Video & Transcript Research : 'Texas Government Code Chapter 418'
Page 187 of 500
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration Apr 28th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- This is really government in action.
- And no, we appreciate that because this is how government works.
- And no, we appreciate that because this is how government works.
- We don't want to duplicate efforts in state government, for sure.
- But they also operate networks in Texas... ...but they also operate networks in Texas and Florida, I
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Aug 19th, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- Do I put my business on the Texas side or the New Mexico side?
- There are many benefits of these newer codes.
- And they're building homes that currently exceed the codes of the current building codes.
- The cost to meet these new codes has been greatly overstated by some.
- Shoring up the building code, as Renee pointed out.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Section 64.009 of the election code governs curbside voting.
- House Bill 4171 amends the election code so that Mr.
- House Bill 3632 unifies the Texas election code to align with federal law, while balancing voter access
- Even if we're not having one of those in Texas, it can affect a Texas voter's mail ballot if it happens
- Texas Election Integrity Protection Act establishes a criminal offense for government officials who potentially
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Sunset Advisory Commission Jan 15th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- , and the Texas Ethics Commission.
- This modification would exempt the lobby compensation thresholds in Government Code 305.005 from inflation
- This recommendation amends section 254.042 of the Texas Election Code to limit the late filing penalty
- government.
- We are here to find ways to improve the efficiency and accountability of Texas government.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- So for example, the Council on State Government Justice Center - this was a Texas study - and they looked
- We also work within the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and we work also with the Texas Department
- This is the most impacted by gangs and juvenile crime of any zip code in the state of Texas.
- Code.
- The Texas Juvenile Justice Code states among its purposes to provide treatment, training, and rehabilitation
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (01/29/2025)
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Transcript Highlights:
- in the child’s bodily injury to the child or the child becomes a victim of any offense under RSA chapter
- <00:37:09.760>
632a <00:37:10.760>or of any offense under RSA chapter 632a or of any - offense under RSA chapter 632a or 649a<00:37:13.560>
as <00:37:13.720>a <00:37:13.920>< - um the people in this don't codes um the people in this don't actually<00:51:52.720>
have <00: - criminal code, I don't think that's a significant concern.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- Our officers are licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
- Family Code 261.109 and Texas Penal Code 39.06, to hold those individuals accountable rather than implement
- And we started with kindergarten, which isn't mandatory in Texas.
- It's the same thing with Texas, sir, with Texas A&M, yes, sir. Senator West: I apologize.
- In 2023, approximately 781,000 Texas children and...
Keywords:
election laws, attorney general, prosecution, criminal offenses, voting integrity, education, property values, school districts, comptroller, funding formula
Summary:
The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met to hear testimony on a full agenda of education-related bills. Several measures were laid out and left pending, including HB 322 to allow JET Grant funds to be used for subscription-based and ongoing technology costs for career and technical education; HB 3062 to require fentanyl and drug-poisoning prevention instruction for entering college students; HB 121 to update school safety laws, including TEA peace officer commissions, annual renewal of certain safety exceptions, new reporting requirements, and special education behavior threat assessment changes; HB 3627 to let the State Board of Education chair employ staff; HB 5515 to curb inflated shipping and handling charges on instructional materials; HB 2674 to prohibit new state regulation of homeschool programs; HB 2310 to require a statewide strategic plan for early learning and inclusion for young children with disabilities; HB 367 to standardize documentation for excused absences due to serious illness; HB 1178 to speed certification for out-of-state educators and military spouses; and HB 1481 to expand cell phone restrictions to the full school day.
Testimony was generally supportive on most bills, with some concerns raised on HB 121 about school district police departments investigating misconduct and on HB 2674 about how it would interact with the new ESA program in SB 2. HB 5515 drew support from instructional materials coordinators who described extreme shipping invoices and argued the bill would restore transparency and fiscal responsibility. HB 2310 was supported by disability advocates and early learning groups, who said a coordinated state plan would improve access and inclusion for children with disabilities. HB 367 was presented as a simple clarification to reduce confusion for medically vulnerable students and families, and HB 1178 was described by TEA as a modest pathway that would help bring experienced out-of-state teachers into Texas schools more quickly.
HB 126, updating Texas’ NIL law to align with the pending House settlement and allow direct payments and pre-enrollment NIL agreements, received extensive testimony from university counsel and committee questioning about the settlement, recruiting, and future college athletics rules. HB 1481, expanding school cell phone restrictions from instructional time to the entire school day, drew strong support from parents, students, educators, and advocates who linked phones to distraction, cyberbullying, and mental health harms; one teacher asked for flexibility so phones could still be used for limited academic tasks. No bills were voted out; each measure heard was left pending subject to the call of the chair, and the committee then recessed to attend the floor session.
