Transcript Highlights:

• in eligible positions, and they can't pick and choose which employees are in and which employees are
• Enrolling our railroad employees in DRS would impose an additional employee retirement tax of 5.38% and
• Some employees could owe up to over $18,000 in back retirement contributions, and former employees would
• Some employees could owe up to over $18,000 in back retirement contributions, and former employees would
• This bill would impose a new fee on businesses with more than 100 employees based on their employees'

Bills: SB5834, SB5835, SB5883, SB5905, SB6151, SB6163, SB6177, SB6173

Keywords: Washington retirement systems, retirement trust funds, interest earnings, public employee retirement system, teachers retirement system, state patrol retirement system, judicial retirement system, judges retirement system, school employees retirement system, public safety employees retirement system, law enforcement officers and firefighters retirement system, PERS, TRS, LERS, legal expenses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, fraud prevention, overpayment recovery, trust fund protection

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met on January 20, 2026, for public hearings on several Senate bills and to move three bills out of committee. The committee heard first on SB 5834, which would make permanent a temporary expansion allowing retirement system trust funds to pay certain administrative expenses from interest earnings; DRS supported the bill and noted an actuarial note showing an indeterminate impact. The committee then heard SB 5835, which would raise the lump-sum retirement allowance threshold for Plan 2 members to match Plan 3 and allow annual adjustment; DRS described it as a technical consistency change with a small one-time systems cost. Both bills were heard only, with no action taken in the transcript. The committee then entered executive session and moved Substitute SB 5249, Substitute SB 5053, and Substitute SB 5203 without recommendation to the Rules Committee, subject to signatures. Staff summarized 5249 as allowing kit homes for emergency housing, 5053 as allowing certain counties to include school district boundaries when forming a public facilities district, and 5203 as directing state agencies to develop wildlife habitat connectivity strategy and creating related accounts. All three motions passed without recorded opposition. Back in public hearing, the committee heard SB 5883 on SEBB eligibility for school employees in their second school year of employment. Supporters, including labor representatives and individual school workers, said the current two-year look-back causes gaps in coverage and hardship for substitutes and paraeducators; opponents, including school district officials and administrators, argued it would create an unfunded mandate, increase district costs, and add administrative burden. The committee also heard SB 5905, which would exclude certain port workers already covered by federal railroad retirement or collectively bargained pension plans from PERS membership; ports, labor, and DRS supported the bill as a narrow technical fix, and the bill was heard without action. The committee then heard SB 6151, which would create dedicated accounts for Ecology fee revenue related to laboratory accreditation and landfill methane work; Ecology and county representatives supported it as a transparency and reinvestment measure. Finally, the committee heard SB 6163, which would require the Individual and Family Services waiver for developmental disability services to be funded at maintenance level and tied to the caseload forecast. Disability advocates said the bill would stabilize services and reduce wait lists, while the fiscal note discussion indicated increased general fund costs. The committee also heard SB 6177, which would require additional budget information on the LEAP fiscal website, and SB 6173, which would create an Apple Health employer assessment on certain large employers with Medicaid-enrolled workers after federal work requirements take effect. SB 6173 drew strong support from health advocates, labor, and patient groups as a way to protect Medicaid funding, and strong opposition from business, retail, hospitality, and hospital groups, who called it an unfair tax and raised administrative and legal concerns. No votes were taken on the public hearing bills in the transcript, and the meeting ended with a reminder that signature sheets would be held for 24 hours under Senate rules.

Transcript Highlights:

• employees benefit from these valuable programs.
• County employees already have access to a strong pension.
• This bill does not take control from the employees.
• Roughly how many employees work for Dallas County? 6,700. Thank you, ma'am.
• I've averaged about 10 to 12 employees off and on around that time.

Bills: HB245, HB700, HB2783, HB3526, HB3900, HB4061, HB4124, HB4166, HB4395, HB4534, HB4609, HB4641, HB4736, HB4738, HB4739, HB4945, HB5015, HJR175, HB245

Keywords: military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees, payroll deductions, retirement plans, fiscal transparency, local government, bond issuance

Transcript Highlights:

• I have five employees that sit overhead at $200,000 each, doing nothing but fraud management on credit
• And then I have five employees at $200,000 each.
• This includes sales tax owed to the state and gratuity. that are passed on to employees.
• Same way with my employee tips.
• This will also impact employees and small business owners with a lot of confusion at checkout.

