Transcript Highlights:

• It's not the heavy hand of government stamping out an industry. That's not the answer.
• It's not the heavy hand of government stamping out an industry. That's not the answer.
• <02:17:34.080> to municipalities to accept the stamp to municipalities to accept the stamp
• > plans<02:17:35.679> or accept and stamp site plans or accept and stamp site plans or
• an accredited stamp saying SPF South. an accredited stamp saying SPF South.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Committee for terms expiring December 31, 2028: David
• Reappointed members of the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Committee for terms expiring December 31,
• members of the Colorado<01:03:41.680> Wildlife<01:03:42.079> Habitat<01:03:42.480> Stamp
• Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Committee<01:03:43.039> for

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum, approved the February 23, 2026 journal, and received several committee reports. Education recommended Senate Bill 67 be amended and sent to Appropriations, and Judiciary recommended Senate Bill 70 be amended and sent to Appropriations. The Education Committee also recommended confirmation of several Institute of Cannabis Research Governing Board appointments, and later the chamber confirmed a consent calendar of governor’s appointments, including members of the GOCO Trust Fund board, the Colorado Agriculture Development Authority, and the Wildlife Habitat Stamp Committee. On the floor, the Senate passed several bills. Senate Bill 85 and Senate Bill 25, both on the consent calendar, passed unanimously. Senate Bill 5, concerning state court remedies for violations of federal constitutional rights during immigration enforcement, passed on a 20-11 vote after a brief reconsideration mix-up and was then repassed. Senate Bill 18, concerning legal protections for a minor and sealing a related name-change record, passed 20-11. Senate Bill 31, concerning lawful use of a prescription drug product containing a Schedule I controlled substance, passed 29-2. The chamber then resolved into Committee of the Whole and took up Senate Bill 46, a property tax administration cleanup bill. After a Finance Committee report and adoption of amendment L003, the bill passed second reading and was ordered engrossed. The committee also laid over Senate Bills 53, 43, and 84 until February 25. Later, the Senate concurred with House amendments to Senate Bill 52, concerning coal transition communities and just transition money, and then repassed it. The Senate adopted the Committee of the Whole report and recessed until 11:00 a.m. after announcements and personal privilege remarks recognizing the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District and Musical Therapist Day.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the Florida Rail Enterprise program was actually funded with doc stamp revenues.
• However, doc stamp revenues were directed to the trust fund many years ago by the Legislature, and that
• So the Florida Rail Enterprise program was actually funded with dock stamp revenues.
• However, dock stamp revenues were directed the trust fund many years ago by the legislature, and that
• And so that FRE program was zeroed out as a result of legislation from last session, where doc stamp

Summary: The committee met to hear the Governor’s proposed budget for the Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development silo and to consider one bill. The Governor’s Office outlined a $117.4 billion state budget, including $18.3 billion for the TED area, with major allocations for the Department of Transportation, Commerce, Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, State, Military Affairs, Emergency Management, and the Florida State Guard. Agency heads then presented their priorities, including housing and disaster recovery funds at Commerce; pay, vehicles, aviation, and data systems at Highway Safety; facility modernization, recruitment, retention, and maintenance at Military Affairs; election audit, conservation lab, and historic preservation funding at State; transportation, aviation, seaport, and safety investments at DOT; and emergency response, flood mitigation, grant systems, and alerting at Emergency Management. Members asked questions about Visit Florida’s private match, FHP’s role in immigration enforcement and body cameras, National Guard deployment tempo and staffing, State Guard staffing and facilities, arts grant rules, rail funding, and the number of detainees at the Everglades detention site. Several notable positions were expressed during questioning. Visit Florida said it met and exceeded its private match requirement and described the match as important to ensuring value from public dollars. The Highway Patrol said its aviation assets have been used more heavily in immigration enforcement and that in-vehicle camera systems were a higher priority than body cameras at present. The National Guard and State Guard both emphasized heavy operational demands, readiness needs, and the importance of additional funding for facilities, personnel, and equipment. The Department of State said its audit funding would help counties move to automated post-election audits and that its arts grant rule changes were intended to create more consistent scoring rather than reduce access. The committee then took up CS/SB 48 on accessory dwelling units. The bill requires local governments to allow property owners to voluntarily create ADUs, preserves homestead treatment for the primary residence portion, limits parking restrictions, and extends density bonus incentives to housing for military families receiving basic housing allowance. An amendment was adopted removing reusable tenant screening reports and clarifying that compliant ADUs are allowed by right without a separate hearing or permit. Testimony from the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association supported the bill, especially the long-term rental requirement, as a tool to help workforce housing. The committee reported the bill favorably by a roll call vote, and then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The responsibility of this committee is to try to give this whole process some validity and stamp of
• Is this to validate the work that these folks have done, or is it going to tell us something different
• You know, we're supposed to validate that contracts are consistent with the charges given to us, but
• You know, we're supposed to validate that contracts are consistent with the charges given to us, but
• these things when we going to validate these things when we<01:02:44.400> don't<01:02:44.640>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee opened with a moment of silence for Representative McCool, who was absent due to a family death, then approved the April 14 minutes and noted the agenda contained 482 items totaling about $138.6 million. The first deferred item involved the Office of the Controller and a brokerage services contract. Senators questioned why the new contract was roughly $1 million a year when a prior vendor had been paid about $300,000 annually, why the procurement was rebid after years of no-bid arrangements, and why past performance was not heavily weighted. Agency witnesses said the prior vendor had held the work for more than 20 years, the new RFP drew more competition, technical evaluators did not see cost until after technical scoring, and AON received the highest technical score despite being an out-of-state vendor with its closest office in Nashville. After discussion, the committee voted to take no action, and the contract advanced to the Finance Cabinet for final decision. The committee then considered a DCBS memorandum of agreement amendment. Members asked what funding was being redirected to cover an increase of about $265,000. DCBS explained that reduced spending on interpreter services, due to more commonly used forms being translated into other languages, freed up funds to support the contract. The committee approved the item. Next, the committee reviewed an initial contract for the Kentucky Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists. The board explained that its small legal staff was handling 11 active cases and needed outside counsel with investigators and additional attorneys because of ongoing litigation and disciplinary changes tied to prior legislation and a recent LOIC report. Members asked whether the contract was a not-to-exceed amount and whether the board could afford it; the board said the $50,000 was a ceiling, not an expected spend, and that the board was fully funded through licensing fees and currently running a surplus. Senator Thomas urged support, citing recent reforms in Senate Bills 14 and 22 and the need to help the board work through corrective action. The committee approved the contract. The Board of Pharmacy item was then deferred at the agency’s request until the June 2025 meeting, and the committee approved that deferral.

Transcript Highlights:

• them to the product, and they just come back to us to buy more stamps when they need them.
• them of stamps and affix them to<01:35:14.520> the<01:35:14.760> product<01:35:15.440>
• <01:46:51.599> Revenue of just the tobacco tax stamp Revenue of just the tobacco tax stamp
• <01:47:45.080> on associated with tobacco tax stamps on associated with tobacco tax stamps
• The register of deeds retains 4% of the face value of the stamps that are sold in the county.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee received an overview from Chris of the Legislative Budget Assistance Office on how it will estimate unrestricted revenues for the General Fund, Education Trust Fund, Highway Fund, and Fish and Game Fund. He explained that the committee’s work is based on current law, not pending bills, and that the estimates will feed into a House resolution and an amendment to House Bill 1, the operating budget. He also described the broader budget process, including how House and Senate estimates are reconciled, how surplus statements account for revenue changes from enacted bills, and how a committee of conference could resolve differences later in the session. No votes were taken. Members then asked about why the Education Trust Fund was running below plan. Chris said the shortfall appeared to be driven largely by business taxes, including differences in the BET/BPT split and improved tax-processing systems that better track where business tax payments belong. Representative Orr also asked about tobacco tax collections and out-of-state sales; Chris said tobacco revenue was likely overestimated in 2023 based on COVID-era patterns, with more people smoking at home, and noted that e-cigarette tax revenue goes to the General Fund while cigarette taxes are split between the General Fund and Education Trust Fund. He said he did not have a specific estimate for cross-border sales. Commissioner Lindsay St. Pierre of the Department of Revenue then began a deeper dive into the department’s role and the taxes it administers. She reviewed the department’s mission, organizational structure, taxpayer services, and the tax policy and legislative analysis staff who prepare fiscal notes and testify on bills. She noted that the department administers about $2.9 billion in revenue across major taxes such as business taxes, meals and rooms, and utility property tax, and that the figures being discussed were preliminary because the annual report had not yet been issued. The discussion was informational only, with no formal action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Get your tax stamps while you still can from Joanna Bears for her illegal drugs.
• <03:31:20.000> So have to have those stamps anymore.
• So have to have those stamps anymore.
• For my first year, so I think that picture would also be worth probably one of the tax stamps here.
• Um but but I think I tax stamps here.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• MDH's budget, especially in light of the fact that we heard and saw and talked with MDH about the validity
• :05:31.560> the and saw and T with mdh about the the and saw and T with mdh about the the validity
• of the vital Services the validity of the vital Services the agency<00:05:34.520> provides<00
• That was stamped six years after I was born, and to finally signify that I was a legal human being in
• Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, was stamped six years after I was born, and to finally signify that I

