Transcript Highlights:

• So, again, this just helps simplify and clarify the process in place.
• So, it's a longer conversation, I guess. Okay. Very good. Representative Cunningham. So, Mr.
• just starting the conversation.
• It's going to be a longer conversation.
• Let's continue the conversation. We know it's complex, but we love complex conversations.

Bills: SB2024, SB227, SB268, SB1467, SB1580, HB5537, SB1313, SB1677, SB918, SB331, SB2207, SB2721

Keywords: e-cigarettes, marketing prohibition, youth protection, criminal penalties, public health, school funding, education reform, state budget, property taxes, equity in education, health care, licensing, complaint procedure, disciplinary action, law enforcement, death records, vital statistics, healthcare, trauma facility, Medicaid

Transcript Highlights:

• I think conversation to be had there.
• <00:41:08.320> Um that process needs to play out. Um that process needs to play out.
• when<01:15:54.560> you're Not a perfect process when you're Not a perfect process when
• <01:18:08.760> Um different conversation on my end. Um different conversation on my end.
• uh some processes uh some processes for<01:18:45.920> hiring<01:18:46.560> and<01:

Bills: HF3879

Keywords: outdoor heritage, conservation, habitat restoration, natural resources, wildlife management, 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the April 8, 2026 minutes and then took up House File 3879, the Legacy Finance Outdoor Heritage bill. The committee adopted the DE1 author’s amendment, which incorporated the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council’s revised recommendations and made technical corrections, and staff explained that the bill appropriates about $191.081 million in Outdoor Heritage funding, plus carryforwards and an extension for a carp deterrent project at Lock and Dam. Staff also noted the bill makes no changes to the Clean Water Fund or Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and the bill was moved to the Committee on Ways and Means. A large portion of the meeting focused on the Roseau Lake rehabilitation/Roseau River restoration project and related concerns about landowner impacts, eminent domain, drainage, and whether Outdoor Heritage dollars are being used on private property. Landowners and their attorney testified that the project threatens private farmland, that they do not consent to easements or takings, and that funding should be paused until litigation and legal questions are resolved. They described flooding, drainage problems, financial burdens, and long-term harm to family farms, and asked the committee to suspend funding for the project. Supporters of the project, including Roseau Mayor Dan Fabian and farmer/watershed district manager Jason Bratton, said the project is part of a broader flood-mitigation effort following the 2002 Roseau flood and would help control water, reduce flood damage, and improve conditions for downstream farmers. After testimony, the committee considered the A5 amendment, offered by Representative Heintzeman, which would delete the Roseau Lake Rehabilitation Project Phase 3 from the bill. Members debated the amendment, with some emphasizing landowner concerns and pending litigation and others defending the project and the council’s vetting process. The transcript cuts off during continued discussion, and no final vote on the A5 is shown in the provided text.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, our conversation us, Senator Nelson.
• an acceptable application processing an acceptable application processing timeline<00:21:30.159>
• Uh, thank you for the conversation.
• I would for the for the conversation.
• But certainly, you mentioned the delay in processing, and the delay in processing benefits can cause

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Again, we have to go through the FDA IND process and so there's real structure and rigor.
• We're not just winging it, we're going through the structured process.
• I think there are those individuals that would love to be engaged in this process.
• We're going to look at 85%, we're going to let this work through the process.
• and dictating to the hospitals exactly what that conversation should be.

Bills: SB128, SB640, SB672, SB904, SB1141, SB1263, SB1525, SB1528, SB2041, SB2306, SB2308, SB2357, SB2446, SB2695, SB2857, SB2891, SB2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a process.
• We made a promise to families to the process.
• What's the process, Mr.
• We have enrollment conversations.
• These steps in this entire process for student who may not enroll in our school is a very difficult process

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But there's no requirement, right, that they go through that process specifically for telework.
• <00:08:53.240> specifically<00:08:53.720> for that process specifically for that process
• <00:22:37.279> on<00:22:37.520> these for further conversations on these for further
• conversations on these changes<00:22:38.400> members<00:22:38.960> questions<00:22:39.880
• so with that defer time conversation so with that defer time certain<00:29:43.840> Tuesday<00

