Transcript Highlights:

• Similarly, House Bill 152 highlighted that the...
• Similarly, House Bill 152 highlighted that the Board of Dentistry has a relatively high cash balance,
• And that 25% decrease is also applicable to all other license and permitting renewal fees as well.
• All other license and permitting renewal fees as well.
• Again, with the passage of House Bill 152, this...

Summary: The Senate Health and Welfare Committee considered a series of administrative rule dockets, mostly from DOPL and related licensing boards. The committee approved rules for the Business Enterprise Program for the Blind, the Rules of Midwifery, the Idaho State Board of Dentistry, and the Idaho Board of Nursing. Those presentations focused largely on zero-based rule rewrites, fee reductions or temporary fee decreases being made permanent, and compliance with House Bill 152’s cash-balance requirements. Testimony generally emphasized stakeholder input, federal or board approval where applicable, and the need to keep fees aligned with board solvency targets. The committee then heard several fee-rule dockets involving boards with low or negative cash balances. The Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals presented a rule package that clarified licensure requirements, removed some outdated provisions, and increased fees to address a negative cash balance; Idaho Rural Water Association testified in support, saying the changes would reduce regulatory burden while acknowledging the need for higher fees. The committee approved the docket by roll call after some opposition. The Occupational Therapy Licensure Board docket, which proposed a short-term fee increase to restore solvency, failed by roll call vote after members raised concerns about the broader structure of board funding and whether consolidation or other reforms should be considered. The committee also heard a lengthy discussion on the State Board of Acupuncture’s proposed fee increase. The board and a supporting practitioner testified that the board was in deficit, that fees had not been raised in many years, and that the increase was needed to maintain licensure and public safety. Some senators questioned whether licensure remained necessary in light of modern consumer review systems and whether the board should be consolidated or eliminated. A motion to reject the docket failed on a tie, and the original motion to hold the docket for further information passed, leaving the acupuncture rules unresolved. After that, the chair announced the committee would adjourn and reschedule remaining matters.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our first bill on the agenda is Senate File 1861, Senator House child.
• Uh, Senator House child and to your testifier, and here we have to just parse ways to help you hang on
• Um, well, um, seeing none, Senator House child, any final thoughts?
• <c> child</c><00:07:18.720><c> any</c><00:07:19.160><c> any</c><00:07:19.360><c> final</c> Senator house
• child any any final Senator house child any any final thoughts<00:07:20.120><c> I</c><00:07:20.160><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Troopers and house by gold ties.
• Our first item will be House File 3475. We have our first item will be House File 3475.
• . uh house file faces uh on the committee. uh house file 3475<00:02:42.959><c> relates</c><00:02:43.360
• We heard the House we heard this.
• Up next is House File 344.

Bills: HF3475, SF3832, HF3508, HF3917, HF3404, HF3593

Keywords: agriculture, education, leadership council, compensation, research institute, dairy assistance, investment relief, agriculture support, food production, economic relief, investment, relief initiative, farm support, medication repository, drug donation, healthcare, Minnesota Statutes, pharmacy, public health, controlled substances

Transcript Highlights:

• With the White House. Oh, that's Stephen Miller.
• Oh, no, I haven't talked to anybody in the White House.
• House of Representatives from the state of Texas.
• The commission would comprise two members chosen by House Democrats, two by House Republicans, two by
• And I have sent bills to West House and Johnson House, and I don't think any of them ever received a

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB4, HB1, HB3, HB20, HB22, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, HB4, SB2, SB5

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:

• Moving on to Senator Cabaldon, SB 417, Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026.
• Senator Cabaldon Senator Cabaldon, SB 828, Fireworks Licenses and Permits. The action is due pass.
• Senator Menjivar, SB 492, Youth Housing Bond Act of 2026.
• authorize a sale of $1 billion in GO bonds, specify the amount of funding dedicated to youth centers and housing

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee held a vote-only suspense file hearing with no public testimony, taking up a long list of Senate bills and amendments. Measures discussed included battery recycling, property tax exemptions, railroad wayside detector systems, military protective orders, an affordable housing bond, fireworks permits, workers’ compensation earnings, metal shredding facilities, election system inspection, family research centers, electrical rates and political influence, AI standards and safety, youth housing bonds, student health, air quality standards for hydrogen sulfide, electrical infrastructure, disaster preparedness, property taxation for family homes and farms, state agency contract bid preferences, presidential election qualifications, unlicensed contractor work, alcohol and drug programs, generative AI in legal settings, kratom and nitrous oxide, unmanned aircraft, adoptees’ birth certificates, body-worn cameras, physician certificate revocation, and deprivation of constitutional rights. Several bills were amended before passage, including changes to bond measures, technical fixes, narrowed remedies, and other author-requested revisions. Most measures advanced on unanimous 7-0 votes, while a number of higher-profile or more controversial bills passed on 5-2 votes with Republicans voting no. SB 667 on railroads passed 4-2 after amendments; SB 691 on body-worn cameras passed 6-0; and SB 742 on permanently abandoned electrical infrastructure passed after a roll call that was corrected on the floor. The committee repeatedly substituted roll calls from earlier bills to record votes on many items, reflecting the suspense-file process. No testimony was taken, and the chair emphasized that all items had already been heard previously. At the end of the hearing, the chair announced it was their last meeting presiding over Appropriations, thanked the committee staff and members, and the committee adjourned after noting that results and addendum analyses would be posted online for amended bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to Senator Cabaldon, SB 417, Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026.
• Senator Cabaldon, SB 828, fireworks licenses and permits. The action is due pass.
• Senator Menjavar, SB 492, Youth Housing Bond Act of 2026.
• Specify the amount of funding dedicated to youth centers and housing and strike the advisory committee

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I now move that House Committee substitute for House Bill 3175 be voted due pass.
• I now move that House Committee substitute for House Bill 3175.
• I now move that House Committee substitute for House Bill 3175 be voted due pass by consent.
• You have voted the House Committee substitute for House Bill 3066 do pass.
• Seeing none, that shall conclude the House hearing for House Bill 2269, and we will now move on to House

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first approved House Bill 2889 by a 14-0 roll call vote. It then took up House Bill 3175, “Mason’s Law,” adopting a House Committee Substitute after discussion of a proposed amendment that was not offered because the sponsor and a member agreed the language needed to be cleaned up. The substitute bill was then advanced both due pass and due pass by consent, with unanimous votes of 14-0 and 16-0 respectively. House Bill 3066, dealing with St. Louis police governance and related budget/oversight issues, drew extended debate. Opponents argued it was an overreach, would sidestep local elected officials, and could burden the city budget; supporters said it was not a state takeover but an oversight structure made up of city citizens and that the city should be responsible for certain liabilities. The committee adopted a House Committee Amendment to address lieutenant overtime pay, rolled it into a new committee substitute, and then passed the substitute 11-5. During the vote, members clarified that a refusal to vote could be recorded and the roll was completed after a brief rules question. In public hearing, House Bill 2767 was presented as a 911 funding measure that would increase the prepaid wireless 911 fee from 3% to 4% to generate roughly $1 million more annually for grants to local 911 providers for equipment, training, and related upgrades. Testimony from 911 directors emphasized that prepaid phone revenue has declined as consumers move away from that technology, while the added funding would help modernize statewide emergency response systems; no opposition was heard. House Bill 1990, creating the offense of gift card fraud, was then heard with support from the sponsor, retailers, grocers, convenience store operators, and bankers, who described sophisticated theft schemes involving tampering with cards and stealing activation data; members asked about penalties, how the fraud works, and whether the bill aligns with existing theft classifications. The final bill heard was House Bill 2269, which would move boiler inspector qualifications and related fire/life safety standards from statute into rule to help the state hire inspectors more quickly and align with national standards. The state fire marshal supported the change and said oversight would remain with the boiler board commission. House Bill 3220, focused on teen driver accountability and driver education, drew extensive support from the sponsor, a crash victim’s widow, AAA, motorcycle and pedestrian safety advocates, and MODOT. Supporters said the bill would require driver education for new applicants under 21, tighten supervision and point-assessment rules, and reduce crashes; MODOT estimated a state administrative cost of roughly $350,000 to $850,000 annually, and members asked about parental supervision, the impact on young drivers, and historical crash trends. No votes were taken on the public hearing bills before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Exacerbating the problem, they do not have access to housing like minors in foster care, with only 130
• Like, you could be couch surfing at a friend's house, you could be sleeping in your car, you could be
• Like, you could be couch surfing at a friend's house, you could be sleeping in your car, you could be
• Number one, does current funding streams allow for housing vouchers?
• And I don't think a county would ever say we have enough money for housing vouchers.

Summary: The committee heard and acted on several education-related bills, beginning with AB 65 on paid pregnancy leave for public school employees. The bill drew strong support from teachers, school employees, unions, and education groups, who argued it would provide up to 14 weeks of paid leave, reduce financial penalties tied to sick leave use, and help recruit and retain educators. Some witnesses and members raised concerns about funding, district eligibility, and implementation, but the bill was advanced on a do-pass recommendation to the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee, with one member not voting and the bill placed on call for absent members. Members then heard AB 673 on an unaccompanied youth support grant program for homeless 16- and 17-year-olds, AB 1552 on reporting recommendations to strengthen civic engagement in higher education, AB 1572 on annual CIF review and qualification standards for sports officials, and AB 1586 on opioid overdose response training and naloxone access for school resource officers. AB 673 and AB 1552 received support from education, youth, and advocacy organizations; AB 673 also drew questions about overlap with existing homeless and foster-care-related programs, while supporters said the bill targets a vulnerable subpopulation that is often missed. AB 1552 and AB 1572 were broadly supported and advanced, and AB 1586 was backed by treatment providers, school nurses, and education groups as a practical student-safety measure; all were moved forward with do-pass recommendations and placed on call. The committee also considered AB 1721, which would create a work group to review and streamline school safety plans, and AB 2060, which would establish a mentor teacher grant program and stipend to strengthen the teacher pipeline. Both bills were supported by administrators, educators, and school-related organizations, and both advanced to the Senate Appropriations Committee. AB 2440, aimed at clarifying Proposition 28 arts and music education funding rules and allowing small districts to pool resources, also received broad support and moved to Appropriations. AB 1784, which would extend pregnancy-related protections to undergraduate students and prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy or related conditions, passed to the Senate Judiciary Committee after support from higher education and women’s advocacy groups. Finally, AB 2660, which would codify the CalBridge STEM pathway program and related efforts to diversify the STEM workforce, was supported by higher education and workforce advocates and advanced to Appropriations after questions about the related EnLACE program and its funding sources.

Transcript Highlights:

• And there are houses adjacent to it.
• </c><00:16:03.920><c> This</c> there are houses adjacent to it.
• This there are houses adjacent to it.
• </c> House and Senate and then got stranded. House and Senate and then got stranded.
• bill on Thursday uh landowner uh permit bill on Thursday uh in<00:47:31.440><c> TRW</c><00:47:32.240

Bills: SF0052, SF0024

Keywords: wildlife management, environmental restoration, funding, invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, native fish, habitat conservation, lottery, debit card payments, gambling regulations, state revenue, financial transactions, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And as directed by House Bill 546, we have entered into an agreement with Indiana that specifies that
• And as<00:08:21.039><c> directed</c><00:08:21.440><c> by</c><00:08:21.680><c> House</c><00:08:21.919>
• >> I think on this particular one, the General Assembly asked us to with House Bill 546, but back in
• >> I think on this particular one, the General Assembly asked us to with House Bill 546, but back in
• </c> driver's license, driver's permitting driver's license, driver's permitting age<00:31:15.360><c>

