Transcript Highlights:

• This is the beginning of the process, and it's obvious how hard you work on different things.
• But for this process to work, we have to continue going through this.
• And to the local electeds here, I don't care what anybody says. You literally have the hardest job.
• That's how this process works.
• We started off this session saying we wanted a member-driven process.

Summary: The committee heard five housing- and resilience-related bills. HB 793 would create an International Aerospace Innovation Fund administered by Space Florida to support aerospace research, workforce development, and commercialization; it was amended with a clarifying change and passed unanimously. C.S. for HB 411 would extend an affordable housing property tax exemption to certain nonprofit projects on leased land through a housing finance authority, such as Habitat for Humanity projects; it also passed unanimously. HB 701 would require local housing assistance plans to allow mobile home owners on leased land to seek help with lot rent, and it passed unanimously after an amendment and testimony from mobile home advocates and AARP in support. The committee also considered C.S. for HB 393, which expands the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program to help eligible condominiums fund hurricane mitigation projects, including roof-related work, with added eligibility and inspection requirements. The bill drew support from condo and housing groups and passed unanimously with committee substitute. The final and most extensive measure, HB 943, would significantly revise state land-use and development rules to promote affordable housing by limiting local restrictions, changing zoning and approval standards, adjusting parking and impact fee rules, and expanding accessory dwelling unit and mixed-use provisions. It generated extensive testimony, with many local officials, city and county groups, and preservation advocates opposing it as overly broad and preemptive, while housing and business groups supported it. HB 943 was amended several times during the meeting, including changes related to church-owned property, parking, historic landmarks, manufactured homes as accessory dwelling units, and fair housing language. The sponsor repeatedly said the bill was a work in progress and that additional changes would be made. After debate from members emphasizing both the need for more housing and the need to preserve local control, the committee approved HB 943 on a 14-1 vote, with Rep. Casello voting no.

Transcript Highlights:

• As a recovering elected official, I can appreciate all the time and energy you put in.
• As a recovering elected official, I can appreciate all the time and energy you put in.
• And so, as an elected official of Miami Beach, you know, I have a duty and...
• It is a slow process because we all know it was a fiscal attachment to it.
• And pure facts are very important in this process. Again, a tough bill.

Summary: The Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee met and heard several bills on boating, anchoring, plastics, coastal resilience, and permitting. HB 735, expanding the Boating Improvement Program to fund boat-trailer parking at public ramps and offering a submerged land lease discount for manufacturers using environmental best practices, drew no opposition and was reported favorably. HB 371, a nature-based coastal resilience bill, was amended with a strike-all and then reported favorably with committee substitute. HB 287, allowing building or plumbing permits to move forward while septic system permits are still under review, also passed favorably after testimony from the onsite wastewater industry and a brief debate about construction delays and final occupancy certification. The committee also took up HB 565 on auxiliary containers, which would preempt local regulation of items like bags, cups, and bottles and maintain statewide uniformity. The sponsor argued it protects consumer choice and business consistency, while environmental groups, PTA representatives, and others warned it would worsen plastic pollution, microplastics, and local cleanup burdens. Despite opposition and a 13-5 vote with several members opposed, the bill was reported favorably. Members also discussed HB 565’s policy background, including prior DEP studies and the tension between state preemption and local environmental regulation. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 565 in the transcript’s boating context, actually HB 565 on anchoring limitations in Biscayne Bay and other heavily impacted areas. Supporters from Miami Beach and North Bay Village said derelict and anchored vessels are harming waterways, seagrass, public safety, and enforcement efforts, while cruisers and boating groups argued the bill would displace responsible boaters and fail to solve derelict-vessel problems. The committee adopted an amendment, then reported the bill favorably with committee substitute by an 18-0 vote. The meeting concluded after all agenda items were completed and the subcommittee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just processing your information.
• process process follow<01:04:07.079> 1800<01:04:08.200> corer<01:04:09.200> as<
• <01:12:59.679> and meaningful impact on the process and meaningful impact on the process and
• <02:03:51.559> um early on during the LSR process um early on during the LSR process um this
• <04:37:36.480> as teaching students work processing as teaching students work processing as

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 129, which would redefine “evidence-based” in public education to require objective, science-based evidence for pedagogical methods. The prime sponsor said the bill is a verbatim reintroduction from the prior session and argued that current federal definitions are too vague, allowing subjective surveys and other weak evidence to justify teaching methods. He said the bill is limited to pedagogy, not subject matter, and is intended to improve student outcomes, reduce fad-driven practices, and potentially save money by limiting unnecessary retraining and new materials. Members asked repeatedly about the bill’s scope, including whether it would affect classroom teachers, curriculum content, and existing instructional approaches such as phonics versus whole language or queuing. The sponsor said the bill applies to state and local education bodies and educator training policies, not individual teachers in their classrooms, and that teachers would retain flexibility. He also said standardized testing could be part of a scientific study but is not itself a study, and that textbook providers could be asked to furnish the studies supporting instructional guidance included in their materials. Several members raised concerns about the fiscal note and possible cost shifts to local districts and taxpayers. The sponsor disputed the idea that the bill would necessarily create major new costs or require additional staff, saying any costs would likely be limited and that the department is already applying federal evidence-based rules. He also said if some current methods are not science-based, updating them would be justified even if there were some initial expense. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We are grateful for those who participate in the process and advocate with conviction.
• Today we have some elected officials from Somerton, Arizona, known as the best little city for business
• Thank you for coming all the way from Somerton to meet with your elected officials.
• Senate Bill 1133 is withdrawn from the Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs, and Elections and additionally
• Energy, and Water and additionally referred to the Committee on Federalism, Military Affairs, and Elections

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• will go through a lot of testimony, are things that were discussed and agreed to in a stakeholder process
• will go through a lot of testimony, are things that were discussed and agreed to in a stakeholder process
• I want to make a bill that works, and I've had a stakeholder process.
• Senate Bill 2021 creates an onerous process for solar homeowners that could eliminate home and small
• Our board members are Texas public employees that run for election, or retirees that run for election

Bills: SB75, SB715, SB776, SB1299, SB1405, SB1968, SB2021, SB2077, SB2148, SB2321, SB2330, SB2411

Keywords: electric generation, reliability, ERCOT, Public Utility Commission, penalties, performance requirements, energy policy, construction contracts, compensatory damages, government delays, contractor, legislation, nonprofit donor privacy, membership lists, supporter confidentiality, volunteer privacy, association rights, public records exemption, Texas Public Information Act, government transparency

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce heard Senate Bill 2021 by Senator Johnson, as substituted, on distributed energy resources (DERs). Johnson said the bill was intended to create a regulatory framework for DERs and virtual power plants, address interconnection and registration issues, and prevent regulatory capture as the industry grows. Testimony was split: Texas Electric Cooperatives asked for clarification so co-ops would not be unintentionally excluded from owning or operating DERs; AECT supported the bill as providing needed rules and customer protections; TABA, Texas Solar and Storage Association, Sierra Club, Texas Solar Energy Society, and several others opposed it or raised concerns that it was too utility-centric, imposed red tape, and could burden homeowners and small businesses with registration and interconnection requirements. Johnson repeatedly said the bill was not meant to stop rooftop solar or backup systems and that he was open to specific redlines and further changes. SB 2021 was left pending after testimony. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2330 by Senator Parker, which would end government payroll deduction for dues to certain public employee organizations, while exempting first responders under Chapters 143 and 147 and making other conforming changes in a committee substitute. Parker argued the bill was about government neutrality, transparency, and employee freedom from coercion, and said organizations can collect dues directly using modern payment methods. Supporters from Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Business Coalition, Freedom Foundation, ABC Texas, and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility said taxpayer-funded payroll systems should not be used to collect dues for private organizations, especially ones involved in political activity. Opponents, including ATPE, Texas Classroom Teachers Association, Texas Public Employees Association, and correctional employees, said payroll deduction is a convenient, secure service that helps professional associations and employee groups, and argued the bill would burden teachers and other public employees. Several witnesses and senators focused on the bill’s exemptions and whether it treated teachers differently from first responders. Senator Menendez questioned why some public employees were excluded while others were not, and a Houston police union representative said he moved from opposing to supporting the bill after being told the substitute would preserve meet-and-confer deductions under Chapters 143 and 147. Senator Parker closed by saying the bill was not meant to eliminate associations or payroll deduction entirely, only to remove the state as a middleman. SB 2330 was left pending, and the committee then recessed subject to call.

