Transcript Highlights:

• <00:24:25.080> committee committee minority elect committee committee minority elect committee
• For those who choose surgery, interestingly, Medicaid covers all those elective things.
• Medicaid covers all those elective Medicaid covers all those elective things that<01:55:54.320><
• <05:43:45.798> and were early adopters like Texas and were early adopters like Texas and Illinois
• <06:45:23.320> us vote and speak for those who elected us vote and speak for those who elected

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and spending in elections and transparency in elections.
• and spending in elections and elections and spending in elections and transparency<00:03:28.160>
• I'm the director of Texas fiscal policy and elections for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, representing
• and the director of Texas fiscal policy and elections<00:20:43.920> for<00:20:44.000> the<
• money in elections. money in elections.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee substitute, you'll recall this is a bill about foreign funding of elections.
• Our law has already covered elections with candidates, but not with a referenda and that sort of thing
• abortion pills, which obviously hurt little unborn babies, they hurt moms being mailed illegally into Texas

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• On the other side of this, we saw that Houston Independent School District in Texas has a very robust
• And then, even though it's not in code, just to give a more robust review of the books, we did count
• So you've spent a lot of time creating code, and we've also put that into rules.
• This is really like I've been to many school board meetings where school board elected school board members
• and overturned and also some of the challenges where, you know, books have been found to violate the code

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And they actually span from Texas all the way close to almost to the Florida border.
• 1146 by Representative Weibel amends and acts and repeals new provisions of Title 17, the Education Code
• 1146 by Representative Weibel amends and acts and repeals new provisions of Title 17, the Education Code
• House Bill 992 by Representative Freiberg amends Title 17, the Education Code, relative to early childhood
• House Bill 392 by Representative Boyd amends Title 17, the Education Code, relative to suicidal prevention

Bills: HCR26, HB28, HB195, HB283, HB316, HB319, HB363, HB380, HB386, HB392, HB406, HB636, HB738, HB807, HB905, HB992, HB1146

Keywords: human growth, development education, prenatal education, state standards, biological science, teacher certification, certification appeals, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Teacher Certification Appeals Council, educator licensure, teaching license, teacher licensure, appeals process, certification denial, administrative appeal, special meeting, board president, retroactive application, education board

Summary: The committee met with a large docket and adopted the April 29 minutes. Several bills were heard and advanced, mostly on education, workforce, literacy, early childhood, charter schools, and student mental health. Testimony was generally supportive, with many witnesses waiving in favor; a few bills drew questions about implementation, student awareness, and whether proposals were sufficiently broad or specific. House Bill 406, requiring the Department of Education to study the direction and regulation of interscholastic high school athletics and report back by March 1, 2027, was reported favorably after testimony from a retired principal who urged an open-minded study and discussion from the bill author about compliance and the bill’s purpose. House Bill 380, creating a pilot program between community and technical colleges and local school systems to expand awareness of CDL, entry-level driver training, and related programs, was also reported favorably. House Bill 807, creating a workforce and structure capacity investment program and fund to help industry partner with colleges to train instructors, was reported favorably after support from higher education and industry witnesses; senators raised interest in adding a stronger health care component and in reaching students earlier, but the author said he would work on amendments. The committee also advanced House Bill 316 on adolescent literacy and high-dose tutoring, with amendments clarifying teacher training timing, existing statutory bans on outdated literacy practices, and charter school participation; House Bill 1146, consolidating early childhood governance into a commission; House Bill 28, creating an appeal path for denied teacher certification applicants through BESE; and House Bill 992, assigning early childhood education identification numbers to support data collection on outcomes. House Concurrent Resolution 26, urging BESE to add the science of human growth and development to science and health standards and provide approved instructional resources, was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 386, allowing local districts to let locally authorized charter schools operate as their own LEA under district rules, was amended and reported favorably. House Bill 392, expanding suicide prevention information requirements on school websites, ID cards, handbooks, and signage, was reported favorably as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also getting rid of the 10-digit code that anytime you received a call, just the friction in the system
• This administrative burden makes it more expensive to operate in California compared to states like Texas
• This administrative burden makes it more expensive to operate in California compared to states like Texas
• Also, as noted in the analysis, Penal Code 832.7 already speaks to situations... ...the analysis, the
• Penal Code 832.7 already speaks to situations in which body cam footage must be redacted, especially

