Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to go ahead and call this meeting of the Energy Finance and Policy Committee to order.
• Our first order of business is to approve the minutes from April 3, 2025.
• don't have any other business today, but I do think it's important that we take a minute to thank all of
• On both sides of the aisle, both Republicans and Democrats, the challenge in the refinement of bills

Bills: HF2442

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: climate finance, energy finance, renewable development account, RDA, weatherization, preweatherization, low-income housing, energy efficiency, clean energy, solar incentive, Made in Minnesota, community solar gardens, transportation electrification, electric vehicles, grid-enhancing technologies, microgrid, University of St. Thomas, Public Utilities Commission, Department of Commerce, petroleum tank fund

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to go ahead and call this meeting of the Energy Finance and Policy Committee to order.
• Our first order of business is to approve the minutes from April 3rd, 2025.
• Representative Craft said they had looked at the minutes and moved approval of them, Madam Chair.
• business today, but I do think it's important that we take a minute and just make sure to thank all of
• Uh both Republicans and of the aisle.

Bills: HF2442

Committee: House Energy Finance and Policy

Keywords: climate finance, energy finance, renewable development account, RDA, weatherization, preweatherization, low-income housing, energy efficiency, clean energy, solar incentive, Made in Minnesota, community solar gardens, transportation electrification, electric vehicles, grid-enhancing technologies, microgrid, University of St. Thomas, Public Utilities Commission, Department of Commerce, petroleum tank fund

Transcript Highlights:

• 13 uh different houses of both of of<00:03:14.239><c> a</c><00:03:14.400><c> of</c><00:03:14.640><c>
• outside of Hulett in Senate District One.
• of jobs and millions of dollars of revenue.
• of jobs and millions of dollars of revenue.
• </c> of it, and the statutory definition of of it, and the statutory definition of customer.<00:42:54.079

Bills: HB0108 , HB0039 , HB0091 , HB0070

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: audit, transparency, government reporting, accountability, public access, firearm rights, restoration of rights, criminal justice, felony convictions, Wyoming law, artificial intelligence, social scoring, biometric data, privacy rights, government regulation, foreign censorship, digital innovation, constitutional rights, Wyoming GRANITE Act, extraterritorial laws

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> the</c> or the laws of the jurisdiction of the or the laws of the jurisdiction of the conviction<
• You know, some of those types of things.
• c><00:49:47.440><c> the</c> determine risk of of uh crime in the determine risk of of uh crime in the
• ><c> from</c> hundreds of thousands of illegals from hundreds of thousands of illegals from mental<00
• </c><00:54:53.280><c> bill</c> is outside of the scope of this bill is outside of the scope of this bill

Bills: HB0108 , HB0039 , HB0091 , HB0070

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: audit, transparency, government reporting, accountability, public access, firearm rights, restoration of rights, criminal justice, felony convictions, Wyoming law, artificial intelligence, social scoring, biometric data, privacy rights, government regulation, foreign censorship, digital innovation, constitutional rights, Wyoming GRANITE Act, extraterritorial laws

Transcript Highlights:

• your support of this bill.
• Senate Bill 1812 requires school districts to make the results of benchmark assessments in grades K-3
• So the amendment to the PCS changes the name of the fund to the Education Impact and Innovation Fund.
• of the fund to the education impact and innovation fund the PCF it's the PCS itself will create the
• One of the things that came out of that was, I think, she correctly identified the problem of us naming

Bills: SB1432 , SB1338 , SB1437 , SB1812

Committee: House Education Oversight

Keywords: teacher certification, pilot program, education, state board, alternative pathways, education grants, competitive grants, revolving fund, State Department of Education, State Board of Education, Strong Readers Act, literacy instruction, reading intervention, dyslexia, science of reading, structured literacy, multisensory instruction, school districts, public education funding, education innovation

Transcript Highlights:

