Transcript Highlights:

• into CWOP status when an appropriate placement is available.
• These placements often occur under agreements on Chapter 34 and 35 of the Texas Family Code.
• These placements often occur under agreements on Chapters 34 and 35 of the Texas Family Code.
• This floor amendment simply removes the parent-child safety placements from the bill.
• SB 331 is intended to allow consumers to be able to select health care treatments that align with their

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:

• perspective in working in corrections, one of the golden challenges is really trying to find job placement
• opportunity for us, because it really takes a deeper dive into looking at good results, good job placement
• that we're not kind of harping back to stuff that we did 15 or 20 years ago with regards to job placement
• the federal government, but the DOC was only one of three DOCs throughout the country that were selected
• our counterparts at the step-downs to ensure that the needs of the individual are met in the new placement

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met with a new member from Prisoners’ Legal Services and approved the July 11 minutes. The main presentation came from Department of Correction Commissioner Sean Jenkins and Deputy Commissioner Mitzie Peterson, who gave an overview of DOC facilities, population trends, and the department’s broad mission, including sentenced prisoners, pretrial detainees, civil commitments, Bridgewater State Hospital, and the Section 35 program. They noted the custody population has fallen from about 10,000 in 2016 to roughly 6,000–6,600, while the share serving first- or second-degree sentences has increased. They also reviewed the department’s facility footprint, including Souza-Baranowski, MCI Norfolk, MCI Framingham, Bridgewater, and the planned transfer of the Section 35 program to Health and Human Services by the end of 2026. A large portion of the discussion focused on programming, education, health care, and reentry. DOC described tablet access for all incarcerated people, free phone calls, email, and more than 330,000 hours of educational, vocational, and reentry use. They highlighted partnerships with colleges and universities such as Tufts, Boston College, Emerson, and others, along with HiSET completion, vocational training, and programs like The Last Mile and Persevere. Health care spending was discussed in detail, including a total annual health-related contract cost of about $300 million, with separate contracts for prison health care, Bridgewater State Hospital, MassAQC, and MAT services. DOC said it has nearly eradicated Hep C and MRSA and now offers all three FDA-approved MAT medications, including long-acting injectables when clinically indicated. Commissioners also asked about specialized programming, language and disability access on tablets, and how programming is distributed across facilities. DOC explained that nothing is mandatory, but program participation is encouraged and can affect parole consideration. Staff described assessments using COMPAS, criminal thinking interventions, trauma-related treatment, and specialized units for emerging adults, mental health, and substance use. The department said programming costs were about $101 million in fiscal year 2025, or roughly 12% of the operating budget, excluding health care. Members praised the elimination of restrictive housing and the rollout of body-worn cameras, while DOC said the cameras required new policy and union negotiations but are now used for training, accountability, and de-escalation. The meeting ended with a plan for DOC to return in September with more detailed information on SAUs, programming statistics, and facility structure, and the commission voted to adjourn.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2035, amending section 8501, 851 to 4.03, A.R.S., relating to child welfare and placement.
• House Bill 2035, amending section 8501, 851 to 4.03, A.R.S., relating to child welfare and placement.
• Too often, families may not know which courses are available or how to navigate placement decisions.
• HB 2423 helps make sure that talented students are not overlooked simply because of inconsistent placement
• He was selected by the United States Secretary of Defense to serve on the Reserve Policy Board to direct

