Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 641, by the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, relating to employment contracts.
• House Bill 641 by the Commerce and Human Resources Committee, relating to employment contracts.
• And in that contract it might say that arbitration has to take place under a use of foreign law.
• Or the contract may say that any arbitration needs to take place in a foreign city.
• This bill does not apply to contracts that are already in place.

Summary: The House convened with a quorum, approved the journal, and received committee reports and bill referrals. Among the measures introduced or advanced were bills on restroom access and indecency, assertive community treatment, foreign law in Idaho courts, police dog protections, hospital taxing district petitions, legislative residency requirements, driver education options for parents, and redesigning the agricultural license plate. The House also passed several bills on second or third reading, including HB 652, HB 556, HB 602, HB 654, HB 549, HB 628, and HB 663, sending them to the Senate. HB 556 drew the most debate. Supporters argued the state should raise reimbursement to counties for housing state inmates in county jails because county costs have risen well above current reimbursement levels, counties are overcrowded, and property taxpayers are subsidizing state obligations. Opponents said the fiscal note was too large for the current budget year, though several members still acknowledged the underlying problem. The bill ultimately passed the House 59-10. HB 602, which limits the use of foreign law when it conflicts with Idaho or U.S. constitutional rights, also passed after questions about prior legislation affecting child support enforcement; the sponsor said this bill was narrower and preserved existing law as the guardrail. HB 673, which would require legislative candidates to have lived in their district for 120 days in the preceding year before filing, generated significant concern about retroactivity, fairness, and impacts on military members, missionaries, traveling workers, and others with temporary absences. After debate, the House voted to send it to general orders for further work rather than advancing it immediately. HB 628, concerning parent-taught driver education in urban districts, was defended as expanding parental choice and reducing costs, while opponents raised safety concerns about teaching teens on busy roads without dual brakes or other safeguards; it passed 63-6. The House adjourned after announcements and committee meeting notices.

Transcript Highlights:

• Many instances in the past have led to corruption when you have no-bid contracts.
• But when we double down on less bang for our buck by doing no-bid contracts, that in itself is...
• Thank you. ...bid contracts.
• My question on that particular issue is how are we going to, if we're going to do no-bid contracts, how
• Do they have reporting contracts? What's going on with that?

Committee: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review

Summary: The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee heard two measures: AB 107, a budget bill junior making largely technical changes to the 2023, 2024, and 2025 budget acts, and AB 117, a trailer bill authorizing a $590 million loan structure to support four Bay Area transit agencies through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission using unallocated Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program funds. Finance explained AB 107 included technical fixes such as extending encumbrance periods, updating federal authority, correcting fiscal language, moving $20 million for California travel promotion from Visit California to GoBiz, and adding an APA exemption for implementation of already-approved climate bond programs. AB 117 was described as a cost-neutral regional solution with a 12-year loan term, two years interest-only, and repayment secured through existing state transit funding streams, with oversight by CalSTA, CTC, and MTC to limit impacts on other projects. Members raised concerns about transparency, competitive bidding, and whether APA exemptions and no-bid or emergency processes could reduce oversight, while supporters argued the exemptions were needed to get voter-approved climate and wildfire-related funds out the door. On AB 117, senators questioned whether the loan could become a de facto bailout if a Bay Area sales tax measure fails, whether post-pandemic ridership declines and safety/fare-evasion issues are temporary or structural, and whether the loan could jeopardize TIRCP-funded capital projects such as BART Phase 2. Transit agencies and local representatives testified in support, saying ridership is recovering, the loan is critical to avoid service cuts, and the Bay Area economy depends on transit stability. The committee first passed AB 107 on a 9-4 vote and AB 117 on a 9-4 vote, then held both bills on call. After recess, absent members returned and both measures were lifted from call and passed with 11 votes each. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It prohibits governmental contracts for information technology from foreign sources of concern.
• It prohibits certain contracts relating to critical infrastructure with foreign sources of concern.
• addresses are especially acute when there are no existing guardrails against reliance on vendors, contracts
• Sections 5 and 10 of the bill address contracts of entities that have a foreign country of concern holding
• information and establish reporting mechanisms for contracts related to critical infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• sellers, and crematory contract sellers, and crematory provisions to add specificity and revise and
• Our contract with the Office of Legal Services was terminated, and we had to seek...
• "The only thing I would add is, because it's relatively recent that we have, um, that the contract with
• we have um it's relatively recent that we have um that<00:13:55.279><c> the</c><00:13:56.000><c> contract
• with office of legal that the contract with office of legal services<00:13:57.760><c> was</c><00:13:

Keywords: 0:00– Meeting start/roll call 0:39 – Approval of minutes 1:11 – Council on Postsecondary Education 3:06 - State Board of Elections 5:33 - Office of the Attorney General; Office of Regulatory Relief 7:02 - Board of Examiners of Psychology 16:38 - Energy and Environment Cabinet; Department for Environmental Protection 17:37 - Education and Labor Cabinet - Department of Education 19:14 - Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee met for its January meeting, approved the minutes from the prior meeting, and welcomed the new regulations compiler. The first item was a repealer from the Council on Postsecondary Education, 13 KAR 2:111, which was explained as necessary because Senate Bill 77 from the 2025 session removed the regulatory authority for advanced practice doctoral degree programs at comprehensive universities. No questions were raised, and the repealer moved forward without objection. The subcommittee then reviewed a large package of State Board of Elections regulations with staff-suggested amendments. The package would update definitions and election procedures, require e-poll books to be ready before polls open, change the standard and timeline for removing an election officer, add oversight by a State Board appointee on election days, recognize the Kentucky party, require voter registration records to be added to electronic voter records, require ballots to fit all races and questions on a single sheet, adjust precinct consolidation petition deadlines, and update incorporated forms and identification references. The package was approved without objection. The Office of the Attorney General’s Office of Regulatory Relief also presented multiple regulations with staff amendments, covering funeral planning declarations, cemetery companies, pre-need cemetery merchandise and funeral/burial contract sellers, and crematory contract sellers. These changes were described as adding specificity, streamlining forms and reporting, and bringing the regulations into compliance with KRS Chapter 13A; they were approved without objection. The Board of Examiners of Psychology presented several regulations, including compact rules, grace-period extensions, and significant fee increases for applications, renewals, reinstatements, exam retakes, and reciprocity. Board representatives said the increases were needed because many fees had not been raised since 2002, the board was operating at a deficit, and legal and administrative costs had risen sharply after the termination of state legal services. Members expressed concern about the size of the increases, but the chair said he would not hold the matter up and would raise the issue with the committee of jurisdiction. The subcommittee also approved staff amendments for the Energy and Environment Cabinet’s air quality regulations and the Education and Labor Cabinet’s education regulations, which updated nontraditional instruction procedures, waiver requests, instruction topics, superintendent assessment requirements, and academic standards. The meeting ended with the next meeting scheduled for February 9 at 1 p.m., and the agenda was adjourned without further objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• ONCE WE EXHAUST THAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE WE GO TO PRIVATE AMBULANCE CONTRACTS.
• Guthrie: WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TODAY TO HAVE A CITY CONTRACT WITH A PRIVATE ENTITY.
• WE ARE MANAGING OVER 12,000 ACTIVE CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW.
• THE TOTAL VALUE OF THOSE CONTRACTS IS $22 BILLION SO FDOT EMPLOYEES, PROJECT MANAGERS CONTRACT MANAGERS
• AND ALL THE SUPPORT STAFF ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING 12,000 CONTRACTS WITH A VALUE OF $22 BILLION,

Transcript Highlights:

• So, I sent you the existing contracts that we have with Butler Snow, some of which have expired.
• What I'm asking for is a motion to authorize me to enter into contracts with Butler Snow for the... .
• I move that we continue the contract for both. of Butler Snow and authorize him to negotiate that.
• Commissioner Schmidt moves to extend the contract and authorize the executive director to enter into
• new contracts.

Keywords: Texas Ethics Commission, legislative recommendations, general counsel appointment, foreign lobbying, political contributions, quarterly meetings, public testimony, rule amendments

Summary: The meeting focused on the Texas Ethics Commission's (TEC) evaluation of legislative recommendations and personnel updates, including the appointment of a new general counsel and discussions about upcoming quarterly meetings. Commissioner Schmidt reported on the progress of various bills, including amendments to existing laws, the need for increased regulation on foreign lobbying, and the publication of new rules in the Texas Register. Public testimonies were heard regarding compliance issues and proposed changes in political contribution regulations. The Commission agreed to schedule further review on the legislative items discussed and the proposed rule amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:25.440><c> with</c><00:04:25.680><c> eligible</c> to enter into contracts with eligible to
• enter into contracts with eligible employers<00:04:26.880><c> or</c><00:04:27.199><c> registered</c>
• Allows the department to contract with a third party in accordance with procurement code 103D to assist
• Allows the department to contract 2026.
• Allows the department to contract with<00:27:47.919><c> a</c><00:27:48.080><c> third</c><00:27:48.240

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The conference committees reconvened on April 25, 2025, and worked through a series of measures, mostly public employment cost items, appropriations, workers’ compensation, data sharing, and retirement-related bills. Several bills were briefly held for later action because Finance/FIN-WAM or related release had not yet been received, including SB 382, HB 423, HB 480, HB 214, HB 828, HB 717, HB 1065, and HB 1036, with some of those rolled over to a 2:30 p.m. meeting in Conference Room 16. HB 1424, relating to appropriations, was described as requiring the Director of Finance to report on transfers between position funding and operating expenses; the conferees agreed to a CD1 and voted to pass it. HB 430, relating to internships, was also agreed to in CD1 with technical amendments removing certain appropriation language and was passed after clarification that the funding covered both years and included the Helima program. The committees then moved through a block of public employment cost items. HB 1026, HB 1027, HB 1028, HB 1029, HB 1030, HB 1032, HB 1034, and HB 1035 were each reported as having CD1 agreement and Finance/WAM release, with appropriations tied to various bargaining units and governor’s messages; each was voted out. HB 1036 and HB 1037 were held over due to release issues, while HB 1038 was noted as having CD1 and Finance/WAM release and was passed for bargaining unit 13. HB 1039 was also rolled over for lack of release. Later, SB 336 on defense of state employees was agreed to with technical cleanup and passed as a CD, and SB 1491 on departmental data sharing was amended to add agencies to the state longitudinal data system and require aggregation/anonymization of certain data before being passed as a CD. Additional measures were also resolved. SB 935, relating to government, was amended to reduce the ERS multiplier for judges beginning in 2031, remove sheriff and deputy sheriff language, and require a DHR study on changing vesting from 10 to 5 years; it passed as a CD with no appropriation. SB 1567 required DERT to complete a comprehensive review of classification and compensation systems by October 31, 2026, allowed a third-party contractor, required legislative reports, and included $1.75 million in the budget; it passed as a CD. SB 855, relating to the Hawaii Retirement Savings Act, clarified covered employers, required automatic enrollment unless employees opt out, repealed a fee cap, and added funding for FY26 and FY27; it passed as a CD. SB 743 established a data sharing governance working group within the Office of Enterprise Technology Services and required a legislative report; after a brief recess it was passed as a CD. SB 717 and SB 1065 were both continued to the later 2:30 p.m. meeting because release was still pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• It clarifies that the civil service exemption for personal service contracts for building custodial and
• service exemption for personal the civil service exemption for personal service<00:18:41.360><c> contracts
• c><00:18:41.840><c> for</c><00:18:42.080><c> building</c><00:18:42.559><c> custodial</c> service contracts
• for building custodial service contracts for building custodial and<00:18:43.799><c> grounds</c><00:
• </c><00:18:56.960><c> or</c><00:18:57.280><c> qualified</c> number of contracts or qualified number of

Committee: Senate Labor and Technology

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Labor and Technology Committee heard testimony on several bills, mostly related to workers’ compensation, labor relations, retirement, and employment exemptions. HB 423 would clarify selection of certified rehabilitation providers and require automatic approval of vocational rehabilitation services when likely needed for suitable gainful employment; the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations supported the bill but requested timeline amendments, including advancing the plan within 90 days of the initial evaluation and filing it with the employer, employee, and director within two days. HB 480 would let an attending physician request a functional capacity exam without employer permission and deem licensed occupational and physical therapists qualified to perform such exams; it drew support from the department, the Hawaii Insurance Council, and the Hawaii Medical Association. HB 162 would expand the pool of interest arbitrators for collective bargaining disputes by allowing the HLRB to request a list from FMCS as well as the ABA, and testimony from labor groups supported that change. HB 164 concerned indebtedness to the state and wage deductions; HGA supported it with comments, while the Department of Accounting and General Services raised concerns about the percentage structure but said it could implement the requested changes. The committee also heard HB 1152, which would permanently exempt three specialized Department of Taxation positions from civil service; the department supported the measure and said the positions are not currently civil service positions. HB 214 would allow certain retirees to work in school resource officer or investigator roles without losing retirement benefits, subject to conditions; ERS expressed concerns about shortening the required separation period from 12 months to 6 months and about uniform administration and cost implications, while the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Education supported the bill, and the Department of Law Enforcement asked to include its investigators as well. HB 874 would amend the Uniform Custodial Trust Act for child performers, requiring trust accounts for minors meeting certain earnings thresholds and making misuse of funds a fiduciary breach; SAG-AFTRA Hawaii, HGEA, the Hawaii State AFL-CIO, and the Hawaii Nurses Association supported it, and members discussed that enforcement would likely need further research, possibly through labor or the film office. HB 159 would cap the civil service exemption for personal service contracts with qualified community rehabilitation programs at $850,000 in the aggregate per private person or entity; United Public Workers, HGEA, and the Hawaii State AFL-CIO supported it. No final votes were taken because the committee lacked quorum. After recessing and reconvening, the chair announced that decision-making on the agenda would be deferred to Wednesday, March 12 at 3:01 p.m. in Room 224.

Transcript Highlights:

• such as bond rating that coverage, safety preservation and maintenance toll revenue management and contract
• quality assurance and program evaluation administering the Transportation Disadvantage Trust Fund contracting
• A lot of these services are outsourced contracted out.
• And when they do contract it out, it will be to an RFP.
• Those include innovating contract agreements, easements, transferring insurance, addressing indemnification

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:13:31.440><c> sorry</c> being a contract sorry being a contract sorry um<00:13:33.839><c> with
• </c> affect contracts already in place there. affect contracts already in place there.
• </c> is they cancel the contract. is they cancel the contract.
• But it's a far cry from the $4,900 that we thought we contracted for.
• But it's a far cry from the $4,900 that we thought we contracted for.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They have contracts with the federal government and support the military.
• For example, if there were a contract to do cleaning services, it could apply there.
• So there are some groups, for example, if you had a contract to do cleaning services.
• It's almost like a... ...choose or the contract.
• Because they all have their own contracts with their own individual insurance person.

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The House Committee on Appropriations met on April 7, 2026, with a quorum present. After housekeeping and announcements, the committee noted several bills were voluntarily deferred, including HB 603, HB 619, HB 763, HB 810, HB 222, HB 490, and HB 981. The committee also recognized a visiting Jack and Jill group before taking up legislation. The committee reported favorably HB 82 on DWI penalties, HB 670 on wood pellet manufacturing, HB 672 on brick manufacturing, HB 773 on state procurement preferences for prison enterprises and nonprofits serving blind, disabled, and veteran workers, HB 145 on extraordinary medical and dental expenses for injured police and firefighters, HB 430 on health insurance coverage for families of Lafayette Parish officers killed in the line of duty, HB 143 on the per diem for housing state inmates in parish jails, HB 874 on adding credentials to LA Wallet, HB 160 on penalties for domestic violence strangulation offenses, HB 445 on moving the STEM Advisory Council to Louisiana Works, and HB 781 on fleet vehicle registration. HB 82, HB 670, and HB 773 were amended before passage; HB 430 also received amendments narrowing coverage terms and age limits. Most of the discussion centered on fiscal impact and policy scope. Members questioned whether several bills created new costs or unfunded mandates, and sponsors repeatedly emphasized zero or already-budgeted fiscal notes. HB 773 drew the most debate, with members raising concerns about competition, preferential treatment, and the shift from a 15% cap to fair market value; the sponsor said the bill was intended to give blind, disabled, and veteran-serving nonprofits a fair chance to compete. HB 145 prompted questions from the Louisiana Municipal Association about exposure and whether the benefit should already be covered by workers’ compensation, while HB 430 was narrowed to Lafayette Parish after concerns about statewide costs. The meeting ended with all remaining bills reported favorably and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Even some of the instructors are embedded in the research and development contracts that we get.
• </c><00:21:06.480><c> Some</c> development contracts that we get.
• Some development contracts that we get.
• </c><00:21:39.280><c> a</c><00:21:39.600><c> variety</c><00:21:39.919><c> of</c> contracting work for
• . a variety of contracting work for. a variety of different<00:21:40.480><c> agencies,</c><00:21:41.200

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education met to hear from Morehead State University President Jay Morgan, who outlined the university’s budget and capital priorities. He described Morehead as a Kentucky-serving, largely low-income student institution with an aging campus, and said the university’s long-term plan is to renovate existing facilities, decommission older buildings, and replace outdated space with more efficient construction. He thanked the General Assembly for prior support, especially asset preservation funding, fire and tornado insurance premium support, and a prior university inflationary adjustment. On the operating side, Morgan asked that insurance premium support continue, that the earlier inflationary adjustment roll forward, and that the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education’s request for a minimum distribution in the performance funding formula be supported. He noted Morehead has received little or no performance funding in recent years and said that if no additional formula funds are added, the university would prefer a line-item appropriation. On the capital side, he requested continued asset preservation funding and outlined several construction priorities: a new applied science building, a new agriculture science building, a new space science technology building, and a cost-share replacement for the aging Maze Hall residence hall, with the state covering $10 million of a $20 million project and Morehead matching the rest. Morgan also discussed the Craft Academy, saying the current appropriation supports 200 students and that the university would like to increase the line item to expand enrollment by about 20 students. In response to questions from Chairman Tipton, he said Morehead had previously explored but ultimately rejected a public-private partnership model for housing, preferring to own and control its residence halls to keep housing costs manageable for students. He also explained that the land surveying courses in the applied science proposal are a popular part of related programs and that Morehead’s space science program is a major research-and-contracts-driven operation with about 250 students, federal and private research ties, and graduates working both in Kentucky and elsewhere. The committee then approved the prior meeting minutes and discussed that upcoming postsecondary budget meetings would continue over the next several weeks to gather input on the new budget process.

Transcript Highlights:

• Part of their contract between HPD and the City of Houston is to get protections to officers when the
• Part of their contract between HPD and the City of Houston is to get protections to officers when the
• In Harris County, because HPOU has a contract, they have an attorney within HPD who, any time one of
• And we do have a contract. We have a meet-and-confer.
• Our contract can only supersede Chapter 143 of the Local Government Code.

Bills: SB7 , SB14

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: gender designation, civil penalties, private civil rights, multiple-occupancy spaces, Texas Women's Privacy Act, law enforcement, confidentiality, personnel files, employee records, misconduct

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs took up Senate Bill 14, which would create a confidential department file for law enforcement officers and jailers and limit public access to records involving unsubstantiated misconduct, while preserving access for hiring agencies, TCOLE, and certain criminal justice uses. TCOLE’s Gretchen Grigsby explained the current rollout of law enforcement recordkeeping reforms, including the distinction between the public personnel file and the confidential G-file, and answered questions about when TCOLE would request files during investigations. Senator Perry and other members focused on how the bill would interact with existing personnel-file rules, public transparency, and criminal discovery obligations. Public testimony was largely opposed. Critics argued the bill was drafted too broadly, could sweep in records beyond misconduct files, and would reduce transparency for the public, journalists, oversight bodies, and families seeking answers in cases such as Uvalde and jail deaths in Tarrant County. Several witnesses said the bill could allow small or single-officer agencies, including elected constables, to shield their own records, and some warned it could chill reporting and oversight. Supporters, including law enforcement representatives, said the bill would protect officers from false or unsubstantiated allegations, align agencies without civil-service protections with those that already have G-files, and preserve confidentiality for records that should not be public. Dallas County prosecutors and Harris County deputies supported the general policy but asked for clarifying amendments, especially to separate language they said could affect the Michael Morton Act and to preserve existing protections through in-camera review or protective orders. Committee members spent significant time questioning witnesses about how substantiated versus unsubstantiated allegations would be handled, whether body camera footage and case files would remain public, and how the bill would affect discovery in criminal cases. After hearing all registered witnesses, the chair closed public testimony. Senate Bill 14 was left pending, and the committee recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• It keeps those companies from creating a contract like a cell phone contract, where even if you leave
• It keeps those companies from creating a contract like a cell phone contract, where even if you leave
• Johnson used a great analogy to cell phone contracts, I will move adoption of the A10 amendment.
• It keeps those companies from creating a contract like a cell phone contract, where even if you leave
• Johnson used a great analogy to cell phone contracts, I will move adoption of the A10 amendment.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• And when factoring in hidden costs such as lawsuits, oversight, contract inefficiencies, private prisons
• In a privately owned, operated and managed facility and future contracting with private vendors, while
• We're the only private entity contracted with the TDCJ to operate these facilities.
• Today, we manage 30 contracts.
• It's basically by contract if we have to meet the department's training requirements as well as their

Bills: HB153

Committee: House Corrections

Transcript Highlights:

• And when factoring in hidden costs such as lawsuits, oversight, and contracting deficiencies, private
• To operate and manage facilities and future contracting with private vendors.
• We're the only private entity contracted with the TDCJ to operate these facilities.
• Today we manage 30 contracts with 42 years of experience in corrections, including 17 years.
• House Bill 1410 seeks to prohibit TDCJ from contracting with private vendors for inmate confinement.

Bills: HB153 , HB1410 , HB1461 , HB1760 , HB1762 , HB3261 , HB3773 , HB153

Committee: House Corrections

Keywords: education, funding, student resources, technology access, equal opportunity, veterans treatment court, mental health, criminal justice, rehabilitation, eligibility criteria, veterans, treatment court, military service, legislation, private prisons, inmate confinement, criminal justice reform, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, government contracts, inmate housing

Transcript Highlights:

• In private schools, we're in contracting; we'll begin deployments in July.
• So you currently have contracts with some of the private schools? We're drafting with them.
• Are you anticipating having contracts with each school district or a master contract with the state?
• Are you anticipating having contracts with each school district or a master contract with the state?
• I mean, if you get a whole bunch of contracts, how many pilots do you actually need?

Committee: Senate Education K-16

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met with a quorum and announced a full agenda, including combined public testimony for two bills related to student personal communication devices. The committee first took up Senate Bill 1262 by Senator Nichols, a school safety cleanup bill following House Bill 3. The bill would allow TEA to commission peace officers for school safety purposes, require annual renewal of good-cause exceptions to armed guard requirements, create a new report based on intruder detection audits and vulnerability assessments, and require behavioral threat assessment teams to include someone with specific knowledge of a special education student’s disability. Committee members asked about the difference between TCOLE licensing and TEA commissioning, the scope of the officers’ authority, and how the good-cause exception would work. The committee substitute was adopted, and public testimony included support from school safety and drone-response advocates, Disability Rights Texas in favor of the special education provisions, and a student witness raising concerns about the mental health impact of repeated lockdowns and the need for immediate, reliable school safety responses. The bill was left pending after testimony, then the committee briefly recessed and later reopened testimony to hear the student witness. The committee then laid out Senate Bill 2252 by Senator Creighton, a major early literacy and numeracy bill for kindergarten through third grade. Creighton said the bill builds on prior literacy efforts by funding teacher stipends for literacy and math academies, providing free and clearly administered screeners and assessments, expanding screening options, clarifying how results are used, supporting high-quality pre-K, and increasing the early education allotment. He emphasized low reading performance and the need for early intervention. Members discussed how the bill differs from earlier academy models and whether the assessments are diagnostic or high-stakes; Creighton and witnesses said the tools are intended to identify students needing support, not to serve as punitive testing. The committee adopted the substitute. Witnesses for SB 2252 largely supported the bill. A Uplift Education representative described strong gains from small-group literacy tutoring and said students receiving targeted support can make more than a year of growth in a year. An education specialist explained that the bill aligns general education screening with existing dyslexia and special education practices and helps districts identify students who need intervention before a disability evaluation is required. A Commit Partnership witness cited statewide reading data, the importance of high-quality pre-K, and the need for transparent, consistent progress monitoring and parent engagement. Members asked about the meaning of the growth data, how dyslexia screening works, and how the bill would help identify struggling students earlier. Before finishing all questions, the committee recessed subject to the call of the chair after the floor session.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when they're released, they sign a contract with the Board of Pardons and Paroles where all offenders
• We've been contracted here, uh, with TDCJ to operate correctional facilities since 1995.
• Of the current seven contracts, 3 of them are set to expire in August 31st of 2025.
• The remaining four are in year two of two-year base contracts with 31-year options available.
• We have full-time contract monitors on each of those facilities that we operate for TDCJ.

Committee: House Corrections

Transcript Highlights:

• This contract has been signed, so we're hopeful that it continues.
• </c> under way right now we are this contract under way right now we are this contract has<00:59:07.039
• He said those service contracts could be an EQIP contract or a CRP contract, and those people who actually
• worked on the contracts to give landowners money are no longer there.
• </c> contracts could be an equip contract contracts could be an equip contract could<01:35:00.679><c>

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• They must go through a certification process, and they operate under a master contract with the LEA,
• And they operate under a master contract with the LEA of which the student resides.
• with whoever their construction contracted agency is.
• with whoever their construction contracted agency is.
• Contracted employees work closely with students.

Committee: House Education

Keywords: 988, house, all