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee met for joint decision-making on several measures related to elections, telework, procurement, hiring, public records, and public meetings. On Senate Bill 444, testimony was largely opposed or in comment, and the chairs said the bill raised real issues that needed more time; they deferred it for the year. Senate Bill 1091 on telework and space allocation drew support and discussion about DAGS’ role versus the Department of Human Resources; the committee agreed to amend it in a Senate Draft 1 to remove reference to OE, add a DAGS management analyst position, change “positions” to “allocations,” limit the assessment to executive branch departments in DAGS-managed or DAGS-leased facilities, and add a defective date, then passed it with amendments. Senate Bill 1057 on apprenticeship-related bid incentives received mixed testimony, including support from labor and opposition from some contractor groups, and was passed as a Senate Draft 1 with technical amendments and a defective date. Senate Bill 1065 on skills-based hiring, which would bar bachelor’s degree requirements for most state jobs with exemptions, had support from the Comptroller and outside groups and was passed with technical amendments and a defective date. The committee also took up several procurement and accountability measures. Senate Bill 92 on emergency medical response/defibrillators was deferred indefinitely because a pilot project is already underway in the Capitol building and the committee wants to use that information before expanding. Senate Bill 1175 on a past-performance procurement database was amended to add general fund appropriations and committee-report language about funding needs, then passed. Senate Bill 1587 on retainage was heavily amended to define total project budget, revise retainage language, leave key percentage and day limits blank for further review, limit application to contracts executed after January 1, 2026, and add a defective date; it passed as amended. Senate Bill 1543 on government accountability was amended to incorporate procurement officer changes and add language ensuring inherent government functions are not delegated to contractors, then passed. Senate Bill 1255 on government records was amended to clarify that records used in performing a government function are public records subject to UIPA, add contractor recordkeeping/access requirements, protect certain confidential contract information, and add a defective date; it passed. Additional measures were either deferred or advanced with amendments. Senate Bill 1513 on appropriations was deferred to a time certain on February 11. Senate Bill 1616 on care centers was converted into a feasibility study and passed with a defective date. Senate Bill 74 on state construction projects was deferred indefinitely due to concerns it could slow projects and duplicate another measure. Senate Bill 125 on state organizations and administrations was amended to codify Administrative Directive 19-02, with a note about a possible title issue, and passed. Senate Bill 786 on government records was deferred to February 11 for further amendment work. Senate Bill 1611 on government positions was amended by removing section two and passed. Senate Bill 1637 was deferred for the year after testimony indicated the action could already be done. Senate Bill 1651 on public meetings was amended to require board packets by the third business day before a meeting, remove the word “full,” and adjust notice language, then passed. Senate Bill 1617 on public meetings was deferred because the Office of Information Practices reported no complaints. Senate Bill 1253 on boards and commissions was deferred indefinitely due to no testimony. Senate Bill 1031 on advisory referendums was deferred to February 11 for possible amendments. Senate Bill 1306 on a procurement automation special fund was amended to align procurement statutes and add the School Facilities Authority executive director as a chief procurement officer, then passed.

Transcript Highlights:

• Oh, thank you, Lee Clor. conversations a around what is white conversations a around what is white supremacy
• it happened and what you need to change in that process.
• it happened and what you need to change in that process.
• It does not understand the difficulty of the immigration process.
• Help me understand the process. How does that work?

Bills: HF10

Keywords: undocumented immigrants, state funding, MinnesotaCare, scholarship ineligibility, state assistance, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Not seeing any through any process.
• Heintzeman for conversations about what the agency can do administratively to make the process better
• forward for that part of the process. forward for that part of the process.
• Chair Heindman for the conversations Chair Heindman for the conversations about<00:31:07.279>
• administratively to make that process administratively to make that process better<00:31:10.399>

Bills: HF4253, HF4257, HF3236, HF4264, HF4149, HF4019

Keywords: boat storage structures, public waters, natural resources, rule amendments, watercraft canopy, PFAS, environmental regulation, manufacturers, public health, product safety, groundwater, water appropriation, water-use permit, water permit, aquifer test, aquifer, well construction, groundwater permit, Department of Natural Resources, DNR

Transcript Highlights:

• Even right process was supposed to be.
• Um, but from our research, from conversations with our programs, from conversations with survivors, there
• conversations with the county attorneys. conversations with the county attorneys.
• appeal process appeal process um um um for<01:25:23.760> uh for uh for uh if<01:25:25.360
• their statute and they have a process their statute and they have a process where<01:27:06.800><

Bills: HF3465, HF3782, HF4075, HF391, HF3946, HF2976, HF3350

Keywords: theft, vulnerable adults, public safety, penalties, Minnesota statutes, chemical irritants, law enforcement, transparency, building owners, tenant rights, notification, remediation, firearm restrictions, domestic violence, court orders, criminal convictions, firearms prohibition, gun surrender, order for protection, protective order

Transcript Highlights:

• What I was proposing in terms of amendment is a process that would expedite the process because I don't
• into a committee process, which a lot of times we know the committee process is loaded up.
• and clear process is adhered to.
• and clear process is adhered to.
• , is a one- to two-year process.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee met without a quorum at first and proceeded informally before later establishing a quorum and taking votes. Early items included SB 885 by Senator Strickland and SB 986 by Senator Saryato, both aimed at requiring legislative review of major regulations with estimated economic impacts over $50 million. Supporters argued the bills would restore accountability and oversight over unelected boards and agencies and help address California’s affordability crisis; opponents, including labor and environmental groups, warned the measures would delay or block important health, safety, and worker protections. Members discussed possible amendments, especially a 60-day review window and informational hearings, and both bills were moved on with votes held open for absent members. The consent calendar was also taken up and held open after motions. The committee then heard several symbolic and policy bills. SB 1025 by Senator Hurtado would create an Office of Food Security and Affordability to coordinate food programs across state departments, improve outreach, and reduce gaps in service; members generally supported the goal but raised concerns about creating another agency without stronger reporting and oversight requirements. SB 1214 by Senator Ochoa would designate the Western monarch as California’s state butterfly, and SB 1178 by Senator Reyes would designate the California yellow jacket as the state wasp; both were presented as ways to highlight biodiversity, conservation, and ecological benefits, and both advanced with committee amendments. SB 1286 by Senator Richardson would recognize the California sea lion as the state pinniped, with testimony emphasizing marine conservation and the species’ role as an indicator of ocean health; it also moved forward with amendments. Later, SB 1171 by Senator Caballero would make private entities that contract with ICE ineligible for state-funded grants or loans. The author framed the bill as a response to ICE enforcement tactics and a way to ensure state funds do not indirectly support those operations. The California Chamber of Commerce opposed the measure, warning it could sweep in contractors providing essential services such as food, health care, or legal research to detainees. Committee discussion focused on those concerns and on whether the bill should be narrowed; the bill was voted out on a 7-3 roll, with the roll held open. The committee also heard SB 1358, the Ethnic and Community Media Equity Act, which would create a database of ethnic and community media outlets and require state agencies to seek quotes from those outlets for certain advertising and outreach contracts. Supporters said it would improve the effectiveness of state messaging and better reach diverse communities, especially in immigrant and Latino populations.

Transcript Highlights:

• I was going down the line with Senator Perry and your thought process.
• There have been a lot of conversations about that.
• To Madam Chair's point, when I have these conversations...
• So, I just think there's a broader conversation.
• From the conversation, they should be here making their voices heard.

Bills: SB128, SB640, SB672, SB904, SB1141, SB1263, SB1525, SB1528, SB2041, SB2306, SB2308, SB2357, SB2446, SB2695, SB2857, SB2891, SB2583

Keywords: hospital reporting, child abuse, neglect, administrative penalty, medical ethics, child protection, SB 640, Texas Family Code, Department of Family and Protective Services, DFPS, child welfare, foster care, managing conservatorship, suicide attempt, youth suicide, mental health, child protective services, state custody, annual report, reporting requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• We were simply asking for process.
• What were those conversations? We shared exactly what we're sharing here.
• <00:14:47.440> to uh we still have some conversations to uh we still have some conversations
• What were those conversations? We about? What were those conversations?
• No, those are conversations perspective?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going through the application process.
• So that's what we're in the process of doing.
• We facilitate difficult conversations.
• You're not familiar with the process. Sorry?
• You're not familiar with the process. Sorry?

Summary: The committee heard a work session on voting access on tribal lands, beginning with a presentation from Dr. Chelsea Jones of the Brennan Center. She described barriers affecting Native voters and voters on tribal lands, including long travel distances to polling places and drop boxes, nontraditional addresses, unreliable postal service, language access, and limited broadband. Citing research, she said turnout on tribal lands trails turnout off tribal lands by about 10 percentage points nationally and about 10% in Washington, with larger gaps in some convenience voting measures. Members asked about the meaning of “lost votes,” the role of tribal leadership and community trust, and whether outreach by election officials and candidates could help; Dr. Jones emphasized that the study measured missed voting opportunities, not missing ballots, and that partnerships with trusted community leaders are important. The University of Washington Elections Database then presented data on voter registration, turnout, signature challenges, curing, and ballot rejection for voters whose addresses fall within tribal reservation boundaries. The presenters said registration on reservations increased from about 107,000 in 2010 to 137,000 in 2024, turnout on reservations remained about 8 to 9 percentage points lower than outside reservations in recent general elections, and signature-challenge and rejection rates were generally low but somewhat higher in off-year elections. They reported that about 60% to two-thirds of signature-challenged ballots are cured, with cure rates similar inside and outside reservations, and that late return is the most common reason for primary ballot rejection while signature mismatch is the leading cause in general elections. A question was raised about USPS postmarking issues and how those might affect future data; the presenters said they plan to track return method and cure timing more closely. The committee also received an overview of the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs. Staff reviewed the office’s history, the Centennial Accord, the Millennium Agreement, and related state-tribal frameworks, and GOIA Director Tim Rainan described the office’s role as a bridge between the state and tribal governments, including consultation, policy coordination, training, and convening work groups. He said GOIA now has six positions, is part of the governor’s executive cabinet, and is working on a statewide tribal relations training module and consultation handbook. In response to a question, he said tribal voting is not a major topic at the Centennial Accord but is discussed more extensively through ATNI. The committee then shifted to contracting equity, hearing from WSDOT, DES, OMWBE, and the Office of Equity. WSDOT described its race-neutral small business and veteran goals, mentorship and support programs, and its response to the federal suspension of the DBE program; DES discussed statewide contracting spend, the EDGE pilot for small construction firms, and efforts to improve procurement access; OMWBE reported growth in certified firms and about $371 million in state spend with certified firms in the most recent year, while noting ongoing impacts from federal DBE changes; and the Office of Equity outlined its broader work on agency consultation, dashboards, and systems change. No votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what does that, what does the process look like? Correct.
• shoving another piece into the process that already is ongoing.
• Up to that level of being able to process in a timely manner.
• House Bill 2 is, is just the first step in this process.
• And so, There's a whole prescriptive process for that.