Transcript Highlights:

• oversight role, were people who had testified for the committee during the committee examination process
• examination process of the underlying<00:18:52.560> bill.
• and interference with voters and election officials for the Senate's four distinct offenses.
• President, the offenses will prohibit much of the same conduct regarding interfering with elections.
• There was also the false information regarding elections that was a separate offense.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In that process, sometimes we've created unnecessary duplicative, expensive or prohibitive regulations
• So it's a much more comprehensive and wider, um, process.
• And in that process they've been able to completely redo the way that regulations have been done.
• From a cross spectrum of taxes of individuals to participate in this process because what we heard is
• Texans deserve a process where real world knowledge matters and their voices can be heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• elected to an office from New York City, any Office.
• And when I got elected to the...
• Thank you for cooperating and working so closely with us as elected officials.
• Thank you for cooperating and working so closely with us as elected officials.
• Right now, sometimes a process can be unnecessarily complicated.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the prior journal and took up motions and resolutions. Senator Gianaris moved to reconsider and restore Senate Print 3179A, an Environmental Conservation Law bill, to the third reading calendar, and amendments were also received on Senate Print 8491. The chamber then considered and adopted Resolution 1716, designating March 2026 as Greek History Month in New York, with remarks from several senators about Greek heritage, Greek independence, immigration, and the contributions of Greek Americans. The Senate also adopted Resolution 1607, proclaiming March 2026 as American Red Cross Month, with extensive testimony praising Red Cross disaster relief, blood donation, preparedness work, and volunteers; several senators highlighted local volunteers and urged greater support for the organization, including budget resources. The Senate welcomed guests, including Red Cross representatives and students from Brooklyn, and later opened the resolutions for co-sponsorship. The chamber then moved through the calendar and passed multiple bills, including measures affecting mental hygiene, elder law, penal law, public authorities, labor, public service, correction, education, election law, alcoholic beverage control, and state administrative procedure. Most bills passed by wide margins, though some drew recorded opposition, including the public authorities bill and several election, public service, and correction measures. Senator Ramos explained her support for the labor bill as a workplace dignity and anti-bullying measure, and Senator Ryan explained his support for the small-business regulatory website bill as a way to simplify access to agency rules and guidance. Senator Skoufis’s Public Health Law bill was also recalled from the Assembly, restored to the third reading calendar, and amended. The Senate then adjourned until Thursday, March 12 at 11:00 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, appreciate your thought process.
• You know, I can give you an example of just in the ARPA water ARPA process alone.
• Always comes down to who the people elected, right?
• Process looks like. Thank you.
• And there's a process where operators can take them off of that list.

Bills: SB1191, SB1314, SB1319, SB1333, SB1346, SB1439, SB1509, SB1510, SB1613

Keywords: SB1191, Oklahoma Energy Initiative Act, Oklahoma Low Carbon Energy Initiative Board, low carbon energy, clean energy, energy policy, renewable energy, board repeal, statutory repeal, administrative board, energy committee, natural resources, Oklahoma statutes, 17 O.S. 802.3, groundwater, indemnity fund, well drilling, pollution prevention, regulatory compliance, SB1319

Transcript Highlights:

• Senators and guests, the first order of business will be to administer the oath of office to our newly elected
• Madam Secretary, please read the certification of election.
• Madam Secretary, please read the certification of election from the Secretary of State.
• I understand that can't happen in this process, and I should have been prepared.
• And the beauty of our process is we can do that here.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• into law last session; however, there was an error in Section 4 of the law concerning the proper process
• It is very helpful because this is a complicated matter, and it’s a state and federal process that the
• <00:24:38.720> appeal<00:24:39.559> has<00:24:39.679> been<00:24:39.880> processed
• owed after an appeal has been processed owed after an appeal has been processed and<00:24:40.360
• We believe that it's important when a child engages in criminal conduct that that process not be treated

