Transcript Highlights:

• For each fee collected, $1 for non-real property loans and 50 cents for secondary mortgage loans may
• If they had contracted for a loan, they'd be set with that loan payment at $1,000 a month.
• , or small business loans?
• is tied up in those loans?
• loan terms before they enter into a loan agreement with the lender, and to provide fully compliant loan

Bills: HB245 , HB700 , HB2783 , HB3526 , HB3900 , HB4061 , HB4124 , HB4166 , HB4395 , HB4534 , HB4609 , HB4641 , HB4736 , HB4738 , HB4739 , HB4945 , HB5015 , HJR175 , HB245

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: military service, retirement, law enforcement, custodial officer, Employees Retirement System, commercial financing, brokers, registration, disclosures, finance, consumer protection, fees, deferred compensation, automatic participation, county employees, payroll deductions, retirement plans, fiscal transparency, local government, bond issuance

Bills: HF3548

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: farm assistance, down payment, agriculture, state funding, loan modification

Bills: SB1873 , SB1948 , SB540 , SB1653 , SB1061 , SB1534

Committee: House Business

Keywords: roofing, contractor registration, continuing education, endorsement, construction industry, fireworks, consumer safety, local governance, emergency declaration, public safety, dentist, dental hygienist, dentistry, dental hygiene, licensure compact, interstate compact, professional licensing, license portability, health workforce, workforce shortage

Transcript Highlights:

• existing tuition. reimbursement programs and programs providing assistance with the repayment of student loans
• It's just a plan; it does not. actually establish any loans or tuition assistance; it just develops the
• allowing me to lay out Senate Bill 646, which makes some improvements to our mental health professional loan
• During the last biennium, the legislature appropriated million to the loan repayment program, a substantial
• The Act maintains funding for the loan repayment program at the same levels as last year.

Bills: HB2476 , HB2893 , HB4848 , HB5062 , SB37 , SB60 , HB2860 , HB4930 , SB646 , SB 37

Committee: House Higher Education

Keywords: living expenses, higher education, student support, homeless students, financial aid, grant program, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, workforce development, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, competency-based education, baccalaureate degree, cost of attendance, dual credit, computer science, course credit, foreign language requirement, curriculum review, governing board, faculty council

Transcript Highlights:

• and secondary mortgage loans and amount set by the finance code or by the Finance Commission rule for
• and 50 cents for secondary mortgage loans may be deposited with the comptroller for use in carrying
• House Bill 4738 would repeal these administrative fees: the $1 from non-real-property and consumer loans
• This is not a bank that's loaning money and earning interest. This is a literal depository.
• We make 60% of small business loans, 80% of agricultural loans, and any dollar that leaves the banking

Bills: SB524 , SB782 , HB42 , HB 1056 , HB2894 , HB3033 , HB3474 , HB3594 , HB4738 , HB5246 , HB42

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: SB 524, Texas franchise tax, veteran-owned business, new veteran-owned business, business tax exemption, filing fee exemption, Tax Code Chapter 171, Business Organizations Code, Comptroller, small business, veterans, entrepreneurship, tax repeal, privilege tax, beginning date, franchise tax exemption, severance tax, oil, gas, restimulation wells