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Because all the tobacco products must be stamped and distributed through licensed wholesalers like my
• Because all the tobacco products must be stamped and distributed through licensed wholesalers like my
• Is there a way, much like a pack of cigarettes has a tax stamp on the bottom, for a consumer to walk
• there's a tax stamp on the bottom<01:13:19.639> is<01:13:19.800> there<01:13:19.960>
• I believe the tobacco stamp tax has been at the same rate since 2008.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The public hearing focused on HB 290, which would raise cigarette and e-cigarette/vaping taxes and create a committee to study tobacco and nicotine tax policy. Representative Jerry Stringham introduced the bill as both a public health and revenue measure, arguing that nicotine use causes health harms and public costs, and that New Hampshire’s cigarette tax has been unchanged at $1.78 per pack since 2013. He said the bill would raise the cigarette tax by $1 per pack to $2.78, still below most New England states, and would also adjust vaping taxes, which he described as having been set as placeholder rates in 2019. He said the bill would also establish a study committee to review broader tobacco and nicotine taxation, including products such as premium cigars. In response to questions, Stringham said the proposed cigarette tax would be roughly equal in real dollars to the 2008 rate after inflation, and he suggested that a smaller annual increase could be considered, though he believed a larger increase would have a stronger public health effect. He explained that the vaping tax structure differs between closed and open systems because one taxes a fixed hardware product while the other taxes reusable liquid, and he said the proposal would move the rates toward a more uniform approach. He also said New Hampshire would remain below neighboring states even after the increase, though members raised concerns about cross-border shopping, business impacts, and preserving the state’s competitive advantage. Several members questioned whether the bill’s main purpose was revenue or reducing smoking and vaping. Stringham said he viewed it primarily as a public health bill, but also as a revenue measure, and said he would consider it successful even if consumption fell enough to reduce revenue. Other members emphasized personal freedom and argued the committee should focus on taxation rather than cessation, while some supported the bill as a way to capture revenue from out-of-state buyers and keep New Hampshire’s rates below surrounding states. The hearing consisted of testimony and questions only; no vote or final action was taken in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're sort of the good housekeeping stamp of approval through the exemption review process, but, um,
• :19:49.320> housekeeping<00:19:50.000> uh<00:19:50.240> sta-<00:19:50.480> stamp
• <00:19:50.760> of good housekeeping uh sta- stamp of good housekeeping uh sta- stamp of approval

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate AEN committee heard and considered four gubernatorial nominations. GM 511 was for Harry Purdy III to the Moloka‘i Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board; testimony in support came from DLNR, the Department of Agriculture, and Moloka‘i community members, and Purdy described his long background in Moloka‘i homestead farming and the challenges facing new farmers. GM 676 was for Denise Kuano to the same board; the committee noted support from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and it was reported that Kuano could not testify because of a family emergency. GM 771 was for James Gomes to the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity; the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council strongly supported him, citing his long agricultural experience, advocacy, and prior board service, and Gomes emphasized ag crime enforcement, land access, water, and support for farmers and ranchers. GM 772 was for Michelle Lefebvre to the Environmental Advisory Council; the Environmental Advisory Council and OPSD supported her, and Lefebvre discussed her work on the council’s exemptions committee and the need for better public understanding of the environmental review process. Members asked nominees questions about barriers for young homesteaders, ag crime enforcement, prior board service, environmental stewardship, and public engagement in environmental review. Gomes said the biggest challenges include lack of experience for new homesteaders, weak enforcement against ag crimes and drug activity on ranches, and the need for more land and resources for agriculture. Lefebvre said the environmental review process often falls short in public understanding and that comments are not a vote but part of an analytical process. After testimony, the committee reported support counts for each nomination and then voted to recommend advise and consent on all four measures. GM 511, GM 676, GM 771, and GM 772 were each adopted unanimously by the members present, with some members excused. The chair then announced the committee would move on to the next agenda item.

