Transcript Highlights:

• say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be open
• we all feel we have the right answers and maybe we do at times, Lord, but keep our hearts and minds open
• to simple truth. ...and maybe we do at times, Lord, but keep our hearts and minds open to simple truths
• And he got some lawyers, and through a legal loophole, he was able to keep his business open after closing
• And again, the primary talk was housing and employment.

Summary: The House convened with 64 members present, approved the previous journal, and received Senate Concurrent Resolutions 117, 118, and 119 for first reading and committee referral. Standing committee reports moved several measures forward, including House Bills 500, 533, 555, 551, and 526, House Joint Resolution 7, and House Joint Memorial 11, while a number of newly introduced bills were read and referred, including bills on environmental cleanup and hazardous waste provisions, property tax administration, emergency response programs in schools, city annexation, IT services, campaign finance, and digital content funding. The main floor debate centered on House Bill 557, which would preempt local ordinances imposing anti-discrimination requirements beyond state law. Supporters argued it would create statewide uniformity, protect religious freedom, and prevent local ordinances from creating litigation or conflicts over business and private-space access. Opponents argued it was an overreach that would weaken local control, ignore the ability of cities to address local concerns, and send a hostile message to LGBTQ residents and businesses. The debate included references to the Sandpoint YMCA situation, the Hitching Post case, and broader arguments about state versus local authority. House Bill 557 passed the House on a roll call vote of 53 ayes, 16 nays, and one absent excused, with the title approved and the bill transmitted to the Senate. The House also unanimously held House Joint Memorial 12 and House Concurrent Resolution 5 on the third reading calendar for one legislative day, then moved to announcements and adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 6, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• , ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and..." "...and the door will be opened
• we all feel we have the right answers and maybe we do at times, Lord, but keep our hearts and minds open
• And maybe we do at times, Lord, but keep our hearts and minds open to simple truths that may be right
• And again, the primary talk was housing and employment.
• to come forward in support of this bill publicly because you're trying to keep your business doors open

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And this experience has led me to start a nonprofit called the Open Homes Initiative.
• The primary reason for this is due to a lack of support and poor experiences with the system itself.
• The floor is now open for public testimony. The chair calls, uh, all four of you. Uh, Rachel.
• The chair lays out as a matter of pending business Senate Bill 1122, the floor is now open for public
• Yes, and I'd be happy to submit a study published last year in GAMA Open Network that shows decreased

Bills: SB 502 , SB 513 , SB 622 , SB 670 , SB 731 , SB 732 , SB 916 , SB 961 , SB 1122

Committee: Senate Health & Human Services

Keywords: SB 502, Texas peace officers, Health and Human Services Commission, HHSC Office of Inspector General, OIG investigators, law enforcement classification, Schedule C, state employee benefits, injury benefits, peace officer status, commissioned officers, state auditor classification, Government Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, human services, health and human services, law enforcement compensation, public employee benefits, Texas state law enforcement, child welfare

Transcript Highlights:

• That’s a primary move.
• Is the author open to amending to... ...my time? Sure.
• And with that, let's open the floor to questions.
• We'll keep the roll open for folks to add on.
• Okay, we'll leave that open. Item 3, SB 978, Perez.

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, open invitation for any legislator who wants to join. Wonderful.
• So it's kind of nice to just have it open to the public.
• They need additional assistance for more open and inclusive access.
• I'll do a few opening remarks and then happy to answer your questions.
• I'll do a few opening remarks and then happy to answer your questions.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Because it says the primary jurisdiction of the agency is limited to offenses involving fraud, abuse,
• </c> human services has primary human services has primary responsibility<00:41:02.800><c> to</c><00:
• </c><00:41:27.200><c> responsibility</c><00:41:28.560><c> on</c><00:41:28.800><c> the</c> the primary
• I think that's why we said that we chose the language of primary responsibility.
• is</c><01:04:41.119><c> on</c><01:04:41.359><c> bad</c> primary their primary focus is on bad primary

Committee: House Ways and Means

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It preserves DHS and DCYF's primary responsibilities as required by federal law and only grants concurrent
• Those are for those agencies that we have not classified as having primary investigative authority.
• </c><00:09:42.880><c> Um</c><00:09:43.519><c> and</c> primary investigative authority.
• Um and primary investigative authority.
• </c> categorized as having primary categorized as having primary investigative<00:10:11.360><c> authority

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Are they located in all the primary campuses? Is one located on every primary campus?
• Open to discussion.
• It's open to discussion.
• It's open to discussion.
• It's open to discussion.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Education Funding Committee’s higher education subcommittee met to discuss HB 443, HB 510, and related issues. The chair explained the subcommittee membership and noted that Representative Luno was absent and replaced by Representative Bricky, with other full committee members allowed to participate in discussion but not final votes. No votes were taken during this meeting, and the chair said final subcommittee recommendations would likely come in the first week of November. On HB 443, which concerns terms of appointment to the Higher Education Commission, the chair described the bill as intended to let the governor replace members who are not attending or no longer representing the appointing organization. He said the prior governor supported the idea, but the current governor’s office believes the bill is unnecessary because nonattendance or loss of representation would already amount to resignation or removal. Members raised questions about legal authority and whether the same principle should apply to other boards. The chair said he was leaning toward finding the bill not needed, but would continue discussion later. The committee then spent most of the meeting on HB 510, which would establish due process rights for students, student organizations, and faculty at public higher education institutions and address collective bargaining issues. Supporters, including Representatives Papovich and Brown, argued the bill would provide clear, minimum protections, especially because campus rules are lengthy and vary by institution; Brown also suggested adding an independent ombudsman or representation for students. Opponents, including Representatives Burton and Bricky, said existing campus regulations already provide due process and that the bill could interfere with campus governance and collective bargaining. The chair and others discussed whether the bill’s definitions should be aligned with existing law to avoid confusion, and several members suggested using existing statutory definitions or cross-references. The chair also said the bill would apply only when disciplinary action is involved, not as a general challenge to DEI policies, though members referenced recent national examples involving DEI-related disputes as context.

Transcript Highlights:

• Seeing none, open the roll. Representative Woolley, I don't...
• Seeing none, open the roll. Vice Chair has a mic vote aye.
• Seeing none, open the roll. Vice Chair Hasenbeck votes aye.
• It opens us up to potential litigation, which is going to cost us money.
• I would ask, we'll open the roll. Vice Chair Hesembeck votes aye.

Summary: The A&B Subcommittee on Education heard and advanced several bills, beginning with HB 4491, which would allow virtual charter, charter, and homeschool students to participate in extracurricular activities in their resident school district. The sponsor said the bill was intended to expand student opportunity and was still being worked on, especially on eligibility and proximity requirements. Members raised concerns about accreditation, fairness, and potential disruption, but the bill was reported out 8-2. The committee then approved HB 4146, which moves the state-paid maternity benefit for teachers to begin in a teacher’s first year of employment, and HB 4149, which grants up to 10 years of service credit for certain prior experience, including out-of-state or out-of-country teaching, active-duty military service, law enforcement, and firefighting. HB 4158 raised the income cap for O-TAG grant eligibility to $80,000, and HB 4159 allowed parents to request dyslexia screening after formative assessments at any time during the year, with notice from the State Department; both passed with little opposition. A more contentious debate surrounded HB 3242, which sought to clarify voluntary religious expression in schools and provide Attorney General guidance and legal protections for districts. Supporters argued it protected First Amendment rights and gave schools guardrails, while opponents warned it could expose schools to litigation, create power imbalances, and blur the line between voluntary student expression and school-sponsored religious activity. After debate, the bill passed 6-4. Finally, HB 3718 was heard to address delays in special education evaluations by starting the 45-school-day timeline from the date of request rather than the date of consent, with the sponsor citing families missing scholarship deadlines because evaluations took too long. Members discussed federal timing rules and district practices, and the bill passed 7-3. The chair closed by noting it was the subcommittee’s final House bill meeting of the session.

Transcript Highlights:

• It says, the legislature finds and declares that the primary purpose of this state system of public schools
• in secondary English language arts communications coursework that incorporates, when appropriate, primary
• The primary concern we heard from the school districts was something that was included in the previous
• These are primary documents.
• And so this legislation is about stating, okay, what are some of the core principles and primary documents

Committee: House Education

Summary: The House Education Committee heard Senate Bill 1336, a late-session education measure centered on civics, American history, and American government instruction in Idaho public schools. The bill’s sponsor and supporters said it is intended to codify and strengthen civics education ahead of America 250 by requiring instruction in core civic virtues, foundational documents, the principles of the U.S. republican form of government, and selected totalitarian ideologies. It also would require secondary students to take two credits each in American history and American government, add related English language arts instruction when appropriate, encourage patriotic curriculum materials, and allow the State Board of Education to grant exemptions to charter schools with unique missions. Dr. Samuel Lair and Greg Wilson of the State Department of Education testified that the bill largely aligns with recently adopted social studies standards and existing civics requirements, and that the language was developed after extensive stakeholder discussions. They emphasized that the bill is meant to provide statutory durability and broad guardrails rather than micromanage local curriculum. Several members raised concerns that the bill’s detailed requirements, especially the long list of documents and the English language arts component, could be too burdensome for schools and difficult to fit into existing high school schedules. Multiple representatives also objected to the charter-school exemption, arguing that alternative and magnet public schools with similarly unique missions should have access to the same relief. After debate, Representative Marmon moved to send Senate Bill 1336 as amended to the floor with a due pass recommendation. The committee then took a roll call vote and the motion passed 8-6. Representatives Nelson, Pickett, Veeley, Matthias, and Galavis voted no, while the bill advanced to the floor.

Transcript Highlights:

• But we're very open to working with the Legislature on this if there's other options. Okay.
• I know we just opened one here in Sacramento, great excitement and all of that, but it's not going to
• So I know I'm open to ways that we can make sure to have that be a position people want to do.
• So I know I'm open to ways that we can make sure to have that be a position people want to do.
• Cal OES stated the primary need for the change.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The time being 10:03, I'm going to open the public hearing on SB 63 and recognize Senator Lang.
• But we can’t be there 24/7, and our boat ramps are open 24/7.
• So, it would be difficult to, open 24/7.
• All right, I'm going to open the public hearing on SB 107 and recognize Senator Lang.
• We do not, as a program, receive any hunting and fishing license sales, which is the primary revenue

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee held a public hearing on SB 63, a bill described by Senator Tim Lang and other supporters as a technical correction to the rooms and meals tax distribution formula. Lang said the bill would clarify that the Division of Travel and Tourism’s 3.15% promotional allocation is taken from gross rooms-and-meals revenue before the 30% municipal reimbursement fund is calculated, which he argued restores the intended 2009/2021 structure and avoids an unintended loss to tourism marketing. Committee members raised questions about whether the bill actually changes section one or instead addresses DRA’s interpretation, and whether the measure could be affected by the budget process or HB 2. Jessica Keeler of Ski New Hampshire testified in strong support, saying the bill would preserve the promotional budget formula that had been in place since 2009 and that the 2019 revision effectively reduced the promotional allocation by placing the municipal share first. She said tourism promotion has helped increase visitation, revenues, and jobs, and warned that without a fix, the joint promotional program and other tourism efforts could be cut in future budgets. She also said the bill would not change the current year’s tourism budget but would matter for future cycles. Mike Summers of the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association also supported SB 63, calling it a correction to the 2021 changes and arguing that state tourism marketing is essential because small businesses cannot reach distant markets on their own. He said the industry has benefited from state promotion, especially after COVID, but is now facing softer occupancy rates, lower Canadian visitation, and financial strain from debt and operating costs. Summers said the industry cannot make up for major tourism budget cuts on its own and urged maintaining or increasing travel and tourism funding. No vote or final action was taken at the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We will be opening that licensing window February 18th.
• We will be opening that licensing window February 18th.
• We will be opening that licensing window February 18th.
• We will be opening that licensing window February 18th.
• </c> directly and so just kind of be uh open directly and so just kind of be uh open to<01:27:00.840>

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It opens the door to lawsuits over what counts as unreasonable restrictions.
• It opens and manufactured housing parks.
• </c> who's had to struggle to find a primary who's had to struggle to find a primary care<02:09:46.320
• Look at what happened when they opened in the southern tier.
• Look at what happened when they opened in the southern tier.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have cars already going at 30, and I understand they see the open road.
• They're going to speed the open road.
• open, they overlook the part of full service.
• in my district, but first time open in my district, but first time open,<00:59:36.720><c> they</c><00
• </c><01:08:25.440><c> vehicle</c> which are focused on our primary vehicle which are focused on our primary

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to testify, and I'm open to any questions you may have.
• </c> opportunity to testify and um I'm open opportunity to testify and um I'm open to<00:34:48.480><c
• Our local CPS understood the situation and never opened a case against us.
• This time the judge ruled that a CPS case should be opened against us.
• This office officially opened in early 2024 to provide direct support to 10,000 foster youth who are

Bills: HF2362 , HF2136 , HF1316 , HF2009 , HF1918 , HF1614

Committee: House Children and Families Finance and Policy

Keywords: youth intervention, funding, mental health, education, community programs, HF1316, child support, new hire reporting, centralized work reporting system, independent contractors, payors, employers, payor of funds, withholding orders, income withholding, child support enforcement, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, gig economy, rideshare drivers, delivery drivers

Transcript Highlights:

• And we're all open to additional questions. Thank you.
• There are two primary programs supported by this funding.
• We'll hold it open and we'll further discuss this. Okay.
• We'll hold it open and we'll further discuss this. Okay.
• We'll hold the issue open. Thank you. Sorry.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, with that, let's open it up to the public. Anybody wishing to speak on issue number two?
• We're certainly open to the conversation about an extension for that program.
• We are also open to receiving requests from staff on agenda topics if there's the desire there.
• All right, opening it up to the public. Mark, the California Housing Partnership.
• Seeing any other comments before we open up public? Nobody coming on issue number 11.

Summary: The Assembly Subcommittee on State Administration held a budget hearing focused heavily on housing, homelessness, and related administrative proposals. HCD reported that California housing production has increased, with 2023 completions up 13% from 2022 and entitlement and construction timelines improving, while members and advocates criticized the Governor’s January budget for zeroing out or sharply reducing several housing programs. Public testimony urged funding for affordable housing production, preservation, youth housing, CalHome, LIHTC, HAP, and related programs, and several speakers argued the state should not pull back after recent progress. A major policy item was trailer bill language to allow HCD to access “excess equity” in existing affordable housing projects and recycle those funds into new or preserved housing. HCD and the LAO said the proposal could unlock tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, but members wanted guardrails and clearer statutory direction to ensure the funds stay within the intended housing purposes. The committee also discussed encampment resolution funding; HCD said the proposal would shift expenditure deadlines to the date of award rather than appropriation, while the LAO raised concerns about limited outcome data and urged the Legislature to use upcoming reporting before deciding on future funding. The hearing also covered HCD trailer bills to consolidate default reserve funds into a centralized continuously appropriated account and to clarify reporting requirements for early rounds of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program. HCD requested funding to implement chaptered legislation, including a new tribal housing program and reporting-related bills, and also sought extensions for certain reappropriations, including Homekey and REAP 2 deadlines. Public commenters and regional agencies supported flexibility for REAP 2 timing and other housing-related adjustments. Finally, the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency presented the Governor’s reorganization proposal to split the current agency into a Housing and Homelessness Agency and a Consumer Protection Agency. The administration said the change would improve focus, efficiency, and coordination, but the LAO and several members questioned whether it would truly save money or improve accountability, especially given the need for new leadership, possible staffing changes, and the fact that the plan had not yet been formally submitted for review. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I’ll say the primary difference really is probation involvement.
• formal probation that are moving forward and those that have not, and their cases, I believe, still open
• You know, we are in the service... people in service, and the initial and primary, what I would describe
• So to get families to open up and to share their experiences with us, to provide not only their stories
• So to get families to open up and to share their experiences with us, to provide not only their stories

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on Proposition 36 and its implementation, with judicial and budget officials describing it as a major shift from misdemeanor to felony processing for repeat drug possession and certain theft offenses. Witnesses explained that the law creates a treatment-mandated felony process that can lead to dismissal if a defendant completes treatment, but also requires evaluations, court monitoring, and potentially long, open-ended supervision. Judicial representatives said the new law is already generating large numbers of filings, creating workload, staffing, courtroom, and facility pressures, and that access to treatment beds, housing, and evaluation capacity is limiting participation. Several speakers emphasized that collaborative courts are effective but are not a perfect fit for Prop. 36 because those programs are typically probation-based and serve different risk/need populations. Court officials from San Bernardino and Orange counties said the impacts vary by county but are severe, with some counties seeing hundreds or more filings in a short period and others moving more slowly to build treatment infrastructure first. They argued that Prop. 36 is effectively an unfunded mandate unless the state provides more resources for judges, staff, facilities, treatment, housing, and supervision. The Legislative Analyst’s Office noted that Prop. 36 will reduce the Proposition 47 savings that fund mental health and substance use treatment grants, but said the near-term reduction is relatively modest and that the full effect will take time to appear because of the way those savings are calculated. Members of the committee repeatedly raised concerns that the state is underfunding the courts and counties needed to carry out the new law. The committee also reviewed the Governor’s proposed trial court operations budget, including a partial restoration of a prior $97 million cut and additional ongoing funding. Judicial branch officials said the restoration helped avoid furloughs, hiring freezes, and service reductions, and supported cybersecurity, technology, staffing, and records management. The LAO recommended that the Legislature seek more detail on how midyear restorations are handled and consider clarifying language for transferring unspent trial court trust fund monies to the General Fund. Finance said the flexibility in the ongoing funding was intentional and would be taken back for consideration. In a separate item, the committee heard testimony on a $6.3 million increase for Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal appointed counsel programs. Judicial officials and appellate project representatives said the system is facing a crisis because indigent appeals have risen sharply while the number of panel attorneys has fallen, leaving many cases waiting months for counsel. They argued the proposed increase would help but is still below what is needed to recruit and retain attorneys and prevent delays that affect criminal, juvenile, and child welfare cases. The committee also discussed the Tracy courthouse project in San Joaquin County, where local officials said reopening a courthouse closed since 2011 is necessary to serve a growing population and relieve overcrowding elsewhere. The LAO and Finance both noted the project is next in line under the facilities plan, though LAO suggested the Legislature could consider whether other facility priorities should come first.

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's time for us to open our eyes and realize we are the real problems.
• And I can guarantee that in your primary.
• I can't say no. primary. This happened because we helped primary.
• That is the existing law that when there is an opening, that opening is appointed and that person fills
• appointed</c> is an opening, that opening is appointed is an opening, that opening is appointed and<

Bills: HB403 , HB399 , HB392 , HB403 , HB399 , HB392

Committee: House Transportation, Utilities and Infrastructure

Keywords: criminal enterprise, database, law enforcement, data privacy, criminal justice, Lamar County, property auction, county commission, online auction, public notice, HB392, Lauderdale County, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, district attorney, chief assistant district attorney, assistant district attorney, assistant district attorneys, prosecutor, prosecutorial compensation, salary supplement