harris County DA Kim Ogg, Deputy Attorney General Josh Reno, and James Quintero supported the bill, citing recent Harris County bid-rigging cases and arguing the current Class C misdemeanor penalty is too weak to deter misconduct; some members questioned whether the proposed thresholds were too low and whether stronger oversight, rather than higher penalties alone, would be more effective. The bill was left pending. Finally, Senate Bill 2010 by Sen. Bettencourt would bar counties and other political subdivisions from operating guaranteed income programs and address constitutional gift-clause concerns. Testimony split sharply: Ogg and Quintero argued such programs are unconstitutional, can be used for political data collection, and should not be funded with public money, while Paige Terry Barry defended the bill as protecting taxpayers and discouraging dependency. Senators also debated whether the state can restrict use of federal grant funds and whether local governments should be allowed to run such programs; the bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• or multi-tiered system of support.
• um school districts have MTSS systems. um school districts have MTSS systems.
• what we pay state we pay state employees what we pay state employees<01:01:09.680> that<01:01
• good neighbor authority employee good neighbor authority employee positions<01:47:46.000> requiring
• <01:47:46.480> employee<01:47:46.880> positions positions requiring employee positions

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So my first month, I had to lay off all of our employees. I have one employee, one.
• We perform this We perform this work with a $10 million operating budget and 55 employees.
• The amount of employee and board turnover at SLFPA East is alarming.
• We have employee turnover, most recently in basically all areas of leadership at SLFPA East.
• So this bill simply does that with our new implementation of the OMV's computer system.

Bills: HR243, HB939, SB56, SB72, SB129, SB171, SB252

Keywords: Tickfaw River, boating safety, warning signs, parish governing authorities, Livingston Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Lake Maurepas, Natalbany River, boat collisions, vessel incidents, recreational boating, marine safety, public safety, navigation hazards, waterway signage, Louisiana House Resolution 243, HR 243, motor vehicle, licensing

