Transcript Highlights:

• SO 2601 also prohibits insurers from factoring in claims for damages incurred into insurance rate calculations
• session wherein he created this program that has been very beneficial to our landowners across South Texas
• My name is Steven Deeble, and I serve as first vice president of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers
• Our membership is grateful to Senator Blanco, this committee, and the Texas legislature for passing Senate
• Hinojosa, you recognized, you know, there's been, there's been a real challenge for us down in South Texas

Transcript Highlights:

• METRO redevelopment code and projects. Representative Patahom.
• This bill deals in a statute called the Metropolitan Redevelopment Code.
• This bill deals in a statute called the Metropolitan Redevelopment Code.
• What we learned from talking to property managers in Texas—and Texas legislators; Texas has a program
• Section 11 is adding an investigation of Metropolitan Redevelopment Code violations.

Bills: HB310, HB323, HM51, HB194

Keywords: museum, cultural affairs, lowrider, Espanola, appropriation, feasibility study, broadband access, low-income, rural areas, Indian nations, affordable internet, employment opportunities, detention centers, immigration, economic development, repurposing facilities, job transition, rural development, housing, affordable housing

Transcript Highlights:

• carrier Andor insurance the insurance carrier Andor insurance policy<01:25:08.040> is<01:25:08.159
• those folks all have Anthem Insurance those folks all have Anthem Insurance what<02:02:14.639>
• Is that the insurance company? I believe currently it is the insurance company, yes.
• > insurance<03:22:16.120> carrier carrier my insurance carrier carrier my insurance carrier
• don't have insurance companies they they don't have insurance companies they they insure<03:35:06.080

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm all over Louisiana and Texas. Texas has programs that allow discounts up to a dollar a gallon.
• Another code that typically gets put in that same boat is the National Electrical Code.
• And the only reason why that's in the plumbing code is because it's in the state sanitary code.
• And the only reason why that's in the plumbing code is because it's in the state sanitary code.
• Code.

Summary: The House Committee on Commerce met on May 18, 2026, with a quorum present and the chair noting it was the committee’s last meeting of the session. The committee first considered Senate Bill 254, which would prohibit certain excess debit card surcharges and authorize enforcement by the Attorney General. After adopting technical amendments and a committee amendment requiring written notice before a private right of action, the bill was reported favorably as amended. The committee then took up Senate Bill 80 on broadband administration fees and GUMBO program closeout. Members questioned the proposed increase in administrative and contractor fees, the timing of project completion, and how withheld reimbursements would work for utility damage. After adopting several amendments, including cleanup language and a provision to restore the reimbursement process, the bill was reported favorably as amended, though the Louisiana Telecommunications Association voiced concerns about the withholding language and lack of a clearer fault-determination process. The committee next considered Senate Bill 469, updating the Louisiana Underground Utilities and Facilities Damage Prevention Law. Technical amendments were adopted, along with amendments clarifying that the bill’s 30-day notice to utility owner-operators is separate from existing GUMBO notice requirements and creating a rapid dispute-resolution process involving the Office of Broadband, the utility operator, and the local governing authority. Testimony from broadband and municipal stakeholders emphasized the need for quicker responses to excavation damage and better enforcement, while some witnesses raised concerns about the late amendment and the need for clearer recourse and standards. The bill was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 468, dealing with fuel rewards programs and fuel discount limits, was also amended to allow such discounts while capping them at $1 below the advertised price; it was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 131, concerning attorney’s fees and costs in professional licensing disciplinary proceedings, drew testimony from a cosmetology board representative and the Pelican Institute. Supporters argued the bill would curb incentives for boards to generate revenue through enforcement and give licensees a fairer opportunity to resolve cases; board testimony noted that some boards already have fee caps and that enforcement actions are relatively limited. After adopting an amendment clarifying when a licensee is the prevailing party, the bill was reported favorably as amended. Senate Bill 251 on critical infrastructure protection also received technical amendments and several substantive changes, including adding ports and airports to the definition of critical infrastructure, clarifying “significant access,” adding a knowledge requirement, and adjusting exemptions and enforcement timing; it was reported favorably as amended after testimony from State Armor representatives about foreign adversary threats. Finally, House Resolution 253 was introduced to create a task force to study how post-2005 building code additions and inspection requirements affect residential construction costs, with the sponsor explaining the goal was to gather industry input and return recommendations next session.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas Water Code.
• The chair calls, uh, Elizabeth McGee, Texas Land USA for the bill.
• My name is Elizabeth McGee, and I'm founder and CEO of Texas Land USA.
• Here now calls Trey Larry, uh, Texas Land USA LLC for the bill.
• Texas pedestrian traffic deaths increased by 20%.

