Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Resolution 10 by Perry, congratulating Heather Keister on being named the 2004 Engineer of the
• Year by the South Plains Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers.
• of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers.
• Keister has more than two decades of experience in civil engineering and has specialized in stormwater
• Keister has more than two decades of experience in civil engineering and has specialized in stormwater

Bills: SJR36, SB2

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with an invocation, dispensed with the reading of the previous day’s journal, and recognized several visiting groups and individuals. Senators Flores, Hinojosa of Hidalgo, and Campbell welcomed members of the Texas Police Chiefs Association, and Senator Nichols introduced Dr. Joshua Splinter as Doctor of the Day. The chamber then adopted several resolutions without objection. Senate Resolution 16 recognized Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and its South Central Region for Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the Capitol, with remarks from Senators Miles and West highlighting the organization’s history, service, and Texas members. Senate Resolution 9 designated January 29, 2025, as American Public Works Association Day at the Capitol, and Senate Resolution 10 congratulated Heather Keister for being named Engineer of the Year by the South Plains Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. Senator Hinojosa of Nueces also recognized a Brownsville delegation, and additional resolutions, including Senate Resolutions 13 and 18, were adopted without objection. The Senate also approved a motion by Senator Zaffirini to suspend Senate Rule 11.13 so committees could meet during the reading and referral of bills. Announcements followed, including a Finance Committee reconvening at 12:45 p.m. and a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting upon adjournment. The chamber then recessed until 10 a.m. Monday, February 3, for reading and referral of bills, and after that process, adjourned until 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• Coach Rick Bills, and players Mallerie Baylor, Aubrey Baxter, Reagan Bills, Sadie Devidito, Kennedy Fees
• , Reagan Bills, Sadie<00:10:26.800> Devidito,<00:10:27.839> Kennedy<00:10:28.320> Fees
• ,<00:10:29.200> Camila Sadie Devidito, Kennedy Fees, Camila Sadie Devidito, Kennedy Fees,
• For South Carolina's Third District, it means good jobs for welders, machinists, and engineers.
• I know America's industrial engine will be unleashed to deliver a breath of career empowerment not seen

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's what fees should be, user fees.
• Court fines and fees.
• That's what fees car, that's user fee.
• Court fines and fees. We've gone part. Court fines and fees.
• , all court fees go into the general fees, all court fees go into the general fund,<00:55:55.760>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a House budget briefing focused on the overall state budget and the first of three divisions. The presenter reviewed the size and structure of the budget, noting that the state had eliminated the interest and dividends tax and still balanced the budget. He explained the major spending categories in the general fund and total budget, emphasizing that health and human services and education remain the largest areas, while transportation is largely self-funded. He also walked through the revenue picture, including business taxes, insurance taxes, court fees, communications taxes, and Medicaid recoveries, and said the remaining interest and dividends tax revenue reflected late payments from prior assessments. Members asked about the size of the tax cut from eliminating the interest and dividends tax, federal funding stability, and why Medicaid was being reduced if federal support was expected to remain steady. The response was that the lost revenue would have been about $200 million absent repeal, and that the budget gap was addressed through many small cuts across departments. On federal funds, the presenter said most aid is tied to multi-year grants and that core programs such as Medicare and Medicaid were expected to remain relatively stable, though some federal reductions could occur. He also said some agency reductions came from eliminating long-vacant, funded positions and from expected lapses. The discussion then moved into Division One, which covers smaller and miscellaneous agencies. The division made cuts to the governor’s office, eliminated a temporary position at the Governor’s Commission on Disability, reduced Department of Information Technology spending through a back-of-budget cut, and found savings in Administrative Services. It also delayed maintenance at the Sununu Youth Services Center, stopped advertising for paid family medical leave, changed retiree health insurance funding, and consolidated several personnel-related boards into one. The division eliminated the Commission on Aging and the Office of the Child Advocate, made a temporary special education advocate position permanent, reduced the Secretary of State’s budget, kept municipal rooms-and-meals distributions flat, and made changes to the retirement system, including $55 million to improve Group 2 retirement benefits and a new retirement structure for future state hires. The judicial branch was also asked to find savings and received two additional judges because of expected caseload increases from other eliminations.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> pesticide registration fee increase. >> pesticide registration fee increase.
• Um, this bill is to increase the fees Um, this bill is to increase the fees for<02:25:51.040>
• It is a fee. It's not a tax. Wyoming. It is a fee. It's not a tax.
• Currently, Wyoming's fee is real cost. Currently, Wyoming's fee is $140. $140. $140.
• fee to $210. fee to $210. 195<02:26:25.200> would<02:26:25.439> be<02:26:25.600>

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• engineering.
• The way that we came together with NDSU is the engineering and agra-engineering group came to us and
• asked if we The engineering and agra-engineering group came to us and asked if we would help.
• They've got the information, that engineering background, agra-engineering, they understand that, and
• side of engineering.

Summary: The Higher Education Institutions Committee met at NDSU and heard an extensive presentation from President David Cook/President Stewart and NDSU leadership on the university’s priorities, including enrollment, student success, research growth, and use of New Horizons funding. Leaders emphasized NDSU’s land-grant mission, its role in workforce development, and its goal of becoming more distinctive through strategic planning, recruitment and retention, commercialization, and partnerships. They highlighted that NDSU awarded 2,370 degrees in 2025, produces a large share of the state’s engineering, nursing, and agriculture graduates, and reported strong outcomes for graduates staying and working in North Dakota. They also noted enrollment headwinds, competition from other institutions, and the need to manage tuition waivers more carefully through a scholarship optimization effort. Provost Sherry Vale outlined academic stewardship efforts, including review or consolidation of low-producing programs, strategic hiring tied to institutional priorities, faculty workload policy changes, and expanded online and regional offerings. She said the university is using New Horizons dollars to strengthen advising, student support, and programs in engineering, agriculture, and health. NDSU leaders also described new or expanded academic offerings such as robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, material science and engineering, nuclear engineering certificates, accelerated nursing, nurse practitioner certificates, a Master of Health Administration, and a clinical research master’s program with Sanford Health. They stressed that these investments are intended to improve student completion, meet workforce needs, and increase return on public investment. The committee also heard testimony from students and recent graduates who described the value of NDSU’s education, mentorship, internships, research opportunities, and support services. Alyssa Hodges spoke about pharmacy education, public health work, and campus support as a parent and student; Ethan Blessy described engineering coursework, internships with Marvin, and career preparation; and Aiden Freolic discussed neuroscience research, federally funded projects, and plans for graduate study. Their testimony was followed by presentations on partnerships with Gateway to Science for K-12 STEM outreach and with Sanford Research on biomedical research, clinical trials, obesity research, and a joint biostatistics hire. NDSU also highlighted systemwide shared services, Governor’s School programming, and research growth, including a reported 8% increase in research expenditures from $199 million to $215 million. No bill votes were taken; the meeting was informational and featured presentations, testimony, and discussion of future planning and partnerships.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do an engineering assessment and we look at observations, what we call risk.
• We do an engineering assessment the dam.
• <00:34:40.399> assessment initiates an engineering assessment initiates an engineering assessment
• /c><00:34:48.480> the engineering assessment will estimate the engineering assessment will estimate
• engineering assessment. engineering assessment. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay.

Keywords: 00:02 EEC – State-Owned Dams 21:07 EEC – Grid Resilience Grant Funds 37:24 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard presentations from the Department for Environmental Protection and the Office of Energy Policy on Kentucky’s state-owned dam repair program and the electric grid resilience program. Commissioner Tony Hatton explained how state dams are defined and classified under Kentucky law, the criteria used to prioritize repairs or decommissioning, and the status of several projects funded in the last biennium. He said the department is using a design-bid-build process, with major work planned or underway at Willisburg Lake, Big Bone Lick State Park Dam, Clemens Lake Dam, Marion County Sportsman’s Dam, Chinoa Lake Creek/Canning Creek Dam, and Lake Malone, and that $0.5 million is reserved for routine repairs. He also described the timeline and cost pressures, noting that construction seasons and bid uncertainty can affect schedules and estimates. Members asked several questions about whether the estimates were current, how accurate the bids tend to be, why the process takes so long, and whether it would be better to fund design separately before construction. Hatton said the estimates are the best current engineering estimates, that costs often stay within about 10% but can vary, and that the overall process is usually closer to two years than four, though delays can occur. He also said all of the allocated dam funds must be available before bids can be let. The committee discussed whether design work can become stale if construction is delayed. Kenya Stump then updated the committee on Kentucky’s electric grid resilience program under federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. She said Kentucky has received years one through three of the five-year program and has allocated funds to state park electric systems and municipal utilities, with years four and five not yet received. She identified Ken Lake State Park and Kentucky Dam Village as the two state park projects in progress, and Owensboro, Princeton, Williamstown, and Hopkinsville as the municipal projects selected through a competitive process. She said the projects are under contract or in final negotiations, with municipal construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and finish by the end of 2026, and explained that the work includes line, pole, transformer, meter, and outage-management upgrades. Members asked about the relationship between this program and prior park appropriations, the timing of agreements with Parks, and whether the park systems could eventually be transferred to the local electric cooperative; Stump said the park agreements are imminent and that the upgrades are intended to bring the systems up to code so the cooperative can maintain them. No votes were taken, and the chair adjourned the committee until the following Wednesday, with a possible time change to avoid a scheduling conflict.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Resolution 10 by Perry, congratulating Heather Keister on being named the 2004 Engineer of the
• Year by the South Plains Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers.
• of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers.
• Keister has more than two decades of experience in civil engineering and has specialized in stormwater
• of the Year by the South Plains Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers and extends to

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer, and dispensed with the reading of the previous day’s journal. The chamber then spent much of the session on recognitions, including a visit from the Texas Police Chiefs Association and the introduction of Dr. Joshua Splinter as Doctor of the Day. Senators offered remarks honoring the chiefs’ service and welcoming Dr. Splinter and Dr. Sarah Jethro to the chamber. The Senate adopted Senate Resolution 16, sponsored by Senators Miles, West, Alvarado, and Cook, designating January 29, 2025 as Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol. Senators Miles and West highlighted the sorority’s history, service work, and Texas members, and the resolution was adopted without objection. The chamber also adopted Senate Resolution 9 by Senator Perry recognizing American Public Works Association Day, and Senate Resolution 10 congratulating Heather Keister on being named Engineer of the Year by the South Plains Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers. Senator Perry emphasized the importance of public works and infrastructure, and praised Keister’s engineering work and contributions to West Texas. The Senate also recognized a Brownsville delegation and celebrated Brownsville Day at the Capitol, with Senator Hinojosa of Nueces speaking about the city’s history and community spirit. Additional resolutions, including Senate Resolution 13 and Senate Resolution 18, were adopted without objection. The chamber then approved a motion to suspend Senate Rule 11.13 so committees could meet during the reading and referral of bills. Announcements followed, including a Finance Committee hearing and a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting, and the Senate recessed until Monday, February 3, for bill reading and referral, then adjourned until Tuesday, February 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• Twenty-five percent of every deposit goes toward restitution as owed, along with fees and fines.
• Then there are fees and fines that are taken out also.
• Under the low-bid process, DAGS engages architects and engineers to do a complete design for the project
• P3 can be very expensive, because we have to bring in not just the usual slew of architects and engineers
• P3 can be very expensive, because we have to bring in not just the usual slew of architects and engineers

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's a small fee. No one wants to pay fees; I've learned that in government. No one likes them.
• It would be a fee for the establishment, but likely would see an increase of fees across the massage
• There is a very small fee.
• compensation and then assessing that fee compensation and then assessing that fee or<01:31:35.120
• >> it would it would be covered by fees >> it would it would be covered by fees from

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So MDOT has met with the engineers.
• I'm the assistant state traffic engineer with MnDOT's Office of Traffic Engineering.
• <00:24:25.600> We Engineering. We want slower speeds. We Engineering.
• we as engineers, we can say all we want. we as engineers, we can say all we want.
• county engineer right now? county engineer right now?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• we pay them about 10% of of that a we pay them about 10% of of that a contingency<03:21:21.920> fee
• so<03:21:23.399> we<03:21:23.640> we<03:21:23.800> usually contingency fee
• um so we we usually contingency fee um so we we usually budget<03:21:24.479> an<03:21:24.640>
• so that's 32,000 that's I'm an engineer so that's 32,000 you<04:03:19.239> see<04:03:19.680><
• I mean, it collects a lot of fees.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard from the Personnel Appeals Board, which explained that it became an independent state agency after Senate Bill 487 and was presenting its first standalone operating budget. The board described its quasi-judicial role in hearing appeals from classified state employees over disciplinary actions such as warnings, suspensions, and terminations, and said it handles about 25 to 35 cases a year, with some cases lasting longer because of their complexity. Members also outlined the need for a chair and vice chair who are attorneys, the board’s current staffing and space needs, and its plan to move away from reliance on Administrative Services for office support and website functions. The board requested about $353,500 for fiscal year 2026, including startup costs, routine operating expenses, and two new part-time positions: a program director and a paralegal. Members said the budget reflects the new independent status, includes funding for only four board members rather than the authorized five, and is designed to avoid full-time staffing costs and benefits. Legislators asked about the cost per case, the board’s relationship to DAS, whether appeals must go through the board before court, and how often cases are appealed further. The board said appeals must first go through it, that court appeals are infrequent but have increased recently, and that the board’s process is intended to resolve disputes more quickly and less expensively than court litigation. Committee members also asked about the board’s caseload, outcomes, and staffing. The board said that in the prior year there were 22 cases, with four decisions overturned in favor of employees, nine dismissals, and nine settlements, and that many disputes are resolved before reaching the board through a multi-step internal process. A member noted the governor and council had recently approved a new board member and were expected to approve a fifth soon. The discussion ended with questions about the board’s website and records access, which members said would need to be moved from Administrative Services as part of the agency’s transition. The committee then moved to the New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities. The executive director explained that the council is 100 percent federally funded under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act and develops a five-year plan to address the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She said the council works with state agencies and advocacy organizations on quality-of-life issues, accessibility, voter rights training, and plain-language or easy-to-read materials, and that 60 percent of its membership must be individuals with disabilities or family members/guardians. She also described the council’s funding structure, including reimbursement to the state for operating costs, and noted that it currently has three full-time and three part-time positions, with no new positions requested but one full-time position being eliminated and replaced after a pandemic-era staffing change did not work out as planned.

Transcript Highlights:

• service grant so that they can hire a consulting engineer to provide them with a design plan, engineering
• You can see there is about $260,000 in engineering and $4.4 million.
• For FY25, another 12 engineering applications or ASECIA projects were funded for engineering.
• In this case, the bulk of that goes to the Army Corps of Engineers.
• Army Corps of Engineers support? And reclamation, repair, whatever.

Transcript Highlights:

• network engineers on that one. network engineers on that one.
• Navy Civil Engineer Corps.
• I have an Civil Engineer Corps.
• So, I was an engineer in ’99.
• bring them together with the engineers bring them together with the engineers and<00:44:51.200><

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Discussion of the KentuckyWired Network 00:00:55 Discussion of the Water Resource Information System 00:35.40 Discussion of Geographic Information Systems 00:52:30 Discussion of Committee Report to LRC 01:15:05, 958, all

Summary: The Information Technology Oversight Committee met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and then heard a presentation from Leadcore representatives Jimmy Bird, Mike Murray, and Rebecca Moss on the Kentucky Wired network. Leadcore described its role as the design-builder and service provider under the KCNA contract, saying the network was built with roughly 13,200 feet of fiber, mostly aerial, and that the use of non-armored cable was a Kentucky-side decision made to reduce cost. They also said aerial construction and non-armored cable increase maintenance challenges, including storm damage and squirrel-related damage, and reported FY25 service activity of 104 break-fix events, 30 maintenance replacements, 64 storm-damage events, and nearly 13,000 feet of fiber replaced to date. Committee members questioned whether the original project anticipated this level of replacement and whether any forecast existed for maintenance under non-armored cable. Leadcore said it did not do a formal forecast and could not say whether the replacement rate was above or below norms, though it acknowledged the decision not to use armored cable came from the Kentucky side of the contract. Members also asked about whether replacements caused network degradation; Leadcore said it tries to replace cable at existing splice points to avoid degradation and, where needed, uses armored cable for replacement sections going forward. The committee then explored Leadcore’s relationship with Excel and KCNA. Leadcore said it has a service-level agreement for KCNA-related fibers but not for dark fibers used by Excel, and that Kentucky Wired fibers get priority on service requests. It said outages are reported through a 1-800 number and that it was not aware of any access problems to the huts. On the tech refresh, Leadcore said its understanding is that maintaining the network is its responsibility, but the technology refresh is not; it said only a very limited amount of refresh has occurred and that this did not match the original contract intent. Leadcore also said it had not been asked to defer maintenance. The chair closed by saying the testimony would inform a committee report and that he intended to recommend clawing back or withholding some previously authorized Kentucky Wired and refresh funding until an audit is complete, with the committee to vote on a report later.

Transcript Highlights:

• the state engineer. the state engineer.
• I'm Jack my deputy state engineer. engineer. engineer. >> Uh,<00:54:57.680> Mr.
• questions for the state engineers questions for the state engineers office?
• . engineer.
• We agree with the State Engineer.

Bills: SF0050, SF0068, SF0084, HB0087, HB0029, HB0061, HB0090

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, irrigation, water management, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, water development

Transcript Highlights:

• So, Alabama in 2003 in chemical engineering. Alabama in 2003 in chemical engineering.
• > endowment engineering scholarship uh endowment engineering scholarship uh endowment there.<00
• <00:11:04.560> to chemical engineering scholarships to chemical engineering scholarships to
• vice president for Hard Grove Engineers vice president for Hard Grove Engineers and<00:11:15.200
• <00:11:18.959> from little bit over 400 uh, engineers from little bit over 400 uh, engineers

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think I need to check with the county engineers and city engineers, probably more likely county or
• <00:34:58.079> and<00:34:58.440> City<00:34:58.720> Engineers county engine
• and City Engineers county engine and City Engineers associate<00:34:59.920> probably<00:35:00.400
• c> and County Engineers our city engineers and County Engineers our city engineers and those<01:23
• <01:35:38.320> Mr mcferson and NOA County engineer Mr mcferson and NOA County engineer Mr

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the city engineer for the city of Winona.
• engineering. They have to hire somebody. engineering. They have to hire somebody.
• He is here our water district engineer.
• I am an engineer engineer engineer that<01:21:19.320> specializes<01:21:20.120> in<01:21
• Slick: appoint the engineer and oversee the process.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <03:41:54.479> another their fees another their fees another $1.5<03:41:56.720> million
• Uh, we should be decreasing fees. The bill increases fees $1.5 million.
• Um, you know the proposed fees in article six increases filing fees that would generate more revenue
• Um, you know the proposed fees in article six increases filing fees that would generate more revenue
• Senator Lang votes I. raise fees. But what we have going on, raise fees.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Their funding comes through a per-parcel fee. about transportation and probably the biggest, we heard
• Their funding comes through a per parcel fee.
• Their funding comes through a per-parcel fee, a real estate transaction fee. That fee is $3.
• Several members proposed legislation to try to increase that fee, but that legislation did not move in
• we're literally talking about a plant, but this compound is in such trace amounts that chemical engineers

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , the board of professional engineers, the board of professional engineers, architects,<00:08:53.680
• , board of professional engineers, board of professional engineers, architects,<00:11:25.760>
• , the Board of Professional Engineers, the Board of Professional Engineers, Architects,<00:47:10.720
• /c> professional engineers, architects, professional engineers, architects, surveyors,<00:47:19.920><
• ,<00:47:40.720> Architects, Professional Engineers, Architects, Professional Engineers, Architects

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection held a confirmation hearing on a long list of nominees to state boards and commissions. Early nominees included David Padilla to the State Boxing Commission, Steven Pine to the Board of Dentistry, Deborah McMmen to the Board of Acupuncture, Tiffany Lyn Hmel and Gabriel Aay to the Board of Veterinary Medicine, Nathan Eslin to the Cable Advisory Committee, John Takitani and Tony Lao to the Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects, John Arbles to the State Board of Public Accountancy, and later nominees to the Board of Psychology, Board of Pharmacy, Hawaii Medical Board, Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Board of Chiropractic, Board of Physical Therapy, Board of Private Detectives and Guards, and the Real Estate Commission. Most nominations were for terms expiring in 2027, 2028, or 2029, with one Real Estate Commission term expiring in 2026. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support. DCCA and the relevant boards or commissions generally stood on written testimony supporting each nominee, and many individual supporters also testified, including professional associations, industry representatives, and community members. Several nominees briefly addressed the committee, expressing appreciation and interest in continuing or beginning service. The committee asked a few questions on some nominations, especially about the Real Estate Commission and the Board of Private Detectives and Guards, where members discussed condominium-related complaints, association practices, and whether the board could do more to assist security personnel; the nominee said staffing and authority limits constrained additional training or oversight. For the Real Estate Commission, members also asked about broader housing and market conditions, and the nominee said inventory shortages and housing supply issues remained a major concern. No opposition testimony or contentious votes were described in the transcript. The chair repeatedly asked whether there were questions or additional testimony, and after each nominee the committee generally moved on without objection. The hearing was focused on receiving testimony and evaluating the nominees for later confirmation rather than taking final action during the meeting.