Transcript Highlights:

• So that person would say, I don't have any money due to this person; therefore, I'm not the person to
• There's an award made to the injured person, and that person does with the money as he sees fit.
• So that would be the person who's actually detrimented by that action.
• The other thing too is it protects the person because sometimes I've seen in lawsuits when a person comes
• The person that has insurance or money to pay is generally not the trafficker.

Bills: HB79, HB437, HB646, HB1089, HB1099, SB173, SB180, SB260, SB424, SB476

Keywords: carbon capture, damages, environmental liability, legal liability, site restoration, expert witness, expert testimony, witness fees, pecuniary interest, conflict of interest, civil procedure, evidence law, Louisiana evidence code, Louisiana civil litigation, expert report, discovery, pretrial disclosure, litigation transparency, settlement, damages award

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 476, which would add clearer warning language for garnishees responding to interrogatories and create a limited procedure for a new trial when a garnishee shows it never held property of, or owed money to, the judgment debtor. After brief questioning about how garnishment works, the bill was reported favorably without objection. The committee then took up Senate Bill 260 on youth athletics, which establishes required injury-mitigation training content for youth sports coaches, including emergency preparedness, concussions, heat injuries, overuse injuries, equipment, heart defects, and sudden cardiac effects. An amendment was adopted to remove language allowing the department to spend donated funds to purchase the courses, and the bill was reported as amended. House Bill 79, which removes the damage threshold for carbon capture release, was also reported favorably after sponsor testimony that carbon capture should be treated like other industries and not receive a special liability cap. Senate Bill 424, clarifying service by mail, delivery, or electronic means by defining “counsel of record” as someone who actually represents a party, was reported favorably as well. Senate Bill 180, a constitutional amendment allowing the surviving spouse of a deceased disabled veteran to make a one-time transfer of an expanded property tax exemption to another qualifying property, received a ballot-language amendment and a 6.8A report, then was reported as amended. The committee spent the most time on House Bill 1089, which creates “care accounts” for future medical damages in delictual actions. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would ensure future medical awards are actually used for medical care, function like a money market/HSA-style account, and potentially reduce costs; opponents raised concerns about the account being owned by the judgment debtor, possible reversion of unused funds to the wrong party, unclear mechanics for payment, and the impact on survivors of trafficking and sexual abuse who may need flexible, non-billing-code-based care. Several members suggested exclusions or clarifying amendments for med-mal, intentional torts, and sexual abuse victims, and the bill was reported favorably on a 6-1 vote after amendment. Finally, House Bill 437 was taken up, which bars expert witnesses from having a pecuniary interest in the outcome of the case. An amendment excluding criminal traffic and juvenile proceedings was adopted, and members discussed that the bill would prohibit contingent-style expert fee arrangements while still allowing cross-examination about an expert’s prior testimony and payment history. The discussion emphasized that the rule would apply to both plaintiffs and defendants.

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's really mostly I need to hire a full-time person to manage that.
• They repeatedly missed those dates.
• We had persons who had campaigns for statewide races.
• our services in person.
• She's probably the most knowledgeable person on staff.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• where current systems missed that mark. where current systems missed that mark.
• I miss something?
• I miss is I mean am I accurate there? I miss something. something. something.
• This there's one person providing care.
• And person should not be providing care.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:41:24.680> information to extend certain personal information to extend certain personal
• as far as I recall in person this year. as far as I recall in person this year.
• personal cuz I'm not taking it personal. personal cuz I'm not taking it personal.
• we miss Hannah though we miss Hannah uh uh uh um<01:29:00.960> uh<01:29:01.480> Noder,
• So, did I miss anything, Tom? I thank you for that. So, did I miss anything, Tom? Nope, you got it.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:04:33.560> or committed by the person or committed by the person or Andy<00:04:35.759>
• I know we're missing a member, but I can explain what there is.
• I know we're missing a member, but I can explain what there is.
• I know we're missing a member, but I can explain what there is.
• I know we're missing a member, but I can explain what there is.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:35:00.840> who make it so that it just the person who make it so that it just the person
• you're you're not making an in-person you're you're not making an in-person search.<00:36:11.400
• So, that in-person witness search.
• section two, the phrase or uses personal section two, the phrase or uses personal identifying<00
• So, just another person or entity.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But there are other towns that have one person or no person.
• But there are other towns that have one person or no person.
• But there are other towns that have one person or no person.
• But there are other towns that have one person or no person.
• But there are other towns that have one person or no person.

Bills: SF0082

Keywords: registered agents, corporate governance, entity ownership, business regulations, transparency, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• be fast um we have next up in person be fast um we have next up in person Executive<00:05:31.120
• Thank you, Miss B.
• Oh, they're in person.
• the response that removing um a person the response that removing um a person from<00:59:55.640>
• supervision and the reason the person supervision and the reason the person responsible<01:38:05.599

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several Human Services measures focused on Medicaid access, long-term care benefits, home health reimbursement, SNAP administration, trauma-informed child welfare, and child abuse reporting. HP 702 would increase funding for Medicaid in-home services if federal matching funds are secured, and testimony from disability advocates supported the measure as needed to help people with disabilities cover medical expenses. HB 1477, described as a correction to a prior session’s mistake, would clarify that the monthly needs allowance for certain long-term care residents does not replace state supplemental payments and would raise the ceiling by $25 to fix the prior issue and by an additional $20 as a new benefit; DHS supported it with amendments, and the committee indicated it would amend accordingly. HB 713 would fund a DHS rate study for home health services, with the Healthcare Association of Hawaii strongly supporting it and describing rising labor costs, losses on Medicaid patients, and access concerns if agencies cannot keep serving Medicaid clients. HB 1099 would appropriate emergency funds to DHS after a USDA penalty tied to SNAP response times, with supporters including Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and others arguing the money should be reinvested in staffing and systems to improve access and avoid further penalties. HB 1079 would direct the Office of Wellness and Resilience and DHS to create trauma-informed assessments and training for Child Welfare Services staff; testimony from state offices and advocacy groups supported it, citing the Mālama ʻOhana Working Group, staff burnout, and the need for a sustainable train-the-trainer model. Finally, HB 239 would narrow when failure to provide a child’s needs constitutes abuse or neglect, but DHS raised concerns that the current wording could broaden abuse findings and leave families in poverty without a clear safety net, while the Honolulu prosecutor’s office opposed it, warning it could weaken mandatory reporting and hinder investigations of child abuse. No formal votes were taken in the portion provided, though the chair said HB 1477 would be amended and several measures were left open for further questions and testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• The person that's benefits from the hearing pays for it, or that everybody pays for it.
• And the old saying in business or personal is time is money.
• business or personal is time is money. business or personal is time is money.
• We've already identified the person who's going to fill it from inside our staff.
• want to miss Commission want to miss Commission Marfield.<02:15:00.560> I'll<02:15:00.719

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Personally and to all of us for our state, and we appreciate you bringing this bill forward.
• <00:34:13.760> there as Miss War Miss Wargo mentioned there as Miss War Miss Wargo mentioned
• and it's also important to me personally and it's also important to me personally so<01:13:50.679
• I think I miss... We decided on the Peace Development Authority bill.
• <01:35:28.480> we haven't heard is 189 I think I miss we haven't heard is 189 I think I miss

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> Thank you, Miss Adrian. I will move amendment A02 to be adopted for this budget resolutions.
• >> Thank<00:02:29.920> you,<00:02:30.080> Miss<00:02:30.319> Adrian.
• /c><00:02:30.800> I<00:02:30.959> will<00:02:31.200> move >> Thank you, Miss
• I will move >> Thank you, Miss Adrian.
• Uh the person one the number is so high.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hi, I miss... I think I missed your testimony before. I heard about it.
• And I personally believe in ATPE that you can't.
• Did you testify in person in the Senate hearing, Monty?
• But we worry that House Bill 8 misses the mark.
• Parents look at these as a portal to understand what the child has missed.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Maybe I missed, but let me clarify.
• Maybe I missed, but let me clarify.
• We asked the cities for their public information, reflected, Maybe I missed, but let me clarify.
• Personal citation is always reasonable.
• You appear to be an upright person.

Bills: SB231, SB584, SB600, SB668, SB841, SB986, SB1003, SB1244, SB1625, SB1960, SB1963, SB1964, SB2026, SB2056, SB2368

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce met with a quorum and first took up several pending and uncontested bills. It favorably reported SB 1405, SB 1762, SB 1977, SB 2077, SB 2148, and SB 1968, and also moved SB 2321 to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee then heard SB 819, which would change how the Public Utility Commission reviews proposed utility-scale solar and related interconnection projects. The committee substitute would shift the default so interconnection is allowed unless the PUC affirmatively prohibits it within 180 days, limit denial to cases where harm substantially outweighs benefits, remove public meeting requirements, retain setback and financial assurance provisions, add optional application materials such as national security and environmental information, and restore local control over county tax abatements. The substitute was adopted and SB 819 was favorably reported to the full Senate on a 7-3 vote. The committee then took up SB 231, focused on CenterPoint’s use of large emergency generators after Hurricane Beryl. Senator King explained that the original bill was intended to prevent customers from being charged for non-mobile generators that were leased at great cost and did not match the bill’s emergency-response purpose. CenterPoint’s Jason Ryan apologized for the company’s communication failures and said the company would make customers whole through a combination of rate reductions, foregone storm-cost recovery, and a donation of the 15 large generators to ERCOT for about two years to address a San Antonio-area reliability issue, with the company absorbing the associated costs. PUC Executive Director Connie Corona said the commission could enforce the agreement through its contested-case process. Public testimony included consumer and reliability advocates, one of whom argued utility-scale microgrids should be preserved as a policy option. SB 231 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 986, which would create an alternative process for routine Public Information Act requests so local governments can make initial redactions without sending every routine exception to the Attorney General, while preserving an appeal path and training requirements. Supporters said it would reduce backlog and speed access to records; opponents argued it would shift the burden to requesters and encourage delay. The AG’s office testified that the process could improve efficiency and still fit within current timelines if used promptly. SB 986 was left pending. Finally, SB 584 was briefly laid out to require consumer reporting agencies that buy data from others to ensure the information complies with Texas law on excluded items such as bankruptcies, judgments, and tax liens, and SB 600 was heard on heir property. SB 600’s substitute would strengthen notice, require an attorney ad litem, add an heir’s bill of rights, allow settlement conferences, and require fair-market-value sales protections; supporters said it would curb predatory partition practices, while opponents warned some provisions could burden or diminish minority heirs’ property rights. SB 584 and SB 600 were left pending after testimony.

Transcript Highlights:

• But unless I'm missing something, I'm not seeing that the person has to be in a psychotic episode at
• In the first page of the bill, it states that a person with severe mental illness means a person who
• The only thing this bill does is it just does not allow a person to be sentenced. to death if a person
• But when you're talking about a person with mental illness or a person with...
• So we know we're missing bodies. Dr.

Bills: HB 1194, HB 1221, HB1738, HB1913, HB2177, HB2178, HB2180, HB2229, HB2282, HB2448, HB2492, HB2777, HB2984, HB3357, HB3553, HB3602

Keywords: emergency protection order, protective order, magistrate, criminal procedure, victim safety, family violence, domestic violence, stalking, assault, magistrate's order, temporary protection, court order duration, defendant restrictions, Article 17.292, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, emergency restraining order, victim protection, firearm restriction, pretrial intervention, reimbursement fee

Transcript Highlights:

• prohibited person get expunged also? prohibited person get expunged also?
• The one person who's been fired. The one person who's been fired.
• Now we have 9 billion dollars we found out is missing. Not just missing, stolen.
• Not just missing, out is missing. Not just missing, stolen. stolen. stolen.
• They don't miss to get to Grand Marais. They don't miss a<03:27:48.120> survey.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Public testimony is to be limited to two minutes per person.
• Senator Middleton moves that public testimony be limited to two minutes per person.
• As we know, personal data has been called the new oil.
• Ingrid Cleveland. ...we can call whoever we're missing.
• That a person must apply for this and other exemptions.

Bills: SB434, SB844, SB898, SB1177, SB1214, SB1454, SB1920, SB1927, SB1935, SB1965, SB2010, SB2046, SB2068, SB2073, SB2183, SB2260, SB3034, SB907

Keywords: SB 434, Harris County Hospital District, hospital district police, peace officers, commissioned officers, law enforcement authority, Health and Safety Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, public safety, hospital security, county hospital district, local government, Texas criminal procedure, district police, armed security, SB 898, low income housing tax credits, LIHTC, affordable housing, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Summary: The committee heard several bills dealing with local government authority, homeowners associations, hospital district policing, school AED inspections, special district annexation, public contracting penalties, and guaranteed income programs. Senate Bill 2073 by Sen. Zaffirini would clarify that appraisal districts may finance purchases, leases, or construction of real property for appraisal offices without prior approval from taxing units; it was supported by the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts and left pending. Senate Bill 1935 by Sen. Hinojosa would increase homeowner control of property owners association boards, require more transparency, limit fines and assessment increases, and require accessible meeting locations; HOA and builder representatives opposed it, arguing it would hinder maintenance and make dues harder to manage, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 434 by Sen. Miles would authorize Harris County Hospital District police officers, was supported by Harris Health, and was left pending. Senate Bill 1177 by Sen. Alvarado, as substituted, would require school AED inspections during fire inspections and reporting to school leadership; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1214 by Sen. Perry would update Concho County Hospital District law to align with current procurement and notice rules; it was left pending. Senate Bill 1965 by Sen. Middleton, for Sen. King, would tighten notice and proximity rules for special district annexations; district witnesses warned the bill could interfere with service to noncontiguous tracts, and the bill was left pending. The committee also took up Senate Bill 2046 by Sen. Bettencourt, which would increase criminal penalties for county purchasing act violations involving unauthorized separate or sequential purchases to evade competitive bidding, and create a tiered penalty structure based on contract amount. Former Harris County DA Kim Ogg, Deputy Attorney General Josh Reno, and James Quintero supported the bill, citing recent Harris County bid-rigging cases and arguing the current Class C misdemeanor penalty is too weak to deter misconduct; some members questioned whether the proposed thresholds were too low and whether stronger oversight, rather than higher penalties alone, would be more effective. The bill was left pending. Finally, Senate Bill 2010 by Sen. Bettencourt would bar counties and other political subdivisions from operating guaranteed income programs and address constitutional gift-clause concerns. Testimony split sharply: Ogg and Quintero argued such programs are unconstitutional, can be used for political data collection, and should not be funded with public money, while Paige Terry Barry defended the bill as protecting taxpayers and discouraging dependency. Senators also debated whether the state can restrict use of federal grant funds and whether local governments should be allowed to run such programs; the bill was left pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• We miss you. And with me also, Mr. President, I have David Gammis.
• I rise for a point of personal privilege. Proceed. Thank you.
• I rise for a point of personal privilege. Proceed. Thank you.
• The person who makes me laugh, the person who, whenever I get home, says all the things that I generally
• The person who makes me laugh, the person who, whenever I get home, says all the things that I generally

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This covers personal care and IDD, right?
• Only personal care is that's covered under CON.
• I am a Medicaid personal care provider.
• I am a Medicaid personal care provider.
• Medicaid personal care is an entitlement program.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The committee met, approved the March 5, 2026 minutes, and then took up several health- and human-services-related bills. House Bill 5086, concerning peer support programs for covered caregivers, was explained as creating training and testimonial privilege protections; the committee adopted an amendment clarifying that boards may still require participation in a board-designated professional health program, and then reported the bill to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass. House Bill 5004, an educational bill on PANS and PANDAS, was supported by the sponsor, who described his family’s experience and the importance of earlier diagnosis; it was reported to the Senate without amendment. House Bill 5327, which would require the Department of Human Services to create an ALS services program, also received supportive testimony from the sponsor and members, but the transcript reflects the bill being reported as House Bill 537; it was moved forward without amendment. The committee then considered House Bill 5096, which would remove personal care and intellectual/developmental disability waiver services from certificate-of-need review. The sponsor argued the change would reduce regulatory burden and expand access, while a county aging-program director testified that certificate-of-need revenues help fund senior meals and services and that eliminating the requirement would reduce important support for aging providers. After a division vote, the motion to report the bill failed 3-9. House Bill 4695, allowing PEIA patients to switch to an alternative medically appropriate covered treatment without new prior authorization if it costs no more than the original treatment, was explained as carrying an estimated $13 million annual cost to PEIA and was reported to the Senate. The committee also advanced House Bill 5582, enacting the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, after discussion of a committee amendment removing a new-background-check-at-initial-licensure provision; the amendment was adopted and the bill was reported. Another House Bill 5582, concerning the TANF drug screening program, was described as removing the sunset date and allowing oral fluid testing in addition to urine samples; it too was reported. Finally, House Bill 5466 renamed the batterer intervention program as an abuse intervention program and allowed live synchronous virtual delivery with an in-person option; the sponsor said the change would expand access statewide, and the bill was reported to the Senate. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• is the bill we heard previously by Chairman Lee relating to change in the eligibility for certain persons
• In addition, the practice of one person gets caught right now, the current practice, the whole section
• That results in sexual crimes against a child or a disabled person and anyone who benefits from those
• Uh, person that abused her and beat her up got 20 years in 2020.
• We're just missing the step of connecting them with stuff once they get out.

Bills: HB153

Transcript Highlights:

• Or if it's not, if it's missing?
• And they plan to pay for a certain person...
• I was looking and I probably missed it.
• It's the school improvement money that I was missing.
• And it's missing most of the time in any training format and any PD.

Summary: The committee first heard a detailed staff presentation on the LESC FY27 public school support recommendation. Staff reviewed the budget structure and explained that, despite a downward revision in state revenue estimates, the recommendation still relied on recurring and non-recurring revenue to support educator compensation, insurance, transportation, literacy, math, special education, and other school programs. Major recurring items included a 3% compensation increase, funding for an 80-20 health insurance cost share, insurance premium growth, and transportation adequacy funding. Staff also flagged a possible supplemental need of up to $35 million for virtual education tied to rapid enrollment growth in Chama and Santa Rosa, and members raised concerns about the quality, accountability, and funding model for virtual programs. Members asked questions about transportation for rural districts, the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit fees, the treatment of enrollment declines in the school funding formula, and whether the word “average” in salary language should remain in the budget. Staff explained that the SEG should remain whole, that the insurance and transportation recommendations applied to all public school employees but not contractors, and that the budget included multiple math-related investments spread across several lines rather than one single appropriation. There was also discussion of out-of-school learning grants, school meals, literacy center operations, special education training, and the Public Education Reform Fund, including the use of multi-year, evaluation-based appropriations for high-impact tutoring and community schools. After discussion, the committee adopted the LESC budget recommendation. The committee then moved to endorsed legislation proposals. It endorsed a bill allowing the secretary to suspend an individual school board member, with notice and appeal procedures clarified, and a bill creating an 80-20 health insurance cost-share requirement for public school employees, along with a study of the sustainability of public school insurance programs. It also endorsed a bill on attendance provisions for students with severe medical conditions, which would keep those students from being classified as excessively absent. Finally, the committee discussed a teacher residency bill that would raise stipend levels, allow residents to complete service anywhere in New Mexico, and remove the requirement that sponsoring schools must hire them, though the bill did not include an appropriation. Members also raised questions about bilingual, Hispanic, and Black education funding, cultural and linguistic supports in teacher preparation, and where various programs should be placed in the budget or PERF framework.