Summary: The committee heard Senator Flores lay out the committee substitute for HB 2894, which would expand state reimbursement eligibility for local governments disproportionately affected by the disabled veterans homestead exemption. Flores said the bill would add certain municipalities in Bell, Coryell, and Lampasas counties if lost ad valorem tax revenue equals or exceeds 10% of general revenue, while existing recipients would remain under the current 2% threshold. Lampasas and Bell County officials and the City of Killeen testified in support, describing significant revenue losses and urging adequate funding. One witness, Howard Avery, argued any reimbursement should be counted as property tax revenue for voter-approval rate purposes to avoid a windfall. The committee later adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably, with one nay. The committee also heard SB 782, which would create a temporary severance tax exemption for restimulated inactive oil and gas wells, intended to encourage investment in mature wells. The Comptroller explained the revised fiscal note as effectively zero because the wells are currently marginal and not generating meaningful tax revenue, while industry witnesses said the bill could extend well life, support local economies, and reduce orphan-well liabilities. Public testimony was supportive, and the bill was left pending. Members then heard HB 3033, a DPS-related grant program funded by voluntary $3 donations on driver’s license and ID applications to support nonprofits aiding injured or fallen DPS officers and their families, including memorial highway signs. The DPS Officers Association supported the bill, citing existing foundation assistance and the need for a steady funding stream. The committee later reported the bill favorably. The committee also considered SB 524, which would permanently extend the franchise tax and fee exemption for qualifying veteran-owned businesses for their first five years; testimony from a veteran business owner and veterans advocates supported the measure, and the committee adopted the substitute and reported it favorably. Additional measures were laid out and left pending or voted out: HB 3594, a local San Antonio retiree health care fund bill with agreed changes for contributions, spouse benefits, and remarriage rules, was supported by stakeholders and reported favorably; HB 4738 would repeal small administrative fees tied to certain loans and was reported favorably; HB 42 on HEAF funding and HB 5246 on the Texas Space Commission were heard and left pending. The committee also reported HB 3474, a cleanup bill for the Pension Review Board’s investment performance review schedule, and HB 2802, the Austin firefighter retirement fund bill, both favorably. Finally, the committee took up HB 1056, which would allow gold and silver held in the Texas Bullion Depository to function as legal tender through debit-card transactions. Supporters framed it as a way to use hard assets and expand financial options, while bankers and some senators raised major operational, consumer-protection, tax, and constitutional questions; the bill remained under discussion as testimony began.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have some loan reimbursement for some of those positions that are not being fully taken advantage
• Amstep was for STEM teachers, and this one just is loan assistance and.
• This one just is loan assistance and support of educators in Alabama.
• not a part of STEM, but they. ...that are not a part of STEM, but they would then qualify for this loan

Bills: SB166 , HB365 , HB272 , HB232 , HB234 , SB278 , SB277

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: Ten Commandments, public education, displays, funding, Alabama law, STEM, science education, technology education, engineering education, math education, workforce development, career pathways, Alabama STEM Council, Department of Workforce, education policy, higher education, community colleges, K-12 education, teacher pipeline, STEM careers

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates the Autism Education Loan Forgiveness Program, and I'm so excited about this.
• And the program will allow individuals to receive loan forgiveness for up to five annual payments of

Bills: S0206 , S0420 , S0556

Committee: Senate Education Pre-K - 12

Keywords: autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special education, exceptional student education, ESE, teacher preparation, educator certification, micro-credential, loan forgiveness, student loan repayment, teacher stipend, salary supplement, professional development, inclusive education, developmental disabilities, Down syndrome, behavioral disabilities, school district compensation, collective bargaining

Bills: SB5188 , SB6313

Committee: House Capital Budget

Keywords: broadband, infrastructure, loan assistance, economic development, technology access, Capitol Centennial Stewardship, funding, gifts, grants, donations, legislative support

Transcript Highlights:

• and we're going to go to tab 8, which is Senate Bill 7016 on OGSR, administration of small business loan
• economic development agency for the purpose of administering a state- or federally funded small business loan
• economic development agency for the purpose of administering a state or federally funded small business loan
• The release of the protected information could be used by fraudulent Small business loan program.

Bills: S7000 , S7002 , S7004 , S7006 , S7008 , S7012 , S7014 , S7016 , S0350

Committee: Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability

Keywords: public records exemption, open government sunset review, OGSR, emergency shelter, public emergency shelter, storm shelter, catastrophic event, evacuees, disaster response, hurricane, evacuation, privacy, confidential records, address confidentiality, telephone number, Florida Statutes section 252.385, agency records, public records law, Open Government Sunset Review Act, Florida Public Service Commission

Bills: HF2431

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: higher education, college affordability, student aid, state grants, North Star Promise, scholarships, financial aid, Minnesota State, University of Minnesota, Office of Higher Education, tuition relief, work-study, child care grants, hunger-free campus, food insecurity, student parents, pregnant students, parenting students, sexual misconduct, Title IX

Transcript Highlights:

• motor vehicle offered to a buyer who wishes to purchase the vehicle with their own money or through a loan
• paying the ...advertised cash sale price offered at the time of the sale with their own money or with a loan
• the lender chosen by the buyer fails to complete the sale transaction or does not timely finance the loan
• At the time, I worked for a company that sold a hybrid loan with a lower payment option through credit
• We can loan it to you, and we can get you a real good interest rate. He said, really? I said, yes.

Bills: HB12 , HB149 , HB 12 , HB149 , SB229 , SB1361 , SB1749 , SB1897 , SB2113 , SB2566 , SB2677 , SB1652 , SB2327 , SB2344 , SB2696

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: election law, attorney general, prosecution, criminal offenses, law enforcement, jurisdiction, voter fraud, local prosecuting attorney, public safety, communication, governor approval, interoperability, political subdivision, radio systems, artificial intelligence, regulation, biometric data, ethical AI, consumer protection, AI governance

Summary: The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce heard testimony on HB 149, the Artificial Intelligence Governance Act. Senator Schwertner described the bill as an outcomes-based AI framework that would require disclosure when people interact with AI, prohibit manipulative or social-scoring systems, address biometric capture, discrimination, and deepfake child exploitation, and give the Attorney General enforcement authority. It would also create an AI Sandbox and AI Council. Witnesses from the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a Houston attorney, TechNet, and the Texas Association of Business strongly supported the bill, praising its stakeholder process and pro-innovation approach, while Texas Appleseed suggested regulators should have more examination authority over sandbox participants. The bill was left pending. The committee then heard SB 229, which would prohibit motor vehicle dealers from conditioning a sale on dealer-offered financing or charging more because a buyer uses outside financing or cash. Senator West said the bill is meant to stop forced financing and bait-and-switch pricing, and he noted the bill passed the committee and Senate in the prior session. The Texas Automobile Dealers Association opposed the bill, arguing it would force dealers to accept any third-party lender or cash transaction on terms they cannot control. The Texas Credit Union Association supported the bill, saying consumers should be able to choose outside financing without hidden fees or pressure. After questions about cash purchases and dealer practices, the bill was left pending. The committee also took up SB 2566, which would clarify legislators’ access to information from executive agencies, including confidential information, by setting response deadlines, limiting confidentiality agreements to statutory terms, requiring a standard AG form, and creating a complaint and penalty process for noncompliance. No witnesses testified, and the bill was left pending. Finally, SB 1749, as substituted, would let certain court-related employees and judicial conduct commission personnel keep personal information such as home addresses and phone numbers confidential, with work addresses used in place of home addresses for certain purposes. District clerk and judicial conduct commission witnesses described threats and harassment as the reason for the bill, and a court administration witness answered questions about how the address protections would work with voter registration and precinct records. That bill was also left pending, and the committee recessed without further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we also want to make sure that as we're offering loan assistance, our teachers are taking advantage
• So, the loan assistance program is being expanded to try to fulfill the need of other areas across the
• So the loan, just for my information, the loan program pays for them to get the certification.
• They can reimburse what they had if they have federal loan debt. Okay.
• If they have federal loan debt. Okay. Any other questions? Representative Fer. Uh, yeah, Terry.

Bills: HB226 , HB24 , HB309 , HB315 , HB272 , HB24 , HB226 , HB309 , HB315 , HB272

Committee: House Ways and Means Education

Keywords: HB226, homestead exemption, ad valorem tax, property tax, property tax relief, widow, widower, unremarried spouse, surviving spouse, senior exemption, elderly, disabled, permanently and totally disabled, blind taxpayer, deed ownership, principal residence, school tax, county tax, municipal tax, Alabama Department of Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• It also creates the autism educator loan forgiveness program.
• This bill would also create the Autism Educator Loan Forgiveness Program, which would help...
• Equally important is the Autism Educator Loan Forgiveness Program.
• The loan forgiveness program also matters.
• Loan forgiveness must be reliable and easy for students to access.

Bills: S0124 , S0206 , S0420

Committee: Senate Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education

Keywords: Florida Virtual School, FLVS, virtual school, online education, distance learning, K-12 education, public school choice, charter-like franchise, student enrollment priorities, home education, homeschool, military families, active duty military, rural schools, inner-city schools, accelerated graduation, education technology, supplemental funding, direct-support organization, foundation

Transcript Highlights:

• <c> I've</c><01:02:29.200><c> been</c><01:02:30.559><c> in</c> I’ve been in discussion with an FSA loan
• essential component to me being able to make that purchase, as I will be taking advantage of an FSA loan
• </c> will be taking advantage of an FSA loan. will be taking advantage of an FSA loan.
• They already got a loan ready to make up the rest?
• They already got a loan ready to make up the rest?

Bills: HF3508 , HF3548 , HF3549

Committee: House Agriculture Finance and Policy

Keywords: dairy assistance, agriculture, investment, relief initiative, farm support, farm assistance, down payment, state funding, loan modification, grain indemnity, financial security, crop insurance, Minnesota agriculture

Transcript Highlights:

• Accordingly, there should be no location requirement for home equity loans.
• sales could have been home equity loans.
• We were the last state to bring in equity loans.
• That's not in an equity loan. An equity loan is a less That's problematic. That's my opinion.
• In closing a home equity loan, it updates an antiquated, unworkable law.

Bills: HB1342 , HB2889 , HB3002 , HB3254 , HB4820 , HJR40 , HJR40

Committee: House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services

Keywords: private activity bonds, housing, residential rental projects, low-income, affordable housing, bond measures, funding equality, political subdivisions, public communications, election fairness, debt collection, consumer rights, disclosures, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, settlement agreements, State Board of Education, group benefits program, health insurance, state employees, dependents eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• If the requirement isn't met, the scholarship converts to a loan.
• I know that as somebody with $100,000 of student loan debt, as somebody who's had college that was never
• </c><01:10:27.159><c> Um</c><01:10:28.159><c> and</c><01:10:28.480><c> so</c> They had to take out loans
• Um and so They had to take out loans.
• Before students take out massive student loans, they should know what the return on their investment

Bills: HF2634 , HF2241 , HF2649 , HF2520 , HF2610

Committee: House Higher Education Finance and Policy

Keywords: North Star Promise, scholarship, higher education, Minnesota Office of Higher Education, in-demand jobs, workforce development, career training, job market, high-demand occupations, high-demand industries, college aid, state financial aid, FAFSA, student eligibility, program of study, degree program, certificate program, community college, university, labor market data

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to loan her out to the Missouri folks, and then bring her back home. ...and then bring her
• Senate Bill 184 we passed earlier addressing the shortage of athletic trainers in the state and the loan
• repayment program. ...the state and the loan repayment program.
• There was a program that we established three or four years ago that would provide loans for athletic
• An increase in terms of... an increase in terms of the loan amount or no loan amount remains the same

Bills: SB213 , HB24 , HB163 , HB226 , HB271 , HB288 , HB319 , HB24

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: utility tax, poultry industry, energy consumption, agricultural exemption, tax exemption, HB24, Volunteer Rescue Squad Tuition Reimbursement Program, EMS, emergency medical services, EMSP, paramedic training, EMT training, tuition reimbursement, scholarship, workforce development, volunteer rescue squad, volunteer fire department, ambulance service, nonprofit ambulance, Alabama Department of Public Health

Transcript Highlights:

• by Senators Scott (member_3738) and Schiff (member_3508) to increase transparency in SBA's disaster loan
• Last year, SBA's disaster loan account had a completely unacceptable 66-day shortfall, which prevented
• (member_3738) and Schiff's (member_3508) bill directing SBA to publish its reports on the disaster loan
• In fact, you know, that they tried to use to get a loan from the SBA, and I just think it is wrong.
• We will move on to amendments to S.300, the Disaster Loan Accountability and Reform Act.

Bills: SB298 , SB300 , SB371

Committee: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Keywords: employee relocation, headquarters, Small Business Administration, Washington metropolitan area, telework, cost reduction, rural markets, geographic diversity, disaster loans, accountability, reporting, loan forgiveness, federal funding, SBA reforms, small business, disaster assistance, transparency, report publication, government accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• would authorize the Commission on Higher Education to award ...Commission on Higher Education to award loan
• No, no, they can apply for loan assistance. ...they can apply for loan assistance, you know, but they
• now, we don't need to do this anymore. ...not we can continue to fund this to reward these student loans

Bills: HB315 , HB152 , HB205 , SB184 , SB209 , HB309 , SB280 , SB267

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation Education

Keywords: sales tax, local exemption, Consumer Price Index, tax holiday, clothing tax exemption, school supplies, sales tax exemption, baby supplies, baby formula, maternity clothing, menstrual hygiene products, use tax, exemption, tax conformity, tangible personal property, Alabama Department of Revenue, retail tax, consumer use tax, nonresident, religious publications

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this even make a 7A loan.
• Last year alone, the program issued over 1,000 loans worth nearly $200 million, with an average loan
• Last year alone, the program issued over 1,000 loans worth nearly $200 million, with an average loan
• Small and new businesses often require small-dollar loans, not million-dollar loans.
• Small and new businesses often require small-dollar loans, not million-dollar loans.

Bills: HB2987 , HB2931

Keywords: small business lending company, SBLC, SBA lending, Small Business Administration, section 7 loans, small business loans, loan guarantee, lender cap, financial institutions, credit access, small business finance, nonprofit lenders, business lending, CEASE Act, House passage, Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, sanctuary jurisdictions, office relocation, immigration policy, government operations