Transcript Highlights:

• because direct purchasers most often pass that injury on to ordinary consumers in the form of higher prices
• They would just be simply passing that on, along with the price hikes or whatever, the rigging.

Bills: HB4922, HB4713, HB4256, HB872, HB1571, HB4266, HB4559, SB251, SB441, SB1719

Keywords: healthcare liability, emergency medical care, standard of proof, negligence, legal reforms, Texas General Arbitration Act, arbitration, binding arbitration, statute of limitations, limitations period, tolling, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Section 16.073, alternative dispute resolution, ADR, civil procedure, lawsuit filing, court jurisdiction, Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, procedural law

Transcript Highlights:

• But with the way what's happening with the stripper well status and what's happening with the price of
• And now it looks like it might get half full with the way the current system is, with the price of oil

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee met to consider Senate Bill 2012, the Department of Transportation budget, with Representative Brandenburg presenting a detailed House amendment package and Speaker Robin Weisz explaining the overall funding strategy. The discussion focused on restructuring transportation funding streams, including moving Prairie Dog money into a flexible transportation fund, adjusting gas tax distributions, increasing the legacy earnings transfer from 7% to 8%, and authorizing a $155 million bond for Highway 85. Members also discussed DOT operations, bridge funding, rest areas, electronic titling, and the use of funds for grants to counties, cities, and townships. A separate provision would let the DOT consider whether local ordinances or policies unreasonably restrict permitted agriculture or energy projects when scoring grant applications, which drew significant debate about local control and whether the language was punitive. Testimony from Brandenburg and Weisz emphasized that the plan was intended to provide more predictable funding, preserve the ability to match federal dollars, and direct money where needs are greatest through a grant process. Weisz said the package was designed to simplify multiple revenue buckets, ensure DOT can meet federal match requirements, and free up money for the general fund while still supporting transportation needs. Several members raised concerns about whether cities, counties, and townships would receive as much as under the prior Prairie Dog structure, whether the bridge allocation was correctly reflected in the bill, and whether the local-policy language would penalize subdivisions that oppose energy projects. Supporters argued the state needed to protect revenue tied to energy development and that local governments would still receive distributions plus additional grant opportunities. The committee adopted the House amendment to SB 2012 by a vote of 19-1-3, then rejected an amendment to remove the local-policy language on a 5-15-3 vote. The committee then passed SB 2012 as amended on a 20-0-3 vote, with Representative Brandenburg designated as the carrier. The chair announced that Senate Bill 2014 would not be taken up at that time and the committee recessed until called back.

Transcript Highlights:

• this have limitations on buying up single-family housing, which we have seen can drive up housing prices
• housing owned by corporate investors, it, it still is a big concern that it it does drive up housing prices

Bills: HB104

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tax rate election, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, de minimis rate, local government, special district, tax increase, tax notice, public hearing, tax code, Health and Safety Code, Texas property taxes, taxing unit, election threshold, two-thirds vote, majority vote, budget approval

Transcript Highlights:

• We talked about the A&M Real Estate Center statistic that for every $1,000 you increase the price of
• a home, 22,000 people are priced out.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard several tax and economic development bills. SB 935 would exempt counties from the motor fuels tax on fuel used exclusively in county vehicles; Sen. Hall and Cass County Judge Travis Ransom argued it would save counties money without changing fund allocations, and the bill was left pending while the committee waited for the House version. SB 2206 would extend and revise Texas’s research and development incentives by tying the franchise tax credit more closely to federal law and changing the program’s effective date; supporters from business, manufacturing, and tax policy groups said it would protect innovation jobs and help startups, while the Comptroller’s office explained the fiscal note and said the committee substitute was no longer needed. The committee later withdrew the substitute and left the bill pending before ultimately voting it out favorably. The committee also heard SB 2020, which would repeal the “rehab tax” on nonresidential remodeling. Sen. Campbell said a large fiscal note led him to delay a full presentation, but builders, architects, and contractors testified that the tax raises remodeling costs, complicates audits, and discourages reuse and reinvestment in existing buildings. The bill was left pending. SB 2018 would create a two-year “strong families” tax credit for businesses donating to nonprofits that provide family support services; supporters from Family First, Buckner International, and Texas Baptist said it would strengthen families, father engagement, and upstream prevention, while the author said the Comptroller and HHSC were still working on administration details. That bill was also left pending. After a quorum was established, the committee heard and later reported several bills favorably. SB 1030 would exempt certain aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul parts from sales tax for general aviation; industry, airport, and local economic development witnesses said it would keep high-wage aviation work in Texas and improve competitiveness with neighboring states, and the bill was reported favorably. SB 214 would create a temporary sales tax holiday for qualifying residential HVAC systems; it was laid out and left pending. SB 1901 would make administrative and ethics changes to the Opioid Abatement Fund Council, including staggered terms, conflict rules, and fund reallocation procedures; it was reported favorably. SB 266 would repeal the Texas Research Incentive Program and use the appropriation to address the existing backlog of unmatched donations; the chair and Sen. Paxton said the state should honor past commitments, and the committee substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably. The committee then recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• With the consumer price index this is based on.
• Because, you know, if the price of eggs goes up to six dollars, the child still needs to eat.

Bills: HF2233, HF1524, HF1893, HF1396, HF2456, HF2959, HF2300, HF2412, HF3022, HF2825, HF1862, HF1373, HF1039, HF3070

Keywords: Uniform Special Deposits Act, special deposit, banking law, financial institutions, escrow, escrow account, trust account, security deposit, beneficiary, depositor, creditor process, garnishment, attachment, levy, setoff, recoupment, financial market infrastructure, retirement benefits, compensation, earnest money

Transcript Highlights:

• DISTRIBUTORS AND THE ONLY REASON WE EVER MENTIONED THE THREE-TIER SYSTEM WAS BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT PRICES
• MEDICAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY COMPARED TO THE HEMP INDUSTRY HAD MORE ALIGNED WITH THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE PRICINGS

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You are recognized to describe your bill which is SB 872, county price controls for the removal of storage
• And my son Anthony and my family and his little brothers have all paid the price for someone else's terrible

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• between the person that is buying and the one that is selling the merchandise, and they would agree to a price

Bills: SB57, SB130

Keywords: property, acknowledgment, conveyance, business entities, limited liability companies, legal tender, gold, silver, bullion, specie, precious metals, coinage, currency, money, alternative currency, sound money, monetary policy, payment, debt, financial institutions

Transcript Highlights:

• We're looking at the cost of a lot of, you know, grocery prices, right?
• bathrooms, boys and boys bathroom, girls and girls bathrooms. >> Great thing. >> We've cut the grocery tax price
• to me they were Democrats, you know, at that time we were everybody was kind of mad with the gas prices
• <02:41:33.200> with<02:41:33.359> the<02:41:33.520> gas<02:41:33.760> prices
• ,<02:41:34.960> but kind of mad with the gas prices, but kind of mad with the gas prices,

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And as health care systems have to pay for care, prices go up.
• And then to pay for care, prices go up.
• The insurance increase their prices?
• <01:17:36.000> and companies increase their prices and companies increase their prices and
• pricings are stopped, and we save money. pricings are stopped, and we save money.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This item is to implement Assembly Bill 1312, which expands existing hospital fair pricing statutes by
• The increase in fiscal year 2027-28 is reflective of the addition of new pharmacy benefit manager pricing
• CalRx and so forth, we obtain a vendor who's going to manufacture and then we sell it at a wholesale price
• It's just going to be at a more affordable price. Correct. Okay, so that's—I get the cost of it.
• When people start to renew in October, they'll start to see those new prices and that new eligibility

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• According to the New Hampshire Association of Realtors in 2024, the median price of houses increased
• Association of Realators in 2024, the Association of Realators in 2024, the median<00:56:57.760> price
• houses<00:56:58.640> increased<00:56:59.040> by<00:56:59.440> 275% median price
• of houses increased by 275% median price of houses increased by 275% statewide,<00:57:02.559> but
• Page one, lines 29 and 30, consumer price index for all urban consumers, Northeast region.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• where we listened to a consulting company who has paid five times my yearly salary explain to us how prices
• explain<00:40:48.160> to<00:40:48.320> us<00:40:48.480> how<00:40:48.640> prices
• that ability to stop something like or that ability to stop something like rising<00:59:47.839> prices
• that are out of their rising prices that are out of their control<00:59:50.079> or<00:59:50.400
• He compared it to the federal government negotiating Medicare drug prices to drive costs down.

Bills: HF3422, HF3461, HF2904

Keywords: state grants, grant oversight, grants management, executive agencies, Minnesota Department of Administration, commissioner of administration, fraud prevention, waste prevention, grant monitoring, financial reconciliation, grant compliance, state government, public funds, grant recipients, competitive grants, grant administration, administrative oversight, monitoring visits, grant policy, legislative leave

Transcript Highlights:

• If you remember, at that time, Jimmy Carter was considering taking price controls off energy.
• Taking off the price controls on energy. And so we went, and she did all the talking.
• Later, Jimmy Carter took off the price controls on energy.
• It is a way for a lot of our high school students to get a four-year college degree at a cheaper. price
• This bill expands the current price transparency requirements that we have.

Bills: SB15, SB646, SB800, SB790, SB748, SB571, SB1957, SB1923, SB1896, SB1760, SB1335, SB2368, SB2477, SB2587, SB2986, SB2965, SB1563, SB1467, SB1164, SB1137, SB614, SB705, SB918, SB955, SB869, SB850, SB863, SB1055, SB2206, SB457, SB2337, SB1610, SB1362, SB926, SB1494, SB251, SB456, SB500, SB1307, SB2615, SB2995, SB2321, SB2972, SB973, SB865, SB506, SB1522, SB1558, SB510, SB667, SB763, SB2073, SB1858, SB1660, SB2900, SB1433, SB1540, SB1964, SB1300, SB1644, SB2217, SB2373, SB2431, SB1758, SB974, SB2480, SB3039, SB3047, SB2781, SB826, SB766, SB527, SB1946, SB2885, SB1243, SB2610, SB857, SB2501, SB66, SB268, SB331, SB1302, SB519, SB2807, SB13, SB7, SB1718, SB1567, SB1233, SB413, SB2177, SB30, SB2024, SJR1, SCR27, SB2018, SB1580, SB2121, SB1049, SB1266, SB1400, SB1596, SB2753, SB2221, SB1719, SCR9, SB204, SB437, SB568, SB612, SB672, SB710, SB823, SB876, SB904, SB905, SB968, SB1084, SB1207, SB1230, SB1313, SB1504, SB1790, SB2232, SB2366, SB2367, SB2398, SB2515, SB2520, SB2589, SB2786, SB2790, SB3048, SB3050, SB3052, SB3053, SB3056, SB3029, SCR3, SCR18, SCR30, HCR146, HCR148, HCR149, HCR153, HCR155, HCR157, HB5560, HB762, HB1584, HB 107, HB 114, HB138, HB4386, HB2495, HB581, HB3348, HB5323, HB4341, HB6, HB2712, HB171, HB3153, HB143, HB2688, HB3464, HB449, HB3486, HB4263, HB2, HB1522, HB24, HB 1237, HB2637, HB3126, HB3233, HB4310, HB3487, HCR9, HB5331, HB1397, HB163, HB3250, HB3071, HB3463, HB5033, HB35, HB3824, HB216, HB4226, HB3512, HB18, HB5154, HB 103, HB851, HB647, HB4520, HB3016, HB2313, HB2818, HB2851, HB4486, HB4264, HB1500, HB5081, HB2974, HB2080, HB4384, HB5659, HB493, HB4903, HB2516, HB4488, HB4530, HB3689, HB145, HB43, HB5247, HB2221, HB5671, HB700, HB3711, HB 120, SB17, SB1637, SB1833, SB2155, SB21, SB2778, SB379

Keywords: SB 15, Texas Local Government Code, zoning preemption, housing affordability, small lots, lot size, lot density, single-family zoning, residential subdivision, municipal land use, local control, state preemption, parking requirements, setbacks, infill development, missing middle housing, lot width, lot depth, homebuilders, housing supply

Transcript Highlights:

• And that itemized statement had to have the billing codes. plain-language description and the prices
• It means higher prices, and it means no change in quality.
• So for a lot of these independent doctors, consumer price index inflation.
• Okay, so then when the insurance, when somebody's negotiating. then now for pricing, and I come up and
• Similar reports showed these trends in hospitals as well with higher prices and worse outcomes under

Bills: HB5141, HB4638, HB2264, HB2035, HB4813, HB4408, HB2684, HB1621, HB2300, HB216, HB3829, HB4466, HB1747, HB2284, HB3614, HB2587, HB3219, HB3318, HB5147, HB4014, HB216