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its June 3 meeting and received an opening update on transportation revenues. Leadership noted that the gas tax formula dropped 4.1 cents on July 1, reducing road fund revenue by about $125 million, and warned that city, county, rural, and secondary road funding will be affected. The chair said the committee would likely have to be selective about transportation project requests given the reduced revenue outlook. The main presentation was an update on the I-69 bridge project. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials said the project is the missing link in the Henderson-Evansville corridor and is being delivered in three sections, with Kentucky leading section two. They said section two is a $933 million project, with Kentucky’s share described as $58 million and the balance Indiana’s, and that toll revenue will be used to finance the project through a TIFIA loan and Garvey bonds. Officials said Kentucky and Indiana have executed an agreement under House Bill 546 to use tolls, are working on a broader bi-state development agreement, and will ask the General Assembly next session to carry forward $150 million in general funds without conditions and to ratify the agreement. Members asked about the timeline, toll sharing, whether tolls would sunset, and whether US 41 bridges would remain open for local traffic; officials said construction is planned for 2027, tolling would begin in 2031, toll revenue would be shared 50/50, and at least one US 41 bridge would remain open for local use. The committee then heard a combined update from the Department of Vehicle Regulation and the Division of Motor Vehicle Licensing on implementation of several recent changes. Officials reported that the new registration category for special-purpose vehicles is fully operational statewide, with all counties enrolled and 292 vehicles processed so far; they also said counties received at least five plates each and that the program is permissive, not mandatory. They described implementation of Senate Bill 43’s medical review board reforms and third-party driver’s license issuance framework, saying the medical review process has been updated and that third-party partners may eventually handle easier transactions such as renewals, name changes, and address changes, while initial issuances would remain at KYTC regional offices. They also reported that the sheriff’s inspection process has been integrated into CAVIS, reducing paperwork and fraud and improving tracking. Members asked about communication to counties and cities with differing local rules, the number of counties participating, and how to coordinate multiple policy changes; officials said all counties are enrolled, though not all have submitted applications, and that they are still finalizing the scope of third-party services.

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 207 is a simple but necessary fix.
• House Bill 235, which last session passed this committee unanimously and in the House overwhelmingly,
• is House Bill 1896.
• than House Bill 449.
• And so there's nothing else on House Bill 235.

Bills: HB207, HB235, HB324, HB449, HB463, HB502, HB 1121, HB1445, HB1465, HB1778, HB1977, HB2000, HB2066, HB2596, HB207, HB235

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, obscenity laws, visual material, anatomically correct dolls, mannequins, robots, criminal offenses, sexually explicit material, minors, artificial intelligence, sexually explicit, doll, mannequin, robot, law enforcement, healthcare, insurance, affordable care, access

Transcript Highlights:

• I now move that House Committee substitute for House Bill 3175 be voted due pass.
• I now move that House Committee substitute for House Bill 3175.
• I now move that House Committee substitute for House Bill 3175 be voted due pass by consent.
• House Bill 2767 is a 911 bill.
• Seeing none, that shall conclude the House hearing for House Bill 2269, and we will now move on to House

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It authorizes permitting authorities to inspect work zones, issue stop-work orders, and assess civil
• It authorizes permitting authorities to inspect work zones, issue stop work orders, and assess civil

Bills: SB6131, SB6311, SJM8016, SB6230, SB6032, SB6335

Keywords: traffic safety, roadway fatalities, Washington traffic safety commission, policy update, road safety, accident prevention, pedestrian safety, construction, accessibility, public safety, urban planning, bridge repair, infrastructure, emergency funding, transportation, cash transactions, pennies, currency, economic efficiency, financial regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• It authorizes permitting authorities to inspect work zones, issue stop work orders, and assess civil
• It authorizes permitting authorities to inspect work zones, issue stop work orders, and assess civil

