Transcript Highlights:

• Well, there's a recent case that I think was in Houston where both parties wanted a court reporter.
• Bresnan did a pretty good encapsulation of that based on the Houston issue.
• bill proposes one additional judge for Dallas, that's the 1st Division, and one additional judge for Houston

Bills: SB1538, SB2883, HB1734, HB2340, HB2350, HB3376

Keywords: digital court reporting, court reporting, court reporter, electronic recording, audio recording, video recording, transcription, verbatim record, judicial administration, Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial System, courts, depositions, grand jury, referee, court commissioner, court technology, courtroom technology, access to justice, accuracy

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Trey Reichert, and I serve as the senior vice president of Houston Land Development Operations
• The majority of our communities are located in the Houston region.
• construction, are there delays that happen at times so that 18 to 24 may be extend based on, you know, Houston

Transcript Highlights:

• history and culture, and she was best known for her work in the Independent Heights neighborhood of Houston
• Good morning, we have some awesome college students here today. rise we have Houston Tillotson and the
• AB 1532 by Cunningham relating to the creation of the lake Houston dredging and maintenance district

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The 9 nursing homes that we have currently are Amarillo, Big Spring, Bonham, El Paso, Floresville, Houston
• That goes from the far end of the scale with Houston at 2.3 million down to our smallest city, which
• We, along with our sister organizations in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio, are the leading

Transcript Highlights:

• that we have currently includes locations in Amarillo, Big Spring, Bonham, El Paso, Floorsville, Houston
• That goes from the far end of the scale, with Houston at 2.3 million, down to our smallest city, which
• Along with our sister organizations in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio, we are the leading

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• send somebody out into the street in your neighborhood and they stab somebody, which has happened in Houston
• Let me tell you the story of Josue Flores, who lived in Houston and he was walking home in the middle
• I'm the Outreach and Care Coordinator at a drug and alcohol treatment facility in Houston, Texas, Santa
• Thompson, I'm from Houston. Where is that hospital located? We have two.
• Cynthia Humphrey, Joshua Houston. Joshua Huston, I'm going to show Joshua Huston.

Bills: HB551, HB 1281, HB1378, HB1617, HB2868, HB2881, HB3374, HB4439, HB4726, HB4732, HB4878, HB4914, HB4921, HB4958, HB5200, HB5318, HB5360, HB5402, HB5568, HB5573, HB5623, HJR218

Keywords: political contributions, address privacy, Texas Ethics Commission, election transparency, campaign finance, international organizations, World Health Organization, jurisdiction, state law, enforcement, United Nations, World Economic Forum, attorney general, Texas attorney general, state sovereignty, legal enforcement, Texas Attorney General, electric energy storage, municipal regulation, county regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the father of Lucy Dillon from Houston, Texas.
• Teresa's Church and School Communities in Houston, the SBMSA and Post Oak families, and all the close
• Chloe was from Houston.
• I am from Houston, and I know what it means to live at home. in the floodplain.
• As I tell many people, it's not a question of if a Category 5 hurricane will hit Houston; it's just a

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• University of location and producing for Harris County by the number of constables in Houston.
• You'd have thousands of cases in Houston.
• I know that there was a situation, well, many in Houston and when I heard you were going to have a squatters
• Folks traveled here from Houston and nearby.
• Communities including East Aldine, 5th Ward, Cashmere Gardens, Pleasantville, Southeast Houston, Galena

Keywords: legislation, Senate Joint Resolution 40, Senate Bill 871, constitutional amendment, emergency powers, governor authority, legislative oversight

Summary: The meeting focused on several crucial pieces of legislation, notably Senate Joint Resolution 40, which proposed a constitutional amendment to clarify the powers of the governor, the legislature, and the Supreme Court during emergencies. Senator Birdwell presented the resolution, emphasizing the need for legislative involvement during prolonged crises. It garnered broad support, passing with 29 votes in favor and only 1 against. Following this, Senate Bill 871, considered the enabling legislation, was also moved for discussion, with the aim of reinforcing the legislature's authority during emergencies while establishing clear guidelines for the governor's powers.

Transcript Highlights:

• a professor at Texas A&M University, Zendong Chang, back in 2020, who was. arrested by the FBI in Houston
• Chandler, Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center with 34. proud years of experience
• Today I am an associate Professor of English at the University of Houston and teach American literature
• We don't have term. limits at the University of Houston.
• Steve Houston. I strongly oppose SB 37 on behalf of our organization and myself.

Bills: SB37, SB1489, SB452, SB724, SB1067, SB1741, SB1273

Keywords: higher education, curriculum review, governing board, faculty council, ombudsman, faculty governance, decision-making, transparency, public meetings, department head, employment approval, public institutions, institutional oversight, education, funding, accountability, state budget, school performance, employment, Texas legislation

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:13:52.519> and station later becoming Union Houston and station later becoming Union Houston
• This includes the firefighters from Houston Fire Department, as well as N.M.
• This includes the firefighters from Houston Fire Department, as well as N.M.
• This includes the firefighters from Houston Fire Department, as well as N.M.
• Speaker, and I yield back. firefighters from Houston fire firefighters from Houston fire department<02

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Thursday, January 16, 2025, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Fleming, United Steelworkers' process safety representative, and Catherine Houston with USW, available
• Catherine Dyer, Houston, United Steelworkers District 12, in support.
• Catherine Dyer, Houston, United Steelworkers District 12, in support.

Summary: The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee heard and advanced several bills focused on worker protections, training access, wage enforcement, outreach, and workplace safety. SB 513 would require employees to have access to their training and certification records; supporters, including laid-off refinery workers and labor organizations, said employers sometimes withhold records during layoffs, while committee members called the practice unacceptable. The bill passed 5-0 and was re-referred to Appropriations. SB 809 addressed misclassification of construction truck owner-drivers by offering employers amnesty if they reclassify workers as employees and adopt a two-check payment system; labor and construction trades groups supported it, and it passed 5-0 to Judiciary. SB 578 would codify the California Workplace Outreach Program, which funds trusted community organizations to educate workers about their rights. Supporters described the program as a proven way to reach low-wage, immigrant, and hard-to-reach workers, especially amid wage theft, retaliation, and immigration enforcement concerns. The bill passed 5-0 to Appropriations. SB 261 would strengthen collection of wage theft judgments by creating a public list of nonpaying employers and adding penalties after six months of nonpayment; county enforcement officials and labor advocates said it would help workers recover unpaid wages. It passed 6-0 to Judiciary. The committee also approved SB 369, which would require skilled and trained workforce standards for Salton Sea restoration projects, with supporters saying the work is hazardous and should use trained labor; it passed 6-0 to Appropriations. Finally, SB 20 sought to address silicosis in stone countertop fabrication by requiring training and certification protections for workers; supporters said the disease has caused deaths among mostly Latino workers, while industry groups supported the bill with amendments and requested implementation resources. It passed 6-0 to Appropriations. The committee also adopted a consent calendar of four additional bills and adjourned after all listed measures were moved forward.

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, there's a recent case that I think was in Houston where both, both parties wanted, um, a, you know
• Bresnan did a pretty good encapsulation of that based on the Houston issue.
• The bill proposes one additional judge for Dallas, the First Division, one additional judge for Houston

Transcript Highlights:

• I see the porch where Sam Houston gave his speech encouraging us not to join the Confederacy.
• Being from Houston, Galveston is our neighbor, and I am very appreciative of you bringing this to our
• we have a lot of people in Texas who are now becoming Texans by choice and not by chance, as Sam Houston

Bills: HB1397, HB1886, HB3088, HB4187, HB4229, HB4230, HB5032, HCR6, HCR34, HCR50, HCR55, HCR58, HCR70, HCR71, HCR72, HCR74, HCR75, HCR80, HCR86, HCR93, HCR100, HCR107, HCR116, HCR117, HCR6

Keywords: Texas Constitution, Declaration of Independence, victory or death letter, display, historic preservation, lifeguard requirements, public beaches, municipalities, county regulations, exemptions, Parks and Wildlife, procurement, goods and services, revenue generation, Texas legislature, historical preservation, Texas Historical Commission, fees, nonprofit organizations, fundraising

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm going to introduce and thank Representative Morales for her continued support, all the way from Houston
• My name is Christina Morales, State Representative from Houston, Texas.

