Transcript Highlights:

• EFSEC is... ...and/or best management practices produced by agencies or organizations.
• Current industry practices are, you know, anything we can do to make our stores more sustainable.
• And so you'll see different practices based on the store.
• Current industry practices are, you know, anything we can do to make our stores more sustainable.
• And so you'll see different practices based on the store.

Summary: The committee held a work session on state environmental policy act (SEPA) implementation and carryout bags. Ecology staff Diane Buterak described the Clean Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) completed for utility-scale solar, onshore wind, and green hydrogen, plus a new PEIS underway for sustainable aviation fuel. She explained that PEISs provide broad planning-level analysis to help developers and agencies avoid or mitigate impacts, but do not replace project-level review. Members asked about permitting timelines, greenhouse gas emissions from different hydrogen production methods, water use, agricultural land conversion, battery fire risk, and tribal consultation. Buterak said the PEISs identify potentially significant impacts and mitigation measures, including fire response planning, early tribal outreach, and agrovoltaics as an option for solar projects. EFSEC’s Amy Hofkimer then presented the transmission-facility programmatic EIS required by SB 5165 for 230 kV and higher transmission projects. She said the statewide review covers new lines and certain upgrades/modifications, analyzes impacts to water, cultural and tribal resources, habitat, and other areas, and uses general measures, design considerations, avoidance criteria, and sensitivity maps to guide siting and corridor planning. She said the final document would be issued in early October. Questions focused on reconductoring, tribal lands, scenic areas, and whether the review could affect existing lines crossing tribal lands. A Grant County planning director, Jim Anderson Cook, said Ecology’s PEIS would help with cumulative impacts for clustered solar projects, but noted tight local review timelines and the need for strong pre-application coordination, especially on cultural resource studies and decommissioning plans. Yakama Nation attorney Shona Leverett argued SEPA is only an assessment tool and said tribes face barriers from short comment periods, limited confidential tribal input, weak cumulative impact analysis, and challenges in the FSEC process; she urged better upfront developer diligence and more effective tribal coordination. Puget Sound Energy’s Sarah Leverett said the utility needs efficient and predictable permitting to meet clean energy mandates while maintaining reliable service and aging infrastructure. She described the scale of needed clean energy and transmission buildout, including a 10-year process for the Energize Eastside transmission rebuild, and said more consistent SEPA and PEIS processes could help. Members asked about future generation sources, reliability, and hydropower as a firming resource; she said PSE is pursuing an “all of the above” approach and would welcome more firm, dispatchable clean energy options. The committee then shifted to carryout bags. Staff Jacob Lipson and Tracy Taylor reviewed Washington’s bag law, its preemption of local ordinances, the current 8-cent charge, the scheduled increase to 12 cents, and the 2025 change delaying the 4-mil thickness requirement until 2028 while adding a temporary 4-cent penalty for thicker bags. Ecology’s Peter Lyon said the agency emphasizes education and complaint-based enforcement, has received 872 reports, and has not yet imposed any fines. Commerce’s Kirk Esmond summarized a WSU study finding fewer plastic bags distributed but more plastic by weight, and said Commerce and Ecology support keeping the 2.25-mil standard and not allowing thinner single-use bags again. Retail industry testimony from Brandon Housekeeper said grocers comply with the law but oppose the added 4-cent penalty and thicker-bag requirement, citing higher costs and confusion in the policy changes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Once they're no longer practicing in New Mexico, it will leave the system, which is how we're tracking
• That would be the 3D health data, which does provide age, gender, and location of practice of physicians
• So we do not have personal addresses, but we do have the addresses of their practices as far as our big
• The bill doesn't say that they have to come to NMBHI, but I'll just say in practice, I'm anticipating
• And what type of crosstalk of best practices are you doing within the state or even outside the state

Transcript Highlights:

• But I think, practically speaking—and maybe we can hear from a prosecutor who is here—practically speaking
• Anyway, I've just practically given you some practical insights. Thank you ma'am, I appreciate it.
• That was standard practice. A lot of organizations do that. So that's what the deputy does.
• I think we've had a very good discussion in trying to come up with a realistic, practical way to deal
• This is about protecting Texans from predatory practices using AI-generated voices, messages, and emails

Bills: SB614, SB872, SB1199, SB1212, SB1278, SB1573, SB1588, SB1602, SB1660, SB1704, SB1723, SB1833, SB1858, SB1946, SB2009, SB2146, SB2177, SB2373, SB2460, SB2785