Transcript Highlights:

• First, I don't own stamps so I do all my payments electronically.
• I don't need to send letters anymore, so making us go get stamps is not convenient.
• Here you've got to get a stamp, fill out the card, and send it out. You make it very difficult.
• Please stop moving the goal posts, and like Shane my colleague, I didn't even know how to buy a stamp

Transcript Highlights:

• I asked for their financials because if our committee is going to work on this bill and give some stamp
• <00:18:10.240> and<00:18:10.480> give<00:18:10.640> some<00:18:10.880> stamp
• <00:18:11.200> of this bill and give some stamp of this bill and give some stamp of approval

Bills: SB54, SB126, SB128, SB101, SB102, SB104, HB282, HB298, SB54, SB126, SB128, SB101, SB102, SB104, HB282, HB298

Keywords: sunset law, Alabama Surface Mining Commission, environmental regulation, mining, state commission, Alabama Private Investigation Board, regulatory oversight, agency review, continuation, sickle cell disease, healthcare, regulatory commission, public health, regulation, electrical contractors, state agencies, home medical equipment, board continuation, boards, commissions

Transcript Highlights:

• You'll<00:04:44.000> see<00:04:44.080> a<00:04:44.320> time<00:04:44.479> stamp
• You'll see a time stamp in your packet.
• You'll see a time stamp on<00:04:44.960> the<00:04:45.040> upper<00:04:45.280> right
• it's not it's to what it is now is it it it's not it's not<01:21:43.280> a<01:21:43.440> valid
• Not a valid comparison. And, you know, we hear we don't have $60 million to spend on it.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 4252 and first heard a walkthrough of a DE2 amendment that largely incorporated Office of Higher Education technical and statutory cleanup items, including reporting consolidations, updates to postsecondary registration and licensing statutes, and an anti-fraud provision. New provisions in the DE2 would require public postsecondary institutions to explain developmental courses before enrollment and obtain a written acknowledgement, revise the state grant tuition cap, add a $1.5 million ongoing appropriation in FY 2027 for an identity verification system to combat enrollment fraud, and provide $5,000 one-time funding for reforestation at Bemidji State University. Fiscal staff also noted additional special revenue fund revenue and expenditures tied to licensing and registration litigation response. The main debate centered on the A8 amendment offered by Representative Rarick, which would require the governor to appoint University of Minnesota regents only from candidates recommended by the joint legislative committee if the legislature fails to elect regents. Rarick argued the amendment was needed to address what he described as conflicts of interest and pay-to-play concerns in recent gubernatorial appointments. Several members questioned whether the language was constitutional, whether it actually addressed conflicts of interest, and whether it should instead refer to ARCAC-screened or ARCAC-recommended candidates. Nonpartisan staff said the governor’s appointment power is addressed in the university charter, not directly in the constitution, but could not definitively assess constitutionality if challenged. Members were divided: some supported the goal of cleaner governance but said the amendment was not ready or did not match the problem being described; others argued the legislature had failed to complete its own regent appointments and that the amendment was a response to that failure. No vote on the A8 amendment or the bill was reached in the portion provided, though a roll call was requested on the amendment and the chair indicated the bill would continue through amendment consideration before final discussion and vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• And no employer should simply be rubber-stamping an ADS output for the sake of efficiency.
• It ensures that unless there is a valid California warrant or a mandatory federal reporting requirement
• It ensures that unless there is a valid California warrant or a mandatory federal reporting requirement

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And no employer should simply be rubber-stamping an ADS output for the sake of efficiency.
• It ensures that unless there is a valid California warrant or a mandatory federal reporting requirement
• It ensures that unless there is a valid California warrant or a mandatory federal reporting requirement

Summary: The committee began as a subcommittee due to the lack of a quorum and heard several privacy- and technology-related measures. The first item was H.R. 117, a resolution urging Congress to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The author and supporters argued the law is outdated and shields platforms from accountability for harms such as harassment, exploitation, scams, and other online abuse. Witnesses, including a survivor parent and a gender justice advocate, described harms to children, women, and LGBTQ people and urged a two-year sunset to force federal reform. Some members supported the resolution as a call for federal action, while one member said he could not support it because the resolution was too general and lacked specificity about the reforms being sought. No vote was taken because the committee lacked a quorum. The committee then heard SB 898, which would require manufacturers of connected consumer products to disclose how long they will support the software and to notify consumers when products approach end of life. The author said consumers deserve transparency about security updates and continued functionality, and supporters from Consumer Reports and PIRG emphasized cybersecurity risks, consumer confusion, and electronic waste from unsupported devices. Opponents, including business and industry groups, raised concerns about enforcement through the unfair competition law, notice burdens, labeling issues, and compliance challenges, especially for products with long support windows or third-party dependencies. One member expressed support, noting the cybersecurity risks of end-of-life devices, but again no vote was taken because there was no quorum. The committee also heard SB 435, which would narrow the CCPA definition of publicly available information to limit how businesses classify data as public. The author and supporters said the bill would close a loophole that allows data brokers and others to monetize personal information without meaningful consent and could help prevent surveillance and misuse of data, including by government agencies. Opponents argued the bill would upset the balance between privacy and the free flow of information, create compliance uncertainty, and retroactively reclassify information that businesses reasonably believed was public. Some members said they supported the goal of stronger privacy protections, while others said the bill was too broad. The committee again could not vote due to the lack of a quorum. Later, the committee heard SB 923, which would expand Californians’ right to delete personal information to cover data obtained from third parties and require online businesses to offer a web form or similar method for deletion requests. Supporters, including the California Privacy Protection Agency and consumer advocates, said the bill would make deletion rights meaningful and better address data broker practices. Opponents sought an opt-out-of-processing alternative and raised operational and legal concerns, but supporters said deletion is not the same as retention or processing limits. Members largely spoke in favor of the bill’s privacy goals, but no action was taken. The committee also heard SB 947, the “No Robo Bosses Act,” which would require human review for certain automated employment decisions and limit predictive analysis in workplace discipline and termination. Labor groups supported the bill as a safeguard against biased or erroneous AI-driven decisions, while business, public employer, and local government groups opposed it as overbroad and burdensome. Members voiced support for human oversight in employment decisions, but the item was not voted on because the committee still lacked a quorum. Finally, the committee began hearing SB 1114, the SOGI Data Privacy Act, which would restrict disclosure of sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex data to federal agencies absent a court order or legal requirement; the author and witness framed it as a response to federal efforts to obtain sensitive LGBTQ-related data.

Transcript Highlights:

• district, across the state, were pretty vile because some of those conversations viewed us as putting the stamp
• Senate Bill 352 by Parker, relating to the powers and duties in validating certain acts and proceedings
• Senate Bill 353 by Parker, relating to the powers and duties and validating certain acts and proceedings

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation by Pastor Jim Harris of Tilden Baptist Church, followed by remarks from Senator Zaffirini recognizing his service and retirement as an agricultural teacher. The chamber also received a message from the governor on appointments to the Coastal Water Authority Board of Directors. Senators then adopted SR 434 honoring Goodwill Industries of San Antonio’s 80th anniversary, with Senators Gutierrez, Menendez, and Zaffirini praising its workforce training and second-chance employment mission; SR 435 recognizing Dr. Christine Ramos Camacho as Doctor of the Day; and a group of additional resolutions adopted by voice vote. Senator Zaffirini also introduced the McMullen County Day delegation, and Senator Gutierrez introduced the Doctor of the Day. The Senate then took up and passed several bills. SB 1951 addressed penalties for late property rendition filings and removed a financial incentive for appraisal districts; SB 1261 related to financing water supply projects in the state water plan; SB 1620 created a Texas Forensic Analyst Apprenticeship Pilot Program; SB 530 updated higher-education accreditation rules; SB 2183 standardized fireworks sales periods statewide; SB 2368 strengthened the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act and added foreign-affiliation safeguards for electricity market participants; SB 1398 limited children without placement (CWOP) practices and added community-based care transparency; and SB 1960 established digital replication rights for voice and visual likenesses. Each of these bills advanced through suspension of the regular order, passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage, with recorded votes generally showing strong support and some opposition on a few measures. The chamber also debated SB 825, which would require an annual study of the economic, environmental, and financial impacts of illegal immigration. Senators Middleton, Hinojosa, Gutierrez, and Eckhardt debated whether the study should include positive as well as negative impacts; an amendment to require that broader analysis failed, and the bill was left pending after passage to engrossment. Other measures passed included SB 2010, prohibiting political subdivisions from operating guaranteed income programs; SB 546, requiring reporting and continued implementation of school bus seat belts; SB 586, establishing the Historical Texas Cemetery designation program; SB 1150, requiring inactive oil and gas wells to be plugged or returned to production under a compliance plan; SB 1184, lowering the minimum age of wine eligible for sale by wine collection sellers; SB 2185, clarifying bilingual education allotment funding; SB 1923, making child support follow the child in certain temporary placements; SB 2252, expanding early literacy and numeracy supports and screening tools; SB 1870, barring local decriminalization of drugs; and SB 2405, the major TDCJ sunset bill, which included facility planning, parole and rehabilitation reforms, and an amendment protecting parole board discretion. Most of these bills were adopted after floor amendments and passed with recorded votes, often along party-line or near-party-line divisions.

