Transcript Highlights:

• There's no change in the agency's FTE cap.
• This rule caps the permanent rate an inmate may be charged.
• The volume of beds in Galveston... So we need a bed, one room, ten rooms.
• The agency's FTE cap was increased by 11, totaling 2,216.3 FTEs.
• The agency's FTE cap was increased by 11, totaling 2,216.3 FTEs.

Bills: SB 1

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:03:27.119> locally opportunity to adopt a tax cap locally opportunity to adopt a tax cap
• Um again the cap has been amendment.
• if you know I know we've reached the cap if you know I know we've reached the cap which<01:46:42.560
• But I line because the cap has been met.
• Then on a paint based on volume.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's also not just a longer-lasting but a bigger-volume response.
• He said that once a contaminant is released, it may be released through a leak in the cap that causes
• Volume associated with a 100-year storm should be calculated, or the time period should be increased
• the increasing intensity and and volume the increasing intensity and and volume of<04:10:12.880>
• So, so it's of, you know, a cap failure.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• They tend to be, and they are not in this legislation, a cap or a ceiling on what can be recovered.
• It is not a cap.
• The insurance rates have been reduced since we did medical malpractice reform and we lowered the caps
• And I ask, how can you place a cap on seven years of hell and a lifetime of trauma?
• Caps only favor the insurance companies.

Bills: HB4806

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

Transcript Highlights:

• I would just like to comment also about the volume of business.
• I would just like to comment also about the volume of business.
• I would just like to comment also about on the volume of business, I do think the patterns have changed
• These same entities already comply with international fee caps, as had been mentioned previously, and
• a disproportionate burden on small businesses, especially restaurants, where margins are thin and volumes

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The commission met for its second hearing to study the future of credit card payments and sales transactions and their impacts on small businesses. Members heard extensive testimony from credit unions, retailers, restaurants, and payment-industry representatives on interchange fees, processing fees, fraud, chargebacks, rewards programs, and the ability of businesses to pass fees on to customers. Several witnesses argued that swipe fees have risen sharply, are especially burdensome for restaurants and other small businesses, and are charged on taxes and tips that are merely pass-through amounts. They urged state action to prohibit fees on tax and tip portions, improve transparency, and allow surcharging or convenience fees, while opponents warned that state regulation could reduce fraud protections, increase compliance costs, and threaten consumer rewards programs. Business owners and trade groups described thin margins, rising costs, and the difficulty of understanding merchant statements or negotiating with processors. Restaurant witnesses said card-not-present and online transactions create the greatest fraud and chargeback risk, with money often removed immediately from merchants’ accounts and disputes rarely resolved in their favor. Retail witnesses gave examples of rising effective rates, higher fees on rewards cards, and the burden of processing fees on low-value transactions. A representative from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and others said restaurants are effectively paying fees on meals tax and gratuities, which they argued should not be subject to interchange charges. On the other side, the Cooperative Credit Union Association said interchange revenue helps credit unions fund fraud prevention, rapid card replacement, and member protections, and warned that state limits on interchange could weaken those safeguards and lead to higher consumer costs or reduced services. Airlines for America testified that airline credit card rewards are popular, support travel and jobs in Massachusetts, and could be harmed by interchange reform. The National Restaurant Association and a payments-policy attorney countered that interchange fees are set by card networks rather than competitive markets, that banks remain highly profitable even with rewards, and that states can act after recent court decisions. No votes were taken; the hearing consisted of testimony and questions from commissioners.

Transcript Highlights:

• imagine just by the natural occurrence of we're not dealing with a pandemic so we don't have as much volume—that
• testing process that does include load testing and stress testing to make sure we can achieve the volumes
• Just the grant cap has been at $3 million, which I'm glad now to see that it's significantly increased
• The unit is currently managing a substantial and growing volume of enforcement actions, reflecting both
• The unit is currently managing a substantial and growing volume of enforcement actions, reflecting both

