Bills: HB158, HB714, HB 1198, HB1630, HB1998, HB3509, HB3788, HB3875, HB3948, HB3977, HB4097, HB4313, HB4314, HB4317, HB158

Keywords: housing, veterans, surplus government property, affordable housing, funding sources, housing assistance, homeless prevention, landlord incentives, rural housing, domestic violence, community development, tenant readiness, program participants, financial assistance, homelessness, rental support, Texas Tenant Readiness Program, tenant assistance, housing stability, Texas Department of Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• They talk about environmental projects, but locally...
• That's an environmental project that is meant to mitigate the hot temperatures, right?
• That's an environmental project that seems reasonable to me for a city to want to fund.
• Are you an environmental scientist? No, ma'am. What is your data source?
• For water or other environmental or favorable development? Water and wastewater.

Bills: HB158, HB714, HB 1198, HB1630, HB1998, HB3509, HB3788, HB3875, HB3948, HB3977, HB4097, HB4313, HB4314, HB4317, HB158

Keywords: housing, veterans, surplus government property, affordable housing, funding sources, housing assistance, homeless prevention, landlord incentives, rural housing, domestic violence, community development, tenant readiness, program participants, financial assistance, homelessness, rental support, Texas Tenant Readiness Program, tenant assistance, housing stability, Texas Department of Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• Environmentally, because this fuel replaces much, much...
• This is an environmental train wreck.
• I'm familiar with the produced water spill, the environmental cleanup, and the environmental mess on
• One example is toxicity testing; whole effluent toxicity testing is designed for exactly that situation
• We're really just in that testing phase.

Bills: HB48, HB49, HB 1169, HB1971, HB2584, HB2663, HB2890, HB48, HB49

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• consultant, I was a state employee for over 23 years, including serving as Texas Commission on Environmental
• I’m also a member of the Evangelical Environmental Network, and I can tell you that Christians, they’
• Established standards: the Texas Water Development Board will adopt rules on operation, testing, equipment
• Local governments must regularly test those sirens and document results.
• yards or less from a siren, and we don't hear it if we're inside our house when they do the regular test

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

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

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

Transcript Highlights:

• environment needed to implement the fiscal year 2027 budget, including authorizing the Department of Environmental
• environment needed to implement the fiscal year 2027 budget, including authorizing the Department of Environmental
• Finally, the bills continue the requirement that recipients of TANF cash benefits pass a drug test to
• Finally, the bills continue the requirement that recipients of TANF cash benefits pass a drug test to
• Finally, the bills continue the requirement that recipients of TANF cash benefits pass a drug test to

Bills: HB4138, HB4139, HB4140, HB4141, HB4142, HB4143, HB4144, HB4145, HB4146, HB4147, HB4148, HB4149, HB4150, HB4151, HB4152, HB4153, SB1831, SB1832, SB1833, SB1834, SB1835, SB1836, SB1837, SB1838, SB1839, SB1840, SB1841, SB1842, SB1843, SB1844, SB1845, SB1846

Keywords: appropriations, education funding, health care, general fund, state budget, local funding, gaming, pari-mutuel, horse racing, regulatory assessment, first-time starters, budget implementation, federal funds, government services, budget stabilization, financial reporting, capital outlay, infrastructure, veterans services, highway construction

Summary: The committee met in a special joint appropriations session to review the FY 2027 budget package, including House Bill 4138 and Senate Bill 1831, the general appropriations or “feed” bills. Staff described the budget as including a one-time transfer of state funds, a 5% lump-sum reduction to most agencies’ discretionary general-fund budgets, continued funding for the state health insurance plan and school facilities, and various one-time restorations or reversions of prior appropriations. Members spent much of the meeting clarifying how the 5% reductions would work, noting that formula and mandatory funding such as K-12 basic aid are excluded, while the governor’s executive branch would decide how to implement the cuts within agencies. The chair repeatedly emphasized that the committee was not specifying line-item cuts and that agencies would have discretion over implementation. A large portion of the discussion focused on the practical effects of the budget on universities, public safety, health care, rural programs, and fund sweeps. Arizona Board of Regents and university representatives said the proposed reductions would amount to more than $85 million statewide and could affect programs such as the Arizona Promise Program, Teachers Academy, and tuition freezes, though no specific program cuts were written into the bill. Other testimony raised concerns about fund sweeps from encumbered balances, including university research funds, housing trust funds, utility regulation funds, and ADOT-related accounts, with some members warning about possible impacts on rural infrastructure and federal matching dollars. The committee also discussed the state employee health plan, including a $228 million general-fund infusion and proposed employee premium increases over three years, as well as questions about corrections, forestry and fire management, and rural critical access hospitals. Public testimony was largely opposed to the budget. Speakers from Opportunity Arizona, the Arizona Board of Regents, health care, and local government argued that the package would reduce support for education, housing, SNAP, health care access, and rural communities while preserving tax benefits for data centers and wealthy taxpayers. A mayor from Globe described severe flood damage and asked for state help for a flood relief fund, while a motorcycle safety advocate questioned a proposed transfer from the motorcycle safety fund. Committee members debated whether the budget’s effects should be described as speculative or as likely consequences of the broad cuts, and several exchanges became contentious over comparisons to the Great Recession and references to federal tax policy. The meeting ended with continued public testimony and no final vote taken in the portion provided, though leadership had earlier said the committee planned a mass roll-call vote on all the bills at the end.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're a MAP test, they're an iReady test, they're Star Renaissance testing, or for local control, as
• Which test? Test number one, test number two, or test number three?
• So, the original placement test, which is test number one, and then the end test will determine what
• Of the test.
• -created test, but no... Not for the private vendor test.

Bills: HB8, HB12, SB 3, HJR1, SB 11, SB 16, SB 14, HB 8, HB 12, SB 3, HJR 1, SB 11, SB 16, SB 14

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• After a negative pregnancy test and weeks of unexplained bleeding, I took another test.
• We test for 7-OH, we test for mitragynine, pseudoindoxyl, and we test for all of these adulterants that
• Marking ballots used in the test as test ballots will also be included.
• Testing is done.
• The public test occurs.

Bills: SB31, SB33, SB510, SB871, SB1868, SB2024, SB2166, SB2309, SB2880, SJR27, SJR39, SJR40, SB 31, SB 33

Keywords: SB 31, Life of the Mother Act, Texas abortion law, medical emergency, reasonable medical judgment, pregnancy complications, maternal health, life-threatening condition, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, unborn child, abortion exception, abortion ban, physician liability, health care liability claim, aiding and abetting, Texas Medical Board, State Bar of Texas, continuing medical education

Bills: SB31, SB33, SB510, SB871, SB1868, SB2024, SB2166, SB2309, SB2880, SJR27, SJR39, SJR40, SB 31, SB 33

Keywords: SB 31, Life of the Mother Act, Texas abortion law, medical emergency, reasonable medical judgment, pregnancy complications, maternal health, life-threatening condition, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, unborn child, abortion exception, abortion ban, physician liability, health care liability claim, aiding and abetting, Texas Medical Board, State Bar of Texas, continuing medical education

Transcript Highlights:

• you know, obviously it's unique to each of each of us, but within hours an individual's DNA can be tested
• Second, I would expand the definition of genetic test and genetic care.
• And third, I would expand the definition of genetic test and genetic care characteristic to cover DNA
• Shortly after birth, most babies in the United States are tested for a variety of genetic. disorders
• But then my mama asked people to get tested. to see if I could get better blood, and guess what?

Bills: SB 53, SB53, SB125, SB315, SB379, SB457, SB541, SB599, SB896, SB921, SB963, SB1038, SB1084, SB1330, SB1461

Keywords: voter registration, election procedures, provisional ballot, change of address, residence requirements, mental health, court proceedings, notice requirements, legal filings, electronic documents, autologous blood donation, direct blood donation, blood bank, hospital, Health and Safety Code, physician order, preoperative blood donation, patient blood reserve, transfusion, surgery

Bills: SB2102, SB1940, SB1625, SB1442, SB1623, SB1242, SB1949, SB1592, SB1913, SB592, SB992, SB1241, SB259, SB1928, SB1426, SB1531, SB1561, SB1122

Keywords: credit card fees, merchant discounts, payment card network, interchange fees, transparency in fees, Oklahoma law, payment card, rebate, merchant, tax compliance, health insurance, mandate, impact analysis, insurance department, public health, access to healthcare, SB1442, alcoholic beverage control, ABLE Commission, liquor license fees

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB4, HB1, HB3, HB20, HB22, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, HB4, SB2, SB5

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB4, HB1, HB3, HB20, HB22, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, HB4, SB2, SB5

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Transcript Highlights:

• So, did you look at case law for legal tests?
• Regarding compactness, well, I'm aware through counsel of the standard tests that are used for proving
• And Jingles is one of the standard tests, right?
• How would one determine if the Jingles test had been met, if the law firm...