Keywords: forensic science, capital writs, criminal justice, case review, Texas Forensic Science Commission, SB 872, burglary of a vehicle, vehicle burglary, theft of a firearm, stolen gun, firearm theft, Penal Code Section 30.04, third-degree felony, Class A misdemeanor, criminal penalty enhancement, gun theft, vehicle break-in, property crime, sentencing enhancement, Texas criminal law

Transcript Highlights:

• When you sunset these energies, you're affecting people's lives, and because of these- The practices
• IDTC was originally created to improve interagency coordination on data sharing practices, however, it
• It's time to end this unnecessary practice and better honor the public's right to know. so that we can
• In practice, a government...
• But when you look at the law in practice. It does not measure up.

Bills: HB 111, HB1545, HB2145, HB2467, HB2520, HB4136, HB4181, HB4214, HB4218, HB4219, HB4359, HB4437, HB4822, HB111

Keywords: Texas Public Information Act, open records, public records, government transparency, confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, governmental body, Chapter 552, public information law, nonprofit association, quasi-governmental entity, economic development, trade secrets, proprietary information, commercial financial information, Alamo restoration, local workforce board, TDCJ contract facility, civil commitment facility, water supply corporation

Transcript Highlights:

• We are going to allow a five-year trial period to allow for the exemption of an actively practicing advanced
• practice registered nurse.
• > actively allow for the exemption of an actively allow for the exemption of an actively practicing
• <00:02:29.959> advanced<00:02:30.480> practice<00:02:30.959> registered practicing
• advanced practice registered practicing advanced practice registered nurse<00:02:32.640> we<00

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Health and Human Services began by explaining strict one-minute testimony limits, reliance on written testimony, and that it had quorum and would move directly to decision making on deferred measures. It first adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass SB 8 with amendments, creating a five-year trial period for a jury-duty exemption for actively practicing APRNs, delaying implementation to January 1, 2027, and adding a defective date. It then adopted amendments to SB 189 on breast cancer screening, replacing references to “woman” with “patient,” clarifying that supplemental imaging and mammograms must be medically necessary and ordered by the patient’s provider, deleting one subsection, and adding a defective date. The committee then heard testimony on several bills. SB 46 on insurance/mental health coverage drew support from a member of the public and others, but later the chair said it would be deferred indefinitely pending a required sunrise analysis and a concurrent resolution. SB 642 on fertility preservation services received broad support from providers, advocacy groups, and an individual who described facing cancer treatment and high out-of-pocket costs; the chair later amended it to make coverage optional, limit it to those over 26, and add a defective date. SB 49 on terminal illness had limited testimony and was later passed with amendments incorporating agency and professional association changes plus a defective date. The committee also heard strong support for SNAP-related bills. SB 53, expanding SNAP eligibility to 300% of poverty, drew testimony about the “benefits cliff,” but the chair later deferred it indefinitely, citing uncertainty about costs and system issues. SB 58 on public assistance had no testimony. SB 960 and SB 961, both SNAP-related, drew extensive support from nonprofits, health groups, and others; DHS said its modernization work would not be ready until fall 2026 and that current systems could not automatically extend certification periods. SB 963 on SNAP also received support, including testimony from a volunteer reentry advocate and a public health advocate, but the chair later said it would be deferred indefinitely because the committee could not determine the fiscal impact and wanted to wait until next year. Finally, the committee heard SB 798 on child welfare and SB 974 on foster care. Testimony on SB 798 included support from child welfare and advocacy organizations, but also criticism from a witness who said the bill lacked voices of those harmed by the system and another who emphasized the need for independence, implementation, and accountability. The committee then recessed to regain quorum and later returned to decision making, where it deferred SB 46 indefinitely, passed SB 642 with amendments, passed SB 49 with amendments, and deferred SB 53 indefinitely. The transcript ends while the chair is continuing through the remaining measures.

