Transcript Highlights:

• Updated on March 24 with strict standards, all 16 are eligible for federal financial aid.

Bills: SB530, SB757, SB769, SB1085, SB1241, SB1242, SB1409, SB1878, SB2138, SB2314, SB2231, SB2361, SB2431, SJR59

Keywords: accreditation, postsecondary education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, program delivery, faculty recruitment, higher education, performance standards, student loan debt, degree programs, funding, students with disabilities, accessibility, enrollment, report, SB 1085, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Del Rio

Transcript Highlights:

• Texas State Technical College has a long history. of proven performance and highly in training and highly
• And I am definitely for measuring what matters, performance.
• With this bill, universities can consider other standard assessments to determine both automatic and
• general admissions eligibility, broadening student access to various standard standardized tests aligned
• It's a betrayal, and it puts our standards, our students, and our economy at risk.

Bills: SB530, SB757, SB769, SB1085, SB1241, SB1242, SB1409, SB1878, SB2138, SB2314, SB2231, SB2361, SB2431, SJR59

Keywords: accreditation, postsecondary education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, program delivery, faculty recruitment, higher education, performance standards, student loan debt, degree programs, funding, students with disabilities, accessibility, enrollment, report, SB 1085, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Del Rio

Transcript Highlights:

• These are just standards that are both accepted in the United States as well as Canada.

Bills: HB594

Keywords: landscape architecture, licensing, reciprocity, Alabama Board of Examiners, continuing education, professional standards, examinations, technical revisions, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to follow all the same standards.
• So, we have a little bit of flexibility within those standards, but we all follow the same standards.
• So, we have a little bit of flexibility within those standards, but we all follow the same standards.
• > patient perform procedures, provide patient perform procedures, provide patient education,<00
• .<00:27:32.559> We're<00:27:32.720> practicing standards.

Bills: HB31, HB31

Keywords: absentee voting, disabled, blind, voter assistance, voting rights, SNAP, public assistance, nutritional standards, waiver, food regulation, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and the Texas Racing Commission, as these substances can mask injuries or artificially enhance performance
• The reasonable person standard acknowledges that in these circumstances, it should be clear that the
• To say that someone knows someone's intoxicated is actually a subjective standard, because what you're
• And that is a standard we use in things like self-defense.
• Now the thing about reasonable person standard is they're not described by the law.

Bills: HB75, HB108

Keywords: building standards, youth camps, floodplains, safety regulations, environmental policies, drainage utilities, flood management, land use regulation, county authority, drainage fees

Summary: The committee heard a series of criminal justice and public safety bills, with most measures focused on tougher penalties, victim protections, and procedural changes. Bills discussed included HB 75, requiring magistrates to make written findings when denying probable cause despite believing an arrestee committed an offense; HB 413, limiting pretrial detention so it cannot exceed the maximum jail term for the charged offense, with competency-related exceptions; HB 1422, expanding sexual assault survivor protections and increasing penalties for certain sexual offenses and voyeurism; HB 2073, increasing penalties for violating protective orders or bond conditions while armed; HB 2593, raising indecent assault penalties against elderly or disabled victims; HB 108, enhancing punishment when body armor is used during violent crimes; HB 3816, expanding cruelty-to-livestock offenses to include unlawful controlled-substance administration; HB 2854, requiring parole officers to notify hospitals or law enforcement when violent parolees visit hospital premises; HB 1871, increasing punishment for attempted capital murder of a peace officer and making such offenders ineligible for parole; HB 3463, clarifying notice methods in theft-of-service cases; HB 2348, allowing video-recorded depositions of elderly or disabled witnesses; HB 2594, expanding venue options for cybercrime and digital theft prosecutions; HB 2761, clarifying that children cannot be deemed to consent to prostitution-related offenses; HB 3185, authorizing administrative subpoenas in cybercrime investigations; HB 2017, increasing penalties for certain intoxication manslaughter cases involving undocumented immigrants with prior DWI convictions; HB 2306, making certain trafficking offenses ineligible for parole; HB 1607, allowing a rear-only license plate when a vehicle lacks a front bracket; HB 1828, creating a legislative leave pool for TDCJ correctional officers; and HB 3664, requiring prospective grand jurors to complete training and proposing additional changes to grand jury procedure in a future substitute. The committee also took up HB 3073, the Summer Willis Act, which would clarify consent in sexual assault law and address intoxication-related incapacity; the committee substitute narrowed the language to situations where the perpetrator knows the other person cannot consent because of intoxication or impairment, while removing withdrawal-of-consent and “reasonably should know” language from the House version. Several bills were laid out with committee substitutes adopted, including HB 3463, HB 2594, HB 3073, and HB 3073’s substitute, and most bills were left pending after no invited or public testimony or after hearing testimony. Public testimony was especially extensive on HB 3073, with survivors, advocates, and prosecutors supporting broader consent language, while some prosecutors said the substitute was an improvement but still favored the House version’s broader protections. HB 3664 drew significant opposition from district attorneys, who argued that mandatory transcription or recording of grand jury testimony would be costly, chill grand juror questioning, and complicate timely presentations; concerns were also raised about new-evidence requirements and grand jury shopping. No final votes were taken on the bills discussed in the transcript, and the committee recessed partway through to return to the floor before continuing its hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Major food companies are already adjust their ingredients to meet strict standards overseas.
• Currently, there are minimal nutritional standards for meals provided.
• But when it comes to food standards, we're falling behind.
• It's about ensuring taxpayer funded meals meet the highest possible standards for safety and quality.
• Companies adhere to rigorous evidence-based safety standards established by the FDA to deliver safe,

Bills: SB 25, SB 314

Keywords: nutrition, health standards, food labeling, education, dietary guidelines, medical education, food safety, school meals, child nutrition, food additives, public health

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• And I'm Jessica Gros, I'm the director of the Labor Standards Division at DLI. Thank you so much.
• And I'm Jessica Gros, I'm the director of the Labor Standards Division at DLI. Thank you so much.
• So, we do, you know, anticipate when we have a workplace standard that applies to all employees, that
• <00:56:04.680> And tasks the workers is performing. And tasks the workers is performing.
• <01:01:11.920> and should be based on the job performed and should be based on the job performed

Bills: HF3878, HF4131, HF3796, HF4097

Keywords: airport workers, wage standards, labor rights, minimum wage, economic equity, surveillance, price discrimination, wage discrimination, consumer rights, automated decision systems, Minnesota Statutes, suitable seating, employee seating, workplace seating, occupational safety, workplace safety, labor standards, employer requirements, chair, stool

Transcript Highlights:

• Methods vary in carbon intensity, and without clear standards, we risk funding projects that aren't truly
• The government has a standard for clean that's about four kilograms of CO2 per... per kilogram of hydrogen
• The intent of this bill is to limit the selling of these permits and raise the standard for commercial
• with them not meeting standards, et cetera, et cetera.
• It's just water quality drinking standards.

Bills: HB3619, HB3652, HB4572, HB4891, HB4941, HB5103, HB5105, HB5106, HB5224, HB5600

Keywords: surface estate, well plugging, Railroad Commission, landowner rights, liability, strategic reserve, gas supply, petroleum products, disaster response, Railroad Commission of Texas, energy security, emergency planning, oil and gas waste, environmental regulation, waste management, mining pits, groundwater monitoring, regulation, commercial disposal facilities, environmental standards

Transcript Highlights:

• Standards for other kinds of waste pits.
• We do think there are discussions about implementing some new environmental standards, correct, within
• I was hoping that you would help paint a picture of what those standards are.
• Where can we, or maybe I should just ask you to send us the hearing standards? Yeah, absolutely.
• and closure standards.

Bills: HB3619, HB3652, HB4572, HB4891, HB4941, HB5103, HB5105, HB5106, HB5224, HB5600

Keywords: surface estate, well plugging, Railroad Commission, landowner rights, liability, strategic reserve, gas supply, petroleum products, disaster response, Railroad Commission of Texas, energy security, emergency planning, oil and gas waste, environmental regulation, waste management, mining pits, groundwater monitoring, regulation, commercial disposal facilities, environmental standards

Transcript Highlights:

• Updated in March '24 with strict standards, all 16 are eligible for federal financial aid.
• Thank you. regard to quality the THECB's list is rock solid Updated in March 24 with strict standards
• Members, Chairman, members, Senate Bill 1241 aims to expand the range of standardized college entrance
• With this bill, universities can consider other standardized assessments to determine both automatic
• It's not just bad policy; it's a betrayal, and it puts our standards, our students, and our economy at

Bills: SB530, SB757, SB769, SB1085, SB1241, SB1242, SB1409, SB1878, SB2138, SB2314, SB2231, SB2361, SB2431, SJR59

Keywords: accreditation, postsecondary education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, baccalaureate degrees, junior colleges, program delivery, faculty recruitment, higher education, performance standards, student loan debt, degree programs, funding, students with disabilities, accessibility, enrollment, report, SB 1085, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Del Rio