Summary: The committee first adopted Amendment Set 527 without objection, then took up Senate Bill 56 concerning the Lafitte Area Independent Levee District and its possible transfer into the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-West. Amendment Set 5327 was adopted to add a compliance officer with specified qualifications, described as a checks-and-balances measure separating that role from the chief of police. Testimony in support emphasized the district’s limited recurring revenues, the need for professional management, and the West Bank authority’s ability to provide administrative and operational support. A witness for affected landowners raised concerns about unpaid takings claims and urged amendments to preserve liability and avoid litigation, but the committee ultimately reported SB 56 favorably with amendments. The committee then received an update from DOTD Secretary Glenn Laude on the department’s transformation initiatives, including outsourcing operations and maintenance, construction process improvements, faster contractor payment times, quicker change-order approvals, and improved project delivery rates. After that, the committee reported favorably Senate Bill 171, which makes cleanup changes to the new water resources authority, and Senate Bill 252, which updates driver’s license organ-donor authorization to record both yes and no choices. Senate Bill 72, dealing with electronic titles and vehicle registration, was amended extensively to modernize OMV processes, support electronic lien and title transactions, and set standards for secure digital titles; it was then reported with amendments. House Bill 939, which would have created a Louisiana New and Used Motor Vehicle Commission, was converted into a substitute bill creating a Louisiana Vehicle Commission and consolidating the existing new and used vehicle commissions. After discussion of implementation, governance, funding, and employee-transition concerns, the committee adopted the substitute amendments and then deferred the bill. Senate Bill 129, creating a Master Combat Infantry Specialty license plate, was amended to add designated state officials for a related special plate request tied to security and parking around the Supreme Court in New Orleans, and it was reported with amendments. Finally, House Resolution 243, as amended, urged safety warning signage on the Tickfaw River after a fatal boating accident; the amendment shifted responsibility from DOTD to surrounding parish governing authorities, and the resolution was reported with amendments before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• will be severely affected by a system will be severely affected by a system that<00:09:59.560>
• Thank you. system disparities so teachers can system disparities so teachers can retire<00:11:45.800>
• Every government employee pays taxes too.
• Every government employee pays taxes too.
• Every government employee pays taxes too.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• When we talk about Atwell employee as a past 20 year legislative employee I knew Atwell every day.
• centric, student centric, and how we treat our employees.
• Program to employees of joint powers authorities.
• and we're very pleased We have invested $24 million in the system.
• I am a retired superintendent.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll miss her, but she's ready to retire. And yeah, so I'm going to pass it over to Pam.
• That the system was backwards.
• The court system. No question of that and... No question of that.
• So, we have no new costs to make the system changes to our eligibility.
• Will that help make the referral system more efficient?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Fiscal Committee opened by approving the May 15 minutes and then recognized Pam Ellis for her long service with the Legislative Budget Assistant’s office and upcoming retirement. The committee adopted the consent calendar with two items removed for separate consideration, then approved transfers for the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Department of Environmental Services after questions about court benefit costs and dam project funding. The Department of Health and Human Services also received approval for a general fund transfer item. A major portion of the meeting focused on the Youth Development Center settlement fund. New administrator Jared Boyle, joined by the Attorney General, described the fund’s remaining caseload, the payment matrix, and the need for additional funding to begin hearings in August. Members raised concerns about administrative costs, attorneys’ fees, payday loans, structured settlements, and the long-term fiscal impact on the state. Boyle requested $55 million, but the committee ultimately approved a reduced appropriation of $20 million, with members noting the possibility of returning for more funding later depending on revenues and the October revenue review. The Department of Corrections then received approval for a smaller shortfall transfer and a larger overtime-related transfer, with officials citing a 52% corrections officer vacancy rate, ongoing recruitment, academy classes, and efforts to use civilian staff in some non-security roles. A late item from the Veterans Home was also approved to cover overtime, holiday pay, and indirect cost shortfalls within its existing budget. The committee then heard an informational presentation on implementation of Senate Bill 134 and the new federal Medicaid work-requirement rule. DHHS said it plans to submit a state plan amendment, seek approval for hardship exceptions, start with one eligibility check cycle, and use existing federal grant funding to make system changes. Finally, the committee received a performance audit of the Doorway opioid treatment program, which found weak written procedures, incomplete data use, reimbursement delays, and problems with the Governor’s Commission on Addiction Treatment and Prevention. Members discussed follow-up reporting, and the next Fiscal Committee meeting was scheduled for August 21 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• TYs entered the system as... Thank you, Senator Edwards. TYs entered the system as children.
• He is still in the system today.
• We know the system.
• Not the system for its failure.
• IOC is systemically racist.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a lengthy hearing on several juvenile justice and parole-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on H. 2051/S. 1087 to end lifetime parole for juveniles and emerging adults, and H. 1923 to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds. Chairs Brandy Fluker-Reid and Lydia Edwards opened the hearing by noting the large number of bills and witnesses, the need to keep testimony moving, and special procedures for incarcerated witnesses and sensitive testimony. They also acknowledged the historic nature of the hearing being chaired by two Black women attorneys. No votes were taken during the hearing itself. Many incarcerated speakers and advocates supported ending lifetime parole, arguing that young people can change, that lifetime supervision creates constant fear of technical violations, and that it undermines rehabilitation, family stability, employment, and reintegration. Several testified about their own trauma, youth, and growth in prison programs, while others emphasized the costs of decades of supervision and the racial disparities in the system. Support also came from elected officials, UTEC, the Transformational Prison Project, United Way, CPCS’s Youth Advocacy Division, the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, and others, who said juvenile systems are better suited to developmentally appropriate treatment and that the bills would improve public safety and reduce recidivism. There was also opposition, including testimony from family members of a murder victim who argued that lifetime parole should remain for serious violent crimes and that some offenders are not sufficiently rehabilitated. One virtual witness described a family tragedy involving the kidnapping and murder of her infant nephew and warned that ending lifetime parole could remove needed long-term supervision for dangerous offenders. In addition to the juvenile justice bills, the committee heard testimony on H. 1867, a bill related to continuing care for severe mental illness, and H. 2063, which would increase penalties for assaults on correction officers and other prison staff; the correction officers’ union supported H. 2063 and related safety bills. The hearing continued with many more witnesses and bill topics, but no final committee action was announced in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hopefully that new system is going to be fully online in the spring.
• If policyholders are hit with a surcharge and that still does not retire the deficit, the next step is
• If you all decided to retire a deficit early, you could do that.
• Those folks that man the CRCs—this year we had 83 Citizens employees who volunteered for deployment.
• So when you have a water claim and it's reported to Citizens, our system generates a notice about the

