Transcript Highlights:

• State your name. Thank you. State your name.
• We should consider updated building codes for floodplain properties.
• We should consider updated building codes for floodplain properties, things like elevation standards
• So I would think having that as a building code across the state is something—I don't know if it is or
• Finally, stricter building code and enforcement. Currently, FEMA only maps main river channels.

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness and flooding hearing opened with quorum calls, prayer, testimony time limits, and remarks from legislative leaders emphasizing decorum, respect, and the goal of learning from the July 4 flood to prevent future loss of life. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows said the special session and hearings were intended to hear directly from local officials and residents, and that the state would pursue immediate and longer-term legislation and continue working beyond the current session. The committee then heard invited testimony from Kerr County, Kerrville, Kendall County, Real County, and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, followed by member questions. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, and emergency management coordinator William B. Thomas described the flood as a sudden, unprecedented event that overwhelmed local systems before many officials or residents understood the danger. They said the county received multiple National Weather Service and IPAWS alerts, but the rain fell in remote upstream areas with limited gauges, and the flood rose too quickly for normal response. They detailed the emergency response, including dispatchers handling heavy call volumes, deputies and volunteer firefighters conducting rescues, and state and federal partners assisting. County officials said 108 people died, including 37 children, and two remained missing. They called for better real-time flood detection, stronger rural emergency management resources, improved broadband and cell coverage, and more funding for swift-water rescue and warning systems. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and City Manager Dalton Rice said the city had floodplain rules, emergency plans, and prior preparedness efforts, but the event exposed gaps in communications and regional warning capacity. They urged the Legislature to fund a flood warning system, whether sirens, automated alerts, or a hybrid, and asked for support for predictive weather modeling, broadband expansion, a hazard mitigation fund, and disaster recovery resources. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority said it had long funded gauges and pursued flood-warning and mitigation projects, including a new software-based flood prediction system and possible retention dams, and planned to dedicate reserve funds to feasibility studies and infrastructure improvements. Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said his county’s emergency action plan and early alerts helped prevent deaths there, and he recommended easier access to alerting tools, a river-wide warning system, simpler grant applications, and regional coordination. Real County Judge Bella Rubio said rural counties face major challenges because of limited cell service, broadband, staffing, and funding, especially for camps and visitors along the Frio and Nueces rivers, and argued that reliable alert systems should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Members asked about the timeline of the flood, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and funding, and several witnesses said the key lessons were better communications, better warning systems, and more investment in rural flood mitigation and emergency response.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:36:12.440><c> in</c> part of the question uh in state in part of the question uh in state in
• team would attach the procedure coding team would attach the procedure codes<00:36:37.640><c> to</c>
• </c> for so many ac across our great state for so many ac across our great state thank thank thank you
• states there's very<01:28:02.360><c> few</c><01:28:02.560><c> states</c><01:28:02.880><c> that</c><01
• </c> for a disorganized of effort on a state for a disorganized of effort on a state level Okay.

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This little building to the west, our state representative, Representative Johnson, did help us get this
• building completed.
• It is actually in our tribal codes, Tribal Code 26.
• If they want to repurpose the building in that sense and make sure it's up To code to have it as a public
• When you build a school on Navajo Nation land for the public schools, you pay Navajo Nation tax and state

Committee: House House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:

• for the state and the counties.
• Senate Bill 283 is the Whether it's state or local, this bill would provide that you can't build industrial
• as the most comprehensive, would be taken into the building code, and that there would be consultation
• Specifically this bill addresses a discrepancy between state elections code with Proposition 218 and
• of the sponsors of self-help counties coalition as well All the state building construction trades,

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The state has done this. Big bad state wants more stuff to be done. Tell them what it is.
• And then, last but not least, because I’m also a member of the Code Development Committee for the building
• officials, is how will this benefit our code approach, i.e., how can we make the code better?
• focus, is because it represents more than half of the condo buildings in the state.
• themselves from the building.

Committee: Senate Regulated Industries

Summary: The Committee on Regulated Industries met for a panel discussion on current issues affecting Florida condominiums. DBPR Secretary Melanie Griffin highlighted the department’s expanded condo education, complaint, and ombudsman services under HB 1021, including new online resources, board member certification, increased outreach, and broader complaint jurisdiction. She said the division has filled most of its new positions and that the new condo website is intended to improve transparency and access to records and information. Other panelists focused on insurance, inspections, and market impacts. Insurance agent Mike Clarkson said the condo insurance market remains difficult, especially for older buildings, and raised concerns about roof replacement demands, Citizens’ depopulation practices, and the mismatch between reserve studies and insurer timelines. Building officials representative Ron Laceca described challenges with phase one and phase two inspections, including incomplete databases, limited contractor capacity, and the need for local flexibility and better recordkeeping. University of Florida researcher Bill Hughes said his data show the condo market has not suffered a major overall decline from the new laws; he argued the rules have made costs more transparent and may strengthen the market over time. Community association manager Jamie Ballard said the biggest pressures on associations are rising insurance costs and early roof replacement requirements, and she supported board certification while opposing the continuing education exemption for long-tenured CAMs. In committee discussion, members pressed witnesses on whether recent condo laws caused insurance and roof-cost problems, and witnesses generally said those issues are driven more by the market than by the legislation. Senators also discussed possible reforms, including better data collection, clearer reporting duties for managers, and possible changes to insurance and reserve practices. No votes were taken, and the meeting ended with adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll help build public trust.
• Peter Leromew and Yose, Bay Area Council: Good afternoon.
• I'm Peter Leromew and Yose with the Bay Area Council.
• Typically, you know, those may or may not be state motor vehicle code issues, but typically the enforcement
• To not have that state/local blend of control.

Summary: The Senate Transportation Committee held an informational hearing on autonomous vehicle technology in California, with testimony from industry, safety advocates, first responders, drivers, and state regulators. The chair framed the hearing as an overview of AV deployment, safety, first responder interactions, and current and future regulation. Witnesses from the AV industry argued that autonomous vehicles can reduce crashes and injuries, create jobs, and support California’s leadership in innovation, while critics and crash survivors described serious safety failures, including phantom braking, inadequate transparency, and crashes involving Tesla’s Autopilot/Full Self-Driving systems. Several witnesses urged stronger disclosure, data preservation, independent safety validation, and clearer accountability for companies deploying these systems. First responder and labor witnesses described operational problems in San Francisco and elsewhere, saying AVs have blocked fire engines, ambulances, and police responses, shut down in emergency scenes, and caused major delays during outages. They asked for faster and more reliable remote support, a public safety manual override, clearer enforcement authority, and limits on deployment in complex conditions. A police chief representative said law enforcement supports innovation but needs standardized protocols, training, and clear statutory authority. A Teamsters representative criticized proposed DMV rules for heavy-duty autonomous trucks, arguing they rely too heavily on manufacturer self-certification and do not impose enough independent safety review or geographic limits. State regulators from the DMV and CPUC defended California’s existing AV framework, saying the state has regulated AVs since 2014 and now has an end-to-end system with permits, reporting requirements, enforcement tools, and first responder coordination. DMV officials said the new rulemaking would add more reporting, address heavy-duty AVs, and require compliance with emergency geofence messages and law enforcement direction. CPUC testimony emphasized that its role is limited to passenger service and ride-hail operations. Committee members asked about crash data, remote operations, liability, response times, and whether California should adopt more uniform standards and stronger guardrails. No votes or formal actions were taken, as the hearing was informational.

Transcript Highlights:

• State and county partners to identify two sites for our new builds.
• But building code-wise, no, you're pretty much free to do what you want.
• But building code-wise, no, you're pretty much free to do what you want.
• Since 1995, MTC has been honored to operate the state, within the state, building valuable partnerships
• Since 1995, MTC has been honored to operate the state, within the state, building valuable partnerships

Bills: SB1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Summary: The committee heard a Legislative Budget Board presentation and then testimony from the Department of Public Safety on the Article 5 public safety budget. LBB said DPS’s 2026-27 recommendation totals $3.7 billion, down from the prior base, while FTEs rise by 856.7. Major items included increased funding for driver license services and customer support, new trooper funding and recruit schools, crime lab operations, border security, and reductions tied to one-time facility, vehicle, and aircraft spending. The committee also discussed new riders, including one to lapse unused trooper funds and require reporting after recruit schools. Members focused heavily on driver license operations, questioning why prior staffing increases and a prior efficiency study had not solved long wait times, high call abandonment, and appointment delays. DPS and LBB said the agency receives about 22,000 calls per day, answers only about 9 percent, and is seeking more staff plus technology upgrades such as automation, kiosks, and better online processing. Senators also raised concerns about rural access, REAL ID document requirements, and whether the department should rethink its processes rather than simply add employees. DPS leadership then described needs for the Williamson County training academy, additional troopers, Capitol and Alamo security, border operations, aircraft and vehicle replacement, and regional headquarters in El Paso and San Antonio. Members asked about Operation Lone Star costs, overtime, pursuit safety, border crime, oilfield theft, and sexual assault kit and toxicology backlogs. DPS said border deployments remain focused on criminal threats, that overtime is partly driven by deployments and staffing shortages, and that the sexual assault kit backlog is down to 118 cases with a goal of zero by April. The committee later recessed and began the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission budget presentation, where LBB outlined a $115.1 million recommendation and noted ongoing costs for the AIMS technology project.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think we didn't grow with the complexity of codes and the amount of building permits that come in.
• </c> of codes and the amount of building of codes and the amount of building permits<01:17:26.400><c>
• I do not represent the council. Oh, no. I do not represent the council.
• </c><02:16:00.639><c> codes</c><02:16:01.040><c> for</c> with the applicable building codes for with
• the applicable building codes for their<02:16:01.760><c> respective</c><02:16:02.400><c> county.

Committee: House Water & Land

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills on water, land, housing, permitting, and historic preservation. For SB 746/SD2/HD1 on invasive species, DLNR and the Department of Agriculture supported the intent but warned that a bounty approach for coconut rhinoceros beetle could have unintended consequences, divert resources from biocontrol research, and be vulnerable to abuse; Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the measure. The committee also heard SB 1541 on the WoE water system, with testimony from ADC, Kunia Village Title Holding Company, and Farm Bureau in support, emphasizing the importance of the system for agriculture and the high cost of water on lands already dedicated to farming. The most extensive discussion was on SB 66, relating to building permit review and county permitting authority. DPP opposed the bill, saying the problem is not just agency review time but the broader permitting process, including applicant corrections, outside-agency review, staffing shortages, and low pay that make it hard to fill vacancies. DPP said it already meets or beats existing review deadlines for residential permits and is using tools like electronic plans and AI to help applicants submit better plans. Several supporters, including Iron Workers Local 625, an individual witness, and Hawaii Food Industry Association, backed the bill but urged a pilot program or other safeguards; some also asked for broader permit coverage beyond single-family homes. Committee members questioned DPP about whether applicant correction time should count against the clock, whether self-certification could be used, and whether the state should fund any new mandate. The committee then took up SB 26 on affordable housing, with HHFDC, OPSD, and HCDA in support and no opposition noted. Finally, on SB 1263 relating to historic preservation, HHFDC and DLNR supported the bill, while OHA offered comments and requested amendments, especially on the new risk-based review process for high-, medium-, and low-risk areas. OHA said the new procedure should be implemented carefully and allowed more time, describing it as a pilot that should be done well to be useful while still protecting cultural and historic resources. No votes or final actions were taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• But, you know, this represents what's good in our state, young men and women who are working and building
• It's the coding because we're going...” ...clerical errors, coding.
• Town council minutes for all council meetings were not maintained for inspection.
• Council minutes for all council meetings were not maintained for inspection.
• At the whole state. I mean, you guys look at the whole state.

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES

Summary: The committee approved the prior meeting minutes and then received updates on delinquent water and sewer reports, including seven new reinstatements and a reduction to four remaining delinquent filers. Staff also reported on municipal accounting code noncompliance, removing Denning and Gum Springs from the 60-day clock after improved records were verified, and presenting repeat findings for Fargo, Lead Hill, Alma, Jericho, and Haynes. Members discussed repeated audit problems, the length of time some issues had persisted, and whether towns should be given additional time or face stronger action; motions were made and adopted to place some entities on a 60-day clock or defer action to later meetings. For Fargo and Alma, staff described extensive repeat accounting deficiencies, including missing budgets, bank reconciliations, financial statements, receipts, journals, and supporting documentation. Fargo’s mayor said the town had been understaffed and was beginning to improve its office systems; the committee voted to defer the matter for 60 days and file the report. Alma’s officials said they were trying to correct water audit and accounting issues, and the committee likewise deferred the matter to the August meeting while warning that water-audit delays could jeopardize turnback funds. The committee then reviewed misuse-of-street-funds findings for Jericho and Haynes. Jericho’s police chief and officials explained that traffic fines, drug-related arrests, and other citations had pushed the town over the statutory threshold, while staff clarified that the speed-trap calculation excludes certain add-on fines and is referred to the prosecuting attorney for any action. Haynes officials said repayment problems stemmed from lost revenue and staffing changes, including the loss of the police department, but staff reported the town remained behind on its repayment plan and also owed the IRS. The committee voted to defer the Haynes matter to September and to defer Jericho as well, with members emphasizing the need for consistency and possible broader legislative review of small-town viability. A special report on the Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District drew substantial discussion. Staff cited findings involving board approval of payroll and contracts, credit card documentation, car allowances and personal vehicle use, competitive bidding, and unusually high advertising spending, as well as the sale of trailers and other equipment at low prices. The district director said the board had delegated authority for many expenditures, that personal use was reported for tax purposes, and that advertising was necessary to educate the public about recycling. Members questioned the procurement and disposal decisions and the size of the advertising budget; after discussion, the committee deferred the report to September and asked the director to return. The meeting also included brief deferred reports on Biggers, Gilmore, and Holly Grove, which were filed after local officials described ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing audit and tax issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• You could just go outside and press the QR code to get it all there. Yeah.
• AB 470 recognizes that not all areas of the state are well served.
• , and also making sure that the build-out is actually above build-out that is already planned, because
• We understand the company is already planning to do some build-out.
• When they pull out of one household, they'll build out three.

Summary: The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee heard AB 470 by Assembly Member McKinnor, a bill to modernize California’s carrier-of-last-resort rules for voice telephone service and create a process for carriers to transition away from obsolete copper networks in favor of advanced telecommunications infrastructure. The author and supporters said the bill is aimed at preserving reliable voice and 911 access while encouraging private investment in fiber and other modern networks, and emphasized that it is not a broadband bill. Support came from AT&T, business groups, and a former Cal OES director, who argued the bill provides a careful, phased modernization with CPUC oversight and increased public-safety investment requirements. Opposition came from TURN, CWA District 9, digital equity organizations, labor groups, and several local governments and county representatives. Critics raised concerns about the adequacy of the mapping process, reliance on broadband and wireless coverage data, the lack of on-the-ground verification, the challenge process, possible loss of Lifeline protections, and the impact on workers and union jobs. They also argued the bill could allow carriers to reduce universal-service obligations without enough safeguards for rural and vulnerable customers. Committee members discussed those concerns at length, especially the map-making process, the challenge procedure, and whether the bill sufficiently protects workers and customers who could be left behind. The author said the bill includes a 10-year backstop if service is lost, a CPUC-led process, and a three-to-one fiber buildout requirement tied to relinquishment, and expressed willingness to continue working with labor on workforce language. The committee ultimately passed AB 470 on a 7-0 due pass vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• And lastly, to build an age- and disability-friendly state for all.
• We're now moving into the next department: State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Issue 4.
• I'm moving into the next department: State Council on Developmental Disabilities.
• Erin Carruthers with the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, just as a brief overview...
• They're not allocated those dedicated funds for purposes of supporting the State Council.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• impartial administrative hearings in the executive branch of state government.
• NASA's headquarters in their building, their lease is going to expire in 2028.
• Texas is the space state. Texas has got more space companies than anybody else.
• , even with the state employee not having to pay.
• on Artificial intelligence, but more so the council.

Committee: House Delivery of Government Efficiency

Transcript Highlights:

• That'll be on this floor or across the hall or in city councils or leading cities or states or nations
• While all states have 988, not all states have provided the necessary support.
• While all states have 988, not all states have provided the necessary supports and funding for it to
• This legislation addresses that gap by bringing the Penal Code in line with the State Bar's rules, ensuring
• Code.

Summary: The Senate met with a quorum, heard an invocation, dispensed with the previous journal, and received a House message. Members also recognized Dr. Namita Bardwaj as doctor of the day. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 554 honoring Christopher “Chris” Jake Stone of Santa Fe for his heroism during the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, with several senators and the lieutenant governor offering remarks about his sacrifice and the ongoing impact on his family and community. The Senate also signed a number of bills and resolutions and adopted Senate Resolution 533 recognizing the Texas Legislative Internship Program class, with multiple senators highlighting individual interns and the program’s role in developing future public servants. The floor then took up and passed several bills, often by suspending the regular order and the three-day rule. These included HB 1639 on a study of cancer incidence among female firefighters; HB 102 granting early registration for students in military-related programs; HB 4325 increasing civil penalties for barratry; HB 5342 creating a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline trust fund and related funding study; HB 3370 allowing late timberland appraisal applications after an owner’s death; HB 3376 requiring certain guardians to complete dementia/Alzheimer’s training; HB 132 extending confidentiality protections to information about hostile acts by foreign adversaries; and HB 1978, which sought to restrict ERCOT interconnections, but its motion to pass to engrossment failed on a 20-11 vote. Additional measures passed included HB 511 on unsolicited voter registration mailings, HB 2187 on nurse staffing, retaliation, and overtime protections, HB 2510 creating offenses for unlicensed assisted living operations, HB 694 on DFPS notification timelines, HB 1893 making license plates in law-enforcement video nonconfidential for public information requests, HB 2733 updating barratry and solicitation laws for digital communications, HB 4506 allowing opt-in electronic zoning notices, HB 3751 transferring a TxDOT property to DPS, HB 3033 creating a grant program for nonprofits supporting injured or killed DPS employees, HB 4273 on Medicaid fraud prevention and eligibility verification, HB 3211 on vision care benefits, HB 4529 exempting certain DoD-certified child care facilities from state licensure, HB 2522 easing fingerprinting requirements for certain vehicle dealers, HB 4219 tightening public information request response requirements, and HB 4783 requiring a report on opioid antagonist programs. The Senate also received a House message noting passage of SB 9, and a nominations committee report was announced for future consideration.

Transcript Highlights:

• Council Chair Denny Haney, and then D.
• I think, again, I have the best job in the state, but I also have the best team in the state.
• This committee has helped us to restore the state capitol, reimagine the state museum, dedicate the Spirit
• The agency is a consolidated agency that includes the State Museum, State Archives, the SHPO, and historic
• The agency is a consolidated agency that includes the State Museum, State Archives, the SHPO, and historic

Summary: The committee heard budget presentations first for the Idaho Workforce Development Council. Analyst Brooke Dupree reviewed the council’s statutory role, fund balances, and FY 2027 requests, including an ongoing transfer of $1.15 million within the In Demand Careers Fund to support more Launch grants, a proposed consolidation of the STEM Action Center into the council, and reappropriation authority for ARPA and other grant funds. Director Wendy Sechrist said Launch, workforce training grants, child care grants, and semiconductor-related grants have produced strong participation and wage gains, and she explained that the STEM education fund would be sunset under the merger. Members asked about the remaining STEM dedicated fund, the timing and impact of a proposed $10 million cash transfer from Launch, repayment of some Launch grants, and how much of the training funding goes to incumbent workers versus new hires. The committee then reviewed the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Dupree outlined the agency’s dedicated funds and FY 2027 requests for additional appropriation authority tied to Social Security reimbursements and adaptive aids store revenue, plus one-time vehicle replacement funding. Administrator Beth Cunningham said the agency uses those funds to support vocational rehabilitation, independent living services, and surgeries for eligible clients without other coverage. Members asked about discrepancies in fund figures, the growth in the adaptive aids fund balance, and the effect of holdbacks on services; Cunningham said the cuts would modestly reduce client services, travel, and some site restoration support. Finally, the Idaho State Historical Society presented its budget. Dupree described requests for $450,000 to complete the move of state records and collections into the new archives addition, $36,300 for IT hardware, and reappropriation authority for moving costs, along with prior enhancements for Old Pen staffing and archival work. Director Janet Gallimore emphasized stewardship of state records and artifacts, the importance of the move, and the agency’s role in Idaho’s America 250 efforts. Members praised the agency’s work and asked about historic preservation reviews and archaeological surveys; Gallimore said staff consult with federal agencies under the National Historic Preservation Act and agreed to provide travel records for surveys in Bonner County. The meeting ended with a presentation of historical artifacts and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So important context here as we're looking at this data is that California's strengthened building codes
• It's worth noting the Legislature just paused building code adoption for five years because of the affordability
• They don't have to participate in a program to see building codes advance... ...support all the Californians
• They don't have to participate in a program to see building codes advance and have a more efficient home
• across the state.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy held a hearing on how California Public Utilities Commission energy efficiency programs are budgeted, evaluated, and measured for cost-effectiveness. The chair framed the issue as not whether energy efficiency works, but how to ensure ratepayer-funded programs continue to deliver value as the portfolio has shifted from simple measures like lighting to more complex retrofits, electrification, workforce, and equity programs. CPUC staff outlined the statutory framework, the four-year budget cycle, recent spending of about $795 million in 2025, and the use of total system benefit (TSB) and the total resource cost (TRC) test, noting that some programs are exempt from cost-effectiveness requirements at the individual program level but not at the resource acquisition portfolio level. Utility, regional network, implementer, and advocacy witnesses offered differing views on the current metrics. PG&E described its portfolio as cost-effective overall and argued that cost-effectiveness should remain at the portfolio level to allow innovation and multi-year program flexibility. SoCalREN and the Energy Coalition emphasized the value of local government delivery, equity-focused programs, and the need to credit programs for broader benefits such as workforce development, market transformation, and electrification. The Public Advocates Office argued that ratepayer-funded programs should produce benefits greater than costs and raised concerns about the growing share of budgets going to programs that have not met cost-effectiveness thresholds. Several witnesses said the current math is too complicated and that different program types may need different metrics. Committee members repeatedly pressed witnesses on the complexity of the TRC and TSB calculations, the treatment of participant costs, and whether the state should use a simpler or more transparent framework. CPUC staff said the relevant issues are already being addressed in two open proceedings, with one budget application proceeding expected to conclude in roughly the second or third quarter of next year and a broader policy rulemaking ongoing. No votes were taken and no formal action was reported; the hearing functioned as an informational discussion and policy review.

Transcript Highlights:

• Council, in strong support.
• In fact, in a state of 40 million people, we are building less than 4,000 condos a year.
• Chair, members, our members build 85% of all the housing in the state annually.
• great state.
• is encouraging us to build.

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So important context here as we're looking at this data is that California's strengthened building codes
• It's worth noting the Legislature just paused building code adoption for five years because of the affordability
• They don't have to participate in a program to see building codes advance. ...support all the Californians
• They don't have to participate in a program to see building codes advance and have a more efficient home
• across the state.

Committee: House Utilities and Energy

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so during my time, um, on city council before my time here at the state.
• The alignment with existing law updates the health and safety code and the code of Criminal Procedure
• Uh, there is no impact on the state budget.
• This bill does not create any financial obligation for the state or affect the state budget.
• But until I realized that the state of Texas has more than 300 ESDs across the state.

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Transcript Highlights:

• So is it the case that every single housing authority building, state and federal, in Massachusetts,
• That every single housing authority building, state and federal, in Massachusetts, has broadband out
• court in that state.
• court in that state.
• I'm hearing from other centers across the state that they are downsizing, closing buildings, selling

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held its second hearing on a large docket of technology, internet, cybersecurity, broadband, and media bills. Early testimony focused on community media funding legislation, with lawmakers and local access advocates arguing that as cable subscriptions decline and streaming grows, revenue tied to cable franchises no longer supports community television and PEG programming. Supporters said community media remains a key source of local news, government meeting coverage, and civic transparency as newspapers disappear or consolidate. A related bill on cable contract oversight also drew support, with testimony that the Department of Telecommunications and Cable is backlogged and should more actively review municipal-provider agreements and report its workload to the committee. Another major topic was a proposal to create a Massachusetts Innovation Fund for state IT modernization. The Alliance for Digital Innovation backed the bill, saying agencies need flexible upfront capital to replace outdated systems and improve cybersecurity, and pointing to the federal Technology Modernization Fund as a model. The witness noted that funding for the state program still needs to be identified. The committee also heard strong support for a bill requiring free broadband in public housing, with Rep. Emmela Goodwin and MAPC describing internet access as essential for jobs, school, telehealth, and civic participation. They said the digital divide in Massachusetts is driven largely by affordability rather than infrastructure, though questions were raised about costs, wiring, and whether all housing sites already have broadband access available at the curb. A substantial portion of the hearing centered on bills to limit addictive social media feeds for minors. Supporters, including lawmakers, parents, teens, and advocacy groups, argued that algorithmic feeds contribute to addiction, anxiety, body image problems, and other harms, and said the bills would restrict surveillance-based curation and overnight notifications while leaving search and followed accounts available. Opponents, including FIRE, CCIA, and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, argued the bills would require invasive age verification, threaten privacy and cybersecurity, burden adults’ anonymity, and likely face First Amendment challenges. They also warned the measures could disadvantage smaller businesses and may be unconstitutional based on recent court rulings in other states. The committee also heard support for blockchain-related bills creating a commission, a pilot program, and consumer education efforts, with testimony that Massachusetts has the talent but needs a coordinated state strategy. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We now build upon that progress.
• Code section 320301 and located in this state.
• the state of Florida.
• state.
• in the state of Florida, even though that monument is in another state, correct?

Keywords: 999, senate, all