Keywords: lease, state property, public purpose, Travis County, Health and Human Services, pharmaceutical initiative, drug distribution, healthcare services, generic drugs, advanced pharmaceuticals, cost savings, mental health, patient discharge, medical records, health care professionals, substance use, family involvement, chemical dependency, treatment facilities, minor admissions

Transcript Highlights:

• helps to reflect the current situation of opening up more homes to more people, especially as home prices
• Challenges continue to be higher interest rates, lack of inventory, and higher home prices.
• interest rates lack in inventory higher interest rates lack in inventory higher home<01:15:09.800> prices
• > these<01:15:11.000> put<01:15:11.440> burdens<01:15:11.840> on home prices
• all of these put burdens on home prices all of these put burdens on families<01:15:12.520> but

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• recruited, funded, and trained by the CIA to serve as surrogate soldiers, paying an unmentionable price
• Rising food prices since the pandemic have driven higher rates of food insecurity for everyone.
• Rising food prices since the pandemic have driven higher rates of food insecurity for everyone.
• Rising food prices since the pandemic have driven higher rates of food insecurity for everyone.
• Rising food prices since the pandemic have driven higher rates of food insecurity for everyone.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• think you know I don't know but I don't think you know I don't know but I don't think you can put a price
• on Public Safety I you can put a price on Public Safety I you can put a price on Public Safety I don't
• according to the Consumer that is set according to the Consumer that is set according to the Consumer Price
• Index currently that amount is Price Index currently that amount is Price Index currently that amount

Keywords: sessions, 2025-R, 1, 219

Transcript Highlights:

• producing on the mainland and there were significant losses in egg production there, our local food price
• /c><01:11:31.560> our<01:11:32.080> local<01:11:32.400> food<01:11:32.760> price
• production there our local food price production there our local food price could<01:11:33.360><
• efficiencies of scale to, you know, provide volumes of goods to, say, our Department of Education at a price
• efficiencies of scale to, you know, provide volumes of goods to, say, our Department of Education at a price

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Agriculture and Environment hearing on January 27, 2025, took up multiple measures, beginning with a proposed constitutional amendment, HB 559, to recognize a right to clean water and air, a healthful environment, climate, native ecosystems, and beaches. The Attorney General’s Office testified with concerns that the amendment’s broad language could create challenges for future legislatures and environmental enforcement, while the Climate Commission and DLNR supported it. Environmental and advocacy groups, including Climate Protectors Hawaii, 350 Hawaii, Greenpeace Hawaii, and others, strongly supported the measure, arguing it would strengthen decision-making and protect Hawaii’s natural resources. Committee members raised questions about how the amendment would interact with existing constitutional protections and recent litigation, and the AG’s office said the proposal could lead to broad judicial interpretation and possible liability issues. The hearing then moved on without a recorded vote on this bill. The committee next heard SB 552, which would establish a healthy soils program in the Department of Agriculture and require annual reporting and funding. The Climate Change Commission supported the bill, and the Department of Agriculture said it stood on its submitted testimony but noted existing commissions and the greenhouse gas sequestration task force already address similar objectives, suggesting SB 552 may duplicate current efforts. Agricultural and environmental advocates, including the Hawaii Farmers Union, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and others, supported the concept of a consolidated healthy soils program, saying it would better organize existing efforts, improve access for producers, and support conservation practices. The Agribusiness Development Corporation said it would support either DOA or ADC administering the program, and committee discussion focused on implementation, program overlap, and whether the bill should better integrate existing compost reimbursement and related efforts. The final measure discussed in the excerpt was SB 678, which would create an Agricultural Development Food Security Special Fund, dedicate a portion of the environmental response, energy, and food security tax to it, and appropriate funds equal to 3% of the state budget for agriculture. The Department of Agriculture strongly supported the bill, saying the funding would align with its goals and help support farmers and ranchers. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii and the Department of Budget and Finance raised concerns that the proposed special fund may not meet statutory criteria. Farm and industry groups generally supported the measure but suggested changes, including adding uses related to local food sourcing, distribution, and biosecurity. Committee members questioned the scale of the appropriation, noting it could amount to roughly $250 million and a major increase in DOA’s budget, and discussed whether the department could realistically implement such a large program. The hearing ended with testimony counts noted for the measures heard, and the chair indicated the committee would reconvene later for any unfinished business.

Transcript Highlights:

• these men and women who have worn The cloth of our nation in every climb and place, paid the ultimate price

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Friday, May 22, 2026, 1012, house, all