Keywords: gun violence, legislation, public safety, firearm access, community advocacy, testimony, survivors

Summary: The committee meeting was dominated by discussions surrounding gun violence legislation and the implications of proposed bills aimed at easing access to firearms. Numerous advocates and survivors of gun violence shared their emotional testimonies, expressing concerns about the safety of children and communities in the aftermath of tragic incidents. Notable speakers included representatives and community leaders who condemned the proposals that would allow younger individuals to obtain handguns and reduce restrictions on firearm carry in schools. The meeting concluded with a rallying call for lawmakers to prioritize public safety over the interests of gun lobbying groups.

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll be moving into Marengo County and Wilcox County this year, as well as down to Houston. this year
• , as well as down to Houston County.

Bills: HB269, HB73

Keywords: firearm regulation, trigger activator, civil penalties, Jefferson County, law enforcement, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's close enough to Houston that the employee issue is not a big deal. So there is thought.
• I am from Houston. I was a state district judge in Harris County for about 13 years.
• My name is Alexis Villarreal, and I am testifying on behalf of Mental Health America of Greater Houston
• I'm the director of victim services for Crime Stoppers of Houston.
• Director of Victim Services for Crime Stoppers of Houston.

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm familiar with 342s in Houston, which is the firefighting union, and I actually have a—I wouldn't
• I direct the first mobile stroke unit in the United States, which is in Houston.
• No, no, there are only about two in Texas: ours in Houston and one in El Paso.
• Like Houston, they did not know how to put in a speculum.
• In an urban place like Houston, where we have the medical center, yes, that myself and Rep.

Bills: HB35, HB4490, HB4454, HB2188, HB3078, HB4743, HB2556, HB46, HB5342, HB4783, HB3785, HB5278, HB1639, HB2581, HB4224, HB4070, HB4099, HB4882, HB3794, HB46

Keywords: peer support, first responders, mental health, confidentiality, emergency services, disclosure, next of kin, public information, deceased persons, privacy rights, patient solicitation, marketing practices, healthcare regulation, task force, deceptive advertising, nurse aide, certification, Texas Board of Nursing, healthcare workforce, nursing standards

Transcript Highlights:

• Representing the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, and you are testifying neutral
• It's making our medical communities, whether it's in Dallas or Houston or the Valley or other places,
• Alzheimer's Association and you are, you're testifying on behalf half of Alzheimer's Association, Houston
• Albert Albinum, the CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, Houston and Southeast Texas Chapter.
• I went to University of Houston, but regardless of who's been. and doing research on whatever, one of

Bills: HB5, HJR3, HB155, HB513, HB5, HB155

Keywords: dementia, research, health care, Texas Institute, grants, medical breakthroughs, oversight, prevention, funding, healthcare, Texas, autopsy, confidentiality, public records, medical examiner, law enforcement, HB 513, surgical smoke, surgical plume, smoke evacuation

Transcript Highlights:

• Freeman is a constituent of mine, although she's a native of Houston.
• DeAngelo Coulter, who is a graduate student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the University of Houston
• And this was really, crime victims in Houston really worked on this issue, and it's a great addition
• and was stabbed to death and left like a piece of meat in the heat in the Walgreens parking lot in Houston

