Transcript Highlights:

• And so, have there been more incidents...
• So it's a combination of those major incidents and a bunch of those small incidents as well.
• So this is $5 billion for the computer systems enhancement fund.
• So this is $5 billion for the computer systems enhancement fund.
• The state election registration and voter information system.

Committee: House House Appropriations & Finance

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The system you just described, what's the cost of one of those systems?
• And there are systems, passive systems.
• The system you just described, what's the cost of one of those systems?
• And there are systems, passive systems. So like, It's pretty close together.
• And there are systems, passive systems, so like the passive detection listening systems.

Summary: The House Judiciary, Rules Committee approved the minutes from January 27, 2026 and then considered two RS introductions and two bill hearings. RS 3-3101, a minor change to a reckless driving proposal by Rep. Pohanka, added the word “active” to the school zone/construction zone language and was introduced. RS 33096, sponsored by Chairman Skog, would clarify disturbing-the-peace law to specifically cover willful and malicious disruption of worship services; it was also introduced after brief discussion about whether broader wording could have been used. The committee then heard House Bill 522, which would create penalties and authorize reasonable countermeasures against drones operating in restricted airspace around correctional facilities. Rep. Hill and witnesses from the Idaho Department of Correction and a counter-UAS company described drones as a growing security threat used to deliver contraband and aid escapes, citing thousands of detections and examples from other states. A member of the public raised First Amendment and press-access concerns, but the bill was still moved to the floor with a due pass recommendation in a unanimous roll-call vote. The committee also heard House Bill 518, which would allow the Attorney General’s office, at the request of local law enforcement, to take the lead on human trafficking prosecutions. Supporters from Nampa police, victim services, local government, and prosecutors described trafficking as a multi-jurisdictional crime that strains local resources and re-traumatizes victims through repeated interviews. The Attorney General’s office testified neutrally, saying it could take on the work but would need additional resources and that the bill’s current scope may be too narrow to be used often. Despite that caution, the committee unanimously sent HB 518 to the floor with a due pass recommendation before adjourning; a scheduled budget presentation was postponed.

Transcript Highlights:

• The system you just described, what's the cost of one of those systems?
• And there are systems, passive systems. So like... drones. Thank you. Representative Pawak. I'm Mr.
• The system you just described, what's the cost of one of those systems?
• And there are systems, passive systems. So like, It's pretty close together.
• And there are systems, passive systems, so like the passive detection listening systems.

Committee: House Judiciary, Rules and Administration

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In my 20 years, I've seen our education system and our innovations around viticulture science. ...get
• All other major wine-producing states have strong permitting systems that invest heavily in marketing
• But we can go on, there's a lot of incidents like that, but if...
• We have you in the system properly, unless you have already registered, but we aren't going to testify
• House Bill 4995 grants civil liability to government units for incidents arising from the discharge of

Bills: HB223

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• them get into a better place, and we've gotten there thankfully, but it gives a much earlier warning system
• </c><00:46:14.839><c> in</c> the current Public Health Systems in the current Public Health Systems in
• </c><00:50:01.400><c> who</c> with the local healthc Care Systems who with the local healthc Care Systems
• </c><01:08:59.040><c> is</c> Hampshire's Health Care system is Hampshire's Health Care system is stretched
• </c> hospice care and identify the systemic hospice care and identify the systemic reforms<01:10:28.360

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• executive state officers, election officials, and criminal justice participants against threats and incidents
• Would this—are there any incidents like this in the state of Washington?
• And it mentions criminal justice participants against threats and incidents of political violence.
• Women, a national nonpartisan nonprofit that has spent more than a decade studying how political system
• This is not an isolated incident for me.

Bills: HB2176 , HB2244 , HB2120 , HB2333

Committee: House State Government & Tribal Relations

Keywords: drug therapy, public records, confidentiality, healthcare, collaborative practice, transparency, accountability, exemptions, government accountability, audit, legislative review, resource efficiency, committee work, political violence, elected officials, election officials, criminal justice, protection, safety, threats

Transcript Highlights:

• Address those needs, because when an incident management team is on a fire, they are not suited to deal
• We integrated our local emergency manager with the incident management team.
• We were able to mobilize, integrate with that incident management team, and understand where we needed
• The remaining will be allocated to other EWP incidents down in Ruidoso and some of the other areas.
• Having that comfort level with navigating those systems is essential.

