Transcript Highlights:

• removal of the child, would still file a petition for conservatorship, and any relative who has temporary
• did so, noteworthy, very specifically because the The protective order at issue in that case was a temporary

Bills: HCR10, HB1814, HB2160, HB2353, HB2643, HB2971, HB3282, HB3382, HB3996, HB4507, HB4509, HB4805, HB5551, HB1863, HCR10

Keywords: family abduction, child safety, custodial rights, parental kidnapping, awareness day, marriage license, informal marriage, family code, identity verification, child support, family law, child custody, court interview, parent-child relationship, child welfare, attorney ad litem, compensation, legal representation, government entity, HB 2643

Bills: HB67, HB89, HB67, HB89

Keywords: parental rights, drag performances, public schools, public libraries, overnight programs, gender identity, minor safety, HB89, Medicaid, pregnant women, pregnancy, prenatal care, ambulatory prenatal care, presumptive eligibility, temporary Medicaid coverage, Alabama Medicaid Agency, maternal health, low-income women, health coverage, eligibility determination

Transcript Highlights:

• bit because that works out wonderfully for our family and for our kids who don't see a very long absence
• Jason's parents brought him to the United States on a temporary visa for expert medical care.

Bills: SB1798, SB1835, SB1319, SB2942, SB2928, SB784, SB1049

Keywords: higher education, tuition rates, financial support, immigration status, Texas law, SB 1835, resident tuition, nonresident students, scholarship students, public higher education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Education Code Section 54.213, tuition waiver, in-state tuition, out-of-state students, higher education finance, enrollment cap, capacity limit, workforce development area, nonimmigrant visa

Bills: HCR77, HB81, HB512, HB663, HB717, HB1194

Keywords: crawfish, agricultural labor, H-2B program, H-2A program, labor shortage, temporary workers, Louisiana economy, HCR77, crawfish industry, H-2B visa, seasonal labor, agriculture, immigration, arborist, property disputes, tree trimming, neighborhood, landowner rights, Delta Economic Research and Sustainability District, board of commissioners

Bills: HB61, HB327, HB253, HB297

Keywords: home school, career and technical education, public schools, K-12 education, enrollment policy, parental leave, state employees, adoption, employee benefits, aircraft tax, aviation tax, sales tax exemption, use tax exemption, lease tax, rental tax, commercial aircraft, air carrier, airline, aircraft parts, maintenance

Bills: HF2779, HF1645, HF1885, HF1289, HF1534, HF2707, HF1675, HF3046

Keywords: health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration, horizontal consolidation, vertical consolidation, health care ownership, corporate practice, health care regulation

Bills: HF2779, HF1645, HF1885, HF1289, HF1534, HF2707, HF1675, HF3046

Keywords: health care transparency, ownership disclosure, control reporting, health care consolidation, private equity, management services organization, MSO, provider organization, health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, hospital system, affiliate reporting, financial disclosure, public reporting, market concentration, horizontal consolidation, vertical consolidation, health care ownership, corporate practice, health care regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• I really just wanted to empower the director of the OMV to be able to do this on a temporary basis, to
• So where do the electric vehicle fees come into waiving the temporary waiver?
• words in your mouth, that there's some way those fees would allow for helping somebody who needs a temporary
• Would you not be in violation of that when, under the part where it says temporary waiver, place on hold
• Would you not be in violation of that when, under the part where it says temporary waiver, place on hold

Bills: HB214, HB217, HB514, HB593, HB618, HB732, HB908, HB961, HB1010

Keywords: property tax, blighted properties, urban rehabilitation, tax exemption, local government, financial incentives, blighted property, derelict property, property tax exemption, local redevelopment plans, rehabilitation standards, ad valorem tax, community development, senior citizens, homestead exemption, Louisiana Constitution, motor vehicles, local fees, transaction fees, funding

Transcript Highlights:

• And sorry, I'm recognizing the absence of the excused absence of um Woodson.
• > of Noting the excused absence of Noting the excused absence of representative<01:25:25.840><
• <01:27:30.000> of absence of absence of Representative<01:27:31.360> Woodson.
• Voting excuse absence of as is. Voting excuse absence of representative<01:30:52.600> Woodson.
• > of Oh, voting the absence of Oh, voting the absence of representative<01:31:20.520> Woodson.

Bills: SCR180

Keywords: wildfire, fire hazard, Lahaina, West Maui, Maui wildfire, vegetation management, fuel reduction, defensible space, fuel breaks, invasive grasses, emergency access, evacuation route, fire lane, state lands, public safety, Office of the State Fire Marshal, community risk reduction, hazard mitigation, brush clearance, wildland-urban interface

Summary: The committee opened by noting it was likely its last hearing of the 2026 session, then took up several resolutions. SCR 54, on appointing a hydrogen fire safety expert and training on hydrogen-related protocols, and SCR 59, on allowing certain health care professionals to practice without a license during a state of emergency, drew no testimony. Members discussed SCR 59 as a response to past emergencies and the need for pre-approved, updated registries of professionals who could be deployed quickly in emergencies. SCR 62 SD1, which asks the 911 Board to form a working group with the disability community to address access issues in emergency and 911 responses, received testimony from disability advocates and the 911 Board. Testifiers said the measure should ensure an integrated system with EMS infrastructure, real-time access for dispatchers and field personnel, and public education about the system; they also noted that Smart911 is no longer being used on Oahu and Maui and that a statewide, integrated approach is needed. Members agreed to work the suggested language into the resolution. SCR 179, urging Maui County to enforce fire code provisions on brush clearance, fuel breaks, roadside vegetation clearing, and emergency access, was noted as having no testimony but continuing to raise important issues. SCR 74, calling for an audit of no-bid contracts issued under emergency proclamations from 2020 through 2025, drew strong support from a late testifier who tied the measure to emergency procurement concerns after the Lahaina wildfire and COVID-era contracting. The witness argued that procurement rules should not be waived in ways that compromise safety, and described concerns about unlicensed contractors and construction problems in a state housing project. Members asked about the scope of the audit and whether it would interfere with criminal investigations; the witness said the audit should cover a broad range of contracts, including nonprofit contracts, and should not be limited to the wildfire period. The committee also heard SCR 28 SD1 on creating a Hawaii Vietnam Veterans Medal, with support from the Department of Defense and veterans advocates, who said the resolution is intended to do the groundwork for a future appropriation and to determine eligibility and distribution procedures. Finally, SCR 60 SD1, requesting updates on the “Breaking Cycles” rehabilitation and restorative justice study, received support from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Correctional System Oversight Commission, and reform advocates. The department asked that reporting be annual rather than quarterly because of the complexity of the OCCC project, and supporters said the measure would promote transparency and help ensure the study’s recommendations are implemented. No votes were taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Bills: HB299, HB533, HB299, HB533

Keywords: court costs, Choctaw County, jail funding, municipal court, criminal proceedings, education funding, student outcomes, K-12 education, RAISE Act, accountability, special education, English language learners, local education agency, respiratory therapy, respiratory therapist, respiratory care, licensure, licensing board, advanced practice provider, nurse practitioner

Transcript Highlights:

• Many counties have to employ temporary staff to do this because they don't have the resources.

Bills: HB311, SB447, SB505, SB2217, SB2753, HB311

Keywords: voter registration, electronic, Texas election law, Signature verification, DPS, internet application, Texas Election Code, signature verification, online application, data security, electronic application, Department of Public Safety, information security, electronic voter registration, voting technology, voter access, state election laws, digital signature, election irregularities, audit

Bills: HF4862, HF4598

Keywords: apprenticeship, education, teacher training, grant program, labor and industry, workers' compensation, Minnesota workers' compensation, Workers' Compensation Advisory Council, reinsurance association, Workers' Compensation Reinsurance Association, WCRA, occupational disease, presumption, first responders, firefighter cancer, PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, police officer, paramedic, emergency medical technician

Transcript Highlights:

• That absence is not just an oversight; it's a missed opportunity to connect pride with purpose, one that

Bills: HB2051, HB2114, HB2127, HB2134, HB2207, HB2574, HB2700, HB2800, HB2916

Keywords: AHCCCS, lactation care, breastfeeding, health services, healthcare access, motorcycle registration, safety fund, education, awareness programs, low-income scholarships, motorcycle training, special license plates, transportation, funding, nonprofits, charitable contributions, critical infrastructure, foreign adversaries, China, communications

Summary: The Committee on Appropriations met with all members present, approved the March 17, 2026 minutes, and announced its final hearing would be the following Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. The committee first heard HB 2134, the Arizona Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, which would bar state and critical infrastructure entities from contracting with Chinese companies for access to critical infrastructure, prohibit Chinese-produced software and equipment in certain systems, require annual certifications and reporting, and direct the Corporation Commission and DEMA to implement oversight and emergency communications measures. The sponsor and a witness argued the bill was a targeted national-security measure and a companion to federal efforts; concerns were raised about cost, overlap with federal law, and staffing, but the bill received a do-pass recommendation on a 6-4 vote. The committee then considered HB 2051, which would require AHCCCS contractors, subject to CMS approval, to provide breastfeeding and lactation care services in multiple settings. Testimony from lactation consultants, researchers, advocates, and tribal representatives emphasized maternal and infant health benefits, access gaps, and potential Medicaid savings; AHCCCS and ADHS were neutral, with AHCCCS estimating a $1.8 million general fund cost and ADHS saying it could not absorb implementation costs. The committee adopted a 15-page amendment creating a voluntary state certification for lactation care providers and a DHS advisory committee, then passed the bill as amended on a 9-0 vote. HB 2700, creating a technology-first study committee on assistive technology for people with disabilities, also passed unanimously after testimony from disability advocates and a proposed amendment to add minority-party appointments was discussed but not voted on. HB 2800, which increases the penalty for knowingly lending a vehicle to a person with a DUI-related driving restriction if that person causes serious injury or death, drew extensive debate over whether the felony penalty was appropriate when the lender may not know the eventual outcome; after testimony from the sponsor and the victim’s widow, the bill passed 9-1. HB 2114, which uses motorcycle safety fund money for scholarships for rural and low-income riders and requires ADOT to issue motorcycle registrations only when an owner has a class M license, passed 10-0 amid concerns that the license language may need clarification on the floor. The committee then began HB 2127, an omnibus special-plates bill with multiple amendments, but discussion centered on whether one amendment was hostile and whether a community-college plate should be offered later; no final action on HB 2127 was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, this bill would modify a law that was enacted and allowed temporary payments to be withheld at the
• <00:46:48.800> and<00:46:49.080> allowed<00:46:49.880> uh,<00:46:50.080> temporary
• <00:46:50.880> payments um, and allowed uh, temporary payments um, and allowed uh, temporary

Bills: HF2354, HF3621, HF3429, HF3483

Keywords: medical assistance, fraud prevention, subpoena authority, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud, payment withholding, withheld payments, program integrity, public funds, state agency, program participant, credible allegation of fraud, administrative reconsideration, contested case, chapter 14, data practices, confidential data, protected nonpublic data, anti-fraud

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from March 5 by voice vote and welcomed new member Representative Van Binsbergen. It then took up House File 2354, which Chair Liebling moved to re-refer to the Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee. Representative Norris presented the bill as an updated version of the Medical Assistance Protection Act, aimed at strengthening the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, closing loopholes, equalizing fraud penalties, and increasing penalties for large-scale Medicaid fraud. Attorney General Ellison said the bill would add 18 specialized staff to the unit, moving it from 32 to 50 positions, and argued the federal-state matching structure makes the Attorney General’s office the proper home for the funding because the unit is dedicated to Medicaid fraud work. Nick Wonka, director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, explained the bill’s provisions affecting committee jurisdiction: expanded subpoena authority to obtain financial account contents in provider-fraud investigations, conforming legal representation language to preserve the unit’s authority, venue changes to allow charging in counties where parts of the offense occurred, and a restitution change to let courts order restitution for related conduct in the same scheme. He said the subpoena change would speed investigations and align the Attorney General’s authority with other agencies, and that the restitution change would help recover more fraudulently obtained Medicaid funds. No public testimony was offered. Members questioned why the funding should go to the Attorney General’s office rather than the BCA, whether the new records authority was federally required, how the venue language would work across state lines, and whether the added FTEs indicated the fraud problem was larger than expected. Ellison and Wonka responded that the federal grant requires the work to stay within the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, that the unit’s investigators are specialized and work with, but separate from, law enforcement, and that the venue provision applies only within Minnesota while out-of-state matters would be referred to the appropriate authorities. The amendment that had been posted was withdrawn and not offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• maintaining a defined, time-limited structure to ensure that emergency hire permits function as temporary
• that emergency hire permits<00:52:40.160> function<00:52:40.480> as<00:52:40.720> temporary
• <00:52:41.280> bridges<00:52:41.680> to permits function as temporary bridges to permits
• function as temporary bridges to full<00:52:42.160> lensure<00:52:43.200> not<00:52:43.440
• These teachers are not temporary placeholders. They are essential members of our community.

Bills: HB2185, HB2621, HB2179, HB2534, HB2168, HB2427, HB2560, HB2565, HB2172, HB2298, HB2304

Keywords: sports officials, referees, umpires, athletic directors, school administrators, league administrators, coaches, assault, first-degree assault, substantial bodily injury, temporary restraining order, TRO, private counsel, Department of Education, DOE, sports safety, school sports, amateur athletics, professional sports, public schools

Bills: SB 596, SB 961, SB 1398, SB 1183, SB 1952

Keywords: DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child protective services, foster care, child welfare, Family Code, conservatorship, managing conservator, parental child safety placement, authorization agreement, temporary authorization order, child abuse, child neglect, placement reporting, court-ordered removal, investigation, family preservation, transparency, public reporting, data reporting

Transcript Highlights:

• appropriate placement is available, it should be prioritized over placing a child in a hotel or a temporary

Bills: SB596, SB961, SB1398, SB1183, SB1952

Keywords: DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child protective services, foster care, child welfare, Family Code, conservatorship, managing conservator, parental child safety placement, authorization agreement, temporary authorization order, child abuse, child neglect, placement reporting, court-ordered removal, investigation, family preservation, transparency, public reporting, data reporting

Bills: SB596, SB961, SB1398, SB1183, SB1952

Keywords: DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, child protective services, foster care, child welfare, Family Code, conservatorship, managing conservator, parental child safety placement, authorization agreement, temporary authorization order, child abuse, child neglect, placement reporting, court-ordered removal, investigation, family preservation, transparency, public reporting, data reporting

Transcript Highlights:

• However, school districts have not consistently interpreted this statute as requiring excused absences
• I'm here today in strong support of SB 207 which would allow students temporary excused absences for
• Under SB 207, students will be granted excused absences for attending mental health-related appointments
• are recognized as excused in Texas public schools. 925 absences due to appointments with health care
• No more concerns about excused, unexcused absences or school strikes.

Bills: SB207, SB611, SB920, SB1174, SB1207, SB1325, SB1396, SB1551, SB1619

Keywords: SB 207, Texas Education Code, public school attendance, excused absence, mental health appointment, mental health care, behavioral health, school district, student absenteeism, same-day return, health care professionals, physician certification, religious holy days, court appearance, DFPS, foster care, education policy, student wellness, school mental health, attendance policy

Transcript Highlights:

• One question will be, how many absences do you need for each school, each school district to establish
• be required to adopt a notification system to notify parents when there is an excused or unexcused absence
• students are at risk of truancy to assess any issues at home that may be the cause of the student's absence
• Proactive communication helps parents understand the impact of absences, encourages them to prioritize

Bills: SB204, SB570, SB735, SB784, SB1207, SB1396, SB1447, SB2392, SB2540, SB747, SB875

Keywords: parental rights, education, school trustees, training, handbook, truancy, attendance policy, chronic absenteeism, school attendance, student absence notifications, parent notification, home visit, attendance officer, truancy court, school district, open-enrollment charter school, student support services, school counselor, principal, administrator