Summary: The Transportation Committee met in executive session and considered seven measures, with staff briefing members on proposed amendments and substitutes. The main policy bills included Substitute Senate Bill 6066 on crash prevention zones, Senate Bill 6131 on the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission’s role in traffic safety and fatality review, Senate Bill 6311 on maintaining pedestrian passage during construction, Senate Bill 6230 on rounding cash transactions to eliminate pennies, Senate Bill 6032 on covering or cleaning towed vehicles with mud or debris, and Senate Bill 6335 revising the State Transportation Commission. The committee also considered Substitute Joint Memorial 8016, urging federal emergency treatment for the Fairfax Bridge closure and replacement. Members discussed competing amendments on SB 6066, including proposals to clarify enforcement coordination, signage, penalty amounts, and the scope of local versus state crash prevention zones. On SB 6131, amendments were offered to either remove or narrow the Traffic Safety Commission’s public health authority designation, while another amendment added HIPAA-related definitions and confidentiality protections. For SB 6311, the substitute focused on continuous accessible pedestrian passage near hospitals, parks, and schools, with later clarifications on where the requirement applies, local feasibility standards, and liability limits. SB 6230’s amendments would have allowed exact-payment exceptions and permissive rounding authority, while SB 6032’s amendment would have required reusable covers if a driver chooses to cover a towed vehicle. The committee adopted or accepted substitutes and then advanced all seven measures with do-pass recommendations to the Rules Committee. Senator King withdrew his SB 6066 substitute, SB 6131’s withdrawn amendments were replaced by adoption of amendment S-4874.1, and SB 6311’s substitute was withdrawn and then advanced in the revised form. SB 6230’s amendments were withdrawn after members noted a floor substitute was being worked on, and SB 6032’s amendment was set aside because the prime sponsor was absent. The meeting ended with thanks to committee staff and adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• been budgeted through the general fund, but in a lot of cases, it might be, for instance, a pistol permit
• And so it is actually a permit of the propane gas board that owns those cylinders while they're sitting

Bills: HB407, SB306, SB320, SB321

Keywords: local redevelopment, tax payments, transient occupancy, state revenue, authority powers, transparency, discretionary accounts, government accountability, public access, online publication, liquefied petroleum gas, safety regulations, public gathering places, cylinder storage, proximity regulations, drycleaning, environmental remediation, pollution, hazardous waste, trust fund

Transcript Highlights:

• Verdell to lay out and explain House Bill 2066. Thank you.
• House Bill 235, which last session passed this committee unanimously in the House overwhelmingly as House
• And so if there's, uh, nothing else on House Bill 25, if there's no objection, uh, the House will leave
• , I mean, the, the committee will leave House Bill 235 pending.
• Well, she wanted her mom's boyfriend out of the house.

Bills: HB207, HB235

Keywords: HB 207, Texas Government Code, Section 411.201, license to carry, LTC, handgun license, concealed carry, federal judge, immigration judge, immigration court, U.S. immigration court, judicial security, firearm carry permit, Texas handgun license, federal judiciary, HB235, Texas, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption, disabled veteran

Transcript Highlights:

• c> mean, is the House mean, is the House dealing<01:21:15.360><c> with</c><01:21:15.520><c> these,</c
• Um all of us serve on other the House.
• We simply do not have an House.
• </c> sure, but I have a hunch that the House sure, but I have a hunch that the House authors<01:41:11.560
• I have a hunch that the house point.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> House Bill 1544. House Bill 1544.
• </c> big E, House Bill 1395. big E, House Bill 1395.
• </c> session on House Bill 1395. session on House Bill 1395.
• </c> session on House Bill 1149 is closed. session on House Bill 1149 is closed.
• </c> executive session on House Bill 1395. executive session on House Bill 1395.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I've had police stationed in my first years here at my office and at my house.
• If you will just permit me, just a little bit more. I'm not going to be long.
• Fix the housing crisis.
• And he does have a southern White House too. But I'm not...
• I met with my Republican state House representative, and I asked him to help out.

Bills: SB116, SB121, SB130, SB407

Keywords: redistricting, congressional districts, Louisiana, 2020 census, elections, precincts, voting, election, political representation, 2026 precincts, demographics, Louisiana congressional map, U.S. House, election districts, precinct shapefiles, Voting Districts, VTD, 2020 Census, 2026 Precinct Shapefiles, apportionment

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 8 builds on where the House Bill 4 Conference Committee report left off during the regular
• House.
• The difference between this bill and what the House passed is that during the regular session, the House
• House Bill 8, I believe? Yeah. So what happened in between?
• If there's no objection, House Bill 8 will be left pending. Chair, House Bill 8 is left pending.

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround