Transcript Highlights:

• For example, if you look at **99 in Houston**, there's so much growth and development around that area
• I have six counties, Houston and Galveston.
• I live in Houston, and obviously CenterPoint's been through a lot with all that rebuilding.
• I don't know about Houston, Dallas, or all these other places, because I'm not...
• I don't know about Houston, Dallas, or all these other places, because I'm not...

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is Room 135 in Northwest Houston, and I have the either fortunate or unfortunate task of... being
• As I said in Austin and Houston, we should not be here today.
• In Houston, Texas, the Republican Party of Texas was created by 150 colored men and 21 white men.
• I have consulted with my representative and senator in Houston. Quorum breaking is okay.
• Houston was the gentleman who came up with the hexagon concept, right?

Keywords: 997, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Our cities were incorporated in the 1950s because Houston did not have zoning.
• So we're landlocked. literally surrounded by Houston.
• Thank you. ...yourself and Habitat for Texas and Houston Habitat for Humanity? Yes, sir.
• You know, we are, out of the Houston area, both a builder and a community developer.
• Although, I went to Sam Houston State, like I said. But that was a...

Bills: HB24, HB2015, HB2149, HB2559, HB2701, HB2797, HB3172, HB24

Keywords: zoning, public notice, local government, residential development, protests, water conservation, municipal utility districts, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, environmental regulation, groundwater management, nonconforming uses, zoning regulations, land use, property rights, municipal authority, municipal moratorium, development moratorium, property development, subdivision, site plan

Transcript Highlights:

• Is Houston six? Yes, and we are... it's imminent that we're going to announce the contractor there.
• With a RTC operator last week from Houston. He's probably your constituent.
• We have enough experience here that we've seen the mistakes, hence why we waited to roll out Houston
• We're very anxious to get to the Houston area, region six; it's big.
• Priority ones, we have a special status in Houston. We have a special number.

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

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:

• This was done to make sure exceeding decibel. were not raised in the City of Houston in particular.
• Founded in Houston in 1970. or headquarters still remain, we proudly operate 17 facilities across this
• So we did talk specifically with Houston as one example about raising that to 120%. of dishes fees to
• We have 10 restaurants around Houston, the Union Kitchen, Jack's Grill, Passerella, and Vine Memorial
• You see, the whole thing is that a department in a city as large as Houston.

Bills: SB264, SB542, SB924, SB1008, SB1029, SB1036, SB1057, SB1058, SB1185, SB1202, SB1358, SB1364, SB1376, SB1569, SB1664, SB1697, SJR50

Keywords: SB 264, Texas Workers' Compensation Act, group self-insurance, self-insured groups, workers' compensation, Texas Department of Insurance, commissioner of insurance, certificate of approval, guaranty fund, trust fund, wind down, dissolution, labor code, insurance regulation, employer coverage, risk pool, business and commerce, trade workforce economic development, property owners' association, water conservation

Transcript Highlights:

• We're a Houston-based developer, contractor, and operator of affordable rental housing.
• In cities like Houston, where I sit, site plan reviews for these can take six, nine, or 12 months depending
• There was this Texas Supreme Court ruling in 2003 invalidating a Houston City Charter amendment on firefighter
• All right, thank you for bringing that from Deep East Texas to fix a Houston Supreme Court.
• And I believe that in Houston, in Harris County, you don't have the same kind of issues that we have.

Bills: SB208, SB628, SB777, SB1042, SB2354, SB2477, SB2521, SB2523, SB2608, SB2703, SB2778, SB2835, SB2965, SB2367, SB3044

Keywords: workforce housing, capital investment fund, affordable housing, housing development, Texas housing laws, loan programs, community development, Texas housing, zero-interest loans, low-income housing, nonprofit organizations, construction, economic stability, housing affordability, capital investment, Texas housing policy, county fire code, fire marshal, local government code, interlocal agreement

