Transcript Highlights:

• One staff note, please, Mayor. Okay. One staff note, please.
• Chair, of staff? Please proceed. So, Mr.
• I have a staff note, please. Yes. One staff note, Candace just... Can I have a staff note, please?
• Staff note here, just as we did on Jericho, I requested our staff go back and bring them up to current
• Actually, we decreased our staff.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Staff said they did not have an answer for that.
• Staff answered that there were two.
• Staff began explaining that this contract was the platform where the tools were housed and that staff
• Staff responded that on May 31, Evident Change could turn the system off, and the staff would not be
• Staff said that was correct.

Summary: The committee reviewed three DHS service contracts: a $690,000-plus sole-source contract for DCFS with Evident Change for maintenance and operation of the Child Welfare Structured Decision-Making Assessment tools; a $1.2 million contract with Sifter Solutions for a SNAP waiver compliance solution and related app; and a $156,000 contract with Samaritan Integrative Services for psychiatric services at the Southeast Arkansas Human Development Center. Staff said the Evident Change contract was needed to keep daily safety risk assessments, case planning, and reunification tools functioning, and that the vendor’s proprietary system made it sole source. Members questioned DHS about reliance on the vendor, the lack of an off-ramp, whether the state was paying more or less annually, and why the contracts were not aligned on the same cycle. DHS and the vendor said the new Evident Change contract was limited to maintenance and operations, that no additional services or employees were being added, and that the broader CQI/review contract would come up separately later. For the SNAP waiver contract, DHS explained that the waiver is intended to exclude certain unhealthy foods from SNAP purchases to improve nutritional value, and that Sifter Solutions would provide a dynamic list for retailers and an app for clients to check products by barcode. DHS said the contract is sole source because it is tied to the waiver implementation and because the vendor can provide the needed dynamic list and education features. Staff said the contract would be funded with remaining federal SNAP Nutrition Education dollars that would otherwise revert to the federal government, and that the University of Pennsylvania would conduct the evaluation at no cost. Members asked about the public benefit, future renewals, and whether the state would own the application; DHS said the two-year term was designed to match the waiver period and allow time to reassess future procurement options. Members also asked about the nutrition education component, and DHS said it is developing videos with a nutritionist on preparing budget-friendly healthy meals and plans to link them to the app and website. After discussion, no objections were raised, and the items were reported as reviewed. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Are there further questions of staff?
• , at least some of their staff.
• , at least some of their staff.
• One of the realities is the number of staff staff may be projected to be on extended leave.
• staff is not that easy.

Bills: HB2440, HB2551, HB2593

Keywords: education, ombudsman, record-keeping, transparency, advocacy, school funding, financial solvency, education budget, district financial health, state funding, accounting, budgeting, reporting, 904, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Kellan Wright, nonpartisan staff to the committee.
• staff.
• , but to use other contract staff.
• Local governments are now in the process of training their staff and also their permit counter staff,
• We also heard... ...that there's a trade-off in your staff between wanting your staff available to process

Summary: The Local Government Committee met in work session and heard a series of presentations on SEPA, permitting reforms, and building code implementation. Department of Ecology staff gave an overview of the State Environmental Policy Act, explaining its role in state and local decision-making, common exemptions, planned actions, and recent housing-related statutory changes such as transit-oriented development exemptions and SEPA appeals protections for certain local ordinances. Committee members asked about repeated SEPA reviews, cultural and historic resource review, and how SEPA relates to NEPA; Ecology responded that repeated reviews usually occur when proposals change and that programmatic EISs can help front-load analysis. Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections described how recent SEPA exemptions reduced residential review volume and supported more housing permits, and said the city is considering raising thresholds further. The State Building Code Council provided an update on code adoption timelines and legislative tasks tied to the 2024 codes, including single-stair housing, multiplex housing, dwelling unit size, and temporary emergency shelter standards. Council staff said the content of the codes is largely set, but administrative timelines have been delayed, prompting a motion to postpone final adoption while pursuing ways to preserve the planned implementation schedule. Members asked about the timing of code changes and the impact on housing costs, and staff said the legislative topics remain on track for inclusion in the 2024 code package. Committee staff then reviewed recent permitting legislation, including SB 5290’s permit decision deadlines and fee-refund provisions, later bills limiting pre-application meetings and clarifying that building permits are excluded from those timelines, and project-specific changes affecting middle housing, ADUs, lot splits, passive house projects, self-certification, transit-oriented development, and parking requirements. Commerce’s Dave Anderson reported on SB 5290 implementation, including guidance on permit fees, studies on staffing and statewide permitting systems, grants to local governments, and the first annual performance report, which showed mixed results and highlighted the importance of digital tools, clear checklists, staff training, and coordination across departments. Local officials from Issaquah and Kitsap County described their own process improvements, including code updates, optional pre-application meetings, new staffing, reporting systems, and a phased “Two by Six” review model in Kitsap, while also noting challenges from staffing shortages, agency coordination, and the burden of implementing multiple new mandates.

Transcript Highlights:

• , the funding, to hire the staff to do these evaluations.
• , highlight issues that staff might miss.
• We now have four staff who are dedicated to that work.
• Parks, you and your staff for your work.
• Parks, you and your staff for your work.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee heard an audit on the Department of Cannabis Control’s oversight of cannabis packaging and labeling, focused on products that may be attractive to children. The auditor said the department’s rules are often vague or subjective, leading to inconsistent enforcement, and that the state relies heavily on complaints rather than pre-market review. The audit found disagreements with DCC’s conclusions in 13 of 80 packaging reviews, and noted weaknesses in tracking repeat violators and escalating penalties. The auditor recommended clearer statutory standards, better internal review tools, stronger repeat-offender policies, and consideration of options such as plain packaging or pre-approval systems. Committee members and the audit requester emphasized rising cannabis poison-control calls involving children under five and cited examples of legal products with cartoon imagery, bright colors, candy-like names, and beverage packaging that resembled ordinary drinks. DCC representatives said they had already begun reforms, including a centralized review team, improved databases, enhanced technology tools, and new procedures to track compliance history and apply progressive discipline. They also stressed that illicit cannabis and intoxicating hemp remain major sources of youth exposure and argued that some issues require both regulatory refinement and more legislative clarity. Public health witnesses argued that California has not done enough to protect children and urged plain packaging, limits on flavors and child-appealing design, and a pre-market review process. Industry representatives agreed that cannabis should not be marketed to children but said the current rules are too subjective and inconsistent, and asked for objective, bright-line standards rather than broader bans. Several members said the examples shown were plainly child-appealing and called for stronger statutory guardrails, while also acknowledging the need to keep pressure on the illicit market. No formal vote or action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• to help staff my intake processing unit.
• to help staff my intake processing unit.
• That's not including the staff, the receiver staff itself; that's just... we've added a lot more positions
• Staff encourage this divisive behavior, and staff continue themselves to perpetrate rampant sexual abuse
• Staff encourage this divisive behavior, and staff continue themselves to that staff encourage this divisive

Summary: The committee heard an overview from the Office of the Inspector General and California Correctional Health Care Services on prison oversight, medical care, reentry, and related budget requests. The OIG requested $275,000 General Fund for two additional intake analysts, citing a sharp rise in complaints from 3,200 in 2022 to 7,860 in 2025 and explaining that the unit reviews and routes complaints, including PREA and staff misconduct allegations, within 30 days. Its medical inspection unit reported on cycle seven prison health inspections, noting generally adequate case-review performance but weak policy-compliance results, especially in medication management and health care environment indicators, and said it was beginning cycle eight with revised inspection methods. Members questioned the OIG about what kinds of complaints were driving the increase, whether the office tracks validity or systemic patterns, and how it distinguishes duplicative complaints from those already handled by CDCR. OIG said the largest categories were prison conditions and staff misconduct, that it does not determine whether complaints are “valid” in a statistical sense, and that it forwards issues to CDCR or other entities as appropriate. Senators also asked about the medical inspection findings, the remaining prisons not yet delegated back from federal receivership, and whether more detail should be provided in future reports. LAO and Department of Finance staff said they had no concerns with the OIG proposal. The committee then reviewed the correctional health care budget, including staffing, pharmacy, contract medical costs, and the state’s progress toward ending the Plata medical receivership. CDCR said it is trying to reduce vacancies through hiring events, social media outreach, new classifications, and more on-site care, while also using CalAIM to improve reentry services; CalAIM officials reported 89% Medi-Cal activation at release, 87% managed care assignment, 88% reentry care plans, and 59% warm handoffs, with about $14.7 million in reimbursements to date. Members pressed staff on the cost of receivership, the pace of delegation, whether more care could be consolidated into fewer facilities, and whether the state should seek more federal reimbursement or alternative staffing models. Finally, the committee discussed the new mental health receivership and a telemental health staffing proposal. The receiver’s office requested $33.9 million from the Mental Health Special Deposit Fund, including $8.2 million for the receiver’s office and $25.3 million to make court-ordered bonus payments permanent; CDCR also sought about $8.9 million for telemental health staffing, growing to $13 million ongoing. LAO recommended approving the action plan and portions of the telehealth request, but urged the Legislature to monitor progress, consider out-of-state recruitment and expanded telehealth, and avoid across-the-board salary increases; Finance cautioned that out-of-state licensure would require major statutory changes and that staffing-ratio changes would need receiver approval. Senators raised concerns about the high cost of receiverships, vacancy-driven fines, the need for more detailed benchmarks, and whether the state should consolidate mental health populations and better target recruitment to fill hard-to-staff positions.

Transcript Highlights:

• A number of staff reports to share.
• assessing and reassessing and seeing where we can shuffle staff around to see where additional staff
• So there's a dedicated team of LCS drafting staff, proofing staff, word processing, in addition to the
• for staff and legislators alike, and also all the requesting entities.
• , such as Legislative Finance Committee staff and the standing finance committee staff, with the data

Transcript Highlights:

• , the funding, to hire the staff to do these evaluations.
• Where you would then have the staff, the funding, to hire the staff to do these evaluations.
• , highlight issues that staff might miss.
• So we now have four staff who are dedicated to that work.
• Parks, you and your staff for your work.

Summary: The Joint Legislative Audit Committee heard an audit on the Department of Cannabis Control’s oversight of cannabis packaging and labeling, focused on whether products are attractive to children. The auditor said the department’s rules are often vague, enforcement is inconsistent, and licensees are left to interpret standards without prior review. In a review of 80 packaging cases, the audit team disagreed with the department’s conclusions in 13 instances, and the report highlighted examples involving cartoon imagery, colorful fonts, candy-like references, flavor names, and cannabis beverages that resembled ordinary drinks. The auditor recommended clearer statutory definitions, possible consideration of plain packaging or pre-approval models like Oregon’s, better internal guidance, and stronger tracking and escalation for repeat violators. Committee members and Assembly Member Irwin emphasized the rise in poison control calls involving children under five since legalization and argued that legal-market packaging can contribute to accidental ingestion, especially when products resemble candy or drinks. Several members pressed the department on why items such as root beer, strawberry lemonade, and cherry pie strain names should be allowed if they may appeal to children. The Department of Cannabis Control responded that it has already centralized label review, added staff and technology tools, improved compliance-history tracking, and is using progressive discipline tools such as notices to comply, citations, embargoes, abatements, and license actions. The department also argued that the illicit cannabis and intoxicating hemp markets are major drivers of youth exposure and that enforcement resources must be balanced across those markets. Public health witness Dr. Lynn Silver urged stronger restrictions, including plain packaging, bans on added flavors and child-appealing imagery, lower THC limits for edibles and beverages, and a dedicated pre-market review process. Industry representatives from the California Cannabis Industry Association and the California Cannabis Operators Association agreed that youth protections are essential, but argued that clearer, objective standards are needed so compliant businesses can know the rules and enforcement can be consistent. They said most licensed products are already compliant, that the most blatant youth-targeted packaging is concentrated in the illicit market, and that the Legislature should refine definitions and guidance rather than rely on subjective case-by-case judgments. No formal vote or bill action was taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• One staff note, please, Mayor. Okay. One staff note, please.
• Staff? Please. So, Mr.
• Staff note, real quick, just to kind of give you a little background here: I had staff go back because
• I have a staff note, please. Yes.
• Actually, we decreased our staff.

Summary: The committee approved the prior meeting minutes and then received updates on delinquent water and sewer reports, including seven new reinstatements and a reduction to four remaining delinquent filers. Staff also reported on municipal accounting code noncompliance, removing Denning and Gum Springs from the 60-day clock after improved records were verified, and presenting repeat findings for Fargo, Lead Hill, Alma, Jericho, and Haynes. Members discussed repeated audit problems, the length of time some issues had persisted, and whether towns should be given additional time or face stronger action; motions were made and adopted to place some entities on a 60-day clock or defer action to later meetings. For Fargo and Alma, staff described extensive repeat accounting deficiencies, including missing budgets, bank reconciliations, financial statements, receipts, journals, and supporting documentation. Fargo’s mayor said the town had been understaffed and was beginning to improve its office systems; the committee voted to defer the matter for 60 days and file the report. Alma’s officials said they were trying to correct water audit and accounting issues, and the committee likewise deferred the matter to the August meeting while warning that water-audit delays could jeopardize turnback funds. The committee then reviewed misuse-of-street-funds findings for Jericho and Haynes. Jericho’s police chief and officials explained that traffic fines, drug-related arrests, and other citations had pushed the town over the statutory threshold, while staff clarified that the speed-trap calculation excludes certain add-on fines and is referred to the prosecuting attorney for any action. Haynes officials said repayment problems stemmed from lost revenue and staffing changes, including the loss of the police department, but staff reported the town remained behind on its repayment plan and also owed the IRS. The committee voted to defer the Haynes matter to September and to defer Jericho as well, with members emphasizing the need for consistency and possible broader legislative review of small-town viability. A special report on the Pulaski County Regional Solid Waste Management District drew substantial discussion. Staff cited findings involving board approval of payroll and contracts, credit card documentation, car allowances and personal vehicle use, competitive bidding, and unusually high advertising spending, as well as the sale of trailers and other equipment at low prices. The district director said the board had delegated authority for many expenditures, that personal use was reported for tax purposes, and that advertising was necessary to educate the public about recycling. Members questioned the procurement and disposal decisions and the size of the advertising budget; after discussion, the committee deferred the report to September and asked the director to return. The meeting also included brief deferred reports on Biggers, Gilmore, and Holly Grove, which were filed after local officials described ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing audit and tax issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• So Pete, would you like to introduce your staff? So Pete, would you like to introduce your staff?
• In drafting those comments, the staff In drafting those comments, the staff are here to help you and
• And the staff is well capable of performing this analysis.
• And the JLARC staff has... Fair summary? Yes.
• I understand that there's staff advised.

Summary: The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences met on August 4, 2026, with all five commissioners present. The commission approved the May 26, 2026 minutes, welcomed new commissioner Diane Tabilius, and re-elected Andy Knopfsiger Meadows as chair and Dr. Sharon Keiko as vice chair. JLARC staff also introduced two Evans School interns who are assisting with preliminary research for the 2027 review cycle. JLARC presented preliminary findings on seven tax preference reviews, focusing most heavily on the Main Street communities credit, the Equitable Access to Credit Program, and the urban data center exemption. Staff concluded that the Main Street preference has helped increase the number of communities and businesses and recommended continuing it, while also recommending that DAHP collect more detailed and standardized business-count data. The Equitable Access to Credit Program was found to support underserved communities and was also recommended for continuation. The urban data center exemption was found to have been used only for refurbishment projects, not new construction, and staff recommended letting it expire; commissioners and Representative Paulette discussed the need for better performance measures, cost-per-job analysis, and clearer legislative intent language in tax preference statements. Staff then reviewed airplane modification, landfill biogas, automotive adaptive equipment, and housing for people with developmental disabilities. The airplane modification preference was found to likely support jobs and state tax revenue and was recommended for continuation. The landfill biogas preference was also recommended for continuation, with a suggestion for more detailed reporting on use and renewable natural gas production. The automotive adaptive equipment exemption was found to continue providing relief to disabled veterans and service members and was recommended for continuation, while the housing transfer exemption for adults with developmental disabilities had not been used and was recommended to expire. No public testimony was taken at this meeting, and the commission noted that public testimony would be heard at its September meeting before final comments are adopted in October.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, and 5 additional FTEs for additional staff is adopted.
• Item 273,000 for staff merit increases under item 4 is adopted.
• Item 2, 238,000 for staff salary increases is adopted.
• Finally, at the top of page 20, item C maintain laboratory staff.
• Staff say don't have to move to sever it.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards

Transcript Highlights:

• So we looked around at the staff.
• If you look at how many we have today, 4,856, 12% fewer staff today.
• As I said, again, our staff is the most important thing that we have.
• , chief of staff for the Office of Insurance Regulation.
• Is this any department bonuses for their staff?

Transcript Highlights:

• Finally, staff interviewed relevant KDE and KCSS staff and communicated findings prior to finalizing
• Finally, staff interviewed relevant KDE and KCSS staff and communicated findings prior to finalizing
• Finally, staff interviewed relevant KDE and KCSS staff and communicated findings prior to finalizing
• </c> assault on staff or security officers. assault on staff or security officers.
• </c> have staff just or sometimes they can't. have staff just or sometimes they can't.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee received an Office of Education Accountability presentation on student discipline data in Kentucky schools for the 2024 school year. OEA said the study used Safe Schools data, educator and student surveys, site visits to 12 schools, and principal surveys. The report found that about 1 in 10 schools have major behavior-related challenges and up to one-third have at least moderate challenges, with the most common concerns varying by level: high schools cited vapes, cell phone misuse, apathy, and tardiness; middle schools cited apathy, vapes, and cell phone misuse; and elementary schools reported more extreme classroom behaviors such as throwing objects, overturning furniture, and screaming. OEA also noted that 14% of students had at least one behavior event in 2024, but repeated events were rare, and event rates alone do not reliably measure the severity of behavior problems in a school or district. The presentation emphasized that many disciplinary consequences do not align consistently with statutes or local expectations. OEA said law violations made up 19% of more than 250,000 recorded behavior events, while most were board violations, and that some serious incidents resulted in minimal consequences. The report highlighted concerns about weapons, threats, and assaults: only 9.2% of weapon events led to expulsion or alternative placement, few threats resulted in those outcomes, and fewer than 10% of assaults led to expulsion or alternative placement, including some first-degree assaults. OEA also said the Safe Schools data do not identify victims, limiting analysis of assaults on staff or students, and recommended clearer statutory definitions and better data reporting. A major theme was the difficulty schools face in addressing chronic disruption and severe behavior while complying with federal protections for students with disabilities. OEA said principals reported the biggest challenges were federal limits on disciplinary removals and a lack of alternative placement options. The report described variation among districts in how they implement federal requirements, with some administrators discouraging alternative placements or avoiding discipline because of perceived legal risks. Site visits found that many schools lacked chronic-disruption policies, and teachers often reported frustration with minimal consequences and repeated classroom removals. OEA recommended that KDE collect more information from educators, identify promising practices for alternative instructional settings, and develop clearer guidance and training. In discussion, committee members said the findings showed reporting gaps and resource strains, and OEA staff clarified that some underreporting reflects local discretion, while law violations should still be reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• The House and the Senate, and basically through your staff here at LRC and the staff at the Office of
• staff.
• in adjudication and six part-time staff in adjudication and six part-time staff<00:36:37.800><c> we<
• As I mentioned, we had the layoff of 49 staff, so what we're proposing is to add 25 additional staff
• </c><00:42:55.599><c> have</c> months uh several of those staff have months uh several of those staff

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development received a presentation from Kentucky Department of Education officials on the final SEEK estimate for fiscal year 2025. Commissioner Robbie Fletcher, Matt Ross, and Chay Ritter explained that SEEK is developed through a consensus process with the Office of the State Budget Director using multiple models and district-level inputs, and that the estimate is a projection made well before actual data are available. They emphasized that the discussion was separate from the pending education-funding lawsuit and described SEEK as one part of a much larger K-12 budget picture. The presenters said the current SEEK estimate shows a statutory shortfall of about $14.7 million, or roughly 0.53% of the appropriation, with additional optional items that could bring the total to about $40.5 million if funds are available. They noted that prior years have sometimes produced excess funds, which are redirected according to budget language rather than automatically flowing back through SEEK. They also reviewed the main drivers of the estimate, including property assessments, average daily attendance, free lunch counts, exceptional child counts, home hospital, and limited English proficiency, and said property assessments have been especially volatile while exceptional child counts and ELL populations are difficult to predict. Members asked about why the estimate missed on some categories, especially special education and ELL, and whether district-level changes were being monitored closely enough. The presenters said KDE does monitor special education counts and will review larger districts and districts with unusual growth, and they acknowledged that exceptional child growth has been hard to forecast. Representative Bojanowski asked about the Cloverport virtual school, and staff said its growth was much larger than projected and accounted for a significant portion of the shortfall. Members also discussed the impact of property value growth, population shifts, illness, and legislative changes on SEEK projections. No vote or formal action was taken, and the meeting ended after questions and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have the best staff in the state.
• Usually, when you have support staff, it's two attorneys to one support staff. Why is that?
• So it's 30 support staff, 21 attorneys.
• We need more staff.
• So, our staff got paid.

Transcript Highlights:

• and probation staff.
• We have two audit staff right now.
• We need additional staff.
• We need additional accounting staff, audit staff, and oversight staff to be able to provide the appropriate
• Well, thank you, Chair and staff.

Summary: The Senate Budget Subcommittee on Corrections, Public Safety, Judiciary, Labor, and Transportation heard an overview from the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) on its budget change proposal and grant administration. BSCC requested authority for 11 additional permanent positions to handle a workload that has nearly tripled over five to seven years, with more than 600 grant agreements and about $1.5 billion in grant funds in the field. The board also reported on its new In-Custody Death Review Division, which has collected data since July 2024 and received 136 jail death reports; staff said the division is still building out reviews and has identified overdose, natural causes, and suicide by hanging as the leading manners of death. Members raised concerns about family notification practices, oversight of local grants, and the impact of taking more administrative funds from local assistance, while the LAO and Department of Finance did not oppose the position request but urged correction of the administration’s Proposition 47 savings methodology before May Revision. The committee then reviewed CDCR’s overall budget and operations. Secretary Jeffrey Macomber described a relatively steady prison and parole population, ongoing structural budget pressures from retirement payouts, workers’ compensation, medical transport, violence, and aging facilities lacking air conditioning and ADA features. He emphasized rehabilitation, recidivism reduction, college programming, and the department’s 20-year infrastructure planning effort, while also defending the closure of the California Rehabilitation Center and warning that additional closures can increase overcrowding, double-celling, and waitlists for programming. Senators pressed CDCR on fiscal discipline, vacancy savings, staffing shortages in medical and mental health classifications, the use of tablets for incarcerated people, and community impacts from prison closures, including the Norco site. A separate item focused on CDCR’s request for $91 million ongoing for lump-sum leave payouts to separating correctional officers and nurses. CDCR said these costs had historically been covered by vacancy savings, but lower vacancy levels and facility closures have reduced that funding source. The LAO supported the funding only on a limited-term basis with reporting, arguing the need may change as the system reaches a new normal, and also urged the Legislature to scrutinize the broader structural shortfall and the Boston Consulting Group efficiency contract. Finance supported ongoing funding, saying the costs are recurring and vacancy savings are less reliable. The committee also discussed CDCR’s fall 2025 population projections, which forecast a 6.5% decline in the institution population and a 10.4% decline in parole over five years, while updating Proposition 36 assumptions based on actual admissions data. CDCR and Finance said the California Rehabilitation Center closure would generate savings and that no additional prison closure had been formally proposed, though the LAO argued the state could close another prison and recommended not funding certain Soledad projects unless another closure is identified.

Transcript Highlights:

• Staff, if you would please start with Commerce, 2308.
• Questions for staff? Seeing none, no sponsor. We'll... Questions for staff?
• Questions for staff? Seeing none, 1237.
• Questions for staff? Seeing none, 1093.
• Questions for staff? Seeing none, 1160.

Summary: The committee heard staff presentations on a series of bills covering elections, education, firearms, housing, taxes, and health care. Measures discussed included HB 2308 on dental insurer ownership restrictions; SB 1126 on school cooperation with DCS investigations; SB 1210 on out-of-state online postsecondary registration; SCR 1006 on school restroom accommodations and pronoun/name use; and several election-related bills, including SB 1006 on campaign finance itemization thresholds, SB 1029 on procedures after a candidate’s death, SB 1038 on cast vote record transmission, SB 1057 on ballot-paper fraud countermeasures, and SB 1237 on consultation for election rulemaking. Other bills addressed diabetic coverage updates in HB 283, spousal maintenance guidelines in SB 1049, concealed weapons permit fees in SB 1053, firearm registries and merchant category codes in SB 1058, riot classification in SB 1093, drone restrictions near ticketed events in SB 1160, and lifetime injunctions for certain domestic violence-related aggravated harassment in SB 1211. Members asked several questions, especially about SB 1160’s one-mile drone restriction, whether it applied only to private drones, and how it would affect drone shows; staff said law enforcement drones were exempt and written consent from the event could allow other drones. There was also discussion of SB 1293, which would limit GPLIT revenue abatements so school district-designated revenues are not abated, and SB 1294, which would keep a destroyed property’s classification in place for up to five years or until its use changes, with members noting the bill would help owners rebuild after fires or other accidents. SB 1430, as amended, was described as a technical cleanup bill making clarifying changes and removing obsolete tax language. Most of the bills were identified as being on the third-read consent calendar, and no votes were taken in the excerpt. The committee appeared to move through the agenda without opposition testimony in the portion provided, with staff and one sponsor briefly explaining the diabetic coverage update as a way to modernize glucose monitoring and prevent long-term complications.

Transcript Highlights:

• My question is for staff.
• They wanted to have a celebration for the staff that was for the entire staff, and so that's why it was
• We'll ask you to get that with our staff, please. Okay.
• And if you do it on... ...celebration for all the staff.
• Staff recommends that these be filed en masse as reviewed.

Summary: The committee met to review education audit reports and heard responses from several school districts with findings. Camden Fairview School District was cited for using operating funds for an end-of-year employee awards banquet and for unauthorized credit card charges that caused a small loss; district officials said the current administration had strengthened controls, stopped the banquet practice, and improved monthly credit card reconciliation. Members questioned whether the prior officials were still employed, whether the credit card issue was an outside hack, and how teacher appreciation could continue without using district funds. Forest City School District was cited for spending about $33,000 on an off-campus staff celebration and entertainment event; district representatives said the money came from long-standing Pepsi-related donation funds, that the event was intended to recognize staff and growth, and that they would change practices and receive training going forward. Members discussed whether those funds were private donations or operational funds, and staff said the district’s accounting treatment made them subject to the constitutional restriction at issue. The committee also reviewed several other findings. Conway School District was referred for an ongoing investigative report involving misuse of district funds and resources by former maintenance employees. Magnolia School District had undeposited activity funds totaling more than $21,000, tied to a resigned high school secretary and sponsor receipts not deposited. Westside School District had about $30,000 in credit card charges lacking documentation or business purpose, including charges by the superintendent, personal purchases, and items shipped to personal addresses; the matter was referred to the prosecuting attorney. Boonville School District was cited for paying a board member’s son more than the statutory limit for seasonal groundskeeping without the required exemption, and DESE later denied the exemption request. After discussing those cases, the committee filed the remaining eight findings en masse and then filed the 89 reports with no findings. Members noted that most school districts audited had clean reports and encouraged districts to continue good practices while learning from the findings discussed.

Transcript Highlights:

• My question is for staff.
• The staff obviously felt that it was an operational fund.
• They wanted to have a celebration for the staff that was for the entire staff, and so that's why it was
• We'll ask you to get that with our staff, please. Okay.
• And if you do it on... ...celebration for all the staff.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Enforcement staff did not.
• So, staff recommends.
• Motion to adopt staff recommendations. Thank you. The staff recommendation is to deny the appeal.
• After discussions with TEC staff, staff recommends a full waiver for the July 2022 and July 2023 semi-annual
• I did also want to just take a moment to thank the staff, the legal staff. administrative staff who have

Keywords: Texas Ethics Commission, legislative recommendations, general counsel appointment, foreign lobbying, political contributions, quarterly meetings, public testimony, rule amendments

Summary: The meeting focused on the Texas Ethics Commission's (TEC) evaluation of legislative recommendations and personnel updates, including the appointment of a new general counsel and discussions about upcoming quarterly meetings. Commissioner Schmidt reported on the progress of various bills, including amendments to existing laws, the need for increased regulation on foreign lobbying, and the publication of new rules in the Texas Register. Public testimonies were heard regarding compliance issues and proposed changes in political contribution regulations. The Commission agreed to schedule further review on the legislative items discussed and the proposed rule amendments.