Bills: HB245, HB245, HB700, HB2783, HB3526, HB3900, HB4061, HB4124, HB4166, HB4395, HB4534, HB4609, HB4641, HB4736, HB4738, HB4739, HB4945, HB5015, HJR175

Keywords: property tax, delinquent taxes, ad valorem, penalties, interest cap, military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees

Transcript Highlights:

• That way, you can utilize our employee situation much better, and we're not busy invoicing each other
• The bill allows an employee of a management company that oversees the operation of the hotel, or the

Bills: SB1079, SB1243, SB1504, SB1579, SB1708, SB1844, SB1851, SB1879, SB1921, SB1951, SB2237, SB2238, SB2406, SB2407

Keywords: SB 1079, Texas, county government, commissioners court, Local Government Code, Chapter 263, surplus property, salvage property, data storage device, hard drive, electronic media, digital records, confidential information, protected information, privacy, records retention, information security, data destruction, device disposal, sensitive data

Transcript Highlights:

• Prohibit severance pay if employees terminated for misconduct and require severance agreements to be
• For severance, so a city manager, like any employee is on probation for 6 months.
• Cities and counties are creating mobility initiatives, uh, that can, uh, dramatically restrict modes
• Uh, so, uh, what Senate Bill 2238 prohibits cities and counties from implementing mobility initiatives
• Where I live, coming into my subdivision in the mobility of things that the city of Austin is doing.

Bills: SB 1079, SB 1243, SB 1504, SB 1579, SB 1708, SB 1844, SB 1851, SB 1879, SB 1921, SB 1951, SB 2237, SB 2238, SB 2406, SB 2407

Keywords: SB 1079, Texas, county government, commissioners court, Local Government Code, Chapter 263, surplus property, salvage property, data storage device, hard drive, electronic media, digital records, confidential information, protected information, privacy, records retention, information security, data destruction, device disposal, sensitive data

Transcript Highlights:

• The employee can't file a tort suit.
• The employee can't file a tort suit.
• as the employees.
• If the employee disagrees, then they can go to court, because now the employee has a dispute on their
• So at that point, the employee can either play ball or the employee can then take it to a full-blown

Bills: HB282, HB293, HB390, HB456, HB460, HB561, HB819, HB1023, HB1047, HB1101

Keywords: employment discrimination, criminal history, rehabilitation, hiring process, human rights, gender identity, sexual orientation, workplace equality, labor rights, domestic abuse, unpaid leave, employee rights, workplace protection, mental health, survivor support, workers' compensation, employment benefits, claims process, fraud prevention, legal petition

Transcript Highlights:

• We don't we're not um asking employee.
• Oftentimes it's already an employee.
• So they need to discharge the employee.
• </c> as a state employee. as a state employee.
• </c> deputy commissioner enterprise employee deputy commissioner enterprise employee resources<01:35:

Bills: HF3676, HF3683, HF3395

Keywords: Safe at Home, address confidentiality, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, victim privacy, survivor protection, confidential address, protected address, secret address, identity protection, residential confidentiality, program participant, nondiscrimination, court disclosure, protective order, service of process, driver's license, state ID

Transcript Highlights:

• Employers were to reclassify the employees to no longer qualify under prepaid.
• Are there ways that we can create maybe guard rails that protect employees that are certainly working
• Are there ways that we can create maybe guard rails that protect employees that are certainly working
• Are there ways that we can create maybe guard rails that protect employees that are certainly working
• that are certainly working employees that are certainly working more<00:42:37.760><c> than</c><00:42

Bills: SB2141, SB2593, SB2824, SB2135, SB2115

Keywords: retirement, law enforcement, pension, public safety, employee contributions, Law Enforcement Standards Board, LESB, civil service exemption, collective bargaining exemption, law enforcement certification, police standards, law enforcement training, officer certification, training and curriculum coordinator, lead investigative agent, administrative manager, administrator, Hawaii HRS 76-16, Hawaii HRS 139-3, personnel exemption

Transcript Highlights:

• labor protections for domestic workers separate from the Minimum Wage Act that apply to certain employees
• being a member of a protected class. ...separate from the Minimum Wage Act that apply to certain employees
• This proposed substitute removes the provision that applied the bill to employers, employees, trades,
• Therefore, the proposed substitute applies to employers, employees, trades, and industries that are already
• , it's only going to make happier businesses when your employees are healthier.

Bills: HB2355, HB2405, HB2406, HB2471, HB2472, HB2478, HB2479, HB2492

Keywords: labor protections, domestic workers, wage standards, employment rights, worker safety, mental health, PTSD, treatment program, research, pilot program, veteran support, trauma, healthcare funding, labor, communication, Department of Labor and Industries, workplace standards, modernization, collective bargaining, labor relations

Summary: The committee met in executive session on eight bills and first received staff briefings on each measure and the proposed amendments or substitutes. The bills covered domestic worker labor protections (HB 2355), a PTSD treatment pilot in workers’ compensation (HB 2405), electronic notices from L&I (HB 2406), private-sector collective bargaining triggers tied to federal labor law (HB 2471), fire sprinkler contractor licensing and fitter certification (HB 2472), wage complaint enforcement discretion (HB 2478), wage recovery and a wage recovery account (HB 2479), and behavioral health and wellness training for apprentices (HB 2492). Members discussed several amendments that narrowed or clarified exemptions, preserved current law in certain areas, and aligned related wage enforcement provisions. The committee then took up each bill in turn. Proposed Substitute HB 2355, which expands domestic worker protections and remedies, was advanced on a 6-3 vote after members debated the scope of the bill and a fiscal note; supporters emphasized protections for a vulnerable workforce, while opponents cited cost concerns. HB 2405 was amended to make participation in the PTSD pilot optional for workers and self-insurers, then passed unanimously. HB 2406 was amended to preserve current law for certain workers’ compensation and transportation-network-company notices while allowing electronic notices with recipient consent, and it passed unanimously. Proposed Substitute HB 2471, which would create a state collective bargaining trigger if federal labor law is no longer effective, passed 6-3 after debate over whether the bill was premature. The remaining bills also advanced with broad support. HB 2472 was amended to remove a stop-work reference for residential sprinkler fitting and then passed unanimously. HB 2478 was amended to require L&I to prioritize wage complaints and make its enforcement priorities public, then passed unanimously. HB 2479, the wage recovery bill, was amended to adjust repeat-willful-violator penalties and passed unanimously after members from both parties praised the bipartisan work group behind it. HB 2492 was amended to allow certain behavioral health training to count toward continuing education for licensed electricians and plumbers, then passed unanimously. At the end of the meeting, all eight bills were reported out of committee with due pass recommendations, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, members, there is a statute that prohibits conflicts of interest for all state employees.
• Chair, members, I will just say that that statute is in Title 38 pertaining to all state employees.
• What we want to retain are the state employees that work at the Treasurer's Office, which is doing a
• market, which is an old airport shuttle that we converted into a mobile grocery store.
• We'll send the mobile market out to these so-called towns and distribute produce that way.

Bills: HB2056, HB2202, HB2207, HB2224, HB2303, HB2344, HB2532, HB2759, HB2798

Keywords: brackish water, groundwater, desalination, water resources, feasibility study, environmental impact, dementia care, telementoring, healthcare education, rural communities, grant funding, braille, disability access, education funding, state corrections, inclusion, produce incentive, agriculture, economic support, funding

Bills: HB17, HB16, SB10, HB27, HB23, SB15, SB18

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support

Summary: The House convened, received a message from the Senate, and the chair announced the signing of HB 4 in the presence of the House. The clerk then read a large number of first-reading measures and referred them to committees. Among the notable bills, SB 1 by Senator Perry on campground and youth camp safety was referred to the Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding. Several House resolutions dealing with House rules, quorum, attendance, and penalties for members who missed sessions or broke quorum were referred to the Committee on House Administration, including HR 5, HR 17, HR 18, HR 34, HR 41, and HR 58. The House also referred a broad slate of resolutions to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, including measures by Riddell, Craddick, Toth, Leo Wilson, Schofield, Gehan, Bella Montgomery, Hinojosa, Schoolcraft, Little, Meyer, Luhan, Orr, Johnson, Harris Davila, Lopez, Cameron, Gonzalez of El Paso, Wharton, Flores, Dyson, and Harless. These referrals covered many individual House resolutions and concurrent resolutions, but no debate or votes were recorded in the transcript. At the end of the proceedings, the House recessed until noon pursuant to a previously adopted motion.

Bills: SB2, SB3, SB5, SB 9, SB10, SB14, SB16, SB18, SB34, SB6, SB7, SB8, SB11, SB12, SB13, SB15, SB 17, SB 4

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, impact fees, water conservation, reuse projects, builders, developers, local government, real property theft, real property fraud, criminal offenses, restitution

Bills: HB1015

Keywords: Office of Management and Budget, OMB appropriation, state budget, biennial appropriation, North Dakota Century Code, state facility maintenance fund, capital improvements, Capitol building fund, governor's residence, state hospital, mental health hospital, Bank of North Dakota, line of credit, strategic investment and improvements fund, SIIF, new and vacant FTE pool, state employee pay raise, performance-based compensation, guardianship grants, community corrections

Summary: The Government Operations Division met to review proposed amendments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) budget, with the chair noting the bill would not be voted out that day and would likely be held until the following week for any technical corrections. Members discussed a series of amendments, generally without objection: a $1.5 million appropriation for a pro-life education committee; a $40,000–$45,000 deficiency appropriation for Uniform Laws travel costs; creation of a state deferred maintenance fund with $40 million for deferred maintenance projects; adding the state hospital project to the OMB budget with $200 million from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund (SIF) and $85 million from a line of credit, plus construction management oversight; $110,114 for custodial equity increases; $1 million for a retirement incentive pool; $3 million to cover a shortfall in the new and vacant FTE funding pool; and $4 million for space reconfiguration and rent/moving costs. Prairie Public Broadcasting was also discussed, with a suggestion to change the purpose from local programming to infrastructure and set the amount at $850,000, likely as one-time SIF funding. The committee also heard a heads-up about a possible $180,000 federal reimbursement issue tied to an education grant, but no action was taken on that item. The committee further discussed a broader amendment to reduce the transfer from the social services fund to the human services fund from $250 million to $232 million, based on DHS needs and available carryover funding. Members also agreed to add emergency clauses to the capital assets, deferred maintenance, and moving/space reconfiguration items. The chair indicated Brady could begin incorporating the discussed changes into a consolidated amendment, while noting there could still be additional items next week. Staff also reported the SIF balance was about $280 million positive, though some removed agency items, including airport grants, would need to be considered. The committee then reconsidered its earlier action on House Bill 1581 and restored it to its original form at $100,000 after hearing that the funding would support tribal tourism-related events tied to upcoming 2026 celebrations and the Theodore Roosevelt Library opening. A motion for do pass on the bill as originally introduced passed unanimously by roll call. Finally, the committee postponed action on another bill until later that day, directing that revised materials be distributed and that the item be taken up in the afternoon session.

Transcript Highlights:

• as first responders, and I do want to note here at the outset that there are only about 500 such employees
• the risks without providing them with the same protections and benefits that other public safety employees
• just keep hearing from all these companies saying there is a common theme, and it is having their employees
• field, can access the assistance they need without unnecessary delays. ...Just last week, I had an employee
• Another employee of mine faced an even greater challenge.

Bills: HB669, HB 1306, HB3173, HB3807

Keywords: healthcare, Medicare, insurance, financial assistance, families, wage theft, employers, penalties, Texas Workforce Commission, employee rights, employer database, worker rights, death investigation, emergency services, medical benefits, exposure claims, public safety, workforce development, TWC, youth workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• A five-employee business or a 3,000-employee corporation—there are a lot of problems here, even in terms
• We're concerned with employee morale and what happens when employees are filmed in their daily functions
• mobility.
• Advanced Air Mobility Office under the Governor's Office.
• the Advanced Air Mobility Office to provide grants to entities for the advancement of advanced air mobility

Bills: SB1041, SB1088, SB1118, SB1128, SB1168, SB1176, SB1189, SB1207, SB1250, SB1272, SB1274, SB1286, SB1428, SB1457, SB1461, SB1503, SB1519, SB1537, SB1582, SB1618, SB1654, SB1713, SB1827, SCR1012, SCR1020

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, cybersecurity, homeland security, artificial intelligence, state appropriation, VPN security, zero trust, housing, zoning, middle housing, urban development, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes

Bills: HB34, HM7, HM8, HM17, HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM21, HM25, HM34, HB95, HB111, SB1, HJR1, HM4, HM22

Keywords: HB34, school nurse, school nurses, nurse licensure, licensure, charter school, charter schools, school district, public education, Department of Health, Public Education Department, registered nurse, RN, mentorship, evaluation, competency, teacher salary parity, minimum salary, level one license, level two license

Transcript Highlights:

• facilities, churches, entertainment, and outdoor activities to our company and our growing families of employees
• It is estimated that Southwest Cheese and our employees send approximately $2 million annually in direct
• I'm just standing to remind folks that there are many other school employees who are not on the three-tier
• relating to disabilities, enacting the Accessibility Act to require each state agency's website, mobile
• Representatives Gonzales and Abeyta, a memorial requesting a study regarding employment opportunities for employees

Bills: HB34, HM7, HM8, HM17, HM3, HM11, HM14, HM15, HM21, HM25, HM34, HB95, HB111, SB1, HJR1, HM4, HM22

Keywords: HB34, school nurse, school nurses, nurse licensure, licensure, charter school, charter schools, school district, public education, Department of Health, Public Education Department, registered nurse, RN, mentorship, evaluation, competency, teacher salary parity, minimum salary, level one license, level two license

Summary: The House convened with quorum, prayer, pledges, and a series of memorials, certificates, guest introductions, and legislative messages. House Memorial 8 honored the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and Dr. King’s legacy; members spoke about the commission’s work in promoting service, liberty, equality, and student leadership. The memorial passed unanimously, 70-0. Later, House Memorial 25 recognized victims of violent crime and their families, with emotional testimony from lawmakers and guests describing the lasting impact of homicide and the importance of survivor voices. That memorial also passed unanimously, 70-0. The chamber then recognized numerous guests, including Kid Frost, several student “shadows” from Belen High School and other schools, Santo Domingo Pueblo leaders, Habitat for Humanity volunteers, CNM board members and students, Southwest Cheese representatives, military installation leaders, and others. Members also highlighted community events and receptions, including Silver Spikes Day and a 100th bill celebration. The House received several executive messages from the governor authorizing bill submissions on virtual power plants, apprenticeship funding for public works, AEDs at school athletic activities, and an energy affordability and grid reliability commission, along with a Senate message transmitting Senate Bill 2. Committee reports were adopted on a number of measures, including House Bills 145, 200, 32, 33, 61, 201, 153, 154, 184, 110, and 109, plus House Memorials 23, 24, and 26, and House Joint Memorial 2. The Appropriations and Finance Committee also reported a substitute for House Bills 2 and 3, which was adopted. On third reading, Senate Bill 1, dealing with a doctor compact for New Mexico, passed the House 64-0 after discussion about its role in physician recruitment and the need for malpractice reform. House Bill 34, a cleanup bill related to nurse licensure and charter school nurses, was also taken up for debate, with questions focused on the three-tier nurse evaluation system and recruitment impacts.

Transcript Highlights:

• I just hadn't caught this when you and I spoke before that the time period that sort of pulls in employees
• I just hadn't caught this when you and I spoke before that the time period that sort of pulls in employees
• They bring the employees in, they use them for when they need them, and so it’s really just-in-time employment
• </c><01:09:10.080><c> that</c><01:09:10.200><c> we</c> and the additional employees that we and the additional
• employees that we might<01:09:10.560><c> need.

Bills: HF3489, HF3393, HF3785, SF856, HF4006, HF4615, HF3919, HF4591, HF3682, HF4240

Keywords: grooming, child protection, student safety, sexual exploitation, educator licensing, teacher discipline, mandatory reporting, mandated reporter training, school misconduct, predatory offender, child abuse, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, position of authority, school employee, school administrator, license revocation, license suspension

Transcript Highlights:

• And then the part that I, as the author, to strike, was actually putting liability on an employee.
• And I Thought that was a step too far, so I removed the liability from an employee, asking an employer
• So I don't believe we should be putting the onus on the employee.

Bills: SB65, SB444, SB592, SB640, SB1242, SB1257, SB1304, SB1501, SB1642, SB1946, SB2178

Keywords: SB65, naloxone, Narcan, opioid overdose, overdose reversal, opioid antagonist, emergency opioid antagonist, substance abuse services, harm reduction, public health, overdose prevention, good samaritan, civil immunity, criminal immunity, controlled substances, addiction treatment, fentanyl, opioid crisis, school overdose response, first aid

Transcript Highlights:

• occur before a school conducts its own investigation, and it also protects confidentiality of the employees
• Senate Bill 1204 will provide three days of bereavement leave for education employees for the loss of
• Would establish us maybe even a better employee later on to do that.
• Because it is for the betterment of their employees, our teachers, and all the people that work in the
• in teaching is diversifying, and we should be responsive to that change in making sure that all employees

Bills: SB843, SB1733, SB1476, SB1237, SB1410, SB1894, SB1272, SB1204, SB1721, SB1725, SB1735, SB1337, SB1339, SB1461, SB1975

Keywords: school boards, educational governance, conflict of interest, employee relations, Oklahoma statutes, child abuse, reporting requirements, sexual misconduct, law enforcement, school personnel, confidentiality, student safety, land office, land exchange, investment, education funding, real estate management, Teachers' Bill of Rights, education, teachers' rights