• I typically go along with those sorts of things when it's district schools that we sort of collectively
• The members of the previous district boards must continue to serve as the governing board of the newly
• Additionally, the amendment directs the governing boards of each of the previous districts to prepare
• of the school districts seeking to consolidate, and if the combined student count of the districts is
• Fernandez for bringing us up because the the districts do go over both of our districts between Newman

Bills: SB1004 , SB1424 , SB1497 , SB1507 , SB1572 , SB1684 , SB1711 , SB1741 , SB1754 , SB1763 , SB1798 , SCR1012 , SCR1041 , SCR1051

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: sex offender registration, sex offender registry, A.R.S. 13-3821, sexual offenses, public safety, GPS monitoring, electronic monitoring, transient offender, homeless registrant, online identifiers, internet identifiers, sheriff notification, Department of Public Safety, DPS, DNA collection, juvenile adjudication, kidnapping of a minor, unlawful imprisonment of a minor, lifetime registration, community notification

Transcript Highlights:

• out HB Chairman: 1089 by Representative Paul, sponsored by Senator Alvarado relating to the creation of
• Chairman: In lieu of SB 795 by Senator Alvarado.
• Chair lays out as a matter of pending business HB 2970.
• Dean Zafarini moves adoption of the committee substitute. Is there objection?
• The Chair lays out as a matter of pending business HB 206 by Representative Craddick.

Bills: HB206 , HB 1238 , HB2890 , HB2970

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Keywords: pipeline, construction, cash bond, county authority, local government, injection wells, environmental regulation, water quality, site inspection, geoscientist, satellite imagery, interstate compact, liquefied natural gas, energy resources, Gulf Coast, regulatory coordination, HB 2970, Gulf Coast Protection District, Special District Local Laws Code, governor appointment

Summary: The Senate Committee on Natural Resources met with a quorum present and took up several bills, mostly as pending business. HB 1089, creating the Gulf Coast Protection Account to be administered by the General Land Office, was laid out as the House companion to SB 795; Senator Alvarado moved it be reported favorably, and it passed the committee 8-0. The committee also adopted a committee substitute for HB 2970 and then reported it favorably 9-0, despite the motion wording recommending the substitute in lieu of the original bill. HB 2890, HB 1238, and HB 206 were each laid out and reported favorably to the full Senate by 9-0 votes. For each bill reported favorably, members also approved motions to place the bill on the local and uncontested calendar, with no objections. The transcript reflects brief procedural repetition and some garbled audio, but the actions are clear: the committee advanced all measures considered during the meeting without recorded opposition. The chair then announced there was no further business and the committee stood in recess subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• I am familiar with the scoring metrics, and it comes up in my district and in the city of Austin, as
• House Bill 4999 came to me by virtue of a town hall meeting I was having in my district. ...And a lady
• The special district is immediately south of the Cole Ranch development.
• Senate Bill 2145 allows these districts to hold any of their public meetings virtually.
• In your district, or my district, because they're looking at so many millions of people. Thank you.

Bills: HB293 , HB 1173 , HB3753 , HB4999 , HB5696 , SB2145 , HB5689 , HB5690 , HB5694 , HB5698 , HB293

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: HB 293, Texas housing tax credits, low-income housing, affordable housing, private activity bonds, PAB, qualified allocation plan, TDHCA, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, state representative objection, housing development approval, municipal notice, county commissioners court, extraterritorial jurisdiction, LIHTC, bond-financed housing, homelessness, housing services, Texas Department of Housing, municipal programs

Transcript Highlights:

• construction of a pipeline.
• Approximately 178,000 of those jobs were located in the coastal region of Texas.
• for all of us.
• of the application.
• House Bill 2970 is the House version of SB 410, the Gulf Coast Protection District two-way traffic bill

Bills: HB206 , HB 1238 , HB2890 , HB2970

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Keywords: pipeline, construction, cash bond, county authority, local government, injection wells, environmental regulation, water quality, site inspection, geoscientist, satellite imagery, interstate compact, liquefied natural gas, energy resources, Gulf Coast, regulatory coordination, HB 2970, Gulf Coast Protection District, Special District Local Laws Code, governor appointment