Summary: The Senate opened with an invocation by Senator West, approved the previous day’s journal, and then adopted several recognitions, including Senate Resolution 625 honoring the McLennan Community College Dance Team for winning two 2025 National Dance Alliance national titles. The chamber also recognized University of Texas Rio Grande Valley interns, the doctor of the day, and the San Antonio Coalition for Veterans and Families. The governor’s withdrawal of a Texas Lottery Commission nomination was received and the nomination was returned, and the Senate appointed numerous conference committees on pending bills. The body then took up and passed several measures, often by suspending the rules and the constitutional three-day rule. Senate Bill 4 and Senate Bill 23 were concurred in House amendments as part of property tax relief, with supporters emphasizing homeowner savings. House Bill 20 creating the Applied Sciences Pathway Program passed after a floor amendment and was described as a way to expand career and technical education and help students earn industry certificates in high-demand trades. House Bill 2594 passed to expand venue options for prosecuting certain theft and cybercrime cases, and House Concurrent Resolution 167 was adopted to correct a typo in House Bill 1314. The Senate also concurred in House amendments to Senate Bill 9, Senate Bill 40, Senate Joint Resolution 5, and Senate Bill 6. SB 9 and SJR 5 were presented as major bail-reform measures, with supporters saying they would strengthen public safety, clarify appeal procedures, and give judges and prosecutors more tools in serious cases; the debate included questions about records, counsel, and the standards for denying bail. SB 40 dealt with nonprofit bail-bond funding, and SB 6 addressed electricity and data-center growth. The chamber also passed House Bill 423 on digital asset service provider reporting and auditing, with amendments adding protections for cryptocurrency kiosks and a technical correction. Additional bills passed included House Bill 4690 on motor fuel standards, House Bill 1094 on transportation protection agreements, Committee Substitute for House Bill 2731 on roadside vendors and solicitors in certain border counties, Committee Substitute for House Bill 127 on protecting higher education from foreign adversaries and trade secret theft, and House Bill 549 on airway clearance devices at public school campuses. The Senate granted or requested conference committees on a long list of other measures, including HB 4, HB 145, HB 493, HB 2974, HB 3071, HB 3372, HB 3556, and multiple Senate bills. The session ended with adjournment until the following Friday morning.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Josie School of Vocational Education was established within Sam Houston State University in 1947
• To address the critical workforce needs of today, Sam Houston State University seeks to answer the state's
• In developing the three initial programs, Sam Houston State University performed workforce research and
• In developing the three initial programs, Sam Houston State University performed workforce research and

Summary: The committee heard and discussed several higher education and public school bills. Senator Burwell presented SB 1242 to remove an outdated Coordinating Board approval requirement for Texas State Technical College land and facility acquisitions, and SJR 59 to create a constitutionally dedicated endowment for TSTC capital needs; both drew strong support from industry and workforce groups and were left pending. SB 757, by Senator Middleton, would create a debt-to-earnings accountability system for public college programs, with supporters saying it would protect students from low-value degrees and opponents warning it could unfairly penalize programs with long-term value, especially graduate, medical, and public service fields; it was also left pending. SB 1241, by Senator Millington, would expand acceptable college entrance exams beyond the SAT and ACT, including the Classic Learning Test, and was left pending after testimony from CLT, homeschool, and student groups in support. SB 1085, by Senator Blanco, would let Sul Ross State University offer lower-division courses at its satellite campuses in the Middle Rio Grande region; it too was left pending. The committee then took up a series of public school and higher education measures, voting several out favorably. SB 605, as substituted, limits commissioner approval of charter school expansion amendments for schools under conservatorship or a management team and was reported favorably 9-0. SB 1871 and SB 1873, both by Senator Perry, were revised to narrow teacher immunity, clarify removal and suspension procedures, require periodic review of in-school suspension placements, and align discipline rules; both substitutes were adopted and reported favorably. SB 1872, SB 1874, SB 762, SB 1962, SB 1750, SB 2252, SB 2253, SB 2365, SB 1924, and SB 37 were also considered, with most reported favorably on party-line or near-unanimous votes. SB 1750 would replace a flat charter school facilities funding cap with an attendance-based formula; SB 2252 and SB 2253 address kindergarten readiness, early literacy/numeracy, and educator preparation; SB 2365 concerns student phone use during instructional time; SB 1924 restores local citation authority for certain school offenses and adds reporting, notice, and completion requirements; and SB 37 would expand state oversight of higher education curriculum, governance, faculty senates, and compliance with state law. Other measures heard included SB 769, which would require a Coordinating Board report on barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education; supporters emphasized the need for better data and accessibility, while witnesses suggested broader reporting on race, disability types, and K-12-to-college transitions. SB 2231 would designate a Free College Application Week in October and was left pending. SB 1878 would modernize the Josie School statute and provide formula funding and aid eligibility for Polytechnic College. SB 1409 would authorize universities to offer self-funded student health benefit plans, with Rice University and Texas 2036 supporting the measure as a way to lower costs and expand coverage. SB 2431 would require universities to give foreign language credit for study abroad programs, SB 2314 would require schools to inform students about opting in or out of record sharing for direct admissions through My Texas Future, and SB 2138 would extend the state’s anti-ESG contracting restrictions to public higher education endowments and governing boards; these later bills were introduced and left pending.