Keywords: 988, house, all

Summary: The Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety heard several bills, with most of the discussion centered on criminal justice, public safety, and detention-related issues. SB 498 by Senator Becker would make prison electronic messaging free and end 15-minute limits on voice calls for incarcerated people; supporters said it would strengthen family ties and rehabilitation, while the bill advanced on a due-pass recommendation. SB 953 by Senator Niello would require DMV points to be recorded when a misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter case is dismissed through diversion; family members of crash victims testified in support, the ACLU opposed it as potentially discouraging diversion, and the committee passed the bill to the Transportation Committee. The committee also heard SB 1306 by Senator Cortese, which would align California law with federal exemptions for certain GBL-containing chemical mixtures used in semiconductor manufacturing. The author and industry witness said the bill would reduce unnecessary regulation without affecting pure GBL, and it passed to Appropriations. SB 941 by Senator Padilla would cap commissary markups in private immigration detention facilities at 35% above vendor cost; supporters described high prices for basic necessities and poor conditions, and the bill advanced on a due-pass vote. Members also considered SB 691 by Senator Wahab, which would require law enforcement body-camera policies to allow EMS personnel to request redaction of recordings before public release when patients are receiving medical or psychological treatment. Supporters framed it as a privacy measure, while sheriffs’ representatives raised concerns about overlap with existing law and local policy discretion; the bill moved forward on a due-pass recommendation. Finally, SB 562 by Senator Ashby would allow partial refunds of bail bond premiums when charges are not filed or are dropped early; supporters called it a fairness measure for low-income families, while bail industry representatives and some others warned it could reduce incentives to post bail and harm small businesses. The bill advanced on a divided vote. Several other items were adopted on consent or pulled by the authors, and the committee adjourned after completing its votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• the general election or the general election results are officially certified.
• up until the officers-elect assume their official office.
• There is not enough transparency in our country, and that comes with our elections.
• I'm Jerry Holland, Duval County Supervisor of Elections.
• See how our elections are done in the state of Florida.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and considered several election- and ethics-related bills, along with a block of gubernatorial confirmations. Senate Bill 572, by Senator Harrell, updated ethics statutes so the definition of “relative” would include foster parents and foster children; the Commission on Ethics supported the change as a recommendation, and the bill passed unanimously. Senate Bill 414, by Senator Bracey Davis, would have allowed campaign funds to be used for campaign-related child care expenses, but the sponsor said it lacked the votes to advance and temporarily postponed it. The committee also heard Senate Bill 500, by Senator Avila, which would provide FDLE protective security details for major-party nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and cabinet offices through the election and transition period. Senators raised questions about definitions, current protections, and public disclosure of travel information; despite some opposition over taxpayer funding, the bill was reported favorably. Senate Bill 620, by Senator Mayfield, required candidates to disclose any non-U.S. citizenship when qualifying for office; testimony from a dual citizen criticized the bill as unnecessary and stigmatizing, while supporters framed it as transparency. The bill also passed favorably. Chair Gates then presented CS for SB 92, creating whistleblower-style protections for public employees who file ethics complaints based on firsthand knowledge, including remedies for retaliation; the Commission on Ethics supported it and it passed favorably. The committee also approved a slate of gubernatorial appointments en bloc. Finally, Senate Bill 564, by Senator Yarborough, would allow registered or pre-registered high school students to volunteer at polling places for community service hours; testimony from a supervisor of elections and advocacy groups supported the civics benefit, a senator asked about how it would interact with existing community service requirements, and the bill passed favorably. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Teachers and students pursuing career and technology education (CTE) certifications in Texas.
• In addition, the Education Code is amended to reflect these broader reimbursement rights.

