Transcript Highlights:

• not required, and I just want to remind everyone that these batterer intervention programs, they're state
• certified, but they are not state funded.
• However, the program itself, given that we have over a hundred of them in the state of Florida, they
• of Florida. ...representing about half a million people in the state of Florida.
• All this can be found in the National Library of Medicine.

Committee: Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and took up several bills. SB 894, relating to faith-based content in batterers’ intervention programs, was explained as allowing certified programs to offer voluntary faith-based components alongside existing models. Members raised questions about how faith would be defined, whether participation would be optional, and how all faiths would be included. An amendment was adopted clarifying that faith-based activities may be offered but not required and removing language directing DCF to repeal a rule. After supportive testimony from faith-based advocates and some debate, the committee reported the bill favorably, with Senators Harrell and Garcia later recording affirmative votes. The committee then considered SB 1240 on substance abuse and mental health care, which would assign state oversight of the 988 Lifeline, remove the annual needs assessment barrier for medication-assisted treatment licensing, and require annual continuing education for forensic evaluators. An amendment with technical conforming changes and two substantive clarifications was adopted. Members expressed support for expanded access to behavioral health services, and the bill was reported favorably. Later, the chair presented SB 1736, which would allow direct support professionals and relatives to administer insulin in group home settings for individuals with developmental disabilities. After an amendment clarifying sliding scale insulin and related medication administration, the committee heard testimony from family advocates describing how the bill would prevent unnecessary institutionalization and reduce costs. The bill was reported favorably. The committee also passed SB 1286, which clarifies that allowing children to engage in unsupervised activities such as biking or playing outside does not by itself constitute neglect unless reckless or dangerous. After brief support testimony, that bill was also reported favorably, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill 8, to triple the amount of state mandated, state created testing in.
• Now I can guarantee that every parent, teacher, student, and frankly person in the state of Texas has
• To tell the state of Texas that we're not going down without a fight. Thank you. Thank you, Connor.
• Of of of Texas school communities. Yes, stakeholders?
• We've been able to work collaboratively on minimizing testing in Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• state of Texas.
• State your inquiry. What is the required vote? State your inquiry. What is the required vote?
• It's only political subdivisions of the state and state agencies. Okay.
• And here, I guess, we're trying to impose a rule that will fit throughout the state of Texas, not allowing
• And here, I guess, we're trying to impose a rule that will fit throughout the state of Texas, not allowing

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation and then handled several procedural matters, including a failed motion to excuse Senator Johnson’s absence after a roll-call vote. The chamber also postponed the reading and referral of bills until later in the calendar and adopted motions allowing the Education K-16 Committee to meet while the Senate was in session. The Senate then recessed until 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 6. The main floor action centered on Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 9, which lowers the voter-approval tax rate for certain cities and counties from 3.5% to 2.5% for maintenance and operations. Senator Bettencourt argued the bill would slow local property tax growth and align city and county limits more closely with school district limits, while Senators Hinojosa and Menendez raised concerns about reduced local revenue, public safety funding, and the short time for cities to assess the impact. The Senate suspended the regular order, passed the bill to engrossment, suspended the constitutional three-day rule, and finally passed SB 9, with a clarification later entered that the final passage vote was 18-3. The Senate also took up Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 7, the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, which sets state policy for the use of certain spaces and facilities according to biological sex and creates enforcement mechanisms for state agencies and political subdivisions. Supporters said the bill was needed to protect women and children in restrooms, locker rooms, shelters, prisons, and schools, while opponents questioned the scope, enforcement, civil penalties, and possible conflicts with federal law and local control. After extensive questioning, the chamber adopted a clarifying amendment, suspended the three-day rule, and finally passed SB 7 by a vote of 19-2. Finally, the Senate passed Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 15, which addresses deed fraud and real property theft by tightening recording requirements for certain property documents and creating new criminal offenses for real property theft and fraud. Senator Hinojosa explained that the bill combined civil and criminal provisions, added photo ID requirements for in-person filings, and included restitution and enhanced penalties for certain victims and properties; a floor amendment made cleanup changes, removed a training mandate, and clarified that electronic and mail filings were not affected. The Senate adopted the amendment, suspended the three-day rule, and passed SB 15 unanimously, 21-0.

Transcript Highlights:

• GLO wants to work it, but it really is a problem across the state.
• And, unfortunately, it does take it from Texas Parks and Wildlife.
• I live in Seabrook, Texas in the Clear Lake Galveston Bay Area.
• That's over 500 boats who pay the registration fees to the state.
• HCR 89 designates the cannon as the state gun of Texas. There we are members.

Committee: House Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Transcript Highlights:

• collected in the great state of Texas and distributed in Texas.
• If that were to cascade and grow throughout the state of Texas.
• It would have an impact on the availability of the blood supply in the state of Texas today.
• The state of Texas and say, would you, do you think they would share your opinion that they would, they
• Most of the state of Texas does direct donors.

Committee: House Public Health

Transcript Highlights:

• What is the state of the law today?
• And so today under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Texas Rules of Appellate procedure.
• There are nearly 1000 courts of record in the state.
• Did this for Texas, um, 20 or so states, uh, had some form of chancery courts of business courts.
• I'm with the 3rd, uh, division of the Texas Business Court.

Committee: Senate Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• Ah Texas, Texas and Houston are better off because of his public service.
• And because of that, I'm a state senator.
• Was central to his mission as a Texas state representative. the city of Houston mayor.
• The great state of Texas, and our nation and beyond.
• Of the state of Texas. In the city of Houston. He's gone. But it won't be forgotten.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm with the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office in Conroe, Texas.
• Although mail fraud is often considered a federal issue, Texas...
• Decker, you're registered as Kate Decker from the Texas Bankers Association? Yes.
• Texas bank report a loss of $42,000 recently.
• We believe local and state law enforcement should have these tools as well.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• state's economy and food supply, and yet they face some of the most severe housing instability in the state
• housing must be located near agricultural land, often miles from services such as public transit, libraries
• housing, and some of the areas in which we could do better in ensuring access to some investment and state
• Current law does not provide transition for tenants in state-subsidized... ...available for them.
• that allows people to move forward, and that we should also be a state that recognizes certain of our

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• invest in other states.
• I think, for the state.
• It was a little bit of both, mostly looking at tuition prices, comparing in-state and out-of-state; in-state
• It was a little bit of both, mostly looking at tuition prices, comparing in-state and out-of-state, in-state
• For the state of Missouri? But the state is put in 25. Yes, yes.

Committee: House Budget

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• local officials regarding declared states a disaster refer to the committee on state affairs HB 524
• fund as required by the Texas Constitution.
• Further, the Committee on State Affairs, HB 552 by Gonzalo Zopasso, relating to the study by Texas A&
• Permitting of Texas authorizing a fee, referred to the Committee of State Affairs, HB 554, by Leo Wilson
• agencies in the executive branch of state government be approved by certain elected state officials,

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Well that, we bristled at that, and so a group of of states led by Texas pushed back pretty hard.
• States then have the flexibility to go above and beyond that and Texas does go above and beyond.
• So you'll see in the blue is what states are required to cover in The gray is where Texas has gone above
• Texas.
• of Texas.

Committee: House Human Services

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , and the Texas Ethics Commission.
• The next agency we're voting on is the Trinity River Authority of Texas.
• The next agency we are voting on is the Texas Ethics Commission.
• It's a staff recommendation of 1.2 for the Texas Ethics Commission. Excuse me.
• of Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Does it mean the state then acquires every cemetery in each county, or does it mean the state provides
• , or could the state, and use the term highly recommended, have some form of state oversight?
• </c><00:55:22.520><c> oversight</c> provide a state oversight provide a state oversight component<00:
• </c> asked the question again would the state asked the question again would the state or<00:56:09.440
• effort</c><01:21:09.840><c> the</c> the state funds the state effort the the state funds the state effort

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: At the joint hearing on SB 951 SD2, the committees heard testimony on a child protection measure requiring mandatory child abuse and neglect reports to include military status and to improve communication between DHS and the Department of Defense. The U.S. Department of Defense testified in support and described its coordinated community response process for abuse reports, saying the bill would help ensure child safety and better coordination with DHS. DHS was initially absent, later appeared, and said it supported the measure but was still working with DOD on implementation details and staff training. Members asked about how DHS becomes involved and whether there were gaps in the current process. The chair recommended passage with technical amendments, including changing the effective date to 7/1/25 and conforming related language, and both committees adopted the recommendation by vote. The Public Safety committee then heard SB 1377 SD2, which would create a Veterans Cemeteries Board within the Office of Veterans Services in the Department of Defense to provide guidance, education, and technical assistance to state veteran cemeteries. DOD supported the bill and explained that county-run cemeteries must meet National Cemetery Administration standards to remain eligible for federal reimbursements and grants; witnesses described past compliance problems at several cemeteries, including one still not compliant in Hilo, and said the board would help counties prepare for future site visits and improve oversight without taking over operations. Members asked about costs, reimbursement amounts, and whether the state would assume cemetery operations; DOD said the current reimbursement process runs through the state to the counties and that direct takeover would be costly. The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass the bill with amendments. The committee also heard SB 1382, which would make intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a National Guard member performing duty a class C felony. The Hawaii National Guard and HPD supported the bill, citing incidents during the Maui response where Guard members encountered noncompliant and sometimes physically confrontational individuals while assisting police and protecting impacted areas. Testimony emphasized that Guard members are often unarmed and should receive protections similar to first responders. One witness opposed the bill, but the committee moved forward and adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass with amendments. Finally, the committee took up SB 1379 SD2 on emergency preparedness and Community Readiness Centers. Hawaii Emergency Management supported the bill, and supporters said it would create a statewide framework for resilience hubs that can provide supplies, action plans, and refuge during disasters. Testimony highlighted recent hurricanes, wildfires, and other hazards, and argued the measure would complement existing county efforts rather than replace them. County of Hawaii testimony opposed the bill, raising concerns about overlap and cost, while members asked about estimated expenses and implementation. The discussion ended with questions about planning and whether the bill would enhance existing programs; no final vote was captured in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• But Texas has once again become the nation's leading state in runaway verdicts, reminiscent of years
• There's a system of fraud in the state of Texas.
• We've looked at the other top 10 states in the United States other than Texas, so Texas is the 2nd largest
• And 8 of the top 10 states in Texas have either 1 or 2 blanks on their jury charge to fill in.
• We're simply codifying the ability for both sides in every case in every court in the state of Texas

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Transcript Highlights:

• HJR 5 to Education K through 16, HJR 98 to State Affairs.
• Even if they are in a state where it is legal.
• It is so unsafe to be pregnant in Texas.
• , you're stuck in Texas court where there is no recourse.
• And we wonder why so many people are thinking about leaving the state of Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• Yes, Miss Burns or state.
• </c> the United States and internationally. the United States and internationally.
• </c> only in the state but beyond the state. only in the state but beyond the state.
• </c> and invest in our state. Thank you. and invest in our state. Thank you.
• </c><01:28:51.840><c> Our</c> directors from other states. Our directors from other states.

Bills: HF4438 , HF4467 , HF4379 , SF3402 , HF4349 , HF4064 , HF84 , HF85 , HF3804

Committee: House Health Finance and Policy

Keywords: healthcare, WIC, community health, licensing, speech-language pathology, audiology, contract term limits, healthcare services, provider enrollment, disenrollment, premium payments, medical assistance, substance use disorders, mental health, children's mental health, early childhood, early intervention, consultation grants, Head Start, child care

Transcript Highlights:

• And lastly, the program partners with the Texas Institutions of Higher Education.
• Currently, the state of Texas requires school districts to teach students a total of 75,600 minutes,
• Being able to make those decisions for a very diverse, big state.
• So you said the state requires 171 days. But again.
• Again, I'm not familiar with any school system in the state of Oregon.

Committee: House S/C on Academic & Career-Oriented Education

Transcript Highlights:

• So, really, a game-changer for Texas. We're very fortunate.
• No other state is doing that.
• So in Lubbock, Texas, we don't have a problem.
• Texas is REAL ID compliant. We're about 98, 99 percent.
• Ranger work in those areas like we do the rest of the state.

Committee: House Appropriations - S/C on Articles I, IV, & V

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of Texas.
• things around the state of Texas.
• Luckily, there are some cities and towns that have stepped up across the state of Texas and have recognized
• on behalf of the Texas State Association of Firefighters.
• I'm the president of the Texas State Association of Firefighters, and we represent about 19,500 professional

Bills: HB318 , HB198

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: ERCOT, interconnection, electric utilities, power grid, transmission, election administration, school board elections, trustee terms, general election, Education Code