Bills: HB1, HB 2, HB18, HB19, HB20

Keywords: youth camps, emergency preparedness, safety standards, health regulations, camp licensing, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and I applied through the process.
• Engaged in process, are engaged in these important and sometimes costly rulemaking processes that have
• People ask why I like this committee, but we always have a great, robust conversation.
• a great robust conversation. a great robust conversation.
• So, the CA will take the roll. that process improvement. So, uh, with that process improvement.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 936, an author’s bill requiring cost-benefit analysis before agencies move forward with major rulemaking. Chair Nash moved the bill, the A2 author’s amendment was adopted, and the bill was then discussed as amended. The sponsor said the goal was not to eliminate rulemaking, but to require agencies to “show their work” by analyzing costs, benefits, and assumptions before rules are adopted. Supporters, including representatives from Americans for Prosperity and the Pacific Legal Foundation, argued the bill would improve transparency, uniformity, and accountability in rulemaking. They cited federal and other state models, especially Virginia, and said similar requirements already exist in several states. They also pointed to public support for requiring cost-benefit analysis and said the bill could help agencies avoid costly or poorly thought-out regulations, reduce litigation risk, and improve legislative oversight through notice to committees and publication of preliminary and final analyses. Several members raised concerns. Representative Luger Nikolai said cost-benefit analysis is already part of existing law through SONARs and that the legislature, not agencies, should be the first line of review; she also worried the bill would force dollar valuations on qualitative factors such as accessibility. Representative Craft said the bill could allow unelected officials to negate policy choices already made by the legislature if benefits do not exceed costs. Representative Fryberg said the bill appears to require full analysis even for minor housekeeping rules and may overemphasize dollar-based benefits. Chair Nash and supporters responded that the bill is meant to impose a uniform check on agencies and that many current rules already operate without sufficient legislative oversight. The discussion ended with members expressing both support and opposition, and a roll call was requested, though no final vote was included in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• If this conversation goes on, and we all need to be part of a conversation, so I don't want to cut anybody
• ...this out over time, are we ever going to really catch up in the process?
• We're always willing to work and have this conversation.
• ...gone through the process of appealing some number of times.
• But I feel like in our conversation... Reply to the whole class.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• testing processes every year.
• during the development process.
• That's why this process must be open and transparent.
• We leverage educator input throughout the process.
• And 629 being engaged in this process, every step.

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Summary: The House Committee on Public Education met to hear House Bill 8, which would replace STAAR with a new assessment and accountability system beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The chair described the bill as reducing testing time, limiting benchmark tests, adding beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year assessments, requiring faster score turnaround, involving Texas teachers in test development, and tightening accountability timelines and transparency rules. Members also discussed provisions on A-F ratings, cut scores, CCMR, local accountability plans, and TEA reporting requirements. Committee members and invited witnesses split sharply on the bill’s approach. Supporters, including the chair, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, and Ed Trust’s Nicholas Munyon Penny, argued the bill would reduce high-stakes pressure, provide quicker and more actionable data, limit over-testing, and better align assessments to Texas standards while preserving criterion-referenced accountability. They said the new system would help teachers and parents intervene sooner and would improve transparency, including parent access to student responses and automatic rescoring in some writing cases. Opponents, including Rep. Hinojosa and student witness Ella Moran, argued the bill still increases testing and replaces one high-stakes test with multiple TEA-created tests. Moran testified that STAAR creates anxiety, disrupts instruction, and does not reflect real learning, while Hinojosa said the House had previously passed a better bill based on a nationally norm-referenced model and criticized the new proposal as a concession to the Senate. Questions also focused on AI scoring of writing, rescoring rates, and whether the bill’s new accountability rules would be reliable and fair. The committee did not take a final vote during the portion provided, but the chair said a vote on HB 8 would be called after public testimony later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you, Senator, and have appreciated our conversations on this bill.
• I'll just very quickly say, appreciate the comments, appreciate the conversation.
• I think the two senators might have come in as this conversation was going on.
• I just wanted to clarify my concern on this in light of the conversation.
• Chair, thank you to all the members for the robust conversation, the great questions.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I from as the bill goes as a process.
• 00:59:56.079> clerks,<00:59:56.640> this know, conversing with the clerks, this know, conversing
• It's been a three-year process. 52. It's been a three-year process.
• And so I think this starts a conversation long term.
• The 5% statistical process perspective.

Bills: SF0102, SF0113

Keywords: energy transmission, load growth, Wyoming energy authority, transmission planning study, public utilities, regional cooperation, hand count audit, ballots, election integrity, transparency, voting system, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We've had lots of conversations with A-Z-A-V-M-A and A-V-M-A.
• Are you open to conversations on that?
• Only after that approval can the state process begin.
• The state process is conducted by a combination ...only after that approval can the state process begin
• There is no role provided for the people to play in the process.

Bills: SB1021, SB1144, SB1164, SB1178, SB1181, SB1241, SB1247, SB1286, SB1415, SCR1011

Keywords: health profession, regulatory boards, criminal activity, notification, auditor general, investigations, veterinary technicians, certification, education alternative, Arizona Revised Statutes, veterinary education, ALTCS, providers, ownership change, healthcare, Arizona Long Term Care System, naturopathic physician, naturopathic medicine, naturopathic doctor, naturopathic physicians medical board