NH
Transcript Highlights:
- this a littering of our criminal codes this a littering of our criminal codes with<02:52:37.359>
- So I like lesser criminal code cases.
- <03:39:18.639>
has the IRS or federal government has the IRS or federal government has decided - , procedure in the Internal Revenue Code, procedure in the Internal Revenue Code, which<03:41:07.120
- /c><04:12:28.798>
minds <04:12:29.040>a federal government lost their minds a federal government
Summary:
The Judiciary Committee opened a hearing on House Bill 1067-FN, which would formalize and expand mental health courts in New Hampshire and create a grant-based funding structure for them. Representative Mark Pearson, the prime sponsor, described the bill as a bipartisan, compassionate, and cost-effective approach that would connect people with mental illness to treatment and supervision instead of incarceration, while still holding them accountable. He said the proposal was developed with input from the judicial branch, law enforcement, corrections, mental health organizations, and others, and emphasized that local courts could tailor programs to their needs.
Committee members questioned the bill’s fiscal note, whether the legislature had previously studied the issue, how the program would be funded, and whether the bill should more explicitly address treatment, prevention, and data collection. Representative Buzz Sher, who helped develop the bill, explained how mental health courts work, including referral, clinical and public-safety assessments, case management, goal-setting, and graduation from the program. He said existing New Hampshire mental health courts are mostly partial and county-funded, and that the bill would formalize them, set standards, and allow grant funding. He also cited data from Georgia and New Hampshire suggesting significant savings from reduced incarceration and related costs.
Members also raised concerns about due process, whether people not formally charged could be swept into the system, and whether individuals with violent offenses or domestic violence histories could be diverted inappropriately. Sher responded that only people already in the criminal justice process are eligible and that courts use safety assessments to screen out most violent cases. The committee requested that Sher file supporting financial data from other jurisdictions, and he agreed to do so. No vote or final action was taken during the hearing.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
House - Appropriations and Finance Mar 19th, 2025
House Appropriations & Finance
Transcript Highlights:
- We live in a territory where El Paso Electric serves both New Mexico and Texas, and we see every single
- We have a lot of tools in Texas.
- You see it by the growth; we have a ton of growth in Texas and New Mexico, not as much.
- I'm Camilla Feibelman with the Sierra Club's Rio Grande Chapter.
- I just want, so I would say that 90 days after being chaptered, it would go into effect.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
- and the relevant government code.
- The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is alleging that the federal government specifically..
- There was a time when the federal... government said, "Huh, Texas is an outlier," like we weren't even
- specifically looking at Texas Education Code Section 33001637115 and 3835.
- According to Section 33005 of the Texas Education Code, school counselors are required to plan, implement
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Child Custody Review Task Force Feb 23rd, 2026 at 10:00 am
Transcript Highlights:
- I married my first wife in Texas in 2005.
- The only reason I decided to stay in Minnesota and not move back to Texas was for my two sons.
- Sissors in this state, slappy, all those court cases that are supposed to be governing how we, we'll
- Yeah, so you're talking about the new chapter 14-07.7 of all the civil protection orders.
- And so there would be nothing that would stop, nothing in North Dakota law, you know, Century Code, I
Summary:
The Child Custody Review Task Force met with a quorum, approved the prior meeting minutes, and reviewed a memorandum compiling member suggestions for possible legislation. The memo grouped ideas into topics including creation of a family court, expanded education for parents, attorneys, and judges, expedited hearings for parenting-time violations, limiting law enforcement involvement in custody disputes, creating parenting time expediters, and adopting more uniform court procedures. Members also discussed whether to form subcommittees, but the task force decided to continue working as a full committee rather than create subcommittees at this time.
The committee then heard testimony from Dr. John Perez, a mental health professional, who described his personal custody experience and his professional work with families he believes have been affected by parental alienation. He argued for stronger education, faster court response times, and better tools to address intentional interference with parenting time. Members questioned him about his case history, the concept of parental alienation, and whether specialized family courts or judges with family-law training could help. Dr. Perez said a dedicated family court and faster hearings would likely have helped his situation.
