Transcript Highlights:

• I appreciate the fact that you all have kept open lines of communications with the tribes.
• We manage and protect fish and wildlife along with their habitats while also growing our community of
• Projects underway for this year include modernizing their body cams and the supporting technology.
• These are smaller communities with smaller bodies of water inside cities or communities that have an
• And then it's changed over the years with technology. But you can go on a good run.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We build and operate our projects in disadvantaged communities that are adversely impacted by pollution
• Elizabeth Escovel, with the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, along with ADAC, the
• Especially, you find that not too uncommon in our underserved communities.
• Ellen Brittingham with Full Moon Strategies here on behalf of San Diego Community Power in support.
• Jamie Miner, on behalf of the California Community Choice Association, Intersect Power, MCE, and the

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation heard several bills focused on transit funding, veterans’ tax relief, clean energy incentives, housing development costs, and tax conformity. SB 63 would authorize a Bay Area regional sales tax measure for transit agencies facing fiscal shortfalls; supporters said it was needed to avoid major service cuts, while the California Taxpayers Association opposed it on Proposition 13/218 concerns. SB 56 would exclude veterans’ disability compensation from income calculations for the disabled veterans’ property tax exemption, and SB 296 would expand property tax relief for 100% disabled veterans and certain surviving spouses; both drew broad veterans’ support. SB 86 would extend and expand the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority sales and use tax exemption program, including fusion energy, and SB 302 would conform state tax law to federal clean energy credit monetization provisions; both were backed by industry, labor, and clean energy advocates. SB 328 would cap Department of Toxic Substances Control fees on contaminated-soil remediation for infill and master-planned housing projects, with housing groups arguing the current fee structure can make projects infeasible. SB 711 would update California’s tax conformity date to January 1, 2025 to reduce complexity and inconsistencies with federal law, and was supported by tax professionals and business groups. Several bills were held or sent to suspense, while others advanced with amendments. After quorum was established, SB 63 passed the committee 4-2 and SB 86, SB 302, SB 328, and SB 711 were referred to suspense, with SB 86 and SB 302 later approved out of suspense with amendments. SB 56 was held in committee, SB 296 was made a two-year bill, and SB 284 and SB 723 were held. The committee also approved a number of additional suspense-file bills, including SB 293, SB 359, SB 419, SB 587, SB 603, SB 663, SB 710, and SB 785, while SB 591 was approved with amendments and SB 353 was made a two-year bill. The hearing concluded with the committee adjournment after final roll calls and bill actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• To your second point about the LGBTQ community, this bill isn’t trying to target one specific community
• Not just certain communities, right?
• Not just certain communities, right?
• That's all communities. These are parents. Communities. And that's not a brown-black issue.
• That's all communities.

Summary: The Assembly Elections Committee met as a subcommittee until quorum was established, then heard a series of election- and public-trust-related bills. Early items included AB 2592, which would move lobbyist training from legislative ethics committees to the FPPC starting in 2029 and make it available online on demand; it drew support from the FPPC and an oppose-unless-amended request to make the training public and ensure lobbyists pay fees. AB 2573 would refine California’s confidential voter registration protections for candidates and elected officials, with support from the Secretary of State and county election officials after amendments narrowed some family-member coverage. AB 2753 would bar registered sex offenders from running for or holding local or state office; it prompted extended debate about public trust, second chances, and where to draw the line, but was ultimately advanced on a 5-0 vote with one member not voting. AB 2691 similarly would expand disqualifying felony convictions to include sexual assault and human trafficking, and it also passed 5-0 after testimony from victim advocates and discussion about survivors, restorative justice, and the power dynamics involved in public office. The committee also advanced AB 2413, which would prohibit public funds from being used for large-format ads featuring elected officials, and AB 2281, which would direct the Office of Election Cybersecurity to assess replacement resources after federal cybersecurity support cuts and allow consultation with academic researchers. AB 1664 would require local election officials to notify the Secretary of State and Attorney General within one business day of warrants, subpoenas, or investigations involving election records or voting systems; supporters said it would help the state respond quickly to improper seizure of election materials, and it passed 5-0. AB 2484, concerning San Diego MTS, would let voters authorize a local sales tax initiative for transit funding and exempt it from an existing cap; it drew support from transit leaders and labor, opposition from the Realtors, and a lengthy exchange over Prop. 13, Prop. 218, and whether the measure created a special deal, before passing 6-1. The committee then heard AB 2230, which would create buffer zones around voting centers and child care facilities to keep immigration enforcement away from those locations. The author said the bill was meant to reduce fear and intimidation for voters and families, while the opposition argued it was unenforceable, lacked evidence of a problem, and would interfere with federal officers doing their jobs. Members supporting the bill cited reported ICE profiling and intimidation in California communities, while others raised jurisdictional and practical concerns. The transcript ends during this debate, with no final vote shown for AB 2230.

Transcript Highlights:

• like mine. ...communities like mine.
• Hopefully, it is a model that other communities will be able to use as well.
• And hopefully it's a model that other communities will be able to use as well.
• And in your community, you will have to do a lot of work to say, check this box for your community.
• And then this is wonderful because it is absolutely needed for our Black community.

Summary: The Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism heard several bills focused on California’s creative economy, sports development, and cultural preservation. SB 226 by Senator Cabaldon would clarify that infrastructure revitalization financing districts may be used for entertainment and sports facilities, with testimony from West Sacramento officials emphasizing that the tool would rely only on project-generated city tax increment and would not affect school districts, counties, or the General Fund. Members discussed the relationship between IRFDs and EIFDs and the distinction between infrastructure financing and direct subsidy of private sports teams or stadiums. SB 865 by Senator Ashby proposed support for destination music festivals, citing the economic impact of events such as Aftershock and Golden Sky in Sacramento and similar festivals elsewhere in the state. Supporters from Visit Sacramento and Danny Wimmer Presents said festivals generate substantial jobs, tax revenue, and tourism spending while promoters bear the financial risk. Several committee members and public witnesses supported the bill as a way to sustain the creative economy, local businesses, and opportunities for artists. The bill passed the committee on a unanimous vote and was sent to Appropriations. SB 1050 by Senator Ashby would require disclosures when synthetic performers are used in advertisements, including audio ads, to inform consumers and protect human performers from displacement. SAG-AFTRA and voice actor advocates argued that consumers deserve to know when an ad uses AI-generated likenesses or voices, while TechNet, the Motion Picture Association, broadcasters, and other industry groups opposed unless amended, raising concerns about overbreadth, audio-only implementation, private enforcement, and the need for clearer exemptions and definitions. Members generally supported the bill’s goal but noted technical issues to refine; it passed unanimously to Judiciary. SB 1073 by Senator Smallwood-Cuevas would create a voluntary tax checkoff to support the South Los Angeles Black Cultural District. Supporters described the district’s historic and cultural significance and framed the measure as a way to help preserve Black cultural assets amid limited public funding. Members discussed how the checkoff would appear on tax forms statewide, its voluntary nature, and whether it could serve as a model for other districts. The bill also passed unanimously to Appropriations, and the committee later adopted the consent calendar unanimously as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• And when a community is put... ...general fund or burden existing taxpayers, and when a community is
• What are we doing for the larger community?
• Hopefully, it's a model that other communities will be able to use as well.
• And hopefully it's a model that other communities will be able to use as well.
• And in your community, you will have to do a lot of work to say, check this box for your community.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Secretary, any additional communications?
• Farmers are the backbone of our food community.
• that's going on, and the communication was impeccable.
• and the development community.
• , the development community.

Summary: The Senate reconvened, read committee reports, and assigned House Bill 89 with House Amendment 1 and House Bill 393 with House Amendment 1 to the Senate Finance Committee. It then adopted Consent Calendar 64, which included resolutions recognizing Take Our Children to Work Day, Juneteenth, National Farmers Day, Invisible Disabilities Week, Stonewall Uprising Remembrance Day, National Nonprofit Day, and two property-assessment working group resolutions. The calendar passed by a unanimous roll call, and the chamber heard remarks supporting Juneteenth, Delaware agriculture, invisible disabilities awareness, and the nonprofit sector. The Senate passed the fiscal year 2026 and 2027 revenue estimates in Senate Joint Resolution 16 and Senate Joint Resolution 17, and approved the fiscal year 2027 operating budget in Senate Bill 335 after extended debate on budget growth, recurring costs, health care, education, public safety, retiree obligations, and fiscal restraint. It also passed Senate Bill 336, the one-time supplemental appropriation bill, which includes one-time investments such as a $100 million transition toward a weighted education funding formula, election support, early childhood education, classroom projects, lead remediation, and campaign finance modernization. Several members praised the budget process and staff, while others cautioned against future spending growth. Among policy bills, the Senate passed House Bill 369 to codify the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety, House Bill 268 to increase penalties for assaulting postal workers, House Bill 374 to require workforce reporting on large public works projects, Senate Bill 253 with House Amendment 1 to standardize school bullying parental-notification procedures, Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 342 to modernize the Delaware Motion Picture and Television Development Commission, House Bill 402 to extend Clean Air Act Title V permit fees, and Senate Bill 346 with Senate Amendment 1 to streamline Environmental Appeals Board timelines. The Senate also began consideration of House Bill 293, which would add hate crimes to the Victims’ Compensation Assistance Program, but the transcript cuts off before its vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for allowing me to be here and do my part for our communities.
• We have the technology to move forward today.
• Our communities are bursting at the seams. We can't get appointments.
• Our communities are bursting at the seams. We can't get appointments.
• Members of the community, certain communities across the state are using it already to good effect.

Summary: The House Health Care and Wellness Committee held public hearings on four bills and then took executive action on three measures. HB 2555 would require the Health Care Authority to apply for a Medicaid waiver to cover traditional health care practices provided through Indian Health Service, tribal, and urban Indian facilities. Supporters, including the prime sponsor, tribal health leaders, and the Health Care Authority, said the bill would recognize traditional medicine, expand access, and leverage federal funding, though HCA noted the July 1, 2026 waiver deadline and urban Indian reimbursement questions may be difficult to resolve. HB 2685 would codify tribal data sovereignty principles for state agencies, require reporting of notifiable conditions to tribal health jurisdictions, and exempt certain tribal data from public disclosure. Tribal representatives supported the bill as necessary for access, governance, and better public health planning, while the Washington Coalition for Open Government and HCA raised concerns about the breadth of the PRA exemption, undefined ownership interests, and implementation details. HB 2658 would require health carriers to submit standardized public data on behavioral health and other coverage and access metrics, with the Insurance Commissioner posting the information on a public dashboard. Supporters said the bill would improve transparency about mental health parity and help families, employers, and policymakers compare plans; opponents argued it duplicates or complicates recent parity reforms and could be misinterpreted. HB 2683 would shorten carrier credentialing timelines from 90 days to 30 days and require carriers to post billing and coverage information online. Supporters said it would reduce delays for providers and patients, while opponents warned the shorter timeline could be hard to meet and that posting information without login protections could raise privacy concerns. In executive session, the committee adopted two amendments to HB 2168, which concerns overdose mapping data, then reported the substitute bill out with a due pass recommendation by a vote of 16-1. It rejected an amendment to HB 2196 that would have extended PANDAS/PANS coverage to public and school employee plans, then advanced the substitute bill with a due pass recommendation by a vote of 15-2. Finally, the committee passed HB 2545, which would allow ambulatory surgical facilities to perform elective percutaneous coronary interventions, by a vote of 13-4, after members discussed safety, access, and cost savings.

Transcript Highlights:

• For your alma mater, Rochester Institute of Technology, before serving several municipalities.
• the Commonwealth of Virginia, where I've witnessed the toll of these illicit drugs have on our communities
• I can say as a former law enforcement official in my state that you can go to any community in the state
• How does this diversion of resources help us fight drugs in our communities?
• I will work with parents, with communities, with this committee to find a way to save as many youth.

Keywords: fentanyl crisis, DEA, drug trafficking, public safety, Judea Serrata, Terrence Cole, judicial security, social media, drug prevention

Summary: The committee meeting centered on the urgent crisis of fentanyl abuse and the government’s response to the drug trafficking epidemic. Key discussions revolved around the nomination of Terrence Cole as the Administrator of the DEA and Judea Serrata as Director of the U.S. Marshals Service. Cole emphasized his commitment to combating the fentanyl crisis, highlighting the rising number of overdose deaths and the necessity of bipartisan efforts to dismantle drug cartels. Members engaged in dialogue on the effectiveness of various strategies and the importance of education aimed at preventing drug-related deaths among youth. Additionally, the challenges of social media in drug trafficking were highlighted, indicating a need for greater accountability in how platforms handle such issues. Senators voiced concerns about the impact of administration policies on judicial security and the resources available for marshals to perform their critical roles.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> applied behavior analysis, community applied behavior analysis, community support<00:34:32.079><
• Um, we do the certified community behavioral health clinic, or CCBHC, demonstration.
• Um, we do the certified community behavioral health clinic, or CCBHC, demonstration. With those.
• Um, we do the certified community behavioral health clinic, or CCBHC, demonstration.
• ><c> are</c><01:10:05.120><c> used</c><01:10:05.440><c> to</c> technology databases that are used to

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board meeting began with a roll call and approval of the October 7 meeting minutes. The chair then reordered the agenda to hear the item on Medicaid reimbursement rates and network adequacy first because of scheduling issues. Dr. Steve Robertson of the Kentucky Dental Association was sworn in and testified at length about Kentucky’s dental Medicaid program, arguing that reimbursement rates are unsustainably low, have been largely flat for decades, and are often below the cost of providing care. He said Kentucky ranks near the bottom nationally in oral health, dental Medicaid rates are often 60% or less of commercial rates, and the program’s share of the Medicaid budget has effectively remained around 2% despite growth in enrollment and services. Dr. Robertson said the low rates are contributing to provider losses, rural access gaps, longer wait times, dental deserts, and greater use of emergency rooms for preventable dental problems. He cited examples of office costs exceeding reimbursement for basic procedures, noted that many dentists are small private businesses, and said the state is struggling to recruit and retain dentists because of low payment levels and high student debt. He also pointed to disparities with neighboring states and said recent increases in some oral surgery and cleaning codes were not enough to address the broader problem. His recommendations included completing the rebasing study, increasing dental reimbursement in the upcoming budget, tying future reviews to inflation and cost data, aligning benchmarks, and prioritizing preventive and restorative care to improve workforce stability and access. Board members asked about the size of the needed increase, the effect of private insurance on dental practice finances, and what a new dentist might expect to earn. Dr. Robertson said the association is working on an appropriations request and that private insurance pressures are part of the problem as well, since many plans are HMOs or PPOs with limited provider control over rates. He also said the association can no longer conduct reimbursement surveys because of FTC restrictions, but would try to obtain current ADA data. In response to questions about the future of the program, he warned that without significant changes it could become unsustainable and cited Ohio and Missouri as examples where higher reimbursement improved provider participation and access. The board then heard from Mr. Bowman of Baldwin Consulting, who discussed outpatient behavioral health providers, including ABA therapy and mental health/substance use disorder services. He said these providers face similar issues of rising costs, flat reimbursement, and access problems. He reviewed Kentucky’s network adequacy standards, including travel-time standards, 30-day appointment limits, and newer federal requirements that will require services within 10 business days by 2029. He said wait times for outpatient behavioral health, especially children’s services and ABA, have grown substantially, sometimes to more than a year, and emphasized that the Medicaid department must enforce these standards.

Transcript Highlights:

• I know community colleges to two years.
• Mahalo for resources to our communities.
• </c><01:03:54.799><c> in</c> Agriculture sends communication in Agriculture sends communication in support
• </c> into our own resources and communities. into our own resources and communities.
• </c><01:14:50.800><c> Same</c> technology committee. Same technology committee.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard three University of Hawaiʻi-related measures. HB 718 HD1 would appropriate funds for faculty and staff positions at the John A. Burns School of Medicine in cardiovascular, law, biology, tropical medicine, quantitative health/biostatistics, and environmental health and safety. Testimony was in support, including from university representatives and others who submitted written testimony. Members asked whether the positions were additional and how they would affect enrollment; the university said the hires would teach medical students and conduct biomedical research, helping increase the class size to about 77 and eventually 80, and noted a workforce paper requested by the committee would be provided soon. The committee then discussed SB 1170 HD1, which would grant resident tuition at any UH campus to certain graduates of Hawaiʻi high schools enrolling in undergraduate programs. UH supported the bill and said it had adjusted its testimony in response to prior committee concerns. Members focused on the proposed four-year window, asking why that timeframe was chosen and whether the change was needed at all. UH explained that four years would allow students who left the state to return and still complete an undergraduate degree or prepare for graduate school, and said the bill would help students who come back after one or two years but otherwise would have to wait a year to reestablish residency under current rules. UH also said it was discussing possible administrative rule changes as an alternative if the bill did not pass. Finally, the committee heard HB 1300 HD1, which would fund a University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center pilot study on cancer disparities among Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Filipinos, and people living near landfills in Nanakuli, focusing on social determinants of health, lifestyle, environmental exposures, and resilience factors. Testimony from researchers and advocates strongly supported the measure, saying the study could help explain cancer disparities and support future research funding. Members questioned the cost, the reliance on future federal or foundation funding, and the practical outcome of the study. The Cancer Center said the pilot would cost about $500,000 per year for two years, with later funding sought from federal, nonprofit, or private sources; it said the study would produce longitudinal data that could help identify at-risk groups and provide evidence for policy decisions, though members expressed concern that the project needed a clearer end goal and stronger case for public investment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Great partnerships with county and city road crews as we've stayed in communication to assist where we
• </c> crews as we've stayed in communication crews as we've stayed in communication to<00:04:00.959><c
• technology system that's used<00:10:43.680><c> extensively</c><00:10:44.640><c> by</c><00:10:44.880>
• ,<00:27:06.720><c> providing</c><00:27:07.520><c> safer,</c><00:27:08.080><c> modern</c> communities,
• providing safer, modern communities, providing safer, modern infra<00:27:09.039><c> infrastructure</

Keywords: 00:03 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:57 Capital Projects and Highway Plan 56:11 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The House Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation met to hear the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s presentation on the governor’s 2026 capital projects budget and recommended highway plan. Secretary Gray and cabinet staff first thanked KYTC snow and ice crews, local road departments, first responders, utility workers, and others for their work during a major winter storm, then outlined the capital budget request. The cabinet said its facilities are aging, with about 35% at or beyond useful life, and that limited road fund revenues led it to focus mainly on maintenance, maintenance pools, aircraft maintenance, environmental compliance, AASHTOWare upgrades, state park road maintenance, truck parking, and reauthorization of several projects, including airport work and road projects. The cabinet said the governor’s budget includes about $22.8 million in state funds for the capital budget over the biennium, plus carry-forward language for maintenance pools and project reauthorizations to avoid losing federal funds. Members asked about repeated reauthorizations, cost increases, and whether projects should be restarted as new requests after carrying over for multiple budgets. The cabinet responded that budget office policy generally allows only one reauthorization before a project must be resubmitted, and said many delays are due to acquisition or other project issues. Members also questioned the basis for increased-cost line items and the $5 million request for commercial truck parking; cabinet staff said they could provide original project cost details and that many increases are inflationary, while the truck parking project is expected to use federal funds and is a cabinet priority. The committee also discussed the decline in road fund receipts, which the cabinet attributed largely to lower motor fuels tax revenue. The presentation then shifted to the 2026 recommended highway plan. Officials said the plan covers more than 1,300 projects over six years and anticipates about $9.5 billion in federal and state funding. They said the plan is intended to maintain existing assets, advance long-term priority projects, and honor prior commitments, including the Mountain Parkway, the Brent Spence Companion Bridge, and the I-69 Ohio River Crossing. About 40% of plan funds are dedicated to existing pavements, bridges, and guardrails, and officials cited a 61% rise in highway construction costs from 2020 to 2025 as a major challenge. To help offset those pressures, the cabinet is seeking $125 million from the budget reserve trust fund for the Brent Spence Bridge and release of a federal grant condition tied to the already appropriated $150 million for the I-69 crossing. No votes were taken at the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, so the technology is there. Uh, and there are the other states.
• Obviously, technology is coming. We want to make sure that we can continue on technology.
• </c> with the technology here. with the technology here.
• We want to make technology is coming.
• </c> sure that we can continue on technology. sure that we can continue on technology.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Wide plan for the interoperability of emergency communication.
• The more we find that everybody's communicating on a, on a different channel.
• It's not taking any of the 54 radio communications offline.
• So I understand we have the Texas State communications interoperability plan.
• So in CB terms, you could tell everybody to go to Channel 9, one-way communication.

Bills: HB1, HB 2, HB18, HB19, HB20

Keywords: youth camps, emergency preparedness, safety standards, health regulations, camp licensing, disaster preparedness, emergency management, flooding, mass fatality, mass casualty, fatality tracking, body recovery, autopsy, justice of the peace, medical examiner, county judge, sheriff, mayor, emergency coordinator, emergency manager license

Transcript Highlights:

• There was a community of people locally that had my back.
• The impact on the advocates and community leaders who are watching, The advocates and community leaders
• But with hard work, determination, and most of all, with the support of a community—my church community
• With the support of a community—my church community, the community of St.
• Once again, all of us up here were a voice for our community.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The health of our tribal communities.
• On behalf of the Community Water Center, in support.
• It's a community bill. Without changes to these regulations, our community stands to lose.
• First of all, they are the environmental justice. justice issues for low-income communities and communities
• As these things collect in fish, those fishing communities, or usually low-income communities, of color

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This year we are focusing on upgrading our technology for increased accessibility of the local literacy
• </c><00:13:53.279><c> for</c><00:13:53.680><c> increased</c> our technology for increased our technology
• of practice developing uh community of practice developing uh learning<00:20:32.559><c> modules</c><
• Technology is not our friend with this rubric because those little bullets you see everywhere should
• </c> professional learning, and communicate professional learning, and communicate early.<00:42:54.319

Bills: HF3421

Keywords: early literacy, reading instruction, teacher preparation, teacher candidates, teacher licensure, educator licensing, Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, PELSB, field experience, supervised practicum, evidence-based reading, science of reading, literacy methods, teacher training, preservice teachers, school-based experience, reading intervention, Minnesota education policy, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm an assistant deputy over community health and well-being with the Department of Health and Human
• We conducted a stakeholder survey, conducted community listening sessions, and issued a solicitation
• I've been working with national experts, been talking to our insurance community.
• To say that we could lose our license because of a communication issue with a large insurance company
• They are 24/7 community centers, staffed by therapists, nursing staff, and peer counselors.

Keywords: 985, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> have control over community have control over community um um um community<00:33:40.240><c> corrections
• </c><00:33:41.679><c> Community</c> community corrections. Community community corrections.
• </c> than last year to community corrections. than last year to community corrections.
• </c> prepared to reenter our communities. prepared to reenter our communities.
• </c> communities? How about that? communities? How about that?

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The outcomes for the local community and the landowners where we develop power stations together was
• We’re already in phase one, my understanding, with deliverables on community engagement and identifying
• The appropriation was executed by Hawaii Technology Development Corp. in a memorandum of agreement with
• The plan is to identify spots with the technology so that we can share that information for a private
• report the the need into the community report the the need for<01:22:29.040><c> de</c><01:22:29.600>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several measures on agriculture, energy, stadium governance, and hotel consumer protections. On SB 448 relating to agriculture, Agra Business Development Corporation and the Hawaii Farm Bureau testified in support of a proposed conservation easement acquisition in Central Oahu; the chair asked follow-up questions about the exact location, cost, and agricultural potential of the land, and the witness said the parcel had good soil and water and was former pineapple land, with cost still to be provided. On SB 827 relating to meat processing, the Department of Economic Development and Tourism said the state needs more meat-processing capacity and that any grant program should complement, not compete with, existing efforts; the Attorney General’s office warned the bill lacked legally sufficient standards for grants of public money under the state constitution and offered draft standards. Several industry and chamber witnesses supported the measure, while discussion focused on the need for brick-and-mortar or modular facilities, infrastructure costs, federal inspection needs, and access for hunters and neighbor islands. The committee then took up SB 1269 relating to geothermal resources, which drew broad support from county officials, energy consultants, utility representatives, and community advocates, with one witness opposing it. Supporters described geothermal as a viable, indigenous, firm baseload energy source that could help reduce Hawaii’s high electricity costs and support clean energy goals; one witness emphasized prior work in New Zealand and another urged the state to move forward with exploration. A DBEDT representative explained that the department is coordinating geothermal-related work with the Hawaii Technology Development Corp., the University of Hawaii, and the Hawaii State Energy Office, noting a prior $3 million appropriation, phase-one community engagement work, and plans to seek a contractor for geoscience and exploration in phase two. Members pressed DBEDT to explain how this bill fits with other geothermal measures moving through different committees, and the chair asked the department to review SB 993 and better coordinate the package of geothermal bills. On SB 1337 relating to the Stadium Authority, the stadium manager testified in support of clarifying quorum rules, explaining that the authority currently has eight seated voting members out of nine possible voting seats and that the bill would help ensure voting members are counted for quorum; he said meetings have not been delayed. Finally, on SB 883 relating to hotels, the Attorney General’s office raised First Amendment and contract-law concerns and recommended adding a purpose statement and a non-impairment savings clause. Unite Here Local 5 and other supporters said guests should be notified of hotel service disruptions such as construction, closures, or labor disputes, while opponents questioned who would enforce the law, what penalties would apply, and whether the measure could require hotels to pay damages even without a complaint. No votes or final committee actions were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The 86th Legislature established the Texas Flood Infrastructure Fund to help communities plan, design
• Beyond leadership development, the program emphasizes community engagement.
• Leadership development, the program emphasizes community engagement.
• The lack of communication between agencies was just repugnant, and so it's my hope that... ...between
• Members, I'd like to recognize the educators and community leaders from Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD, who

Summary: The Senate convened with an invocation, received a House message that H.B. 422 had passed the House, and heard gubernatorial nominations for the Council on Sex Offender Treatment. The chamber also recognized the Doctor of the Day and several visiting groups and adopted a resolution designating June 20, 2025, as Texas Nuclear Legislative Day. Members then considered and passed several bills and resolutions, often by suspending the regular order and the constitutional three-day rule. SB 311 passed to final passage on the Texas Supreme Court’s writ power. SB 883, on off-label prescription access for COVID-19 treatment, passed to engrossment. SB 1706, creating an Open Meetings Act exception for certain defense, military, and aerospace deliberations, passed despite concerns from Sen. Eckhardt that the bill’s use of “deliberate” could weaken open-government protections. CS SB 1677, directing a study on diabetes-related amputations, passed with support from Sen. Menendez. SB 1967 expanded flood infrastructure fund eligibility to certain multipurpose projects, and SB 1255, a cleanup bill on mold assessor and remediator regulation, passed unanimously. The Senate also approved CS SJR 40 and CS SB 871, which would change emergency and disaster law to require legislative involvement after prolonged or widespread emergencies and to limit gubernatorial suspension powers, with Sen. Eckhardt questioning whether the bill could slow urgent business closures during a disaster. Additional measures passed included SB 1426 transferring management of the First Capital State Historic Site to the Texas Historical Commission, SB 249 requiring TxDOT to fund memorial markers for fallen peace officers, SB 1592 centralizing collection of hotel occupancy taxes from accommodation intermediaries, SB 1271 allowing concurrent jurisdiction on military installations for certain juvenile matters, SB 745 creating a higher penalty for intoxication manslaughter involving multiple deaths, SB 365 shortening the academic fresh start waiting period at public colleges, and SB 1171 adjusting compensation and standards for certain Texas Juvenile Justice Department inspector general employees. CS SB 36, creating a Homeland Security Division within DPS, passed after questions about its relationship to federal homeland security and its focus on border security and critical infrastructure. The latter part of the session focused heavily on CS SB 38, a major eviction and squatter-related bill. Sen. Bettencourt described widespread squatter cases and argued the bill, with a Moody amendment, would clarify notice and eviction procedures while balancing property-owner and tenant rights. Sen. West said he supported addressing squatters but worried the broader eviction changes could harm vulnerable renters, especially single mothers, and said he would vote present not voting. The discussion continued with additional testimony from Sen. Kolkhorst about the need for a balanced eviction process.