Bills: HB 1061, HB2800

Keywords: education, teacher certification, cost subsidies, public school funding, career and technology education, reimbursement, subsidy, education funding, student subsidies, cost reimbursements, public school finance, public school, examination fees, apprenticeship, workforce development, career education, high school students, technical education, employment, 1184

Transcript Highlights:

• , Texas A&M.
• Texas is vast.
• of Texas and is separate from Texas A&M University itself.
• Students from Texas will stay in Texas.
• Its teamwork between West Texas A&M University. and Texas Tech.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The remaining 240 counties rely on elected justices of the peace to conduct these investigations in cases
• require them to do quite a bit in their jurisdiction, and it makes the majority of our counties rely on elected
• handled over 15,500 reported deaths, conducted 4,209 autopsies and managed cases from across North Texas
• going to deal with, with this issue because it's, it's oftentimes not top of mind for, for the local elected

Transcript Highlights:

• I apologize for not being able to attend this hearing in person, but I came back to Texas for the summer
• I'm from Texas. I'm a gun owner myself.
• myself from the... ...gun safety, which, in my opinion, as a gun owner myself from the great state of Texas
• power to a politically appointed special counsel, and I really have a problem with that, who is not elected
• committee, and if you really want to fix I don't know. ...election committee, and if you really want

Bills: SB156

Keywords: gun violence, firearm safety, special counsel, data collection, community initiatives, grants, Attorney General, public safety, suicide prevention, 909, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, this year we had 15 state legislators from Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, and Utah.
• Uh, this year we had 15 state legislators from Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, and Utah.
• , 15 state legislators from Texas, 15 state legislators from Texas, Nebraska,<00:07:47.919> Missouri
• I would say states like Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, Oklahoma, North Dakota, a lot of these states have
• Uh, following that are letters from elected officials and uh the judiciary.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Committee substitute, you'll recall this is a bill about foreign funding of elections.
• Our laws already Covered elections with candidates, but not with referenda and that sort of thing.
• They hurt moms being mailed illegally into Texas.

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs met to consider pending business on three bills. Senator Hughes explained a committee substitute for Senate Bill 2035, which concerns foreign funding of elections. The substitute clarified that income to a U.S. citizen living overseas would not trigger notification, removed new reporting requirements, aligned the bill with existing reporting rules, and shifted civil enforcement to the Attorney General rather than the Ethics Commission. The substitute was adopted and SB 2035 was reported favorably to the full Senate by a 10-0 vote, then recommended for placement on the local and uncontested calendar. The committee then took up Senate Bill 31, the “Life of the Mother Act,” dealing with exceptions to otherwise prohibited abortions based on a physician’s reasonable medical judgment. Senator Hughes said the substitute reflected stakeholder feedback and was intended to further clarify that pregnant women would not be prosecuted, with support from pro-life groups and the medical community. The substitute was adopted and SB 31 was reported favorably to the full Senate by an 11-0 vote, then recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. Finally, the committee considered Senate Bill 2880, relating to abortion pills. Senator Hughes said the substitute focused liability on manufacturers and distributors of abortion pills and imposed civil liability to the fullest extent allowed by law. The substitute was adopted and SB 2880 was reported favorably to the full Senate by a 10-1 vote. After completing the three items, the committee recessed at the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• This undercount cost Texas seats. There’s no question.
• But the reason I showed you is Texas has 250-plus counties.
• About 20% of the counties in Texas actually did something in LUCA.
• This is based on a sample of blocks in Texas that gets compared to the actual enumeration.
• more. ...comparison to LUCA is a little bit of a... it's sort of saying, hey, Texas, you could have