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several measures, beginning with Senate Bill 869 on community outreach boards. The Office of Information Practices said the bill was now clear and raised no concerns after clarification that it applies to Hawaii County community development action plan committees under the Sunshine Law. Written support was received from several individuals, and one testifier initially opposed the bill but withdrew opposition after hearing OIP’s explanation. No vote was taken in the excerpt. The committee then heard Senate Bill 405 on neighborhood board meetings, which would let boards receive and discuss reports from government officials that were not on a noticed agenda, with final action deferred to a later noticed meeting. OIP said the bill was a policy choice but warned it would give boards more flexibility at the cost of less public notice. Support came from the Wke neighborhood board and Jacob Weinek, while Natalie Iwasa and Greg Mian opposed it, arguing it could lead to unclear agenda items and deeper discussion without adequate public notice. No vote was taken. The committee also heard Senate Bill 903 on a claims review working group in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands asking for the measure to be deferred because it believed a complete inventory and audit of the public lands trust should come first. Members asked about the status of related House Bill 1358. The committee then heard tax measures: Senate Bill 1469, which would suspend the collection statute of limitations while tax assessments are on appeal, and Senate Bill 1467, which would clarify that county tax appeals do not need to be served on the Director of Taxation. The Tax Department supported both bills, and the Tax Foundation’s witness generally agreed but suggested a possible amendment to SB 1469 regarding insurance premium tax language. The committee then moved to Senate Bill 544 on sentencing of minor defendants, which would require courts to consider youth-related factors and allow departures from mandatory minimums; OHA, the Public Defender, Human Rights for Kids, and others supported it, citing trauma, diminished culpability, and national trends, and no opposition was noted in the excerpt. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 691 on family courts, which would set a minimum age of 12 for adjudication of law violations. The Public Defender and Human Rights for Kids supported the bill, saying very young children should not be treated as law violators and can still receive services through other family court mechanisms. The Attorney General’s office and the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office opposed the measure, arguing it could limit court jurisdiction and services for younger children and might have unintended consequences, including recruitment of children into criminal activity. Members asked whether amendments could preserve the bill’s intent while addressing those concerns; no final action is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:37:28.600> to<00:37:28.720> public Senator Tebedo helped elect to public Senator
• Tebedo helped elect to public office<00:37:29.480> asked<00:37:29.720> her<00:37:29.880
• She was later elected to the Colorado Senate in 1988, where she served until 2001.
• By capping the cost of any required permit to $1, this amendment ensures that the permitting process
• By capping the cost of any required permit to $1, this amendment ensures that the permitting process

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there any questions about our process? I do think Rep.
• Are there any questions about our process?
• Are there any questions about our process?
• Commissioner elected. I have some. Thank you. Commissioner elected: I'd have some.
• Are there any questions about the process before we vote?

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission held its 16th and final meeting to review and vote on revisions to its draft report on combating antisemitism. After roll call, members approved the prior meeting minutes, adopted a procedure for handling substantive and technical edits, and authorized limited technical corrections after the meeting. Senator John Velis’s letter was read into the record noting his military deployment and support for the final report, and the commission discussed the scope of the report, including its 118 findings and recommendations and the large volume of testimony received over the year. Members then worked through a series of amendments to the report. The chair’s prefatory statement was revised to restore language and data about Massachusetts Jews’ relationship to Israel and the impact on the commission’s work. Commissioner Liken’s proposal called for DESE guidance and teacher training to support intellectually diverse K-12 classrooms; members debated how to ensure it could not be used to justify biased or false material, and the amendment passed with discussion about existing guardrails. Commissioner Hay’s technical edits were adopted, and commissioners also discussed whether DESE’s new reporting system should anonymize data; the language was revised to specify anonymized data and approved. Additional amendments were adopted on public safety and higher education, including clarifying support for nonprofit security grants and personnel grants, refining language on academic boycotts, and adding references to Zionist identity and presumed Zionist identity as possible bases for antisemitic treatment. Commissioner Kipnis’s revisions to the prefatory statement were also considered, with some members objecting to the removal of language about minimization and traumatic invalidation and others supporting a more concise, fact-driven tone. The commission also approved language strengthening recommendations by changing several “should” statements to “must.” Treasurer Deborah Goldberg then delivered closing remarks praising the commission’s work and sharing personal family history to illustrate the persistence of antisemitism in Massachusetts. She said the report offers a practical roadmap, including bias reporting in schools, security coordination, and broader anti-discrimination training, and emphasized that the recommendations will help all communities. Commissioners thanked her for her leadership and testimony. The meeting continued with further amendments, including one on law enforcement security grants and another on higher education findings and recommendations, and the commission repeatedly voted by roll call, generally approving the revisions unanimously.

Transcript Highlights:

• And hopefully in going through that process, whoever they are mentoring, totality of this.
• And it takes time and it requires due process and you can't just snatch them with time.
• First of all, I do believe that there are due process and constitutional issues with this bill.
• So it prevents abuse in the process by having a very clear cutoff. Why 75 then?
• So this process is what we refer to as in lieu of revocation.

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Bills removed from the consent calendar from the Committee on Election Law: House Bill 107; from EDNA
• However, the original bill as presented is codifying the process that the DOE is ...
• Senator Ward: The bill is codifying the process that the DOE is following.
• <01:44:08.480> This<01:44:08.719> gives through the rules process.
• This gives through the rules process.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• from the initial charter application process?
• The witness said 30 days could be adequate time for the approval process.
• The people that elected us, you know, only citizens can vote in an election.
• He voted for him in 2020, and he voted for him again this election cycle.
• Or what about all the migrants who followed the process, the legal process, to come here legally?

