Transcript Highlights:

• We also have a lot of data that we work with more of our administrative... of data, and that data can
• be found on Texas health data.
• Data is clear and common sense.
• Furthermore, data from the U.S....
• You know, the data you should follow the data, sir. Yes, sir.

Bills: HB1106, HB3284, HB541, HB713, HB1403, HB1586, HB1942, HB2070, HB2844, HB2851, HB3151, HB3749, HB3940, HB3963, HB4454, HB4466, HB4795, HB5154, HB5394, SB1357, HB1052, HB4099, HB4638, HB5147

Keywords: child abuse, neglect, gender identity, sexual orientation, child welfare, marriage, family, Texas Commission, family welfare, marriage support, stability, premarital education, child development, strong families, direct patient care, healthcare, physicians, medical services, insurance regulation, maternal health

Transcript Highlights:

• efficiency, transparency, and decision-making using existing data from state agencies.
• By integrating the existing data...
• authorizing new data collection.
• It requires de-identified data and safeguards... against unauthorized use.
• by having data that is siloed within each agency shared across those agencies.

Bills: HB1106, HB3284, HB541, HB713, HB1403, HB1586, HB1942, HB2070, HB2844, HB2851, HB3151, HB3749, HB3940, HB3963, HB4454, HB4466, HB4795, HB5154, HB5394, SB1357, HB1052, HB4099, HB4638, HB5147

Keywords: child abuse, neglect, gender identity, sexual orientation, child welfare, marriage, family, Texas Commission, family welfare, marriage support, stability, premarital education, child development, strong families, direct patient care, healthcare, physicians, medical services, insurance regulation, maternal health

Bills: HB299, HB533, HB299, HB533

Keywords: court costs, Choctaw County, jail funding, municipal court, criminal proceedings, education funding, student outcomes, K-12 education, RAISE Act, accountability, special education, English language learners, local education agency, respiratory therapy, respiratory therapist, respiratory care, licensure, licensing board, advanced practice provider, nurse practitioner

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> collect the data. collect the data.
• data, mortality data.
• </c> collect the data, okay? collect the data, okay?
• </c> opposed to collecting the data. opposed to collecting the data.
• But let's collect the data. That's all this bill does is collect the data.

Bills: HB128, SB297, HB128, SB297

Keywords: HB128, Alabama Board of Nursing, Sunset Law, sunset review, nursing board, nurse licensure, registered nurse, RN, licensed practical nurse, LPN, advanced practice nursing, certified registered nurse anesthetist, CRNA, consumer member, board appointments, congressional districts, geographic representation, nursing regulation, nursing education programs, licensure compact

Bills: HB1237, HB2663, HB3071, HB4384

Keywords: occupational licenses, renewal, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, registration, license expiration, HB 2663, inactive well, plugging extension, Railroad Commission of Texas, RRC, oil and gas, orphan wells, well cleanup, well plugging, abandoned wells, surface equipment removal, electric service termination, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, Section 89.029

Transcript Highlights:

• The fires could have been avoided if the Railroad Commission effectively regulated these companies.
• For example, rate regulation should be aimed at balancing the interests of customers and utility investors
• After a hundred and five years of rate-making, it's bad policy to let regulated utilities continue to
• set the rules for how they wish to be regulated.

Bills: HB1237, HB2663, HB3071, HB4384

Keywords: occupational licenses, renewal, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, registration, license expiration, HB 2663, inactive well, plugging extension, Railroad Commission of Texas, RRC, oil and gas, orphan wells, well cleanup, well plugging, abandoned wells, surface equipment removal, electric service termination, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, Section 89.029

Transcript Highlights:

• Access to Justice Commission. about how to improve court operations, and we now regularly use case data
• We work diligently, and it takes a lot of effort. to look at the data and then to improve from there.
• If you look at the Comptroller's data that they provided to us on the back, you can see that there's
• If you actually look at some public data from a couple of the top five producers that we have in the

Bills: SB1211, SB1574, SB2774, SB2873, SB2900, HJR4

Keywords: hydraulic fracturing, sales tax exemption, oil and gas, environmental impact, water reuse, justice, judicial council, centers of excellence, court operations, recognition program, franchise tax, retail trade, tax classification, business regulation, economic impact, SB 2873, Texas Tax Code, electronic filing, e-filing, tax reports

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, we don't want to over-regulate groundwater since it is privately owned, and this is a mechanism
• provisions in their DCPs, ensuring that these utilities adhere to the necessary guidelines and regulations
• 5559 aims to enhance the overall efficiency and integrity of water supply management in Texas. ...regulations

Bills: HB143, HB4530, HB4931, HB5559, HB5560

Keywords: election, bonds, authorization, financial governance, public funding, HB 143, bond election, debt authorization, November uniform election date, Texas Election Code, emergency election, voter approval, municipal bonds, local government finance, public debt, school bonds, special election, uniform election date, bond issuance, water rights

Transcript Highlights:

• This report will include aggregate aggregated data collected under this amendment, and evaluation of
• I think that, uh, the, the, the data, uh, and, uh, the language that was outlined is something that,
• The VA does a great job providing national data on veteran suicide.
• Um, one of the entities with whom we share death data currently is the Texas Veterans Commission.
• So the, the data itself, I would say with my personal experience, I, I served as a ratings NCO.

Bills: HB39, HB227

Keywords: public school finance, property values, homestead exemptions, funding allocation, education policy, HB227, kratom, Mitragyna speciosa, kratom products, kratom processor, kratom retailer, controlled substances, Texas Controlled Substances Act, Health and Safety Code, Penalty Group 1, tianeptine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, mitragynine, synthetic kratom, kratom alkaloids

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, they help provide data for not only the land owner, but the renter and then any subsequent
• You know, they help provide data for not only the landowner, but the renter and then any subsequent owner
• know, they help provide data for not know, they help provide data for not only<00:29:30.000><c> the</
• I see this bill as another regulation on agriculture.
• Um, typically when we talk about the regulation of pesticides, we always lead with the label is the law

Bills: HF858, HF2577, HF2576

Keywords: bioincentive payments, agriculture, job creation, environmental compliance, financial reporting, waste handling, sewage sludge, PFAS regulation, environment, record retention, fertilizer disposal, pesticide disposal, environmental impact, safety regulations, burning prohibition, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you have some data that shows that?
• The bill also includes updates to reporting requirements related to collecting data on prior authorization
• Collecting data on prior authorization requests, approvals, and denials for MCOs.
• First, it removes Medicaid from the bill, so none of the prior authorization or AI regulations apply

Bills: SB5893, SB6229, HB1376, SGA9306

Keywords: forest health, wildfire reduction, appropriations, environmental policy, natural resource management, capital gains, taxation, small business, state revenue, investment, economic growth, tax prepayment, tax regulation, financial planning, economic policy, 904, all

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee began with a hearing on the governor’s appointment of Kristen L. Frazier to the Board of Tax Appeals. Frazier described her long career as House fiscal counsel, her teaching and writing on Washington constitutional law, and her recent service on the board. Members praised her experience and confirmed they would vote on the appointment at a later meeting. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5893, which would transfer $65 million from the Natural Climate Solutions Account to the Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration, and Community Resilience Account to help fully fund wildfire response and forest health work. Staff explained the bill’s relationship to prior Climate Commitment Act and wildfire-resilience funding, and testimony from forest landowners, industry groups, and the Department of Natural Resources strongly supported the measure as necessary for wildfire suppression, forest thinning, and community protection. DNR said the funding would support current strategies and avoid major cuts to firefighting, detection, and partner pass-throughs. Next, the committee heard Senate Bill 6229, which would remove the state capital gains tax exemption for gains from qualified small business stock beginning in 2026. Staff estimated the bill would affect about 260 taxpayers and raise about $1.2 million in fiscal year 2027. Startup founders, venture capital representatives, and tech industry groups opposed the bill, arguing it would discourage entrepreneurship, investment, and job creation; a policy advocate supported it as a way to make the tax code less regressive and raise revenue from wealthy taxpayers. The committee also heard House Bill 1376, which would allow taxpayers to prepay capital gains tax up to six months early without interest; testimony was brief and opposed the bill as an additional tax burden. In executive session, the committee received briefings on a proposed substitute for Senate Bill 5395 on prior authorization transparency and AI use in health care, and on Substitute Senate Bill 5860 regarding school board compensation. The committee adopted the proposed second substitute for SB 5395 and voted it do pass to the Rules Committee. It then moved SB 5860 without recommendation to the Rules Committee. The meeting adjourned after those actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• has grown, inflation and market conditions have reduced. availability of such credit by in-state regulated
• To us, the solution is to. regulate that industry.
• Um, we call them 342E lenders since they're regulated under chapter 342, or subchapter E.
• Members, this is another cleanup bill requested by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
• Chairman and members, Senate Bill 748 relates to the regulation of laser hair removal.

Bills: SB 1113, SB 1117, SB 1206, SB 1460, SB 1802, SB 1906, SB 1917, SB 2340, SB 2455, SB 2680, SB 2690, SB 705, SB 748

Keywords: SB 1113, converter's license, converter license, motor vehicle dealer, auto dealer, vehicle conversion, converted vehicles, direct sales, retail sales, trailer, semitrailer, manufactured trailer, chassis, manufacturer's statement of origin, MSO, Occupations Code, Transportation Code, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, dealer licensing, general distinguishing number

Summary: The meeting of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee was marked by discussions on several significant bills, with a keen emphasis on legislative updates and committee substitutes. Notably, Senator Blanco presented a new committee substitute for SB2610, which modifies the employee cap from 100 to 250 and extends the update timeline for cyber security programs for small businesses. This substitute was adopted unanimously, reflecting a collaborative agreement among the committee members. Additionally, there were discussions surrounding SB1856 as Senator Crayton provided insights into how stakeholder feedback influenced the bill's committee substitute. The committee ultimately voted in favor, pushing it towards the local and contested calendar, indicating the bill's progression through legislative channels.

Transcript Highlights:

• I will add that the current data that we have from that has made a positive impact.
• I will add that the current data that we have from that has made a positive impact.
• I will add that the current data that we have from that has made a positive impact.
• </c><00:31:50.960><c> Um,</c> with regard to vehicle regulation.
• Um, with regard to vehicle regulation.

Keywords: 00:01 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:47 Maintenance 12:40 Approval of Minutes 12:55 Vehicle Regulation 21:08 General Admin and Highways 34:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met without a quorum at first, then later approved the minutes once quorum was established. The committee heard presentations from Transportation Cabinet officials Mike Hancock, Jeremy Slinker, and Sean McCarnieran on maintenance, vehicle regulation, general administration, highways, and related capital projects. Hancock emphasized that maintenance is the cabinet’s most visible public service, especially for snow and ice removal and routine roadway upkeep, and said rising costs have outpaced funding. He cited a 61% increase in highway construction costs since 2020 and said maintenance spending was $488 million in FY 2024 and $511 million in FY 2025, while the FY 2026 baseline request was $483.3 million. The cabinet’s additional maintenance request would add $23.6 million in FY 2027 and $38.6 million in FY 2028, with expected impacts on litter pickup, mowing, vegetation management, and pothole repair if not funded. The cabinet also outlined five maintenance-related capital projects: additional funding for Ballard County maintenance/salt storage, Hopkins County maintenance/salt storage, Whitley County maintenance/salt structure, and the District 2 office and materials lab, plus reauthorization of the Breckinridge County maintenance and salt facility. Hancock also asked for budget language allowing the cabinet to use unexpected restricted and federal funds more quickly, similar to existing authority for federal earmarks. McCarnieran described the governor’s inclusion of funding for the ASHTOWare system, employee health exams, priority IT projects, and a District 7 office renovation request, noting that some items were not funded because they ranked low among competing projects. He also said the governor’s budget included a $7.5 million annual maintenance pool for the cabinet’s 1,200 facilities and requested additional restricted fund authority for Trimark and the Cumberland Gap Tunnel. Slinker focused on the Department of Vehicle Regulation, saying recent investments in staffing and equipment had reduced wait times and improved customer service in driver licensing offices. He requested $535,600 to keep temporary contract workers in place for the rest of the year, warning that without it regional office operations would have to be reduced. He said the surge in demand was driven by new 15-year-old licensing requirements, vision testing, and Real ID implementation, but believed the volume was beginning to level out. He also outlined FY 2027 and FY 2028 plans totaling $20.38 million and $19.85 million, including six new regional offices and a shift away from temporary workers toward state positions. Additional requests included $106,000 for debt service on the new driver’s license modernization system and operating costs of $5 million in FY 2027 and $2.5 million in FY 2028 to support the transition from the old system. Members asked about the cabinet’s funding sources, and officials said the road fund is the primary source, supported by motor fuels tax, usage tax, driver-related receipts, and some restricted funds; they stressed that the requests were not for additional general fund dollars. Questions also covered employee health exam reimbursements, the annual Trimark/Cumberland Gap contract, and the District 7 renovation request. No votes were taken on the budget items during the meeting, beyond approval of the minutes.

Bills: SB17, SB35, SB164

Keywords: gun control, firearm safety, dealer regulation, illegal trade, background checks, judgeship, judiciary, court system, appropriation, district court, ambulance standards, Department of Health, emergency medical services, certification, public safety, tariffs, 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I can give you an endless list of empirical data telling you how hard— I can give you an endless list
• of empirical data telling you how harmful vaccinations have been to people, even crippling them.
• This is the type of regulation that this bill is hoping to stop. Thank you, Representative Powell.
• Jacobson specifically say something that is not specific to masks or vaccines, but that the power to regulate
• reaffirmed numerous times since by numerous different courts around the country, is that the power to regulate

Bills: HB2086, HB2248, HB2688

Keywords: vaccination mandates, mask requirements, public health, government entities, COVID-19, medical freedom, healthcare mandates, employment requirements, government regulation, vacant positions, state budget, government efficiency, employment, full-time equivalent positions, 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill would regulate the...
• to be regulation within the product itself.
• I was involved with SB66 to regulate, and we need regulation in this. I support this.
• Yeah, we currently regulate spirits, but... ...Yeah, we currently regulate spirits, but we don't regulate
• Um, well, we regulate growing hemp, but we don't... Well, yeah.

Bills: SB90, SB255, SB268

Keywords: Green County, racing, pari-mutuel wagering, gaming regulations, commission appointments, historical horse racing, local tax, mixed spirit beverages, alcohol regulation, licensing, excise tax, distribution agreements, retail sales, wholesalers, 1136, house, all

Bills: SB 2188, SB 2230, SB 1763, SB 879, SB 1147

Keywords: education, funding, state budget, public schools, school choice, geothermal energy, environmental regulation, Railroad Commission of Texas, closed-loop systems, energy production, regulatory exemption, mining, interstate compact, Texas, natural resources, state withdrawal

Transcript Highlights:

• The issue of privately collected data is one of them.
• Well, what happens to the data? As we got into it, it led to this direction, which, the data.
• So one is the issue of privately collected data.
• What happens to that data?
• I will tell you that the power of data is...

Bills: SB97, SB55, SB40, SB38, SB120, SB113, SB116, SB117, SB118

Keywords: tax credits, municipality, county property, industrial revenue bonds, economic development, qualified expenditures, solar energy, tax credit, renewable energy, photovoltaic, solar thermal, New Mexico, economic incentive, energy independence, SB40, Driver Privacy and Safety Act, automated license plate reader, ALPR, license plate reader, vehicle surveillance

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think even the comparison that you're making about for-profit at a water park, we have data centers
• And I think even the comparison that you're making about for-profit at a water park, we have data centers
• and regional water planners have had to navigate complex and time-intensive federal environmental regulations
• This bill threatens And time-intensive federal environmental regulations.
• We are the only entities that can regulate groundwater, and we do that the best we can.

Bills: HB1523, HB2109, HB2694, HB3525, HB3898, HB4646, HB5188, HB5219, HB5320, HB5651, HB5655, HB5659, HB5662, HB5672

Keywords: aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard House Bill 2109, which would remove certain long-proposed reservoir projects from the state water plan after 50 years without progress. Chairman Van Deaver and many landowners, local officials, timber interests, and conservation advocates testified in support, arguing that the Marvin Nichols Reservoir has burdened Northeast Texas landowners for decades with the threat of eminent domain, depressed property values, and uncertainty over homes, farms, ranches, schools, churches, and cemeteries. Supporters also said the project would flood tens of thousands of acres, require extensive mitigation, harm timber and agriculture, and that Texas now has better alternatives such as conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and desalination. Several members expressed sympathy for the affected families and questioned whether a project could remain in the plan indefinitely without progress. Opposition came from North Texas water interests, including the North Texas Commission, Tarrant Regional Water District, and the Texas Water Association, who argued that the bill would interfere with the state’s long-term water planning process and remove needed future supply options for a fast-growing region. They said Region C faces major projected shortages by 2070, that conservation and reuse have already delayed the need for new supplies, and that reservoirs remain one tool in the state’s water-planning toolbox. TWDB staff explained the existing inter-regional conflict process and noted that the substitute would affect several unique reservoir sites, not just Marvin Nichols. After testimony, Chairman Van Deaver closed by urging passage of the bill, but the committee withdrew the substitute and left HB 2109 pending. The committee then took up House Bill 5188, a brackish groundwater bill. The author said the bill would reduce permitting burdens for wells in designated brackish groundwater production zones, and the committee substitute added requirements on monitoring, groundwater-rights ownership, and allocation of pumpage limits while removing some exclusions and export-fee provisions. Texas Wildlife Association testified against the bill, warning that the exemptions could weaken groundwater conservation districts’ ability to protect freshwater resources and surface-owner rights. San Antonio Water System testified in favor, saying brackish groundwater is a key future supply and that the substitute would help speed development of desalination and brackish projects. The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts testified neutrally but raised concerns about reduced district oversight, especially around injection-well exclusions and the loss of export fees, and said discussions on the bill were ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have data centers.
• and regional water planners have had to navigate complex and time-intensive federal environmental regulations
• We support the substitute's removal of that exclusion as we are addressed through other laws, regulations
• We are the only entities that can regulate groundwater, and we do that the best we can.
• The data on what was injected and how much is very limited.

Bills: HB1523, HB2109, HB2694, HB3525, HB3898, HB4646, HB5188, HB5219, HB5320, HB5651, HB5655, HB5659, HB5662, HB5672

Keywords: aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment