Transcript Highlights:

• and rural areas, modernization and safety upgrades are absolutely important, but we have some reservations

Summary: The Committee on Fiscal Policy met and first considered CS/SB 7012 on child welfare, presented by Senator Graal. The bill addressed three areas: child welfare workforce shortages, higher-acuity children in out-of-home care, and services/data for commercially sexually exploited children. It would create a CPI and case manager recruitment program aimed at former public safety and service workers, convene a workforce work group, establish a four-year treatment foster care pilot in two judicial circuits identified by DCF based on removal and placement data, and require more detailed, extractable child-level data on commercially sexually exploited children along with a bed capacity study and service gap analysis. Two amendments were adopted: one clarified record retention for redacted assessments, and another attached the appropriation. The committee then heard CS/SB 110 on rural communities from Senator Simon. The bill proposed a broad rural development package, including a state office of rural prosperity, a Renaissance grant program for counties with declining populations, increased housing support, major rural road funding, school consortium funding, and additional health care resources for rural facilities and training. A delete-all amendment was adopted that expanded and refined several provisions, including local sales tax trust fund distributions, county connectivity projects, agritourism marketing support, disaster-impacted rural infrastructure eligibility, insurance and provider eligibility changes, and increased funding for critical access hospitals and rural medical education reimbursement. Both bills drew broad support from local government, education, health care, housing, and rural advocacy representatives. Supporters said the rural bill was especially comprehensive and would help small counties, schools, roads, housing, and health care, while one witness cautioned that road expansion should be balanced with protection of agricultural and natural lands. Senator Bradley and Senator Simon emphasized local control and the importance of strengthening rural Florida without imposing mandates. CS/SB 7012 and CS/SB 110 were both reported favorably, and the committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• With that, I yield for questions and reservations. Those for the author as well.

Bills: SB18, SB19, SB666, SB688, SB707, SB888, SB 18, SB 19

Keywords: municipal libraries, state funding, gender identity, public events, children's literature, SB 19, Texas, political subdivision, local government, county, city, municipality, taxpayer-funded lobbying, lobbying ban, public funds, registered lobbyist, Chapter 305, Government Code, Local Government Code, county association dues

Transcript Highlights:

• Reserve those for the author as well. Thank you, Senator Middleton.

Bills: SB 18, SB 19, SB 666, SB 688, SB 707, SB 888

Keywords: municipal libraries, state funding, gender identity, public events, children's literature, SB 19, Texas, political subdivision, local government, county, city, municipality, taxpayer-funded lobbying, lobbying ban, public funds, registered lobbyist, Chapter 305, Government Code, Local Government Code, county association dues

Transcript Highlights:

• Family, so the example that you used about using the credit union because everybody doesn't have a reserve

Bills: SB163, SB173, SB155, HB93, SB163, SB173, SB155, HB93

Keywords: State Auditor, property investigations, negligence, loss report, civil actions, Alabama Retirement Savings Program, state-facilitated retirement savings, auto-IRA, automatic enrollment, payroll deduction IRA, retirement savings access gap, private sector workers, small business retirement plan, portable retirement account, Roth IRA, traditional IRA, life-cycle fund, capital preservation fund, financial literacy, Department of Workforce

Transcript Highlights:

• We'll begin with the General Land Office, and members, I ask that we reserve our questions until the
• I think that's Parks and Wildlife instead of the federal reserve.
• In the property acquisitions, I think that's Parks and Wildlife instead of the federal reserves down

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The Federal Reserve has reported that student loan debt has reached $1.84 trillion nationally.
• The Federal Reserve has reported that, debt, basic living costs become unimaginable.
• The Federal Reserve has reported that student loan debt has reached $1.84 trillion nationally.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just wanted to request that the bills that we didn’t hear, that we reserve them so that we don’t have
• Just wanted to request that the bills that we didn’t hear, that we reserve them so that we don’t have
• Just wanted to request that the bills that we didn’t hear, that we reserve them so that we don’t have

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Renewable hydrogen can help with those emergency reserves when the choice is an outage or burning diesel
• beaches, sickened residents, devastated the ecosystems of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
• From Lake Los Angeles to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, some stretch hundreds of acres and go dozens

Summary: The committee heard presentations on several energy, environmental, and consumer protection bills while operating at times without a quorum. Senator McNerney presented SB 925, which would direct the California Energy Commission to develop a statewide roadmap for fusion energy, and SB 1350, which would expand the use of green hydrogen in the power sector by allowing renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using hydrogen. Supporters said both bills would help California maintain leadership in emerging clean-energy industries, attract investment, and create jobs. Opponents of SB 1350 raised concerns about greenwashing, resource shuffling, and increased NOx emissions from hydrogen combustion, while supporters said committee amendments added guardrails against those outcomes. Senator Ashby presented SB 1010, a manufacturer-funded extended producer responsibility program for refrigerants in appliances; supporters said it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve recovery, while opponents argued existing laws already regulate refrigerants and that the bill could raise costs and disrupt recycling markets. Senator Grayson presented SB 1145 to streamline CEQA and federal reuse procedures for qualifying projects in the Concord Reuse Project Area, which supporters said would help deliver long-planned housing, jobs, and open space, while one housing group sought stronger affordable-housing guarantees. Senator Cabaldon presented SB 1341, which would give CalRecycle authority to reduce processing fees for wine and spirits bag-in-a-box containers when fee collections exceed program needs; supporters said the current fee increase was abrupt and excessive, while opponents warned against giving the agency too much discretion. Senator Padilla presented SGR 13, urging the U.S. to secure enforceable commitments to eliminate transboundary sewage pollution in the Tijuana and New River watersheds during the 2026 USMCA review, and SB 1033, which would require testing and disclosure of heavy metals in protein products; SGR 13 drew strong support from border and environmental justice advocates, while SB 1033 drew support from consumer and health groups and opposition from industry groups concerned about labeling burdens and scope. Senator Caballero presented SB 1183, requiring a state study of the environmental, land-use, and economic impacts of industrial solar in the Central Valley; farm and land-use advocates supported the bill, while solar industry groups opposed unless amended, saying it should better reflect solar’s benefits and existing state analysis. After testimony, the committee took roll and adopted several measures on a 4-0 or 3-0 basis, with bills including SJR 13, SB 925, SB 1350, SB 1145, SB 1341, SB 1033, and SB 1010 advanced on call to Appropriations or, in the case of SB 1010, already voted with a 3-1 result before being held on call.

Transcript Highlights:

• And whereas, despite numerous authorities holding that the Constitution reserves to the General Assembly
• void and null and void, and whereas, despite numerous authorities holding that the Constitution reserves
• Constitution reserves to the General Assembly the power to determine what constitutes an impeachable

Keywords: In an effort to stave off issues that may occur with long format live streams, we have split this stream into two parts., 958, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Army Reserves Veterinary Corps.
• Army Reserves Veterinary Corps. Uh, I'd Army Reserves Veterinary Corps.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so gentlemen, I think we all have reservations, or Mr.
• Speaker, we all have reservations about the legality of the machines that are sitting out there right
• Well, that would certainly help many of members of our body who have reservations about whether or not

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And as you are all aware, this is a hole in our budget that we simply don't fill with state reserves.
• Today we are draining reserves and budgeting against funding that is not guaranteed, all while facing
• Like many counties, we do not have enough reserves to absorb hundreds of millions of dollars in costs

Summary: The Assembly Health Committee held an informational hearing on the impact of federal H.R. 1 and related state budget actions on California’s health care system. Opening remarks framed the federal changes as a major threat to Medi-Cal, Covered California, hospitals, clinics, and the broader safety net, with warnings that millions could lose coverage and that costs would shift to providers, counties, and consumers. Testimony from the California Health Care Foundation and the Legislative Analyst’s Office focused on implementation challenges, the administrative burden of work requirements and more frequent renewals, the loss of federal funding, and the need for California to consider long-term structural changes to Medi-Cal, county safety-net programs, and cost containment. A Covered California enrollee, Chas Franklin, described sharply rising premiums for his family after losing subsidies, illustrating the personal impact of federal policy changes. Committee members raised concerns about whether premium increases were driven by H.R. 1 or insurer pricing, the cost of rebuilding county-based indigent care systems, and the need to account for the cost of inaction. Dr. Hernandez pointed to pre-ACA models such as Healthy San Francisco as examples of coordinated local safety-net care, while also emphasizing the importance of primary care, data interoperability, and the Office of Health Care Affordability in reducing waste and improving access. Department of Health Care Services officials then outlined the state’s implementation plan for H.R. 1, including work requirements, six-month redeterminations, reduced retroactive coverage, cost-sharing, and immigration-related eligibility changes. They said the department would try to automate eligibility checks, expand outreach, and train counties and partners, but estimated up to 2 million Californians could lose coverage over time. Covered California reported that the expiration of enhanced federal premium tax credits and new federal marketplace rules are already raising costs and reducing enrollment, with an estimated 400,000 enrollees at risk of dropping coverage. County, hospital, and safety-net representatives warned that coverage losses will increase uncompensated care and strain local systems, while one coalition proposed a temporary state-funded coverage option as a bridge if full-scope Medi-Cal cannot be maintained. The hearing concluded with a policy analyst urging stakeholder engagement, immigrant protections, and new state revenue options to preserve coverage and offset federal cuts.

Transcript Highlights:

• And as you are all aware, this is a hole in our budget that we simply don't fill with state reserves.
• Today we are draining reserves and budgeting against funding that is not guaranteed, all while facing
• Like many counties, we do not have enough reserves to absorb hundreds of millions of dollars in costs

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, we have over this year, uh, fiscal year to date, uh, over 1700 loans that have been reserved.
• An average of about $13 million in reservations on an annual basis or on a weekly basis, I'm sorry.
• We're ahead of last year's production, which is about $12.7 million weekly reservations.

Transcript Highlights:

• Within that, it helps incentivize lenders to make loans to small businesses using loan loss reserves
• Program, known as CalCAP, helps incentivize lenders to make loans to small businesses using loan loss reserves
• The program has grown considerably from its initial single loan loss reserve to encompass several different

Summary: The Assembly Local Government Committee heard a long agenda of housing, water, and local finance bills, with the chair repeatedly reminding attendees about hearing rules and noting that several measures were being heard without a quorum at first. Early items included AB 407, which would broaden eligibility for state-run loan and financing programs to help small businesses fund environmental, seismic, and ADA upgrades, and AB 93, which would require data centers to estimate and report water use and follow state best practices. AB 93 drew support from water advocates and local government groups, while the Data Center Coalition opposed it, arguing the bill could be overly restrictive, difficult to retrofit, and raise trade secret or security concerns. The committee also heard AB 650 on housing element review, AB 1044 on creating a new Tulare County groundwater sustainability agency, and AB 523 on allowing proxy voting for single-representative member agencies on the Metropolitan Water District board; all drew broad support from local agencies and related stakeholders and no recorded opposition in the room. Several housing bills were presented as part of a broader fast-track housing package. AB 507 would streamline adaptive reuse of office buildings into housing, especially in downtowns with high vacancy; supporters said it would revive urban cores and help meet housing and climate goals, while the League of California Cities and a few cities opposed it unless amended, citing concerns about one-size-fits-all by-right approval and fee limitations. AB 1294 would create a universal housing application and limit early application requirements; it drew strong support from housing and business groups, with the American Planning Association and League of California Cities seeking more flexibility and input. AB 610 would require local governments to disclose housing constraints in their housing elements and limit new constraints after certification for three years unless disclosed; supporters said it would improve transparency and certainty, while opponents warned it could chill legitimate local policy choices and inclusionary housing requirements. Both AB 610 and AB 698, which would require analysis of the housing and property tax impacts of proposed transfer taxes, were moved out of committee on 7-0 votes after discussion and amendments. The committee also heard AB 1112, which would repeal an outdated Riverside County property tax provision affecting Rancho Mirage; the city argued it was the only qualifying no-low property tax city not receiving the standard minimum and sought equal treatment. After quorum was established, the bill was passed 6-0 with amendments and sent to Appropriations. AB 1021, heard later, would make it easier for school districts and other local education agencies to build employee housing, with the author citing teacher recruitment and retention problems and support from education stakeholders. Throughout the hearing, members and witnesses repeatedly emphasized the need to balance housing production, local fiscal tools, and infrastructure needs, and several authors accepted committee amendments and committed to continued negotiations with opponents.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so during those times of the week, now we want to reserve the weekend peak.
• During those times during the week, now we want to reserve the weekend peak times for the authority of
• Senate Bill 2502 by Zaffirini, relating to the exemption of certain reserve peace officers from regulation

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, heard an invocation, and adopted the previous day’s journal. Members then adopted Senate Resolution 358 honoring the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on its 10th anniversary, with remarks highlighting UTRGV’s growth, degree production, research expansion, medical school, and role in serving the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas. The chamber also recognized the doctor of the day and adopted additional resolutions, including one for Denton County Days at the Capitol and another recognizing Texas HBCU Day. The Senate gave extensive recognition to outgoing Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp through Senate Resolution 368. Senators from both parties praised his long public career, leadership of the A&M System, support for regional universities, and bipartisan approach. The resolution was adopted after multiple members added their names. The chamber also heard from advocates with the Texas Streets Coalition, and received gubernatorial nominations for the State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection. On legislation, the Senate passed several major bills. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 27, relating to rights and support for public school educators, was debated and amended to address teacher vacancies, bilingual certification testing, paid leave options, classroom removals, and appeal rights, then passed unanimously. Senate Joint Resolution 12, proposing a constitutional amendment on parents’ right to direct a child’s education, advanced on a 22-9 vote. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1741, aimed at preventing foreign influence and intellectual property theft at public institutions of higher education, passed unanimously. Committee Substitute Senate Bill 29, the business entities bill, also passed after debate over corporate governance and shareholder protections. Senate Bill 857, authorizing law enforcement to tow certain vehicles driven by unlicensed or uninsured drivers, passed despite some concern about towing abuses during disasters. The Senate also took up Committee Substitute Senate Bill 1536 on dementia and Alzheimer’s training for certain guardians, but the transcript ends as that bill is being laid out.

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, I would reserve my right to close.
• that's printed on eight and a half by eleven, and you'll notice that a quarter of the front page is reserved
• There may be some witnesses that have signed up, and I'll reserve the right to close.

Bills: HB304, HB401, HB556, HB1475, HB1489, HB2259, HB2424, HB2773, HB2811, HB3323, HB304

Keywords: voter ID, citizenship proof, provisional ballot, election security, Texas, voting rights, deep fakes, misleading videos, election integrity, criminal offense, digital misinformation, deep fake, political manipulation, misinformation, artificial media, political influence, artificially generated media, election influence, Texas Election Code, healthcare reform

Transcript Highlights:

• on line 10, on line nine, at the end of the line it says criminal penalties, etc., etc., shall be reserved
• on line 10, on line nine, at the end of the line it says criminal penalties, etc., etc., shall be reserved
• on line 10, on line nine, at the end of the line it says criminal penalties, etc., etc., shall be reserved
• 10:36.800><c> whereas</c><04:10:37.359><c> superior</c><04:10:37.920><c> is</c><04:10:38.160><c> reserved
• </c><04:10:38.479><c> for</c> level whereas superior is reserved for level whereas superior is reserved

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The chairs reserve the right to violate that rule a little bit.
• The current project will be carried forward by using additional reserve funds to purchase, operate, and
• And then when we need additional staff to come in, we have two or three reserves that we can get.
• When we need additional staff to come in, we have two or three reserves that we can use. Got it.
• We don't have a large reserve.

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness and flooding hearing opened with quorum calls, prayer, testimony time limits, and remarks from legislative leaders emphasizing decorum, respect, and the goal of learning from the July 4 flood to prevent future loss of life. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows said the special session and hearings were intended to hear directly from local officials and residents, and that the state would pursue immediate and longer-term legislation and continue working beyond the current session. The committee then heard invited testimony from Kerr County, Kerrville, Kendall County, Real County, and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, followed by member questions. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, and emergency management coordinator William B. Thomas described the flood as a sudden, unprecedented event that overwhelmed local systems before many officials or residents understood the danger. They said the county received multiple National Weather Service and IPAWS alerts, but the rain fell in remote upstream areas with limited gauges, and the flood rose too quickly for normal response. They detailed the emergency response, including dispatchers handling heavy call volumes, deputies and volunteer firefighters conducting rescues, and state and federal partners assisting. County officials said 108 people died, including 37 children, and two remained missing. They called for better real-time flood detection, stronger rural emergency management resources, improved broadband and cell coverage, and more funding for swift-water rescue and warning systems. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and City Manager Dalton Rice said the city had floodplain rules, emergency plans, and prior preparedness efforts, but the event exposed gaps in communications and regional warning capacity. They urged the Legislature to fund a flood warning system, whether sirens, automated alerts, or a hybrid, and asked for support for predictive weather modeling, broadband expansion, a hazard mitigation fund, and disaster recovery resources. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority said it had long funded gauges and pursued flood-warning and mitigation projects, including a new software-based flood prediction system and possible retention dams, and planned to dedicate reserve funds to feasibility studies and infrastructure improvements. Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said his county’s emergency action plan and early alerts helped prevent deaths there, and he recommended easier access to alerting tools, a river-wide warning system, simpler grant applications, and regional coordination. Real County Judge Bella Rubio said rural counties face major challenges because of limited cell service, broadband, staffing, and funding, especially for camps and visitors along the Frio and Nueces rivers, and argued that reliable alert systems should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Members asked about the timeline of the flood, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and funding, and several witnesses said the key lessons were better communications, better warning systems, and more investment in rural flood mitigation and emergency response.

Transcript Highlights:

• But that's what they're saying about creating spaces that are reserved just for women, biological women
• </c><00:29:02.000><c> just</c> creating spaces that are reserved just creating spaces that are reserved
• The bill ensures that female-designated teams are reserved for biological females, prohibits biological
• </c><01:10:17.840><c> for</c><01:10:18.159><c> biological</c> teams are reserved for biological teams
• are reserved for biological females,<01:10:20.159><c> prohibits</c><01:10:20.880><c> biological</c><

Keywords: 1191, senate, all