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you agree that that portion of the amendment is still valid currently? Is it valid currently?
• And then you have the courts assessing whether or not all the various provisions are valid.
• If you vote yes on this, it will be your stamp of approval.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Do you agree that that portion of the amendment is still valid currently? Is it valid currently?
• And then you have the courts assessing whether or not all the various provisions are valid.
• If you vote yes on this, it will be your stamp of approval.

Summary: The Committee on Rules met with a quorum and heard a Governor’s Office presentation on a proposed congressional reapportionment map. The governor’s counsel argued that mid-cycle congressional redistricting is legally permissible, that race should not be considered at all in drawing districts, and that the Florida Fair Districts provisions are inconsistent with federal equal protection law and should be treated as non-severable. The presentation also discussed the pending U.S. Supreme Court case Louisiana v. Callais and the Florida Supreme Court’s Black Voters Matter decision as part of the legal rationale for the map. Jason Parada, who said he drew the map alone, described the map as based on 2020 census block data, with county-level population estimates used only as a guide to identify faster-growing areas. He said the plan keeps 48 counties and 382 municipalities whole, has compactness scores similar to the current benchmark map, and uses traditional geographic and political boundaries such as roads, railways, county lines, and municipal lines. He walked through regional changes, emphasizing a race-neutral redesign that significantly altered South Florida, including changes to districts in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and the Everglades, while leaving several northern districts largely unchanged. Members questioned the witnesses extensively about the legal theory, the use of partisan data, the role of race, population growth, and the timing and review of the map. The witnesses said partisan data was considered along with other traditional redistricting criteria, but race was not used. They also said they could not speak to who else reviewed the map beyond EOG staff and counsel. Several senators raised concerns about the map’s compactness, county and city splits, the apparent partisan effects, and the fact that the map was released shortly before the special session. No vote or final action on the map was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's not a rubber stamp.
• The difference of what happens between that point and when it's officially released is a data validation
• that allows our school districts and charter schools to look at their data and to go through a validation
• the public do come later, but that really is about allowing us time to work with them on the data validation

Transcript Highlights:

• Under current law, a marriage is not valid if one of the spouses is legally married to someone else.
• Once the earlier marriage ends, the new marriage becomes valid if the spouses live together and represent
• Generally, House Bill 2240 would allow innocent spouses to ensure their marriage does not become valid
• be able to enter into this type of contracts, period, because many times the board will just rubber-stamp

Summary: The Senate first adopted a motion by Senator Zaffirini to suspend Senate Rule 5.14 and move the intent calendar deadline to 8:00 p.m. that day, also allowing the Secretary to make the calendar available as soon as practicable. The chamber then took up and passed several House bills, often by suspending the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule. HB 2128, relating to a study of rural firefighting and technical rescue capabilities, passed unanimously. HB 4157, on liability protections for commercial spaceflight and exploration, passed 28-3. HB 2240, concerning certain void marriages, passed after adoption of a Birdwell amendment extending filing deadlines to 90 days for certain active-duty service members and Foreign Service officers. HB 367, on verification of excused absences for students with severe or life-threatening illnesses, passed unanimously after clarifying school district forms and TEA model forms. HB 1506, expanding expedited handgun license eligibility to certain retired county court judges, passed 29-2. HB 4449, on alcohol sales in annexed municipal areas, passed 29-2. HB 3812, on health plan prior authorization requirements, passed 30-1. The Senate also announced a long list of bills and resolutions signed in the presence of the Senate. A major portion of the meeting centered on HB 521, a voting-related bill on curbside voting for voters with disabilities. Senator Paxton described it as an anti-misuse measure requiring a signed eligibility form for curbside voting, creating a 20-foot electioneering buffer, limiting election officer assistance in marking ballots unless a second officer is present, and adding reporting requirements for people who assist seven or more curbside voters. Senators Miles, Menendez, Johnson, Campbell, Cook, and others questioned whether the bill would burden disabled voters, create a de facto registry of volunteers, and impose a harsh Class A misdemeanor penalty for failing to complete the form. Paxton said the bill was intended to protect legitimate curbside voters and curb abuse, and the chamber adopted Paxton Floor Amendment No. 1 after a recorded vote. Zaffirini’s Floor Amendment No. 2, allowing an escorting voter to receive his or her own ballot at the curbside or entrance, was adopted. Menendez’s Floor Amendment No. 3 to reduce the penalty failed. The bill was then passed to third reading on a 20-11 vote, with a motion by Senator Miles to have the exchanges reduced to writing and placed in the journal adopted. The Senate also passed HB 3000, creating a grant program for rural ambulance service providers, after a comptroller-related amendment; HB 5616, establishing the Texas Presidential Library Promotion Program and funding for traveling exhibits, after narrowing the bill to mobile exhibits only; HB 4211, addressing certain residential property interests controlled by entities, which passed 30-1; HB 1178, creating temporary educator certificates for out-of-state certified educators and military spouses, which passed unanimously; HB 2243, creating the Texas Commission on Teacher Job Satisfaction and Retention, which passed after debate over the need to streamline education mandates; and HB 42, increasing and reallocating the constitutional Higher Education Fund appropriation by 50% to $1.18 billion, which passed 31-0. Finally, HB 2512, a Fort Worth-specific bill limiting ETJ release for land subject to active development agreements, passed after debate over broader ETJ and de-annexation policy, with a local-only clarifying amendment adopted and a proposed broader amendment withdrawn. The meeting ended with the Senate beginning consideration of HB 3372, which would bar school district administrators from receiving financial benefits tied to outside consulting or contracting with education entities, though the transcript cuts off during questions on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• some of the comments that were in the chamber letter, and it just sort of seems that there's some validity
• I'm absolutely not speaking whatsoever about the very valid and important suits that are protecting the
• But if it’s valid at all, it applies to everyone born in the U.S. since 1868.
• , and we've suggested that there be at least a government authority or some authority that rubber-stamps

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills. AB 416 would allow emergency room physicians to initiate 5150 mental health holds, with supporters saying it would reduce emergency room bottlenecks and speed care for patients in crisis. County and behavioral health representatives opposed the bill, and some members raised broader concerns about the 5150 system and juvenile placements. The bill was ultimately approved on a do-pass as amended vote. AB 446, the Surveillance Pricing Act, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters argued it would prohibit businesses from using personal data to charge different prices for the same product or service, describing the practice as discriminatory and exploitative. Business and industry groups opposed the bill, warning that its language was too broad, could affect discounts and loyalty programs, and would create litigation risk through a private right of action. After discussion about enforcement and possible amendments, the bill passed on a do-pass motion. AB 632 would give local governments a faster way to collect penalties for serious code violations, including unsafe housing, fire hazards, and illegal cannabis activity, by allowing certain fines to become money judgments and clarifying lien authority. It had support from county and city groups and no opposition was voiced in the hearing; the bill passed as amended. ACA 7, a constitutional amendment intended to clarify and limit misuse of Section 31A, also moved forward after brief support testimony. The committee then took up AB 649, which would extend protections for businesses that proactively obtain certified access specialist inspections and fix accessibility violations; the author, a small business owner, and others testified in support, while disability rights groups moved to neutral after amendments. Members discussed the balance between access enforcement and reducing predatory litigation, and the bill was still under consideration as the transcript ended.