Transcript Highlights:

• He brought her back to a neighboring reservation. She was recovered and brought back to her family.
• I have to let them know that I'm here to partner with them, to help them come to the reservation if they
• And growing up on the reservation, we know that people went missing.
• Our reservation is located in Humboldt and Del Norte County in a rural area.
• I grew up on the reservation, on or near the reservation, all my life. We talk about trust.

Summary: The hearing focused on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) grant program under the Board of State and Community Corrections and related Department of Justice efforts. BSCC reported that it now administers 36 MMIP grants across three cohorts, with awards ranging from $436,000 to $1 million, plus five collaborative grants at $2 million each, totaling $35.4 million awarded to federally recognized tribes. Testimony from tribal leaders and grantees described how the funding supports prevention, family advocacy, domestic violence services, law enforcement coordination, youth programming, culturally grounded healing, and new tribal public safety positions such as investigators, social workers, and drone operators. Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the crisis is longstanding, tied to generational trauma, and that the grant has helped build trust and infrastructure in tribal communities. Several witnesses and committee members urged continued and preferably ongoing funding, noting that demand now exceeds available one-time money. BSCC and tribal representatives described outreach efforts that increased participation from four applicants in cohort one to 20 in cohort two and more applicants than funding in cohort three. Tribes also raised implementation concerns, especially the burden of quarterly narrative reporting, limited staff capacity, and the need for flexible administration. BSCC said it uses steering committees, separate small- and large-project categories, orientations, monitoring visits, and technical assistance to support grantees. Tribal leaders and advocates stressed that the program should remain accessible without requiring a waiver of tribal sovereignty. The second major topic was DOJ’s update on AB 3099, the Tribal Assistance Program, and the tribal police pilot under AB 134. DOJ officials said the Office of Native American Affairs and the Division of Law Enforcement have been conducting outreach, trainings, listening sessions, and coordination with tribal, local, state, and federal partners to address Public Law 280 jurisdictional issues, improve reporting and data, and support Feather Alert and MMIP-related resources. DOJ said the AB 3099 report is in internal review and that the tribal police pilot is moving forward with the Yurok Tribe as a participant, with a July 1, 2026 start date. DOJ and tribal witnesses said the pilot’s main barriers are cost and, for some tribes, the waiver of sovereign immunity. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with broad support for expanding and sustaining MMIP-related funding and infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• If not, we'll reserve it.
• If there are any, unless there are any questions, I would reserve the right to close.
• Thank you again members, I'm open to questions and reserve the right.
• All right we'll reserve your right to close. and we'll begin with testimony.
• I'm happy to answer any questions and reserve the right to close.

Bills: HB367, HB497, HB549, HB983, HB 1188, HB 1290, HB1368, HB2243, HB2310, HB2849, HB3099, HB3546, HB3629, HB3627

Keywords: education, absences, severe illness, life-threatening, school policy, verification, healthcare, insurance, affordability, coverage, patient rights, school health, respiratory distress, airway clearance devices, medication training, public health, HB 983, Texas Education Agency, TEA, educator privacy

Transcript Highlights:

• I reserve my right to close, sir. Okay, members, questions for Chairman Oliverson?
• If there aren't any questions, I do reserve my right to close. Okay.
• I reserve my right to close. Okay, members, questions? Representative Martin.
• Seeing none, we'll reserve your right to vote. Thank you. The chair calls Adam Bruggeman.
• I reserve the right to close. Members, are there questions for Representative Wharton?

Bills: HB778, HB 1266, HB1576, HB2213, HB2517, HB2518, HB2841, HB3306, HB3320, HB3388, HB3508, HB3520, HB3689

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:02:32.480><c> So,</c><00:02:33.040><c> a</c> center on the reservation.
• So, a center on the reservation.
• /c><00:03:41.599><c> dispersed</c> reservation our villages are dispersed reservation our villages are
• Louis River directly adjacent to our reservation.
• And like let me tell you, reservation.