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB4, HB1, HB3, HB20, HB22, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, HB4, SB2, SB5

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Transcript Highlights:

• It also fails the... test of fairness.
• It fails the test of Section 2, and it fails the people of Texas.
• Senator King is told... us over and over again that he did not draw the maps, that he did not run the test

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB4, HB1, HB3, HB20, HB22, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, HB4, SB2, SB5

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, but as you know, Rule 5A and our rules require anything that has environmental impact or gaming to

Bills: SB266, SB287, SB266, SB287

Keywords: contract review, legislative oversight, state agencies, funding transparency, professional services, Sheriff, Barbour County, law enforcement, qualifications, training, executive education, Covington County, Alabama constitutional amendment, local amendment, carbon dioxide sequestration, carbon capture and storage, CCS, Class VI well, underground injection well, Underground Injection Control Program

Bills: SB2373, SB2101, SB2905, SB3231, SB2486, SB2376

Keywords: carbon sequestration, marine ecosystem, climate change, renewable energy, biodiversity, nature-based solutions, organic waste, solid waste, waste diversion, composting, bioconversion, recycling, food waste, green waste, food-soiled paper, wood waste, landfill diversion, waste reduction, waste management, county solid waste plan

Summary: The committee heard SB 2006, which would clarify that a farm dwelling permit in an agricultural district may include a single-family farm dwelling with an accessory employee housing structure, subject to restrictions. Testimony was largely supportive, with comments from the Department of Agriculture Biosecurity, DPP, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Realtors, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Hawaii Farmers Union, Housing Hawaii Future, and several individuals. The chair noted there were nine in support, two opposed, and four offering comments. In decision-making, the chair recommended passing the bill with OPSD-suggested amendments to clarify the definitions of farm employee housing and bona fide agricultural services. The chair also referenced opposing testimony that raised concern the original draft could limit tourism activities that provide supplemental income for bona fide farming operations. The proposed amendments were intended to make clear that farm employee housing is only for workers and not visitor accommodations, while allowing tourism activities on the same parcel if they are secondary and incidental to a bona fide agricultural operation, do not occur in employee housing units, and comply with county ordinances. The committee adopted the recommendation and voted to pass SB 2006 with amendments. The recorded votes showed the chair, vice chair, Senator Rhoads, and Senator Awa in favor, with Senator DeCoite excused. The same pass-with-amendments recommendation was then made to the housing committee and adopted there as well, with Senator Elephante voting aye and Senator Favella excused.

Bills: HB2614, HB1660, HB1704, HB1563, HB1573, HB1777, HB1749

Keywords: cosmetics, returns, refunds, consumer protection, high-pressure sales, transparency, accountability, HB1660, Hawaii, county labor standards, counties, contractors, building permits, permit denial, permit suspension, permit revocation, wage theft, wages, benefits, hours

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 2614, which would require merchants selling cosmetics to accept returns of newer unopened goods within specified time frames and expand signage requirements for return and refund policies. DCCA’s Office of Consumer Protection strongly supported the bill, citing updated figures of 180 cosmetic complaints from 2020 to 2025, 54 still under investigation, 148 referred to class action litigation, and more than $1.3 million in consumer losses. Members questioned whether the bill was needed given the pending lawsuit and whether bad actors would comply, while the office responded that clearer signage would improve consumer awareness and could reduce complaints without limiting other remedies. No vote was taken. The committee then heard HB 1660 HD1, which would allow counties to require contractors to disclose wage, benefit, hour, and employment-status information and to deny, revoke, or suspend permits for certain labor-law violations. DLIR, the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters, Operating Engineers Local 3, and Pacific Resource Partnership testified in support, arguing the measure would help deter cheating contractors, protect law-abiding employers, and keep bad actors from undercutting wages and taxes. One member raised concerns about possible delays to affordable housing projects and whether owners should be held responsible for contractors’ misconduct; supporters replied that compliance is a minimum standard, that county action would be discretionary rather than automatic, and that the bill would not bar counties from working with affordable housing developers. No action was reported. Finally, the committee took up HB 1704, adopting the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to allow telepsychology and temporary in-person practice across state lines. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the State Health Planning and Development Agency, the Hawaii State Association of Counties, and the Hawaii Association of Health Plans supported the measure, saying it would help fill major staffing gaps, especially for forensic evaluations and services in rural and neighbor-island communities. The Board of Psychology raised concerns about the compact’s scope, the need for a study focused specifically on psychologists, background-check requirements, possible loss of regulatory authority and revenue, and the need to update older statutory provisions. Hawaii Association for Justice opposed the immunity language in the compact, and Shawn Scanlon opposed the bill, arguing it could weaken cultural responsiveness and local control and suggesting the state instead improve temporary licensing and other in-state pathways. The committee also questioned the Department of Corrections about its vacancies and whether telehealth could be filled by local providers; no vote was taken in the excerpt.

Bills: HB1, HB143, HB1, HB92

Keywords: DUI, driving under the influence, ignition interlock, interlock device, driver license suspension, restricted license, motor vehicle, alcohol offense, first offense, repeat offender, blood alcohol concentration, BAC, license revocation, Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, ALEA, public safety, traffic safety, chemical dependency, substance abuse, court referral program

Transcript Highlights:

• environmentally responsive responsible. environmentally responsive responsible.
• What about our environmental monitoring? What about our environmental impact studies?
• What about our environmental monitoring?
• leases you'll need an environmental leases you'll need an environmental impact<01:30:38.080>
• <01:30:38.960> environmental<01:30:39.600> impact impact statement. environmental impact

Bills: HB1527, HB1823, HB2490, HB2223, HB2325, HB2104, HB2593, HB2592, HB1927, HB1553, HB1964, HB1918, HB1990

Keywords: gambling prohibition, Aloha Stadium, University of Hawaii, amateur athletics, state lands, coastal resilience, Maui, Mantokuji Bay, coastal erosion, environmental protection, Native Hawaiian, spiritual sites, historic preservation, economic development, burial sites, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, cultural history, archaeology, Hawaii Revised Statutes, civil service

Summary: The committee first heard HB 1527 relating to gambling. The chair outlined hearing rules, including a two-minute limit and a warning that bills not heard would die. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support from a prosecutor, Honolulu Police Department, and Stop Predatory Gambling, all arguing that casinos and sports betting increase crime, sex trafficking, harassment of athletes, and broader social harm. No opposition testimony was presented, and the committee moved on without questions or action taken on the bill. The committee then heard HB 1823 relating to coastal zone management and HB 2490 relating to coastal resilience. For HB 1823, DLNR, the Office of Planning, and Maui County testified, with Maui County supporting the measure and its proposed amendments. For HB 2490, DLNR expressed concern about exempting a proposed Mokuji Bay pilot project from permits and regulation before a long-term plan is finalized, while the County of Maui, the Mokuji Soto Zen Mission, and the Office of Planning supported the bill as a coastal resilience pilot. The mission described severe erosion, sea-level rise impacts, and years of unsuccessful efforts to stabilize the shoreline; its consultant said the study is leaning toward nature-based and hybrid solutions. In questioning, members and DLNR discussed whether the bill should say the project “shall” or “may” be exempt, and the chair indicated the language would be adjusted to preserve DLNR discretion and to change the lead agency reference to OPSD. No vote was taken in the transcript. Finally, the committee took up HB 2223 relating to historic preservation reviews. SHPD said it stood on its written comments, while OPSD and DHHL supported the bill. DHHL argued the measure would streamline reviews, improve transparency, and help address long wait times for its projects, saying it could alleviate burden on SHPD and better serve beneficiaries. Representative Shimizu questioned whether the bill would create redundancy and expand government rather than strengthen SHPD, noting a separate staffing bill already exists. SHPD responded that DHHL is uniquely subject to 6E review and that the bill would not waive federal or state historic review requirements; the discussion also touched on possible federal-style grant support and the existing memorandum of agreement between SHPD and DHHL. The transcript ends during questioning, with no final committee action shown.

Bills: SCR 13, SCR 24, SB 1, SB 12, SB 15, SB 17, SB 24, SB 57, SB 65, SB 213, SB 371, SB 372, SB 378, SB 379, SB 388, SB 400, SB 402, SB 427, SB 495, SB 499, SB 502, SB 509, SB 535, SB 583, SB 610, SB 621, SB 650, SB 706, SB 740, SB 840, SB 854, SB 856, SB 875, SB 893, SB 918, SB 925, SB 974, SB 995, SB 1006, SB 1018, SB 1025, SB 1061, SB 1073, SB 1106, SB 1121, SB 1194, SB 1252, SB 1253, SB 1268, SB 1300, SB 1343, SB 1362, SB 1447

Keywords: water rights, treaty compliance, Rio Grande, agriculture, drought, international water, Texas water supply, Texas, Israel, trade, investment, partnership, economic ties, technological innovation, bilateral relations, appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare