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• Um, there is a definition in Chapter 51 of the Occupations code that defines trade associations.

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• I am the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for the Washington chapter of the National Alliance for

Summary: The committee met for its final session before submitting a report to the governor and legislature, with introductions from state officials, legislators, advocates, providers, and facilitators. Staff explained that the meeting would focus on finalizing the committee’s strategic priorities and recommendations for a five-year behavioral health plan centered on prevention, early intervention, and community-based services. Members reviewed the draft overarching priorities, including the need for a statewide behavioral health vision and an executive-level role to coordinate behavioral health across agencies, and discussed how those priorities should reflect people with lived experience, families, and community voice. A substantial portion of the meeting focused on the draft recommendations and how they should be organized and worded. Members raised concerns that the document was too aspirational and not specific enough, and several suggested moving more detailed actions under the broader priorities rather than leaving them in a separate section. There was also discussion about the use of the term “evidence-based,” with tribal representatives and others asking for language that also recognizes practice-based evidence, promising practices, cultural specificity, and flexibility in funding and implementation. Members also discussed clarifying “early intervention,” adding examples such as universal screening, outpatient access, primary care integration, and home visiting, and ensuring the plan reflects accountability and community feedback. Other edits included clarifying credentialing recommendations to distinguish between licensure and payer credentialing, adding mentorship as a workforce retention strategy, and broadening Medicaid-centric language to include carriers and insurers more generally. Staff noted the report would be revised and sent back out for review by May 22, with comments due by May 27, in order to meet the June 1 submission deadline. No public comment was offered, and the meeting ended with thanks to members and facilitators for their work.

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• All right, he, he deals with the same issue, but it's a separate section of the code, chapter 87, then

Bills: HB311

Keywords: flood hazards, recreational vehicles, temporary dwelling structures, Texas Water Development Board, flood safety standards, emergency management

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• It's a separate section of the Code, Chapter 87. Then go to page 6.

Bills: HB311, SB447, SB505, SB2217, SB2753, HB311

Keywords: voter registration, electronic, Texas election law, Signature verification, DPS, internet application, Texas Election Code, signature verification, online application, data security, electronic application, Department of Public Safety, information security, electronic voter registration, voting technology, voter access, state election laws, digital signature, election irregularities, audit

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• important because all of this has been moved from the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to a separate chapter

Bills: HB5691, SB427, SB2623, SB2858

Keywords: municipal management district, bonds, assessments, property taxes, economic development, eminent domain, special district, SB 427, local government, political subdivision, state loan, state grant, financial reporting, annual financial statement, annual report, county report, municipal finance, water district, municipality, county auditor

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• of the bill rights are prescribed by the Legislature and Texas Government Code Section 402.031 and Chapter

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• Cyrus Reed, on behalf of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Bills: SB6, SB11, SB33

Keywords: electric power, interconnection, utilities, ERCOT, large load customers, water supply, sewer service, demand management, school prayer, Bible reading, religious text, public schools, Texas Education Code, student prayer, silent prayer, meditation, religious liberty, First Amendment, Establishment Clause, church and state

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• During the 2023-24 legislative session, CACEO sponsored two chaptered bills, AB 2582 and AB 3197, that

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met on April 30, 2025, beginning as a subcommittee until a quorum was established. The committee first approved six bills on consent, including AB 950, AB 953, AB 1214, and three committee bills. It then heard several measures dealing with election administration, ballot transparency, and campaign finance, with most authors accepting committee amendments and several bills being held on call for absent members. AB 930 by Assembly Member Ward would extend the deadline for counting timely postmarked vote-by-mail ballots from three to seven days after Election Day and update recount procedures, including online posting of recount results and clearer rules for recount requests. The bill was supported by county election officials and passed out of committee with a due-pass recommendation, though it was initially held on call. AB 459 by Assembly Member DeMaio proposed allowing electronic signatures for initiatives, referenda, and recalls; the Secretary of State and labor groups opposed it over security, implementation, and cost concerns, and the committee ultimately rejected the bill after reconsideration. AB 699 by Assembly Member Stephanie would change how local tiered tax and bond measures are described on ballots by allowing more detail to be placed in the voter guide; housing, school, and local government groups supported it, while taxpayer and realtor groups opposed it as reducing ballot transparency. AB 1188, presented on behalf of Assembly Member Ortega, would list the top three funders supporting and opposing statewide initiatives and referenda directly on the ballot; transparency advocates and labor supported it, while county election officials and business groups raised concerns about ballot length and processing costs. Both AB 699 and AB 1188 passed out of committee with amendments and were held on call. The committee also heard AB 827 by Assembly Member Berman, which would standardize and extend the deadline for curing vote-by-mail signature problems, add a link to cure forms in ballot-tracking notifications, and make other changes to improve ballot curing. It drew no opposition in the hearing and passed with a due-pass recommendation. AB 351 by Assembly Member McKenna would raise the Levine Act contribution threshold for local officials to $1,500 and add CPI adjustments; supporters said it would reduce administrative burdens and reflect modern campaign finance realities, while good-government groups and the League of Women Voters opposed it as weakening anti-corruption protections. The committee initially failed AB 351, then granted reconsideration, but the transcript ends before a final disposition is clearly completed. Finally, AB 1079 by Assembly Member Farías would eliminate the automatic appellate stay in California Voting Rights Act and Fair Maps Act cases; it was supported as a way to prevent delayed remedies in voting rights cases, opposed by the City of Santa Monica over impacts on ongoing litigation, and passed with amendments. After taking up the held items, the committee recorded final votes on the bills, including passage of AB 930, AB 699, AB 1188, AB 827, and AB 1079, and rejection of AB 459.

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• And so we're just trying to ensure that these youth have that support. on this next critical chapter

Bills: HB232

Keywords: disaster recovery, natural disaster, weather disaster, emergency relief, flood relief, hurricane relief, storm damage, wildfire, tornado, hail, windstorm, extreme heat, ice storm, snowstorm, property damage, personal injury, temporary housing, relocation assistance, lost wages, state emergency management

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• And so we're just trying to ensure that these youth have that support on this next critical chapter of

Bills: HB232

Keywords: disaster recovery, natural disaster, weather disaster, emergency relief, flood relief, hurricane relief, storm damage, wildfire, tornado, hail, windstorm, extreme heat, ice storm, snowstorm, property damage, personal injury, temporary housing, relocation assistance, lost wages, state emergency management

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• And so we're just trying to ensure that these youth have that support. on this next critical chapter

Bills: HB1784, HB2088, HB3062, HB3475, HB3741, HB4279, HB4763, HB5154, HB5294, HB5508, SB1401, HB232, HB232

Keywords: students, homeless, foster care, higher education, liaison officer, housing assistance, transition support, law school, Rio Grande Valley, legal education, public university, accreditation, fentanyl prevention, drug poisoning awareness, mental health resources, substance abuse education, El Paso, university system, funding, public education

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• these charities are shut down and the investigations are over, how is that data classified under Chapter

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• this will still be the world's leading... public research university when we turn the page from the chapter

Keywords: 988, house, all

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• According to the State Department, certain chapters of this organization have received funding and guidance

Summary: The Senate Education K-16 Committee heard several bills before recessing to the floor, with most measures left pending subject to the call of the chair. SB 2986 would allow public schools and universities to permit after-hours facility use by religious groups on the same terms as other nonprofits, and SB 1032 would open the Governor’s University Research Initiative to private and independent universities; both had committee substitutes adopted and were left pending after brief testimony. Supporters of SB 1032 from Rice and Baylor said the change would help Texas recruit top researchers and strengthen the state’s research economy. The committee also heard SB 2058, which would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to publish annual data on nursing clinical training sites to improve placement coordination, and SB 2683, which would bar public colleges from giving benefits or recognition to student organizations that receive support from foreign entities of concern; both were left pending after testimony. A large portion of the meeting focused on SB 2233, which would require public institutions of higher education to adopt policies prohibiting students or employees on nonimmigrant visas from publicly supporting terrorist activity or organizations, with enforcement through investigations, reporting to Homeland Security, and possible Attorney General action and fines. The author said the bill was intended to reinforce existing federal definitions and campus safety, while senators questioned the bill’s scope, the definition of terrorist activity, and the clause tied to U.S. policy or practice. Public witnesses, including civil rights advocates, law students, and others, argued the bill was vague, overbroad, unconstitutional, and likely to chill protected speech and increase surveillance of international students and Black and brown communities; several Jewish witnesses also said the bill misused Jewish safety concerns and could be used for viewpoint discrimination. SB 2233 was left pending after public testimony. The committee then took up SB 735, which builds on prior Holocaust education legislation by funding optional age-appropriate and bilingual curriculum, museum field trips, teacher preparation partnerships, annual reporting, and regional collaboration with Holocaust museums and education service centers. The author and invited witnesses said the bill responds to survey findings showing uneven Holocaust instruction and a need for better teacher training and accountability. A fifth-grade teacher and the director of the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio testified in support, emphasizing the need for accurate, age-appropriate instruction and professional development. The committee recessed before finishing the agenda, and SB 735 was set to resume after the floor session.

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• bill that was not in the amendment, dealing with the depository institution and some language in Chapter

Summary: The committee heard several bills and amendments, beginning with CS/SB 498 on trust fund interest for IOTA accounts. The sponsor said a 2023 Florida Supreme Court rule sharply increased interest paid into legal aid funding, creating a windfall and making participation difficult for banks. An amendment was adopted requiring savings institutions to pay the higher of 0.25% or the highest comparable rate offered on certain non-IOTA accounts, and the bill then passed favorably after testimony from banks, legal aid representatives, and other stakeholders both supporting and opposing the measure. The committee also approved CS/SB 232, which clarifies Florida’s consumer collection law applies only to phone calls during restricted hours and not emails or text messages, after a delete-all amendment and supportive testimony from industry groups. It then approved SB 132, as amended, to designate gold and silver as legal tender and set rules for custody, audits, electronic transfer, and government acceptance of payments; supporters called it a sound-money measure, while the banking association said it still had unresolved technical concerns. Later, the committee passed SB 1466 to create a trust fund for the My Safe Florida Home Program, with an amendment funding it from 20% of collected insurance premium tax revenue. It also considered SB 1206 on transportation network company insurance, reducing coverage during the “dead-leg” period before a rider is picked up from $1 million to lower limits; the bill drew sharp opposition from trial lawyers and support from insurers and some business groups, and the committee adopted a clarifying amendment before reporting the bill favorably. Finally, CS/SB 924 on fertility preservation for cancer patients was amended several times to narrow scope and clarify coverage rules, then passed favorably after debate over cost, preauthorization, and post-treatment storage obligations. The committee adjourned after allowing technical and conforming changes to implement the adopted amendments.

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• In 1988, of course, the lottery was established here in Chapter 24.

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

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• This chapter applies only to a recreational vehicle park or campground consisting of a privately owned

Bills: HB24, HB2015, HB2149, HB2559, HB2701, HB2797, HB3172, HB24

Keywords: zoning, public notice, local government, residential development, protests, water conservation, municipal utility districts, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, environmental regulation, groundwater management, nonconforming uses, zoning regulations, land use, property rights, municipal authority, municipal moratorium, development moratorium, property development, subdivision, site plan

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• I'm also the local president of the Hillsborough County chapter.

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy considered several bills and reported all of them favorably. SB 70-24, on state planning and budgeting, was presented as a modernization of the long-range planning program to simplify reporting, remove outdated measures, and focus on key data points and outcomes; it passed without opposition. CS/SB 166, on administrative efficiency in public schools, made broad changes to school accountability and operations, including lowering the stakes of certain student assessments, giving districts more flexibility on evaluations, contracts, certification, calendars, facilities, and VPK oversight. Two amendments were adopted: one clarifying that Title I funds may be used for STEM services, and another refining how advanced degrees count on salary schedules. The bill passed favorably after testimony both supporting and opposing the changes, with supporters emphasizing flexibility and opponents raising concerns about teacher evaluation and instructional practice. CS/SB 164, on vessel accountability, was described as a measure to address derelict and at-risk vessels by improving owner identification, creating a free long-term anchoring permit program, increasing penalties, and authorizing grants for local governments in the FWC prevention program. It received support from marine industry groups and was reported favorably. CS/SB 472, on education and correctional facilities for licensed professions, would allow inmates to receive credit toward licensure for qualifying coursework; a strike-all amendment added coordination with DBPR and professional boards. The bill drew support from criminal justice, business, and policy groups and passed unanimously. The committee spent the most time on CS/SB 438, on food and hemp products. Senator Burton and co-sponsor Senator Davis argued the bill was needed to regulate intoxicating hemp products, restrict child-appealing packaging and signage, ban synthetic hemp products, cap THC content in edibles and beverages, and require hemp beverages to be sold through alcohol-style distribution channels. Supporters, including alcohol distributors and some public safety advocates, said the bill would improve testing, labeling, and consumer protection. Opponents, including hemp retailers, farmers, and libertarian advocates, argued it would harm small businesses, reduce consumer choice, and push sales to the black market. After extensive debate, the bill was reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on tab five, and the committee adjourned.