Bills: HF2411, HF2471, HF1440, HF1393, HF1631, HF1259, HF280, HF1281, HF1459

Keywords: cultural heritage, funding, White Earth Nation, tribal community, construction, Delano, sesquicentennial, community events, fall of Saigon, Saigon anniversary, Vietnam War commemoration, Vietnamese Minnesotans, Cambodian Minnesotans, Lao Minnesotans, Southeast Asian refugees, Asian American heritage, cultural heritage fund, Minnesota Humanities Center, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, equity funding

Transcript Highlights:

• In some cases, they've built up reserve funds and then come and ask for a grant.
• In some cases, they've built up reserve funds and then come and ask for a grant.
• And we've already talked about CREP, Conservation Reserve Enrollment Program.
• And we've already talked about CREP, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.
• And nationwide, there's a cap on the number of acres that can be enrolled in the Conservation Reserve

Keywords: 989, all

Summary: The committee first reviewed the Department of Water Resources budget. Analysts and Director Matthew Weaver explained the agency’s staffing, continuously appropriated funds, and the effect of ARPA and other one-time infrastructure dollars on the budget. Members asked about efforts to stabilize the Snake River Plain aquifer, the impact of budget holdbacks, groundwater monitoring, and the status of major recharge and conversion projects. Weaver and Water Resource Board Chairman Jeff Raybould said the state is working to reduce groundwater pumping, expand recharge, and build infrastructure to reach a long-term managed recharge goal of 350,000 acre-feet annually, with current recharge averaging about 251,000 acre-feet and capacity potentially exceeding 500,000 acre-feet in good water years. They also discussed project delays caused by permitting, federal land access, and coordination with multiple landowners, and said the $30 million infrastructure appropriation was fully obligated and largely spent. The committee also discussed water projects in other basins, including the Palouse Basin, Mountain Home, Elmore County, and the Bear River. Raybould said the board is considering a Bear River study to identify storage, recharge, and irrigation opportunities under the Bear River compact, and estimated that some future projects, such as a Moscow-area pump station and pipeline, could be very expensive. Members raised concerns about data centers, water quality in the Snake River Plain aquifer, and the role of private and local matching funds in water infrastructure. Weaver said data center water use is a public-interest issue that depends on scale and location, and that groundwater contamination issues are generally handled by the Department of Environmental Quality. The committee then heard the Soil and Water Conservation Commission presentation, which focused on the proposed merger/affiliation with the Department of Water Resources and on funding for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Weaver, serving as interim administrator, said a stakeholder review recommended moving the commission’s affiliation from Agriculture to Water Resources while preserving its current duties, nonregulatory mission, and resources. He said related legislation and a concurrent resolution would support that transition and allow time for further code review and a combined budget in 2027. Analysts also explained a supplemental and FY 2027 enhancement for CREP funding, noting that rising land values increased the state match needed for enrolled acres. Weaver said CREP can help reduce groundwater pumping, that about 11,000 of the 50,000-acre statewide cap are currently enrolled, and that full enrollment could significantly aid aquifer conservation. The committee adjourned after thanking the agencies and noting the next day’s agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• In some cases, they've built up reserve funds and then come and ask for a grant.
• In some cases, they've built up reserve funds and then come and ask for a grant.
• And right now we're running a reserve to carry out the recharge program of around $17 million to $20
• And we've already talked about CREP, Conservation Reserve Enrollment Program.
• And we've already talked about CREP, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program.

Summary: The committee first heard a budget presentation for the Department of Water Resources. Analysts explained the agency’s structure, continuously appropriated funds, and the large budget increases tied to ARPA State Fiscal Recovery Funds and the ongoing $30 million infrastructure appropriation. Director Matthew Weaver and Water Resource Board Chairman Jeff Raybould described the department’s role in managing water rights, aquifer recharge, stream gauges, groundwater monitoring, and major projects in the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer (ESPA), the Palouse area, Mountain Home, and the Bear River basin. Members asked about aquifer stabilization, the impact of budget holdbacks on field work and monitoring, water quality concerns, project delays caused by easements and federal coordination, and the effect of data centers on water use. Weaver said reductions are being managed through cuts to travel, training, maintenance, and some stream gauge funding, and that the department is working toward a long-term goal of stabilizing the ESPA through reduced pumping, increased recharge, and expanded management areas. Chairman Raybould and Director Weaver also discussed the use of the prior $30 million appropriation, saying it has been fully obligated for recharge, conversion from groundwater to surface water irrigation, telemetry, and related projects. They said the next $30 million would likely support additional ESPA work, a Bear River study, and other emerging needs, but that major projects can take years because of engineering, landowner, state, and federal coordination. Questions also covered recharge capacity, the current average recharge level, and whether the state could reach a 350,000 acre-foot annual recharge goal; the witnesses said current infrastructure could handle well over 500,000 acre-feet in a good year, but more capacity is needed. The committee also discussed private and local matching funds for aging irrigation infrastructure and the role of groundwater quality monitoring, with Weaver noting that contamination issues are referred to the Department of Environmental Quality. The committee then moved to the Soil and Water Conservation Commission budget. Analysts said the agency’s budget is driven largely by one-time water quality appropriations in recent years and a small ongoing base, with a supplemental and enhancement request tied to CREP funding. Weaver, serving as interim administrator, and two commissioners explained that the commission supports local conservation districts and that a stakeholder process led by the Langdon Group recommended merging the commission with the Department of Water Resources. Weaver said the merger would preserve the commission’s non-regulatory, locally led mission while creating administrative efficiencies, and that related legislation and a concurrent resolution are moving through the Legislature. Members asked about CREP data, acreage, and water savings; Weaver said the program is a voluntary federal-state partnership, mainly in southern Idaho and parts of the eastern Snake Plain, with about 11,000 acres enrolled out of a 50,000-acre cap. He said a fully utilized CREP program could significantly reduce groundwater diversions, and the committee adjourned after discussing the historical shift from soil conservation toward water conservation priorities.

Transcript Highlights:

• Certainly in our Democratic caucus, we have cash reserves, which I think are currently at around 32%
• Each 1% of cash reserves is the equivalent of $110 million.
• We could lower, through the finance committee, the cash reserves down to 30% and free up $220 million
• We probably could dedicate almost a billion dollars of our cash reserves and get all of these things
• I don't expect that we're going to have anything unusual, but just always want to reserve that in case

Bills: HB30, HB120, HJR1, SB210, SB306

Keywords: teacher residency, Teacher Residency Act, public schools, teacher preparation, educator pipeline, teacher recruitment, teacher retention, student teachers, apprenticeship, co-teaching, mentor teachers, residency stipend, teacher salary, level one teacher, charter schools, school districts, New Mexico education, teacher workforce, principal stipend, cohort model

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have to hold capital reserves, and I favor those elements.
• I also understand reserves are required for a safe and sound financial system.
• And in that case, as you know, having healthy capital reserves makes us a very attractive target.
• And we have to have reserves to defend ourselves in those cases.
• the demand letter, as the gentleman from Community West Credit Union mentioned, because of those reserves

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on House Bill 2116, which drew comments about children’s education and an amendment offered by Representative Hinman. Hinman explained the amendment would phase out the Missouri tax subtraction for contributions to non-Missouri 529 plans for new users beginning January 1, 2027, while allowing existing users to continue. The committee adopted the amendment, rolled it into a substitute, and then voted the House Committee substitute do pass by a vote of 11 yeas, 3 nays, and 1 present. Hinman also noted concerns from the investment community about the absence of an advisor-sold 529 option and urged the department to work toward restoring it. In public hearing, Representative Lane Roberts presented House Bill 1870, a garnishment and exemption update that would modernize long-outdated exemption amounts, tie some amounts to CPI adjustments, increase the homestead exemption, and create new procedures for garnishment of financial institution account funds. The Missouri Bankers Association supported the bill, saying it was the product of extensive work with stakeholders and would improve efficiency and reduce legal risk for banks, while also protecting debtors’ rights. Questions focused on joint accounts, business accounts, and notice to account holders; a private attorney speaking in opposition argued the bill could improperly shift burdens onto non-debtor account holders and raised concerns about tenancy by the entirety, corporate accounts, and equitable garnishment. Representative Castile then presented House Bill 2586, which would lower the minimum credit union membership share from $25 to $1 and allow credit union board and committee meetings and voting by electronic means. The Missouri Credit Union Association supported the bill, saying it would improve access for members who need the $25 and help boards meet despite weather or distance, while also aligning state law more closely with federal practice. Finally, Representative Oehlerking presented House Bill 3107, the “Safe Harbor” bill, which would shield financial institutions from civil liability under state law when they act in good faith reliance on written guidance from regulators, while excluding fraud, intentional misconduct, willful wrongdoing, and gross negligence. Credit union and banking representatives supported the measure as a defense against costly litigation based on compliance with required forms and guidance, while an opposing attorney argued the bill relied on nonpublic agency guidance, raised separation-of-powers concerns, and could leave consumers without recourse; witnesses also discussed possible examples such as overdraft fee litigation and the need for any guidance to be public and reviewable.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have to hold capital reserves. And I favor those elements.
• I also understand reserves are required for a safe and sound financial system.
• And in that case, as you know, having healthy capital reserves makes us a very attractive target.
• Compliance with written banking rules can occur, and we have to have reserves to defend ourselves in
• the demand letter, as the gentleman from Community West Credit Union mentioned, because of those reserves

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman and members, I'd like to reserve the right to close.
• Okay, we'll certainly reserve your right to close.
• Okay, reserve the right to close. Okay, absolutely.
• Chairman, I'm happy to answer any questions and reserve the right to close. Thank you, sir.
• Chairman Shaheen, we reserve the right to close.

Bills: HB2476, HB2893, HB4848, HB5062, SB37, SB60, HB2860, HB4930, SB646, SB 37

Keywords: living expenses, higher education, student support, homeless students, financial aid, grant program, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, workforce development, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, competency-based education, baccalaureate degree, cost of attendance, dual credit, computer science, course credit, foreign language requirement, curriculum review, governing board, faculty council

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, I am happy to take questions on behalf of Chairman Shaheen, and I reserve the right to close
• I'm open for questions, and I respectfully reserve the right to close. Thank you. Any questions?
• Um, but I reserve my right to close. Thank you, Representative Olcott. You can be seated now.
• So if there are no questions, I reserve the right to close.
• And with that, I reserve the right to close, and we have witnesses. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• I reserve the right to close, and I'm happy to answer any questions.
• I'd be happy to answer any questions and would like to reserve the right to close.
• We reserve your right to close. This time we have three witnesses.
• We'll reserve your right to close. And the chair calls Brandon Johnson.
• Members have questions, and I respectfully reserve my right to close.

Bills: HB 1181, HB3704, HB1363, HB1610, HB1615, HB1620, HB3223, HB1317, HB2884, HB2176, HB4027, HB1664, HB933, HB2613, HB3353, HB2086, HB4101, HB3441, HB4145, HB3455

Keywords: judiciary, judges, justices, retired, legal assignments, judicial conduct, notary public, criminal offense, education requirements, official documents, record retention, implicit bias, bias training, judicial training, judge education, court personnel, continuing legal education, CLE, state bar, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, thank you reserve your right to close this time chair calls up Sally back Oh with District, neutral
• I do have resource witnesses from TCEQ and I reserve the floor. of the right to close.
• We'll go ahead and reserve your right to close, Representative. Thank you, sir.
• I reserve the right to close. at this time. Thank you members. Any questions?
• And we will reserve your right to close.

Bills: HB 1089, HB 1163, HB 1177, HB 1238, HB1318, HB1400, HB1407, HB1532, HJR7, HJR7

Keywords: coastal protection, environmental management, Gulf Coast, storm risk management, funding, Texas General Land Office, healthcare, insurance reform, patient access, insurance regulation, affordable care, health insurance, consumer rights, coverage transparency, claims process, insurance regulations, aggregate production, environmental impact, financial responsibility, reclamation

Transcript Highlights:

• Once we knew there was going to be some reservations, we said, okay, this is looking good.
• Once we knew there was going to be some reservations, we said, okay, this is looking good.
• So we did the first $50 million, and then we got the contributions came in after the reservations were
• For the 2024-25 appropriation, we actually beat that record and fully reserved... ...appropriation.
• We actually beat that record and fully reserved the funds in 51 days.

Summary: The Committee on Community Affairs held its first meeting and heard presentations focused on affordable housing implementation under the Live Local Act. Florida Housing Finance Corporation described its role in administering rental and homeownership programs, including SAIL, SHIP, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, disaster recovery efforts, supportive housing, and the Live Local funding and tax incentives. Officials said the first year’s $150 million Live Local rental allocation was fully committed to 23 developments producing 3,171 units with mixed-income set-asides, and they outlined how projects were selected through competitive solicitations tied to statutory priorities such as mixed-use development, publicly owned land, foster youth, rural areas of opportunity, redevelopment, and housing near military installations. They also discussed the tax credit contribution program, the missing-middle property tax exemption, sales tax rebates, and the year-one ad valorem exemption for qualifying affordable projects. Members asked detailed questions about the data and program design, including the use of area median income figures, per-unit subsidy levels, county targeting, tenant relocation during redevelopment, and whether the programs were helping lower-income households. Florida Housing said it uses competitive scoring and data from the Schimberg Center and that redevelopment projects are supposed to include tenant relocation plans. The homeownership portion of the presentation covered the Hometown Heroes program, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers, with exceptions for active-duty military and veterans. Staff said the program has assisted more than 21,000 families and leveraged over $6.5 billion in first mortgages, and members asked about repayment rates, credit scores, and whether participants were staying in homes long enough to show the program was serving intended buyers. The committee then heard from OPAGA on two required Live Local evaluations: affordable housing strategies in other states and affordable housing policies in Florida. OPAGA reported that Florida has a high share of cost-burdened households, with 1.5 million households cost burdened and 1.4 million severely cost burdened, and that Florida’s counties and municipalities reported more than $1.4 billion in affordable housing expenditures in fiscal year 2023-24. The report identified 13 innovative out-of-state programs, with three considered high-potential for Florida implementation, and summarized Florida local government practices such as SHIP-funded homeownership and rental assistance, expedited permitting, mixed-income zoning, rehabilitation programs, and interlocal cooperation. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after the presentations and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• And with that, I, I, I Reserve my right to close and answer any questions that the committee might have
• I respectfully reserve the right to close and ask for your favorable consideration, and we have a witness
• I'll be happy to take any questions and reserve my right to close. Thank you.
• So with that, I'll have you take any questions and uh reserve my right to close. I close.
• Members, with that, I reserve the right to close and welcome any questions you may have.

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, she put a number of $100 million in the Educational Opportunities Reserve Fund that was created
• But that additional money could come from here or from the Educational Opportunities Reserve Fund, which
• So, there is room over time to spend some of that reserve fund money. ...that reserve fund money and
• I think that's an important one to keep in mind: no new taxes; this is coming out of growth and reserve

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I, with reservations. Uh, I think we have 10 votes. I'm not sure what we round up to there.
• I,<00:03:22.640><c> with</c><00:03:22.840><c> reservations.
• <c> I</c><00:03:24.120><c> think</c><00:03:24.360><c> we</c><00:03:24.480><c> have</c> I, with reservations
• Uh I think we have I, with reservations. Uh I think we have 10<00:03:25.959><c> votes.

Bills: HB545

Keywords: HB545, legal tender, cash rounding, nearest five cents, nickel rounding, in-person cash transaction, cash transactions, change making, sales tax, Department of Revenue, merchant payments, consumer payments, currency rounding, cash payment, retail transactions, payment methods, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill will increase the funding amount reserved to repay that debt obligation and would raise that
• does not raise the $610 million that's apportioned to the roads fund, just the amount that can be reserved
• future bonds may be, this may not actually be spent, but as It says in statute that money is to be reserved
• So, there'll be probably an excess of money that's reserved for that fund.

Bills: HCR1006, SB1226, SB1239, SB1309, SB2132, SB1189, SB1344, SB1295, SB1355, SB1998, SB1330, SB1297, SB1338, SB1546, SB1378, SB1859, SB1333, SB1341, SB1377, SB1990

Keywords: campaign finance, election spending, political spending, money in politics, constitutional amendment, Citizens United, free speech, ballot measures, elections, corruption, dark money, outside spending, foreign influence, special interests, corporations, unions, federalism, self-government, political equality, term limits

Transcript Highlights:

• Any reservations? Any no votes? >> 23 eyes. >> Thank you. SB 2723 passes third reading.
• Any reservations?<00:05:01.440><c> Any</c><00:05:01.759><c> no</c><00:05:02.000><c> votes?
• </c> reservations? Any no votes? reservations? Any no votes? &gt;&gt; 23<00:05:03.440><c> eyes.

Bills: SB2169, SB2263, SB2360, SB2359, SB2031, SB2796, SB3090, SB3091, SB3092, SB2120, SB2593, SB2751, SB2135, SB2024, SB2872, SB3179, SB2308, SB2392, SB2470, SB2398, SB2902, SB2841, SB2436, SB2806, SB2691, SB2824, SB2645, SB2384, SB2697, SB3153, SB3156, SB888, SB2423, SB2746

Keywords: business competitiveness, economic development, DBEDT, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, business climate, regulatory reform, permitting, economic ranking, state ranking, top 10 states, business climate improvement working group, business revitalization task force, CNBC America’s Top States for Business, Hawaii business climate, workforce development, infrastructure, cost of doing business, tax competitiveness, labor unions, private sector

Transcript Highlights:

• And with that, I'm happy to take any questions and reserve my right to close.
• Reserve the right close. Members, any questions? Right.
• Welcome any questions you may have and reserve my right to close. Very good.
• I'm happy to answer any questions and I reserve the right to close. Very good.