Transcript Highlights:

• A state district court does not have jurisdiction to consider the constitutionality of this bill if raised
• victims of these types of violent offenses and victims of these kinds of negligent offenses. by police
• None of those things have been exposed, none of those to the light of day because the Department of Public
• We talked about the large pumpage that's coming out of my district in Lee County and in Burleson County
• Two of the three counties have a groundwater conservation district, but Houston County does not have

Bills: SB 2 , SB 5 , SB 10 , SB 9 , SB 7 , SB 17 , SB 4 , HB17 , HB7 , HB7 , HB15 , HB15 , HB27 , HB1 , HB7 , HB15 , HB18 , SB9 , SB7 , SB17 , SB4 , HB17 , HB27 , HB1 , SB8 , HCR13 , SB2 , SB5 , SB10

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Transcript Highlights:

• passed the following measures: HB7 by Leach, relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of
• abortion-inducing drugs, including the jurisdiction of and effect of certain judgments by courts within
• I'm referring the prohibitions on the manufacturing and provision of abortion-inducing drugs to State
• Bill 15, relating to certain files maintained by a law enforcement agency regarding certain employees of

Bills: SB 2 , SB 5 , SB 10 , SB 9 , SB 7 , SB 17 , SB 4 , HB17 , HB7 , HB7 , HB15 , HB15 , HB27 , HB1 , HB7 , HB15 , HB18 , SB9 , SB7 , SB17 , SB4 , HB17 , HB27 , HB1 , SB8 , HCR13 , SB2 , SB5 , SB10

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Transcript Highlights:

• Members of the quorum are present.
• Men of honor can stand above it.
• The Dean of the Senate moves to dispense with the reading of yesterday's journal.
• Hagenbuch, Paul, Hinojosa of New Oasis, Hinojosa of Hidalgo, Huffman.
• of the nature.

Bills: SB 2 , SB 5 , SB 10 , SB 9 , SB 7 , SB 17 , SB 4 , HB17 , HB7 , HB7 , HB15 , HB15 , HB27 , HB1 , HB7 , HB15 , HB18 , SB9 , SB7 , SB17 , SB4 , HB17 , HB27 , HB1 , SB8 , HCR13 , SB2 , SB5 , SB10

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill allows for the transfer of portions of Reese to Texas Tech and requires the president of Texas
• And authorizes the Walker County Hospital District to lease all or part of its property, including hospital
• States, this final extension of the Emancipation Proclamation is one of the most important acts of our
• All of them.
• meant to provide training and acknowledgment of duties for the Appraisal District Board of Directors

Bills: HB148 , HB334 , HB554 , HB762 , HB1520 , HB1593 , HB3526 , HB3810 , HB5092 , SB2215 , HB2607 , HB148

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: family leave, leave pool, county employee, sick leave, vacation leave, family care, pandemic, guardianship, HB 554, fireworks, Juneteenth, Juneteenth holiday, retail fireworks permit, Texas Occupations Code, Local Government Code, county commissioners court, drought conditions, Texas A&M Forest Service, fire safety, holiday sales

Transcript Highlights:

• The chair lays out Senate Bill 1944 as a matter of pending business.
• I've also been consulting with some of the House Republicans.
• Representative Doss is a matter of pending business.
• Next is the Warner-Walker County Hospital District.
• We have exhausted a lot of our House bills.

Bills: HB148 , HB148 , HB334 , HB554 , HB762 , HB1520 , HB1593 , HB3526 , HB3810 , HB5092 , SB2215 , HB2607

Committee: Senate Local Government

Keywords: HB 148, Texas Education Code, Texas Education Agency, TEA, artificial intelligence, AI, machine learning, automated scoring, constructed response, open-ended answers, student assessments, state testing, standardized tests, public schools, education policy, assessment instruments, school accountability, test scoring, 2026-2027 school year, family leave

Transcript Highlights:

• I think one of the opposition is that it will affect outside of the district, and as you have stated,
• There's, uh, no possibility of like car lots or red light districts going into this district.
• ><c> district</c> it will affect outside of the district it will affect outside of the district and<00
• /c><00:37:31.000><c> making</c> character of the district and making character of the district and making
• </c> of like car lots or red light districts of like car lots or red light districts going<00:37:45.640

Bills: SB2908 , SB2671 , SB3085 , SB2907 , SB2353 , SB2074 , SB2360 , SB2057 , SB3251 , SB2354 , SB3001

Committee: House Economic Development & Technology

Keywords: permit processing, permitting reform, county permits, development permits, building permits, land use, construction delays, housing development, infrastructure development, county workforce, differential pay, salary incentive, performance bonus, recruitment and retention, expedited hiring, vacancy rates, permit backlog, government modernization, county mayor, county council

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several Senate bills, with most measures drawing broad support and a few generating significant opposition or policy questions. SB 2908 SD1 and SB 2671 SD1 were taken up first; both appeared to have majority support, with SB 2908 receiving seven in support, one in opposition, and one comment, and SB 2671 receiving five in support and two comments. SB 3085 SD2, related to film industry operations, drew 11 supporters and no opposition. Georgia Skinner explained that the bill would streamline the approval timeline for productions by reducing delays tied to Land Board review, and she said DLNR supported the effort. Committee members asked about the need for the change and the relationship between the film studio, DLNR, and the approval process. The committee then discussed SB 2907 SD1, which would create an Office of Marine Affairs. Testimony was largely supportive, including from DLNR, HTDC, the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, ocean industry representatives, and others. The governor’s office supported the bill’s intent but objected to placing the office within the Office of the Governor, urging instead that it be housed at HTDC. HTDC said it was willing and excited to take on the work and described ongoing stakeholder engagement. Members asked about the rationale for the placement and the long-term structure of the office. SB 2353 SD2, concerning the Aloha Stadium district and billboard/naming-rights issues, drew strong opposition overall, with four in support, 23 in opposition, and one comment. Andrew Pereira of the Stadium Authority argued the measure could generate revenue to help maintain and operate the stadium and said the district would remain self-contained; he also emphasized that the development would respect the character of the area. The committee then heard SB 2074 SD1, which had five in support and 26 in opposition; only one support testimony from the Carpenters was heard before the discussion moved on. Finally, SB 2360 SD1, an enterprise zones measure, received 14 supportive testimonies and two comments. Testimony focused on updating the program for modern business models, especially e-commerce and direct-to-consumer sales, while committee members questioned whether the program overlaps with higher tax burdens and whether businesses receiving subsidies should be monitored for job retention after graduation from the program.

Bills: HB472 , HB542

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: state employees, meal allowance, per diem, travel expenses, Alabama law, HB542, district attorney, prosecutor, supernumerary district attorney, Employees' Retirement System, ERS, Alabama retirement, public employee retirement, pension, retirement benefits, post-retirement employment, salary cap, dual participation, double dipping, District Attorneys' Plan

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:32:25.760><c> of</c> represent uh the school districts of represent uh the school districts of
• to be the Office of Achievement and Innovation, with a very simple, clear mission to assist districts
• districts of South St.
• districts of South St.
• </c><01:01:42.920><c> Tri</c><01:01:43.319><c> District</c> of an innovation zone is Tri District of

Bills: HF6 , HF52 , HF53

Committee: House Education Finance

Keywords: education, literacy, science of reading, school performance, funding flexibility, innovation zones, equity and inclusion, HF52, New Germany, wastewater treatment, wastewater facility, sewer infrastructure, capital investment, bonding bill, state bonds, Public Facilities Authority, municipal infrastructure, water quality, sanitation, sewage treatment

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, and members of the committee.
• As far as who gets chosen and whatnot, some of that will be left up to the availability of funds and
• instead of the Department of Commerce, and it allows the Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education
• That's the point of this bill.
• That's just kind of a run-of-the-mill happenstance gathering.

Bills: SB710 , SB843 , SB1317 , SB1338 , SB1410 , SB1477 , SB1489 , SB1593 , SB1614 , SB1630 , SB1632 , SB1633 , SB1670 , SB1726 , SB1734 , SB1725 , SB1735 , SB1894 , SB1975 , SB346 , SB2045

Committee: House Education Oversight

Keywords: teacher preparation, teacher education, teacher shortage, teacher workforce, educator pipeline, alternative certification, apprenticeship, residency program, paraprofessional pathway, high school to teacher pathway, nontraditional teacher candidates, Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, TeachForwardOK, higher education, public school districts, workforce development, grant program, technical assistance provider, mastery-based assessment, emergency clause

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to go out of order just a little bit here.
• Chairman, and members of the committee.
• As far as who gets chosen and whatnot, some of that will be left up to the availability of funds and
• instead of the Department of Commerce, and it allows the Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education
• That's just kind of a run-of-the-mill happenstance gathering.

Bills: SB710 , SB843 , SB1317 , SB1338 , SB1410 , SB1477 , SB1489 , SB1593 , SB1614 , SB1630 , SB1632 , SB1633 , SB1670 , SB1726 , SB1734 , SB1725 , SB1735 , SB1894 , SB1975 , SB346 , SB2045

Committee: House Education Oversight

Keywords: teacher preparation, teacher education, teacher shortage, teacher workforce, educator pipeline, alternative certification, apprenticeship, residency program, paraprofessional pathway, high school to teacher pathway, nontraditional teacher candidates, Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, TeachForwardOK, higher education, public school districts, workforce development, grant program, technical assistance provider, mastery-based assessment, emergency clause

Summary: The committee heard and advanced a long series of education-related bills, including measures on school board nepotism rules (SB 843), preserving the Ag in the Classroom program in statute (SB 1410), shifting oversight of technology centers to the State Board of Career and Technology Education (SB 1735), teacher certification and hiring transparency (SB 346), AP exam access (SB 1975), in-state tuition alignment with federal law after a consent judgment (SB 1633), teacher professional development caps (SB 1894), portability of career teacher status between districts (SB 1317), recess requirements and discipline limits (SB 2045), expanding the Teach Forward Program (SB 710), limiting concurrent enrollment to students 21 and under (SB 1477), special education training and parent-record review rights (SB 1489), a teacher induction program for new and emergency-certified teachers (SB 1614), graduate-level teacher training requirements (SB 1726), career assessment test selection and credit transfer authority (SB 1632), OSU-Tulsa governance changes (SB 1593), virtual days for certain high school students not taking the ACT (SB 1630), R&D rebate modernization (SB 1670), AI guardrails in schools (SB 1734), and security fees for student organizations that cannot be based on viewpoint or content (SB 1725). Several bills drew brief questions, especially SB 1633, SB 1489, SB 1477, SB 1614, SB 1726, and SB 1725, but no substantive opposition was recorded beyond a few nay votes on some measures. Most bills were moved by due pass motions and approved by voice or roll-call votes, often unanimously or near-unanimously. Notable recorded opposition included SB 1633 and SB 1725, each passing with a few nays, and SB 1726 passing 7-2. SB 1338 was laid over until Wednesday. The meeting concluded with notice of another committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday at 9 a.m., and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, current law provides that exception for districts with ADM of 400 or fewer.
• The Department of Ag sees it's it's advantages. It's good that it's done for so many years.
• receiving school district approves it.
• That determination belongs to the school district.
• There's a but we will be back next week with a little bit bigger list of bills.

Bills: SB843 , SB1410 , SB1317 , SB1338

Committee: House Common Education

Keywords: school boards, educational governance, conflict of interest, employee relations, Oklahoma statutes, SB1410, Oklahoma agriculture, Ag in the Classroom, agricultural education, K-12 curriculum, teacher incentives, rural schools, urban schools, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, State Department of Education, OSU Cooperative Extension Service, classroom grants, farm education, ag literacy, school outreach