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on the Census met on December 8 at 9:32 a.m. to examine the dynamics that drive census undercounts and overcounts, with testimony first from Joseph Salvo and then from Susan Strait of the UMass Donahue Institute. Salvo explained the Census Bureau’s two main evaluation tools: demographic analysis, which uses vital records, migration estimates, and Medicare data to produce a national benchmark, and the post-enumeration survey (PES), which compares a separate sample-based count to the census. He said the 2020 census showed a small national net undercount, but larger age- and race-based disparities, including the highest undercount among children ages 0 to 4, higher undercounts for men, substantial undercounts for Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, and overcounts among some older and college-age groups. He also described how self-response, non-response follow-up, administrative records, proxy responses, and imputation affected data quality, arguing that proxies and imputation were especially weak and that outreach remains critical for 2030. Committee members asked Salvo to clarify the methods and error bands, the role of international migration estimates, and how the PES differs from the census address list and LUCA. He explained that PES is based on a separate sample of blocks and can add units within sampled blocks, but it does not measure units missed entirely from the original address list; LUCA matters because it improves that list before enumeration. He also discussed age heaping, duplicate responses among older adults, and why group quarters and COVID-related disruptions complicated the 2020 count. Senator Driscoll briefly interrupted to describe Randolph’s successful appeal of its 2020 count after an undercount in disability care homes, and Salvo noted that the post-census group quarters review helped correct some missed facilities. Susan Strait then focused on Massachusetts-specific results. She said Massachusetts’ 2020 count was strong overall, with population growth above the national average and a PES-based finding that the state was overcounted by 2.24 percent, though she emphasized that this did not mean all areas were accurately counted. Using demographic analysis, she said Massachusetts had an estimated 4.15 percent undercount of children ages 0 to 4, with the largest county-level undercounts in Hampden, Suffolk, and Essex, and she linked higher child undercounts to lower educational attainment and female-headed households. Strait also reviewed operational metrics showing that Massachusetts had relatively strong internet self-response, but that non-response follow-up relied heavily on household interviews, administrative records, proxies, and imputation in different counties. She highlighted higher proxy use in college-heavy counties such as Hampshire and Suffolk, and said counties with more minority residents were more likely to have population-count-only cases and other indicators of harder-to-count populations. The hearing ended with discussion of how these findings could inform outreach and census planning for 2030.

Transcript Highlights:

• I moved back from Texas after about 20 years there, back to Oklahoma.
• I moved back from Texas after about 20 years there, back to Oklahoma.
• And the Board of Education is really the only position where we have an elected member of the...
• Where we have an elected member of the board, but he’s a state-elected person, he or she is a state-elected
• Hamlin, thank you for wanting to finish this term, but whoever is elected governor should continue with

Summary: The Extended Education Committee met to consider a long slate of gubernatorial nominations and reappointments to education-related boards and commissions. The committee heard brief introductions from sponsoring senators and remarks from nominees for the Oklahoma Lottery Commission, State Board of Career and Technology Education, Regional University System of Oklahoma, State Board of Education, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges, the Secretary of Education, several university and college boards, the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority, the State Textbook Committee, the Oklahoma Arts Council, and the Langston University board, among others. Many nominees emphasized their backgrounds in public education, higher education, business, agriculture, health care, or community service, and several acknowledged family members or institutional leaders present in the room. A few nominations drew questions or discussion. John Wesley Nofire was asked about working with the State Board of Education and about the social studies standards process, and he explained the board followed statutory public-comment procedures and made changes before final adoption. Secretary of Education Dan Hamlin received supportive comments from multiple senators, who praised his data-driven approach and urged that he be retained by future administrations. Michael McElroy, Brian Beller, Christopher Franklin, Dr. Michael Peck, and others also answered questions about the role of their boards and their experience with the institutions they would oversee. The committee voted on each nomination, with most receiving unanimous approval and a few passing with one or two dissenting votes. Notable vote totals included David McKenzie and Michael McElroy passing 9-2 and 10-1 respectively, while the rest of the nominees generally passed 8-0, 9-0, 10-0, or 11-0. At the end of the meeting, the chair thanked members for their work on the large number of executive nominations and announced that the committee was adjourned for the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• She earned her Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Texas, Austin, and a B.A. in
• They have been elected to the Legislature, have served as officers of the Legislature, government officials
• I am honored to introduce elected officials from the city of Santa Ana, which is the heart of the 68th
• Alongside Marsha, we celebrate transgender artists, elected officials, doctors, advocates, athletes,
• Steve was elected to the Lemon Grove City Council in November of 2024.

Summary: The Assembly met on July 17, 2025, after a quorum call and prayer, then moved through a long ceremonial and floor session. The chamber recognized the 2025 Science and Technology Policy Fellows, the 2024-25 Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellows, and the 2025 Assembly Fellows, and also heard guest introductions honoring Brad Webb of Legislative Counsel, youth advocates supporting AB 1231, the Live Oak Lady Lions softball team, the new UC President J.B. Milliken, the Rohnert Park 11-and-under Cal Ripken All-Star team, and arts leaders from Auburn. The Assembly also took up several procedural motions, including removing some bills from the consent calendar and noting absences. On the floor, members adopted ACR 12 designating November 1 as Fernando Valenzuela Day, with broad support and 66 co-authors, and later adopted H.R. 56 recognizing August 2025 as Chicano Heritage Month, with 65 co-authors. The Assembly also adopted ACR 101 naming a portion of State Highway Route 46 the James Dean Memorial Highway, and H.R. 50 proclaiming November 25, 2025, as Elimination of Violence Against Women Day, with members emphasizing survivor support and prevention. In each case, authors and supporters highlighted the cultural, historical, or public-safety significance of the measures. The chamber also concurred in Senate amendments on several bills, including AB 359 on the Political Reform Act, AB 594 on student health insurance protections, AB 1085 banning license plate obstruction devices and penalizing sellers, AB 1286 on public employment transparency, and AB 1505, the Agriculture Committee omnibus bill. AJR 14, urging federal attention to the impact of tariffs on California ports, passed 44-1 after debate over trade policy and port jobs. AJR 17, calling for modernization of immigration law and a pathway to lawful status for long-term undocumented residents, passed 47-7 after extensive debate focused on immigrant families, the economy, and federal enforcement actions. The Assembly also adopted the resolutions by voice vote where required and recorded the roll-call results for the joint resolutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• in the immigration context it was rarely used because immigration lawyers just went to immigration codes
• to enforce the rights immigration codes to enforce the rights of<00:22:06.559> of<00:22:06.960
• <00:48:13.599> which next day and transferred to Texas which next day and transferred to Texas
• And until I got elected to this body, there was no protection for me from that because, uh, this body
• <02:45:26.000> just point out uh before I was elected just point out uh before I was elected

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's because it's embedded in the building code.
• legislature has to approve the building code that is recommended by the building code review board.
• There are building code. as well.
• prescriptive tables in the building code prescriptive tables in the building code that<05:45:49.680
• So what it says is the building code.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up HB 163FN, dealing with requiring current, verifiable evidence of a species’ presence before land-use restrictions are imposed for habitat protection. Members discussed an amendment that had been worked on with agencies and stakeholder groups. Fish and Game testified that, while the amendment improved the bill, the agency still opposed it because of concerns about citizen science, how the proposal would apply to public versus private property, and how the transition to DES would work. Representative Darby argued the amendment was ambiguous, lacked a full hearing, and did not clearly address record verification or private-property access issues. The amendment passed 8-7, and the committee then voted OTPA 8-7, with a minority report noted. The committee then moved to HB 1752FN, which would create a chain of custody for timber and carbon credits. Representative Davis presented an amendment saying it would help law enforcement investigate timber theft and add transparency to New Hampshire’s carbon registry by identifying buyers of carbon credits. Supporters said the change would impose little burden and align with practices in other states. Opponents, including Representative Darby, Representative Vale, and the state forester from DNCR, said the carbon market is complex, the amendment was not fully vetted, and a hearing with all stakeholders was needed; they also raised fiscal-note concerns. The amendment passed 8-7, and the committee then voted OTPA 8-7, again with a minority report. Finally, the committee opened a hearing on HB 1019, which would add an active water treatment professional to the state water well board. Representative Peter Petrino and Representative Wendy Thomas said the board should include expertise on contamination risks and treatment technologies, citing concerns about arsenic, radon, and PFAS in private wells. The chairman of the Water Well Board testified in opposition to the bill as drafted, saying the board supports the general idea of licensing water filtration work but does not currently have authority or rules to oversee that field and believes the proposal would put “the cart before the horse.” Members questioned whether the board’s current mandate even covers filtration systems, and the discussion ended with those concerns unresolved.

Transcript Highlights:

• None are elected by D.C. residents.
• elected DC government. elected DC government.
• If DC are elected by DC residents.
• The gentleman from from Texas, Mr. Roy.
• I thank the Texas is recognized.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill I'm sponsored by Representative Freo and strengthen the Texas sex offender registration system
• HB 2407 addresses this issue by amending Chapter 62 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to increase the

Bills: HB 2407, HB 3425

Keywords: sex offender registration, criminal penalties, law enforcement, criminal justice, public safety, public servant, address disclosure, retrieval of information, electronic communication, criminal offense, retaliation, safety concerns