Transcript Highlights:

• liability, to provide for reporting requirements, to provide for enforcement, to provide for civil penalties
• year—another two months or so—to finalize the numbers across the programs and finalize your final budget
• Rather than tie up $5.3 million, why don't we create a budget and know how much we're going to spend
• actions that are listed under our budget are not necessarily large things.
• I wouldn't even mind some criminal penalties for it.

Bills: HB1163 , HB1168 , HR252 , HR253 , HCR103 , HCR108 , SB80 , SB131 , SB251 , SB254 , SB279 , SB384 , SB414 , SB468 , SB469 , SB496

Committees: House Commerce , House Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs

Keywords: fireworks, retail sales, fire safety, legislation, holiday celebrations, construction standards, precast concrete, DOTD, building regulations, minimum requirements, public projects, private projects, consumer protection, credit card fees, cash transactions, rounding practices, transparency, low-income, economic impact, residential construction

Transcript Highlights:

• A sentence to a state facility carries an unwritten penalty, and its total geographic isolation of the
• And look, if it’s not the will of this committee, I can take the criminal penalties out because here’
• That will be the maximum penalty. I would go ahead and make that motion to adopt.
• Senate Bill 306 contains criminal penalties, and I understand we just lessened those. Thank you.
• Senate Bill 306 contains criminal penalties, and I understand we just lessened those, but I'm in favor

Bills: HB146 , HB333 , HB517 , HB828 , SB87 , SB93 , SB98 , SB118 , SB125 , SB199 , SB277 , SB294 , SB306

Committee: House Administration of Criminal Justice

Keywords: sports wagering, gambling, elections, local control, revenue generation, inmates, housing, corrections, Department of Public Safety, local jurisdiction, criminal justice, juvenile justice, jury trial, felony offenses, crime of violence, sex offenses, correctional facilities, in-custody deaths, medical oversight, independent investigations

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 4170 increases the penalty for theft that causes environmental damage from crude oil or gasoline
• And number two: you may want to take a look at trying to increase the penalty from a misdemeanor to a
• This bill removes the price-based penalties for stolen firearms and replaces them with a It sets a consistent
• what this bill does is decreasing the Threshold amount for the grand larceny offense and provides a penalty
• So one is in a title of law 21, a mission to provide for a child and penalties.

Bills: HB3765 , HB4324 , HB3678 , HB4170 , HB3495 , HB3040 , HB3062 , HB4140 , HB4106 , HB4109 , HB4104 , HB3581

Committee: House Criminal Judiciary

Keywords: property rights, forfeiture, noncitizen, land ownership, felony, public safety, criminal procedure, sentence modification, resentencing, judicial review, postconviction relief, district attorney, prosecutor, victim rights, victim notification, Department of Corrections, inmate rehabilitation, sentencing reform, life without parole, nonviolent offense

Bills: HB163 , HB344 , HB163 , HB344 , SB11 , SB92 , SB164 , HB22 , HB89 , SB227 , SB6 , SB11 , SB92 , SB164 , HB22 , HB89 , SB227 , SB6

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: income tax, research expenditures, economic development, tax deductions, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Alabama tax law, educational intervention, State Superintendent, local boards of education, subpoena, accountability, state control, property improvement, private financing, energy efficiency, capital expenditure, local government, volunteer fire departments, federally insured financial institutions, fund management

Transcript Highlights:

• It applies penalties for exceeding plant limits.
• also will acknowledge that this is a really tough time to do thoughtful frameworks when we have a budget
• also will acknowledge that this is a really tough time to do thoughtful frameworks when we have a budget
• Obviously, we will take a short break from policy committees as we move into our budget meetings.

Bills: SB6290 , SB6282 , SB5379 , SB6197 , SB6158 , SB6302 , SB5882 , SB6303 , SB6180 , SB6195 , SB6196 , SB6204 , SB6287

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: liquor regulation, cannabis board, reorganization, state agency, governance, apprenticeship, behavioral health, construction trades, workforce training, wellness, interest arbitration, parks and recreation, public employees, labor relations, employee rights, SB 6197, plumbing contractor, plumber, contractor licensing, licensing enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• When asked how many laid off staff as a budget-balancing strategy, three quarters responded that they
• Fiscal note shows indeterminate cash receipts because the penalty amounts can vary, and approximately
• If L&I determines the violation is willful, L&I may also order the employer to pay a civil penalty.
• Penalties and double damages are mandatory.
• Penalties and double damages are mandatory.

Bills: SB6053 , SB6134 , SB6147 , SB6106 , SB6045 , SB6135 , SB6128 , SB6282 , SB6068 , SB6303 , SB6290

Committee: Senate Labor & Commerce

Keywords: SB 6053, domestic workers, domestic worker rights, labor protections, minimum wage, overtime, private household employment, nanny, home care worker, personal care provider, housekeeper, cleaner, cook, gardener, household manager, wage theft, retaliation, anti-discrimination, immigration status, privacy rights

Transcript Highlights:

• for infringement to $3,000, and permit recovery of actual damages in addition to the civil penalty.
• You know, as being one of the budget writers, I'm concerned that the aspect of this bill will constrain
• us and exacerbate our current budget.
• Also, it just adds more fuel to the fire and further complicates the budget-writing process.
• I am also very aware of what it is doing to the budgets of our cities, county, schools, and state.

Bills: SB5906 , SJM8014 , SB6087 , SB5520 , SB6017 , SB5890 , SB6239 , SB5886 , SB6190 , SGA9255 , SGA9256 , SGA9271 , SGA9272

Committee: Senate Law & Justice

Keywords: data protection, personal safety, public accommodation, Washington residents, privacy, crime investigation, violent death, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, state inquiry, public safety, children's items, donations, charitable donations, nonprofit, religious organization, public health agency, liability shield, gross negligence, intentional misconduct, car seats

Bills: SB5068 , SB5109 , SB5188 , SB5223 , SB5280 , SB5420 , SB5467 , SB5581 , SB5649 , SB5705

Keywords: employment eligibility, firefighters, law enforcement, citizenship, legal authorization, public safety, mortgage lending, fraud, prosecution, financial regulations, consumer protection, broadband, infrastructure, loan assistance, economic development, technology access, criminal offense, fingerprinting, state regulations, SB 5280

Transcript Highlights:

• So what this bill seeks to do is to enhance the penalties faced by correctional officers who are found
• Specifically, the bill enhances the penalty from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony.
• This bill increases the penalties for any employee providing controlled substances to a person in custody
• The current penalty scheme and the penal code based on weight means you do not have to be a major drug

Bills: HB153 , HB1828 , HB2306 , HB2498 , HB3464 , HB3488 , HB3636 , HB3673 , HB3834 , HB3860 , HB4120 , HB4937 , HB1515 , HB153

Committee: House Corrections

Keywords: education, funding, student resources, technology access, equal opportunity, veterans treatment court, mental health, criminal justice, rehabilitation, eligibility criteria, veterans, treatment court, military service, legislation, legislative leave, correctional officers, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, accumulated leave, compensatory time, parole eligibility

Transcript Highlights:

• leaving it for you, that if someone steals your mail, the... that if someone steals your mail, the penalties
• And if they steal it with the intent to use your personal information to defraud you, the penalties are
• higher as well. to defraud you, the penalties are higher.
• In front of you are the penalties that have been in place for years.
• These are penalties that have been in place for years, and they are outlined in every state in the country

Bills: SB156 , SB134 , SB108 , SB47 , SB88 , SB89 , SB106 , SB18 , SB9 , HB38 , HB54

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: habitual felony offender, resentencing, Alabama Department of Corrections, victim notification, criminal justice reform, life sentences, parole eligibility, pardon, parole, law enforcement, GPS monitoring, data sharing, mail theft, stolen mail, criminal penalties, personally identifying information, felony, misdemeanor, SB47, Alabama

Transcript Highlights:

• And what is the penalty for this? A Class B Felony, so yes, up to 20 years.
• A woman could do it to the guy, so maybe the penalty is a little stiff.
• But the penalties are too steep.
• It's time for us to... ...get a stiff penalty.
• impact. spend a much greater portion of their budget on those issues.

Bills: SB76 , SB35 , SB116 , SB119 , SB118 , SB129 , SB32 , SB31 , SB115 , SB75 , HB27 , HB40

Committee: Senate Judiciary

Keywords: jury duty, nursing mothers, exemption, legal rights, parental responsibilities, sexual extortion, criminal law, felony, threat, blackmail, SB116, machine gun conversion devices, switches, pistol conversion device, auto sear, firearm accessories, machine gun, automatic weapon, semiautomatic pistol, gun control

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, I take the administration of our school budget very seriously.
• It's generally part of our overall travel promotion budget, which is capped at $5.75 million dollars
• Sure, so for comparison purposes, I mentioned that our marketing budget is capped out of apportionment
• Arkansas has. about a $25 million dollars budget that is funded through a statewide hotel lodging tax
• Would that not be the budgeting process for this year? Thank you for that question.

Bills: HB1823 , HB3031 , HB3369 , HB3378 , HB3429 , HB3624 , HB3657 , HB3880 , HB4215 , HB4476

Committee: Senate Economic Development, Workforce and Tourism

Keywords: housing finance, Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, publication requirements, housing policy, state regulations, HB3031, North Pointe Workforce Development Initiative, workforce development, job training, skills training, job placement, local hiring, economic development, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, revolving fund, state treasury, appropriation, budget, workforce investment, employment outcomes

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh this on the floor with the budgets.
• </c> through working on the budget through working on the budget individually<00:07:44.720><c> and</c
• is going to affect our budget.
• is going to affect our budget.
• </c> isolated funding in the upcoming budget isolated funding in the upcoming budget uh<00:24:39.279>

Bills: HB589 , HB591 , HB609 , HB614 , SB57 , SB280 , SB332 , HB589 , HB591 , HB609 , HB614 , SB57 , SB280 , SB332 , HB627

Committee: House Ways and Means General Fund

Keywords: Jefferson County, building regulations, zoning, public health, building commissioner, permits, construction, land use, county tax, lodging tax, Henry County, transient accommodations, hospitality industry, local act, sheriff, sheriff's office, task force, abandoned property, stolen property, unclaimed property

Transcript Highlights:

• The applicant would present the program to the department, set the budget, and provide a pro forma showing
• </c><00:13:43.839><c> that</c> workforce and you set the budget that workforce and you set the budget
• SNAP benefits average $6 a day, meaning they only supplement grocery budgets.
• SNAP benefits average $6 a day, meaning they only supplement grocery budgets.
• </c> they only supplement grocery budgets. they only supplement grocery budgets.

Bills: HB179 , HB354 , SB57 , SB137 , HB431 , HB179 , HB354 , SB57 , SB137 , HB431

Committee: House Ways and Means General Fund

Keywords: campus chaplain, chaplain, school chaplain, volunteer chaplain, public schools, public K-12 education, public charter schools, local control, teacher support, student support services, religious volunteer, faith-based support, church-state separation, background check, sex offender registry, school volunteer, education policy, district attorney, compensation, constitutional amendment

Bills: HJR1032 , SB1314 , SB1257 , SB1326 , SB1365 , SB1932 , SB169 , SB1991 , SB1992 , SB1204 , SB1339 , SB182 , SB1847 , SB1360 , SB1346

Keywords: HJR1032, House Joint Resolution 1032, Service Oklahoma, administrative rules, rule repeal, joint resolution, Oklahoma Administrative Code, OAC 670:15-1-10, OAC 670:15-1-14, agency regulation, legislative oversight, Secretary of State, Oklahoma Register, rulemaking, permanent rules, administrative code, groundwater, indemnity fund, well drilling, pollution prevention

Transcript Highlights:

• And with the budget cuts and the strains on counselors, I think most counselors already do this, but
• Budgeted voluntary resources compiled at the state level.
• Additionally, a receiver must submit copies of the plan and budget to the new governing board and advise
• Now, you may have heard a little bit about the federal budgeting and staffing challenges that we've had
• The directors of the Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting and JLBC jointly provide notifications

Bills: SB1004 , SB1424 , SB1497 , SB1507 , SB1572 , SB1684 , SB1711 , SB1741 , SB1754 , SB1763 , SB1798 , SCR1012 , SCR1041 , SCR1051

Committees: Senate Education , Senate Senate Education Committee of Reference

Keywords: sex offender registration, sex offender registry, A.R.S. 13-3821, sexual offenses, public safety, GPS monitoring, electronic monitoring, transient offender, homeless registrant, online identifiers, internet identifiers, sheriff notification, Department of Public Safety, DPS, DNA collection, juvenile adjudication, kidnapping of a minor, unlawful imprisonment of a minor, lifetime registration, community notification

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:28:23.360><c> as</c><00:28:23.679><c> selfmp</c> on and managing our budgets as selfmp on and
• managing our budgets as selfmp employed<00:28:24.720><c> business</c><00:28:25.039><c> op</c><00:28:
• They cut services to get inside their budget.
• So, that's why get inside their budget.
• And then the sub itself did a lot of things Chairman or wanted to do upstairs to protect our budget.

Bills: HB185 , HB378 , SB28 , HB400 , SB155 , HB312 , HB185 , HB378 , SB28 , HB400 , SB155 , HB312

Committee: House Ways and Means General Fund

Keywords: appropriation, transportation, judicial system, funding, state budget, Pickens County, local act, vehicle tag fee, registration fee, issuance fee, motor vehicle registration, license plate, replacement tag, transfer tag, renewal fee, county revenue, earmarked funds, ambulance service, emergency medical services, EMS

Transcript Highlights:

• taking time in this short session to hold public hearings on initiatives which do not address the budget
• Precedence, putting them ahead of other business except for the budgets and cleaning up the horrible
• mess of the budget that we've got.

Bills: HB1160 , HB1289 , HB1339 , HB1604 , HB1798 , HB1002 , HB1065 , HB1155 , HB1269 , HB1916 , HB2120 , HB2123 , HB2158 , HB2178 , HB2264 , HB2309 , HB2411 , HJM4004

Keywords: design review, local government, land use, zoning, project permits, housing density, middle housing, affordable housing, parking minimums, single-family zoning, infill development, growth management, comprehensive plan, permit streamlining, objective development regulations, architectural review, administrative review, transit-oriented development, accessory dwelling units, ADU

Transcript Highlights:

• By channeling a small portion of research and development budgets into highly competitive awards, the
• These SBIR and STTR programs are funded from set-asides of the extramural research budgets at federal
• Unfortunately, in its fiscal year 2026 budget request, the administration proposes to virtually eliminate
• Worse, the current budget and cuts.
• Worse, the current budget would<07:22:09.840><c> slash</c><07:22:10.400><c> dedicated</c><07:22:11.040

Bills: HB1558 , HB3400 , HJR117 , HB4446 , HB3494 , HB3481 , HB2701 , HB2034 , HB3854 , HB3951 , HB3579 , HB2721 , HB3767 , HB1860 , HB2334 , HR1107 , HB3426 , HB3427 , HR452 , HB5100

Keywords: financial management, government oversight, budgeting, accountability, reporting, federal financial management, government accountability, oversight, taxpayer funds, Office of Management and Budget, OMB, Chief Financial Officer, CFO, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, internal controls, financial reporting, financial audits, governmentwide financial management plan, financial management status report, performance metrics

Transcript Highlights:

• That's 16% basically of our budget.
• And this is now $15 million, almost $16 million out of our general fund budget, and that equates to about
• And we've got a budget to produce this summer, and the impact on our support for Fort Cavazos is really
• So in the packet I've given you is the slide from the budget presentation.
• And again, that slide is in there from the budget presentation.

Bills: SB524 , SB782 , HB42 , HB 1056 , HB2894 , HB3033 , HB3474 , HB3594 , HB4738 , HB5246 , HB42

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: SB 524, Texas franchise tax, veteran-owned business, new veteran-owned business, business tax exemption, filing fee exemption, Tax Code Chapter 171, Business Organizations Code, Comptroller, small business, veterans, entrepreneurship, tax repeal, privilege tax, beginning date, franchise tax exemption, severance tax, oil, gas, restimulation wells

Summary: The committee heard Senator Flores lay out the committee substitute for HB 2894, which would expand state reimbursement eligibility for local governments disproportionately affected by the disabled veterans homestead exemption. Flores said the bill would add certain municipalities in Bell, Coryell, and Lampasas counties if lost ad valorem tax revenue equals or exceeds 10% of general revenue, while existing recipients would remain under the current 2% threshold. Lampasas and Bell County officials and the City of Killeen testified in support, describing significant revenue losses and urging adequate funding. One witness, Howard Avery, argued any reimbursement should be counted as property tax revenue for voter-approval rate purposes to avoid a windfall. The committee later adopted the substitute and reported the bill favorably, with one nay. The committee also heard SB 782, which would create a temporary severance tax exemption for restimulated inactive oil and gas wells, intended to encourage investment in mature wells. The Comptroller explained the revised fiscal note as effectively zero because the wells are currently marginal and not generating meaningful tax revenue, while industry witnesses said the bill could extend well life, support local economies, and reduce orphan-well liabilities. Public testimony was supportive, and the bill was left pending. Members then heard HB 3033, a DPS-related grant program funded by voluntary $3 donations on driver’s license and ID applications to support nonprofits aiding injured or fallen DPS officers and their families, including memorial highway signs. The DPS Officers Association supported the bill, citing existing foundation assistance and the need for a steady funding stream. The committee later reported the bill favorably. The committee also considered SB 524, which would permanently extend the franchise tax and fee exemption for qualifying veteran-owned businesses for their first five years; testimony from a veteran business owner and veterans advocates supported the measure, and the committee adopted the substitute and reported it favorably. Additional measures were laid out and left pending or voted out: HB 3594, a local San Antonio retiree health care fund bill with agreed changes for contributions, spouse benefits, and remarriage rules, was supported by stakeholders and reported favorably; HB 4738 would repeal small administrative fees tied to certain loans and was reported favorably; HB 42 on HEAF funding and HB 5246 on the Texas Space Commission were heard and left pending. The committee also reported HB 3474, a cleanup bill for the Pension Review Board’s investment performance review schedule, and HB 2802, the Austin firefighter retirement fund bill, both favorably. Finally, the committee took up HB 1056, which would allow gold and silver held in the Texas Bullion Depository to function as legal tender through debit-card transactions. Supporters framed it as a way to use hard assets and expand financial options, while bankers and some senators raised major operational, consumer-protection, tax, and constitutional questions; the bill remained under discussion as testimony began.