Transcript Highlights:

• He was a mentor and a guide for many of us in our state legislator roles.
• guide for many of us us us in<00:09:15.320> our<00:09:15.480> state<00:09:16.000> legislator
• in our state legislator roles. in our state legislator roles.

Bills: SB2876, SB3253, SB2125, SB2781, HB549, HB1768, SB2053, SB2494, SB2851, SB3073, HB1678, HB1721, HB2475, HB2246, HB1667, HB1516, SB2532, SB3131, SB3154, HB2297, HB1737, SB2143, SB2398, SB2623, HB1740, HB1920, HB1682, SB2153, SB3140, HB1515, SB2835, HB2282, SB3083, SB2031, SB2519, SB2667, SB2140, SB2544, SB2069, SB2697, SB874, SB2043, SB888, SB2721, HB2152, HB1334, HB2385, HB1643, HB2314, HB1688, HB1692, SB2568, SB2983, SB2108, SB3136, HB1959, SB3156, HB1511, HB1753, HB1824, HB2137, HB1810, HB2279, HB2309, HB1548, HB2078, HB2293, SB3262, SB2169, SB2607, SB2964, SB3255, HB2576, HB1481, HB1864, HB1550, SB2818, SB3067, SB2061, HB1728, HB1881, HB2361, HB2395, HB1823, SB2050, SB2397, SB2175, SB2852, SB847, SB3001

Keywords: natural hair braiding, hair braiding, braids, braider, braiding license, cosmetology, barbering, barber board, Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, registration, licensure exemption, sanitation training, health and safety, hair extensions, cornrows, twists, locks, protective hairstyles, beauty industry, occupational licensing

Bills: SB2876, SB3253, SB2125, SB2781, HB549, HB1768, SB2053, SB2494, SB2851, SB3073, HB1678, HB1721, HB2475, HB2246, HB1667, HB1516, SB2532, SB3131, SB3154, HB2297, HB1737, SB2143, SB2398, SB2623, HB1740, HB1920, HB1682, SB2153, SB3140, HB1515, SB2835, HB2282, SB3083, SB2031, SB2519, SB2667, SB2140, SB2544, SB2069, SB2697, SB874, SB2043, SB888, SB2721, HB2152, HB1334, HB2385, HB1643, HB2314, HB1688, HB1692, SB2568, SB2983, SB2108, SB3136, HB1959, SB3156, HB1511, HB1753, HB1824, HB2137, HB1810, HB2279, HB2309, HB1548, HB2078, HB2293, SB3262, SB2169, SB2607, SB2964, SB3255, HB2576, HB1481, HB1864, HB1550, SB2818, SB3067, SB2061, HB1728, HB1881, HB2361, HB2395, HB1823, SB2050, SB2397, SB2175, SB2852, SB847, SB3001

Keywords: natural hair braiding, hair braiding, braids, braider, braiding license, cosmetology, barbering, barber board, Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, registration, licensure exemption, sanitation training, health and safety, hair extensions, cornrows, twists, locks, protective hairstyles, beauty industry, occupational licensing

Bills: SB2876, SB3253, SB2125, SB2781, HB549, HB1768, SB2053, SB2494, SB2851, SB3073, HB1678, HB1721, HB2475, HB2246, HB1667, HB1516, SB2532, SB3131, SB3154, HB2297, HB1737, SB2143, SB2398, SB2623, HB1740, HB1920, HB1682, SB2153, SB3140, HB1515, SB2835, HB2282, SB3083, SB2031, SB2519, SB2667, SB2140, SB2544, SB2069, SB2697, SB874, SB2043, SB888, SB2721, HB2152, HB1334, HB2385, HB1643, HB2314, HB1688, HB1692, SB2568, SB2983, SB2108, SB3136, HB1959, SB3156, HB1511, HB1753, HB1824, HB2137, HB1810, HB2279, HB2309, HB1548, HB2078, HB2293, SB3262, SB2169, SB2607, SB2964, SB3255, HB2576, HB1481, HB1864, HB1550, SB2818, SB3067, SB2061, HB1728, HB1881, HB2361, HB2395, HB1823, SB2050, SB2397, SB2175, SB2852, SB847, SB3001

Keywords: natural hair braiding, hair braiding, braids, braider, braiding license, cosmetology, barbering, barber board, Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, registration, licensure exemption, sanitation training, health and safety, hair extensions, cornrows, twists, locks, protective hairstyles, beauty industry, occupational licensing

Transcript Highlights:

• the plain and ordinary meaning of statutes, have provided the guideposts to my approach to legal analysis
• I will start every analysis with the Constitution.
• I actually want to particularly thank you for introducing the legislation you just described, because
• Sauer, give me an example of an instance where a legislative body could pass a statute discriminating
• I am too, but is there any way that a legislative body can pass legislation classifying people on the

Keywords: Department of Justice, nominations, Assistant Attorney General, civil rights, enforcement, committee discussion

Summary: The meeting covered important discussions surrounding key nominations in the Department of Justice, specifically for the roles of Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and the Office of Legal Policy. Various committee members took turns to express their views on the nominees, emphasizing the implications of their potential confirmation on civil rights enforcement in the country. Alongside the committee discussion, the nominees provided insights into their professional backgrounds and how their experiences align with the responsibilities of the positions for which they have been nominated.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:20:34.840> so<00:20:35.120> legislators also include legislators so legislators
• also include legislators so legislators were<00:20:36.080> not<00:20:36.360> part<00:20
• It doesn't have to go to the legislature, no special legislation.
• legislation legislation another<00:55:57.559> issue<00:55:58.640> that<00:55:59.640>
• So I want to thank again Senator Rest for this legislation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I suspect before the 90th legislative session, we're gonna be knocking on 100,000.
• Five, as a result of sunset legislation in 2015, the HHS system.
• the data, since I know you said it went back, what, two or three legislators ago.
• Does that take legislation or is that? That's something that we can just do.
• And I know we've talked to you about a potential legislative initiative.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• feel like Representative Beck is still trying to understand all this, which I am as a freshman legislator
• But to collect the data, do the analysis, figure out where we are, and get good information from the
• So I think it's a really good question that we as legislators need to start asking our partners or our
• So it's not just a simple analysis of the wage, so to speak. It's they do math, it sounds like.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Since 1992, we're not aware that this has been done, but we will conduct a service and cost analysis
• No, no, we will have to hire a health care actuary in order to generate that analysis.
• I got that legislation. Compassionate release. I got that legislation, compassionate release.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Minnesota joined ERIC in 2014 following a legislative change that allows for data sharing with an organization
• similarly to the duplicate voter reports that are available in SVRS and conducts additional data analysis
• that followed, the FBI special agent and take possession of flagged documents and conduct forensic analysis
• Back to the 2018 Office of the Legislative Auditor report, as well as the current process that the OLA

Transcript Highlights:

• And we legislate on House Bill 1790.
• And this is the type of legislation legislation legislation that<01:48:11.040> they<01:48:11.280
• . as you can see from the legislation. as you can see from the fiscal<04:28:56.319> analysis<04
• legislation to New Hampshire citizens. legislation to New Hampshire citizens.
• This committee then legislation.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs heard HB 1790-FN, which would address involuntary admissions for certain individuals with a substance use disorder. Representative Lucy Weber introduced the bill for Representative Long, and the committee heard extensive testimony both in support of and in opposition to the proposal. Opponents, including John Burns of SOS Recovery and Jake Barry of New Futures, argued that involuntary commitment is not well supported by research, can retraumatize people, may increase overdose risk after release, and could undermine New Hampshire’s existing recovery and harm-reduction efforts. They emphasized that treatment should be voluntary, trauma-informed, and paired with housing, recovery supports, and other community-based services. Representative Long said he was willing to accept DHHS’s request to amend the bill into a study commission, though he expressed concern that a prior state study had not led to action. He said the commission should focus on implementation details, including where people would be placed, staffing, withdrawal management, elopement prevention, length of commitment, and aftercare. He described involuntary commitment as one tool for people with severe dangerous addictions, distinct from drug court, and said it could help avoid criminal records. Committee members asked about capacity at New Hampshire Hospital and how the proposal would work in practice. DHHS officials Katya Fox and Cynthia Pabonis testified that the bill raises major policy and fiscal concerns. They said New Hampshire’s current system has benefited from investments in naloxone, medication-assisted treatment, recovery centers, and community-based services, and that those investments have helped reduce overdose deaths. They estimated the bill would require a new 70-bed facility costing about $40 million to build and about $33.3 million annually to operate, with only a small portion offset by insurance, plus more than $600,000 in annual legal costs and additional staffing and system changes. They also said New Hampshire Hospital has 185 beds, with about 100 patients typically ready for less restrictive settings, and that housing shortages are a major bottleneck. NAMI New Hampshire also testified in opposition, saying families often want any possible treatment for loved ones but still opposed the bill. No vote or final action was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've created MUDs through the legislative process.
• Not only would they continue to support MUDs as that tool, but they would look and pursue legislative
• Not only would they continue to support muds as that tool, but they would look and pursue legislative
• Y'all are in the position to create legislation.
• Y'all are in the position to create legislation.

Summary: The committee heard testimony first from the Texas General Land Office and School Land Board. GLO officials described the agency’s role in managing more than 13 million acres of state lands and mineral interests for the Permanent School Fund, overseeing the Alamo, coastal programs, veterans’ services, and federal disaster recovery. They said the agency has generated about $6 billion for the Permanent School Fund since Commissioner Buckingham took office, and that its disaster recovery portfolio is about $14 billion across multiple events, with more than 22,000 housing units rebuilt or reconstructed since Hurricane Harvey. Members asked about land purchases such as Brewster Ranch, rare earth mineral leasing, SpaceX-related beach access, and whether the lands are public access lands; GLO staff said the holdings are managed to maximize revenue for education, that most land is leased rather than open to public access, and that they are coordinating on coastal access and compliance. On the School Land Board, members sought clarification on the difference between GLO-managed lands and the Permanent School Fund Corporation’s investment role, and staff explained that GLO generates the revenue while the separate corporation invests it. No votes or formal actions were taken. The Board for Lease of University Lands then testified. University Lands officials explained that they steward 2.1 million acres of surface and mineral interests in West Texas for the Permanent University Fund, which supports UT and Texas A&M institutions. They said a 2025 lease sale produced about $50 million in bonus revenue from 28,000 acres, and described the Board for Lease’s role in approving lease forms, lease sales, and development agreements. Members asked about the size and use of the PUF, how distributions work through UTIMCO, whether PUF money can be used for athletics, and how the land is managed; the witness said the fund is a constitutional endowment, the land is largely leased rather than sold, and distributions are generally used for buildings, labs, and other permanent structures, with some institutions also using a portion for operations. No votes or formal actions were taken. The committee then took up municipal utility districts. Testimony from a law firm, the Texas Municipal League, Fort Bend County Commissioner Vincent Morales, and Johnson Development largely supported MUDs as a financing tool for infrastructure tied to growth. Witnesses said MUDs help fund water, sewer, drainage, roads, parks, and related infrastructure, allowing development to proceed without shifting costs to existing taxpayers and helping keep housing affordable. They emphasized that MUDs are created with disclosure to homebuyers, are subject to the Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act, and are overseen by TCEQ for bond issuance and related financial stress tests. Members questioned whether MUDs are taxing entities, whether they can be created inside city limits or ETJs, how much control cities and counties retain, and whether MUDs are becoming permanent local governments; witnesses acknowledged they levy taxes and debt, can exist within city limits with city consent, and often function as long-term local entities. The committee did not take any formal action during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Students to take the legislatively required civics assessment, and it's the same assessment portal.
• It's a legislative committee. They meet periodically.
• It didn't sound like you did refer to legislation.
• Obviously, the department does what the legislation asks them to do.
• But as I said, that's the legislation and the policy, and we deal with it as is right now.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Finance Division II committee heard a Department of Education budget presentation from Commissioner Frank Edelblut and CFO Tammy Valen-cour. The department outlined its organizational structure and emphasized that it functions largely as a flow-through agency for school funding. The commissioner reviewed general fund and Education Trust Fund items, including state aid, dropout prevention, special education, building aid, lease aid, charter schools, Education Freedom Accounts, and the district adequacy calculation. He also highlighted the public school infrastructure fund, saying the state has invested well over $50 million in school safety since 2018 for measures such as access controls, locks, and window film, and argued that safety spending should be ongoing rather than reactive. Members asked about the variability in the school infrastructure line, special education aid, and the Discovery Education learning platform. Edelblut explained that some safety funding had come from one-time surplus appropriations rather than the agency line, and said special education aid was underappropriated because districts submitted more invoices than expected; he said the governor added $16 million to address the shortfall. He also described CTE renovation funding, noting four projects were initially proposed but only Jaffrey and Milford were still moving forward, with local votes required and the state covering 75% of costs. He said Milford’s project was omitted from the governor’s budget by oversight. The department also reviewed enrollment trends, noting public school enrollment has fallen from about 230,000 students in 2002 to about 185,000 today. Edelblut clarified that charter students are not eligible for Education Freedom Accounts, while EFA students attending non-public schools are counted as EFA students. He described several one-time surplus-funded initiatives, including Student Clearinghouse, MTSSB work, civics curriculum development, computer science education, and adult education. He also discussed a $4 million CTE tuition and transportation grant, saying it was kept as a competitive grant rather than a formula grant to avoid creating an ongoing maintenance-of-effort commitment that could jeopardize federal Perkins funding. In the final portion, Edelblut identified prioritized needs in the department’s budget, especially funding for a state administrator for assessment to support the legislatively required civics assessment, and additional support for the Discovery Education platform. He said every school in the state is using the platform and cited more than 1.5 million educator engagements, while a member raised concerns about mixed reviews and uneven district awareness of the program. No votes or formal actions were taken during the presentation and question period.

Transcript Highlights:

• Absent a severability clause, then the court would do an analysis to see if that part could be removed
• to that if there is that kind of clause absent a severability clause then the court would do an analysis

Summary: The committee heard presentations on two Senate-passed HCRs that would refer constitutional amendments to voters. HCR 2040 would bar school districts from using public money or resources to support labor organizations, including payroll deductions for dues, use of internal communication systems for recruiting or political materials, and distribution of labor-related communications using public resources; it also would prohibit the state and political subdivisions from entering exclusive representation or collective bargaining agreements with labor organizations. The sponsor indicated an intent to concur with the Senate amendment, and the measure was left open for questions. HCR 2048 would amend the Arizona Constitution to prevent the state from confiscating money from scholarship accounts belonging to children of military families, and would void any later law or voter-approved measure after November 1, 2026, that violates that protection. Members asked how the proposal would work if a student moved out of state or no longer met scholarship eligibility requirements, and staff explained that funds could still be reclaimed if the student no longer qualified under the program. Questions also focused on the measure’s language making any conflicting future bill or initiative null and void, with staff explaining that courts would still apply severability principles in litigation. The discussion became sharply political, with one member criticizing the measure as a pretext to protect ESA voucher funds and another questioning whether the military-family framing raised DEI concerns. Another member argued the majority was using military families to shield fraudulent ESA spending and said voters wanted action on the issue. No votes were taken in the excerpt, and the chair ultimately closed the discussion after questions and comments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Other than introducing my expert this morning, it's Callie Frosbill from the Legislative Finance Committee
• So this is the legislation that Mr.
• I've gotten conflicting news and reports from our staff with the Legislative Finance Committee.
• And so if I could have our esteemed economist, Jennifer from the Legislative Finance Committee, come
• Understand that the typical process in this committee would be to table the legislation.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Legislation.
• Some legislation that might say, Process.
• Where you can't legislate, you can operate.
• And if you could draft registration or legislation, or legislation, to you, and if you could draft a
• Despite years of legislative efforts, the leaks keep coming.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're now dealing with the executive branch legislating, taking away codified legislation that says we
• >> We're dealing with the executive branch legislating, taking away codified legislation that says we
• community members from legislators community members from legislators ourselves<00:14:31.839>
• <00:14:52.480> are to an agency when the legislators are to an agency when the legislators
• So legislation of course passes around So legislation of course passes around May<00:37:00.320> or

Bills: HF3379

Keywords: housing stabilization, disability services, predatory funding, provider requirements, housing accessibility, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• As legislators, we have a from.
• The legislation to expand our state.
• chips for uh our legislative process. chips for uh our legislative process.
• Rushing legislation never legislation. Rushing legislation never functions<02:33:15.680> well.
• that we can make better legislation. that we can make better legislation.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• over the course of this legislative over the course of this legislative session.<00:45:43.599>
• :16.480> reigns regulations or legislation, reigns regulations or legislation, reigns supreme.
• And I think there are five major reasons to oppose this legislation. legislation. legislation.
• <01:36:11.280> Intent this legislation. Intent this legislation.
• analysis appointed. analysis appointed.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that would sort of remove analysis of pre-existing conditions from purchase of Medicare supplement plans
• And so I'm going to urge you in your analysis to consider the direct substitutionary cost savings of
• And so I'm going to urge you in your analysis to consider the direct substitutionary cost savings of
• I'm going to urge you in your analysis to consider the direct substitutionary cost savings of that.
• <01:07:37.520> enabling for considering legislation enabling for considering legislation enabling

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The buffer legislation passed in 2015 not only failed to provide any compensation for those costs to
• The buffer legislation passed in 2015 not only failed to provide any compensation for those costs to
• <00:31:10.919> was when the uh buffer strip legislation was when the uh buffer strip legislation
• And one final comment, Madam Chair: as we look at the fiscal analysis here, we see that there really
• The Legislative Audit Commission will be meeting in the second hour of the usual schedule for the tax

Keywords: 1187, senate, all