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government considered and voted on several bills, adopting committee substitutes on Senate Bills 1237, 1708, 1844, 1454, 2520, and 2541. In each case, the committee substitute was explained as narrowing or clarifying the filed bill, and the committee voted to report the substitute version to the full Senate, usually with a recommendation that the filed bill not pass. The committee also recommended each of those measures for the local and uncontested calendar. SB 1237 concerned property tax exemption eligibility for charitable organizations; SB 1844 addressed annexation and disannexation limits tied to city services; SB 1454 clarified housing authority tax exemptions and agreements with districts; SB 2520 dealt with a school district tax ceiling comparison; and SB 2541 reduced the unused increment period from three years to two years. The committee then heard extensive testimony on SB 2354, which would allow developers to hire qualified third-party professionals for plat review, permit review, and inspections if local governments are delayed. Supporters included affordable housing providers, builders, Pew Charitable Trusts, housing advocates, and legal groups, who said the bill would reduce permitting delays, lower costs, and help housing production. A Corpus Christi representative testified as neutral, asking for amendments to preserve city final inspection authority, document sharing, and floodplain enforcement. Urban counties opposed the bill as written, arguing it removed too much local oversight, though they acknowledged work on a committee substitute. SB 2354 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 2703, which would clarify that condominiums are not subdivisions for local platting purposes. Builders and a land use attorney supported the bill, saying it would reduce confusion and duplicative regulation; the bill was left pending. SB 777, dealing with firefighter collective bargaining and impasse procedures, drew support from Austin and Texarkana firefighter representatives and the City of Austin, who said the committee substitute reflected stakeholder agreement and preserved voter-approved local procedures; it was left pending. SB 2965, concerning annexation and emergency service district response obligations, drew support from ESD and fire association witnesses who said it would prevent service gaps after annexation, and opposition from local officials who argued it gave unelected ESD boards too much power and lacked neutral review; it was also left pending. The committee then recessed subject to call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Houston Bel Air team lost 54 to 52, a nail-biter.
• The African American Lawyers Foundation, Southwest Region of Black Law Students Association, the Houston
• Members, today I am thrilled to welcome students and volunteers from the Acres Homes neighborhood in Houston
• From the Acres Homes neighborhood in Houston, who are here for Acres Homes Community Advocacy Day.
• And whereas after obtaining his admission to the bar and a short stint working for a Houston oil company

Summary: The Senate opened with a quorum, an invocation, and routine motions to excuse Senator King and dispense with the reading of the previous journal. Members then took up several ceremonial resolutions and recognitions, including honoring Duncanville High School’s boys basketball state championship, recognizing the city of Palestine, welcoming the Texas African American Lawyers Foundation and Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute, acknowledging the Cibolo Chamber of Commerce, and designating Texas County Treasurer’s Day and Mesquite Day. A memorial resolution for Clyde Vance Dunham of Waco was adopted, with multiple senators speaking in tribute to his long legal career and community service; the Senate agreed to adjourn in his memory. The chamber then considered a series of bills, most of which were advanced on expedited motions. Senate Bill 1948, concerning fire prevention standards for certain agricultural facilities, passed after suspension of the rules and the three-day rule. Senate Bill 1394, updating weight and tire-load rules for ready-mix concrete trucks, passed unanimously. Senate Bill 1814, creating an electronic database to provide information to certain veterans, also passed unanimously. Senate Bill 241, tightening enforcement of the public camping ban and authorizing state enforcement and reimbursement mechanisms, drew questions about impacts on unhoused people but ultimately passed. Senate Bill 1147, withdrawing Texas from the Interstate Mining Compact, passed unanimously. The Senate also passed Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 921 on Medicaid ex parte renewals after a narrower vote, and Senate Bill 609, requiring school districts and charter schools to comply with legally required policies, after rejecting an amendment by Senators Menendez and Perry that would have added a good-faith/resource-limitation safeguard for districts. Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 660, requiring bollards or similar barriers near certain hospital emergency rooms, passed with rural exemptions and exceptions for existing protections. Senate Bill 2155, a cleanup bill returning veterinary board authority from TDLR to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, passed with amendments. Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1209 on election dates and Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 1396 prohibiting national sex education standards in public schools also passed. The Senate then received first-reading bills and adjourned until the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I know the Houston Division 11, the Houston Business Court has the highest number of filings.
• What I'm worried about is, for example, in Houston.
• We've had an entity that's been propped up called Stop Houston Murders, and the campaign rhetoric said
• But our chief disciplinary counsel's office has regional offices in San Antonio, Houston, The State Bar

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're a Houston-based developer, contractor, and operator of affordable rental housing, but I am here
• changes in the insurance markets, or just time lost on housing families that need it, in cities like Houston
• In Houston, where I sit, site plan reviews for these projects can take 6, 9, or even 12 months depending

Bills: SB208, SB628, SB777, SB1042, SB2354, SB2477, SB2521, SB2523, SB2608, SB2703, SB2778, SB2835, SB2965, SB2367, SB3044

Keywords: workforce housing, capital investment fund, affordable housing, housing development, Texas housing laws, loan programs, community development, Texas housing, zero-interest loans, low-income housing, nonprofit organizations, construction, economic stability, housing affordability, capital investment, Texas housing policy, county fire code, fire marshal, local government code, interlocal agreement

Transcript Highlights:

• That would be CD9 in Houston, CD28 in the Rio Grande Valley, and CD32 in Dallas.
• I was born in Houston, where... ...constantly happen.
• I represent the Houston branch of the NAACP.
• I'm also representing the Houston Black American Democrats.
• Go out there in Port Arthur or Houston or someplace and look and see what blue has done for black.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is there a map in the Houston area you have supported or in the Dallas and Fort Worth area?
• Is there a map in the Houston area you have supported or in the Dallas and Fort Worth area?
• And the Houston area was only about 50,000 behind.
• Drawn in 1972 as a direct result of the Voting Rights Act, it gave Black Houston a voice in Congress
• Now you're only letting Austin, Dallas, and Houston have one and rushing through it in 30... 30 days,

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm from Houston, and I respectfully urge you to oppose this bill. I oppose HB 1743.
• As a long-term resident of Houston, I want our state to thrive economically. and that kind of growth
• I came to the U.S. here, attending the University of Houston 30 years ago on an F1 visa.
• Greater Houston area ever since. Good afternoon, Dr. Little. Do not make the same mistake.
• For seven years, I had the privilege of teaching at the University of Houston Law Center.

Bills: HB256, HCR19, HB256, HB1308, HB1554, HB1743, HB2308, HB2351, HB2858, HB3676, HB3784, HB4312, HB4552, HB4823, HB4852, HB5007, HB5010, HB5520, HB5524, HCR19

Keywords: severe weather, adaptation plan, vulnerability assessment, environmental protection, state agencies, federal agents, transparency, law enforcement, identification, public trust, immigration enforcement, HCR 19, Texas concurrent resolution, federal immigration enforcement, masked agents, facial coverings, visible identification, uniforms, badges, name tags

Transcript Highlights:

• Food Bank, Houston Food Bank, Southeast Texas Food Bank, and Galveston County Food Bank.
• My Houston chapter is here and I just wanted to give them a recognition.
• So I wanted to assist you with this because I know it's an issue in the Houston area.
• I'll point out the vulnerability Houston has with the Lynchburg pumping station because it's provides
• 60% of the potable water in the Houston area. and 100 percent, Senator Schwartner, of the Houston process

Bills: SJR 12, SCR 39, SB 7, SB 8, SB 27, SB 29, SB 125, SB 241, SB 371, SB 396, SB 406, SB 464, SB 568, SB 578, SB 608, SB 617, SB 660, SB 689, SB 693, SB 707, SB 731, SB 732, SB 763, SB 779, SB 836, SB 854, SB 857, SB 875, SB 878, SB 879, SB 906, SB 920, SB 921, SB 922, SB 942, SB 965, SB 985, SB 996, SB 1029, SB 1035, SB 1036, SB 1059, SB 1084, SB 1098, SB 1101, SB 1185, SB 1188, SB 1321, SB 1332, SB 1366, SB 1388, SB 1396, SB 1453, SB 1484, SB 1494, SB 1536, SB 1563, SB 1596, SB 1610, SB 1619, SB 1737, SB 1738, SB 1741, SB 1816, SB 1822, SB 1841, SB 1939, SB 2155, SB 2188, SB 2230

Keywords: parental rights, education, constitutional amendment, school choice, child education, border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers

Summary: In this meeting, significant discussions revolved around the passage and modification of various Senate Bills, including SB1388, which pertains to family support services under the Health and Human Services Commission. Senator Kolkhorst advocated for the bill, emphasizing its focus on pro-life, family-centered care. The committee passed the bill after thorough examination, showcasing a collaborative effort among the members to ensure its alignment with successful past initiatives. In another session, Senator Hughes presented SB942, aimed at retroactive child support linked to prenatal care, which sparked a constructive dialogue reflecting bipartisan support for maternal and child welfare.

Transcript Highlights:

• My sister. was on the Houston-Harris County Child Mortality Review Board. Oh, OK.
• Texas, that if we have a compact with Louisiana and an occupational therapy. us decides to move to Houston
• I live in Houston. Some of the things that people do, yes, we could be traveling.
• Because we do have some places like that in Houston where they actually provide washing machines for
• Dunn Facility in Houston.

Bills: HB713, HB827, HB932, HB499, HB510, HB163, HB296, HB879, HB913, HB163, HB296

Keywords: healthcare, maternal health, reporting requirements, Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, health provider immunity, workplace violence, nurses, grant program, healthcare facilities, safety measures, safety, nursing, grants, healthcare safety, verbal abuse, physical abuse, nurse empowerment, occupational therapy, licensure, interstate practice

Transcript Highlights:

• So, uh, I'll just say I'm from Houston.
• So I'm from Houston, we got a problem there. And you're, are you based here in Austin? So Austin.
• I think at least looks to me worse than Houston.
• This was developed with the assistance of the Correctional Management Institute of Texas at Sam Houston
• And whether you're from Lubbock, Austin, Houston, the DFW Metroplex, or San Antonio, like many of you

Transcript Highlights:

• I live in Houston.
• Yes, this is on Fandon Street in Houston. It was originally called OGA.
• We are all from this one man, everyone conceived in Houston.
• Two of us were raised in the greater Houston area.
• The other... ...other than Houston, including in Copenhagen.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am also a former member of the Houston ISD.
• I am from Houston, and I am for the bill.
• I was born and raised in Houston and currently live in Austin.
• I'm a native Houstonian, born and raised in Houston, Texas.
• Houston, Texas. I am 16 years old.

Bills: SB7, SB14, SB 7, SB 14

Keywords: gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct, abortion, civil liability, abortion-inducing drugs, qui tam actions, Texas Citizens Participation Act, Religious Freedom Restoration Act, healthcare regulations, impact fees, water conservation, reuse projects

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm from Houston. I'm here to testify in opposition to this bill.
• I am also a former member of the Houston ISD School Board.
• I am from Houston and I am for the bill.
• I was born and raised in Houston and currently live in Austin.
• I live in Houston. I deal with it every year. Solve those problems. Thank you.