Summary: The Insurance and Banking Subcommittee received a lengthy presentation from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation CEO Tim Serio, with Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworski also answering questions. Serio reviewed Citizens’ role as Florida’s insurer of last resort, its statutory funding structure, eligibility rules, depopulation program, reinsurance obligations, and the surcharge/emergency assessment mechanisms that can be used if Citizens runs a deficit. He emphasized that recent legislative reforms, combined with lower litigation and improved market conditions, have helped the private market recover and reduced Citizens’ policy count from a peak of about 1.41 million in 2023 to 936,182 at the end of 2024, with a projected drop to about 771,000 by the end of 2025. He also said the reforms reduced Citizens’ rate need and helped avoid an emergency assessment after the 2024 storms. Members asked about Citizens’ rate increases, why Citizens still seeks higher rates despite lower litigation, how the 20% eligibility threshold works, whether Citizens should be wind-only, and whether the state or federal government could help with deficits. Serio explained that Citizens is still charging below actuarially sound rates in most areas, that rate filings reflect reduced litigation and lower reinsurance exposure, and that assessments on all Florida property policyholders are the reason Citizens tries to build surplus and depopulate. He said the depopulation program is working better than in the past, with less than 2% of takeout policies returning to Citizens, and that the Office of Insurance Regulation has been vetting takeout companies more carefully. A substantial portion of the discussion focused on claims handling after Debby, Helene, and Milton, including flood-versus-wind disputes and Citizens’ use of the Division of Administrative Hearings for some claim disputes. Serio said Citizens had received 76,625 claims from the three storms and had paid nearly $823 million in indemnity and expenses as of January 7, 2025. He said many closed-without-payment claims were either below deductible, withdrawn, duplicate, or flood-only, and that Citizens had asked its internal audit function to independently review the claims data and denials. He also described Citizens’ storm outreach, catastrophe response centers, managed-repair program, and claim review process, and said the corporation remains focused on paying valid claims while minimizing the risk of assessments on the broader Florida market.

Transcript Highlights:

• I KNOW EACH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM IS HYPER FOCUSED ON BASICALLY ONE KEY DEVELOPMENT. OR ONE KEY AREA.
• AFTER UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AS A WHOLE AS GRABBING THIS TALENT AND CONNECTING US INTO IS CRITICAL.
• I WOULD LOVE TO SEE FLORIDA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM BE THE HOMETOWN UNIVERSITY FOR MILITARY COMMUNITIES.
• IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GO IN THIS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
• IT WILL BE ONE BY ONE NOT ACROSS THE WHOLE SYSTEM. ON A ONE YOUR PATH I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:50.480> Similar employee and the employer. Similar employee and the employer.
• , more productive employees, employees, more productive employees, and<00:21:44.559> reducing<
• disputes between employer and employee. disputes between employer and employee.
• This system of employee choice works well, and the proposed bill threatens benefit options our employees
• Minnesota employees? Also, this bill is Minnesota employees?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• existing system right now isn't working. existing system right now isn't working.
• Now, Judge Guthman judicial system.
• It's kept permanently, and there's like a 10 to 15% turnover in the judicial system of employees.
• It's kept permanently, and there's like a 10 to 15% turnover in the judicial system of employees.
• My include and does include employees.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, uh, we, we have a 1, 1-year employee in the non-commissions that's looking across the table.
• So this is not an across the board pay raise for non-commissioned employees.
• We have DPS employees all over San Antonio.
• Um, and, and the data breach was, it was not a data breach into the system.
• There's a lot of room for improvement and, and we have great employees. So how do we fix that?

Transcript Highlights:

• > the<00:11:40.320> time retired employees coverage at the time retired employees coverage
• c> enterprise director for employee enterprise director for employee insurance<01:11:20.159> at
• <01:11:23.199> program state employee group insurance program state employee group insurance
• ,<01:11:28.560> family for over 130,000 employees, family for over 130,000 employees, family
• to our really broken health care system to our really broken health care system even<01:16:45.199

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's simply not possible for a system as big and vast as the Texas public school system to serve the
• It says you have to create a system of public schools that are efficient and maintain that system.
• This is not to bash the public school system.
• system in our small town.
• I was a state employee for 33 years.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 convened with a quorum, adopted its committee rules, and heard opening remarks from members introducing staff and outlining priorities for the session. Several senators emphasized support for public education, teacher pay and safety, parental choice, and the combined K-16 jurisdiction of the committee. The chair also reviewed hearing procedures, including public testimony registration and time limits. The main item was Senate Bill 2, the Texas Education Freedom Act, laid out by Chairman Creighton. He described the bill as an education savings account program intended to expand school choice, with a $200 million universal eligibility pool and an additional $800 million targeted to students with disabilities and lower-income families. He said the bill includes anti-fraud safeguards, criminal background checks for vendors, reporting requirements, data protections, and annual testing for participating students, while not imposing STAAR on private schools or homeschoolers. He also said the bill removes a prior hold-harmless provision for public schools and is separate from public school funding and teacher pay legislation. Members questioned the bill’s income threshold, lottery and priority structure, treatment of homeschoolers, microschools, charter schools, religious freedom protections, citizenship/lawful presence language, cybersecurity, open records, and disability-related issues, including whether 504 students and foster children should be included. Creighton said the bill is designed to prioritize former public school students with disabilities or lower incomes, while also allowing universal eligibility within the program’s first funding tier, and that the Comptroller would oversee vendor screening and cybersecurity rules. He said the bill does not direct curriculum or interfere with religious beliefs and that amendments may be offered later on citizenship and other issues. After member questions, the committee began invited testimony, starting with EdChoice representative Robert Inlow, who testified in support of SB 2 and cited national growth in school choice programs and studies he said show positive effects for students and public schools.

Transcript Highlights:

• Your retirement account or your family's college savings plan.
• Members, House Bill 13 is a bill for a plan for an interoperability system.
• We have 54 different radio systems in our state today. It's a free-for-all.
• Davis of Dallas relating to deferred retirement option plans under the public retirement systems for
• HB 4319 by Toth relating to the establishment of the service credit in the Teacher Retirement System

Bills: HJR4, HJR6, HB195, HB 13, HB143, HB135

Keywords: occupation tax, securities, financial regulation, tax exemption, legislative amendment, capital gains tax, realized gains, unrealized gains, investment income, asset sale, capital assets, wealth tax, estate tax, trust tax, tax limitation, constitutional amendment, Texas Constitution, Article VIII, property tax, sales tax

Transcript Highlights:

• as well. ...go through that system, legal system as well.
• Um, but how do we reduce that burden on our health care system?
• And I think, unfortunately, the whole health care system itself has morphed. ...health care system itself
• And so I can’t tell you that this is a perfect health care system.
• So, these are $15 an hour employees, sometimes less, sometimes... ...employees, sometimes less, sometimes

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• > of<00:08:25.840> a<00:08:26.080> systems notify the public of a systems notify the
• more employees ask for the same day off. more employees ask for the same day off.
• Um, what we're looking at two employees.
• We need to terminate this employee based on this conduct.
• We need to terminate this employee based on this conduct.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee opened with routine business, including the Pledge of Allegiance, seating alternates, and approval of the minutes and consent calendar. Both were approved without opposition. The committee then moved to the regular calendar, beginning with Department of Environmental Services drinking water rules (2532). Staff noted that the final proposal deleted requirements that had been in the initial proposal, making the published notice technically inaccurate because it said there were no substantive changes. The agency responded that the requirements still exist in other rules, that regulated entities and the Water Council were notified, and that the public had notice through related hearings. After discussion about whether a new noticed hearing was needed, the committee approved the rule. The next item was Department of Administrative Services personnel rule 2510 on seniority and employee performance evaluation. Staff raised informational comments and one unclear comment about language that appeared to require a checkbox even though no form exists, and about evaluation categories that could overlap. The agency said the checkbox language should be removed, but defended the overlapping categories as part of a long-standing template used by agencies for the past 10 years. Members discussed whether the language was too ambiguous or could lead to inconsistent application, but the committee ultimately approved the rule with a condition striking the checkbox language in the affected sections. The committee then considered personnel rule 25109 on investigations, discipline, non-disciplinary communications, and non-disciplinary removal. Staff recommended clarifying language distinguishing license suspension from termination for cause, and questioned whether the sexual-harassment discipline language was too broad because the same conduct could fit multiple discipline levels. The agency agreed to add the suggested clarification for the license-suspension provision, but argued the sexual-harassment language should remain because another rule already provides the factors for determining the appropriate discipline and the agency needs discretion for fact-specific cases. The discussion included concerns about how non-verbal conduct might be treated, but the committee moved toward conditional approval with the agreed clarification and approval of the rest of the rule as written.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moran, legislation to establish a sick leave bank for James Caruso, an employee of the Massachusetts
• Second reading of the bill: an act establishing a sick leave bank for Esther Adafwa, an employee of the
• An act establishing a sick leave bank for Esther Adafwa, an employee of the Department of Mental Health
• Third reading of the bill: an act establishing a sick leave bank for Esther Adafwa, an employee of the
• On behalf of Majority Leader Jones and myself, we ask the members and guests and employees to please

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The House first adopted several noncontroversial resolutions, including congratulations to the Rotary Club of Watertown for its 100 years of service and to Mystic Valley Elder Services on its 50th anniversary. It also suspended Joint Rule 12 to advance a petition establishing a sick leave bank for a Massachusetts Department of Transportation employee, James Caruso, sending that matter to the Committee on Public Service. The chamber then recessed and later confirmed a quorum after a roll call was called and withdrawn. The main substantive item was House Bill 4227, the final conference committee report on supplemental FY2025 appropriations using FY2024 fair share surtax surplus funds. Members heard that the bill would spend about $1.38 billion, with roughly $716 million for transportation and $593 million for education. Transportation funding included support for the MBTA, regional transit authorities, Chapter 98, and municipal bridges and culverts; education funding included special education circuit breaker reimbursements, higher education deferred maintenance, vocational school capital, early education supports, endowment matches, and Green School Works. The House accepted the conference report by a roll call vote of 146-3, then passed the bill to be engrossed and later enacted it by a roll call vote of 148-4. The House also advanced House No. 422, establishing a sick leave bank for Esther Adafwa of the Department of Mental Health. The bill was ordered to a third reading and then passed to be engrossed. Throughout the session, the House observed moments of recognition and silence for guests and for the deaths of Richard Serino Sr. and Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, and it adopted an order to adjourn in Hortman’s memory, with the House set to meet again Monday at 11 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Improve access to the IPAWS system, the integrated public alert and warning system.
• Roll a gator system, a trucking system, sir.
• decades and so he retired.
• We need a numbering system.
• My personal fight is I am getting this system, this, oh, this. alarm system, this siren system, this

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Many public sector employees, most central office school administrative employees, most teachers in school
• Many public sector employees, most central office school administrative employees, most teachers in school
• system, to name a few.
• system, to name a few.
• Um so management system in place.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all