Committee: House House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• Is this bill motivated by some particular incident or incidents in a school district, or is it more just
• Is this bill motivated by some particular incident or incidents in a school district, or is it more just
• Is this bill motivated by some particular incident or incidents in a school district, or is it more just
• ><00:39:47.520><c> in</c><00:39:47.760><c> a</c><00:39:48.000><c> school</c> incident or incidents in
• a in a school incident or incidents in a in a school district<00:39:49.280><c> or</c><00:39:49.520><

Committee: House Education Funding

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• through the Integrated Claims Management System that I believe we'll be talking about today.
• It's one of the most abused systems. You know, they kind of overlap.
• The people that are egregious that are hurt the most wind up in the system.
• And yet, EDD moves forward with implementing these systems on the UI program.
• be penalized for having a claim pending in the system.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard presentations on labor and public employment issues from the Employment Development Department (EDD), the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), and the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The committee first focused on EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on online claims, call center upgrades, language access, fraud prevention, and the Integrated Claims Management System (ICMS). The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged closer legislative oversight, especially as the project moves into the most difficult phase. Senators asked about the revised timeline, total cost, fraud reduction, stress testing, transparency around change orders, and the decision to phase in disability insurance and paid family leave before unemployment insurance. EDD said the overall project cost remained about $1.2 billion, that it had no major cost overruns, and that it had saved more than $20 million by shifting some shared customer portal work into ICMS. The subcommittee then considered CWDB’s request for additional operational resources and trailer bill language to streamline reporting. CWDB and the Department of Finance said staffing had been expanded during the pandemic-era surge in grant funding and should now be reduced as one-time grant programs wind down. Senators questioned the proposed staffing reduction, arguing that workforce development needs remain strong and that the board’s policy role still requires adequate capacity. The committee also discussed a proposal to consolidate multiple annual and interim reports into a single biennial report, with LAO supporting the streamlining. Members asked about reporting for specific programs and the cost savings from reducing duplicative evaluations. A major portion of the hearing addressed DIR’s proposed reforms to the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) and related workload funding. DIR and LAO described rapid growth in applications, a large and growing backlog, and sharply rising liabilities and employer assessments. The administration’s trailer bill would tighten eligibility, apply reforms to open cases, and use contemporaneous evidence and QME reports to document preexisting disabilities. LAO said the proposal largely matched its prior recommendations and would help return the program to its original intent. Senators raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, the effect on workers with undocumented preexisting conditions, and whether the QME system could absorb the added workload. The committee also heard DIR’s request to eliminate vacant positions under a statewide vacancy sweep, with members objecting that some vacancies reflect unmet enforcement and safety needs rather than excess capacity. The hearing continued with DIR proposals for additional Cal/OSHA investigative staff, permanent changes to Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board petition deadlines, and apprenticeship-related funding increases. DIR sought 14 permanent positions for its Bureau of Investigation to handle serious workplace fatalities and injuries, and members emphasized the importance of timely investigations and family communication. The WCAB requested making permanent a 2024 change that starts the 60-day reconsideration clock when a case is transmitted rather than when the petition is filed; the board said this had reduced the number of cases awaiting decisions from 637 to 460. Finally, DIR proposed increasing apprenticeship training grants from $3 million to $20 million annually using the Apprenticeship Training Contribution Fund, citing an $80 million fund balance and workforce demand tied to rebuilding and infrastructure needs, and then began discussion of a separate request to expand pre-apprenticeship programs.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:01:07.240><c> that's</c> Maxis is a computer system that's Maxis is a computer system that's
• </c><00:37:26.480><c> is</c> across Minnesota this system is across Minnesota this system is searching
• </c><00:43:37.839><c> right</c> there are providers in the system right there are providers in the system
• My in-home staff needed to report the incident and do the full incident report, report out the team for
• </c> staff needed to report the uh incident staff needed to report the uh incident and<00:59:18.839><

Bills: HF1662 , HF2115 , HF2159 , HF1095 , HF2160

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: veterans, veterans affairs, State Soldiers Assistance Program, Veterans Stable Housing Initiative, MAXIS, human services data, data sharing, eligibility verification, informed consent, private data, benefits coordination, veteran housing, veteran assistance, Department of Human Services, Children Youth and Families, state benefits, federal benefits, privacy, public assistance, human services

Transcript Highlights:

• My brother did what the system tells families to do. He filed formal complaints.
• and that people who've never had to touch the system, again, not understanding the system.
• To touch the system, again, not understanding the system, but we need to put more pressure on what's
• We have to make the change throughout the whole system.
• Judges, everyone in the system.