Bills: SB7, SB14

Keywords: gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs heard testimony on Senate Bill 7, the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, with the author and committee substitute explaining that the bill would require public facilities to designate multi-use private spaces by biological sex, restrict access to women’s restrooms, locker rooms, showers, sleeping quarters, shelters, and correctional facilities, and create civil penalties and enforcement mechanisms. Members asked about how the bill would apply to family violence shelters, children in mixed-family settings, venue layout, and venue for lawsuits; the author said the bill was similar to prior legislation but with stronger penalties and the 15th Court of Appeals as the exclusive intermediate appellate court for challenges, while clarifying that trial venue should generally be local except for state agencies. The committee also heard that the bill would be amended to better address local venue concerns and shelter-related issues. Invited testimony was largely in support of the bill from witnesses who described personal experiences in women’s sports, prisons, shelters, and public facilities, arguing that single-sex spaces are necessary for privacy and safety. Supporters included parents, former incarcerated women, a Republican county chair, a legal advocate, and a prison educator, who cited incidents involving transgender-identifying individuals in locker rooms, shelters, prisons, and restrooms, and said the bill would restore sex-based boundaries and protect vulnerable women and girls. One witness from Texas Values said the bill was needed despite the recently enacted Women’s Bill of Rights, and another ADF witness said the measure would protect privacy in schools and shelters. Opponents testified that the bill would harm transgender and intersex Texans, create harassment and “gender policing,” and expose cisgender women and children to invasive enforcement. Several witnesses argued there is no evidence that transgender women pose a restroom safety threat, while others said the bill would worsen mental health, employment, and school conditions for trans people and could conflict with prison standards and federal law. Family violence advocates urged changes to protect shelter operations and clarify that children can stay with parents, while other witnesses said the bill would create barriers for victims seeking help. The hearing featured extensive public testimony on both sides, but no final vote or committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• In December 2023, the commercial bus station in Midtown Houston was shut down and relocated to a residential
• In December 2023, the commercial bus station in Midtown Houston was shut down and relocated to a residential
• OK, members, I see Senator Johnson, you had your In Houston, you don't have zoning, so when you say residential
• And, and, and if I could ask you, Sir, what interaction did you have with the City of Houston?

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee heard a series of mostly local transportation and memorial designation bills. Several measures would rename highway segments in honor of fallen service members or public servants, including HB 2026 (Gary C. Johnston memorial highways in Archer County), HB 4429 (McIlroy Family Memorial Highway in Blanco and Burnet counties), SB 3062 (Hamby-Webb Memorial Highway in Panola County), HB 3510 (Sergeant Mark Butler Memorial Highway in Brazos County), and HB 3986 (Corporal Speedy Espiriueta Memorial Highway in Mission). The committee also heard HB 2560, which would create an optional county-road “adopt-a-road” style program allowing donations for county road repair and maintenance. Two bills drew more substantive policy discussion. HB 2427 and HB 2455 concerned oversized/overweight freight corridors and permit authority in Hidalgo County tied to cross-border trade near the FARR International Bridge. Supporters, including the bridge director, said the measures would correct prior road descriptions, put existing TxDOT actions into statute, improve truck routing, and support trade and bridge expansion. The committee substitute for HB 2427 also removed Roma permit language, barred certain hazardous-material permits, raised permit fees, required local cost responsibility for road maintenance, and made the bill contingent on SB 2949. HB 5436 would allow licensed automotive recyclers to buy certain older, long-unregistered vehicles for dismantling or scrap without a title, with reporting, lienholder notice, and anti-theft safeguards; recyclers and dealers supported it as a way to curb illegal untitled-vehicle sales and VIN cloning. HB 3966, authored by Sen. Alvarado, was the most contested bill. It would require commercial passenger bus companies to mail advance notice to residents within one mile before opening a new stop or terminal. Alvarado said the bill responded to the relocation of a Greyhound terminal into a Houston neighborhood without notice and to resulting crime and nuisance concerns. Greyhound opposed the bill, arguing the notice requirement would be burdensome and could delay emergency relocations during hurricanes, flooding, or lease changes. After testimony, the committee voted to report most bills favorably, with HB 3966 passing on a 5-2 vote; the other reported bills passed unanimously. Several bills were also placed on the local and uncontested calendar, and the committee recessed to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• label and in fact in 2018 He became the first-ever independent artist to play a sold-out crowd at the Houston
• Lifetime Vice President of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Mr. James Allen Kent.
• Liberty County is located midway between Beaumont and Houston.
• committee The clerk will read the resolutions. the 48th anniversary of the death of Jocompos Torres of Houston

Keywords: legislation, testimonies, committee meeting, public interest, bills

Summary: The committee meeting was conducted with several discussions surrounding various proposed bills, addressing both public interests and legislative concerns. Specific bills were presented, and members debated the implications of each, emphasizing their potential impact on the community and state regulations. Notably, several testimonies were heard from stakeholders, which enriched the conversation and provided different perspectives on the bills being reviewed.