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• Presentations, and Audit Consultant, which assists with our audit prep, financial analysis, and our auditor, CPA

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• And all of a sudden, your little CPA firm downtown, who used to be able to hire these accountants out

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• YOU MENTIONED THAT THE FIRST TIME A CPA FIRM WAS ENGAGED WAS TWO WEEKS AGO.

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• They have CPAs, accountants, CEOs. and go on and on and on.

Bills: SJR27, SJR39, SB22, SB33, SB34, SB37, SB209, SB310, SB326, SB505, SB605, SB618, SB732, SB762, SB769, SB783, SB819, SB825, SB870, SB964, SB1030, SB1080, SB1085, SB1099, SB1124, SB1208, SB1233, SB1314, SB1320, SB1333, SB1398, SB1405, SB1541, SB1567, SB1596, SB1598, SB1625, SB1646, SB1662, SB1750, SB1758, SB1791, SB1804, SB1810, SB1818, SB1838, SB1855, SB1869, SB1951, SB2024, SB2077, SB2078, SB2252, SB2253, SB2368, SB2411, SB2420, SB2425, SB2569

Keywords: judicial conduct, state commission, judicial misconduct, commission membership, constitutional amendment, veto override, legislature power, governor, Texas Constitution, Texas, moving image industry, incentive program, film production, grant funding, job creation, economic development, wildfire, wildfire mitigation, wildfire prevention, volunteer fire department

Transcript Highlights:

• been provided to cover the Attorney General's increase in legal fees, and $250,000 is provided for CPA

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met for budget day, heard agency follow-up questions, and then presented its recommended budget for fiscal year 2025-2026. Chair Lopez opened with remarks about reducing spending, emphasizing vacancy reductions and recurring savings across agencies. The recommendation eliminated 452.5 vacant positions and produced recurring savings of $57.2 million overall, while still funding selected priorities. Notable funded items included $500,000 for a new DBPR website for condominium complaints and document filing, $481.3 million for the MICEF Florida Home Program in DFS, funding for Florida PALM implementation, $330,000 for a Tampa office in the Office of Insurance Regulation, $835,000 for warehouse space for confiscated gambling machines, $821,000 for the Lottery gaming system contract, and major DMS capital and facilities funding. Lopez also criticized DMS leadership and said the secretary’s salary would be held in reserve pending answers on fleet management, remote workers, SUNCOM billing, and other issues. The committee then questioned DBPR Secretary Griffin about condominium records, structural integrity reserve studies, and milestone-inspection compliance. Members focused on how the division tracks condominiums, whether it can identify buildings with three habitable stories, and whether the current filing system can be improved to better capture building height and story count. Griffin said the division relies heavily on self-reporting and complaint-driven checks, but has updated forms to capture whether a condominium has buildings three stories or higher and has received additional submissions. Members also asked about staffing and the Miami-area office; Griffin said DBPR now has two Fort Lauderdale offices and a Doral office, with about 82% of new positions filled. Secretary Davis of the Florida Lottery also testified, defending travel to Paris and other conferences as part of industry engagement, technology research, and best-practice sharing. He said the travel was reimbursed through lottery-related organizations, described the Lottery as an enterprise fund that receives no general tax revenue, and said the agency has remained a top revenue generator nationally. Members questioned Orlando travel reimbursements and dues to the Multi-State Lottery Association, and asked for more information on how increased revenue translates into more Bright Futures scholarships. Davis said he would provide additional details. The subcommittee then unanimously passed two conforming bills. PCB SAB 25-01 removed statutory references to the legacy FLAIR accounting system in preparation for Florida PALM and was reported favorably. PCB SAB 25-02 addressed Capitol Center space after the planned House lease cancellation, declaring the governor, cabinet, and legislature permanent tenants, protecting existing space and parking allocations, giving the legislature first right of refusal on vacant space, and giving legislative leaders control over utilities in their space; it also passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned after the bills were reported favorably.

Transcript Highlights:

• My employees fully understand this system; so does my bookkeeper and my CPA, and so do I.

Keywords: 1183, house

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• And then we have a finance department that has a staff of three, and that's headed up by a CPA.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Transportation met to hear presentations from the Florida Department of Transportation on rural arterial roadways and transportation resiliency, followed by a panel discussion on metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). FDOT’s Will Watts described the state’s growing population and travel demand, emphasizing that rural arterials are critical for connectivity, freight movement, evacuation routes, and congestion relief. He outlined FDOT’s project selection factors, noted thousands of identified rural arterial needs with billions in unfunded demand, and explained that the department uses community input and long-range planning to prioritize safety, capacity, and economic development. Watts then discussed resiliency planning for hurricanes and flooding, focusing on structural design, storm readiness, and drainage. He highlighted efforts such as elevated bridges, wave attenuators, coastal armoring, drainage upgrades, and materials testing at FDOT’s research facilities to extend service life and reduce storm damage. Committee members asked about local project selection, materials research, LiDAR use, and legislative support; Watts said local coordination drives project priorities and asked lawmakers to protect the Transportation Trust Fund. The MPO panel, led by FDOT’s Kim Holland, explained that MPOs are federally required in urban areas over 50,000 population and that Florida has 27, the most in the nation. Holland said MPOs identify and prioritize transportation needs through long-range plans and public engagement, and she noted that several regions are exploring consolidation after the 2020 Census, especially in Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. Representatives from MetroPlan Orlando, Forward Pinellas, Pasco MPO, and Hillsborough discussed their structures and the potential benefits and challenges of merging, including representation, governance, funding, and maintaining local voice. Members generally supported regional collaboration, urged patience as studies continue, and emphasized the need for transparent public engagement, while the committee adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• The CPA I've been through to my U.S. directors my 4 years and with that in my district or you know anything

Keywords: 999, senate, all

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• you're there, I know you're doing a good job, and I sense it and feel it as an ex-practitioner of the CPA

Bills: SB 1, SB1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, some parts of the CPA don't specify a mental state at all.
• Uh, some, uh, parts of the<02:23:22.800> CPA,<02:23:23.680> uh,<02:23:23.920> don't<
• /c><02:23:24.160> specify<02:23:24.640> a<02:23:24.800> mental the CPA, uh, don't
• specify a mental the CPA, uh, don't specify a mental state<02:23:25.359> at<02:23:25.600>

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, approved the previous day’s journal, and received several committee reports and conference committee permissions. It also adopted a Senate resolution recognizing the 125th anniversary of Western Colorado University (SR 8) by a 35-0 vote, with remarks highlighting the university’s history, workforce role, mountain rescue team, athletics, and ties to Gunnison and the Western Slope. The resolution was adopted and co-sponsors were added. The chamber then took up third reading and final passage on several bills. Senate Bill 152, concerning automated vehicle identification systems, was amended on the floor with a technical correction and passed 32-3. House Bill 1322, creating civil actions related to conversion therapy efforts, prompted emotional testimony from Senator Mullica about his mother and passed 23-12. House Bill 1123, addressing sexual abuse prevention in jails, passed 27-8 after a technical amendment. House Bill 1226, reducing emissions from certain electric generating units, passed 22-13. House Bill 1076, modifying transportation statutes, passed 28-0, and House Bill 1207, requiring employer disclosure of demographic workforce data, passed 23-12. Senate Bill 115, a postconviction relief measure for certain older incarcerated people, was amended and debated at length. Supporters described it as narrowly tailored to a small number of eligible inmates and emphasized victim-rights protections and exclusions for serious offenses; opponents remained opposed. The bill ultimately passed 18-17. The Senate then approved a Committee of the Whole report advancing Senate Bill 181 and several House bills—1338, 1344, 1336 as amended, 1227, 1314, 1028, 1282, and 1317 as amended—to third reading and final passage, and later adopted the consent-calendar bills in special orders without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• But, um, what C-PACE is is it’s a lending program where a private lender, a bank, or a CPA specialized

Keywords: 1189, house, all

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• We were one of the first communities to vote in the CPA, Community Preservation Act.
• We were one of the first communities to vote in the CPA, Community Preservation Act.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government held a long public hearing focused mainly on two sets of issues: proposals to amend or repeal the MBTA Communities Act, and bills to allow local rent stabilization. Committee chairs opened by explaining the hearing would be tightly managed because of the very large number of speakers, with testimony limited to two minutes per person and written testimony still accepted by email. Members and witnesses were called in a mix of in-person and virtual order throughout the hearing. On the MBTA Communities Act, several legislators and local officials argued the law is too rigid and should be revised to account for local conditions. Speakers from small, rural, or infrastructure-limited communities such as Hanson, Halifax, Marshfield, Winthrop, Dracut, Carver, Rehoboth, and others said the law’s one-size-fits-all approach does not fit towns with limited water, sewer, transit access, or buildable land. Some filed bills would repeal the law, exempt certain communities, or create appeals processes based on infrastructure, environmental, or historical constraints. Supporters of the law’s changes emphasized local control and the need to avoid forcing development where communities believe it is impractical or inconsistent with town character. A large portion of the hearing was devoted to rent stabilization legislation, especially S. 1447 and related House bills. Supporters included legislators, city councilors, tenant advocates, labor leaders, housing nonprofits, public health organizations, and residents who described sharp rent increases, displacement, homelessness risk, and the strain on working families, seniors, students, and people with disabilities. They argued local-option rent stabilization would let municipalities cap excessive increases and prevent no-fault evictions while preserving flexibility for local conditions. Opponents, including small landlords and property owners, said rent control would discourage investment, worsen housing quality, burden responsible owners, and drive small landlords out of the market. Some witnesses also supported a Cape Cod/Island transfer fee bill and a suburban infrastructure fund, arguing those would provide local revenue for housing or roads. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• 522 facilitates mobility for certified public accountants by ensuring similar practice mobility for CPAs
• 522 facilitates mobility for certified public accountants by ensuring similar practice mobility for CPAs

