Transcript Highlights:

• law and tried to looked at the Texas law and tried to mirror<00:33:15.919> that<00:33:16.159>
• laws on their books that they don't have as hard a market in Texas as most of the rest of the country
• law here is trying to import the Texas law here is that<00:42:11.280> Texas<00:42:11.680>
• has never had to implement that Texas has never had to implement their<00:42:13.040> program<
• as most of the rest of a market in Texas as most of the rest of the<00:42:26.079> country.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Three of the top 10 biggest states were Texas, California, and Alaska, which are clearly geographically
• ,<00:03:59.120> California,<00:03:59.599> and<00:03:59.840> Alaska, were Texas
• Zero being great, like Texas that got the largest award from this fund.
• Zero being great, like Texas that got the largest award from this fund.
• And Medicaid already have codes that allow for them to bill for and sustain the service.

Keywords: 00:00:20 - Call to Order/Roll Call 00:02:00 - Update on Rural Health Transformation Program 00:29:20 - Discussion of 26RS HB 134 00:36:35 - Roll Call Vote on 26RS HB 134 00:37:41 - Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations 01:09:44 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Health Services Committee met to receive an update from Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Steven Stack on Kentucky’s Rural Health Transformation Grant. He explained that all 50 states applied and were awarded funding, and Kentucky received about $212.9 million over five years, with the first year treated as a nine-month period. He emphasized that the award is a cooperative agreement with CMS, is not Medicaid funding, cannot be used to supplant existing funds, and is limited to the five areas approved in Kentucky’s application. He also said the state must submit a revised budget before major spending begins, and that CMS could claw back money if performance metrics are not met. Secretary Stack outlined the five focus areas: maternal health, mental health, oral health, emergency medical services, and chronic disease prevention/management, especially obesity and diabetes. He described possible approaches such as expanding behavioral health crisis stabilization models like EMPath, using teledentistry and mobile services, strengthening EMS staffing and treat-in-place options, and building healthier nutrition and activity supports. He said the application was developed quickly with broad stakeholder input and that the state plans to work with universities, nonprofits, and other partners through procurement and other formal processes. He also noted the program will be overseen by the public health department, with Commissioner John Langfeld leading the effort. Committee members asked about the grant timeline, the split between formula and competitive funding, the role of certificate of need, and whether new laws or regulations would be needed. Stack said the state believes it can implement the approved projects under current law, though some broader policy issues such as certificate of need were not included because they would be risky to change within the grant timeline. Members also asked how stakeholders can submit ideas; Stack pointed them to the public website and contact email, saying additional partner information will be posted soon. The committee did not take any formal vote or action during this discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Delete the proposed criminal penalties in proposed Section 1507 of the Elections Code.
• Clarify that Sections 1553 and 19230 of the Elections Code do not prohibit agreements between elections
• Clarify that Sections 1553 and 19230 of the Elections Code do not prohibit agreements between elections
• Will be brought back into Sections 18544 and 18545 of the Elections Code.
• certified voting technology, as that term is defined in the Elections Code.

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on May 6, 2026, with a quorum present and heard one bill, SB 73. The author described the measure as a response to perceived threats to California elections, including restrictions on armed or non-uniformed personnel at polling places, protections for ballots and voting equipment, and limits on law enforcement access to election materials without a court order. The chair reviewed a set of agreed amendments, including removing a section conflicting with AB 1664, deleting proposed criminal penalties, clarifying the role of the Attorney General and Secretary of State, and refining language on signature challenges, law enforcement support, and certified voting technology. Supporters, including AAPI Force, CHIRLA, the League of Women Voters of California, and Common Cause, argued the bill would protect voters from intimidation and preserve election integrity. Opponents from CALA argued the bill was unnecessary, would hinder legitimate investigations, and reflected distrust of law enforcement and federal oversight. Committee discussion focused heavily on whether the bill was responding to real-world threats and on the ballot seizure in Riverside County. Members questioned how the measure would affect signature challenges, chain of custody, and investigations into possible fraud. The author and supporters said ballots should remain in election officials’ custody and that federal or local agents should not be able to interfere with election materials or intimidate voters. The chair and other members also discussed the urgency clause and the need to move the bill quickly despite the proximity of the June election. The committee voted to do pass and re-refer SB 73 to the Committee on Public Safety. The roll call initially showed the bill passing 5-1, then after the absent member arrived, the final vote was 6-2, and the bill was reported out of committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• I sometimes sound like a broken record, but I do believe that since we do have so many local elected
• with the lack of resources coming in from Washington, D.C., policymakers and leaders who have been elected
• And so I support this Senator for, one, listening to the call of the voices of the elected official who
• Texas, for example, has 50 cultural districts and allocates $12 million to their program.
• I remember when the Senator, I think, was just elected maybe by a few months, and we had a meeting exactly