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The subcommittee heard a series of labor and public employment budget items. The first issue focused on EDD Next modernization, where EDD described progress on online claims, call center upgrades, fraud prevention, language access, and the phased Integrated Claims Management System. The LAO urged closer legislative oversight as the project enters a more difficult phase, and members questioned the schedule, cost, change orders, fraud reduction, stress testing, and the reasons for re-phasing unemployment insurance behind disability and paid family leave. EDD said the overall project cost remains about $1.2 billion, that it has no major cost overruns, and that it has saved more than $20 million by moving some shared customer portal work into ICMS. The committee also received updates on SB 1090 implementation timing, SB 1058 demographic data confidentiality, and SB 590 outreach concerns. The committee then reviewed the California Workforce Development Board’s request to reduce staffing over five years as one-time grant workloads wind down, along with trailer bill language to streamline reporting requirements. Members questioned the large staffing reduction in light of the board’s grant administration role and asked about the High Road Construction Careers Program, AI-related workforce needs, and the impact on reentry programs. The administration and Finance said the positions were added for surge grant work and are being phased down as those grants close, while the LAO had no objection to the reporting streamlining proposal. A major portion of the hearing addressed the Department of Industrial Relations, especially the Subsequent Injury Benefits Trust Fund trailer bill. DIR and the LAO said SIBTF applications, backlog, and liabilities have grown rapidly, with liabilities projected around $30 billion by 2030 if no changes are made. The administration’s reforms would tighten eligibility, apply the new standards to open cases, and use QME reports and contemporaneous evidence to document preexisting disabilities; DIR said this would reduce employer costs and help return the program to its original intent. Members raised concerns about fairness to pending claimants, the effect on workers with undocumented conditions, and the interaction with another bill moving through policy committees. The committee also discussed eliminating vacant DIR positions, adding Cal/OSHA Bureau of Investigation staff to handle fatality and serious injury cases, and making permanent the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board change that starts the 60-day reconsideration clock when a case is transmitted rather than when the petition is filed. Finally, DIR requested a larger apprenticeship training grant augmentation to raise annual grants from $3 million to $20 million, citing available fund balances and construction workforce needs.

Transcript Highlights:

• know the potential refinery, you know, we're doing all the things to try to make sure we have more volume
• So there's all these things in this committee deals with: how do we do that and get more volume of those
• Chair, as I understand it, this bill would interfere with the State Land Department's contract with CAP
• As I understand it, this bill would interfere with the state land, eminize the subcontract with CAP,
• 133, which would put a large burden on the department from a fiscal and staff perspective given the volume

Bills: HB2014, HB2055, HB2145, HB2150, HB2696, HB2755, HB2763, HB2781, HB2782, HB2787, HB2795, HB2889, HB2975, HB2985, HB2986, HCM2009, HCR2020, HCR2038

Keywords: air emissions, fuel blends, environmental quality, feasibility study, Arizona Department of Agriculture, brackish groundwater, water supply development, desalination, Arizona Revised Statutes, water infrastructure, financial assistance, environmental reviews, fuel reformulation, gasoline standards, environmental regulations, ethanol supply, Air Quality, state land department, mineral lease, renewals

Summary: The Natural Resources Committee approved the March 17 minutes and then took up a long calendar of bills, holding HCR 2038. HB 2787, which would bar the state and its political subdivisions from using personnel or financial resources to enforce, administer, or cooperate with the Mexican wolf reintroduction program, drew opposition from Sierra Club and Humane World for Animals/Animal Defense League of Arizona, who argued it would hinder wolf recovery and undercut science-based wildlife management. The committee nevertheless gave HB 2787 a do-pass recommendation by a 4-3 vote. The committee then considered HB 2055 on a Brackish Groundwater Recovery Program Fund and HB 2782 on disclosure requirements for regulatory assets in utility rates. Testimony on HB 2055 raised concerns that brackish groundwater is still groundwater and that pumping it could cause localized impacts, but the bill initially received a do-pass recommendation before a later vote failed on reconsideration. HB 2782 prompted discussion about Corporation Commission authority and utility regulation, but it ultimately received a do-pass recommendation. The committee also heard HB 2781, a solar energy decommissioning and financial assurance bill, with testimony from environmental groups, industry representatives, and a local official; an amendment by Senator Sundareshan to strengthen financial assurance and remove the remediation fund failed, and the underlying bill also failed on a tied 4-4 vote. Later, the committee approved HB 2975, which would suspend use of solar scoring maps on state trust lands and require new mining and housing scoring maps, despite opposition from environmental groups and neutral comments from the State Land Department that the solar map is only a guidance tool. HB 2696, as amended, passed after the committee adopted amendments shifting the Arizona Commerce Authority’s fuel-price mandate and creating a fuel resiliency task force; testimony focused on fuel supply, pipeline capacity, refinery access, and whether the ACA was the right agency to lead the effort. The committee also passed HCM 2009 urging Congress to require legislative approval for new national monuments and to streamline mining and land-swap processes, and HB 2889, which funds ADEQ monitoring of uranium contamination and creates a statewide registry and tribal partnership program. Finally, the committee approved HB 2763, which would require legislative approval before the Arizona Game and Fish Commission could close a shooting range. Supporters said it was meant to protect facilities like Ben Avery and preserve safe shooting locations, while opponents argued the bill was unnecessary because existing review steps already exist and there was no imminent closure threat. The committee also heard testimony on the bill from Game and Fish, which said the measure would add another layer to an already extensive closure process and that the department was neutral on the proposal.

Transcript Highlights:

• the largest in the state, two of the most important gateways in the world, actually, move larger volumes
• professionals like engineers and scientists from Canada and Mexico to work temporarily in the U.S. without a cap
• What we're seeing here is a doubling of freight volumes since 2017.
• cost-competitive manufacturing allows California to specialize in innovation, design... ...and high-volume
• Fiscal year 2025 saw a decrease in both truck volumes and total trade volumes at our borders compared

Summary: The joint hearing of the Assembly Select Committee on California-Mexico Bi-National Affairs and the Assembly Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact Committee focused on the USMCA and how the agreement affects California’s economy, jobs, supply chains, and competitiveness. Opening remarks emphasized California’s heavy trade dependence on Mexico and Canada, the importance of stable trade rules, and concerns that tariffs or uncertainty could harm workers, small businesses, agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, and border communities. Members said the hearing would help inform a future legislative report or resolution on California’s priorities for the agreement’s review. Academic and policy witnesses argued that the USMCA is central to North American economic integration and California’s role in it. Testimony from UC San Diego and CETYS University described California and Mexico as co-producers rather than simple trading partners, highlighting sectors such as medical devices, aerospace, semiconductors, logistics, and advanced manufacturing. Witnesses also warned that the upcoming review could involve not just trade but security and immigration issues, and they urged a stronger, longer-term agreement with more certainty, better border efficiency, and new tools such as specialized technician visas, binational certification standards, innovation zones, and a technology fund. Go-Biz and chamber representatives said USMCA provides predictability, market access, and support for small and medium-sized businesses, while also creating compliance burdens through rules of origin, labor standards, and customs procedures. They pointed to California’s trade missions, export support programs, and state-level cooperation with Mexico and Canada as ways to help firms participate in regional supply chains. Mexican government and business representatives said the agreement is largely functioning well, that Mexico’s public consultation process received nearly 800 submissions and about 2,000 chapter-specific comments, and that many stakeholders favor maintaining or extending USMCA. No formal votes were taken; the committee heard testimony and asked witnesses for follow-up information to inform its report and future recommendations.

Transcript Highlights:

• We had not yet hit the cap. We are within a million dollars of the cap right now.
• because we have reached that cap.
• That's without increasing the cap.
• We're going to increase the cap by $25 million.
• The CS had a cap increase of $50 million.

Bills: SJR50, SJR51, SJR52, SJR53, SJR54, SJR39, SB1290, HB4028, HB4029, HB4073, HB4074, HB4075, HB4076, HB4077, HB4078, HB1250, HB2951, HB2961, HB3151, HB3581, HB3705, HB3970, HB3972, HB3980, HB3981

Keywords: Medicaid, federal funding, state law, healthcare, low-income adults, Oklahoma Constitution, healthcare regulations, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, permanent rules, joint resolution, OHCA, health care rules, administrative rules, major rule, Title 75, Title 317, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 317:30, health policy, state health programs

Transcript Highlights:

• , and that cap no longer exists.
• updated when we when we remove the cap updated when we when we remove the cap from<04:31:46.159>
• <04:31:58.279> no<04:31:58.399> longer that cap uh and uh that cap no longer that cap
• And we unanimously said this is silly; we should just remove the cap. So we did.
• is silly we should just remove the cap is silly we should just remove the cap so<04:35:31.760>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Solid Waste Subcommittee met to discuss proposed amendments to HB 171 and HB 215. For HB 171, Representative Gerna outlined technical changes to a landfill moratorium bill: DES would be allowed to accept applications only to review them for completeness, a notwithstanding clause would override automatic approval timing rules, the word “fully” would be removed, and an unnecessary reference to perennial water bodies would be deleted. Members raised concern about whether applications deemed complete during the moratorium would still have to comply with later changes in law or rule. Director Mike Whap of DES said applicants would likely need to amend applications if policy changes occurred, and suggested the bill could explicitly state that later changes apply to pending applications. The subcommittee generally supported the revised language and agreed the amended bill could go directly to executive session, though one member said the underlying legislation was ill-advised but preferred the amended version over the original. The committee then turned to HB 215, which would create a two-stage landfill siting review centered on a “net public benefit” determination before full technical review. Representative Gerna explained that the amendment would define net public benefit, require an independent third-party assessment paid for by the applicant, and set up a process for selecting the contractor from a list submitted by the applicant, with DES and the host community involved and the commissioner choosing if no agreement is reached within 60 days. Members asked how “host community” would be defined; DES said it would generally mean the municipal governing body, though that body could appoint others. The amendment also broadened the factors considered in both harms and benefits, including human health, property values, tourism, recreation, wildlife, local economic benefits, and infrastructure improvements. The discussion also added a provision directing DES to consult with the Department of Transportation, the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources as needed when reviewing the third-party assessment. Director Whap said interdepartmental consultation is normal and that DES would likely adopt rules to guide the process. Members questioned whether the new framework would be too vague or burdensome for applicants, but Whap said it would not be designed to stack the deck against applicants and that the process should provide clearer, more balanced criteria. No votes were taken during the meeting, and the subcommittee appeared to continue refining the amendment language before further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• prudent Hard caps can discourage prudent Hard caps can discourage prudent investments,<00:39:
• outside of the uh inflationbased cap outside of the uh inflationbased cap that<00:44:41.920>
• Um a these artificial caps would create.
• lot of the costs that would be capped lot of the costs that would be capped are<00:51:28.480>
• So, we're not near the cap right system.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Hi, I'm Rufika La Rosa with CAPS UAW.
• I'm with CAPS UAW. Hi, I'm Karen Odkins.
• I'm a proud CAPS UAW member.
• I'm a senior environmental scientist at DTSE and a member of CAPS UAW 1115.
• In neonatal care, acuity and volume shift abruptly.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And so we take volumes of photographs that indicate injuries to the neck and to the brain.
• So bills like this one and other CAP laws already have the data behind them, which is great.
• And so what I find interesting about negligence laws versus CAP laws is CAP laws are intended to be preventative
• That's why CAP laws matter.
• States that have CAP laws have lower rates of suicide and unintentional injury by firearm.

Summary: The committee first deferred HB 374 without objection. It then heard SB 46, which creates the crime of unlawful operation of a group home aimed at protecting vulnerable adults living in unsafe, unlicensed residences where operators control residents’ assets. The Attorney General’s office described severe neglect and exploitation in some homes, while the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center opposed the bill over concerns it could create confusion, criminalize legitimate recovery or disability housing, and chill protected housing arrangements. After discussion, including assurances that the bill was narrowly targeted at bad actors, the committee reported SB 46 favorably. The committee next took up HB 276, which sets a statewide minimum bail amount for certain sexual offenses against minors. Testimony from a victim’s mother and an anti-trafficking expert supported the bill as a way to keep dangerous offenders detained and protect children, while members debated whether the original $50,000 minimum was too low and could be treated as a benchmark. The committee amended the bill in committee to raise the minimum to $1 million and to add human trafficking involving a victim under 18 to the covered offenses, then reported HB 276 favorably as amended. Members then heard SB 42 and SB 110, both addressing AI-generated child sexual abuse material. SB 42 expands the definition of child sexual abuse material to include digital and AI-generated depictions, while SB 110 prohibits using a child’s image to train AI to produce such material. The Attorney General’s office and survivor advocates supported the measures as necessary updates to keep pace with technology and protect children; the committee reported both bills favorably. HB 998, dealing with forensic medical exams and reimbursement for domestic violence victims, especially strangulation cases, was also heard and amended to remove human trafficking references and set implementation steps; advocates said the bill would improve evidence collection and reimbursement, and it was reported favorably with amendments. Finally, the committee heard SB 51 on fraudulent representation of military service or awards, which was supported as a tool to address stolen valor and was reported favorably, and HB 323 on notification and reporting of inmate deaths, which was presented as a transparency measure after a family testified about learning of a relative’s death from the news rather than the facility.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that for sake of volume of water in your It's really water quality.
• We do look at the volume of water from a soil perspective.
• Many of them are statutorily capped. Don't wrap their caps. Got you. To their right. Got you. OK.
• Yeah, so, um, in my I mean, in my district, all of them are statutorily capped.
• Many are at their caps. Sorry. Go ahead. But many also have an ad valorem taxing authority.

Bills: HB1520, HB1525, HB1530, HB1535, HB2068, HB2091, HB2347, HB2372, HB2805, HB2815, HB2867, HB3154, HB3482, HB3483, HB3663, HB3781, HB3901, HB3915, HB4135, HB4153, HB4158, HB4329, HB4331

Keywords: Angelina and Neches River Authority, river authority, Sunset Advisory Commission, Texas Sunset Act, Special District Local Laws Code, local government, natural resources, board of directors, director training, board governance, public testimony, open meetings, public information, conflict of interest, ethics, complaint system, general manager, board president, staggered terms, removal of director

Transcript Highlights:

• discipline for incomplete answers, with no protection for the child's safety and no limit on the volume
• discipline for incomplete answers, with no protection for the child's safety and no limit on the volume
• discipline for incomplete answers, with no protection for the child's safety and no limit on the volume
• discipline for incomplete answers, with no protection for the child's safety and no limit on the volume
• the Department of Revenue Administration proving they are in compliance with the local budget tax caps

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This strike-all allows recovery residences to exceed the current 150-bed cap, but only with an increased
• It also ensures that bidders for public works projects may not be penalized for the volume of construction
• It's a volume problem.
• Local governments and the state are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of plastic that we're producing and
• And that root problem, volume, is going to persist so long as it is not addressed or if it is made more

Summary: The committee heard and acted on a long agenda of local, housing, education, construction, and claims bills. It first took up SB 1730 on affordable housing/Live Local changes, adopting an amendment that narrowed and clarified several provisions, including density, height, parking, attorney fees, and exclusions for certain protected areas, then reported the bill favorably. It also approved SB 1674, which clarifies that local investment restrictions cannot block Israel bonds, after a clarifying amendment. SB 140 on charter schools was reported favorably after significant debate over school conversion, teacher contracts, local control, and the use of surplus school property for housing or other public purposes; several speakers opposed it as harmful to public schools, while the sponsor said it preserved district authority and added options for municipalities and job creation. The committee also passed SB 96 and SB 4, two local claims bills, and SB 1714, which allows SHIP funds to help mobile home owners with lot rent and requires local housing plans to address mobile home park closures.

Transcript Highlights:

• you want to charge people in relation to what the actual bill is, and I’m troubled that there’s no cap
• so that if you had a $5,000 bill cap so that if you had a $5,000 bill theoretically<00:50:16.319>
• <04:21:11.560> and efforts should focus on high volume and efforts should focus on high volume
• <04:38:20.080> on<04:38:20.320> certain 658 raising the cap on certain 658 raising
• The other is to raise the cap on reimbursement for substandard tanks for low-income homeowners.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee met in work session on several bills, beginning with HB 153, which would require two or more law enforcement officers in each county to receive animal cruelty training. Members said the bill had been sent to the Animal Protection and Licensing Subcommittee, where Representative Kuttab is expected to schedule a meeting soon to consider possible amendments based on testimony and other ideas. The committee later returned to HB 153 and confirmed a work session was planned for February 14, with discussion also including whether to explore a task force concept raised in testimony. The committee also discussed HB 215 and HB 566, both related to landfill permitting and leachate or harm/benefit reporting. Representative Gerana said he had met with the DES director and was working on amendments that would add a preliminary screening phase for determining net public benefit and expand the list of benefits beyond capacity need to include items such as economic and infrastructure benefits. HB 566 was said to be in the same posture as HB 215, and both were slated for subcommittee review the following Tuesday morning. HB 171 was also added for subcommittee discussion, with members saying the changes would be technical rather than substantive. HB 240, which removes forfeiture penalties for non-payment of dog licenses, drew support for a simple amendment changing a statutory “shall” to “may” so municipal officials would have discretion about issuing a warrant. Representative Bixby said OLS advised that this was the cleanest way to provide flexibility, and he reported that the sponsor was agreeable to the change. The committee also discussed HB 179, concerning hazardous waste accident fees, where the sponsor proposed a revised amendment imposing a $1,000-per-day penalty after 90 days of non-payment. Members raised concerns about homeowners, hobby farmers, and whether the bill could unfairly burden people who were not negligent or whose insurance claims were delayed. The sponsor and others said the intent was to recover costs from responsible parties, especially businesses, and to protect local taxpayers and fire departments from bearing the cost of damaged hazardous materials equipment. No votes were taken; the bills were left for further subcommittee work and amendment drafting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Even with the $107,000 cap, it would cut out a lot of families who could really benefit from this.
• it would cut out a lot the $107,000 cap it would cut out a lot of<00:46:57.960> um<00:46:58.160
• I don't know if you have maybe you could pull numbers from that and just see if the volume expanded from
• We often receive an increase in call volume and requests for assistance with food, financial assistance
• The recommendation is that we blank out the cap technical amendments. Any discussion?

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ENRU, expands the factors that ADWR must consider when determining the depth to water to include the volume
• And now it's important to recognize that the tax rate is what we're capping here.
• And now it's important to recognize that the tax rate is what we're capping here.
• And so you have growth from population and inflation to the tax base. what we're capping here.
• a ...fees, including the utility fees, then a municipality could get around the moratorium or this cap

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting was a rapid review of a very large bill package, with the chair repeatedly asking staff to keep descriptions high level and many bills placed on third-read consent or consent calendars. A major theme was artificial intelligence: bills would require minors to be told when they are interacting with AI, allow AI-assisted divorce arbitration by consent, create an AI education program, privilege certain AI communications, and require K-12 instruction on ethical and practical AI use. Other education measures addressed school district superintendents, health instruction, anti-Semitism prohibitions, fetal development standards, and school safety, including a bill allowing concealed firearms on school grounds under specified conditions. Several health and public safety bills were also discussed. These included funding and oversight measures for childhood cancer research, nursing care complaint timelines, firefighter cancer data collection, limits on pharmacy penalties, and a bill making it a felony to administer abortion-inducing drugs without consent. Members also heard bills on overtime wage enforcement, domestic violence evidence standards in parenting cases, probation limits for dangerous crimes against children, and a measure expanding manslaughter liability to online encouragement of teen suicide. One sponsor strongly opposed a provisional medical licensing bill for foreign-trained applicants, while other sponsors emphasized rural health access, nurse anesthetist reimbursement parity, and the need for a dental board member who is an oral surgeon. A large portion of the meeting focused on water, land, energy, and state agency oversight. Bills would streamline or change rules for small modular reactors, new power plants, water supply determinations, groundwater transportation fees, water hauling, and state land disposition. Members also considered measures affecting the State Land Department, including audits, oversight boards, continuation, land-use maps for data centers and energy projects, and rules for mineral leases and solar or wind siting. Other topics included wildlife and ranching, Mexican wolf policy, annexation, housing and development incentives, transportation and towing rules, digital driver licenses, and a proposed four-year moratorium on municipal and county fee, tax, and utility-rate increases, which drew questions about stakeholder input and the impact on enterprise funds and local utilities. No recorded roll-call votes were taken in the transcript; most items were simply presented, briefly discussed, and left on consent or calendar status, with one bill noted as held in rules and another pulled for further discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Defendants don't get a cap on attorney's fees.
• You've tried to cap attorney's fees. We do it in med-mal cases. You know that.
• We cap the percentage of the actual damages, which therefore limits attorney's fees to a certain degree
• And so, no caps on someone could get for a hundred—hit for a $100,000 fine—and who knows, two, three,
• Members, this has been a response to a proposed large-volume groundwater export project in and around

Bills: SB 2, SB 5, SB 10, SB 9, SB 7, SB 17, SB 4, HB17, HB7, HB7, HB15, HB15, HB27, HB1, HB7, HB15, HB18, SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, HB17, HB27, HB1, SB8, HCR13, SB2, SB5, SB10

Keywords: disaster relief, flood preparedness, emergency funding, local government support, meteorological forecasting, school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments