Transcript Highlights:

• the typical process?
• And in tying the way our process works.
• So, what I'm going to do is to process.
• presentation uh and educational process presentation uh and educational process for<00:24:00.000
• <00:24:04.559> uh it's a very complicated uh process uh it's a very complicated uh process

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The subcommittee first heard from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s Grants Management Division on federal victim-services funding. Staff described the main grant programs they administer, including STOP VAWA, VOCA victim assistance, sexual assault services, Byrne state crisis intervention, and Project Safe Neighborhoods. They emphasized that VOCA is especially volatile because it is funded by the federal Crime Victims Fund, which has declined sharply in recent years, reducing Kentucky’s available awards and forcing cuts to state, local, and nonprofit subgrants. They also outlined steps the cabinet has taken to stabilize funding, including changing the subaward formula, aligning the grant period with the state fiscal year, subawarding one year behind the federal cycle, and retaining a reserve. Members asked about how funds reach victims, how subgrantee amounts are determined, and requested a breakdown of grant recipients and amounts; staff said they would provide that information later. The committee then received a detailed presentation from the Department of Juvenile Justice on alternatives to detention. Commissioner Randy White and staff explained that ATDs are short-term, less restrictive placements for low-risk youth, including electronic monitoring, home supervision, group homes, foster care, private child care, community programs, mentoring, evening reporting centers, and in-home wraparound services. They described the referral and approval process involving court-designated workers, detention alternative coordinators, courts, and county attorneys, and said DJJ currently has 16 ATD-related contracts, with placements, programs, and electronic monitoring among them. They also reported that between July 1, 2024, and July 30, 2025, 1,652 juveniles were involved in the process, including 168 diversion cases. Members questioned the cost of juvenile detention versus adult incarceration, whether families pay for electronic monitoring, whether there is a national model for juvenile detention, and what alternatives exist for truancy and contempt cases. DJJ said families do not generally reimburse for electronic monitoring, there is no single national model, and day treatment centers are an important alternative for some youth. The department also said it builds daily routines and wellness education into its facilities, and that more than two-thirds of its programs are evidence-based. Officials said they currently monitor vendor performance through quarterly reviews and can end contracts for poor performance, but that data tracking is still largely manual. They said the new JCOM system, now in pilot in the eastern region, should improve reporting and help identify outcomes and recidivism more effectively.

Transcript Highlights:

• So with respect to that process, we got to do a workshop so that they can make an informed decision,
• So with respect to that process, we got to do a workshop so that they can make an informed decision,
• So unless they go through that process and meet those thresholds, they don't get the award.
• <01:15:09.840> but<01:15:10.000> more it's ongoing process but more it's ongoing process
• It’s an ongoing process. I’m not going to tell you that that 28, you’re looking at, that’s it.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Ways and Means and Hawaiian Affairs committee heard a budget presentation from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on its biennium requests for critical projects, repairs and maintenance, and operations. DHHL described its role in administering the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust, noted the large beneficiary wait list, and said prior funding, including Act 279, has helped the department accelerate land development and reduce vacancies. Officials said they have about 47,219 applications involving 29,548 Native Hawaiians, roughly 28 projects underway, and that about $471 million of a $600 million appropriation has been encumbered, with the remaining lapse-fix funds expected to be resolved before the June 30, 2026 deadline. DHHL emphasized that its current request would support additional lot development and could help produce roughly 6,000 units from the existing project pipeline, with another phase of requests potentially adding about 2,000 more units. The department said it is prioritizing shovel-ready projects, accelerating lease awards and orientations, and using a mix of approaches including paper leases, rental-with-option-to-purchase, owner-builder, and loan programs. Officials also discussed a shift toward denser urban development, citing projects in West Oahu and Honolulu, and said the department is working to reduce its vacancy rate and move beneficiaries onto the land more quickly. Members questioned why Oahu, despite having the largest wait list, was receiving comparatively lower amounts, and DHHL responded that land availability and cost drive those decisions, with Oahu having limited developable land and very high acquisition costs. The department pointed to land acquisition on Kauai and other islands, and to urban high-rise projects that can yield far more units on small parcels. Members also raised long-term maintenance and wildfire risk, asking whether current acquisition and development choices account for future infrastructure costs; DHHL said maintenance is a growing concern, especially on large unused or isolated lands, and that it is pursuing Firewise planning, federal funds, and partnerships to reduce risk. The discussion also touched on mixed-use and community-led development, with DHHL explaining that it leases land to nonprofit homestead associations under general leases with milestones, business-plan requirements, and land-use restrictions to support local services and community goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• the existing process. the existing process.
• forward with the inspection process forward with the inspection process under<01:15:07.360> 1469
• process with complaints and enforcement. process with complaints and enforcement.
• So, um, I'm just trying to process this together. I'm trying to process this together.
• process. Two to three years to plan. process. Two to three years to plan.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, it's been quite the process that we've had.
• This is a political process. We have to come to some compromise.
• I think we've done that through this process.
• I lived through that process, and the state lived through that process.
• And so through this process, I see what the options are. They're not great.

Keywords: 905, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So we've given them due process.
• So then they can start the education process.
• They can invest the education process.
• Um and and this is going to processing.
• If you're lucky and you get processed.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the June 18 meeting amendments, then heard an update from Representative Emily Callaway on the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. She reported no major budget or regulatory concerns, but noted hiring challenges, especially for investigators, and said the board is pursuing a scholarship program using cash reserves and penalty payments. She also said the board has about 20,000 licenses, handled 134 cases in 2024, and had an open-investigation count that stayed roughly flat. The board said initial licenses take about 5 to 7 business days and endorsements about 10 business days, with one citizen-at-large vacancy on the 11-member board. Callaway and board staff also discussed emerging issues such as AI, digital plan submissions, and the use of drones and LiDAR in surveying education. They said Kentucky’s surveying exam pass rates are well above national averages and that universities such as East Tennessee State, Cincinnati State, Bellarmine, Spalding, and Eastern Kentucky are helping train students for the field. The committee then took up Callaway’s occupational licensing bill aimed at removing barriers for people with criminal records. The proposal would let applicants seek an upfront determination of whether a record would disqualify them, require boards to consider specified materials and give written reasons if they deny eligibility, and bind the board’s decision absent new or undisclosed offenses. Supporters said the goal is to help roughly 30,000 people reenter the workforce and avoid wasted time and money on training that could later be disqualified. The committee next heard from Representatives Fleming and Willner on a psychology licensing bill, a reintroduction of prior legislation. They said the measure is intended to address mental health workforce shortages by adding two members to the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology, setting a more predictable timeline for licensure examinations, and requiring annual reporting on processing times for licenses and complaints. They said the bill is meant to speed entry into the profession as new psychology programs expand in Kentucky. No objections were raised. Finally, the Alcoholic Beverage Control commissioner and general counsel presented two administrative amendments tied to SB 202 to allow direct-shipping forms for cannabis-infused beverages, and the committee approved both regulations by voice vote. The committee then held a broader discussion about whether ABC should be expanded by statute to regulate additional intoxicating substances and emerging products. ABC officials said the agency already handles alcohol, tobacco, vape licensing, and some related enforcement, but any broader authority would require legislative action and likely more officers and funding. Members discussed the need to stay ahead of new products, possibly through an emerging-industries framework, while also protecting businesses and consumers.

Transcript Highlights:

• These are processes and systems that cannot go down; every second matters.
• These are compute processes that can be paused and then brought back.
• process.
• As opposed to capping what the process produces, if that makes sense.
• The kind of things that we think will improve the regulatory process in the state.

Bills: HB1951, HB2715, HB3092, HB3237, HB3278, HB3511, HB3592, HB3675, HB3778, HB3782, HB3826, HB3970, HB4016, HB4049, HB4341, HB4344, HB4406, HB4427

Keywords: collective bargaining, public works, government contracts, labor agreements, state funding, removal from office, political subdivisions, local government, judicial proceedings, administrative judicial region, electric transmission, public convenience, landowner consent, utility regulation, energy infrastructure, energy consumption, higher education, governmental entities, sustainability, electricity reduction

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, process, the, the appeal process, uh, is one that, you know, is increasing, seeing increasing volume
• This process has caused a lot of challenges for appraisal districts, often resulting in losing out on
• This bill would not change the board approval process or notification to the taxing entities.
• And as a reminder, this process is in addition to our board of directors approving the purchase.
• So there are already a high, there's a high degree of accountability already in that process.

Transcript Highlights:

• And because the Human Rights Commission process was kind of the first step in the process, I don't believe
• Many times there are processes within a district.
• It's going to say if we say you don't need anything... process would not be in place unless the process
• would be part of the complaint process would be part of the complaint process if<05:31:12.878>
• <05:32:44.080> you line 20 under the complaint process you line 20 under the complaint process

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 763, an early bill concerning AED access at athletic events and venues. Representative Morris offered amendment 0743H to clarify the bill by removing charter schools from the language and tying AED placement to American Heart Association guidance, emphasizing that AEDs should be readily accessible within a reasonable walking distance rather than mandated on every field. The amendment and then the bill as amended both passed 17-0, and the bill was reported out as Ought to Pass with Amendment. The committee then considered House Bill 781, requiring school districts to adopt cell phone-free education policies, and a related bill, House Bill 131. HB 781 was amended to include charter public school boards, cover other personal electronic communication devices, require at minimum restrictions on student personal cell phones during class instruction, allow superintendent-approved exceptions for medical or language needs, protect students with medical needs or disabilities under Section 504, and set an effective date of July 1, 2025. Some members argued the amendment was too prescriptive and limited local control, while supporters said it still left districts flexibility outside classroom instruction. The amendment passed 16-1, and the bill then passed Ought to Pass as Amended 16-1. HB 131, described as a mirror bill, was then retained by a 17-0 vote. House Bill 398, a title bill requiring Holocaust and genocide studies to include impacts on people with disabilities, was moved to ITL after Representative Selig reported the genocide commission believed the topic was already being covered. That motion passed 17-0. The committee also agreed to hold several bills for later consideration, including HB 754, HB 1221, HB 360, and HB 699, citing the need for more review or missing copies. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 361, prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools. Supporters argued the bill would preserve individual choice while preventing statewide or districtwide mandates in future public health emergencies, and cited a Department of Health and Human Services letter saying masks remain effective but decisions should be based on individual choice and risk assessment. Opponents emphasized local control and the need for districts to respond to different public health conditions. The transcript cuts off before the final vote on HB 361 was completed.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill basically strengthens the appeal process.
• This bill basically strengthens the appeal process.
• They said they thought January 1st would be sufficient for that process.
• We are establishing a board of directors to oversee this process.
• The bonding-out process does have to go to Bond Commission.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met with eight members present and deferred HB 127. It then considered a series of bills, most of which were reported favorably without opposition. HB 22 revised COLA rules for the clerks of court retirement system, allowing more frequent COLAs when the system is better funded; HB 324 made judicial stipends permanent and added future COLAs subject to available funding; HB 233 increased jury mileage reimbursement; HB 47 reorganized assessor retirement COLA statutes; HB 533 allowed St. Tammany Parish to transfer unused witness-fee account balances to the 22nd Judicial District Court; HB 980 adjusted eligibility for the Firemen’s Supplemental Pay Board; HCR 45 urged Congress to clarify ARPA deadlines for water projects; HB 559 increased court costs in the 4th Judicial District; HB 290 recreated the Department of Treasury and related entities in statute; and HB 382 addressed Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget review authority over Group Benefits plans. The committee also reported HB 1157 favorably, creating a financing bank mechanism for infrastructure projects, and HB 575 favorably, giving youth aging out of foster care preferred access to surplus state vehicles through the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency. Several measures drew more discussion. HB 1236, dealing with pharmacy benefit managers and professional dispensing fees, prompted extensive testimony from the sponsor, the Legislative Fiscal Office, the Department of Insurance, independent pharmacies, and PBM representatives. Supporters said it clarifies and strengthens enforcement of existing PBM law and protects independent pharmacies; opponents argued the bill’s requirement that PBMs bear dispensing-fee costs would be difficult to implement and could raise premiums. The sponsor said he would work on amendments, including clarifying language and a delayed effective date, and the bill was nevertheless moved favorably. SB 25, on registrar of voters compensation, was amended to a revised pay structure and then reported favorably. HB 47 and HB 533 were also presented as funding and administrative cleanups for retirement and court-related accounts, with local support noted. The committee also heard HB 233 on jury duty mileage reimbursement, which the sponsor said updates a 1961 rate and would be funded locally at an estimated average increase of about $4,000 per judicial district. HB 324 on judicial salaries was described as self-funded by the judiciary and subject to available funding, with no budget impact. HB 575 on foster youth transportation was presented as a non-appropriation measure aimed at helping youth aging out of foster care by giving them preferred access to surplus vehicles. HB 382, which concerns the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget’s role in approving Group Benefits plans, was reported favorably with little discussion. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• A section was inadvertently left out in the drafting process.
• These plans are outside the normal rate-making process.
• And I think the process is trying to mitigate those risks.
• We certainly have a process in case a municipality has concerns.
• So they are outside the normal rate-making process.

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met with a quorum and considered four bills, all of which were reported favorably. SB 288 on rural electric cooperatives was presented as a negotiated “glitch bill” to narrow statutory language so co-ops can choose generation and power purchases based on cost and reliability without exposure to lawsuits aimed at banning fuel sources; it was supported by the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association and passed without debate. SB 364 on public accountancy was described as a modernization and licensure-efficiency bill to increase the supply of CPAs; an amendment correcting a drafting error and restoring automatic mobility language was adopted without objection, and the bill as amended was reported favorably. A public comment on the bill was briefly redirected after it appeared to address a different subject. The committee then took up SB 200 on utilities, which addresses solar decommissioning and storm protection plans. Chair Bradley said the bill would authorize counties to require decommissioning plans for utility-scale solar facilities at the end of their useful life, direct DEP to develop best management practices, and require the Public Service Commission to consider whether storm protection plan costs are reasonable relative to expected customer benefits. County and consumer groups spoke in support, and the Small County Coalition said the bill was a needed step that did not restrict solar development; the bill was reported favorably. Finally, the committee considered SB 126 on the Florida Public Service Commission, which was presented as a reform and “glitch” bill and amended to add CPA and financial analyst expertise, require stronger PSC order explanations, tighten intervention requirements, cap returns on equity at the national average for comparable utilities, set periodic ROE review schedules, and require affordability to be considered in rate-related proceedings. The PSC staff deputy executive director answered extensive questions about storm hardening, cost recovery, risk, and affordability. Several members and public speakers supported the bill’s goals but raised concerns about the affordability standard, the ROE cap, and comparisons to other states; others said the bill would improve transparency and accountability. The amendment was adopted, and CS for SB 126 was reported favorably. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, and I think that what 616 really does is it does a better job of clarifying where the due process
• And I think that it does a much better job of establishing where the bounds of due process are.
• And I believe very strongly in due process. Uh, and I think that it should be granted.
• And I think that this does a much better job of establishing where the bounds of due process are.
• And I believe very strongly in due process. And I think that it should be granted.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee met in executive session on SB 302, a bill requiring background checks for solid waste and hazardous waste facility owners. Members discussed and adopted amendment 2025-2219H, which incorporated language from prior Senate and House amendments, including provisions related to the siting evaluation committee and changes affecting landfill expansions and additional cells. The amendment also folded in language from HB 616, the animal cruelty/due process bill, which members said clarifies probable cause, imminent danger, temporary protective custody, and the role of the state veterinarian or designee in animal seizure decisions. Several members emphasized that the bill does not bar seizure of animals in emergencies or prevent nonprofits from fundraising, and that the changes are intended to strengthen due process and reduce conflicts of interest. The committee voted 12-0 to adopt the amendment. It then voted 12-0 to give SB 302 an OTPA recommendation with the amendment included. After the vote, the director raised a concern that the amendment appeared to eliminate the waste management council and related appeal provisions in the governing statutes; members acknowledged the issue and said it was intentional or at least acceptable to address later in committee of conference, where they expected further changes. The committee then agreed to place the bill on the consent calendar. After concluding the executive session, the committee discussed an afternoon field trip to research farms in Lee and Durham. They also accepted an invitation to visit a farm in Fremont on May 30 at 10:00 a.m., with the address provided as 63 South Road, Fremont, New Hampshire.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is pretty detailed, which, of course, the more detailed it is... is the more due process there is
• Even if the professor is found not to have engaged in religious discrimination through the processes
• So even within this bill, there's talk of due process and a disciplinary process.
• It is a hit to their reputation, even though the process is confidential.
• of due process, that due process is not clearly outlined.

Bills: SB2972, SB1909, SB2815, SB735, SB2233, SB800, SB1069, SB2683, SB2986, SB2058, SB2310, SB2055, SB1032

Keywords: expressive activities, freedom of speech, public forum, higher education, protests, student rights, antisemitism, public institutions, disciplinary policy, student organizations, compliance, institutional policy, disciplinary sanctions, diploma designation, institution merger, academic records, student options, Holocaust education, Holocaust Remembrance Week, genocide education

Transcript Highlights:

• process, bad things tend to happen, and we just think the budgetary process should prevail.
• This process is not new; it currently exists in the law.
• What this legislation does is... ...it extends this process to Galveston County. Okay.
• We just ask that Galveston County... be given this process as well.
• Within this process, they would.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:02:32.560> our and then at the end of the process our and then at the end of the process
• <00:04:13.959> so<00:04:14.480> first your Authority in that process so first your
• Authority in that process so first up<00:04:14.920> we<00:04:15.040> have<00:04:15.200>
• and remove themselves from the process and not<00:05:53.800> ask<00:05:53.960> for<00:
• to remove themselves from the process to remove themselves from the process Maran<00:07:01.840><

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Committee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development met, approved the minutes from its first meeting, and then received a presentation on the School Facility Assistance Fund audit. State Auditor Allison Ball’s office and its third-party contractor, Blue and Co., explained that the audit followed the scope set in the budget bill: to review each school project’s cost, available local resources, and eligibility criteria for state gap funding, with the Auditor of Public Accounts certifying the final report. The presenters walked through the 20 school projects identified for review and gave the current gap funding amounts found for each. Examples included Adair County at about $7.6 million, Augusta Independent at $5.3 million, B.S. Down Independent at just over $43 million, Fleming County at about $15 million, Garrard County at $14.9 million, Johnson County at $78 million, Somerset Independent at $1.7 million, Walton Verona at $48,000, Williams Town Independent at $7.4 million, and several others. They also noted that some districts were fully funded before the audit or withdrew because they had secured enough local funding, including Breathitt County, Kent County, and Lewis County. Washington County’s project was flagged as failing some House Bill 6 eligibility criteria even though the report calculated a $27.6 million gap. Members asked whether districts that secured funding on their own were being penalized, and the auditors responded that changes in gap amounts reflected several factors, including rising project costs and newly available local funding. They also said the audit did not attempt to determine whether local funds were earmarked for one project versus another, because the budget bill directed them to assess available local funding as provided. The committee requested the presentation slides, and the meeting concluded with no further questions and a motion to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today we will discuss the DEMAP process. Today we will discuss the DEMAP process.
• :15.919> process.
• c> there processes, payment processes and there processes, payment processes and there have<01:27
• England, uh, has a DEMAP process document. Uh, we don't have processes, procedures.
• very familiar with process. very familiar with process.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint House Committee on Tourism and Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism held an informational briefing on the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s interim action plans, current projects, contract updates, destination management action plans, and state auditor findings. Interim CEO Caroline Anderson described her role as temporary and said she was focused on identifying problems, gathering information, communicating with stakeholders, and implementing solutions. She said HTA is now operating as a typical state agency subject to state controls, but noted that HTA’s work often involves nontraditional programs that can create process errors. She also said she had directed staff to review the auditor’s findings on the destination management action plan process and that the review was posted publicly. A major topic was the search for a permanent CEO and the agency’s restructuring under SB 1571. HTA board chair Tata Po said he hoped to select a CEO within about four months, with three to six finalists expected in roughly two to two-and-a-half months, and said the job description would largely remain the same except for compensation and reporting changes under the new law. Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism representatives explained that HTA’s board is now advisory and does not approve the budget, while DBEDT retains budget authority. They also said HTA is working with the governor’s office and DBEDT on contract and budget transitions, including a possible shift to a calendar-year process so grantees and contractors have more certainty. Members pressed HTA on staffing, oversight, and accountability, especially around the destination stewardship team and the CNHA/Kilohana and HVCB contracts. HTA said the destination stewardship team supports destination management and product development, including workforce development, sports, and implementation of destination management action plans, and that staff provide direction to contractors rather than simply handing work over to them. Anderson said the stewardship team had 11 people and that the destination management side covered about 15 contracts, while the branding side had three managers overseeing nine contracts. She said the agency had 47 contracts overall and that the major contracts included CNHA/Kilohana and HVCB. Several members criticized HTA’s management history, questioned staffing qualifications and compensation, and expressed concern that the agency had lost public trust. No votes or formal actions were taken during the briefing.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> process. >> process.
• whole process. whole process.
• One thing that's really process.
• <00:25:21.600> uh uh this uh provides a good process uh uh this uh provides a good process
• gained in the process. Thank you. gained in the process. Thank you.

Bills: HB0023, HB0024, HB0025

Keywords: extracurricular activities, public school participation, enrollment, Wyoming, student access, charter schools, application process, authorizers, public hearing, community support, scholarship, education, eligibility, continuous enrollment, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, but I'm not sure the process for that at this point in time.
• The process of special meeting is defined in 394.
• The process of special special meeting.
• The Secretary of State said they had a process.
• What we State said they had a process.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because we can't do this in the span of a budget process.
• So we were in the process of completing... ...the process of completing the final verification of documentation
• Through the policy committee process.
• So by having an open process, you create better optics as well.
• It goes through the process.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard an informational presentation on the May Revision’s proposed reorganization of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency into separate housing-focused and consumer/business-focused entities. Administration officials said the split would improve oversight, streamline decision-making, and create a dedicated California Housing and Homelessness Agency with a new housing development and finance committee. The Department of Finance said funding was needed in 2025-26 to begin implementation, while the LAO recommended rejecting the proposal without prejudice because the Little Hoover Commission review was still pending and the plan would require ongoing General Fund costs. Members raised concerns about the timing, the lack of alignment with the budget process, and whether the reorganization would improve accountability for homelessness spending; several public witnesses supported the concept but stressed it could not substitute for new housing and homelessness dollars. The committee then took up the Department of Veterans Affairs. CalVet requested funding for phase three of its electronic health care record project and a trailer bill to preserve authority for federal background checks, but the May Revision withdrew requests for deferred maintenance and additional administrative support. The LAO noted deferred maintenance can prevent larger future costs, and the chair criticized the withdrawal of less than $1 million for veterans’ homes as short-sighted given existing repair needs. No vote was taken. Next, the Department of Housing and Community Development presented its budget. HCD said the May Revision provides no new affordable housing or homelessness funding, but does retain existing rounds of funding and proposes a $31.7 million reversion from undersubscribed housing programs. Members from both parties expressed concern about zeroing out ongoing housing and homelessness investments, especially for LIHTC, the Multifamily Housing Program, and HAP. HCD also defended its homelessness accountability and compliance work, saying the unit includes about 30 program staff and six attorneys, with three additional attorneys requested mainly to handle public records and litigation workload. Public commenters largely opposed the lack of new funding and urged continued support for housing and homelessness programs, while some supported the reorganization and accountability efforts. Finally, the committee heard Go-Biz proposals. The administration requested authority to increase funding for a federal trade program match if needed, plus reappropriations for administrative funds tied to the Containerized Ports Interoperability Grant Program, zero-emission vehicle operations, and the Women’s Business Center Enhancement Program. It also proposed withdrawing the Cal Competes grant request and reverting remaining funds from the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund. The LAO said Cal Competes is generally effective but could be cut as a budget solution, while warning that the performing arts fund was close to awards and should be considered carefully. Members objected to pulling back committed funds for performing arts organizations and questioned why the state would withdraw support after applications had already been submitted.

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows that streamlined process for the city to, It allows that streamlined process for the city to
• Again, the rescheduling of those, the process to do that at the county level is a little bit longer process
• That's the process, and that's the beauty about this.
• All we're doing is trying to streamline that process.
• All this is doing is streamlining the process.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation, and adopted the previous day’s journal. Members then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with remarks highlighting UTRGV’s growth, degree production, research expansion, medical school, and role in serving the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas. The chamber also recognized the doctor of the day and adopted additional resolutions, including one for Denton County Days at the Capitol and another recognizing Texas HBCU Day. The Senate gave extensive recognition to outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp through Senate Resolution 368. Senators from both parties praised his long public career, leadership of the A&M System, support for regional universities, and bipartisan approach. The resolution was adopted after multiple members added their names. The chamber also heard from advocates with the Texas Streets Coalition, and received gubernatorial nominations for the State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. On legislation, the Senate passed several major bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to address teacher vacancies, bilingual certification testing, paid leave options, classroom removals, and appeal rights, then passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment on parents’ right to direct a child’s education, advanced on a 22-9 vote. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, aimed at preventing foreign influence and intellectual property theft at public institutions of higher education, passed unanimously. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the business entities bill, also passed after debate over corporate governance and shareholder protections. Senate Bill 857, authorizing law enforcement to tow certain vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed despite some concern about towing abuses during disasters. The Senate also took up Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536 on dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, but the transcript ends as that bill is being laid out.

Transcript Highlights:

• The simple bill starts that process by reducing Chapter 91 burdens.
• We're a year into the permitting process, and we finally secured enough permits.
• At this point in our permitting process, we have gone through MEPA, which involved DEP.
• I mean, we have a process right now that works great.
• Are we able to process them? Do we break it down into something more toxic?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing covered a broad set of environmental and water-related bills, with much of the testimony focused on blue economy and circular economy proposals, drought management, drinking water safety, flood resilience, and water infrastructure funding. Supporters of bills such as H. 987 and H. 988 described grant programs for blue economy workforce development, research, small businesses, and public education about a circular economy. Other speakers backed measures on coastal erosion research, recreational boating dredging, cranberry water-right transfers, sand mining oversight, and a voucher program for home water filtration in PFAS-impacted communities. Several elected officials and advocates also urged passage of bills to require private well testing, improve school drinking water safety, and address sand mining pollution and PFAS contamination. Water supply and drought issues drew extensive testimony. Senator Eldridge and others supported legislation to let the state, through DEP and the drought management task force, impose regional water-use restrictions during droughts and make the task force permanent in statute. Advocates from watershed groups, farms, and environmental organizations said the current town-by-town approach is inconsistent and ineffective, and they described drought impacts on rivers, farms, private wells, and wildfire risk. A related bill on private wells was supported as a way to help homeowners test and remediate contaminated wells, especially in rural areas without public water. The committee also heard testimony on a bill to allow the Lynnfield Water District to join the MWRA, with local officials saying the move would help address PFAS and other contamination and improve supply reliability. Another major panel supported a water infrastructure funding bill, arguing that aging drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems need major new investment, including support for PFAS treatment, sewer rate relief, biosolids research, and regional interconnections. Members asked about costs, funding sources, and the relationship to existing revolving loan funds; witnesses said the bill would need to be paired with future bond funding and new revenue ideas. No votes were taken during the hearing, and the chairs repeatedly invited written testimony and noted the large number of speakers.