Transcript Highlights:

• Slash the school meal programs and food pantries.
• Lunch Program or the The school breakfast program.
• Of course, the school breakfast program and school lunch program are part of that effort for kids who
• But this is the school lunch program. It's not about controlling schools.
• Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program.

Committee: Senate Senate Budget

Transcript Highlights:

• Goal B allows the Texas Veterans Commission's Fund for Veteran Assistance grant program to award grant
• So this is where they come in to assist with employment assistance programs, child care enrollment, mental
• health service referrals, ...to assist with employment assistance programs, child care enrollment, mental
• programs.
• programs.

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee heard budget presentations for the Texas Historical Commission, the Pension Review Board, the Employees Retirement System (ERS), Social Security and benefit replacement pay, the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System (TESSRS), and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). The Legislative Budget Board outlined recommendations and major changes for each agency, including reductions tied to one-time projects at the Historical Commission, continued funding for courthouse grants, heritage trails, and Holocaust/genocide education, as well as new or modified riders and capital items. For the pension-related items, LBB described funding changes for PRB, ERS, Social Security, and TESSRS, including ERS health plan cost growth driven largely by pharmacy costs, the status of pension funding reforms, and TESSRS’s request for additional state support to address its unfunded liability and staffing needs. Members asked extensive questions about the Historical Commission’s one-time funding, unexpended balance authority, courthouse preservation, the Presidio La Bahia and National Museum of the Pacific War projects, and coordination of Texas history messaging across sites such as the Alamo, San Jacinto, Washington on the Brazos, and other heritage locations. The Historical Commission chair emphasized heritage tourism, economic development, and the need for continued investment in historic sites, staffing, IT modernization, and vehicles. On the pension items, senators discussed PRB oversight of local systems, including the Dallas police and fire pension situation, and ERS investment returns, benchmark comparisons, and rising health costs. ERS officials said the plan remains well funded overall, noted a 2021 cash balance reform and a planned supplemental legacy payment, and explained that GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro are a major driver of pharmacy spending; they also said the agency is working with the Texas Pharmacy Initiative and that rebates are contractually returned to ERS. For TESSRS, LBB and agency staff said the system serves volunteer and part-paid emergency personnel, is facing an infinite amortization period, and is requesting additional appropriations, staffing, and IT funding, along with a statutory change to allow an actuarially determined state contribution. The agency said it may otherwise need to cut benefits for volunteer firefighters. For CPRIT, LBB reported about $600 million in recommended funding for the biennium and a 10-FTE increase, while the agency described its $6 billion voter-approved program, $3.75 billion in grants awarded to date, and $10.4 million in revenue sharing since 2011. CPRIT’s only exceptional item was a request for a 10% salary increase for two exempt positions. No committee votes or formal actions were taken in the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• He was principal of Florine High School.
• Jack was a proud graduate of Pleasant Hill High School, class of '66.
• She was a middle school math teacher at Pleasant Hill.
• He's a former Assistant Secretary of Wildlife and Fisheries.
• He started the Harness for the Hungry program that's on the books.

Bills: HCR63 , HCR69 , SCR6 , SCR18 , SB2 , SB19 , SB24 , SB50 , SB70 , SB96 , SB101 , SB103 , SB104 , SB114 , SB122 , SB159 , SB160 , SB182 , SB412 , SB418 , SB460

Committee: House Transportation, Highways & Public Works

Keywords: military drivers, driver's license exemption, active-duty military, federal vehicle, government-owned vehicle, state highways, public safety, task force, Tiger Team, Louisiana National Guard, Fort Polk, Barksdale Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Department of Defense, executive order, military readiness, vehicle licensing, law enforcement, state police, sheriffs association