Transcript Highlights:

• injury of a vaccine and Mal practice injury of a vaccine and Mal practice ma'am<01:28:36.320>
• exercise better agricultural practices exercise better agricultural practices and<01:50:15.719><
• My family and I practice our beliefs and our religions and follow a somewhat strict holistic lifestyle
• My family and I practice our beliefs and our religions and follow a somewhat strict holistic lifestyle
• My family and I practice our beliefs and our religions and follow a somewhat strict holistic lifestyle

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard several measures, beginning with HB 194, which would designate May 22 as Maritime Day. Testimony from labor, health, and community groups was in support, and the committee later recommended passage of the bill as is, with several members voting yes and some reserving or being excused. HB 458 would designate April 27 as Brother Joseph Dutton Day; the Department of Accounting and General Services, the Joseph Dutton Guild, and a descendant all supported it, and the committee recommended passage with technical amendments. HB 957 would designate the first Friday in May as Lā‘au Day; support came from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and many individuals, and the committee recommended passage as is. HB 345 would establish the ʻōpae ula as the state shrimp to promote awareness and protection of anchialine ecosystems; DLNR, Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAu, and other supporters testified, and the committee recommended passage with technical amendments. The committee also heard HB 901, which would allow public charter schools to appeal directly to the Board of Education on certain operational, governance, or funding matters. The Attorney General and the Public Charter School Commission offered technical comments and suggested amendments, while the commission described its current monitoring and renewal process and said it works closely with schools over the life of a charter contract. Members raised concerns about whether the bill would shift too much work to the Board of Education, and one member voted no when the committee later moved the bill with the Attorney General’s amendments. HB 1066 would add Head Start-related ex officio members to the Early Learning Board; the Early Learning Board and the Executive Office on Early Learning supported it, explaining the changes were needed to align with the federal Head Start Act, and the committee moved it forward without opposition. HB 1069 would add voting members from the Department of Education and Board of Education to the School Facilities Authority Board. DOE and the School Facilities Authority supported the change as a way to strengthen collaboration, though questions from members focused on the current communication process between the agencies. HB 1343 would require the Board of Education to adopt a policy banning student phone and related device use during school hours; the committee noted written testimony in support and then moved to decision-making. At the end of the meeting, the committee adopted recommendations to pass HB 194, HB 458 with technical amendments, HB 957, HB 345 with technical amendments, HB 901 with amendments, HB 1066, HB 1069, and HB 1343.

Transcript Highlights:

• have before you today is the maintenance and operation contract for the structured decision-making practice
• So this contract is the continued maintenance and operations of the practice hub that DCFS uses to complete
• So Evident Change is a nonprofit; we're nonpartisan, and we value research, policy, and practice support
• and are recognized by state and national clearinghouses that rate these tools as evidence-based practice

Summary: The committee reviewed three DHS service contracts: a $690,000-plus sole-source contract for DCFS with Evident Change for maintenance and operation of the Child Welfare Structured Decision-Making Assessment tools; a $1.2 million contract with Sifter Solutions for a SNAP waiver compliance solution and related app; and a $156,000 contract with Samaritan Integrative Services for psychiatric services at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center. Staff said the Evident Change contract was needed to keep daily safety risk assessments, case planning, and reunification tools functioning, and that the vendor’s proprietary system made it sole source. Members questioned DHS about reliance on the vendor, the lack of an off-ramp, whether the state was paying more or less annually, and why the contracts were not aligned on the same cycle. DHS and the vendor said the new Evident Change contract was limited to maintenance and operations, that no additional services or employees were being added, and that the broader CQI/review contract would come up separately later. For the SNAP waiver contract, DHS explained that the waiver is intended to exclude certain unhealthy foods from SNAP purchases to improve nutritional value, and that Sifter Solutions would provide a dynamic list for retailers and an app for clients to check products by barcode. DHS said the contract is sole source because it is tied to the waiver implementation and because the vendor can provide the needed dynamic list and education features. Staff said the contract would be funded with remaining federal SNAP Nutrition Education dollars that would otherwise revert to the federal government, and that the University of Pennsylvania would conduct the evaluation at no cost. Members asked about the public benefit, future renewals, and whether the state would own the application; DHS said the two-year term was designed to match the waiver period and allow time to reassess future procurement options. Members also asked about the nutrition education component, and DHS said it is developing videos with a nutritionist on preparing budget-friendly healthy meals and plans to link them to the app and website. After discussion, no objections were raised, and the items were reported as reviewed. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a bill that is a small, practical policy change that improves access to medically necessary care
• Nurse midwives are highly trained, advanced practice clinicians who provide comprehensive perinatal and
• Many practice in hospitals as part of a collaborative care team.
• Their scope of practice is already clearly defined in law, and this wouldn't impact that.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• regulatory board makes a licensing decision that is detrimental to a health professional's continued practice
• regulatory board makes a licensing decision that is detrimental to a health professional's continued practice
• the bill by removing provisions relating to the alternative. to a health professional's continued practice
• passed the House, House Bill 2189 requires the nursing board to adopt rules to implement the scope of practice

Summary: The Republican caucus reviewed a long list of House bills with Senate amendments, mostly hearing brief staff summaries and sponsor comments on whether they concurred. Topics included tax filing penalties, water and court procedures, vaccination and mask rules, bullion investment, nursing care complaint timelines, privacy protections for property and voter records, medical-record access, professional licensing procedures, school and family law changes, public records access for legislators, AI procurement, fingerprint clearance for traffic survival school instructors, development fees, infrastructure districts, distracted driving penalties, health aide scope of practice, eviction record sealing, backyard structure rules in planned communities, inmate transition services, nuclear-ready community designation, DCS parent-rights notices, domestic-violence evidence standards, inmate mental health study committee, legislative subpoena enforcement, trade office oversight, public power reporting, Native American language proficiency, mental health judicial review timelines, mobile food vendor licensing, medical-intervention requirements in schools, and school board training and meeting transparency. In most cases, the sponsor or a representative indicated concurrence with the Senate amendments, and the caucus generally moved through the bills without extended debate. A few bills drew brief explanation from sponsors about the policy purpose, such as aligning nursing-facility oversight with federal requirements, improving access to medical records, clarifying rules for licensed health aides, and adjusting school-related provisions. Some bills were noted as being sent back to the Senate or otherwise set aside, including HB 2035 and HB 2249. No formal votes were taken in the transcript; the meeting functioned as a caucus review of Senate amendments and sponsor concurrence before floor action. The caucus concluded after HB 2380, with members thanked for attending.

Transcript Highlights:

• As an educator, I also must call attention to the predatory practices that these social media companies
• 00:13:35.760> to<00:13:35.880> the<00:13:36.000> predatory<00:13:36.600> practices
• attention to the predatory practices attention to the predatory practices that<00:13:37.680>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The meeting was a press-style discussion in support of House File 4343, which would end Minnesota’s sales tax exemption for digital advertising services and physical advertising space such as billboards. Supporters said the bill would raise more than $300 million in revenue and allow the state sales tax rate to be reduced, while also modernizing the tax code to reflect a digital, service-based economy. Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota argued the current sales tax base is outdated, too narrow, and unfairly shifts burden onto Minnesota businesses, workers, and property taxpayers. Representative Lislegard said the bill would help fund schools, health care, infrastructure, child care, and local government, and framed it as a response to structural budget gaps and rising property taxes. She said large corporations are not paying their fair share and that the state should cut exemptions rather than reduce public services. Several speakers from labor, education, health care, and the arts backed the proposal, including a working parent who cited high child care costs, an AFSCME representative from Hennepin County Medical Center who said the revenue is needed to support the safety-net hospital, a musician who said streaming and ad-driven platforms profit from artists’ labor, and an educator who criticized social media companies’ impact on youth. The speakers repeatedly argued that major tech and advertising companies such as Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, TikTok, and Spotify should contribute more to public services, while ordinary Minnesotans already pay too much. Representative White closed by acknowledging the bill faces a difficult path but said supporters would keep fighting for it. No vote or formal committee action was taken in the portion provided, and the event ended with one question from the audience.

Transcript Highlights:

• We keep practice of pharmacy means but is not limited to, and on page six on line six on page two we
• We keep<00:05:11.680> practice<00:05:12.560> of<00:05:12.800> pharmacy<00:05:13.360
• > means<00:05:13.600> but<00:05:13.840> is keep practice of pharmacy means but is
• keep practice of pharmacy means but is not<00:05:14.240> limited<00:05:14.720> to<00:05

Bills: SF0121

Keywords: pharmacy, collaborative care, healthcare, prescriptions, patient safety, Wyoming Pharmacy Act, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• take is to tone it down and to try to be as model the respect and kindness that we want others to practice
• Standard practice is new products under our Marcus.
• So HB 152, and directs tax to publish voluntary best management practices for dog breeders.
• I love that breeder program which recognizes breathe, choose to follow these best practices.

Transcript Highlights:

• It's exactly what is the current existing practices.
• In practice, many Texans only learn about rate changes when their tax bills arrive.
• Senator Nichols: It costs money to mail, so I'm trying to be real practical here.
• Is that practical? Kelly Rasty: No.

Bills: HB17, HB23

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:

• Current practice, though, is that a better way of maybe putting it: is anybody paying these fees today
• But in current practice today, nobody's paying these. This is codifying legislative intent, sir.
• That's correct, and in practice, no streaming companies are paying franchise fees.
• The Federal Trade Commission has a rule, has a practice that they don't interfere with ongoing litigation

Bills: HB2838, HB2964, HB3213, SB924

Keywords: broadband, internet access, digital equity, tax reduction, government funding, rural counties, fiber-optic, state funding, infrastructure, digital divide, economic development, fiber-optic cable, excavation, utilities, civil penalties, municipal regulations, video services, regulation, public right-of-way, franchise authority

Transcript Highlights:

• Even if there's no licensing, it could be hard to see when problematic practices are happening until
• though they wouldn't have the same licensing authority, would have the ability to examine these practices
• Well, I mean, deceptive trade practice, as a general rule, is... unlimited. ...is that we should make
• this an unconscionable practice.

Bills: HB12, HB149, HB12, HB149, SB229, SB1361, SB1749, SB1897, SB2113, SB2566, SB2677, SB1652, SB2327, SB2344, SB2696

Keywords: election law, attorney general, prosecution, criminal offenses, law enforcement, jurisdiction, voter fraud, local prosecuting attorney, public safety, communication, governor approval, interoperability, political subdivision, radio systems, artificial intelligence, regulation, biometric data, ethical AI, consumer protection, AI governance

Transcript Highlights:

• I don't think that should be a reason why we would go past the May 19th, but it's got to be practical
• I don't think that should be a reason why we would go past the May 19th, but it's got to be practical
• I don't think that should be a reason why we would go past the May 19th, but it's got to be practical
• I don't think that should be a reason why we would go past the May 19th, but it's got to be practical

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• more competitive in the recruitment and retention of physicians and to attract more physicians to practice
• Under current law, the existing credit is available to licensed resident physicians who practice and
• updated $10,000 a year for the 4-year tax credit, but would simply require a physician to live and practice
• makes this important, as well as rural hospitals, is that those are the areas that need doctors in practice

Bills: HB46, HB379, SB22, HB487, HB273, HB525

Keywords: rural physician, tax credit, healthcare access, physician recruitment, Alabama, HB379, Alabama income tax, nonresident exemption, remote workers, traveling employees, mobile workforce, withholding tax, state tax reciprocity, multistate employees, temporary work, work location tracking, time and attendance system, remote work taxation, professional athlete, professional entertainer

Transcript Highlights:

• limit on the number of days a person had to in effect go and inspect documents provided in a data practices
• provided<00:03:16.319> in<00:03:16.560> a<00:03:16.720> data<00:03:17.040> practices
• <00:03:17.599> response provided in a data practices response provided in a data practices

Bills: HF2300

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I've practiced pharmacy for 60 years. I retired two and a half years ago.
• Senate Bill 252 regulates the PBM industry, and the Board of Pharmacy regulates the practice of pharmacy
• He has a commitment to the practice of pharmacy and to his service to his district that is unquestioned
• My story is unique in that I'm not from our great state, but I decided to practice here after falling

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I will note, as we say in our testimony, that internships are one of the high-impact practices for students
• internships are one of the<00:02:51.239> high<00:02:51.519> impact<00:02:51.920> practices
• <00:02:52.720> for<00:02:53.000> students the high impact practices for students the
• high impact practices for students if<00:02:53.560> we<00:02:53.680> are<00:02:53.879>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Library and Technology Committee met on March 14, 2025, to hear House Bill 430, House Draft 2, which would create an internship/on-the-job training program administered by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, with the state serving as the responsible employer for workers’ compensation coverage and appropriations included. Testimony was uniformly supportive from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the University of Hawaii, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and the Department of Education. Supporters emphasized the value of internships as a high-impact educational and career pathway opportunity. The Department of the Attorney General supported the bill’s intent but raised a concern about the criminal history background check language, recommending that the bill be revised so DLIR may conduct checks “as appropriate” rather than requiring a mandatory check for all interns. The AG noted that juvenile records would remain confidential for 16- and 17-year-old interns under existing law and suggested deleting the more specific background-check language or replacing it with the more flexible wording. Several organizations submitted support, including business, health care, tourism, and industry groups. During decision-making, the committee discussed amendments incorporating the Attorney General’s recommendation, adding a 2.5 GPA minimum reference, and clarifying language about private or public sector organizations and placement of interns in state executive branch departments, agencies, or programs. The committee adopted the recommendation to pass the bill with amendments, and the meeting adjourned.