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, heard the invocation and pledges, and then took up a series of memorial resolutions and recognitions. Members adopted memorial resolutions honoring former President Jimmy Carter and Dr. Alice Gail Hudgens, with remarks highlighting their public service and community impact, and adopted resolutions recognizing Victoria College’s 100th anniversary and May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month. The chamber also recognized Texas A&M system interns and later granted permission for several committees to meet while the House was in session. The House then moved through a long third-reading calendar, passing a number of bills on wide margins. Measures approved included SB 304 on municipal court jurisdiction over nuisance abatement ordinances, SB 608 on reporting evidence collection kits, SB 2312 creating a Texas Advisory Committee on Geopolitical Conflict, SB 494 creating a petroleum theft task force, SB 530 on postsecondary accreditation, HB 45 giving the Attorney General a role in prosecuting human trafficking cases, HB 35 on peer support for first responders, HB 47 and HB 3073 on sexual assault policy and prosecution, HB 318 and HB 3000 creating rural sheriff and ambulance grant programs, HB 554 on Juneteenth fireworks sales with county opt-in authority restored, HB 705 and HB 932 joining licensure compacts for cosmetology and occupational therapy, HB 849 allowing county park boards to meet by video conference, HB 1119 on mental health bed reporting, HB 3041 on students with nontraditional secondary education, HB 713 on maternal mortality review reporting, HB 3104 on Webb County bailiff appointments, HB 3970 on electricity planning for large loads, HB 4042 on Railroad Commission safety provisions for gas distribution pipelines, HB 4490 protecting next-of-kin information, HB 1731 on the physician assistant compact, HB 2607 on Walker County Hospital District governance, HB 3689 on Texas Windstorm Insurance Association funding, HB 1788 on continuing education for barbers and cosmetologists about abuse and trafficking, HB 1612 on hospital direct payments for uninsured patients, and HB 138 on health impact cost and coverage analysis. Several bills drew extended debate or amendments. HB 353, creating a trespass offense near schools and daycares, prompted questions about constitutional concerns and property rights before passing. HB 3211 on optometrists in managed care plans received a perfecting amendment and a Medicaid-related amendment setting a minimum payment level. HB 1056 on gold and silver specie and a state-based currency prompted detailed questioning about its mechanics and fees, followed by a point of order challenging the caption. The House also adopted or postponed a number of items, including postponing HB 2520 and HB 1359 until later in the calendar before later passing both, and laying several bills on the table subject to call. Many measures passed overwhelmingly, while a few, including HB 3326 on loan forgiveness for adjunct professors and HB 3237 on energy consumption goals, passed with narrower margins.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have raised concerns related to the CPA oversight provisions that may be unworkable under the existing
• CPA regulatory framework.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• CPA says 37%. Now, now, I bring this up. Because we can't gloss over this.
• That's just a CPA, not an attorney's opinion because it wasn't there before. It is now a problem.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Many tax filers are small business owners and do not have full-time CPAs at their disposal.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a long hybrid hearing on a wide range of tax bills, with testimony covering cigarette and tobacco taxes, nicotine pouches, contractor rental equipment exemptions, aircraft sales tax exemptions, rolling stock, advanced sales tax payments, a gun and ammunition excise tax, a digital services tax, and a psilocybin cultivation/tax proposal. Committee chairs outlined the hearing process and noted that 39 House-filed sales and excise tax bills were being heard for required reporting by November 28. No votes were taken during the hearing. On tobacco-related bills, supporters including Senator Keenan, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and Tobacco Free Mass backed higher cigarette taxes and closing the synthetic nicotine loophole, arguing the measures would reduce youth initiation, encourage cessation, and offset health care costs. Retailers, wholesalers, and convenience-store groups opposed the increases, warning of smuggling, out-of-state purchasing, and harm to small businesses; premium cigar representatives argued cigars should be treated separately from cigarettes. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3067 and related bills concerning nicotine pouches, with public health advocates supporting taxation and industry witnesses urging a lower, more competitive rate. Several other bills drew sharply divided testimony. United Rentals supported H. 3065 to simplify contractor rental equipment exemption paperwork, while airport and aviation groups opposed bills to repeal the aircraft sales tax exemption, saying it would hurt airport competitiveness and jobs. The Transportation Association of Massachusetts backed rolling stock tax exemptions, saying the current tax discourages fleet investment and interstate commerce. Restaurant industry representatives supported repealing advanced sales tax payments and changing penalty rules, saying businesses were hit with retroactive penalties after unclear pandemic-era changes. On H. 3082, an excise tax on guns and ammunition, gun violence prevention advocates, Roca, and Giffords supported the bill as a dedicated funding source for prevention and survivor services, while sportsmen’s groups opposed it as unfair to lawful gun owners and harmful to conservation funding. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3208, a digital advertising services tax, with Representative Paulino supporting it as a way to capture revenue from online advertising and fund public needs, while the Chamber of Progress opposed it as costly and burdensome for small businesses and campaigns. Finally, multiple witnesses testified on H. 4050 regarding psilocybin cultivation and taxation: advocates from Mass Healing, Roca, the Reason Foundation, and individuals describing personal medical benefits urged a regulated, permit-based system, while the hearing ended after all signed-up speakers were heard and the chair adjourned the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2476, Certified Public Accountants Certification Alternative, creates a new pathway for CPA

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The committee worked through a very long minority caucus calendar covering a wide range of bills, with many items being described and then either left on consent, pulled from consent, or noted for votes. Topics included bullion and state depository proposals, a produce incentive appropriation, a biennial budget change, veterans services funding, driver licensing and traffic enforcement measures, procurement and public records changes, school board and school facilities rules, SNAP work requirements and verification, child welfare and juvenile justice provisions, housing and homelessness measures, energy and fuel policy, election administration, and several tax, commerce, and licensing bills. Members repeatedly raised concerns about constitutionality, federal preemption, duplication of existing law, and whether some measures were policy priorities that had been vetoed in prior sessions and were returning unchanged. Several bills drew extended debate. Members objected to English-proficiency requirements for commercial drivers and motor carriers, arguing federal law and the supremacy clause would bar them. Earned wage access regulation prompted strong opposition over consumer harm, overdraft cycles, and high effective APRs. School-related bills were criticized for overregulating public schools while not imposing similar requirements on ESA/private-school programs, especially on fingerprint clearance and reporting. SNAP-related bills were also opposed as setting unrealistic mandates and repeating vetoed proposals. Other contested measures included a drag-show criminalization bill, a bill restricting photo enforcement, a bill limiting local regulation of unmanned aircraft, and a bill conforming Arizona tax law to federal changes, which members said would benefit wealthy taxpayers and corporations without a clear funding source. The committee also heard a number of supportive or less controversial measures, including bills on veterans awareness, dementia care telemonitoring, Braille transcription funding, CPA licensure pathways, cash acceptance by retailers, and some child safety and court administration changes. Several bills were pulled from consent for further discussion, while others were noted as having unanimous or near-unanimous votes. The meeting ended with caucus announcements, including an affordability award presentation, an upcoming Latino Caucus discussion on community land trusts, and an invitation to African American Legislative Day activities, followed by adjournment.

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• She and I worked together at the ODVA, so she's not a clinician; she's a CPA.

Keywords: 914, all

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• We conventionally row-cropped about 3,000 acres at that time with my wife, who is a CPA, and I saw how

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

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• My name is Mark Westerman, CPA, from Victoria. On Tax Day, so it's important.

Bills: HB 1301, HB2278, HB2776, HB2820, HB3848, HB3920, HB4172, HB4215, HB4284, HB4285, HB4463, HB4517, HB4690, HB4765, HB4766, HB4767, HB4768, HB4769, HB4773, HB4830, HB5506

Keywords: alcohol, beverages, winery permit, restaurant, malt beverages, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, alcohol production, home brewing, family use, craft beverages, massage therapy, licensing, criminal offenses, sexually oriented businesses, public safety, bingo, charitable gaming, operating capital, regulation, funding

Summary: The Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures met with a quorum present, corrected the minutes from April 8, and then took up a long list of pending bills, most of which were reported favorably or left pending after hearing testimony. Early action included HB 1764 (accounting practice for certain out-of-state CPAs), HB 1788 (continuing education for barbers and cosmetologists on recognizing and assisting victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking), HB 2204 (land surveyor regulation), HB 2885 (local option elections on alcohol sales), HB 2996 (gambling offense definitions and prosecution), HB 3250 (real estate appraisals and appraisal management companies), HB 3352 (driver education on work zones), HB 3385 (farm winery permit), HB 3756 (powers of certain nonresident sellers’ permit holders who also hold a winery permit), HB 3816 (cruelty to livestock animals), HB 3913 (real estate licensing), and HB 3928 (electronic notice of towed vehicles), all of which were advanced with unanimous or near-unanimous votes. Several of these bills were reported with committee substitutes, and some were also sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars. The committee then heard testimony on HB 2278, which would legalize limited home distilling of spirits for personal or family use and add honey as an approved ingredient; supporters framed it as a consistency and freedom issue, and the bill was left pending. HB 3920, a TDLR workforce/CTE bill, and HB 1301, which would allow beer or malt beverages to be sold at certain wineries with on-site restaurants, were also laid out and left pending after discussion. HB 2776, aimed at tightening massage therapy licensing restrictions for people convicted of sexual and trafficking-related offenses and strengthening TDLR enforcement, and HB 3848, which would allow electronic filing of elevator and escalator inspection reports, were both heard and left pending as well. A major portion of the meeting focused on alcohol-related bills. HB 4215 would place delivery network companies under a statewide TDLR regulatory framework; Favor Delivery supported it, and it was left pending after the committee substitute was withdrawn. HB 4172 and HB 2820 would raise bingo reserve limits and update charitable bingo rules; supporters from veterans and nonprofit groups argued the changes would help charities, but both bills were left pending after the substitutes were withdrawn. HB 4463, a broadly supported bill allowing contract brewing and alternating brewery proprietorships, was also left pending. HB 4284 would remove the “excessive discount” prohibition in alcohol sales, HB 4285 would allow airlines to store alcohol within five miles of an airport in the same county, HB 4517 would create a complaint process for Texas distillers not paid by wholesalers, and HB 4773 would let breweries and brewpubs transport their own beer between facilities; HB 4773 drew the most debate, with supporters citing efficiency and opponents warning about unintended consequences and possible effects on the three-tier system, but it too was left pending. The committee also heard and left pending a series of TDLR cleanup bills and other measures, including HB 4765 through HB 4769, HB 4830 on service contracts for lease vehicles, HB 5506 giving civil immunity to ringside physicians at combative sports events, and HB 4690 on gasoline vapor pressure compliance. The meeting ended after all business was completed and the committee adjourned.