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• We have public testimony: Kenya Corey, National Waste and Recycling Association, Florida Chapter, is

Summary: The Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee heard several transportation and infrastructure bills. HB 1239, Energy Infrastructure Investment, would let the Public Service Commission create a mechanism for utilities to recover costs for renewable natural gas infrastructure; supporters said it could diversify energy supply and help agriculture, while members raised concerns about consumer rates and asked whether savings from RIN credits should be passed to customers. The bill drew supportive public testimony and was reported favorably after debate, with members noting the PSC would set costs and that the sponsor was open to further discussion on consumer protections. The committee then took up HB 313, which exempts Purple Heart recipients from paying Florida tolls. With no questions or opposition, it passed unanimously. The committee also considered HB 567, a broad transportation omnibus/strike-all bill covering EV tax revenue for roads, airport and MPO changes, workforce funding, traffic signal modernization, speed limits, and a pilot to streamline airport permitting. A major amendment added utility right-of-way notice, response, and incentive/penalty provisions, and another amendment authorized local governments to set age and ID rules for e-bikes, scooters, and other micromobility devices after testimony about a fatal crash. The bill was reported favorably after extensive debate and public testimony from transportation and utility stakeholders. HB 112, dealing with municipal sewer collection systems, would allow cities to use sewer revenues to expand wastewater infrastructure. Sponsors said it was aimed at helping cities like Hollywood reduce septic use and improve water quality; testimony supported the measure as a way to unlock funding for sewer expansion, and the bill passed unanimously. The committee also approved HB 7009, preserving public records and meeting exemptions for 911 and public safety radio communications systems and expanding them to next-generation 911. Finally, PCS for HB 1397, a large transportation package addressing airport, seaport, spaceport, and workforce issues, was amended and passed 14-1 after questions about federal testing notifications, removal of certain business preference language, and a provision redirecting some transit funds to highway projects if not timely used.

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• This bill amends chapters 316 and 327 to include language on any impairing substance, to better align

Summary: The committee heard and approved several bills. CS for CS for CS SB 138, Trenton’s Law, would broaden DUI and boating-under-the-influence laws to cover any impairing substance, increase penalties for refusal to submit to breath or urine testing, allow blood warrants in misdemeanor DUI/BUI cases, enhance penalties for DUI with death or vehicular homicide involving prior convictions, and authorize DUI diversion programs. Supporters included law enforcement and prosecutors, who said the bill addresses gaps involving over-the-counter drugs and refusal cases; the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers raised concerns about the breadth of the “any impairing substance” language and record consequences for first refusals. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also reported favorably SB 400, which removes the repeal date from Florida’s Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children, and CS for SB 102, which creates a workforce credentialing program for exceptional student education students, especially those with autism, to earn badges for job skills and safety-related competencies. SB 102 drew questions about fiscal impact and teacher training, with supporters emphasizing workforce readiness and parent involvement while some members raised concerns about costs and implementation. SB 130, which updates compensation for wrongfully incarcerated people found factually innocent, was also reported favorably after supporters argued Florida’s current law is too restrictive and too few exonerees have been compensated. The committee then approved CS for CS for SB 296, which repeals the statewide mandate for later middle and high school start times and returns the decision to local districts, while requiring districts to document their analysis of sleep, safety, transportation, and other impacts. An amendment added a reporting requirement to show how districts considered later start times and any unintended consequences. The bill drew broad support from school officials and education groups, with members noting transportation and extracurricular challenges. Finally, SB 234, dealing with criminal offenses against law enforcement officers, was reported favorably after debate over whether the bill should retain “good faith” language and how it would affect defenses and officer accountability. The committee also passed CS for SB 274, designating a portion of International Drive as Harris Rosen Way and adding a memorial designation for the late Senator Geraldine Thompson near the Wells Built Museum; members praised both honorees and the bill was reported favorably. The committee adjourned after recording one member’s request to be shown voting yes on the first bill.