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on Monday, April 27, with a quorum present and took up a series of Senate bills and one House concurrent resolution, most of them related to transportation infrastructure, memorial highway designations, and prestige license plates. Early action centered on Senate Bill 122, which would direct the Department of Transportation and Development to be more proactive about bridge maintenance, inspection, reporting, and public meetings on bridge conditions; the committee adopted a large amendment package before reporting the bill with amendments. The committee also reported favorably SCR 6 supporting an LNG facility at Port Fourchon and SCR 18 directing a study of commercial driver’s license privileges compared with neighboring states. Several bills designated memorial highways or bridges, including SB 50 for the Elwood T. Brady Jr. Memorial Bridge, SB 70 for the Officer Mark Brock Memorial Highway, SB 460 for the Hayden Lane Mangum Memorial Highway, SB 101 for the Daniel Edward Didillo Memorial Highway and Bill Blue Evans Memorial Highway, SB 160 for the Speaker Joe R. Salter Memorial Highway, SB 418 for the Dick and Jacques Schuford Memorial Highway, SB 103 for the Gladys Edwards Highway, SB 159 for the Surgeon Roelio Roy Gonzalez Jr. Memorial Highway, SB 182 for the Mayor Billy Cobb Memorial Highway, SB 104 for the Ernest J. Gaines Memorial Highway, and SB 2 for the Falcons Band Highway. The committee also approved SB 114 creating a prestige plate for the Foundation for Moral Law and SB 96 creating a Fallen Heroes prestige plate. One of the more substantive policy items was HCR 63, which creates a task force to study whether certain active-duty military personnel without civilian driver’s licenses should be allowed to operate federally owned vehicles on state highways; it was reported favorably after discussion of military training and licensing differences. Another major item was HCR 69, urging DOTD to improve Interstate 12 in Livingston Parish; the committee adopted amendments adding findings about flooding, drainage, and evacuation concerns, and then reported the resolution with amendments. The committee also considered SB 19 on the state employee retired prestige plate; after objections about whether proceeds should continue supporting LASERS, the bill was reported favorably by roll call vote, 13-1, with Representative Schamberhorn voting no.

Transcript Highlights:

• In public education appropriations, the Foundation School Program totals $75.1 billion in all funds,
• The school program has ever been at 54%. At one point, it was dipping down into the upper 30s.
• This is public school district employees, such as superintendents and assistant superintendents.
• I mean, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
• And candy prohibited under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Summary: The House met in a late-session floor session that began with prayer, pledges, quorum, and a series of excused absences and Senate messages reporting action on numerous bills, conference committee appointments, and conference reports. Members also adopted a memorial resolution honoring Mark James Hanna, a Capitol lobbyist and advocate for nurses, and a congratulatory resolution for Rishi Tarumalasetti, an eighth-grade civics bee winner from Katy. The chamber also received and recorded a parliamentary colloquy about an unusual Senate request on SB 293, with the Chair stating the House could not recede from only part of its amendments and could not suspend the rules because the bill had not been returned from the Senate. The bulk of the session was devoted to taking up conference committee reports and related procedural resolutions, especially the state budget. The House adopted a resolution allowing the SB 1 conferees to go outside the normal bounds, then adopted the SB 1 conference report on a 107-21 vote. Debate on the budget centered on public education funding, tax relief, health care, corrections pay, and judicial compensation, with supporters calling it a responsible compromise and opponents arguing it was overly expansive and insufficient on property tax relief. The House also adopted a technical correction resolution tying judicial pay increases in SB 1 to the House version of SB 293, and members discussed at length the relationship between judicial salaries and legislative pensions. The chamber then adopted a long series of conference reports on measures covering topics such as school library review and book challenges (SB 13), SNAP restrictions on sweetened drinks and candy (SB 379), hospital price transparency (SB 331), nursing home accountability (SB 457), school district personnel compensation conflicts (HB 3372), property notice rules (HB 2011), research and development tax credits (SB 2018), and several other bills affecting elections, permits, education, and criminal justice. Most reports passed by wide margins, though some drew significant opposition, especially SB 13 and SB 379. The House also granted several Senate requests for conference committees and introduced additional resolutions to suspend conferee limits on various bills as the session moved toward adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• , loan programs and stuff like that, but do we, and I know FSA had a program at one time, I don't know
• We have a program in family and community wellness, which includes our food and nutrition programs.
• We have a program in family and community wellness, which includes our food and nutrition programs, aging
• For this new program, which is called the Water Resources Certificate Program, we developed that in fall
• We are also planning to develop a new certificate program similar to this undergraduate program, but

Committee: Joint Agriculture and Water Management Committee

Keywords: 908, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, I don't know all of the appropriated mandatory programs.
• Many programs could be funded by other revenue streams.
• The mandatory programs continue to operate.
• New Mexico has a supplemental SNAP program.
• And we get basically half of the program revenues.

