Transcript Highlights:

• Specifically, the bill appears to mandate disclosure of comprehensive information regarding referrals

Bills: HB4806

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: civil action, damages, health care services, noneconomic damages, negligence, legal standards, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, it clarifies the disclosure provisions by requiring cardholders' monthly statements to include

Bills: SB1468 , SB1612 , SB1789 , SB2530 , SB2571 , SB2717 , SB2967

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: utility systems, Texas A&M, regents authority, construction, improvement, construction contracts, trust funds, property rights, mechanics lien, contractors, trustee liability, mechanic's lien, liability, attorney's fees, windstorm insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, insurance regulation, administrative penalties, coastal counties, catastrophe year

Transcript Highlights:

• You said that they're requesting more beds, and this is how, full disclosure, this is how my brain's

Bills: HB 1239 , HB1990 , HB1748 , HB1749 , HB2578 , HB2986 , HB1970 , HB3163 , HB2733 , HB1922 , HB 113 , HB 1088 , HB1938 , HB3004 , HB2637 , HB2960 , HB113

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: public health, access to healthcare, insurance reforms, medical expenses, healthcare providers, mental health, protective custody, preliminary examination, detention period, emergency circumstances, emergency detention, legal framework, detention, healthcare, liability, landowners, nonagricultural land, trespassing, public safety, interpreters

Transcript Highlights:

• requires interpreters for defendants in criminal proceedings and sets new standards for public disclosure

Bills: SB693 , SB781 , SB836 , SB860 , SB906 , SB993 , SB1101 , SB1321 , SB1370 , SB1537 , SB1563 , SB1610 , SB1637

Committee: Senate Criminal Justice

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Summary: The committee heard a series of criminal justice bills focused on victim protections, law enforcement tools, notary/deed fraud, sexually violent predators, veterans in jail, tribal policing authority, and peace officer records. Several bills were laid out, heard, and left pending because the committee lacked a quorum for final action on those items. Testimony was generally supportive on bills addressing interpreter appointments, fuel theft investigations, deed fraud, survivor privacy, veteran jailer training, tribal peace officer authority, and officer-record confidentiality, though some bills drew concerns about due process, scope, or drafting. Senate Bill 1537 would clean up criminal procedure language on appointing interpreters and align it with Government Code standards requiring licensed or certified interpreters; it received no public opposition and was left pending. Senate Bill 993 would let Comptroller Criminal Investigative Division officers directly seek warrants for mobile tracking devices in fuel-theft and tax-fraud investigations; it also drew support and was left pending. Senate Bill 693, as substituted, would create a criminal offense for notarizing documents without the signer personally appearing, with a higher penalty when real property is involved, and would add notary continuing education; a Dallas County prosecutor testified that notary fraud is a major driver of deed theft, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1610, as substituted, would address safety, registration, and criminal penalties at the Texas Civil Commitment Office for sexually violent predators, including assaults on staff and sex-offender registration issues; agency witnesses described increased assaults and operational problems, while a public witness urged waiting for Sunset review and raised due-process concerns. Senate Bill 836 would add privacy protections for sexual assault survivors by limiting livestreaming of trials, expanding pseudonym use, and protecting forensic exam and invasive-recording evidence; survivors and advocates strongly supported it, and defense lawyers said they had no opposition to the substitute. Senate Bill 1563 would require county jailer training on interacting with veterans, with testimony from the Texas Veterans Commission and veterans’ advocates emphasizing suicide risk, PTSD, and the need for better identification and support in jails; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 906, which would authorize the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribal police to be commissioned as Texas peace officers like two other federally recognized tribes in Texas; tribal leaders said the change would improve response times and coordination, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 781, as substituted, would standardize confidentiality rules for peace officer personnel and departmental files statewide, mirroring Chapter 143 civil-service practices; law enforcement witnesses supported it as a way to protect personal information and create uniform records practices, but several senators raised concerns that the bill could blur existing disclosure rules or bury misconduct complaints, and public testimony included an opposition witness describing a police shooting involving her brother.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'm asking the Secretary to provide us with a clean copy, a full copy, full disclosure and transparency

Committee: Senate Senate Veterans' Affairs

Keywords: veteran services, homelessness, unemployment, VA funding, mental health, congressional oversight, testimonies, American Legion, Dole Act, suicide prevention

Summary: This meeting focused on veteran services, emphasizing the urgent need to address the alarming rate of unemployment and homelessness among veterans. Numerous testimonies were presented detailing the impact of mass furloughs and cutbacks at the VA on personnel, notably veterans who were serving as employees. Various representatives expressed deep concern over how these firings could drastically affect the quality of care available to those who have served the nation. There was a strong call for Congress to bolster funding for existing programs aimed at alleviating veteran homelessness and improving overall care quality, especially in mental health services.

Transcript Highlights:

• And you open your statements with full disclosure that this is an old system, 1982.

Summary: The subcommittee heard updates on several major technology modernization efforts, beginning with the Department of Financial Services’ Florida PALM project, which is replacing the state’s decades-old FLAIR accounting system. DFS described PALM as a statewide effort affecting all three branches of government, with cash management already live and the remaining financial management, payroll, and data warehouse components still in development. Officials said the project began in 2014, was restructured after a 2022 legislative pause, and is now being recommended for a go-live delay from January 2026 to July 2026. Members asked about governance, staffing, contract structure, cost growth, and maintenance costs; DFS said the contract is deliverable-based, the current amendment would add a net $2.2 million, and post-go-live maintenance is expected to be about $13 million annually under the current contract through July 2027. The Agency for Health Care Administration then updated the committee on the FX Medicaid enterprise modernization program. AHCA explained that federal CMS directed states to move from monolithic Medicaid systems to a modular approach, leading Florida to procure separate vendors for integration services, data warehouse, unified operations, provider services, and claims processing, with pharmacy benefits still to be procured. Officials said the project has spent about $334 million to date, with most costs federally matched, and requested $189.95 million for the upcoming year. They also highlighted a 2024 special assessment that produced 81 recommendations, most tied to staffing shortages, and said the Legislature added 47 FTEs, with 17 currently filled or being filled. Members asked about governance changes, production status, data access, and future technology maintenance; AHCA said some components are operational, the data warehouse is nearing certification, and the agency is working to keep the system adaptable and nonproprietary. The Department of Children and Families presented its Access modernization project, which is replacing a mainframe-based eligibility system used for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid assistance, and related programs. DCF said the six-year, $205 million project is in its third year and has already delivered a new customer portal with mobile access, multi-factor authentication, and fraud protections, while also building a worker portal, document management, community partner tools, and workload management functions. The agency said it is requesting $36.625 million for the next fiscal year, the same as last year, and emphasized that the project has remained on schedule and on budget by breaking work into smaller modules and using strong vendor and staff support. Members praised the project’s progress and asked about cybersecurity testing and the long delay before modernization began; DCF said security requirements were built in from the outset and that the remaining work will focus on moving staff off the legacy mainframe and modernizing notices and back-end processes.

Transcript Highlights:

• threaten our native ecosystems, as well as pollution runoff, erosion, and more, in addition to frequent flooding
• THREATEN OUR NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS AS WELL AS POLLUTION RUNOFF, EROSION AND MORE IN ADDITION TO FREQUENT FLOODING

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the journal, and then moved through a large number of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate bills for third reading. The chamber also received and accepted a Finance Committee report on nominations for Kathleen Mosier as Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Terrence O’Leary as Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and John Kagia as Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management. All three nominees were confirmed, with Mosier and O’Leary confirmed unanimously and Kagia confirmed 57-1, with Senator Walczyk voting no. The Senate adopted previously approved resolutions recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and mourning the death of Susan Irene Wright of Harlem. Senators Brisport and Bottcher spoke at length in support of Pride Month, emphasizing LGBTQ+ history, resilience, and ongoing threats to the trans community. On the Susan Wright resolution, Senators Cleare, Bailey, and Bottcher praised her community leadership, philanthropy, and family legacy, and Assembly Member Jordan Wright was recognized in the chamber. The body then considered and passed many bills on the calendar, including measures on insurance, environmental conservation, public health, education, business law, labor, social services, highway law, and local tax exemptions. Several bills drew brief explanations of vote, including a measure to end higher insurance premiums for widows, a bill to prohibit correctional facilities from denying visitation because of menstrual products or IUDs, and a Medicaid-related bill to expand access to blood pressure monitors for pregnant people. Most bills passed with broad support, though some had notable opposition from a small group of senators. Late in the session, the Senate took up a proposed constitutional amendment on redistricting. Senator Stewart-Cousins sponsored the measure, and Senator Walczyk questioned it extensively, arguing voters had previously approved an independent redistricting process and objecting to changes that would remove the Legislature’s two-thirds map-approval requirement and alter the commission’s role. The sponsor said the changes were needed in response to aggressive partisan redistricting in other states and would still require voter ratification in future sessions. The transcript ends during that debate, with no final vote on the amendment shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• I feel as though we are flooded. Is it me? I feel as though we are flooded with unemployment cases.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: The hearing in Barnstable opened with remarks from the House and Senate co-chairs about the importance of holding Ways and Means budget hearings on the Cape, especially given the region’s seasonal economy and infrastructure needs. The committee then heard testimony from Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones on the governor’s FY27 budget proposal. She highlighted funding for workforce programs including the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, Career Technical Initiative, registered apprenticeship, YouthWorks, reentry workforce programs, and services for young adults with disabilities. She also discussed MassHire career centers, the MassHire Innovation Project, and the Department of Unemployment Assistance modernization effort, noting improved call wait times and claims processing, but acknowledging continued challenges and federal funding uncertainty. Members asked about job-seeker barriers such as child care, housing, and transportation; domestic outmigration of young workers; youth work permits; unemployment insurance costs and the COVID assessment on employers; and the state’s unemployment rate and UI trust fund solvency. Jones and Undersecretary Josh Cutler explained the difference between workforce training funds and the unemployment trust fund, described the statewide trigger that extends unemployment benefits from 26 to 30 weeks when regional unemployment averages 5.2 percent, and said the administration is reviewing the trust fund with labor and business stakeholders. They also said the administration is trying to preserve front-line DUA staffing while shifting resources to customer service and adjudication, including a Friday adjudication pilot and seasonal hires. Senators and representatives also pressed the administration on regional equity in workforce funding, especially for Hampshire Franklin MassHire, which was described as serving a large rural area with fewer resources than other regions. Administration officials said they are reviewing MassHire funding formulas and modernizing the system with a policy committee and state workforce board input, but did not offer an immediate fix. The committee also heard that early childhood education apprenticeships are expanding quickly, with state funding leveraged to secure federal grants and support new Grow Awards. The hearing then moved to the Executive Office of Economic Development, where Secretary Eric Paley outlined House 2 proposals for economic development, including support for the Community One Stop for Growth, rural economic development, workforce partnerships, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, AI, small business assistance, tourism, and tax incentives. Undersecretary Leila D’Amilia followed with testimony on consumer affairs and business regulation, describing funding for consumer protection, banking oversight, occupational licensure, and public safety inspections.

Transcript Highlights:

• 56.920><c> transformational</c><01:07:57.760><c> for</c><01:07:57.880><c> this</c> >> Is it going to flood
• >> No. >> There's flooding out in front of there and the other day— >> Yes, so part of that is because

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Committee on Government Operations held an informational briefing with the State Procurement Office on its small business procurement program. SPO staff described the program’s purpose as expanding access to state contracting for small businesses, including veteran-, Native Hawaiian-, and women-owned firms, and said they are seeking to make the current five-year initiative permanent before it ends in June 2027. They reported outreach efforts, a new website and newsletter, statewide surveys, draft administrative rules, and a 38% increase in small business registrations in the HANS database. They also explained that the program is intended to support outreach, education, certification, compliance, and a statewide database to connect agencies with qualified small businesses. Committee members focused heavily on whether the program is producing measurable contract awards, not just registrations. The chair and senators questioned the definition of “small business,” noting that SPO currently relies on SBA standards in HANS and is considering a Hawaii-specific definition based on employees, revenue, and Hawaii residency. Members raised concerns that the data showed only a small number of registered businesses receiving awards and that the database does not yet track awards well enough to evaluate performance. SPO responded that the database has had funding gaps, that the position was only filled in February 2025, and that the agency is still building the system and rules needed to track outcomes accurately. A major theme was how to make the program more effective for very small or “micro” businesses and how to reduce the complexity of state procurement. Members discussed the difference between set-asides and bid preferences, with SPO explaining that set-asides are generally tied to RFPs and preferences to IFBs. The committee suggested that future rules should make participation easier, provide more training and hand-holding, and possibly create pathways for micro businesses or groups of small businesses to bid together. No votes or formal actions were taken; the briefing ended with the committee asking SPO to provide more performance data and clearer information on outreach results and database contents.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had about 30 or more National Guard members that left their homes to help with the flooding in the
• different areas, and their homes themselves were flooded.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The meeting opened with the pledge and prayer, a roll call established quorum, and members announced a Veterans Caucus meeting to follow the session. The committee also recognized distinguished veteran Joe Mash Masterson of Bardstown, who was praised for his Army service, long-time advocacy for veterans, and leadership in the American Legion and local veteran organizations. Masterson thanked his family, the American Legion Post 121, and the VA staff, and several members offered remarks honoring his service and the committee’s practice of recognizing veterans. The committee then briefly addressed a referred administrative regulation, 017 KAR 001 030, which leadership described as technical updates to existing policy; no vote was taken. After that, members heard testimony from KDVA and Finance and Administration officials on the ongoing HVAC replacement project at the Radcliffe Veteran Center. Officials said the system had been problematic for years, that design work began early to accelerate the project, and that the work was complicated by the need to replace the system in an operating nursing facility. They explained that the project was bid in March, awarded to Less Mechanical, and that protective measures, shop drawings, and equipment orders were underway. Committee members pressed officials on why the problem had taken so long to resolve, why the original system had been installed, whether the issue had been communicated regularly, and whether the state should be paying for a replacement in a relatively new facility. Officials said the original system’s components and warranties had failed, that they had tried to replace parts before moving to a full replacement, and that the system’s manufacturer and quality differed from a similar facility in Glasgow that had not had the same issues. They said the current phase one contract was about $6 million, with the remaining funds held for phase two to restore full occupancy; phase two design was nearly complete and could be bid later if funding is approved. Officials estimated phase one completion around January 2026 and full completion around March 2027, depending on funding and scheduling.

Transcript Highlights:

• First is flood control.
• Those of you that have been around for a while might remember conversations about flood control.

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's like on start, and you choked it, flooded it. Very valuable lesson you get at a resort.
• It's like on start, and you choked it, flooded it.

Committee: Senate Education Policy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, whatever the start time is, say it's 8:00, you're going to have a flood of kids coming into
• It's 8:00, you're going to have a flood of kids coming into the office, and whoever that person is that's

Committee: House Education Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• transportation, for impacted communities, for environmental justice, holding polluters accountable, better disclosure
• transportation, for impacted communities, for environmental justice, holding polluters accountable, better disclosure
• transportation, for impacted communities, for environmental justice, holding polluters accountable, better disclosure
• transportation, for impacted communities, for environmental justice, holding polluters accountable, better disclosure

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Full disclosure: I'm a registered Republican, and I vote Republican.
• all<00:58:11.880><c> of</c><00:58:11.960><c> us</c><00:58:12.599><c> full</c><00:58:12.960><c> disclosure
• </c><00:58:13.720><c> I'm</c><00:58:13.880><c> a</c> all of us full disclosure I'm a all of us full disclosure

Committee: House Election Law

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Bills: SJR37 , SJR57 , SCR8 , SB8 , SB108 , SB125 , SB251 , SB318 , SB378 , SB379 , SB396 , SB472 , SB487 , SB503 , SB533 , SB565 , SB583 , SB608 , SB650 , SB686 , SB689 , SB707 , SB710 , SB763 , SB854 , SB875 , SB916 , SB924 , SB925 , SB958 , SB961 , SB965 , SB987 , SB988 , SB1006 , SB1019 , SB1021 , SB1024 , SB1026 , SB1038 , SB1146 , SB1185 , SB1194 , SB1202 , SB1252 , SB1253 , SB1330 , SB1343 , SB1362 , SB1497 , SB1498 , SB1499 , SB1527 , SB1547 , SB1596 , SB1697 , SJR36 , SJR12 , SJR57 , SJR37 , SCR22 , SCR12 , SCR8 , SB925 , SB1362 , SB565 , SB765 , SB62 , SB666 , SB707 , SB888 , SB687 , SB847 , SB1248 , SB504 , SB857 , SB305 , SB296 , SB284 , SB1497 , SB1499 , SB1498 , SB241 , SB304 , SB621 , SB1023 , SB1024 , SB686 , SB371 , SB204 , SB609 , SB670 , SB850 , SB854 , SB413 , SB1346 , SB1033 , SB1220 , SB1073 , SB810 , SB1539 , SB447 , SB875 , SB406 , SB985 , SB965 , SB1119 , SB1505 , SB1194 , SB1253 , SB1215 , SB1302 , SB856 , SB583 , SB673 , SB681 , SB1172 , SB1252 , SB378 , SB608 , SB955 , SB957 , SB988 , SB1019 , SB1021 , SB1120 , SB251 , SB541 , SB379 , SB1737 , SB266 , SB1415 , SB1527 , SB125 , SB599 , SB1330 , SB53 , SB916 , SB1352 , SB785 , SB710 , SB472 , SB1450 , SB1502 , SB1566 , SB414 , SB1062 , SB961 , SB1038 , SB578 , SB711 , SB746 , SB942 , SB1404 , SB1448 , SB1738 , SB108 , SB8 , SB318 , SB507 , SB533 , SB689 , SB1026 , SB1349 , SB1355 , SB1433 , SB1434 , SB1596 , SB1403 , SB1146 , SB763 , SB667 , SB1059 , SB617 , SB1567 , SB503 , SB16 , SB310 , SB311 , SB396 , SB505 , SB1209 , SB1210 , SB1470 , SB264 , SB924 , SB1029 , SB1185 , SB1202 , SB1358 , SB1364 , SB1569 , SB1697 , SB1376 , SB1228 , SB519 , SB878 , SB1350 , SB462 , SB1535 , SB827 , SB1585 , SB207 , SB1207 , SB1619 , SB1396 , SB920 , SB1484 , SB1273 , SB1741 , SB7 , SB927 , SB1227 , SB1229 , SB1353 , SB1366 , SB1464 , SB1709 , SB1729 , SB1733 , SB1744 , SB1772 , SB1816 , SB1841 , SB2188 , SB1147 , SB879 , SB1008

Keywords: voter ID, citizenship, election integrity, constitutional amendment, voting rights, central bank digital currency, CBDC, Federal Reserve, digital dollar, digital currency, cashless payments, financial privacy, cybersecurity, government surveillance, financial surveillance, money laundering, terrorism financing, illicit finance, banking policy, monetary policy

Transcript Highlights:

• It was a disclosure requirement that was related to the other provisions that were also...
• It was a disclosure requirement that was related to the other provisions that were also not included

Summary: The committee heard an overview of the May Revision’s Proposition 98 changes for K-12 and community colleges. The Department of Finance said the minimum guarantee rises by $6.4 billion over the Governor’s Budget across the three-year window, with higher guarantees in each year, full payment of the prior settle-up, and larger deposits into the school rainy-day fund. The LAO said the revenue and LCFF updates were reasonable, but urged caution about the settle-up approach and recommended using more of the available funding to protect ongoing programs and build budget resilience. Members focused heavily on the size of the proposed $3.9 billion settle-up, the $10.3 billion reserve deposit, declining K-12 enrollment, and how much of the new funding should be ongoing versus one-time. The committee then reviewed the community colleges portion of the budget. Finance described the May Revision’s higher SCFF COLA, additional funding for enrollment growth, a student support block grant, apprenticeship adjustments, and continued funding for deferred maintenance, Calbright, Common Cloud, and credit for prior learning. The Chancellor’s Office supported the core investments but asked for more funding for enrollment growth, changes to the growth formula, and a COLA for Student Equity and Achievement. The LAO recommended prioritizing the statutory COLA increase, noted that more than half of districts are already above current-year growth targets, and said the new adult learner demonstration project should be rejected because districts already have tools to support similar services. Members also discussed a $52 million current-year apportionment shortfall, which Finance said was discovered too late for the May Revision and would need to be addressed later. Finally, the committee took up the proposed implementation of the federal Workforce Pell program. Finance proposed one-time funding for the California Student Aid Commission and Cradle to Career to build eligibility and data systems, along with trailer bill changes to set up state approval processes. CSAC said the program is promising but highly complex, that California lacks the needed infrastructure, and that the state will need emergency regulations, data linkages, and ongoing funding beyond the one-time proposal. The LAO agreed that some initial funding is needed but warned that the amounts and ongoing costs remain uncertain and that the Legislature should carefully draft the trailer bill language. Members asked about timing, other states’ actions, and how the state would ensure the program is ready for students and institutions.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was a disclosure requirement that was related to the other provisions that were also...
• It was a disclosure requirement that was related to the other provisions that were also not included

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• agencies, limit changes of ownership for existing home health agencies, and revise HHA licensure and disclosure
• website, both by specific topic as well as longitudinal trend data by hospital annual financial disclosure

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 415, Business Regulation, Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law Alterations,
• Senate Bill 447, Child Abuse and Neglect Disclosure of Reports and Records, Amendment Number One.

Keywords: House streaming session for Monday, April 13, 2026, 957, house, all