Summary: The Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee heard several bills, mostly related to Proposition 19, voluntary tax checkoffs, and local tax authority. SB 288 would clarify that the one-year residency and exemption deadline for inherited homes held in probate begins when legal ownership is established; it received support from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and others, no opposition, and was referred to suspense. SB 974 would explicitly include special needs trusts in Prop. 19-related inheritance rules; it had support from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and passed 5-0 to Appropriations as amended. The committee also heard SB 575, which would restore the Sea Otter Voluntary Contribution Fund for voluntary tax return donations to sea otter conservation. Supporters cited sea otter recovery, research, and habitat protection needs; there was no opposition, and the bill passed 5-0 to Appropriations. SB 999 would delay the Franchise Tax Board’s annual report on the health care individual mandate from March 1 to June 1 to allow more complete data; Health Access California supported it, and it passed 5-1 to Appropriations. SB 762 would authorize certain cities and counties, including Hercules, Santa Cruz, and Santa Barbara, to seek voter approval for local transaction and use taxes to address budget pressures, public safety, infrastructure, and safety-net service cuts. Local officials, labor groups, and health advocates supported it, while the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association opposed it; the committee adopted the urgency clause and then passed the bill to Local Government with urgency, with some no votes. SB 1073 would create a voluntary tax contribution fund to support the Historic South Los Angeles Black Cultural District; arts advocates and community supporters backed it, and the bill passed unanimously to the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism Committee as amended.

Transcript Highlights:

• I sometimes sound like a broken record, but I do believe that since we do have so many local elected
• with the lack of resources coming in from Washington, D.C., policymakers and leaders who have been elected
• And so I support this Senator for, one, listening to the call of the voices of the elected official who
• Texas, for example, has 50 cultural districts and allocates $12 million to their program.
• I remember when the Senator, I think, was just elected maybe by a few months, and we had a meeting exactly

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill will be referred to the Committee on Elections.
• The bill will be referred to the Committee on Elections and Ethics.
• Senate Bill 1061, a bill to amend the Occupational Code.
• The bill will be referred to the Committee on the Revised School Code.
• The bill will be referred to the Committee on Elections and Ethics.

Summary: The Senate met with 29 members present and a quorum, opened with invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, and approved several temporary and full excusals for absent senators. During introduction and referral, the chamber received a large number of new Senate bills and House bills, covering election law, public health, occupational and skilled trades regulation, school code and school aid issues, child protection, cemetery and funeral regulation, insurance, estates, food law, political activity, credit unions, social welfare, transportation, natural resources, and a veterans hyperbaric oxygen therapy grant/fund proposal. All of these measures were read and referred to the appropriate committees; no substantive debate occurred at this stage. The Senate then moved into the Committee of the Whole and considered Senate Bills 480, 517, and 278. SB 480, dealing with child care organization licensing and regulation, received and adopted a committee substitute and advanced. SB 517, a Revised School Code bill, received and adopted a floor substitute and advanced. SB 278, amending the State Housing Development Authority Act, was reported without amendment and advanced. The Committee of the Whole reported SBs 480 and 517 with amendments and SB 278 without amendment, and the Senate concurred in those recommendations. On third reading, the Senate took up Senate Bill 49, amending the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act, and Senate Bill 50, amending the Code of Criminal Procedure. Senator Albert offered an amendment to SB 49 to require citations within six months of a violation, arguing it would align with federal standards and provide certainty; the amendment failed. Both SB 49 and SB 50 then passed by votes of 20-15, with three senators excused. The Senate also suspended the rules to immediately consider Senate Resolution 134, which recognized June 23-29, 2026 as Grassroots Week; Senator Kavanaugh spoke in support, citing civil rights history and modern grassroots organizing, and the resolution was adopted. The chamber then proceeded to statements and adjourned until Wednesday, June 24 at 10 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• Courses such as building codes, sustainability, safety, egress design, and selecting materials with health
• Earlier this year, both Texas and Colorado passed consumer protection laws for solar, and their governors
• In Texas, the new law will establish a registry for solar salespersons, require a consumer disclosure
• Texas also just passed a law that has a similar requirement, so it's something that is emerging more

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure heard testimony on several real estate, housing, and consumer protection bills. A major portion of the hearing focused on bills to create licensure for commercial interior designers (H.324/S.254), with supporters from the architecture and interior design fields arguing the measure would recognize a distinct profession, expand permitting authority for qualified designers, improve public safety, and remove barriers to firm ownership and public contracting. Witnesses said the proposal had been redrafted through collaboration among interior designers, architects, engineers, and building officials, and Senator Gomez said the Senate had passed the bill previously and hoped to advance it again. The committee also heard support for H.450 on solar customer protections, with solar companies backing standardized disclosures, a consumer brochure, a longer rescission period, and sales registration requirements as consumer safeguards that would not materially disrupt business operations. The committee then took testimony on H.431/S.245, a bill to end housing discrimination in the Commonwealth. Senator Gomez, fair housing advocates, and several renters described alleged discrimination against Black renters and voucher holders, citing testing data and personal experiences. They said the bill would strengthen enforcement by linking court findings to temporary license suspensions, require fair housing training, increase public reporting, and add board representation with fair housing or voucher-holder experience. A real estate appraisers representative also supported S.196, which would make appraisal licensure mandatory in Massachusetts, arguing that home valuation should be done by licensed professionals. A substantial part of the hearing addressed broker-fee and rental-timing bills, including H.335, H.336, H.374, H.224, and H.449. Supporters of the broker-fee changes argued that tenants should not be charged fees when the landlord hired the broker, while opponents warned the language could restrict tenant representation and harm small landlords, students, and the rental market. Several witnesses opposed the 90-day lease-signing window in H.336, saying it would compress the September rental cycle, worsen competition, and make it harder for students and out-of-state renters to secure housing. The chairs noted that broker fees had already been addressed in the state budget, and the hearing concluded with no votes on the bills, only the close of testimony and an announcement that the committee would not hold another hearing until later in the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bowdry from Beaumont, Texas, I did it.
• It's also being litigated in Texas.
• We're simply doing the same thing regarding the Title 68 tax code so that they match.
• businessmen had to make the unfortunate decision to move their corporate headquarters out of Oklahoma into Texas

Bills: HB1427, SB1403, SB1448, SB1489, SB1546, SB1557, SB1614, SB1377, SB1990, SB1439, SB1630, SB1632, SB1696, SB1796, SB1824, SB1362, SB1849, SB2066, SB2071, SB2104, SB933, SB1633, SB1224, SB1246, SB1280, SB1303, SB1346

Keywords: tax credit, clean-burning fuel, hydrogen fuel cells, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, environmental impact, vehicle modification, renewable energy, job incentives, tax rebates, Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program, employment growth, wage requirements, Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act, consumer protection, unfair trade practices, deceptive practices, exemptions, statutory exemptions, Corporation Commission

Transcript Highlights:

• back to try to retrofit or, if you will, complete those projects, it's not only more costly, but the code
• He's coached at D1, D2, D3, and he's currently head coach of a pretty good program in West Texas, a New
• And my daughter-in-law is... ...a pretty good program in West Texas, a New Mexico program.
• And my daughter-in-law is on the staff of Texas Tech Lady Red Raiders.

Bills: SB234, SB210, SB243, SB244, SM16, HB8

Keywords: foster children, school transportation, education funding, public education, child welfare, New Mexico Highlands University, soccer field, women's sports, infrastructure improvement, funding allocation, student athletes, appropriation, New Mexico State University, nutrition, travel support, funding, education, university support, financial assistance, parenting students

Transcript Highlights:

• They say everything is bigger in Texas, but not tourism.
• California's tourism is 70% bigger than Texas. I'm picturing a slide.
• It should be animated and come up and cover all of Texas.
• Distinctions between—you showed the numbers about our level of activity compared to Florida, Texas, and
• think that it's important that we, as Californians, and especially as Americans, Those of us who are elected

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• School Fitness Program in the Arizona Department of Education, or ADE, to recognize public schools that elect
• Schools that elect to participate in the program may include the fitness program designation in the school's
• I've also served as the Science Board of the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas. Thank you.
• Over the interim, I stretched the mandate of my Select Committee on Election Integrity to encompass issues
• When elected officials assert their expertise in fields in which they have none, they set a dangerous

Bills: HB2008, HB2075, HB2203, HB2395, HB2409

Keywords: school libraries, public school libraries, library funding, professional associations, library associations, librarians, information services, dues, membership fees, public monies, school governing body, county free library district, municipal library, library contracts, library services, books and programs, Arizona education, Title 15, Library Freedom Act, school district transparency

Transcript Highlights:

• Current code provides that no provision of the code can be construed to require the disclosure of standards
• In 2022, Section 3-1-31 of the code was amended to allow municipalities to hold their elections concurrently
• with state general and primary elections.
• This bill amends one section of code, 20-2-42, makes some minor code citation format updates, and adds
• a cross-reference to another code section.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Government Organization met with a quorum present, approved the minutes, and then considered a series of House bills, most of them related to licensing, local government administration, and agency operations. House Bill 5063 would let county commissions appoint a county commissioner as a voting member of a convention and visitors bureau board, including for multi-county CVBs; it was reported to the full Senate. House Bill 5087 would join the interstate cosmetology licensure compact, allowing licensed cosmetologists to obtain multi-state practice privileges in compact states, and it was also reported. The committee then took up a strike-and-insert amendment for House Bill 4793, which combined provisions affecting barbering/cosmetology apprenticeships and lowered certain age and education requirements; after adopting a Jefferson amendment clarifying the salon training language, the bill was reported as amended. Members next approved a strike-and-insert for House Bill 5638, which clarifies the State Chief Information Security Officer’s duties, changes cyber risk review procedures, and updates references to the Office of Technology head as the chief information officer; it was reported as amended. House Bill 4483, dealing with the Board of Funeral Examiners, was amended to change the effective date for licensee-in-charge requirements and make technical corrections, then reported as amended. House Bill 5653, requested by the Department of Revenue, would expand confidentiality protections to cover audit manuals, guidelines, procedures, algorithms, and related materials to prevent taxpayers from gaming audit selection, and it was reported. House Bill 4452 repeals acreage limits on church property ownership, and House Bill 4801 expands permissible uses of hotel occupancy tax funds to include demolition of unsafe structures and planning or improvement of public property; both were reported. The committee also advanced House Bill 5622, which creates an expedited process for municipalities to conform local election terms and procedures to the state requirement that municipal elections be held with statewide primaries or general elections, and recognizes the Secretary of State as keeper of municipal charter rolls. House Bill 4546 would allow business entities to file reports biennially instead of annually, with higher biennial fees and updated enforcement provisions; its strike-and-insert amendment was adopted and the bill was reported as amended. House Bill 5613 would define and regulate telematics for state fleet vehicles, require reporting on unsafe driving and corrective actions, and include cost-benefit information in annual reports; it was reported. House Bill 5323 would let the Division of Natural Resources adjust license and stamp fees for inflation by removing a prior CPI-based restriction, and House Bill 4819 would revise criminal-record standards for certain non-Chapter 30 occupational licenses, shifting to a direct-relationship standard while preserving existing exclusions for violent sexual offenses; both were reported. The committee then adjourned after closing remarks from the chair and vice chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• is a bill for an act to create a new subsection to section 43-17-27.1 of the North Dakota Century Code
• is a bill for an act to create a new subsection to section 43-17-27.1 of the North Dakota Century Code
• Bill 1562 is a bill for an act to amend and reenact section 15.1-07-34 of the North Dakota Century Code
• Bill 1562 is a bill for an act to amend and reenact section 15.1-07-34 of the North Dakota Century Code
• To reenact section 12-47-31 of the North Dakota Century Code relating to offenders released from the

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then approved journal corrections and recognized visiting students from Underwood School. The chamber also handled several conference committee appointments after failing to concur with Senate amendments on House bills 1022, 1049, 1229, and 1029, and after the Senate failed to concur on House amendments to Senate bills 2010 and 2113. The House then concurred in or passed a series of amended measures, including House Bills 1481 (dental insurance loss ratio and reporting), 1511 (physician guidance on abortion law, with an emergency clause), 1562 (mandated reporter training), 1197 (correctional facilities study), 1095 (child protective services liaison work group), 1317 (barber licensing board changes), 1549 (corrections facility grants and reentry-related provisions), 1354 (appraiser evaluations), 1374 (open meeting exemption for township supervisors during on-site inspections), 1355 (abbreviated notice for administrative rulemaking), 1025 (advanced nuclear energy study), 1470 (Game and Fish fee changes), 1592 (Lignite Research Council updates), and 1375 (alcohol service/photo ID provisions). Final passage votes were recorded on each bill, with most passing comfortably and some drawing notable opposition, especially HB 1470 and HB 1549. The House spent substantial time on Senate Bill 2011, the Highway Patrol appropriation. Members discussed shifting one-time funding from the general fund to the Electronic Motor Carrier Permit Fund, including body armor, preliminary breath tests, an emergency vehicle course, resurfacing, fleet costs, and handgun/taser replacement, while also noting a federal grant and no new FTEs. Questions focused on salary-line increases and the new-and-vacant FTE pool, with Appropriations explaining that those dollars had been moved back into agency budgets from OMB. The bill passed 84-6. The House also passed Senate Bill 2013, the Commissioner of University and School Lands appropriation, after discussion of Trust Lands operations, unclaimed property staffing, and distributions from the Common Schools Trust Fund; one member was excused for a conflict, and the bill passed 67-22. Senate Bill 2023, the Racing Commission appropriation, passed 65-25 after a brief explanation of the agency’s responsibilities and funding. A major policy debate centered on Senate Bill 2385, which revises mobile home park regulation. Supporters said it creates receivership procedures if a license is revoked, requires clearer tenant notices, limits certain fees, and strengthens protections against eviction and utility overcharges. Two members were excused from voting due to conflicts tied to mobile home park ownership, and the bill passed 84-4. Another extended debate occurred on Senate Bill 2159, which allows the State Energy Research Center to study nuclear-related projects with approval from the Industrial Commission and consultation with the radioactive waste advisory council. Supporters said it is meant to help study advanced nuclear energy while preserving existing prohibitions on high-level radioactive waste storage; opponents raised concerns that the language could weaken prior protections and open the door to waste-related research or storage. The transcript ends during that debate, before a final vote on SB 2159 is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I live in Texas. Texas, okay. Any further questions? Thank you very much.
• We need to build Florida as the E-Tech Center and take over from Texas or California, move everything
• your vote, all members that we have heard from today will be reported favorably to the Ethics and Elections

Bills: S1694

Keywords: technology education, digital literacy, artificial intelligence, computer science, high school graduation

Summary: The Appropriations Committee on Higher Education met with a quorum present and first took up CS for SB 1694, which would require technology-integrated postsecondary general education core courses to include digital literacy and competency instruction, including use of artificial intelligence tools, and encourage high school computer science courses with AI content to teach how AI systems use data, their benefits and limitations, and responsible use in academic and personal contexts. The bill drew support from several speakers who emphasized the need for students to understand AI’s capabilities, limitations, ethics, and risks, while one speaker raised concerns about overreliance on AI and the loss of skills. Senator Davis said the bill was a good step toward preparing the future workforce and suggested earlier instruction might be worth considering later. The bill was reported favorably, and Senator Leek asked to be recorded in the affirmative. The committee then heard a long series of confirmation presentations for trustees at multiple Florida colleges and universities, including Tallahassee State College, USF, UNF, Palm Beach State College, the College of the Florida Keys, Hillsborough College, Miami-Dade College, Florida A&M University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, New College of Florida, Florida Polytechnic University, and the University of Florida. The appointees generally emphasized student success, workforce alignment, fiscal responsibility, access and affordability, and institutional growth; several members and senators offered supportive comments, with some asking about specific issues such as Tallahassee State’s NCLEX passage rates and the need for continued improvement. One appointee’s attendance was delayed or skipped for later consideration, but the committee ultimately took a block vote and reported the confirmations favorably to the Ethics and Elections Committee. Finally, Chair Harrell gave a brief overview of the higher education budget, describing a total of $11.9 billion and highlighting increases for workforce education, Florida College System operating funds, workforce development capitalization, the Rural Incentive for Professional Educators program, the USF Center for Nursing, preeminent research universities, UCF’s community school grant program, UF’s Lassinger Center on Learning, the Florida Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, and campus security through a postsecondary guardian program. Senator Davis asked about a transfer related to the workforce development capitalization and incentive grant fund, and the chair explained it was a transfer of an existing program with new funds being added. There was no public comment on the budget, and the meeting adjourned after Senator Leek requested to be recorded in the affirmative on SB 1694.