Committee: House Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• We do have constraints on our financial assistance programs, and I know many of you have heard me testify
• enforcement programs.
• Last program I'm going to touch on is our Edwards Aquifer Protection Program.
• It regulates construction and post- construction activities by requiring the development of protection
• our public drinking water program that makes sure that – and that program focuses on really the design

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then my experts, Senator Scott, Todd Randall, who's the assistant city manager, I believe is online
• I'm the assistant city manager for the city of Hobbs. This bill will have a significant impact.
• Less public transit, meals for seniors, after-school programs for kids, what does that mean?
• If it's put on a nonprofit's property, such as a school or so forth, they could use it indirectly.
• At the time when you were constructing. Mr.

Committee: House House Taxation & Revenue

Transcript Highlights:

• So CARB runs a program called H-RIP, HVIP.
• I came out of a 342 apprenticeship program.
• In our colleges and our high schools, we need technicians.
• I came out of a 342 apprenticeship program.
• We do a lot of work education in the local schools, even down to middle school grades, up through college

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Essentially, the program was officialized in 2004, but there's a prehistory to the program that began
• That program was an effort from then President of the system, Evan Dobelle, to begin a film school at
• Tom was going to be here, and Tom is sick, so the actual program had the original program was different
• </c><00:37:29.119><c> on</c><00:37:29.319><c> the</c> program program for our students on the program
• </c> program and we do have the audio program program and we do have the audio program at<00:48:35.599

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• programs.
• So is there any talk about eliminating some programs, but yet schools want to maybe bring on a new program
• Eliminating some programs, but yet schools want to maybe bring on a new program. And how soon?
• Because I understand that's kind of a cumbersome process if a school wants to add a new program to their
• And again, an exaggeration, but if another school wanted to stand up an aviation program and, you know

Committee: Joint Higher Education Funding Review Committee

Summary: The Higher Ed Funding Committee met to review a proposed process for identifying and addressing low-producing academic programs, then moved into discussion of draft funding formulas for the university system. Lisa Johnson of the ND University System described how other states and systems define low-producing programs, emphasizing multi-year enrollment and completion thresholds, cost and workforce review, and the role of governing boards. She reported that North Dakota institutions already review programs in varying cycles, often use shared resources and stackable credentials to keep low-enrollment programs viable, and cited recent system actions over five years: 100 programs placed on inactivation, 75 terminated, and 384 new programs created. Committee members raised concerns about workforce-critical programs, duplication, exemptions, and whether the legislature or the State Board of Higher Education should drive the process. The chair said he wanted the board to bring a detailed proposal to the June meeting and suggested the legislature may use funding leverage, including a possible holdback, to encourage the review process. The committee then heard a Legislative Council presentation on a draft funding formula for UND and NDSU. The proposal used fall census FTE enrollment, with a placeholder rate of $7,000 per undergraduate FTE and $10,500 per graduate/professional FTE, plus incentives for completions in high-demand fields and research productivity. Alex from Legislative Council explained that the formula also included separate treatment for research funding, external grants, and capital building tiers, and that the MD program at UND would remain fixed funding outside the formula. Members questioned the use of the placeholder rates, the in-demand program list, the treatment of external grants, and how the proposal compared with current appropriations. The chair noted that the formula numbers were illustrative and not final budget amounts. A second draft formula for the other nine institutions was also reviewed. It used fall census FTE with no weighted economic factor, a higher undergraduate rate of $8,750 per FTE, and completion incentives for in-demand credentials and all other credentials. Members noted that the proposal would benefit some institutions, such as Bismarck State College, while reducing funding for others, such as Mayville State, and questioned whether the same structure should apply across institutions with very different missions and sizes. Committee discussion focused on fairness, hold-harmless concerns, and whether the nine institutions should be grouped differently. The committee did not take formal action, but the chair indicated the formulas would continue to be discussed later in the meeting and in future work.

Transcript Highlights:

• construction relief to support cities, towns, and school districts experiencing extraordinary school
• to every high school student headed into the workforce after high school.
• This bill creates a grant program for comprehensive high schools to build, lease, or renovate vocational
• We build new technical programs and classrooms without building new schools, and we stabilize local schools
• President, it would also not preclude any other assistance that the school district would be receiving

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Senate took up Senate House No. 4010, a fiscal year 2025 supplemental appropriations bill funded largely by surplus Fair Share revenues. The Ways and Means chair described the bill as a $1.28 billion package, with major investments in education and transportation, including special education circuit breaker aid, higher education deferred maintenance, career technical education capital grants, school construction relief, high-dosage tutoring, English language learning grants, MBTA reserve replenishment and safety training, commuter rail maintenance, Chapter 90 local road aid, regional transit authority support, ferry and micro-transit funding, and a small World Cup transportation appropriation. Members from both parties generally praised the bill’s one-time, regionally balanced approach while emphasizing fiscal discipline and the limited, surplus-based funding source. The minority leader and others questioned the fund balances and the use of the education and transportation innovation and capital fund, the Student Opportunity Act trust fund, and the transitional escrow account; the chair said the bill would zero out the innovation and capital fund, leave about $430 million in the SOA trust, and about $200 million in the escrow account. Several members highlighted specific priorities. Senator Cronin and Senator Feeney strongly supported the $100 million career technical education investment, arguing it would expand vocational opportunities in comprehensive high schools and help meet workforce needs. Senator Feeney also emphasized MBTA funding, special education, local road repairs, English language learning tied to workforce needs, and World Cup preparations in Foxborough. Senator Comerford praised the bill’s regional equity, higher education maintenance funding, special education support, and transportation investments, while also noting the need for broader future work on Chapter 70 and school finance. Senator Tarr supported the bill but repeatedly stressed that the spending was a unique one-time opportunity and that the Commonwealth should preserve fiscal reserves and continue to address school funding inequities and MBTA finances more broadly. The chamber then considered numerous amendments. Amendment 1 on tariff pricing transparency was withdrawn after brief remarks, and Amendment 14, proposing a DESE study on educational outcomes for young men and boys, was rejected. Amendment 182, funding Worcester Regional Transit Authority capital expenses, was adopted. Amendment 228, adding $500,000 for Free Period to expand access to menstrual products in schools, was adopted. Amendment 257, funding Springfield Public Schools communication and safety systems, was also adopted. Other amendments, including Tarr amendments on supplemental district aid, MBTA reporting, and the Foundation Budget Review Commission, were rejected. Amendment 308 concerning MBTA Communities and Milton was withdrawn, after which Senator Driscoll began a presentation arguing Milton was being misclassified under the MBTA Communities Act and should be treated fairly under the law.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know the program. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• We are going to change the program just a little bit.
• On some other things, we've already established a high school scholarship program that's extended into
• Now in 2026, we anticipate entering full construction this summer and kicking off three years of construction
• We've got about 18 months of construction, as our current estimates.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from January 14, 19, 20, and 21, 2026. It then heard Senate Bill 1238, which would require Idaho Fish and Game to provide a 30-day public comment period for proclamation changes related to season-setting. Senator Foreman said the bill was intended to give sportsmen more time and had support from Idaho Fish and Game management and the Idaho Wildlife Federation, but outfitter representatives testified that the proposal could delay March big-game season setting and compress the time they have to sell hunts and secure tag information. Fish and Game staff said the change was doable but would require timeline adjustments and could create pinch points. After discussion, Senator Foreman asked that the bill be held at the call of the chair, and the committee voted to hold Senate Bill 1238. The committee then took up Senate Concurrent Resolution 115, which supports consolidating the Soil and Water Conservation Commission with the Department of Water Resources while preserving the missions of both entities. Senator Harris said the resolution reflected stakeholder discussions and could improve efficiency and reduce administrative costs. Testimony from the Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts and the Department of Water Resources supported the concept, emphasizing that the change would not alter the voluntary, locally led, non-regulatory mission of conservation districts. The committee voted to send SCR 115 to the floor with a do pass recommendation. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to informational presentations from Idaho mining companies and industry representatives. The Idaho Mining Association and several companies described major projects and permitting status, including Thompson Creek’s molybdenum restart near Challis, Liberty Gold’s Black Pine project in southeast Idaho, Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite Gold Project in Valley County, Integra Resources’ Delamar project in Owyhee County, and U.S. Silver Idaho’s Galena Mine in the Silver Valley. Speakers highlighted job creation, capital investment, critical and strategic minerals, environmental reclamation, and ongoing federal and state permitting processes. No votes or actions were taken on those presentations.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know the program. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
• We are going to change the program just a little bit.
• On some other things, we've already established a high school scholarship program that's extended into
• Now in 2026, we anticipate entering full construction this summer and to kick off three years of construction
• We've got about 18 months of construction, as our current estimates.

Committee: Senate Resources and Environment

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Capital Construction.
• </c> question I have relates to high school. question I have relates to high school.
• So you can only not bring it into the school if you're enrolled in a school.
• would be freely allowed to carry that into a high school or an elementary school.
• would be freely allowed to carry that into a high school or an elementary school.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, we are funding one program for medical assistance, but we are not funding maternity homes
• And we already have a litany of public assistance programs and child care assistance programs that are
• But if you were on Medical Assistance or our Minnesota Care program, even though you have a dental benefit
• This is a program that will try to stabilize medical assistance funding for our hospitals without raising
• Well, for all of our insureds, but primarily for our Medical Assistance program.

Transcript Highlights:

• the low-income housing tax programs the low-income housing tax credit<00:02:01.399><c> program</c><00
• So this is, uh, restarting the Hula U mortgage program and the down payment assistance program for homeowners
• So this is, uh, restarting the Hula U mortgage program and the down payment assistance program for homeowners
• These are existing programs.
• loan program for individuals.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Then you add in another variable, which would be new construction.
• and there there's it be new construction and there there's a<00:08:35.440><c> a</c><00:08:36.000><c>
• “That would help reduce the cost of construction and help reduce the final cost of that home.
• Senator, you mentioned a lot of new construction that is needed, and we know a lot of these new construction
• You mentioned one about construction.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><02:27:11.680><c> board</c><02:27:12.240><c> schools</c> number of the um school board schools number
• </c> go to local law enforcement to assist go to local law enforcement to assist with<02:37:48.240><c
• There's also a program at Hennepin County Medical Center called the NextStep Program.
• Please talk to the advocacy programs and the direct service programs in your communities and find out
• One is promoting school safety by establishing a new threat reporting requirement for schools.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The schools actually submitted, and 155 schools submitted, and they were all awarded.
• Is this predominantly an after-school program? Is it a tutoring program?
• </c> u predominantly an afterchool program? u predominantly an afterchool program?
• in this particular program? in this particular program?
• </c> resources from one program to another? resources from one program to another?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met after several reschedulings due to flooding, welcomed a new assistant, and confirmed a quorum. It first approved the March 11 minutes, then reported that the day’s agenda included 310 items totaling about $139.4 million, with all vendors registered with the Secretary of State. The committee then approved deferred items involving the Transportation Cabinet/Department of Highways, including one routine PSC green-list item and one PSC amendment item, after hearing from the Transportation Cabinet’s Division of Professional Services and noting prior questions had been answered. The bulk of the meeting focused on Department of Education contracts tied to reading and literacy initiatives. Officials described a competitive grant program for high-quality instructional resources and related professional learning, explaining that resources are selected through evidence-based reviews and a quality curriculum task force, and that districts apply using an instructional resources alignment rubric. Members questioned the program’s reach, whether districts opt in, how many schools applied, and whether the effort is producing measurable reading gains. Department witnesses said about 155 schools applied and were awarded, the program is voluntary, and the University of Louisville’s Reading Research Center is collecting qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate effectiveness. Several members expressed concern that the state has repeatedly funded literacy efforts without improving reading scores, though the committee ultimately approved the education items, with Senator Meredith noting support but frustration about the lack of progress. The committee also approved an MOA amendment item supporting the Principal Partnership Project, which provides tools, resources, and professional learning for administrators and helps meet statutory evaluation-training requirements. Members asked about the use of nonrecurring federal funds and whether the arrangement affects retirement benefits; staff said the contract pays districts based on daily wage and additional workdays, which does increase retirement packages. Representative McCool voted yes but voiced caution about possible supplanting. Finally, the committee took up an Office of the Controller contract for a brokered insurance-related procurement. Representative Balman moved to disapprove the contract, arguing the winning broker was not the low bidder and that the committee lacked answers about how technical scoring outweighed a roughly $600,000 price difference. The motion to disapprove did not prevail, and the contract was approved after further discussion about procurement scoring and the committee’s limited information.