Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 971 equalizes Medicaid reimbursement between independent rural health clinics and provider
• So equalizing these rates through HB 971 would allow independent RHCs like mine to remain viable and
• We are simply asking for fairness and equality in how Medicaid pays for the same essential service.
• So equalizing these rates through HB 971 would allow independent RHCs like mine to remain viable and
• We are simply asking for fairness and equality in how Medicaid pays for the same essential service.

Bills: HB165, HB175, HB198, HB272, HB457, HB488, HB566, HB603, HB763, HB902, HB909, HB971, HB981, HB1066, HB1125, HB1154, HB1231

Keywords: HB165, lottery proceeds, Lottery Proceeds Fund, Veterans Service Grant Fund, constitutional amendment, veterans, military veterans, veterans' benefits, veterans services, family support, state lottery, education funding, Minimum Foundation Program, problem gambling, compulsive gaming, state treasurer, ballot proposition, constitutional referendum, lottery revenue, Louisiana resident veterans

Transcript Highlights:

• Will this essentially be a preemption that also applies to wetland buffers adopted by voters in a referendum
• As part of the analysis, the pre-post, it has to equal.

Transcript Highlights:

• There will not increase their taxes; there won't be a levy or a referendum.
• When it comes to fraud, the amount of money recovered isn't always equal to the amount that was stolen
• There will not be an increase in their taxes, there won't be a levy or a referendum.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• funds for the READ Act first equally funds for the READ Act first equally based<00:45:32.160>
• financial impact of the literacy aid financial impact of the literacy aid formula<00:52:45.400><
• Is it targeted literacy aid?
• Is it targeted literacy aid?
• Is it targeted literacy aid?

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and Maine is distinctive in that municipalities can set their own higher minimums through citizen referendum
• their own higher minimums through set their own higher minimums through citizen<00:25:40.480> referendum
• much<00:27:10.600> food<00:27:10.840> and<00:27:10.960> cash<00:27:11.320> aid
• <00:27:11.560> a calculates how much food and cash aid a calculates how much food and cash
• aid a single<00:27:11.920> parent<00:27:12.240> family<00:27:12.600> would<00:27

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• current casinos, the current five casinos, in terms of the parameters for enacting or passing a referendum
• There is a referendum requirement that is part of that.
• guardrails, including some transparency requirements, also a limitation on how long there was for this referendum
• Right now, in the current version, there would not be a time limit on that referendum.

Keywords: March 14, 2026 - Regular Session Part 4, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Please reject this amendment and replace it with a local referendum in each county that allows that county
• Chris Doolan, you know, some of the small counties, you know, is there a way for us to do a local referendum
• you know, some of the small counties, you know, is there a way for us to do, for, to do a local referendum
• comments here, just to represent, to answer Senator Bernard's question, there's no way to do a local referendum

Summary: The Committee on Ethics and Elections met with a quorum present and temporarily postponed Senator Yarborough’s bill and Senate Bill 1170 at the sponsor’s request. The committee first considered Senate Bill 982 by Senator Bernard, which was amended to remove language the sponsor said had been declared unconstitutional in 2016. As amended, the bill addresses qualifying fee payment issues, allows qualifying fees to be paid by properly executed checks or debit cards linked to a candidate campaign account, creates a private right of action for qualifying challenges limited to candidates, and addresses campaign expenditures by debit card. Mark Heron testified in support, saying the bill would clarify recent qualifying disputes. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported SB 982 favorably. The committee then took up Senate Joint Resolution 536, a proposed constitutional amendment to impose legislative term limits of eight years in the House and eight years in the Senate, with carve-outs for current officeholders and redistricting. An amendment to change the limits to 12 years in each chamber failed on a tie vote. Public testimony was mixed but largely opposed, with speakers from county and small-county groups arguing the proposal was a one-size-fits-all statewide mandate that would override local choice and reduce institutional knowledge. Several members debated whether the eight-year limit was the right number, with some supporting term limits in principle but questioning a lifetime ban on returning to office. The resolution was ultimately reported favorably. The committee also considered Senate Joint Resolution 802, which would place on the 2026 ballot an eight-year term limit for county commissioners and school board members, with school board limits applied retroactively and county commissioner limits prospectively. An amendment to change the limit to 12 years failed. The Florida Association of Counties, a county commissioner, and representatives of the Small County Coalition testified against the measure, arguing that counties should retain local control through county charters and local referenda. Some senators supported the concept of term limits but raised concerns about imposing a uniform statewide rule on counties and school boards. After debate, the joint resolution was reported favorably. At the end of the meeting, senators who had missed votes were allowed to register their positions on SB 982 and SJR 536, and the committee moved to rise.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you said the voters were asked about this and the voters approved a referendum.
• the school buildings because, you're right, we use those for lots of different things. as long as equal
• These bills were critical in safeguarding fairness, safety, opportunity, and equality for all Americans
• students without accurate ID face bureaucratic obstacles that block college enrollment and financial aid
• Blocking access to financial aid, jobs, and housing, while worsening mental health.

Bills: SB29, SB406, SB447, SB875, SB893, SB1033, SB1346, SB1362, SB1539, SCR22, SB 29

Keywords: business organization, internal management, corporate governance, partnerships, liability reduction, birth certificate, biological sex, gender identity, health and safety, sex assignment, SB 875, Texas, independent school district, ISD, school board trustee, superintendent, campus administrator, electioneering, political signs, early voting

Transcript Highlights:

• Outside of our base of operations, we provide mutual aid and critical care ambulance intercepts to neighboring
• emergency response system, we've done so from the ground up with no financial reserves, no built-in state aid
• The school referendum of $35.5 million is currently under consideration and goes to a vote on May 13th

Bills: HF568, HF433, HF1689, HF3135, HF3137, HF3145, HF2887, HF2819, HF2802, HF2664, HF2267, HF799, HF800, HF3049, HF296, HF580, HF1438, HF1237

Keywords: special education, education funding, construction, Minnesota, regional educational programs, HF433, Cloquet Area Fire District, fire station, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, general obligation bonds, public safety, emergency services, fire protection, local infrastructure, Minnesota capital budget, DEED grant, municipal facilities, station construction

Transcript Highlights:

• banned from being placed in municipalities in Miami-Dade County after the passage in 2016 of the referendum
• And this would put them on equal footing with insurance companies and litigation matters for getting

Summary: The Health Professions and Programs Subcommittee met with a quorum and considered several health-related bills. HB 887, reducing medical marijuana registry card fees to $15 for honorably discharged veterans, drew support from veterans’ advocates and cannabis groups as a way to lower a financial barrier to care; it passed 18-0 and was reported favorably. HB 733, a Department of Health bill covering medical marijuana treatment center setbacks, physician certification renewals, low-THC/cannabis definitions, emergency license suspension for certain murder-related arrests, dental loan repayment area definitions, Early Steps policy cleanup, and autism microcredential eligibility, received mixed testimony from cannabis advocates who objected to some marijuana-related changes and zoning impacts; it also passed 18-0. HB 259, removing the $1,500 cap on pre-treatment funds held in trust by chiropractic physicians, was described as a free-market change supported by chiropractic groups and passed 18-0. The committee also approved PCS for HB 1443, creating a statewide Parkinson’s Disease Registry within the existing Parkinson’s Disease Research Institute and adding appointments to the consortium board, with USF support and no opposition; it passed 18-0. HB 1445, the related public records exemption for the registry, adopted an amendment adding the required public necessity statement and sunset date of October 2, 2031, then passed 18-0. HB 1309, which would standardize and speed patient access to medical records and align nursing home timelines with federal requirements, drew opposition from an information systems group concerned about data mining and portal access, while supporters argued it would improve patient access and care coordination; it passed 17-1 and was reported favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• the right question to ask, but do you know what percentage of students at UTT qualify for financial aid
• Lambert, to answer your question, over 60% of the student body are on Pell Grants and on financial aid
• aid, would be adjusted to take into consideration the change in the fee.
• The majority of our students graduate, quite frankly, they take student aid and scholarships, and many
• Last year, we distributed nearly $25 million in financial aid to our students.

Bills: HB42, HB125

Keywords: special prosecutor, state law, criminal justice, accountability, law enforcement, stormwater management, counties, regulation, environment, water quality

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education met to hear several bills and first corrected the minutes from its April 1, 2025 meeting to reflect that a committee substitute for HB 271 had been adopted before the bill was reported favorably. The committee then heard HB 3326, which would help Texas higher education employees, especially adjunct faculty, qualify for federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness by counting classroom hours toward full-time status, requiring institutions to verify employment within 60 days, and requiring annual notice to eligible employees. No witnesses testified against the bill, and it was left pending. Members then heard HB 2853, authorizing UTEP to phase in a student union fee increase to fund demolition and reconstruction of its aging student union. Representative Perez and UTEP student and university witnesses said the current facility is outdated and insufficient for a campus of more than 25,000 students, while some members raised concerns about the size of the fee increase and its impact on low-income students. UTEP representatives said most students receive aid, the fee would be phased in over time, and the project was student-approved; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4066, a one-line bill to abolish the Texas Research Incentive Program after the state cleared its backlog of matching obligations, with the author saying the program was no longer needed in light of newer research funding approaches. The bill was left pending. The committee spent substantial time on HB 125, which would create the Tarleton State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Supporters, including Tarleton leadership, the founding dean, a rural hospital CEO, and a feasibility consultant, argued the school would address severe rural physician shortages by recruiting Texas and rural students, training them in rural settings, and developing new residency slots rather than competing for existing ones. Members asked about affordability, residency placement, and whether the school would draw students from rural Texas; Tarleton said it would seek to keep tuition and debt low, had already raised private donations, and would request $25 million in state support over the biennium. The bill was left pending. Finally, the committee heard HB 42, which would increase the annual Higher Education Fund appropriation and adjust its allocation methodology. The chair and university witnesses described rising deferred maintenance, inflation, cybersecurity needs, and enrollment growth at HEAF-eligible institutions, with witnesses from Texas Tech, Sam Houston State, and UNT saying the additional funding would help address aging facilities and technology needs. After testimony, the committee left HB 42 pending and recessed.

Transcript Highlights:

• was on the official ballot, and similarly the question to rescind the official ballot referendum form
• When um the official<05:51:58.638> ballot<05:51:59.120> referendum<05:52:00.240> form
• <05:52:00.558> of<05:52:00.718> town official ballot referendum form of town official
• ballot referendum form of town government<05:52:02.400> was<05:52:02.798> enacted,<05:
• form of town official ballot referendum form of town meeting<05:52:19.200> is<05:52:19.520>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Municipal and County Government Committee met in executive session on February 17, 2026, to act on a series of bills. Early in the meeting, members agreed that they could consult the online submission summaries rather than have changing submission counts read aloud. The committee then took up House Bill 1386, which would have allowed citizens in a municipality to vote to require a financial audit of a local school district. Members opposing the bill argued that school districts already have audit authority and reporting requirements under existing law, and that the proposal was unnecessary and potentially burdensome. The committee voted 17-0 to recommend the bill inexpedient to legislate, placing it on the consent calendar. The committee next considered House Bill 1181FN on public hearing notice requirements for zoning board of adjustment appeals. Members who opposed the bill said newspaper publication provides independent third-party verification and archival value, and that removing that requirement would weaken public notice. The committee voted 17-0 ITL and sent the bill to the consent calendar. It also voted 17-0 ITL on House Bill 1327, concerning the definition of commercially zoned land, largely because the sponsor was absent and members said they could not do due diligence without hearing from the sponsor. The committee then acted on House Bill 1473FN, concerning the use of agricultural fairground property, and House Bill 1147, concerning the use of capital reserve funds. In both cases, members cited the sponsor’s absence and the need for more information as reasons to recommend inexpedient to legislate; both votes were 17-0 and both bills were placed on the consent calendar. House Bill 1220, which would have allowed municipal governing bodies to review and approve school budgets, was also recommended ITL by a 17-0 vote after members raised concerns about local control, legal conflicts between separate entities, and technical drafting problems. The committee recommended ought to pass on House Bill 118, which raises the amount of money municipal treasurers may hold before depositing it in the bank, with supporters saying the higher threshold would reduce unnecessary trips to the bank and improve efficiency. It also recommended ought to pass on House Bill 1151, a housekeeping bill correcting statutory references related to conservation commission appropriations, and it approved House Bill 1309 as amended after adopting Amendment 2026-0411H to clarify town meeting warrant language. Finally, the committee considered House Bill 1385, prohibiting negative property tax rates in certain municipalities, and recommended ITL by a 17-0 vote after testimony indicated the practice at issue had already ended and that a blanket prohibition could create problems for municipalities with excess revenues. The committee also began work on House Bill 1369, relating to posting warrants for special town meetings, and discussed an amendment to preserve newspaper notice while also allowing website posting where available.

Transcript Highlights:

• 524 by Tepper relating to the review and approval of certain proposed municipal initiatives and referendums
• HB 524 by TEPR relating to the review and approval of certain proposed municipal initiatives and referendums
• HJR 51 by Goodwin proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing a statewide referendum allowing voters
• Tax Appraisals, HDR 51 by Goodwin, proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing a statewide referendum

Summary: The House met for first reading and referral of a large number of bills and joint resolutions, with no substantive debate on the measures themselves. The filings covered a broad range of topics, including agency rulemaking and regulatory deference, occupational licensing reciprocity, business entities, eviction procedures, higher education, public education, health care, elections and voting procedures, criminal justice, property tax and appraisal issues, transportation, agriculture, energy, and local government authority. Several proposals also addressed constitutional amendments on matters such as Medicaid expansion, property tax limits, quorum and special-session rules, voting citizenship proof, parental rights, reproductive autonomy, and state funding allocations. Many of the measures focused on education, public health, and election administration. Examples included bills on financial literacy in schools, school nurses and librarians, student meal debt policies, suicide prevention notices, menstrual products, and community-based learning programs, as well as election-related bills on voter registration, disability access, ballot corrections, political advertising, and voting equipment or procedures. Other notable bills dealt with housing and property issues, including evictions, homestead tax exemptions, and land ownership, along with criminal justice measures involving sentencing, juror challenges, trafficking-related nondisclosure, and firearm reporting or transfer restrictions. The House also referred a set of resolutions to the Local and Consent Calendars Committee. At the end of the proceedings, Mr. Bell moved that the House adjourn until 2:00 p.m. Tuesday in memory of James Edward Cook of Eustace, Texas. There was no objection, and the House adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> So this would be done by a referendum, correct? >> Yeah. So what what there'd be a referendum.
• , this would be done by a referendum, this would be done by a referendum, correct?
• sure that the if there's a referendum sure that the if there's a referendum required<03:51:26.880
• . referendum. referendum.
• <04:27:53.120> that of that went to ballot referendums that of that went to ballot referendums

Keywords: 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• If an individual places their address on an initiative, referendum, a recall petition, or a nominating
• Too long, but eight and eight equals 16. Representative Ista has a question. Thank you, Mr.
• Everybody has equal access to learn more, to engage more.
• And we're also going to build out more on the visual aids that are available.
• And I would offer a motion to continue the program at a stipend equal to the law, in terms of $4,000.

Summary: The Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee met with a quorum, approved the prior minutes, and then took up a draft bill to make legislators’ and candidates’ residential addresses confidential in public records. Legislative Council and the Secretary of State explained the proposal was prompted by security concerns and would protect residential addresses while still allowing election officials to verify residency and keep candidate names and offices public. Members raised concerns about unintended consequences, transparency, and how the change would affect rural districts and residency enforcement. The Secretary of State suggested an amendment to end the confidentiality when a candidate’s term ends, and the committee agreed to hold the bill over for further discussion at the next meeting. The committee also reviewed follow-up materials on legislator security and best practices, including advice on situational awareness, internet hygiene, varying routines, and reporting threats, along with NCSL materials comparing capitol security practices in other states. Members discussed a recent security incident and the need to keep alert contact information current, and staff said they would continue working with the Highway Patrol on legislative-specific notifications. The bulk of the meeting was devoted to Garrity Consulting’s final report on mitigating the effects of legislative term limits. The consultants summarized survey, focus group, and stakeholder input showing concerns about loss of institutional knowledge, leadership turnover, onboarding demands, and workload pressures, while also noting public support for term limits and annual sessions. Recommendations included considering annual sessions or shifting biennial sessions to even-numbered years, restructuring organizational session and interim committee work, creating office hours and more structured orientation and mentorship, expanding ongoing training and staff support, improving public communication and virtual testimony rules, and addressing barriers to service such as employer support and travel costs. Members discussed the tension between making the legislature more effective and preserving a citizen-legislature model, and the report was received as a roadmap for future implementation rather than immediate action.

Transcript Highlights:

• format, the state can improve efficiency, enhance public trust, and ensure that all taxpayers have equal
• Though modest in number, this inclusion symbolizes our equal recognition of Gold Star families. and provides
• This is related to the calculation that the state uses for state aid to local governments that are disproportionately
• We support this bill as it would... potentially increase the aid provided to the county and to other
• The tax exemption will be equal to the less... of $3,000 or one-half of the tax burden of the property

Bills: HB485, HB1367, HB1370, HB1827, HB1879, HB2032, HB2133, HB2357, HB3581, HB3830, HB4060, HB4085, HB4270, HB4979, HB5217, HB5268, HB5478, HJR96, HJR97, HJR119, HJR195, HJR209, SB4, SB23, SJR2, SJR85, SB 4, SB 23, SJR 2

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, access, affordability, public health, emergency services district, sales tax, gas and electricity, residential use, tax exemption, emergency services, gas, electricity, HB 485, ESD, use tax, residential utilities, utility tax, local option tax, Texas Health and Safety Code

Transcript Highlights:

• What I like about this bill is that it applies equally to protect any student impacted by this form of
• This bill provided homeschoolers equal access to UIL activities at the local public school. school in
• We recently brought HB 547 UIL equal access to our local school board.
• HB 775 would open the doors to true equal access. for these Texas children.
• The state accountability system is supposed to be equal.

Bills: HB4, HB54, SB 10, SB 24, HB4, HB54, HB775, HB850, HB 1122, HB 1249, HB1405, HB2336, HB2757, HB3372, HB3622, HB4442, HB4687, HB4893, HB5089, HB5515, HB5606, SB10, SB24, HB1573, HB3369

Keywords: district composition, congressional election, Texas, legislature, voting districts, citizenship, U.S. citizen, non-citizen, public office, advisory board, task force, state government, local government, political subdivision, commission board, appointment eligibility, officeholder qualifications, public service, naturalization, Texas Government Code

Bills: HB4, HB54, HB775, HB850, HB 1122, HB 1249, HB1405, HB2336, HB2757, HB3372, HB3622, HB4442, HB4687, HB4893, HB5089, HB5515, HB5606, SB10, SB24, HB1573, HB3369, HB4, HB54, SB 10, SB 24

Keywords: non-human behaviors, education, Texas schools, policy, regulation, funding, teacher salaries, school districts, state budget, non-enrolled students, University Interscholastic League, participation, eligibility standards, school participation, academic standards, Texas education, interscholastic league, extracurricular activities, academic proficiency, AED

Transcript Highlights:

• I know several of you reached out when we talked and said that we wanted to referendum this bill.
• So the addition to the bill is we added a requirement for a referendum to be placed on the 2026 general
• In Allen, DeKalb, and Subben counties, this referendum will be binding.
• We also push the application deadline back to December 1, 2026, to account for the referendum occurring
• To account for the referendum occurring in November.

Keywords: 964, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Most of the work that we've done is a direct result of the property tax referendum that we have in our
• Most of the work that we've done is a direct result of the property tax referendum that we have in our
• And so we've used funds to do all this work through that property tax referendum.
• Most of the work that we've done is a direct result of the property tax referendum that we have in our
• And so we've used funds to do all this work through that property tax referendum.

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education Pre-K through 12 met to hear a panel discussion on artificial intelligence in K-12 education. Dr. Maya Israel of the University of Florida gave an overview of AI literacy, the benefits of AI for personalized learning and teacher support, and the risks involving data privacy, overreliance, hallucinations, and misuse. She described the Florida K-12 AI Task Force, which published statewide guidance in March and is now providing professional development, case studies, surveys, and resources for teachers and families. She also noted that teacher preparation programs and microcredentials are being developed, but there is not yet a statewide baseline standard for teacher AI training. Superintendents Van Ayers of Hillsborough County and Kevin Hendrick of Pinellas County described district policies and implementation efforts. Hillsborough adopted an AI governance policy, created an implementation guide, and set rules barring generative AI use for students in pre-K through 7th grade while allowing limited, teacher-approved use for older students with district-vetted tools. Pinellas emphasized digital responsibility, parent transparency, data-use agreements, and a governance process for approving tools. Both districts said AI is being used for lesson planning, tutoring, reading-level adjustments, scheduling, and other administrative tasks, but they do not yet have reliable evidence that AI is improving academic performance. They also discussed teacher training, stipends, and certification efforts, including partnerships with universities and vendors such as Microsoft, Google, Magic School, and Gemini. Drew Allen of FSU Inspire offered an industry-focused perspective, arguing that AI is not new but that education must adapt more quickly to industry needs. He described Inspire’s workforce and research mission, its AI and robotics training for teachers, and the need to build teacher comfort and confidence through incentives and applied training. Committee members raised concerns about student dependence on AI, academic integrity, mental health, moral decision-making, data privacy, and whether schools should return to more paper-based testing. The panel generally agreed that AI should be used with strong guardrails, human oversight, and a balance between technology use and traditional learning. No legislation was considered, and the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn, which was adopted without objection.