Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the Director of Government Relations for Texas Values, and I'm testifying in favor of Senate Bill
• The number one role of government is public safety, which is why Texas must pass SB8.
• I tell them Texas is great; it's just the people governing it and those who. ...them who are despicable
• Secondly, the bill... ...obviously encourages state and local government officials to engage in illegal
• Section 245.021 of the Texas Health and Safety Code states that the definition of abortion does not include

Bills: HB7, SB 8, HB7, SB 8

Keywords: abortion, healthcare, jurisdiction, civil action, qui tam, prohibition, state law, sex designation, restroom access, civil penalties, private civil right of action, women's privacy, 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So you can see governed by which laws.
• It's Code of Federal Regulations.
• In Texas, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Hunt School of Dentistry was established
• Additionally, IHS facilities bill with a revenue code and a procedure code is not required.
• Either code or a combination of these codes will be allowed one time per quadrant every two years for

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to review the history and current treatment of North Dakota health insurance mandates, with presentations from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Sanford Health Plan, the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and the Insurance Department. The discussion focused on how mandates apply differently to fully insured, self-funded, ACA, Medicaid, and PERS plans; how the state’s benchmark plan and federal essential health benefits affect coverage; and how the existing process requires cost-benefit analysis and, for certain measures, a PERS pilot period before broader application. Presenters also reviewed the long list of existing state mandates, including provider, beneficiary, and coverage requirements, and noted that many were enacted decades ago and have not been revisited despite changes in medical evidence and treatment options. Witnesses from the carriers argued that mandates should be reviewed periodically because some are outdated, can create unintended costs, and may not align with current medical guidance. Examples cited included PSA screening, off-label drug coverage, prior authorization rules, step therapy, and cost-sharing provisions for mental health and substance use treatment. They emphasized that carriers often cover services without a mandate when supported by clinical evidence, and that mandates can shift costs to employers and employees, especially in the fully insured small-group market. They also suggested possible policy improvements such as clearer mandate definitions, better transparency around cost-benefit analyses, a regular 10-year review of mandates, and more timely submission of proposals through the interim process. PERS and the Insurance Department highlighted a recurring tension over what counts as a mandate and when a measure triggers the state’s defrayal obligation under federal law. PERS described its interim committee process, the April 1 deadline for fiscal-impact proposals, and the limited pilot program used for certain measures, noting that only a few bills have gone through the full pilot process. The Insurance Department explained that it views new benefit mandates through the lens of the ACA benchmark plan and essential health benefits, distinguishing true new benefits, such as infertility coverage, from changes to existing benefits, such as telehealth or insulin cost-sharing caps. No votes were taken on policy changes; the meeting was informational, with members asking questions about costs, applicability, transparency, and whether a periodic mandate review should be established.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a system of fraud in the state of Texas.
• We've looked at the other top 10 states in the United States other than Texas, so Texas is the 2nd largest
• And if that's not what Texas used, I, I just want to know what Texas has used for pain and suffering.
• Um, so I'm president of Texas Trans Eastern.
• This is a Texas issue.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as their voice in Congress, I say we oppose the bad government practices that created the... government
• by consent of the governed.
• growth of North Texas.
• If implemented, this rule would force already burdened local governments, nonprofits, and community health
• government.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I was a mayor for eight years, and I like local government.
• I WAS A MAYOR FOR EIGHT YEARS AND I LIKE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
• RESIDENTS FULL LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT AND VOTING REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS.
• s local government continues to protect the criminals and ignore victims. The D.C.
• SINCE 1802, CONGRESS HAS ESTABLISHED VARIOUS TYPES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR D.C.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, Senator Sparks moves, uh, uh, to be certified for local and uncontested calendar.
• Hearing and seeing none, uh, is so adopted for local and uncontested calendar.
• The Railroad Commission promulgated rules in our, our Rule 7816 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 3,
• It's not really consistent with what the Natural Resource code and the legislature has intended.
• We have Charlie Fritz from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Bills: HB16

Keywords: judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments

Transcript Highlights:

• Can this go to local? House Bill 1178 will be reported favorably.
• Senator King moves that House Bill 1211 be recommended for the local non-contested calendar.
• No, that wouldn't be fair in the state government.
• Local is Monday. Of weight. Okay, that's right. It's early for us.
• As you’re referring to Section 261.101 of the Family Code? Yes, I am.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And again, that has impact assistance payments to local governments.
• And again, that has impact assistance payments to local governments.
• And again, that has impact assistance payments to local governments.
• And again, that has impact assistance payments to local governments.
• And again, that has impact assistance payments to local governments.

Bills: HB0120, HB0043, HB0128

Keywords: energy production, natural gas, industrial sovereignty, manufacturing, tax exemptions, money laundering, illegal investment, financial institutions, criminal activity, Wyoming legislation, severance tax, oil production, tax exemption, energy sector, economic impact, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Twins Twinsburg firefighter and local Twins Twinsburg firefighter and local hero<00:42:30.240>
• I heard from state legislators and local government officials about the concerns they have about shifting
• I heard from state legislators and local I heard from state legislators and local government<03:
• We are standing up for affordable electricity for state and local governments that rely on revenue from
• <04:44:48.320> consultation government-to-government consultation government-to-government consultation

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• fails to rectify the racial gerrymandering of Texas 9, Texas 18, Texas 29, and Texas 33.
• That is the Texas I believe in, but that is not. the Texas I see before me.
• That is not Texas.
• Texas 9 is a community of interest. Texas 9 is a community of interest.
• It should truly represent the reality of Texas as Texas has changed.

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:14:45.839> seek purposes, the gentleman from Texas seek purposes, the gentleman from Texas
• Nven was named the Texas Superintendent of the Year by the Texas Association of School Boards.
• ,<00:18:03.760> serving school districts in Texas, serving school districts in Texas, serving
• District of Texas proud. With that, Mr. District of Texas proud. With that, Mr.
• to obey the established government. to obey the established government.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• consumers government isn't providing consumers government isn't providing consumers savings.<00:
• , the government requiring Literally, the government requiring utilities<00:58:30.960> have<00
• Speaker, that is government Mr.
• 3rd, 2025, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. 3rd, 2025, the gentleman from Texas, Mr.
• federal government for it. federal government for it.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Friday, January 9, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think the government code contemplates tail working being the exception and not the rule.
• Secondly, we act as curators. for local government data information.
• Part one, contributions by the local governing body.
• The contributions for the participating departments are made by local governing entities.
• So proportionately now, Texas is the largest funder of childhood cancers. Federal government.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That has shown that both government and the AV industry have a long way to go.
• The goal was to ensure that regulators, policymakers, local governments, and the public have access to
• To my knowledge, Texas is the strongest example.
• governments, industry experts, and law enforcement.
• I serve as the director of state and local affairs for Stack AV.

Summary: The Assembly Transportation Committee heard an informational hearing on California’s newly finalized autonomous vehicle regulations, with DMV and CHP officials describing the updated framework and committee members pressing them on safety, enforcement, and first-responder impacts. DMV said the rules, effective April 28, 2026, expand reporting, create a phased permitting system from testing to deployment, add requirements for safety cases, remote operations, and first-responder coordination, and open a path for heavy-duty AV testing and deployment while still prohibiting oversized loads and hazardous materials. CHP said it worked with DMV on enforcement tools, first-responder interaction plans, and training local agencies on the new notice of noncompliance process. Members asked about crash data, immobilizations, freeway and construction-zone safety, weigh-station enforcement, and whether foreign licenses can qualify for remote assistants or drivers; DMV and CHP said the rules are intended to keep AVs accountable and that heavy-duty AVs will be held to the same roadway standards as human-driven commercial vehicles. A second panel focused on data collection and enforcement. Consumer attorneys argued the prior rules were too limited because DMV stopped collecting meaningful data once AVs moved from testing to deployment, making it difficult for the public and litigants to understand incidents; they supported the new regulations but urged that the collected information be made public. The industry association said California now has the nation’s most robust AV oversight, with monthly or quarterly reporting of collisions, system failures, immobilizations, harsh braking, vehicle miles traveled, and notices of noncompliance, plus broad DMV authority to restrict or suspend operations. In response to questions, the industry said it generally supports the new framework, believes the regulations are clear, and does not favor full federal preemption of state AV rules, though it wants federal standards for design, construction, and performance. A third panel addressed first-responder interaction and remote operations. The San Francisco Fire Department described repeated AV interference with emergency scenes and said AVs have generated hundreds of “sleeper calls,” where passengers fall asleep and trigger 911 responses; the department said these incidents consume significant staff time and it wants better protocols to reduce unnecessary dispatches. Waymo said it has trained thousands of public-safety personnel, maintains a 24/7 emergency line, uses geofencing/avoid-the-area messages, and can allow first responders to manually override or move vehicles when needed. Committee members asked about sleeper-call prevention, remote assistant licensing and drug testing, communication redundancies during outages, and how manual overrides work for vehicles without traditional controls; Waymo said it is collaborating with responders and that its vehicles are designed to reach a safe stop if connectivity is lost. The final panel began with testimony on heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. A transportation researcher said freight is essential to California’s economy and that heavy-duty AVs pose distinct safety risks because of their weight, stopping distance, and the potentially severe consequences of crashes or immobilizations on highways. He said the new regulations are important because they create a regulated pathway for heavy-duty AV deployment, require a safety case, set mileage thresholds, and add reporting categories that can serve as leading safety indicators. The hearing was still in progress when the transcript ended, with additional testimony expected from labor and industry witnesses on heavy-duty AV deployment.

Transcript Highlights:

• from the Panhandle to the Rio Grande Valley, and from the Gulf Coast to West Texas, so that state government
• And this isn't just bad for El Paso; it's bad governance that sets a dangerous precedent for all Texas
• Vista, Texas.
• South Texas, and I have served the Democratic Party in different capacities at the local and state level
• Today's comments focus on West Texas and the Texas Panhandle.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• firefighter systems organized under the Texas Local Fire Fighters Retirement Act.
• Pensioners spend most of their money in the state of Texas and in their local communities.
• I'm a Director of Government Performance and Fiscal Policy for Texas 2036.
• I'm a member of the local leadership board for the American Lung Association in Texas.
• I'm a member of the local leadership board for the American Lung Association in Texas.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations from the Legislative Budget Board and agency officials on several agencies, starting with the Texas Historical Commission. LBB described a large biennial reduction driven mainly by the removal of one-time funding and discussed capital projects, rider changes, and exceptional items including Presidio La Bahia and the National Museum of the Pacific War. Senators asked about heritage trails, courthouse grants, unexpended balance authority, and the status of historical-site funding. Historical Commission leadership emphasized preservation, courthouse restoration, heritage tourism, coordination with the Alamo and other Texas Revolution sites, and requested additional IT, staffing, and vehicle funding. No votes were taken. The committee then reviewed the Pension Review Board and the Employees Retirement System. The Pension Review Board’s budget was largely unchanged aside from IT maintenance and salary adjustments, with an exceptional item for additional IT enhancements. Members discussed the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System’s funding dispute and the need for a workable restoration plan. ERS presented a much larger budget, including funding for the retirement system, the group benefits plan, and the legacy payment intended to reduce unfunded liability. Senators focused heavily on pension investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health-care costs, especially pharmacy spending driven by GLP-1 drugs; ERS said the plan covers about 540,000 lives and that premiums would rise 8% while benefits remain unchanged. ERS also said it had no exceptional items, and committee members requested more detailed benchmark information. The committee also heard from the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. TESSORS reported an unfunded liability, an infinite amortization period, and requested additional state support, staffing, and IT funding, including a statutory change to allow a higher contribution level; the agency warned that without more funding it may have to cut benefits. CEPRIT’s presentation covered its bond-funded cancer research and prevention portfolio, revenue-sharing from funded projects, and a request to increase salary limits for its CEO and chief scientific officer. Senators questioned CEPRIT’s accomplishments and return on investment, while CEPRIT cited screening, prevention, and research outcomes, including tens of thousands of detected cancers and precursors and hundreds of thousands of first-time screenings. The meeting ended after these presentations and questions, with no recorded committee action or vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• I remember us having discussions back in the day when we just started out in local government because
• I REMEMBER US HAVING DISCUSSIONS BACK IN THE DAY WHEN WE JUST STARTED OUT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE
• The gentleman from Texas. Mr.
• TO THE CHAIRMAN, THIS IS NO WAY TO GOVERN.
• RESTORE COMMON SENSE TO GOVERNMENT.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• government debt issued, define local debt for me.
• But when it comes to the rest of Texas, local government, network, internet service provider, but when
• it comes to the rest of Texas, local governments, water districts, school districts, the rest of that
• network, internet service provider, but when it comes to the rest of Texas, local governments, water
• So this is to help the local governments.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee first heard the Legislative Budget Board and Secretary of State Jane Nelson on the Secretary of State budget. LBB said the recommendation would reduce the agency’s appropriation by about $40.3 million overall, with major changes including removing federal HAVA funding and one-time business system replacement money, adjusting the agency’s base request, deleting an outdated Interstate Crosscheck rider, and directing HAVA funds to be drawn down first. Secretary Nelson and staff defended the agency’s needs, emphasizing election security, business filings, international protocol, and the Texas Register, and requested additional staff, a new website, digitization of records, IT and cybersecurity upgrades, and renovation of the Rudder Building. Senators discussed voter-roll maintenance, cross-checking data, call-center response times, and the need for online voter registration and more efficient election administration. No votes were taken. The committee then took up the Office of the Governor and trustee programs. LBB outlined a $2.4 million decrease for the office proper and a much larger decrease in trustee programs, driven by unexpended balances and the removal of one-time federal and border-security items, while noting continued funding for disaster response, victim assistance, and $2.9 billion for border security at roughly the prior level. Governor’s staff said Texas remains focused on border security, economic development, and public safety, and discussed efforts to seek federal reimbursement for prior border spending. Members asked about the National Guard’s status, possible federal assumption of border costs, the music incubator program, the Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, the Governor’s University Research Initiative, defense economic adjustment grants, and a new $5 million nonprofit security grant proposal. Staff said the semiconductor program has 12 approved projects totaling about 948 jobs and $17 billion in capital investment, and that the nonprofit security request was added late to address threats to houses of worship and other nonprofits. No formal action was taken. Finally, the committee heard the Texas Facilities Commission and lease-payment recommendations. LBB said the Facilities Commission recommendation would reduce appropriations by about $2.0 billion, mainly by removing border wall construction funding and capital complex bond funding, while adding money for higher utility costs, Rudder Building refurbishment, and additional staff. The lease-payment recommendation would decrease general revenue by $9.3 million. LBB also noted new riders related to completing the State Library and Archives building, tenant communication during disruptions, and a space-utilization report. In agency testimony, members asked about border wall maintenance responsibility, total facilities-related debt, and the status of capital complex construction. The Rudder Building renovation and related security needs were repeatedly discussed as important one-time infrastructure investments.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill is not about expanding government; it's about fostering a free market environment where Texas
• I'm president and CEO of the Texas Association of Business. We're the Texas State Chamber.
• Current law in Texas government code requires all Texas police agencies to provide retired peace officer
• Bill 3686 be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. Is there objection?
• Be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. Is there objection?

Bills: HB112, HB117

Keywords: county regulation, impervious cover, land use, unincorporated areas, environmental management, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Including the commissioning of peace officers by the Texas Education Agency.
• Also the composition of board of directors of the Texas School Safety Center, public school safety and
• Senator West moves that House Bill 1211 be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar.
• So from a county government perspective.
• Local is Monday. Making sure everybody's, that's right, making sure everybody's awake.