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the journal, guest introductions, and routine communications from the governor and Senate. Members then moved into multiple Committee of the Whole sessions to consider a large number of Senate bills and later House bills on final reading. Several measures were retained on the calendar, while many others advanced with or without amendments. The House also adopted a group concurrence motion on numerous Senate amendments to House bills and later took up third-reading votes on a series of House bills. Among the main committee actions, SB 1049, SB 1315, SB 1401, SB 1418, and SB 1540 were amended and recommended do pass; SB 1332 and SB 1538 also advanced, while SB 1016, SB 1519, SB 1624, SB 1627, SB 1723, and SB 1725 were retained. Debate centered on school safety and interoperability equipment in SB 1315, housing and zoning issues in SB 1118, and school discipline/bullying transparency in SB 1684. Members also discussed SB 1074 on student discipline notifications, SB 1275 on diversion program wording, and SB 1684 on bullying reporting and school liability, with supporters emphasizing safety, accountability, and clarity and opponents warning about unfunded mandates, litigation, and impacts on public schools. On final reading, the House passed a long list of bills, including HB 2032, HB 2035, HB 2109, HB 2120, HB 2176, HB 2189, HB 2195, HB 2203, HB 2342, HB 2383, HB 2423, HB 2428, HB 2439, HB 2440, HB 2573, HB 2594, HB 2621, HB 2641, HB 2673, HB 2693, HB 2752, HB 2756, HB 2875, HB 2895, HB 2916, HB 2923, HB 2946, and HB 2999, with recorded votes ranging from narrow to unanimous. HB 1118, dealing with municipal zoning and historic properties, failed on the floor after debate over housing policy and charter/public school issues, though a motion to reconsider was later made. The session ended with personal announcements, including recognition of Child Help, a memorial reading for Major General W. Bill Van Dyke, caucus meeting notices, a retirement reception reminder, an anniversary acknowledgment, and a Pride Month statement.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 2035, amending Section 8-501, 8-512, and 4.03, A.R.S., relating to child welfare and placement
• House Bill 2035, amending Section 8-501, 8-512, and 4.03, A.R.S., relating to child welfare and placement
• Too often, families may not know which courses are available or how to navigate placement decisions.
• HB 2423 helps make sure that talented students are not overlooked simply because of inconsistent placement
• He was selected by the United States Secretary of Defense to serve on the Reserve Policy Board to direct

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have a young lady that when I interviewed her a year ago, was selectively mute.
• And we know that these kids, the goal is to move them out of this more restrictive placement back into
• And we know that these kids, the goal is to move them out of this more restrictive placement back into
• Um, and we know that these kids, the goal is to move them out of this more restrictive placement back
• They're either waiting placement with DHS or we're waiting for guardianship, but kids that have Been

Summary: The committee held an interim study on how to educate and support students with severe violent or disruptive behavior while protecting classmates, teachers, and school staff. Members framed the issue as one involving students who have often experienced trauma and may be removed from class through suspension, expulsion, or juvenile placement, but who still need a meaningful path back to school. Several legislators shared personal experiences as former educators or administrators and emphasized that schools need clearer criteria for removal and return, along with stronger support for families and staff. Dr. Michelle Butler, an alternative education director, testified that Oklahoma’s current alternative education system is not designed to serve students removed for major discipline issues because placement is generally voluntary and programs are built around students who need a different learning environment, not punitive removal. She argued for early intervention, stronger attendance enforcement, trauma screening, teacher training, and a regional or cooperative model that would combine credentialed educators, social workers, therapists, and family counselors. She also described existing programs such as Trace Academy, Rogers County Youth Services diversion programs, and the limitations of virtual-only models and current funding, saying the system lacks sufficient resources and staffing. Representatives and senators asked about funding, staffing, credentials, and whether statutes should be changed to prevent alternative education dollars from going to programs that do not provide direct services. Other testimony came from Family and Children’s Services and Mid-Del Youth and Family Services, both of which described embedded school-based mental health, crisis response, intensive outpatient services, family engagement, and juvenile diversion programs. Witnesses stressed that wraparound services, school-community partnerships, and a bridge back to the home school are essential, and that many students and families need mandatory or strongly supported participation rather than purely voluntary help. The study concluded with members noting possible next steps, including expanding or supplementing alternative education, improving early intervention, and examining participation requirements and transition supports; no votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after the presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• were going to start thinking about putting a data center here, I would have to start doing site selection
• You're looking at four or five years for site selection before anything starts building, so there's no
• right<00:20:00.880> you're<00:20:01.080> looking<00:20:01.280> at site selection
• right you're looking at site selection right you're looking at four<00:20:01.640> or<00:20:01.799
• four or five years um for site selection four or five years um for site selection that's<00:20:04.480

Bills: HF1277, HF1006

Keywords: data centers, tax exemption, Minnesota statutes, economic development, employment growth, property tax, abatement, land bank, redevelopment, political subdivision, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And when he was selected to be... ...thinking about other people all the time.
• And when he was selected to be Pope, he chose to live in a plain house.
• It restructures language regarding criteria for involuntary placement or treatment.
• It restructures language regarding criteria for involuntary placement or treatment.
• It restructures language regarding criteria for involuntary placement or treatment.

Summary: The Senate convened with opening prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and several recognitions, including guests from Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Clay County, and others. Senators also observed a moment of silence for Pope Francis. After routine announcements, the chamber moved to the special order calendar and took up a long series of bills, often substituting House companions for Senate bills before final passage. Among the measures approved were bills creating an expedited DNA testing grant program for local law enforcement, adding aggravating factors in capital cases involving gatherings for religious, school, or government activities, requiring state health coverage for fertility preservation services for cancer patients, authorizing indemnification for commuter rail providers, prohibiting abandonment of migrant vessels in Florida waters, and creating new specialty license plates. The Senate also passed bills on Alzheimer’s awareness, relocating the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys to Florida Memorial University, charter schools, sex offender registration, utility worker protections, juvenile justice, student mental health reporting, foster home licensure transfers, water access facilities, Florida Virtual School, school readiness, sexual images involving children, tampering with electronic monitoring devices, certified recovery residences, the FSU Election Law Center, the Office of Faith and Community, and bonuses for county property appraiser employees. Several other bills were temporarily postponed, including measures on social media use by minors, veterans’ nursing homes, Parkinson’s disease, mental health and substance use disorders, education, educator preparation, officers injured in the line of duty, school social workers, and Brownfields. Debate was especially extensive on the Office of Faith and Community bill, where an amendment to bar political activity by office staff was offered but failed 13-23 after arguments over election-related communications and the scope of existing law. The certified recovery residences bill also drew notable debate, with supporters emphasizing housing as essential to recovery and opponents raising concerns about implementation and local control. Most other bills passed with little or no opposition, though a few drew dissenting votes, including the capital aggravating factors bill, charter schools, and the Office of Faith and Community measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• There wasn't a placement for her, and they had to move her up to 5th grade.
• The duly elected authority and that's the school boards to select the curriculum or select the textbooks
• Uh, my grandmother was selected as Teacher of the Year one year.
• Uh, we're all so proud, as I'm sure as, as all deans are across the state of their internship placements

Transcript Highlights:

• The Select Committee on Health Care Affordability will come to order.
• Offer the drug on the formulary and to give it favorable placement within that formulary.
• We also have a consumer-directed health selection.
• Next slide that we have is our Health Select cost trends for recent years.
• This next slide is our Health Select member-only rate for the last 20 years.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• law requires licensed warranty companies issued licenses from the Office of Insurance Regulation to select
• The Office of Insurance Regulation requires a licensee to select one of the methods of solvency.
• If a circuit court determines such person did not comply, he or she is disqualified from placement on

Summary: The Senate Committee on Rules met and considered a series of bills, beginning with CS/CS/SB 282 on home and service warranty association financial requirements. The bill would allow more than one collateral liability insurance policy to back a warranty license and make related financial requirement changes; an amendment clarifying policy options was adopted, and the bill was reported favorably. The committee also approved CS/SB 280 on candidate qualification, which creates an enforceable requirement and private right of action for party-affiliation qualification rules, and SB 7004, an open government sunset review bill that continues a public records exemption related to housing assistance program applicants or participants after disasters. The committee then took up several member bills. CS/CS/CS/SB 88 would create an opt-in framework for local governments to allow utility terrain vehicles on certain roads, with safety requirements and insurance clarification added by amendment; supporters emphasized local transportation benefits and law enforcement tools, while several senators raised concerns about misuse in urban areas, and the bill was reported favorably. CS/SB 106 would allow substitute service through the same electronic platform used by scammers in vulnerable adult exploitation cases, with a 30-day hold clarified by amendment; it received support from elder law and advocacy groups and was reported favorably. CS/CS/SB 262 made technical changes to the Florida Trust Code, including decanting, trustee actions, ademption by satisfaction, and homestead/community property trust treatment, and was also reported favorably. Additional bills approved included SB 402, which updates the unlawful use of uniforms, medals, or insignia statute by referring to armed forces as defined elsewhere in law; SB 700, which continues the public records exemption for site-specific location information for threatened and endangered species; and SB 7006, which preserves public records and meeting exemptions for building plans and related documents depicting 911, E911, and public safety radio communication infrastructure, including next-generation 911 systems. At the end of the meeting, senators requested to be recorded as voting in the affirmative on certain bills, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1215 by Kolkhorst and Flores, relating to the placement of a cultivated oyster in a natural
• Senate Bill 1334 by Hughes, relating to the approval, selection, and use of an alternative electronic
• Senate Bill 1334 by Hughes relaying to the approval selection and use of an alternative electronic visit

Summary: The Senate met briefly to receive first-reading referrals of a large number of bills, resolutions, and joint resolutions. The measures covered a wide range of topics, including public education, health care, criminal justice, business regulation, transportation, water and natural resources, local government, taxation, elections, and public information. Many of the filings were by Senators Hughes, Perry, Alvarado, Creighton, Hancock, Parker, Zaffirini, Blanco, and others, and included proposals on school safety, health records and billing, election procedures, water planning, housing and rent issues, energy and environmental regulation, and criminal penalties. The chamber also read several concurrent and joint resolutions, including measures designating state symbols and local honors, a proposed constitutional amendment related to gaming by the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, a proposal concerning special-session subjects, and resolutions on fiscal restraints and retirement obligations. No debate, testimony, or substantive action on the merits of the measures occurred in this portion of the transcript; the items were simply read and referred to committees. At the close of the proceedings, the Senate adjourned pursuant to a previously adopted motion and announced it would reconvene at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:57.480> in placement home maintain the placement in placement home maintain the placement
• One of the things that our office does frequently is take calls regarding how to select a long-term care
• One of the things that our office does frequently is take calls regarding how to select a long-term care
• One of the things that our office does frequently is take calls regarding how to select a long-term care
• um how to select a long-term care<00:35:15.520> facility<00:35:16.040> from<00:35:16.320

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In many cases, they can cost up to 10 times more than a placement with family or kin.
• I wasn't the placement. I was just part of a team, and I belonged.
• And so... ...in the home in order to prevent placement into residential settings.
• While we support family-based placements, we are concerned about restricting. Thank you.
• While we support family-based placements, we are concerned about restricting. Thank you.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At that point, the department does the interviews and actually makes the selection.
• Once they've made the selection, it comes back to us, and that's when we do the I-9 verification and
• It's however long the department takes to make their selection process because they select the applicant
• We have nothing to do with the selection process. We're just processing that after the fact.
• This is for home studies for foster and adoptive, interstate compact on placement of children, and court-ordered

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• private schools that don't are selective private schools that don't accept<00:23:09.760> students
• I understand how the private school placement works currently in law, and that's through the process
• Works currently in law and placement Works currently in law and that's<01:00:21.359> through<
• It says that out-of-district placement has to be approved by the superintendent and based on certain
• how the selection process is made<01:17:36.679> if<01:17:36.840> a<01:17:37.120> if

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So the eligibility, the funding, all of that really does have a good placement.
• But placement was not guaranteed.
• But placement was not guaranteed.
• I secured a placement in San Antonio, but safety was never guaranteed.
• Today, you've heard about housing vouchers, placements, and support programs.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that's like a voluntary voucher Well, there's not a voucher per se involved, but it is a private placement
• school district pays. public school district would be paying the tuition costs associated with that placement
• I just really want to stress here is that a lot of the selection that we see in voucher systems. systems
• And sure enough, when you have a program that's got a lot of other problems, and then a selection bias
• I think that the main thing that you want is to get. get to a point where the families are selecting

Bills: HB3, HB3

Keywords: education savings account, educational expenses, certified educational assistance organization, school choice, funding, special education, tuition reimbursement, emergency communication, public safety, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, grant program, emergency communications, public safety radio, first responders, radio system, dispatch, 911, emergency management, Texas Division of Emergency Management

Transcript Highlights:

• A county would then assess the individual and determine the appropriate services and placements as necessary
• In some cases, community placement options or wraparound services in the home allow discharge within
• <00:25:52.799> options<00:25:53.480> or we have Community placement options or we have
• Community placement options or we're<00:25:54.000> able<00:25:54.240> to<00:25:54.360>
• <01:08:31.839> by organizations or mcos are selected by organizations or mcos are selected

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Garrett Griggs and Nataline Lumpkin were selected to participate in the NFL Pro Bowl flag football Showcase
• Head coach Mitchell Holt and assistant coach Troy Jackson were also selected to help lead the team during
• What's the difference between dual enrollment and advanced placement?
• There may not be a pre-placement and a post-placement, but that's more like with the adult adoptions.
• The VPF site selection said that, "Well, we found that it's not good to squeeze local governments."

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• language expanding the state-funded internship program under DIR in collaboration with DERT for intern placement
• Placement in state executive departments, agencies, or programs.
• 00:24:55.840> the<00:24:56.000> fire<00:24:56.240> marshal<00:24:56.559> selection
• amendments, adopting LRB tech amendments and attaching the State Fire Council and the Fire Marshal Selection

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee took up a long decision-making agenda on numerous House bills, largely in the tax, appropriations, public safety, agriculture, and land-use areas. Early action included HB 476, which passed with amendments after discussion of tax impacts and a committee report change; HB 796 also passed with amendments to protect several individual income tax credits from the bill’s effect. Other measures were advanced with amendments or without changes, including HB 1059, HB 1145, HB 1173, HB 1439, HB 800, HB 934, HB 990, HB 101, HB 106, and a series of bills in the 1026–1055 range, many of which were passed unamended or with technical/effective-date changes. Several bills were deferred, including HB 1147, HB 807, and later items on the agenda. The committee also approved a number of policy and agency-structure changes. HB 430 was amended to create or expand an internship/workforce development program with reporting requirements; HB 505 and HB 506 were amended to adjust appropriations and FTEs; HB 774 added an appropriation section for two FTEs; HB 1052 limited use of universal service fund money; HB 1296 shifted a reporting requirement from BNF to the Department of Defense; and HB 1064 moved the State Fire Council and Fire Marshal Selection Commission to the Department of Law Enforcement and set the fire marshal salary. HB 427 made major biosecurity-related changes, including moving the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity in 2026 and adding new appropriations. HB 830 was amended to allow third-party historic preservation reviewers under ethics and conflict rules, with a two-year sunset and committee-report comments on vacancies. Public safety and regulatory bills also moved forward. HB 302 on cannabis drew opposition from Senator Awa, who said it would shut down a medical provider in his district; the bill nevertheless passed with amendments adding criminal penalties, enforcement authority, and a 2027 effective date for cultivator licenses. HB 306 on water code penalties passed unamended, HB 860 on liability for road resurfacing passed with amendments to limit liability to the work actually performed and eliminate joint and several liability, and HB 141 on public land leases passed with technical amendments. HB 1159 establishing a commercial harbor emergency evacuation working group passed as is, and HB 1482 on hemp passed with amendments exempting existing permit holders and certain retailers, aligning THC limits, and setting a far-future effective date. Most votes were adopted without recorded opposition, though several members noted reservations on specific measures.