Transcript Highlights:

• </c> like there's an appetite for preventing like there's an appetite for preventing industry<01:00:44.079
• </c><01:05:46.400><c> manufacturing</c> preventing the body from manufacturing preventing the body from
• to prevent unintended exposure to children, pets, and wildlife.
• to prevent unintended exposure to children, pets, and wildlife.
• We're measuring that. We're pulling product.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This has helped maintain the stability and prevent the corporate conversions that we've seen throughout
• This has helped maintain the stability and prevent the corporate conversions that we've seen throughout
• 00:18:01.520><c> the</c><00:18:01.919><c> stability</c><00:18:02.400><c> and</c><00:18:02.720><c> prevent
• </c><00:18:03.120><c> the</c> maintain the stability and prevent the maintain the stability and prevent
• the market from responding to prevented the market from responding to the<01:35:25.840><c> demand</c

Committee: Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• trying to understand if we feel like this budget and the GA bill accurately reflects efforts towards prevention
• We know that revenue-raising measures require 75% or two-thirds vote of both bodies.
• Re-evaluating the apportionments and the earmarks based on the very entities that our body has created to measure

Bills: SB1177

Committee: Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget

Keywords: education funding, mental health services, public safety, housing, state budget

Summary: The Senate Appropriations Committee met to consider Senate Bill 1177, the general appropriation bill. The chair and budget authors explained that the proposal was built to balance the budget using a mix of general revenue, cash sweeps, and other fund transfers, including money from unclaimed property, revenue stabilization, and other statutory funds. Members also discussed a proposed $35 million OWRB revolving loan fund tied to ARPA interest and a $200 million transfer from the Revenue Stabilization Fund to the Taxpayer Endowment Trust Fund as part of a long-term savings strategy. A number of agency-specific items drew questions. Members reviewed the OPEB employer contribution reduction, rent coverage for state agencies, child care and Head Start funding, Department of Corrections revenue from ICE-related agreements, sheriff grant funding, and education funding, including about $99 million in additional formula funding, a $2,000 teacher pay raise, and reading-related appropriations such as Strong Readers and Just Right Reader. The committee also discussed mental health funding, including a $30 million consent decree line, a proposed privatization of CCBHC services with an estimated $10 million savings, and related reduction-in-force costs. Other topics included Attorney General transfers and litigation funding, higher education allocations, Langston University extension funding, historical society requests that were not funded, and a biosolids pilot program. During debate, supporters argued the bill fulfilled the constitutional duty to pass a balanced budget and highlighted increases for education, health care, and water infrastructure. Opponents criticized the use of one-time cash, tax cuts, and what they described as special-project spending, while raising concerns about transparency and underfunded services such as child care and transportation. After debate, the committee voted 18-5 to pass Senate Bill 1177.

Transcript Highlights:

• In short, this is a consistency and clarity measure.
• In short, this is a consistency and clarity measure.
• I am a former federal drug prosecutor, 30 years, now involved in drug prevention primarily.

Committee: Senate Agricultural Affairs

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• would just encourage members to think about our deficit and all the other things and vote no on this measure
• It also prohibits counties from preventing, restricting, or regulating the construction or operation
• And as my predecessors have said, by way of background, a similar measure was vetoed last year.

Summary: The committee heard a long list of Senate bills, mostly on consent, covering appropriations, public records, workers’ compensation, state hiring, burial costs, military flags in HOAs, court-ordered treatment, mental health service of process, medical examiner authority, tribal MOUs for DCS, controlled substances scheduling, EMT privacy, mammography notices, assisted living referral disclosures, accommodation school GED eligibility, released-time religious instruction, school board and charter governance issues, firearm safety instruction, student eligibility for extracurriculars after criminal convictions, Celebrate Freedom Week, tax-credit scholarship administration, CPA and insurance licensing pathways, immigration-related arrest notifications, defamation standards, peace officer certification for veterans, mandatory child abuse reporting, attorney licensing, business emergency-call penalties, unlawful occupant removals, attorney discipline costs, fentanyl sentencing thresholds, concealed weapons on campuses, firearm muffling devices, utility-worker assault penalties, water planning, environmental review for power plants and SMRs, groundwater recovery, voter registration rules, campaign address privacy, and federal land acquisition notifications. Several bills were pulled from consent for further discussion, including SB 1078, SB 1435, SB 1567, SB 1665, SB 1184, SB 1586, SB 1741, SB 1424, SB 1475, SB 1572, SB 1142, SB 1055, SB 1099, SB 1107, SB 1148, SB 1068, and SB 1069. Members raised concerns about constitutional issues, due process, school funding, public safety, and whether some proposals were unnecessary or duplicative. Supportive comments were also made on a few measures, such as expanded pathways for students in accommodation schools, child welfare coordination with tribes, and alternative certification or licensing pathways. The discussion included notable debate on SB 1166, which would allow some 11th graders and students over 16 in accommodation schools to receive GED preparation; members split between concerns about encouraging students to leave high school early and support for youth in detention, emancipation, or unstable situations. SB 1127 on mandatory reporting was clarified to require direct reporting of known abuse or neglect to DCS rather than delegation to another person. SB 1188 on controlled substances drew questions about how federal rescheduling would be mirrored in state law. The meeting ended with announcements and an “Affordability Award” recognizing Rep. Stahl Hamilton, followed by a request for guests to leave for a closed caucus.

