Transcript Highlights:

• For example, my understanding is in the city of Houston there is literally a backlog of thousands of
• I believe so because um I'm in Houston, so we currently have sex offenders that live in my neighborhood
• I'm Andy Kahn, director of victim services for Crime Stoppers of Houston, and I'm here in support of
• Yes, I'm here on behalf of Crime Stoppers of Houston and I'm here supporting House Bill 2582.
• earlier than I thought and by the time I found out where he was, he literally had paroled out to Houston

Bills: HB47

Keywords: HB 47, Texas Tax Code, ad valorem taxes, property tax, voter-approval tax rate, tax rate election, taxing unit, injunction, taxpayer rights, property owner, local government finance, tax refund, attorney's fees, court costs, voter-approved tax increase, tax reform, municipal taxes, county taxes, school district taxes, bond election

Transcript Highlights:

• For example, my understanding is in the city of Houston.
• I believe so because I'm in Houston so we currently have sex offenders that live in my neighborhood that
• I'm Andy Kahn, Director of Victim Services for Crime Stoppers of Houston. and I'm here in support of
• I thought, and by the time I found out where he was, he literally had paroled out to Houston.
• And I had no clue that he'd parole out to Houston.

Bills: HB47, HB1552, HB1686, HB1953, HB2151, HB2355, HB2582, HB2697, HB2895, HB3073, HB3418, HB47

Keywords: sexual assault, victim rights, forensic examination, medical care, trauma-informed care, crime victims compensation, evidence retention, child sexual abuse material, child pornography, digital services, reporting requirements, children's protection, sex offender registration, indecent assault, educator-student relationship, criminal justice, legislation, crime victims, compensation fund, information disclosure

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm proud to represent Texas's 7th congressional district in Houston and to chair the Texas Democratic
• , uh, Carol Alvarado, who is the, the chair of the Senate Democrats, and, and my friend also from Houston
• There was a Republican that testified in Houston that he didn't want them to do it either.

Transcript Highlights:

• Christi, Wichita, Wichita Falls, Austin, Waco, Lubbock, Amarillo, Houston, and a host of other cities
• In Houston, the way they do it today, you have two personnel files.
• open records request, a Freedom of Information Act request, regarding an officer under this, or in Houston

Bills: SB3073, SJR87

Keywords: Texas criminal procedure, magistrate, probable cause, written findings, arrest review, criminal justice, Article 15.17, pretrial release, judicial recordkeeping, court transparency, law enforcement, defendant rights, criminal proceedings, no probable cause, magistrate findings, bail reform, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, public safety

Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice met with a quorum present and took up three bills tied to bail reform and law enforcement records. Senator Huffman presented SJR 87, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require denial of bail for people accused of certain serious felony offenses if they have a prior conviction for, or are already on bond for, one of those offenses and there is probable cause to believe they committed another listed offense. Supporters said it would give judges a needed tool to detain repeat violent offenders; opponents from the ACLU of Texas and Texas Civil Rights Project argued it would mandate detention without individualized due process and weaken the presumption of innocence. The committee voted 7-1 to report SJR 87 favorably, with Senator Miles voting no. The committee then heard SB 3073, which would require magistrates who find no probable cause after an arrest to enter written findings supporting that determination. Senator Huffman said the bill was a narrow cleanup measure to improve transparency and provide guidance to law enforcement and prosecutors without limiting judicial discretion. With no invited or public testimony, the committee voted 6-1 to report SB 3073 favorably, again with Senator Miles dissenting. Finally, the committee considered SB 781, a committee substitute dealing with law enforcement file management and personnel records. Senator King explained that the bill would standardize policies already used in many Texas cities and under civil service rules, separating public and sealed personnel information while preserving access for criminal defense discovery. Senator Miles raised concerns that sealing exonerated allegations could hide patterns of misconduct and allow problematic officers to move between agencies. The committee adopted the committee substitute and voted 6-1 to report SB 781 favorably, with Senator Miles voting no. The committee then recessed subject to the chair’s call.

Transcript Highlights:

• resolution that's asking the federal government to move NASA's headquarters from Washington DC to Houston
• So we think this is a great opportunity for us to try to say we'd like to have that located in Houston
• So this makes the perfect sense for us to move this from Washington to Houston and have a whole space

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Christina Morales, State Representative from Houston. to know that Texas leads the way when
• I am an autistic and transgender MSW student at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social
• went on to earn my GED. from community college and eventually found a space at the University of Houston

Keywords: education, curriculum, HB178, diverse history, equity, testimony, higher education crisis, representation

Summary: The meeting was characterized by impactful discussions focused primarily on education and the representation of diverse histories in Texas's curriculum. Notably, Representative Christina Morales advocated for HB178, a bill aimed at ensuring that all Texas high school students have access to Mexican-American and African-American studies as part of their graduation requirements, moving from elective-only status. This bill garnered support from both sides of the aisle, highlighting a cooperative effort to improve educational equity in Texas. Several representatives shared personal stories reflecting on the importance of inclusive education, showcasing the bill's far-reaching implications for students' sense of identity and history.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, as you said, my name is Erin Singh, and I am a certified nurse midwife from Houston, Texas.
• Houston and Texas.
• And Houston is a prime example. Sure.
• I am the Vice President of Managed Care for Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston.
• So, I mean, it looks like you're very concerned about Dallas and Houston? Yeah.

Bills: HB46, HB35, HB4490, HB4454, HB2188, HB3078, HB4743, HB2556, HB46, HB5342, HB4783, HB3785, HB5278, HB1639, HB2581, HB4224, HB4070, HB4099, HB4882, HB3794

Keywords: local government spending cap, expenditure limit, political subdivision, property tax, ad valorem tax, budget cap, taxpayer protection, spending restraint, inflation adjustment, population growth, voter approval, supermajority vote, county budget, municipal budget, school district finance, junior college district, hospital district, special district, attorney general enforcement, local fiscal limits

Transcript Highlights:

• Rachel Van Til, I represent my and also the clubs at Houston Oaks, where I am employed as a wine director
• Houston Oaks, so she needs to re-clarify that. You represent yourself and Houston Oaks.
• Houston Oaks? Yes. Okay, and not yourself? Correct. Okay. Just give us a second. Thank you.

Bills: SB650, HB3667, SB28, HB3201, SB1184, HB1800, SB 28

Keywords: permit issuance, regulatory framework, business operations, efficiency, application process, lottery, gambling, internet gaming, mobile application, criminal offenses, lottery regulations, occupational licensing, fraud prevention, criminal background checks, lottery couriers, SB 1184, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, wine collection seller, collectible wine, vintage wine

Transcript Highlights:

• We have four offices across the state in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Lubbock.
• I'm also a community association lawyer with the law firm of Hoover Slobodchuk LLP in Houston.
• a committee of the Community Associations Institute. there's four chapters in the state of Texas, Houston
• We manage 205 communities in the Houston area. It's about 105,000 homes.

Bills: HB406

Keywords: local economic development, notification, workforce development, municipal agreements, county contracts, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In Houston, published the results of an investigation finding that out of 407 capital murder charges
• Many cities, such as Austin and the city of Houston, have a minimum lot size of 1,500 square feet.
• She was a resident of my district but was attending Houston Tillotson University.
• Cities and counties, especially those hit hardest by gun violence, like parts of Houston, Dallas, and
• That very morning, I sent a letter to Houston ISD and the Texas Education Agency demanding answers.

Bills: SB15, SB35, SB290, SB1365, SB2568, SB18, SB427, SB1860, SB1864, SB2675, SB596, SB2858, SB3058, SB816, SB1163, SB1484, SB1898, SB1777, SB1802, SB2692, SB315, SB1585, SB1626, SB2058, SB2050, SB2105, SB2245, SB2764, SB2611, SB2497, SB2452, SB2243, SB1705, SB1244, SB1361, SB438, SB578, SB584, SB2690, SB2521, SB2487, SB2342, SB2063, SB125, SB2041, SB1962, SB1413, SB6, SB2878, SB13, SB30, SJR87, SB7, SB127, SB293, SB441, SB3059, SB57, SB512, SB1718, SB140, SB2055, SB2075, SB2018, SB1534, SB1567, SB785, SB1233, SB1580, SB1663, SB413, SB447, SB519, SB467, SB1579, SB1191, SB1021, SB1838, SB2807, SB2835, SB546, SB2121, SB2167, SB2024, SB1032, SB1049, SB1266, SB1400, SB1302, SB401, SB1596, SB1281, SB1242, SB1343, SB1346, SB2753, SB2221, SB1719, SB2177, SB552, SB646, SJR1, SB15, SB800, SB790, SB748, SB571, SB1957, SB1923, SB1896, SB1760, SB1335, SB2368, SB2477, SB2587, SB2972, SB2986, SB2965, SB1563, SB1467, SB1164, SB1137, SB614, SB705, SB961, SB918, SB955, SB869, SB850, SB863, SB1610, SB1055, SB2206, SB457, SB2337, SB1362, SB926, SB1494, SB251, SB456, SB500, SB1307, SB2615, SB2995, SB2321, SB973, SB974, SB865, SB506, SB781, SB1522, SB1558, SB510, SB667, SB763, SB2073, SB1858, SB1660, SB505, SB2900, SB1433, SB1540, SB1964, SB1300, SB1644, SB2217, SB2373, SB2431, SB1758, SB2480, SB3039, SB3047, SB3073, SB2920, SB2781, SB826, SB766, SB2460, SB527, SB1946, SB2885, SB1243, SB2610, SB2595, SB857, SB2501, SB66, SB268, SB331, SB618, SB414, SB1394, SB2425, SB898, SB993, SB442, SB735, SB784, SB2538, SB1919, SB1013, SB2215, SB2322, SB626, SB570, SB747, SB2183, SB673, SB1015, SB1447, SB1370, SB1784, SB1897, SB2873, SB2891, SB2933, SB2540, SB2681, SB2695, SB1965, SB2203, SB872, SB875, SB1030, SB1277, SB1730, SB1681, SB1152, SB2969, SB2747, SB2705, SB2541, SB1708, SB2080, SB2721, SB1986, SB2392, SB2539, SB2857, SB2799, SB2785, SB2782, SB1531, SB1927, SB1263, SB1098, SB35, SB290, SB1365, SB2568, SB18, SB427, SB1860, SB1864, SB2675, SB596, SB2858, SB3058, SB816, SB1163, SB1484, SB1898, SB1777, SB1802, SB2692, SB315, SB1585, SB1626, SB2058, SB2050, SB2105, SB2245, SB2764, SB2611, SB2497, SB2452, SB2243, SB1705, SB1244, SB1361, SB438, SB578, SB584, SB2690, SB2521, SB2487, SB2342, SB2063, SB125, SB2041, SB1962, SB1413, SCR9, SB21, SB1198, SB1405, SB2601, SB2778, HB5560, HB762, HB1584, HB 107, HB 114, HB138, HB4386, HB2495, HB581, HB3348, HB5323, HB4341, HB6, HB171, HB143, HB449, HB3486, HB4263, HB5246, HB2, HB2011, SB17

Keywords: SB 15, Texas Local Government Code, zoning preemption, housing affordability, small lots, lot size, lot density, single-family zoning, residential subdivision, municipal land use, local control, state preemption, parking requirements, setbacks, infill development, missing middle housing, lot width, lot depth, homebuilders, housing supply

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair calls Melanie Houston. Chair calls Melanie Houston.
• I'm in Precinct 2 serving in the Lake Livingston area, just north of Houston.
• I've worked Houston, I've worked San Antonio, and I'm from Cameron County.
• I've worked Houston, I've worked San Antonio, and I'm from Cameron County.
• I work out at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several public safety, criminal justice, and regulatory bills. HB 4995 would create a training and certification program allowing licensed physicians and certain EMS personnel assigned to tactical units to carry firearms during high-risk deployments, with supporters saying it would let tactical medical staff protect themselves while providing immediate care; the bill was left pending. HB 2609 would repeal the failure-to-appear-or-pay/OmniBase license-hold program, with the author and advocates arguing it creates compounding debt and unnecessary barriers to driving, while judges and municipal court representatives said the program is a voluntary, cost-effective tool that improves court appearances and reduces warrants; the bill was also left pending. HB 4879 would create a grant program to help local law enforcement pay for lab testing of suspected hemp/Delta-9 THC substances, and HB 5436 would let licensed auto recyclers buy certain untitled vehicles for scrap or parts to curb illegal sales, VIN cloning, and chop shops; both measures were left pending after brief testimony in support. The committee also heard HB 1777, which would require a discrete designation on driver’s licenses and state IDs for people required to register as sex offenders. The author and supporters argued the marker would help law enforcement and businesses quickly identify potentially dangerous offenders and prevent harm, while opponents called it a stigmatizing “scarlet letter” that would increase harassment, family harm, and reintegration barriers. The bill was left pending. HB 4155 would create a two-year Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force in the Governor’s Office to study family violence homicides, gather stakeholders, and recommend policy changes; the author, HHSC, the Texas Council on Family Violence, and a survivor testified in support, and the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4514, which would authorize DPS to use facial image verification, with consent and privacy safeguards, to help businesses confirm identities and combat fraud; supporters from the lumber and identity-verification industries said it would reduce theft and fraud, and the bill was left pending. Finally, HB 5139 would clarify that peace officers and jailers are justified in using less lethal force weapons when acting within training and official duties; law enforcement groups supported the measure as a way to encourage use of less lethal tools without fear of prosecution, and testimony was underway when the transcript ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• , uh, my brother Fernando suffered a mental breakdown and had to see studies at the University of Houston
• James Carruthers, uh, Coalition for the Homeless, Houston Harris County in support of Senate Bill, uh
• At Coalition for the Homeless, we know who these individuals are in the greatest, greater Houston area

Bills: SB 53

Keywords: voter registration, election procedures, provisional ballot, change of address, residence requirements

Transcript Highlights:

• Hi everyone, my name is Christina Morales, state representative from Houston.
• I That I am an autistic and transgender MSW student at the University of Houston Graduate College of
• earn my GED, graduated from community college, and eventually found a space at the University of Houston

Transcript Highlights:

• Leslie Caldwell, Houston, for the California Public Defenders Association, in support.
• Leslie Caldwell, Houston, for the California Public Defenders Association, in support.
• Leslie Caldwell, Houston, for the California Public Defenders Association, in support.
• Leslie Caldwell Houston for the California Public Defenders Association.
• Leslie Caldwell, Houston, for the California Public Defenders Association in support.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• east side of Houston also because that's what should happen.
• You get to downtown maybe from East Houston but you don't get all the way to West Houston because you
• But with schools I know in Houston that are private, and I won't call names, but they're up to forty
• In Houston it's a big city... 640,000 miles wide.
• Ullman: The superintendent of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston will be testifying later, Dr.

Bills: HB 3

Keywords: emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management, public safety infrastructure, Project 25, P25, broadband emergency alerting, outdoor warning sirens, homeland security, disaster response

Transcript Highlights:

• And so instead of being referred to Houston or Dallas. us stay in the primary care home and get that
• I understand that the Houston Independent School District, have they signed it? an MOU with TCHAT?
• You know, in Houston, we're hearing from hospitals that are well from our county.
• And then same thing for the Houston area, and then the counties around Houston. So, I do.
• I did this job, but about 70% of our residential treatment Um, exist in the Houston area.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• To remind you, this bill simply codifies certain property tax exemptions for the Houston Livestock Show
• Modifying this exemption would help the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's mission for promoting agriculture
• The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has been operating in Houston for 90 years.
• Is this only for Houston? It is only for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
• In a large area, let's say the Houston area, that's going to be about, I would guess, half a million

Bills: HB17, HB23, SB 10

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support, youth programs, community education, county population threshold, large county, local government revenue, leasehold interest, possessory interest

Transcript Highlights:

• They did a needs assessment of Houston of Region 6.
• since 2012. two, and I'm a licensed behavior analyst in Texas, and I founded a non-profit in the Houston
• Our senior retirement community, a retirement community located in Houston, Texas.
• Sarah Saeed from Houston with Worried Gentiles. I just want you to know I Googled it.
• Houston, and Amarillo.

Bills: HB741, HB 1199, HB2070, HB2402, HB2542, HB2665, HB2789, HB3096, HB3396, HB3595, HB3747, HB4116, HB4127

Keywords: child welfare, relative caregiver, monetary assistance, Department of Family and Protective Services, child custody, family law, emergency power, nursing facilities, assisted living, generator requirements, health and safety, emergency generators, power outage, emergency generator, assisted living facilities, power source, child abuse, neglect registry, court findings, Medicaid

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to highlight the Houston Alumni and Youth Center.
• In 2024, my son spent one month in Houston HCA hospital and three months in a behavioral hospital.
• In 2024, my son spent one month in the hospital, a Houston HCA hospital, and three months in Ben Taub
• I'm going to highlight our Houston Alumni and Youth Center.
• In 2024, M spent one month in the Houston HCA hospital and three months in Ben Taub Hospital.

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:

• And we've, in Houston, experienced something similar: we've had three 100-year floods and a 500-year
• I'm Kelly Raybon, and I am a mother from Houston.
• My name is Kelly Raybon, and I am a mom from Houston.
• You came up from Houston this morning.
• But I know it’s rained a lot in Houston lately. And how do you feel now when you see the rain?

Bills: HB48, HB66, HB68, HB71, HB75, HB164, HB171, HB254, SB3, SB18, HB123, HB149, HB117

Keywords: HB 48, Texas alert notification systems, emergency alerts, public warning systems, alert fatigue, notification fatigue, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety, DPS alerts, emergency management, State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, STEAR, disaster notifications, weather alerts, Amber Alert, Silver Alert, Blue Alert, missing persons alerts, accessible alerts, hearing impaired

Summary: The committee met in special session to hear a series of flood, preparedness, and youth-camp safety bills, with members repeatedly noting that many of the measures were intended as planning, warning, or authority-clarifying bills rather than direct spending bills. House Bill 254 would expand eligibility for the Rural Infrastructure Disaster Recovery Program to include Kerr County and 18 other flood-affected counties by raising the GDP cap and lowering the poverty threshold; it drew no opposition and was left pending. House Bill 68 would direct a study of flood mitigation in flatland areas, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, to develop cost-effective drainage and infrastructure recommendations; local officials and advocates supported it, and it was also left pending. The committee then heard several youth camp bills tied to the recent Hill Country flooding. House Bill 75 would impose flood-aware building and site standards for youth camps near floodplains, and House Bill 71 would require camps and youth activity entities to submit emergency preparedness plans to TDEM, coordinate with local responders, and maintain readiness protocols; both bills were supported by safety advocates and camp representatives, and both were left pending. House Bill 171 would require campgrounds near flood-prone waters to give written flood-risk notice to campers and obtain signed acknowledgment; it was presented as informed consent and left pending. Testimony on these bills emphasized Camp Mystic and other recent flood tragedies, with some witnesses urging broader building-code and floodplain reforms. The committee also heard House Bill 117, which would let counties regulate impervious cover for flood mitigation in unincorporated areas. Supporters, including county officials, environmental groups, and residents, argued that rapid development in the Hill Country and other growing areas is worsening runoff and downstream flooding; opponents from the builders’ association said counties already have substantial authority and warned about overreach into rural property use. After extensive testimony, the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 18 would streamline permitting for certain flood control districts to repair dams and reservoirs and build small holding areas, and it was left pending after supportive testimony from Plum Creek Conservation District. Senate Bill 3 would create a state-backed outdoor flood warning siren program for identified flood-prone areas, funded through a grant program; witnesses generally supported it, though some cautioned that sirens are not sufficient by themselves and may not be heard indoors or in overnight storms. It too was left pending. The committee also began hearing House Bill 149 on public-safety radio interoperability, but the transcript cuts off before the bill’s full testimony or action is shown.