Transcript Highlights:

• ACA 8 exists because Trump and the Republican controlled Texas legislature and other states like Indiana
• And California's response to Texas or any state that is trying to game the 2026 midterm elections.
• And I know this is to what Texas is doing and it's because the impact to Californians is so great and
• Texas is doing it. not leadership. It's abandoning our principles.
• There is a flexibility to ensure that restaurants do their menu with a QR code.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving to page 23, the Texas Military Department.
• Ryder for the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium.
• This is the available Texas University.
• This is for the Texas Tech University.
• On page 40, this is Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have EFile Texas, Research Texas, and now Court Analytics Texas.
• Texas' most similar.
• Certain sections of Chapter I'm sorry, Article Chapter 33 of the Texas Government Code to impose statutory
• Uh, we have many programs, many resources for the lawyers of Texas and for the people of Texas.
• And the Texas Rules of Disciplinary procedure.

Transcript Highlights:

• Jerry Bump, Acting Insurance Commissioner.
• So insurers to service this business.
• insurance insurance premiums.<00:29:42.240> we<00:29:42.880> and<00:29:43.039> that
• And much of the insurance coverage.
• So, it is Hawai uh, hurricane insurance.

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• the map color-coded that you received?
• There were no other codes or colors other than the map.
• They are calling me about insurance they cannot afford.
• They want us working on tackling rising property insurance.
• They're asking about their property insurance.

Summary: The Senate convened in special session with an opening prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then moved to the special order calendar to consider congressional redistricting legislation, beginning with Senate Bill 8D and then substituting the identical House Bill 1D. The bill would establish Florida’s congressional districts. Senator Gaetz, presenting the measure, said the Governor had proposed the map to address population growth and to draw race-neutral districts, and argued that mid-decade redistricting is legally permissible and has occurred before in Florida and other states. He repeatedly said the Legislature could accept, reject, or amend the proposal, but that the Governor had the prerogative to propose it. The floor debate focused heavily on the legality and timing of the map, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Louisiana redistricting decision was announced during the session. Several senators, including Rouson, Sharief, Smith, Polsky, Arrington, Bracy Davis, Bernard, Nathan, and Berman, questioned whether the map complied with the Florida Constitution’s Fair Districts Amendment, the Voting Rights Act, and equal protection principles. They raised concerns about the short notice, lack of statewide public hearings, the use of partisan data, the absence of sworn testimony from the Governor’s representatives, the claimed severability of the Fair Districts Amendment, and the impact on minority communities and communities of interest. Gaetz generally declined to offer legal opinions, saying those issues would ultimately be for the courts, but he relayed the Governor’s position that race-based provisions in the Fair Districts Amendment are unconstitutional and that the proposed map is race-neutral and compact. Members also debated whether the map’s population data and compactness scores justified the district lines, with critics arguing that the plan cracked and split communities in places such as Central Florida, Tampa Bay, and South Florida. Gaetz said the Governor’s office relied on 2020 census data plus updated population estimates from the Office of Economic and Demographic Research and the American Community Survey, and that the mapmaker said he drew the map himself without outside consultants. After questions concluded, the Senate adopted a motion to substitute HB 1D for SB 8D, read the bill a third time, and proceeded to debate the House bill. The transcript ends during debate, with no final vote on passage shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• associated with the property's ownership, which is not explicitly made confidential under the tax code
• number of a child as provided in exemption application confidential under Section 11.48 of the tax code
• Uh, and again we show you as the chief appraiser and and you're here on behalf of the Texas Association
• Chapter 6 of the Texas Property Tax Code provides the legal requirements for an appraisal district to
• no response is considered a yes vote, and it's consistent with other areas of Chapter 6 of the tax code

Transcript Highlights:

• um, District 64, Chavez, Roosevelt and Curry County, which is the eastern side of the state on the Texas
• I believe Texas passed through their legislation a ban that would be similar.
• The third thing is what the municipal League and the Self-insurers Fund is doing, uh, to help support
• state and, uh, as part of that, we have 65 law enforcement agencies that we, I assist with and we insure
• Um, basically what that is, is all of the policies for the member agencies of Self-insurers funds, 65

Transcript Highlights:

• But my cousin who lives in Texas is terrorized.
• afraid that things in Texas are going to change now with the new administration at the federal level
• That shouldn't be a partisan issue. cousin who lives in uh Texas is cousin who lives in uh Texas is terrorized
• is mostly Republican run Texas is mostly Republican run and<00:17:29.559> so<00:17:29.760>
• and so she's afraid that things in Texas and so she's afraid that things in Texas are<00:17:32.200

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: Senate POCI caucus members held a press event outlining their priorities for the session and framing them as a response to federal actions and rhetoric they described as harmful to Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrant, and other marginalized communities. Senator Zaynab Mohamed said the caucus would not be silent and emphasized goals including culturally responsive and accessible health care, protection from discrimination, fully funded education from cradle to college, an equitable bonding bill, and safe, dignified housing. Senator Erin Maye Quade said the caucus would fight efforts to “resegregate” society and highlighted support for strengthening the READ Act and advancing the Minnesota Building Families Act to cover infertility care through insurance. Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten pointed to recent DFL accomplishments such as the CROWN Act, restoring the vote, and the African-American Family Preservation Act, and urged colleagues to consider how legislation and budgets affect communities of color. She also said she would champion Minnesota Connecting Families, a proposal to make communication free for incarcerated people, along with a ban on legacy admissions and legislation preventing housing discrimination against Section 8 voucher holders. Senator Mary Kunesh reviewed education investments made over the past two years, including increased school funding, free lunches, library funding, pre-K expansion, the READ Act, and the Teachers of Color and Indigenous Act, and said her top priority is advancing an Equal Rights Amendment and protecting tribal sovereignty and treaty rights. Senator Susan Pha said the caucus remains necessary because people of color and immigrants still face discrimination, including her own family, and said the group would continue fighting for equality and opportunity. In response to questions, caucus members said they hoped for bipartisan support on some proposals but were prepared to use their majority if needed. They said they were not intimidated by the new federal administration or Republican control in Washington, argued that Minnesota should protect residents from federal harm, and criticized GOP efforts they characterized as attacks on DEI and racial equity. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas.
• road signs, Texas dump trailers, and Texas dump trucks and trailers.
• I'm a proud native of East Texas. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Texas.
• , real Texas.
• I'm the East Texas field representative for Texas Realtors.

Summary: The committee held a hearing on high-capacity groundwater wells proposed in Anderson, Henderson, and Houston counties, with members framing the issue as one of local water supply, fairness, and the need to modernize groundwater law while protecting private property rights. Opening remarks focused on the scale of the proposed Redtown Ranch and Pine Bliss projects, the potential export of tens of thousands of acre-feet of groundwater annually, and concerns that the applications lacked sufficient technical detail and could harm nearby landowners, cities, agriculture, and manufacturing. Members also noted the broader context of the recent flooding tragedy in central Texas and the Legislature’s intent to address water-related loss of life in the upcoming special session. Witnesses from the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts and the Texas Water Development Board explained the current groundwater management framework. They described groundwater conservation districts as the state’s preferred management method, the role of groundwater management areas and desired future conditions, and how the Water Development Board uses those conditions to calculate modeled available groundwater. They emphasized that districts rely on local data, monitoring wells, and planning processes, but that information is often more limited in areas without a district, where the rule of capture applies. Members pressed witnesses on recharge rates, export permits, subsidence, the effect of pumping on nearby wells, the age and real-time availability of model data, and whether the proposed project would exceed modeled available groundwater in some counties. TCEQ explained its limited oversight role over groundwater conservation districts, including inquiries, compliance actions, and, in extreme cases, dissolution authority. Water Development Board staff also outlined funding programs, saying the New Water Supply for Texas Fund is limited to projects such as brackish desalination, reuse, ASR, and other new-supply projects, and does not fund fresh groundwater exports alone. They said the project at issue had not applied for board funding. A water lawyer then testified on the rule of capture, ownership in place, and district regulation, arguing that districts must use permitting and other tools to manage production within modeled available groundwater and that the Legislature could consider additional authority over groundwater exports under current law.

Transcript Highlights:

• :40.800> rates<00:48:41.440> with next year's insurance rates with next year's insurance
• <00:49:06.960> coverage taking away health insurance coverage taking away health insurance
• higher costs for their health insurance. higher costs for their health insurance.
• Texas, Mr. Sessions. The is recognized. Texas, Mr. Sessions. The is recognized.
• <02:26:56.399> citizens, judges are elected by Texas citizens, judges are elected by Texas

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas. Mr.
• The gentleman from Texas. Yes, sir. Mr.
• , to amend Title 38, United States Code, to amend Title 38, United States Code, to<04:28:39.359><
• from Texas seek recognition? Mr. from Texas seek recognition? Mr.
• <07:25:10.558> to would weaponize the tax code to would weaponize the tax code to exacerbate

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Monday, May 19, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I wanted to mention that in Texas we have a coast.
• fueling facilities program, the Texas Natural Gas Vehicle Program, the Texas hydrogen Vehicle Infrastructure
• Uh, will become the Texas Large Fleet program.
• Some of the money going to Texas, to Texas A&M, um, you know, they do a great job of it.
• I'm here representing Texas State Inspection Association.

Transcript Highlights:

• as<00:52:02.640> well<00:52:02.800> as<00:52:02.960> the<00:52:03.200> Texas
• UIL and the sport, as well as the Texas UIL and the Connecticut<00:52:05.839> um<00:52:06.000
• A lot of states have already declared robotics as a sport, including Arizona, Connecticut, Texas, and
• literacy, um it also develops coding literacy, um it also develops early<00:58:27.200> development
• , including Arizona, Connecticut, Texas, including Arizona, Connecticut, Texas, and<00:58:42.000>

Bills: HB1813, HB2429, HB2423, HB1996, HB1851, HB2546, HB2028, HB2583, HB2490, HB2545, HB2114, HB1859, HB2534, HB2474, HB1863, HB2475

Keywords: taxation, general excise tax, use tax, exemptions, Hawaii Revised Statutes, tax expenditure, tax expenditure evaluation, tax credit review, tax incentive, tax exemption, use tax exemption, income tax credit, DBEDT, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, Department of Taxation, fiscal oversight, budget accountability, tax policy, revenue loss, public spending

Summary: The committee opened with HB 1813 on taxation and HB 2429 on tax expenditure evaluation, taking mostly written testimony and limited oral discussion. On HB 2429, the Tax Foundation and Department of Taxation raised privacy and federal-law concerns, warning that the bill could require taxpayers to file duplicative returns and could risk disclosure of federal tax information if released publicly. Members and witnesses discussed using anonymized or summary reporting instead of individual public release, with the department saying summarized data would be preferable and that the state can ask for the information as a policy matter, but individual public release could create problems. The committee then heard HB 2423 HD1 on biodiesel, where Pacific Biodiesel said it can supply all biodiesel needed for B5 in Hawaii without imports and asked to move the implementation date earlier to November 2027 to allow rollout planning. HB 1996 HB1 on hearing aids drew broad support; a disability access representative said earlier insurance-based efforts had run into administrative problems and that this bill would immediately lower costs for consumers. HB 1851 HD1, also related to hearing aids, received support from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, while the Tax Foundation argued the program would be better funded directly rather than through the tax system, citing overhead costs and blank provisions that should be filled in before passage. On HB 2546, the research activities tax credit, HCDC said the credit supports long-term R&D and should be converted from a first-come, first-served system to proration so more applicants receive some benefit; the agency described the credit as helping companies move from idea to commercialization and noted the state is leaving potential jobs and federal dollars on the table. HB 2028 HD1, relating to Labor Day for construction workers, drew support from labor representatives who said it recognizes construction workers and helps offset cost-of-living pressures, while the Tax Foundation opposed it as an industry-specific subsidy and flagged technical issues with undefined terms and blank credit amounts. The committee also heard HB 2583, HB 2490, HB 2545, HB 2114, and HB 1859 HD1. HB 2490, concerning coastal erosion at Mokuhiki Bay, received strong support from a temple representative who described severe shoreline loss, years of temporary emergency work, and the need for a long-term, nature-based solution in coordination with state agencies. HB 2545, involving HCDC and SBIR commercialization, was supported as a way to turn R&D into economic development; HCDC said it had more applications than it could fund and that the bill could help create high-wage jobs. HB 2114, the Hawaii Benefits Hub, received comments from ETS and DHS emphasizing support for the concept but cautioning that operational, policy, cybersecurity, and data-sharing standards must be carefully aligned. HB 1859 HD1 on workforce development drew strong support from workforce and philanthropic groups, who said Hawaii faces a long-term gap between projected living-wage jobs and the number of young people entering the workforce, and argued the bill would create durable infrastructure for coordination and long-term planning. No formal votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• policy and you're not self-insured, that insurance policy can make a settlement payment to...
• Our insurance, our property insurance rates are through the roof.
• We can't get insurance companies to want to insure us anymore.
• Nine insurance companies provided all of our insurance up to $67 million.
• Now we have 24 separate insurance companies that insure us up to $50 million.

Summary: The subcommittee first heard HB 6507, a claims bill for Marcus Button, who suffered severe permanent injuries in a 2006 school bus crash. Representative Andrade explained that a jury awarded Button more than $2 million in 2009, but only a small amount was paid under sovereign immunity limits. He said Pasco County later reached a settlement with Button, but believed it lacked legal authority to pay without legislative approval. The bill would give the county that authority. There was no opposition testimony, and the bill passed unanimously, 18-0. The committee then took up HB 301, which would substantially revise Florida’s sovereign immunity framework. Representative McFarland said the bill would raise liability caps for state and local governments from $200,000/$300,000 to $1 million/$3 million, with a later increase in 2030, align statutes of limitations with private suits, allow governments to settle above the caps without a claims bill, and prevent insurance policies from conditioning payment on legislative approval. She framed the bill as a way to reduce the need for the claims bill process and provide faster redress to injured people. Testimony on HB 301 was sharply divided. Local governments, school districts, counties, cities, hospital groups, and insurance representatives opposed the bill, arguing the higher caps would sharply increase insurance and taxpayer costs, especially for small or fiscally constrained entities, and that the claims bill process and special masters provide useful review and leverage. Supporters, including the Florida Justice Association and several members, argued the current system is too slow and political, leaves seriously injured people waiting years for compensation, and should be modernized to better hold government accountable. No vote was taken on HB 301 in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Government Code Section 103.024, Senate Resolution 5.
• Texas legislature, the Texas Senate specifically, has dealt with the call that once the subject matter
• government code, section 103.
• , or organizations that had a presence in Texas, and so Texas had. the authority to compel the leadership
• But they have offices in a number of locations, including Texas.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all