The task force spent substantial time discussing the possible creation of a family court. Judge Hovey supported the idea of a specialized family court or at least a study of one, saying family cases are distinct from ordinary adversarial litigation and that judges with family-law experience could better handle them. Several members agreed that a family court could improve consistency, expertise, and speed, but others cautioned that the task force’s current directive is focused on enforcement of existing orders rather than broader custody policy, and noted that voters had previously rejected equal shared parenting proposals. The group also discussed expedited procedures for parenting-time disputes, with Judge Hovey suggesting a 30-day hearing timeline may be workable.
On education, members generally supported requiring parents to complete a parenting education course and adding educational materials explaining court process, child support, and what judges can and cannot do. Mr. McLean suggested a short instructional video for litigants and more family-law education for judges and attorneys, while Ms. Moldenhauer said education could be incorporated into scheduling orders or mediation orders. Members also discussed the Parents Forever course, including whether it should be mandatory in all counties and whether cost is a barrier; no vote was taken on any of these proposals.
HI
Hawaii 2025 Regular Session
JHA Public Hearing - Wed Feb 5, 2025 @ 2:00 PM HST
Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Transcript Highlights:
- among government and law enforcement<00:29:18.240>
coming <00:29:18.720>to <00:29:18.919 - Next bill, House Bill 306 relating to water code penalties.
- <01:25:40.760>
penalties 306 relating to water code penalties 306 relating to water code penalties - and makes each day that state water code and makes each day that a<01:25:47.800>
violation <01 - So they can impose a maximum fine of $5,000 per violation of the state Water Code.
Summary:
The committee first considered House Bill 1324, which would require the Judiciary to contract for legal services for residential tenants in landlord-tenant disputes and allow attorneys, paralegals, and law students to provide those services, with an appropriation. The Department of the Attorney General recommended removing reference to Hawaii Public Housing Authority tenants because HPHA eviction proceedings are administrative and could conflict with the bill. Hawaii Appleseed and other testifiers strongly supported the measure, citing studies showing much higher tenant retention when counsel is available, and suggested adding notice of the right to counsel at key points such as rent increases, eviction notices, and lease signing. The committee adopted amendments, including the Attorney General’s suggested change and a technical amendment, and passed the bill out with a recommendation to move it forward; members voted aye, with one member voting with reservations and several excused.
The committee then heard House Bill 126 on property forfeiture, which would increase transparency and accountability in civil asset forfeiture by clarifying covered property, changing disposition rules, and removing language requiring liberal construction of the forfeiture act. The Attorney General said forfeiture remains an important law enforcement tool and that the bill would not impair its use. The Office of the Public Defender supported the measure but argued civil forfeiture is broadly problematic because many people cannot meaningfully challenge it and are not entitled to counsel. Honolulu Police Department opposed the bill, saying forfeiture is useful in fighting illegal activity and that added procedures would delay enforcement and reduce operational funding from forfeiture proceeds. Community Alliance on Prisons, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and other supporters urged reform or abolition of civil forfeiture, citing transparency concerns and the risk of abuse. No vote on HB 126 was taken in the portion provided.
The final measure discussed was House Bill 166, which would require the state to defend professionally licensed or certified state employees in certain civil actions, allow employees to hire their own counsel at their own expense, and set a process for the Attorney General to transfer or withdraw representation if the state declines to defend. Testimony from the Hawaii Association for Justice and labor representatives was in strong support, describing the bill as a negotiated clarification that balances employee protections with accountability and noting it had passed previously but died in conference. The transcript cuts off before any committee action on HB 166.
NH
New Hampshire 2025 Regular Session
House Education Policy and Administration (02/19/2025)
Transcript Highlights:
- of conduct and the code of ethics.
- parents are already included in the code parents are already included in the code of<01:01:16.559
- think that's kind of government think that's kind of government overreach<02:20:08.399>
and - decisions without government decisions without government mandates<04:38:46.480>
masking < - Thank you. about Frederick Douglas with a chapter about Frederick Douglas with a chapter that<06:26:41.160
Summary:
The committee opened with House Bill 184, which would create a committee to study changing school start times. Members discussed Amendment 0394, which made the study committee’s duties more investigative and adjusted reporting recipients, including the Governor. Several members raised questions about whether the committee should review evidence-based studies, local district decisions, and existing district reports; supporters said the amendment would better allow the committee to gather information and recognize local control. The amendment passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Representative Litchfield noted that no one had testified in opposition and encouraged the future study committee to review an Oyster River School District report on school start times.
The committee then took up House Bill 394, concerning cooperative school district budget committees and board member representatives. Amendment 0476 was adopted 17-0 after discussion that it clarified the bill’s language and reflected work with the School Boards Association. The committee then voted OTPA on the bill, which also passed 17-0. House Bill 738, requiring background checks for employees and volunteers at certain non-public schools or education service providers receiving public funds, was moved inexpedient to legislate. Supporters said the bill would create practical and legal problems for private citizens and homeschooling families, and the motion passed 15-2 with no minority report, placing the bill on consent.
The committee next considered House Bill 235, which would amend the educator code of ethics and conduct to add responsibilities to parents. Supporters argued parents should be explicitly included in the code, while opponents said parents were already covered in existing ethics language and statute. The bill passed narrowly, 9-8. The committee then returned to House Bill 532 on alternate dispute resolution and individualized education plan team meeting facilitation. Amendment 0480H clarified that different rules would apply separately to neutral conference, mediation, and IEP facilitation; it passed 17-0, and the bill as amended also passed 17-0. Finally, the committee moved to House Bill 564, concerning adoption of school administrative unit budgets, and voted to retain the bill for further review because members said there was still confusion about how it would apply to single-district and multi-district SAUs.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Housing Dec 5th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- Going from commercial to, in terms of the residential code versus the building code.
- building code and the residential code.
- Building code, that's right. Share it. in terms of the residential code versus the building code.
- codes.
- codes.
Summary:
The Senate Housing Committee heard a series of work-session presentations focused on transit-oriented development, commercial-to-residential redevelopment, building code implementation, housing market trends, and the Covenant Homeownership Program. The first presentation, from the Urban Institute, reviewed research on HB 1491 and TOD feasibility, arguing that Washington has made major progress but faces diverging conditions across transit areas. The presenter said rising construction costs, higher interest rates, and lower rents in some markets have made many projects less feasible, and recommended targeted infrastructure funding for lower-market communities, adjustments to MFTE and affordability requirements by local market conditions, more support for very low-income housing in high-market transit areas, minimum density standards near stations, expanded public land/joint development tools, and better tracking of TOD outcomes over time. Committee members asked about AMI calculations, immigration’s effect on construction labor, developer input, and whether a tracking mechanism had been removed from the bill.
The Department of Commerce then outlined implementation of HB 1491 and demonstrated the new Washington Zoning Atlas, which is live and intended to help visualize zoning, overlays, and station-area conditions. Commerce said local governments will designate station areas, update zoning and MFTE policies, and handle anti-displacement measures, with Vancouver and Spokane first to implement and Puget Sound following later. Staff described a timeline for updated MFTE guidance, station-area implementation guidance, a TOD model ordinance, and later rulemaking on variances. The committee also heard from the Lieutenant Governor’s office on a report about converting commercial properties to housing, which found substantial potential for redevelopment on vacant or underused commercial land, especially near transit, but noted barriers such as ground-floor retail mandates, affordability requirements, infrastructure costs, private covenants, and slow implementation. The office urged by-right residential use on commercial land and faster rollout of new housing laws.
The State Building Code Council updated the committee on its three-year code cycle and several legislatively directed actions, including minimum dwelling size, emergency shelters, and especially single-exit stairs and multiplex housing. Council staff said those code changes are nearing completion and will provide prescriptive solutions, while noting that elevator size and requirements were not changed and would require separate legislative direction if the committee wanted to revisit them. Members discussed the cost impacts of building and energy codes and the council said it is required to consider economic impacts and is increasingly looking at performance-based approaches. Later, the Washington Center for Real Estate Research presented its annual housing report, showing that higher mortgage rates have sharply reduced affordability, flattened house prices in many cities, and slowed single-family permitting and completions, while multifamily construction has recently cooled after a prior surge. Finally, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission reported strong first-year results for the Covenant Homeownership Program, which provides zero-interest down payment assistance to eligible first-time buyers with family ties to Washington before 1968; the program assisted 547 homebuyers in its first fiscal year, with more than $60 million loaned, and the agency said participation has continued to grow after income-limit changes enacted in 2025.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Senate Committee on Finance (Part II) Jan 28th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- But really, the 10-hour workday has really, really saved us in East Texas, West Texas, and the Texas
- but be paid... ...it is and report to the governor of Texas but be paid by the federal government.
- The Texas side, the cities on the Texas side are safe.
- Government Code.
- I think most of your local codes call for that, and the local fire chiefs and local government folks
Summary:
The Senate Finance Committee heard the Legislative Budget Board’s overview of the Texas Department of Public Safety’s 2026-27 budget, followed by extensive testimony from DPS leadership. The LBB presentation covered funding and staffing changes across driver license services, facilities, troopers and recruit schools, crime labs, vehicle and aircraft operations, and border security. The recommendations included added support for customer service staffing and trooper hiring, but did not include several DPS exceptional items such as major driver license staffing and technology requests, new regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio, and other capital projects. Members also discussed proposed rider changes, including a new rider to lapse unused trooper funding and require reporting after recruit schools.
Much of the committee’s questioning focused on driver license operations, where senators criticized long call wait times, low call-answer rates, appointment delays, and what they viewed as an overreliance on adding staff rather than improving processes. DPS and LBB witnesses said the agency is pursuing some technology upgrades, including automation, online pre-population of applications, and appointment-system improvements, but acknowledged that the driver license division remains a major problem area. Senators also raised concerns about whether the 2019 efficiency study led to meaningful changes and whether the agency should consider broader process redesign or even a different administrative structure.
Colonel Freeman and other DPS officials then defended the agency’s broader law enforcement and border-security work, emphasizing the need for the Williamson County training academy, the 500 additional troopers funded in prior sessions, and continued support for Operation Lone Star. They described DPS’s role in border interdiction, threat-to-life investigations, oilfield theft cases, Capitol and Alamo security, and highway safety, and said the agency is stretched thin by deployments and overtime. Members asked about border reimbursement possibilities, regional staffing differences, pursuit safety, fleet and aircraft replacement needs, and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame museum. No votes or formal actions were taken in the portion provided.
NM
New Mexico 2025 Regular Session
IC - Water and Natural Resources Nov 18th, 2025
Water & Natural Resources Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- And if you go, if you put your phone on that QR code, you can actually get to our website that has all
- More support to the institutions and local governments to prepare for.
- It's blowing that top soil clear into Texas.
- I guess I need to start paying taxes over in Texas because that's where all this dirt is going.
- Where again, going back to the federal government.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary (9-18-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- <00:37:32.560>
for refer to the federal government for refer to the federal government for - Louisville has never thumbed its nose at the federal government with respect to immigration.
- Next week, I'm going to Texas. I'm going to Baylor and UT Austin, Texas Southern, and South Texas.
- including um Ohio and I think um Texas including um Ohio and I think um Texas maybe<01:44:56.480
- >> Texas, Minnesota, Georgia >> Texas, Minnesota, Georgia >> and<01:44:59.760>
Keywords:
Meeting Start: 00:00:00
Roll Call: 00:00:07
26RS BR 8 - AN ACT relating to machine gun conversion devices: 00:01:33
Department of Public Advocacy Update: 00:51:33
26RS BR 126 - AN ACT relating to boating under the influence: 01:23:46
26RS BR 60 - AN ACT relating to grooming: 01:33:23, 958, all
Summary:
The committee met with a quorum, approved the August 29 minutes, and then heard testimony on a bill relating to machine gun conversion devices, often described as Glock switches or auto sears. Representative Jason Nemis presented the bill with Louisville police Chief Paul Humphrey and Lt. Drew Fox, arguing the measure would mirror existing federal law, make possession of these devices unlawful under Kentucky law, and give state and local law enforcement authority to seize and prosecute them without relying solely on federal agencies. They said the devices are small aftermarket or 3D-printed parts that convert semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons and emphasized that the bill would not affect lawful gun ownership.
The presenters cited rising seizures and public-safety concerns, saying LMPD and Jefferson County seizures increased sharply from 2023 to 2024 and that the average age of possession had dropped. They argued the devices are used offensively, are inaccurate and dangerous, and have been linked to violent crime. Two Alabama legislators, Representatives Philip Ensler and Russell Bedsole, testified in support based on Alabama’s recent enactment of a similar law. They said local police and prosecutors there had been unable to act effectively because the devices were handled mainly by federal authorities, and they described bipartisan support, immediate enactment, and reported confiscations after passage.
Members asked about the bill’s penalty level, the source and manufacture of the devices, the scope of the definition of “conversion device,” and whether the bill could create constitutional problems given ongoing federal litigation over machine gun restrictions. The sponsors said the penalty would be a Class C felony and that the bill was intended to cover only the device attached to the firearm, not tools like 3D printers. They acknowledged that if federal machine gun laws were ultimately struck down, the state law would also be unenforceable. Some members supported the bill as common-sense public safety legislation, while Representative Roberts opposed it on Second Amendment grounds, arguing Kentucky should focus on expanding gun rights rather than adding restrictions already covered by federal law.
US
US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session
US House Floor Proceedings (Monday, February 2, 2026)
US Federal House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Code.
- McCumber, Clerk. >> For purposes, the gentleman from Texas seeks recognition. >> Mr.
- Saturday was a great day for progress in Texas from Houston to Fort Worth.
- Governor McMaster is correct: "The state government is in superior physical shape.
- IN THE MIDST OF THE DEPRESSION, AND THEY SAW THE WORST OF GOVERNMENT IN JIM CROW.
TX
Texas 89th Regular
Sunset Advisory Commission Jan 15th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- , and the Texas Ethics Commission.
- We will also Trinity River Authority of Texas and the Texas Ethics Commission.
- This modification would exempt the lobby compensation thresholds in Government Code 305.005 from inflation
- This recommendation amends Section 254.042 of the Texas Election Code to limit the late filing penalty
- government.
Summary:
The Sunset Advisory Commission met for its final meeting of the biennium, established a quorum, and approved the December 11, 2024 meeting minutes. Members then voted on staff recommendations for several agencies, including the Angelina and Nettie River Authority, Lower Nettie Valley Authority, and Trinity River Authority of Texas, adopting all recommendations without objection. For the Texas Ethics Commission, the Commission adopted staff recommendations, including two modifications to recommendation 1.2: one to exempt lobby compensation thresholds from inflation adjustments and revert them to statutory levels, and another to round inflation-adjusted amounts to practical increments.
The Commission also adopted eight new Texas Ethics Commission recommendations. These addressed late filing penalties, including limiting accrual for eight-day reports through election day, excluding the first post-election semiannual report from daily penalties, waiving penalties when notice cannot be shown, reviewing the definition of substantial compliance for corrected reports, reviewing the definition of principal purpose to reduce unnecessary campaign finance reporting burdens, improving public access to delinquent penalty information on the TEC website, and expanding training and plain-language guidance on lobbying and filing requirements. The Commission also adopted two previously omitted Texas Department of Criminal Justice recommendations, 6.5 and 6.6.
By recorded vote, the Commission unanimously forwarded all recommendations adopted during the biennium to the 89th Legislature, with nine ayes. Sunset staff then reported on implementation of 2023 Sunset recommendations, stating that the State Auditor found 89% of selected management actions fully implemented and that Sunset staff found 68% of 163 statutory and related changes fully implemented, with most remaining items in progress or partially implemented. The Commission also briefly noted receipt of a Texas Lottery Commission evaluation concerning executive leadership and potential regulation of lottery ticket courier companies, but no further action was taken on that item. The meeting concluded with closing remarks and a motion to recess subject to the call of the chair.
TX
Texas 89th 2nd C.S.
Sunset Advisory Commission Jan 15th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- , and the Texas Ethics Commission.
- We will also Trinity River Authority of Texas and the Texas Ethics Commission.
- And this modification would exempt the lobby compensation thresholds in Government Code 305.005 from
- This recommendation amends Section 254.042 of the Texas Election Code to limit the late filing penalty
- government.
Summary:
The Sunset Advisory Commission met for its final meeting of the biennium, established a quorum, and approved the December 11, 2024 minutes. Members then voted on staff recommendations for several agencies, including the Angelina and Netties River Authority, Lower Netties Valley Authority, and Trinity River Authority of Texas, adopting all recommendations for those entities without modification.
The Texas Ethics Commission received the most discussion. Members adopted a modified recommendation to exempt lobby compensation thresholds from inflation adjustments and another modification to round inflation-adjusted amounts. The Commission also adopted a series of new recommendations addressing TEC customer service staffing, late filing penalties, post-election reporting penalties, waiver of penalties when notice cannot be produced, review of the substantial compliance standard for corrected reports, review of the definition of principal purpose for campaign finance reporting, more prominent public posting of delinquent penalties, and clearer training and guidance on lobbying registration and filing requirements. The Commission also adopted two previously omitted Texas Department of Criminal Justice recommendations, 6.5 and 6.6.
The Commission then took its required final record vote to forward all recommendations adopted during the biennium to the 89th Legislature; the motion passed with nine ayes. Sunset staff provided a status update on implementation of 2023 Sunset recommendations, reporting that the State Auditor found 89% of selected management actions fully implemented and that Sunset staff found 68% of 163 statutory and related changes fully implemented, with the remainder mostly in progress. The meeting also noted the recently completed evaluation of the Texas Lottery Commission and ended with closing remarks from the chair and vice chair before the Commission recessed.