Committee: House House and Governmental Affairs

Summary: The House and Governmental Affairs Committee met on Senate Bill 123, a proposed constitutional amendment to create a legislative process for removing judges for cause. Senator Morris said the bill was needed because of uncertainty in the current Constitution about whether impeachment applies to judges, given the Judiciary Commission’s role in judicial discipline. He argued the measure would provide a clearer, higher-threshold accountability mechanism, and the committee adopted a technical amendment renumbering provisions and later clarified that the bill uses a majority vote in the House and two-thirds in the Senate, consistent with impeachment-style thresholds. Much of the hearing centered on testimony from Anna Carter and her family, who supported the bill after the murder of Jacob Carter in New Orleans. They described his death and other cases they said showed judges releasing dangerous offenders despite repeated violations, missed electronic-monitoring check-ins, and other warning signs. They argued the bill would create a last-resort accountability tool when judicial decisions or supervision failures lead to preventable harm. Several committee members expressed sympathy and said the testimony highlighted serious problems in the justice system, though some also suggested the bill should address district attorneys, electronic-monitoring oversight, or broader systemic issues. Opposition came from members who warned the proposal was overly broad, could become a political tool, and might conflict with existing constitutional provisions governing impeachment and judicial discipline. They argued the Judiciary Commission and Supreme Court already provide a disciplinary framework and that the bill could chill judicial independence or create due-process concerns. The ACLU’s Sarah Whittington also opposed the bill, noting technical inconsistencies in the draft, questioning why impeachment had not been tried first, and arguing the measure singled out judicial discretion while leaving other elected officials’ discretion untouched. The committee took no final vote on the bill during the hearing, but did adopt the technical amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• And before we begin, I just want to mention we are still hearing reports of an incident in San Diego,
• And frankly, it has also eroded the trust I have in our criminal justice system.
• It has also eroded the trust I have in our criminal justice system.
• It has also eroded the trust I have in our criminal justice system.
• AB 2641 is about maintaining fairness in the tax system and protecting consumers.

Summary: The Assembly convened after a quorum call and opened with a prayer and pledge, then held a ceremonial observance for Jewish American Heritage Month. Assembly Concurrent Resolution 195 by Assembly Member Gabriel was presented with extensive remarks from members of multiple caucuses highlighting Jewish Californians’ contributions, the importance of solidarity amid rising antisemitism, and themes of tikkun olam and tzedakah. The resolution was adopted by voice vote after 67 co-authors were added, and the chamber then recognized 14 honorees for their service in public life, philanthropy, media, faith leadership, education, and civic engagement. The floor also featured guest introductions and a procedural vote on Assembly Constitutional Amendment 9 by Assembly Member Borrero, which would add affordability as a required consideration in CPUC rate-making, remove telecommunications from the commission’s portfolio, create an office of broadband, and expand legislative appointments. The amendment was adopted. The Assembly then moved through a long third-reading file, passing measures including AB 1697 delaying implementation of a 2025 employment law, AB 2322 on stormwater permit definitions, AB 1653 on hearing-illness education, AB 2274 closing a loophole involving secrecy in trafficking cases, AB 2512 on Anaheim Angels naming language tied to a land exemption, AB 1956 prioritizing young men and boys in suicide prevention, and AB 2273 addressing prosecutorial handling of a local sexual abuse case. Additional bills passed included AB 1809 extending job order contracting for school and community college districts, AB 1970 banning step therapy for serious mental illness and substance use disorder medications, AB 1973 expanding practice authority for advanced practice clinicians, AB 2055 updating vessel law, and AB 2059 narrowing CEQA vehicle-mile-traveled mitigation for certain rural highway projects. The Assembly also adopted ACR 186 designating May 2026 as California Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being Month and H.R. 11 recognizing the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia after a lengthy debate that included support from several caucuses and some disagreement over the resolution’s framing of current threats to LGBTQ+ communities.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also doing that within the context of my role as a medical staff leader in my hospital system in
• Silva, do different hospital systems have different criteria? Period, across the board.
• So, we have a hospital system. Delineation of privileges is often...
• At this particular hospital system, yes, they have to submit their logs on an annual basis.
• They fear trauma with the system. SB 2487 would deepen this fear.

Bills: SB1117 , SB1373 , SB672 , SB1986 , SB1098 , SB626 , SB1784 , SB2480 , SB2487 , SB437 , SB660

Committee: House Public Health

Keywords: dentistry, botulinum toxin, aesthetic treatments, dental regulation, training, medical staff privileges, hospital administration, healthcare regulation, Texas Health and Safety Code, consistency in privileges, SB 672, Texas hospital emergency operations plan, hospital diversion, emergency department, cyberattack, cyber security, power outage, electrical outage, patient diversion, hospital preparedness

Transcript Highlights:

• This is not an isolated incident.
• It is absolutely vital we have a system that respects Texans and ensures the tort system makes sure they
• and judicial system.
• versus the system under this bill.
• That's the system we have now. Contingency fees are a third to 40 percent.

Bills: SB1540 , SB2225 , SB2284 , SB2382 , SB2487 , SB2514 , SB2595 , SB2876 , SB2877 , SB3031 , SB2753 , HB45

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: election officials, confidentiality, personal information, government transparency, public safety, spirit beverages, alcoholic beverages, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, distribution, taxation, firearms, local regulation, archery equipment, weapons, voter registration, statewide list, county requirements, election integrity, computer services contracts, mental health

Transcript Highlights:

• admits that its employee was working in the course and scope of employment at the time of the alleged incident
• There is some involvement with freight rail, but I don't know if there's a holistic system for it.
• really wasn't; it was all this... ...work goes back onto the main line, so it benefits the whole system
• Let's lower the system like they were aware they searched for amnesty.
• This is pretty rational given the fact that the police chief testified to 8,000 incidents.

Bills: SB682 , SB1013 , SB1369 , SB1422 , SB2001 , SB2080 , SB2366 , SB2705 , SB2841

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: memorial highway, Captain Kevin Williams, Firefighter Austin Cheek, Smith County, transportation, pedestrian right-of-way, sidewalk users, bicycle safety, micromobility, electric scooter, motor-assisted scooter, electric personal assistive mobility device, skateboard, roller skates, driveway crossing, alley crossing, traffic safety, yield law, Texas Transportation Code, vehicle-pedestrian collision

Transcript Highlights:

• On a national level, we have seen firsthand the weaponization of our court system.
• So with false accusations, these include custody situations where some parents use the system to weaponize
• where they're just completely falsified in everything, or are they falsified the severity of the incident
• District Judge Daniel Traynor of Bismarck citing incidents in the past decade where state and federal
• for telephone numbers and home addresses for public employees involved with the criminal justice system

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard House Bill 1582, a study bill on false accusations and false reports of a crime. The sponsor argued the issue is broad but important, citing concerns about weaponized accusations in custody, civil, and political disputes and saying the study should gather statistics on how often these offenses are charged and prosecuted. Testimony in support came from the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents and the North Dakota Association for Justice, both describing cases where false domestic-violence allegations or false reports caused arrests, jail time, and court burdens, while noting the difficulty of finding statistics or examples of prosecutions. Members questioned the bill’s scope, and the committee amended it to narrow the study to North Dakota Century Code Chapter 12.1 before giving it a do pass recommendation by roll call vote. The committee then took up House Bill 1613, which addresses autonomous vehicles, robots, and law enforcement use of technology. The sponsor explained the amendment was intended to create definitions for autonomous, remote, lethal, and less-than-lethal systems, while preserving current law enforcement tools such as body cameras, license plate readers, and other cameras, and requiring warrants or use-of-force policies in certain situations. Testimony and discussion focused on ensuring humans remain involved in decisions to deploy weapons, limiting autonomous use of lethal force, and clarifying how drones and other devices could be used for surveillance or emergency response. After discussion of concerns from law enforcement, technology, and other stakeholders, the committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended by roll call vote. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1499, which would make home addresses and telephone numbers of federal judges, magistrate judges, and U.S. Supreme Court justices confidential under state open-records law. The sponsor and the Attorney General’s office said the bill would extend protections already given to state judges and other justice-system employees, noting increased threats to judges and explaining that federal law does not fully protect these records in state files. With no opposition offered, the committee gave the bill a do pass recommendation and then adjourned after noting it had completed action on all 122 bills before it, with only two conference committees remaining.

Transcript Highlights:

• And all of these incidents involved the use of rented unmarked vehicles.
• Unfortunately, this wasn't an isolated incident.
• These are not isolated incidents.
• These are not isolated incidents. They are the direction. people. These are not isolated incidents.
• My goal is to combat these systemic inequities that currently exist.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• new computer system.
• We're looking to fund a new electronic system. Would this help?
• How can we use the computer system to narrow that down?
• They're going to bull rush the SOA system and you need all these FTEs.
• Neglecting... neglecting air conditioning and heating systems.

Bills: SB397 , SB481 , SB596 , SB760 , SB855 , SB1195 , SB1196 , SB1233 , SB1257 , SB1318 , SB1368 , SB1388 , SB1398 , SB1524 , SB1558 , SB1589 , SB1677 , SB1792 , SB2034

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: SB 397, telemedicine, telehealth, teledentistry, remote care, virtual care, consent documentation, patient consent, data collection, data sharing, audio-only telehealth, in-person examination, irreversible medical procedure, health professional regulation, Occupations Code, Texas Health and Human Services, medical records, provider compliance, data privacy, consumer rights

Transcript Highlights:

• system in Davis and Albany, California.
• I am a product of the California public school system.
• I am a mother of a child in the California public school system.
• Clinical psychologist and I have a child in the Berkeley school system.
• To support our school systems to make sure that those systems have the things that need to be in place

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• common-sense fire, carbon monoxide, and health safety provisions, and no sprinklers or hardwired systems
• In Valley County, we had an incident where a man was forced to stand by and hear his wife and children
• The result is a system that restricts and rations property rights and targets short-term rentals for
• We've had multiple incidents of mass casualty because of improper safety standards.
• , the detection system, or escape routes.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Human Resources

Keywords: 989, all