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas being another.
• I understand that Texas has reported that since they have done that, they have reduced the time to get
• It works in Texas. And I would, you know, hope that other states would do the same thing.
• connect the dots between a fossil fuel industry that has put a minimum of $100 million into Trump's election

Keywords: Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act, IIJA, bipartisan infrastructure, funding flexibility, NEPA, environmental reviews, bureaucratic delays, federal funding, infrastructure investment

Summary: The committee meeting focused on the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act, discussing the ongoing implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Chairman Capito highlighted the bipartisan nature of the legislation and the necessity of refining existing provisions to ensure effective delivery of transportation projects. Notable emphasis was placed on the need for flexibility in funding to address inflation impacts and delays caused by bureaucratic hurdles, especially relating to environmental reviews under NEPA. Witnesses from state transportation agencies provided valuable insights into real-world challenges faced in project execution, ultimately underscoring the importance of continuous federal support for infrastructure development. The discussion also touched on the broader implications of federal funding freezes by the previous administration, which have reportedly hindered several ongoing and planned projects. This issue raised significant concern among committee members, who urged the need for reliable funding and the removal of unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that could cause delays in project implementation. The meeting concluded with a commitment from the members to work collaboratively to overcome these challenges and ensure a smooth path forward for critical infrastructure investments.

Transcript Highlights:

• We follow a code of professional ethics.
• They are code of professional ethics.
• exam on the code, and that's a huge lift, right?
• exam on the code, and that's a huge lift, right?
• shouldn't be embodied in the code shouldn't be embodied in the code anywhere.<04:44:25.920> It's

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• 27:19.360> to what we needed to do to bring it up to what we needed to do to bring it up to code
• so um we did choose to demolish code so um we did choose to demolish that<00:27:23.159> because
• replacements and roof replacements, heating and cooling upgrades, disability access, and building code
• projects that should have already code projects that should have already been<00:33:36.519> done<
• and Florida kind of states like Texas and Florida kind of suck<01:21:57.679> up<01:21:58.360>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, what happens if that employer, such as my employer, is based out of Dallas, Texas, and I work out
• Um, what happens if that employer, such as my employer, is based out of Dallas, Texas, and I work out
• We were elected to spend our time in Concord working for the people.
• We were elected to spend our time in Concord working for the people.
• Representative, just a quick question: Is there a reason this was here and not in election law?

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first returned to House Bill 157, which had been left pending from an earlier session. After correcting the procedural posture, the committee voted on a motion of ought to pass and it failed on a roll call. A reconsideration motion then passed unanimously, restoring the bill to the floor. Representative Turcot then moved ITL, explaining the committee believed there was a better path, likely through an ad hoc study and a future bill; that motion passed 9-2, and the chair said a minority report would be required and not to place the bill on consent. The committee next took up House Bill 331, which would require the Secretary of State to publish the current location of bills on the website until gubernatorial action. Supporters said the bill would reduce confusion and legislative limbo after bills leave the House and Senate. Online testimony was reported as 116 in support and 4 opposed. The committee voted 11-0 to pass the bill and placed it on consent. House Bill 347 followed, dealing with protections for legislators’ employment when serving in office. Supporters argued it would protect elected officials from employer retaliation and clarify existing law; opponents said it was an unnecessary mandate on employers and raised enforcement concerns, especially for out-of-state employers. The committee voted 8-3 to pass the bill, and a minority report was anticipated; it was not placed on consent. The committee then considered House Bill 605, which included student loan forgiveness provisions tied to legislative service. Members opposing the bill argued legislators are not state employees and should not receive that benefit, while others noted the bill’s employment-related provisions and the difficulty of meeting the hours requirement. The committee voted 11-0 to ITL House Bill 605 and placed it on consent.

Transcript Highlights:

• for elected office prohibitions.
• And then the Code of Conduct itself.
• And this is the language in the current Code of Conduct as it was added into the Code of Conduct by the
• position, holding an elected position while you are a DLA or taking on an elected position when you
• The current code of conduct is a blanket prohibition, so that would include tribal elected offices.

Transcript Highlights:

• The public must know what its government is doing to be able to hold elected officials accountable, engage
• I sat for six years on the trial bench and on the Supreme Court of Texas for seven years after that.
• Open records and Open Meetings Act in Texas.