Summary: The committee heard several education bills, with most of the discussion focused on Senate Bill 1835, Senate Bill 784, Senate Bill 1049, Senate Bill 2942, and Senate Bill 2928. SB 1835 would raise from 5% to 20% the cap on nonresident students who can receive resident tuition and fees through competitive scholarships at certain regional universities in slower-growing workforce development areas, provided the schools have capacity as determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Supporters, including West Texas A&M University, said the bill would help fill underused capacity, attract students who may stay and work in Texas, and support regional workforce needs. SB 784 would strengthen a prior law allowing peace officers’ children to transfer between public school districts for safety reasons by requiring both districts’ approval, making clear that districts of innovation are not exempt, and prohibiting tuition charges. SB 1049 would require districts and open-enrollment charters to excuse students, at a parent’s request, for religious release-time instruction for up to one hour per day and five hours per week; witnesses said the program is constitutional, voluntary, and already operating in other states and some Texas districts. Each of these bills was left pending after testimony, with no public witnesses opposing them. SB 2942 would expand and adjust the state’s adult charter high school pilot program. Senator Creighton said the bill is intended to help the estimated 7 million Texas adults without a high school diploma by removing barriers to expansion, aligning legal protections with ISDs, changing TEA’s disapproval window for expansion amendments to a 30-day period after receipt, and updating funding to reflect part-year attendance. A committee substitute kept the upper enrollment age at 50 and removed a proposed testing change. Testimony from New Heights students and leadership described the program as life-changing, emphasizing that it combines diplomas with career credentials, childcare, transportation, and other supports to help adults stabilize their families and enter better-paying work. TEA witnesses explained the expansion process and said adult charter schools are overseen by the commissioner rather than the SBOE. The committee substitute was adopted, public testimony closed, and the bill was left pending. SB 2928 would set a uniform school start date for public school districts at the third Wednesday in August, while preserving existing district-of-innovation flexibility for current DOI districts and allowing year-round systems to continue. Senator Creighton argued the bill would reduce the patchwork created by DOI exemptions, support students and families, and preserve summer employment and tourism revenue. A committee substitute was adopted. Testimony came largely from tourism, hospitality, and recreation interests, including hotel, water park, zoo, chamber of commerce, and camp representatives, who said later start dates would extend the summer travel season, improve staffing and revenue, and give students more opportunities for summer jobs and camps. Several witnesses cited large economic impacts from tourism and said early school starts reduce August business. Some senators raised concerns about charter schools being excluded and about year-round calendars, but the bill was left pending after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• So there is protection for the defendant, due process.
• In my opinion, if you are taking an oath to defend the Constitution, and if you are a elected district
• So this is. been constitutionally upheld, has all the due process safeguards in place.
• I know it changed a local election because it was common sense, protect women in their private spaces
• You know Pete was elected as Baytown's first...

Bills: SJR 5, SJR 36, SJR 5, SJR 5, SR 105, SR 121, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28, SB 17, SB 19, SB 25, SB 28

Keywords: bail, felony offenses, criminal justice reform, public safety, constitutional amendment, school safety, mental health, emergency response, education policy, law enforcement, SR 121, Senate Resolution 121, Pete Alfaro, Pedro Cuellar Alfaro, Pedro Alfaro, Baytown, Texas Senate tribute, in memory, memorial resolution, condolence resolution

Transcript Highlights:

• Is it that everybody's entitled to due process, or is it that the detention was correct?
• Districts are required to elect... Districts are required to elect certified teachers.
• qualified to be a member of an elected qualified to be a member of an elected official. official
• <01:05:54.480> uh<01:05:54.640> for there isn't a process uh for there isn't a process
• complaint process complaint process before<01:38:13.119> it<01:38:13.600> makes<01

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The the last year part of this process.
• <01:22:29.840> But such as policy, rights, process. But such as policy, rights, process.
• in an election year. in an election year.
• representatives who they have elected representatives who they have elected defend<02:43:51.200>
• election year and we need to win votes. election year and we need to win votes.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Elected officials is not a thing.
• officials and doesn't show just elected officials and doesn't show up.<00:40:07.040> elected<
• , um, ordering up. elected officials, um, ordering elected<00:40:09.840> officials elected officials
• Senator Dibble on process, Madam Chair.
• Only bills that have already been vetted through the rigorous process.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all