Summary: The Senate Committee on Education K-16 met with a large agenda and repeatedly recessed for floor activity and other committee conflicts. The committee heard and left pending several higher education bills, including SB 2361 to transfer University of Houston-Victoria from the University of Houston System to the Texas A&M System and rename it Texas A&M University Victoria; testimony from university officials, local leaders, and industry representatives strongly supported the move as a way to better align degree programs with regional workforce needs in engineering, agriculture, and STEM. SB 530, which would align Texas accreditation statutes with federal rules allowing institutions to choose among nationally recognized accreditors, also received supportive testimony and was left pending. SB 1085, allowing Sul Ross satellite campuses to offer lower-division coursework toward bachelor’s degrees, was laid out and left pending as well. The committee also took up a series of education policy bills. SB 1241 would expand the standardized tests Texas public universities may accept for admission beyond the SAT and ACT, with supporters from the Classic Learning Test, homeschool advocates, and student-choice groups arguing it would increase access and competition; it was left pending. SB 769 would require a TEA/Higher Education Coordinating Board report on barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education, and testimony from The Arc of Texas and others emphasized the need for better data and accessibility; the bill was left pending. SB 2231 would designate the second week of October as Free College Application Week, and SB 1878 would modernize terminology and support workforce-oriented programs at the Josie School; both were laid out and left pending. The committee reported several bills favorably after adopting committee substitutes. SB 605, concerning charter school expansion applications while under conservatorship or a management team, passed on a 9-0 vote. SB 1871, SB 1873, and SB 1874, all related to school discipline and teacher immunity/placement review provisions, were adopted and reported favorably, with members noting the need for further discussion on some language. SB 762, dealing with flag displays in public schools, passed on a 7-1 vote. SB 1962, relating to public school accountability and challenges to school system operations, passed 7-1 after a corrected vote. SB 1750, replacing a $60 million statewide charter facilities cap with an attendance-growth-based allotment, passed 7-1 with one member voting present not voting. SB 2252, supporting kindergarten readiness and early literacy/numeracy, SB 2253, concerning educator preparation and certification, SB 2365, on student use of wireless devices during instructional time, and SB 1924, restoring local peace officer citation authority for school offenses and adding reporting and parent-notification requirements, were also reported favorably. The committee additionally heard SB 37 on higher education governance and compliance oversight, which passed 7-1 after a substitute that refined curriculum review, governing board authority, faculty senate rules, and a new compliance office within the Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Transcript Highlights:

• salary and reimbursement predeem and travel expense reimbursement predeem and travel expense curtain performance
• salary and reimbursement predeem and travel expense reimbursement predeem and travel expense curtain performance
• salary and reimbursement predeem and travel expense reimbursement predeem and travel expense curtain performance
• their<00:45:18.160> duties<00:45:18.480> on<00:45:18.640> the curtain performance
• their duties on the curtain performance their duties on the commission<00:45:19.599> it's<00:

Bills: HB0116, HB0056

Keywords: water rights, beneficial use, industrial production, hydrogen, applications, public welfare, carbon capture, energy standards, public utilities, environmental regulation, state law, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'll take questions. of low carbon standards. of low carbon standards.
• um, standard in place. um, standard in place.
• . standards. standards.
• uh uh certainly those standards at all. uh uh certainly those standards at all.
• , so there is no we had set no standards, so there is no low-carbon<01:15:33.720> standard<01:

Bills: HB0116, HB0056

Keywords: water rights, beneficial use, industrial production, hydrogen, applications, public welfare, carbon capture, energy standards, public utilities, environmental regulation, state law, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for the nursing home Workforce Standards for the nursing home Workforce Standards Board<00:01:04.400
• it says that we are to perform it says that we are to perform investigations<00:03:44.920> into
• <00:09:26.000> um about is the initial wage standards um about is the initial wage standards
• if we were to um implement this standard if we were to um implement this standard um<00:23:37.600
• Home Standards Board.

Bills: HF1419, HF500

Keywords: nursing facilities, reimbursement rates, elderly care, minimum wage, healthcare funding, nursing home, employment standards, worker rights, Minnesota Statutes, labor compensation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It just standardizes the language in the fund to make it conform to other funds in the statutes.
• These amendments amend the fund language, bringing it into conformity with the standard language we use

Bills: SB143, SB367, SB388, SB398

Keywords: bulletproof vests, body armor, peace officers, law enforcement funding, police equipment, officer safety, local police, sheriff's office, municipal police, parish law enforcement, grant fund, special fund, Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, criminal justice, protective gear, NIJ standards, USMCA, small agencies, public safety, Act 739

Summary: The House Committee on Appropriations met on May 18, 2026, and considered four Senate bills. SB 143 would create a special protective equipment fund for bulletproof vests for peace officers, with the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement to regulate distribution; an amendment was adopted to standardize fund language, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. SB 367 would create the Watershed Restoration and Conservation Fund and direct remaining severance tax revenue from sand and stone mining into it; an amendment was adopted to align it with HB 802, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. Members discussed the bill as a way to support watershed and flood-related restoration efforts, including the Amite River Basin. SB 388 would authorize review of state contracts involving foreign adversary nations or terrorist organizations and remove a trigger clause from a prior law; members noted it carried no fiscal note and that the Division of Administration said the review could be done at no cost. The bill was reported favorably. SB 398 would reorganize manufactured housing regulation by moving oversight from the fire marshal’s office to the Contractors Board, consolidating residential housing oversight, moving licensees to Title 37, and increasing inspection rates statewide; an amendment was adopted to conform fund language, and the bill was reported favorably as amended. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Injuries or artificially enhanced performance put the animals and their handlers at risk.
• The accountable person standard acknowledges that in these circumstances, it should be clear that the
• To say that someone knows someone's intoxicated... is actually a subjective standard.
• And that is a standard we use in things like self-defense, we use it in harassment cases, or stalking
• Now, the thing about reasonable person standards is they're not described by the law.

Bills: HB75, HB108

Keywords: building standards, youth camps, floodplains, safety regulations, environmental policies, drainage utilities, flood management, land use regulation, county authority, drainage fees, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Home Standards Board.
• The standards will impact Minnesota.
• wage standard wage standard which<00:09:30.040> is<00:09:30.240> updated<00:09:30.680
• <00:25:48.960> board Workforce board leg standard board Workforce board leg standard board
• so I thought that was a standard so I thought that was a standard practice<00:30:21.039> this

Bills: HF1419, HF500

Keywords: nursing facilities, reimbursement rates, elderly care, minimum wage, healthcare funding, nursing home, employment standards, worker rights, Minnesota Statutes, labor compensation, 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 500, which would require the legislature to fund the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board’s standards before they could take effect. An author’s DE2 amendment was adopted first; the amendment was described as pausing the board’s standards unless the legislature estimates and fully pays the cost for each nursing home. The bill author argued that mandates without money create serious consequences for seniors and providers, and said the measure would keep budget authority with the legislature rather than an appointed board. Supporters, including nursing home operators and the Long-Term Care Imperative, said the board’s holiday pay and minimum wage standards would create large unfunded costs, citing estimates ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars for individual facilities and more than $200 million statewide. They argued that some facilities could face debt, reserve depletion, or reduced access to care if the standards are not funded. Opponents, including SEIU workers and union leaders, said the board has improved staffing, recruitment, morale, and worker safety, and that caregivers deserve higher wages and holiday pay. They argued the bill would weaken the board’s ability to address chronic understaffing and would shift focus away from worker protections. Members also debated whether nursing home reimbursement rates have already risen enough to cover wages and whether the problem lies with how funds are used by providers. After public testimony closed, several members spoke in opposition and support. A roll call was requested, and the committee voted 9-7 to re-refer House File 500, as amended, to the Committee on Labor and Workforce and Economic Development Finance and Policy.

Transcript Highlights:

• It was also highlighted in an SAO audit that we were not performing these queries, and we are trying
• Our performance... We are meeting them and exceeding them every session.
• Members perform multiple roles.
• Every staff member performs multiple roles, and thus necessitated additional specialized training.
• Again, back to the salary issue, my staff, every one of them has to perform multiple functions.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Moving on to the next page, section two, this is just a list of standard budgeting changes.
• Additionally, the board would like to provide increases. based on performance to incentivize high-performing
• These are just a list of standard budgeting changes.
• So much so that we are asking to increase our performance measures for this year.
• standards.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's sales performance based retailer commission at 0.5% of the projected gross lottery sale. projected
• And transitioning and maintaining our standard and ad hoc reporting from our current interface. accounting
• that the the fuel tanks there are over 25 years old and they don't have some of the current safety standards
• Our standard is two weeks from the time that you submit a claim.
• and members of the committee. is Rahul Srinivasan, I'm with Texas 2036, Director of Government Performance

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Coast Guard standards. I request funds to U.S.
• Coast Guard standards. oil spill incidences in fiscal year 2024 alone has been stranded multiple times
• To bring ourselves in line with the Coast Guard standards for their boats, but to give you a couple examples

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all