Transcript Highlights:

• The next question is reporting the measure. I look to the Vice Chair for a motion. Mr.
• The next question is reporting the measure. I look to the Vice Chair for a motion. Mr.
• Of course, there is the renaming portion, but what's most significant is right now this prevention program

Committee: Senate Health and Human Resources

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The good news is that this concentration creates tremendous opportunity for measurable impact.
• relies on independently verified environmental product declarations, which ensures transparency and prevents
• It targets concentrated emissions sources where we can achieve measurable results.

Committee: House House Energy, Environment & Natural Resources

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Enrollment is one important measure. The outcomes are just as critical.
• This approach allows U.S. to measure growth in funding consistently, even though programs can differ
• the industry certifications that fall into the K program, are there any safeguards in place 4 to to prevent

Transcript Highlights:

• by Representative Dutton and recognizes its sponsor, our colleague Senator Johnson, to explain the measure
• involving children are initiated by those with a legitimate and direct interest in their well-being, preventing
• Chair now lays out Senate Bill 1538 and recognizes its author, the Dean of the Senate, to explain the measure

Bills: SB1538 , SB2883 , HB1734 , HB2340 , HB2350 , HB3376

Committee: Senate Jurisprudence

Keywords: digital court reporting, court reporting, court reporter, electronic recording, audio recording, video recording, transcription, verbatim record, judicial administration, Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial System, courts, depositions, grand jury, referee, court commissioner, court technology, courtroom technology, access to justice, accuracy

Transcript Highlights:

• that because we had the previous director of aviation, and we had talked about some cost-saving measures
• that because we had the previous director of the aviation, we had talked about some cost-saving measures
• It also can prevent you from applying for a job at a military base or even accessing a military base,

Bills: SB2199 , SB2200 , SB2201 , SB2949 , SB2332

Committee: Senate Border Security

Keywords: overweight vehicle, vehicle weight limits, hazardous materials, hazmat, cargo tank, fuel transport, trucking, commercial vehicle, Transportation Code, criminal penalty, second-degree felony, loading violation, truck weight, axle weight, gross weight, public safety, commercial carrier, Texas, commercial truck, truck route

Summary: The Senate Committee on Border Security heard several bills related to border security, law enforcement databases, DPS aviation maintenance, and transportation motor fuels. SB 2199, after brief invited testimony from the Texas Trucking Association and DPS, was left pending at first and later reported favorably to the full Senate on a 4-1 vote. SB 2332, relating to aircraft owned and operated by the Department of Public Safety, was laid out by Senator Parker, with DPS and TechSOT witnesses explaining that it would centralize DPS aircraft maintenance under DPS, align state law with FAA responsibility rules, and potentially reduce costs and downtime; it was later reported favorably on a 5-0 vote and placed on the local and uncontested calendar. SB 2949, relating to the regulation of transportation motor fuels, was also adopted as a committee substitute and reported favorably on a 4-1 vote, with a member noting continued interest in refining port-of-entry transloading issues. The committee spent the most time on SB 2201, which would revise Texas intelligence database criteria for criminal street gangs and foreign terrorist organizations. Senator Birdwell described the bill as adding safeguards such as requiring officer identification on submissions, setting retention and validation rules, and updating criteria to reflect technology and social media use. Invited witnesses from the district attorney’s office, DPS, and the Texas Anti-Gang Center generally supported the bill and said it would improve reliability and accountability. Public testimony included support from the Texas Public Policy Foundation and opposition from the Texas Civil Rights Project and the ACLU of Texas, which argued the bill’s language on implied or demonstrated self-admission and other criteria was vague, overly broad, and could lead to erroneous inclusion in the database and downstream consequences. After debate, SB 2201 was reported favorably to the full Senate on a 4-1 vote, with Senator Eckhardt voting no. During questioning on SB 2201, members discussed how gang-database entries are used in investigations and prosecutions, the meaning of “family member,” the scope of self-admission, and how “previously documented areas” would be identified in practice. Opponents raised concerns about due process, First and Fourth Amendment issues, racial profiling, and possible federal consequences if state database information is shared. Supporters emphasized that the database is a law-enforcement tool for identifying organized criminal activity and that the committee substitute adds training, audits, and accountability measures. The committee then completed its business and recessed subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• that help to add supply to the market, as Scott detailed earlier, supply really is the issue and so measuring
• morning, some things like permitting flexibility, rethinking outdated zoning laws, and reasonable measures
• Despite our rapid growth, our industry is facing many headwinds that prevent us from delivering the buildings

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Transcript Highlights:

• agency's salary reflects the knowledge and leadership skills required to manage the agency and preventing
• Our performance measures, we are meeting them and exceeding them every session.
• By all measures, our agency has been exceeding all metrics and performance and efficiency despite a significant

Bills: SB1

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met to review Article 8, regulatory agencies, and began Article 9, general provisions, before recessing for floor action. The committee first heard budget presentations from the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC). The PUC budget recommendation was about $5.07 billion in all funds, including an additional $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, plus funding for staffing and technology needs tied to contested cases, infrastructure resiliency, and outage mapping. PUC witnesses emphasized the agency’s growing workload, the need for more staff and modern systems, and oversight of the Texas Energy Fund. OPUC’s recommendation was about $6.9 million, with a reduction in authorized FTEs to better match actual staffing; the agency requested additional funding for salaries, expert witnesses, and budget flexibility, and members highlighted OPUC’s role representing residential and small commercial consumers in utility proceedings. The committee then heard from the Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC), whose recommendation was just over $11.2 million. BHEC’s main requests included funding to fill vacant positions, money for continuous National Practitioner Data Bank queries, and a proposed Texas-owned psychology licensing exam in response to concerns about changes to the national exam. Agency leaders also discussed a rider request that would shift responsibility for certain judgments or settlements to the comptroller. Members asked about prior complaint backlogs, and BHEC said those backlogs had been cleared. The Board of Chiropractic Examiners followed, with a recommendation of just under $2.4 million; the board sought support for staffing, training, broadband, and salary retention, and described its work regulating chiropractors and workers’ compensation-related doctors. The Board of Dental Examiners was the last agency heard before the committee recessed. Its recommendation was just under $10 million, and it requested a 10% salary increase for eligible staff, three additional licensing staff, one staff member to handle required background checks, an additional attorney, and an executive director salary adjustment. Dental board witnesses said licensure growth, increased complaints, and low salaries were straining licensing and enforcement operations, even though the agency reported strong performance and high case completion rates. The chair ended the hearing early because the Senate had to return to the floor, and the committee remained in recess.

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll have the same impact as a measure.
• Members, this is something that could prevent the harm, could help prevent the harm before it happened
• This measure will do something to help address this issue.
• For good measure, uh, thanks, Mr. President.
• And I think that we have done a much better job measuring up to that... ...a much better job measuring

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Her saying no did not prevent an abortion. Others of the physicians could step in.
• Her saying no did not prevent an abortion. Others of the physicians could step in.
• It explicitly allows employees to sue their employers while preventing hospitals from raising staffing
• It explicitly allows employees to sue their employers while preventing hospitals from raising staffing
• It explicitly allows employees to sue their employers while preventing hospitals from raising staffing

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How should the facility prevent or respond to elopement?
• So we wouldn't be able to measure that.
• </c> for us to see any like measurable for us to see any like measurable effect?
• </c><01:30:03.840><c> uh</c> decade to to see some uh measurable uh decade to to see some uh measurable
• </c> So we wouldn't be able to measure that. So we wouldn't be able to measure that.

Committee: House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs heard HB 1790-FN, which would address involuntary admissions for certain individuals with a substance use disorder. Representative Lucy Weber introduced the bill for Representative Long, and the committee heard extensive testimony both in support of and in opposition to the proposal. Opponents, including John Burns of SOS Recovery and Jake Barry of New Futures, argued that involuntary commitment is not well supported by research, can retraumatize people, may increase overdose risk after release, and could undermine New Hampshire’s existing recovery and harm-reduction efforts. They emphasized that treatment should be voluntary, trauma-informed, and paired with housing, recovery supports, and other community-based services. Representative Long said he was willing to accept DHHS’s request to amend the bill into a study commission, though he expressed concern that a prior state study had not led to action. He said the commission should focus on implementation details, including where people would be placed, staffing, withdrawal management, elopement prevention, length of commitment, and aftercare. He described involuntary commitment as one tool for people with severe dangerous addictions, distinct from drug court, and said it could help avoid criminal records. Committee members asked about capacity at New Hampshire Hospital and how the proposal would work in practice. DHHS officials Katya Fox and Cynthia Pabonis testified that the bill raises major policy and fiscal concerns. They said New Hampshire’s current system has benefited from investments in naloxone, medication-assisted treatment, recovery centers, and community-based services, and that those investments have helped reduce overdose deaths. They estimated the bill would require a new 70-bed facility costing about $40 million to build and about $33.3 million annually to operate, with only a small portion offset by insurance, plus more than $600,000 in annual legal costs and additional staffing and system changes. They also said New Hampshire Hospital has 185 beds, with about 100 patients typically ready for less restrictive settings, and that housing shortages are a major bottleneck. NAMI New Hampshire also testified in opposition, saying families often want any possible treatment for loved ones but still opposed the bill. No vote or final action was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Measurable results.
• That's also for our pest prevention assistance.
• This is a measured and strategic proposal.
• So it's challenging to measure effectiveness because in law enforcement it's often measured by statistics
• So that's one of the measures that we look at.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Damage prevention remains.
• Texas, West Division of the Damage Prevention Council.
• We also work very closely with the Damage Prevention Council.
• The Texas Underground Damage Prevention Act.
• measure.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It'll prevent this from coming west.
• It'll prevent this from coming statute.
• </c> the amendment, which is to prevent the amendment, which is to prevent billionaires billionaires
• </c> There's nothing in this that prevents There's nothing in this that prevents voter<01:29:54.239><
• So just on we are trying to prevent.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, tobacco use and smoking is here in part of the report prevention?
• You know, tobacco use and smoking is here in part of the report prevention?
• Preventive Services Task Force post that January 1st, 2025 date.
• We did have, again, an informal threat last week to some of these HIV prevention and STI prevention and
• Last week to some of these HIV prevention and STI prevention and control grants.

Summary: The committee heard a series of budget and oversight presentations from CalHHS-related departments and agencies. CalHHS opened with a broad overview of its 2026-27 budget and priorities, including behavioral health, housing and human services integration, children and youth services, and aging/disability supports. OICR then presented its budget and its SB 823 realignment report on youth formerly committed to DJJ, saying county implementation varies widely but that the state has not seen evidence of net widening in the available data. OICR recommended climate surveys, youth advisory councils, stronger behavioral health and education programming in secure youth treatment facilities, better transitional planning, and improved longitudinal data systems. The agency also described a Title II federal grant transition problem, saying it cannot yet pay some subrecipients for prior work and is awaiting federal action on retroactive spending authority and an administrative funding adjustment. The Ombudsperson division requested two additional positions to address a growing complaint workload and access issues with counties over youth meetings, records, and grievance files; LAO raised no policy objection but noted the ongoing General Fund cost. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities requested $730,000 General Fund ongoing to cover the gap between federal limits on administrative overhead and the actual cost of an interagency agreement with the Department of Social Services. EMSA presented its department overview and several proposals, including a delayed AB 716 ambulance rate report, a $2.6 million request to replace aging disaster-response vehicles, a $250,000 security architecture assessment, and four positions plus ongoing General Fund for HR, enforcement, and legal workload. Members questioned the delay in the AB 716 report, the optics and timing of the vehicle replacement request, and whether EMSA was doing enough to prevent future staffing and enforcement problems. LAO repeatedly noted the ongoing General Fund implications of EMSA’s requests. The Department of Community Services and Development sought reappropriation of unspent Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund money for the Low-Income Weatherization Program and described a Proposition 4-funded continuation of the farmworker housing component, which would require a new statewide administrator and program design process. The Department of Rehabilitation requested authority to draw an additional $60 million in federal funds annually and add 54 positions to meet sharply increased Vocational Rehabilitation caseloads; LAO had no concerns. Child Support Services proposed restoring a prior reduction to local child support agency funding and reported higher federal performance incentives, while also presenting a supplemental report on full pass-through of child support collections to CalWORKs families, estimating about $150 million annually for full pass-through or about $80 million for a state/county-only approach, plus automation costs. Members questioned why funding should rise when caseloads are declining, and whether the policy could be made cost-neutral. CDPH closed the hearing with an overview of its $5.1 billion budget and its state of public health report, highlighting record-low mortality and higher life expectancy, but also rising overdose deaths among ages 25-44, persistent maternal and infant mortality disparities, and the need for stable public health and emergency-response capacity; no votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Does this violate the State Constitution, which prevents retroactive laws?
• Does this violate the State Constitution, which prevents retroactive laws?
• Does this violate the State Constitution, which prevents retroactive laws?
• So this in no way prevents lease agreements. Lease agreements can still be done.
• The main reason that... 33 so this in no way prevents lease 33 so this in no way prevents lease agreements

Committee: House Municipal and County Government

Keywords: 1189, house, all