Transcript Highlights:

• The first bill we heard this morning on civil liability and court reform, we're going to leave it pending

Bills: SB39, SB2129, SB2141, SB2246, SB2323, SB2439, SB2722, SB 39

Keywords: commercial motor vehicle, truck liability, motor carrier, trucking, civil liability, respondeat superior, negligent entrustment, negligent maintenance, negligent loading, negligent repair, bifurcated trial, exemplary damages, punitive damages, personal injury, collision, employer liability, vicarious liability, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Texas tort reform, commercial truck accident

Transcript Highlights:

• It's an important fix and it brings much needed reform.
• It's an important fix and it brings much needed reform.
• We have the Federal Tort Claims Act.
• the common law tort claims and not to constitutional violations.
• Representative Long said the Federal Tort Claims Act is limited to common-law tort claims and not constitutional

Bills: HF3477, HF3414, HF103, HF3661, HF3146

Keywords: civil rights, law enforcement, federal collaboration, accountability, state law, constitutional rights, color of law, 42 U.S.C. 1983, section 1983, civil action, damages, injunctive relief, attorney fees, law enforcement task force, federal-state cooperation, intergovernmental agreement, federal agency partnership, Minnesota Constitution, U.S. Constitution, police accountability

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman. 3037 amends the Government Tort Claims Act by adding students engaged in curricular activities

Bills: HB1016, HB1453, HB1992, HB2015, HB2940, HB2959, HB2997, HB3037, HB3045, HB3053, HB3087, HB3267, HB3301, HB3453, HB3495, HB3521, HB3581, HB3584, HB3586, HB3587, HB3662, HB3691, HB3695, HB3697, HB3742, HB3743, HB3845, HB4058, HB4125, HB4198, HB4227, HB4425

Keywords: minors, content creation, trust account, compensation, civil action, digital content, Oklahoma statutes, foreign ownership, property rights, agricultural land, Attorney General, divestment, real estate, felony penalties, motor vehicles, towing services, combination vehicles, wrecker fees, possessory lien, landlord

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, 3037 amends the Government Tort Claims Act and adds students engaged in curricular activities

Bills: HB1016, HB1453, HB1992, HB2015, HB2940, HB2959, HB2997, HB3037, HB3045, HB3053, HB3087, HB3267, HB3301, HB3453, HB3495, HB3521, HB3581, HB3584, HB3586, HB3587, HB3662, HB3691, HB3695, HB3697, HB3742, HB3743, HB3845, HB4058, HB4125, HB4198, HB4227, HB4425

Keywords: minors, content creation, trust account, compensation, civil action, digital content, Oklahoma statutes, foreign ownership, property rights, agricultural land, Attorney General, divestment, real estate, felony penalties, motor vehicles, towing services, combination vehicles, wrecker fees, possessory lien, landlord

Summary: The committee heard and advanced a large number of bills covering tort claims, criminal law, child protection, licensing, housing, and public transparency. Early measures included HB 3037, adding students in curricular activities to the Government Tort Claims Act definition of employee; HB 3581, revising riot statutes and removing a no-bail provision; HB 458, allowing voluntary blood type notation on driver’s licenses; HB 2929, tightening mandatory child abuse reporting by school employees; and HB 3087, extending garnishment notice and objection timelines. All of those bills received unanimous or near-unanimous due-pass recommendations. Several bills drew more substantial discussion. HB 4227, the Cindy Clemishire Act, was amended to allow minors to discuss sexual abuse with health care providers and was named after a survivor; it passed 13-0. HB 4125, restoring Second Amendment rights to certain nonviolent felons, passed 13-1 but members raised concerns about federal law and asked for further explanation before floor consideration. HB 1453, which would criminalize hostile foreign nationals and entities owning Oklahoma real property and agricultural land, generated extensive debate over indirect ownership, foreclosure timelines, logrolling, and constitutional concerns, and it ultimately failed 3-10. HB 3521, modernizing money transmission regulation and adding payment processors and digital asset kiosks, passed 13-0. Other measures advanced after questions or minor amendments, including HB 3691 on self-certifying medical fitness for a Class D license, HB 2015 on landlord-tenant repair and tenant remedies, HB 2940 on recording public meetings, HB 1016 on trust protections for minors appearing in monetized online content, HB 3267 making breaking and entering an occupied dwelling a felony without needing proof of another intended crime, HB 3695 expanding the definition of great bodily injury for DUI cases, HB 3453 shifting the burden in eminent domain cases to the condemning authority, and HB 3053 creating parole review criteria for older eligible inmates. The committee also advanced bills on self-defense definitions, straw purchasing of land for prohibited foreign parties, human trafficking parole guidelines, child welfare/adoption terminology, outpatient treatment, child support-related license revocations, workplace violence protective orders, and protections for charities reporting sexual misconduct. The meeting ended with several bills laid over and the committee adjourning, with a note that it would meet again Thursday.

Bills: SB2418, SB2568, SB2661

Keywords: drug paraphernalia, overdose prevention, public health, substance use, harm reduction, criminal justice reform, public servants, harassment, safety, government, criminal offense, nepotism, transparency, public officials, accountability, government ethics, 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee first took up three previously heard measures in decision-making. SB 2418, which repeals the law prohibiting drug paraphernalia under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, was amended to keep prohibitions on manufacturing-related paraphernalia and then passed. SB 2568, which elevates harassment against certain public officials to a misdemeanor, was amended to place it in the harassment statute, narrow the nexus language, and extend coverage to all public employees; it passed with amendments. SB 2661, dealing with nepotism rules in the code of ethics, was amended so the ethics restrictions would apply more broadly to legislators and judges as well, and it also passed with amendments. In each case, the committee reported no no-votes or reservations and adopted the measures. The committee then heard Governor’s Message 684, the nomination of Judge Stephanie Char to the Fifth Circuit Court on Kauai. The governor’s office testified in strong support, and the Hawaii State Bar Association representative said the usual review process found her qualified. Judge Char described her Kauai roots, 17 years as a public defender, and service as a district family court judge since December 2020, saying she would bring hard work and continued commitment to access to justice. Members questioned her about recusals on a small island, her experience handling criminal and civil matters, sentencing repeat offenders, administrative appeals, and how she would approach competency and fitness issues under HRS 704. Char said she had recused only a few times, emphasized case-by-case sentencing and probation conditions tailored to underlying problems, and said she would rely on preparation and education for unfamiliar administrative matters. On 704 cases, she said defendants awaiting evaluation should generally remain in custody, with possible diversion or strict release conditions in appropriate cases, and that those found unfit would need to be sent to Hawaii State Hospital. No vote was taken on the nomination; the committee announced it would decide on Monday, February 23, at 10:45 a.m. in Room 016.

Bills: HB2650, HB3277, HB3386, HB3419, HB3430, HB3742, HB3791, HB3835, HB3905, HB3968, HB4119, HB4153, HB4408

Keywords: probate, estate administration, summary administration, decedent, inheritance, vehicle inspection, title registration, salvage vehicles, ownership, Oklahoma Statutes, evictions, forcible entry, mediation, residency proof, children, housing law, corruption, nonpublic information, government accountability, criminal law

Bills: HB2650, HB3277, HB3386, HB3419, HB3430, HB3742, HB3791, HB3835, HB3905, HB3968, HB4119, HB4153, HB4408

Keywords: probate, estate administration, summary administration, decedent, inheritance, vehicle inspection, title registration, salvage vehicles, ownership, Oklahoma Statutes, evictions, forcible entry, mediation, residency proof, children, housing law, corruption, nonpublic information, government accountability, criminal law

Summary: The committee considered a series of House bills dealing with criminal justice, courts, public safety, housing, and related administrative issues. Early measures included HB 3419, which would extend penalties for sharing bid information before public release and bar violators from contracting with the state or its subdivisions, and HB 4153, which reinstates a repealed driver-qualification statute and updates it to include service in Oklahoma. Members also advanced HB 3430 on court costs, fines, and fee collection, though it drew concerns about terminology, collection practices, and whether it conflicted with earlier reform efforts; the Oklahoma Sheriffs Association testified that the bill would not authorize incarceration absent willful nonpayment and that collection fees have long been set at 20%. The committee also approved HB 3791, a health-care-for-minors bill worked out with the DO and MD boards, and HB 4119, a cleanup measure on VIN inspections for salvage vehicles. HB 4408, a LOFT request bill tied to calculating savings from State Questions 780 and 781 and directing funds to the Community Safety Investment Fund, was presented as a zero-fiscal-impact technical fix after court and DOC data issues were resolved. HB 3905 would allow judges to order GPS monitoring for certain stalking and domestic-violence-related defendants, with the victim able to receive proximity alerts; members questioned the scope of victim notification and the fact that the bill applies in civil VPO proceedings as well as criminal cases, but it was advanced. Later, HB 3968 was presented as codifying a Supreme Court decision, though members raised a late-added fiscal note and possible ODOT/OTA issues; the bill was still passed out of committee, with discussion of striking title on the floor if needed. HB 3835 would create a path for trafficking survivors to seek relief from convictions tied to their victimization, and HB 3386 would require mediation in eviction cases involving minor children; that bill prompted extensive debate over whether it created an affirmative defense, potential Fair Housing Act concerns, and whether it shifted costs to landlords, with the author agreeing to strike title and revise the language. The committee also advanced HB 2650 on summary administrations in probate and HB 3742, a negotiated criminal discovery bill, after adopting a small amendment limiting certain recordings to those directly related to the case and changing “approximate” to “appropriate.”

Bills: SB60, SB85, SB323, SB309, SB465

Keywords: elderly, vulnerable persons, criminal penalties, theft, civil penalties, criminal justice reform, traffic stops, law enforcement, data recording, public safety, racial profiling, SB323, Nevada, Department of Corrections, offenders, inmates, incarcerated people, prison phone calls, free phone calls, family communication

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 4515 would build upon these previous reforms by allowing an individual convicted of a state jail felony
• I do believe that this is an important criminal justice reform and a workforce development bill, and

Bills: HB1826, HB1969, HB2708, HB2729, HB3618, HB4515, HB4764, SB1021, SB1610

Keywords: mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, inmate release, identification certificate, Texas Department of Corrections, personal identification, driver's license, state law, reentry services, nondisclosure, criminal history, criminal defendants, community supervision, misdemeanors, felonies, rehabilitation, hearsay

Transcript Highlights:

• Kari Berman had to testify on House Bill 5086, electoral count reform.
• In 2022, Congress passed the bipartisan Electoral Count Reform Act, which eliminates the risk of alternate
• This bill is supported by the Brennan Center for Justice, the Campaign Legal Center, the Election Reformers

Bills: H5227, H5129, H5086

Keywords: vacancies, city council, local governance, Marlborough, elections, validation, town proceedings, MBTA Communities Zoning Bylaw, PFAS contamination, municipal governance, electoral process, presidential electors, election law, Electoral Count Reform Act, voter certification, 1212, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And from the founding until the 1970s, people had been able to file state tort claims against federal
• And while the Federal Tort Claims Act is a critical tool, it does not provide causes of action for most

Bills: H4783, H4826, H4876, H5111, H5116, H5244, S2975, S2976

Keywords: homelessness, homeless, unsheltered, unhoused, shelter rights, anti-camping, anti-loitering, public space, public land, encampment, sleeping in public, life-sustaining activities, right to rest, right to sleep, vehicle dwelling, RV living, tiny home, civil rights, municipal liability, affirmative defense

Bills: HB867, HB1347, HB1801, HB1820, HB2197, HB2617, HB3110, HB3166, HB3330, HB4237, HB4342, HB4629, HB4933, HJR148

Keywords: criminal case dismissal, attorney discretion, law enforcement misconduct, judicial approval, evidence, judicial consent, transparency, healthcare, Medicare, insurance, elderly, retired, benefits, access, cost, criminal justice, case dismissal, prosecutorial discretion, law enforcement oversight, criminal procedure

Transcript Highlights:

• The Texas Bishops support criminal justice reform that provides for compassionate treatment of prisoners
• among others, I believe Chairman Leach and several others were appointed to the criminal justice reform
• We heard compelling testimony from the Yolo County District Attorney about a criminal justice reform
• For three decades, I've been interested in criminal justice reform issues since I started visiting prisons
• a former U.S. attorney and our current executive director, was appointed to the criminal justice reform

Bills: HB867, HB1347, HB1801, HB1820, HB2197, HB2617, HB3110, HB3166, HB3330, HB4237, HB4342, HB4629, HB4933, HJR148

Keywords: criminal case dismissal, attorney discretion, law enforcement misconduct, judicial approval, evidence, judicial consent, transparency, healthcare, Medicare, insurance, elderly, retired, benefits, access, cost, criminal justice, case dismissal, prosecutorial discretion, law enforcement oversight, criminal procedure

Bills: SJR 1, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 36, SJR 1, SJR 5, SB 9, SB 40, SR 61, SR 91, SR 97, SR 103, SR 104, SR 112, SR 115, SR 116, SCR 16, SB 26, SB 26

Keywords: bail denial, illegal aliens, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, law enforcement, bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunctive relief, taxpayer rights, bail, criminal justice reform, Texas Music Advocacy Day, music industry

Transcript Highlights:

• Presley said HB 4515 would build on those reforms by allowing a person convicted of a state jail felony
• He said he believed it was an important criminal justice reform and workforce development bill and asked

Bills: HB1826, HB1969, HB2708, HB2729, HB3618, HB4515, HB4764, SB1021, SB1610

Keywords: mental health, women's health, county jail, depression screening, criminal justice, inmate release, identification certificate, Texas Department of Corrections, personal identification, driver's license, state law, reentry services, nondisclosure, criminal history, criminal defendants, community supervision, misdemeanors, felonies, rehabilitation, hearsay

Summary: The Corrections Committee first took up pending business and reported several previously heard bills favorably to the full House, including HB 1515 and SB 2405, the TDCJ Sunset bill and its Senate companion, HB 5639 on the veteran housing program, HB 2854 on hospital visits as a parole or mandatory supervision condition and related hospital liability, and SB 1080 on occupational licenses for people with criminal convictions. The committee also heard and advanced SB 1080 without amendment, then moved into new business. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 3618, which would limit invasive group strip searches of female inmates in TDCJ facilities. Formerly incarcerated women and advocates testified in support, describing humiliation, trauma, barriers to programming, and arguing that searches were often ineffective and that contraband more often comes from staff. TDCJ’s resource witness said the agency has looked at technology such as millimeter scanners and is in the process of placing them in facilities, while the bill sponsor said the measure would preserve searches in emergencies and require female officers when women are unclothed. HB 3618 was left pending. The committee also heard HB 4515 on expanding orders of nondisclosure, with the author saying the committee substitute would narrow the bill to marijuana possession only; supporters from Alliance for Safety and Justice and Right on Crime argued it would improve reentry and public safety, while members asked about eligibility and related offenses. HB 1826, requiring depression screenings for pregnant and postpartum incarcerated women, drew support from women’s health advocates and formerly incarcerated witnesses; the bill was left pending. HB 1969, to help people leaving prison renew or obtain driver’s licenses, and HB 2708, expanding nondisclosure eligibility for certain misdemeanor convictions, were also laid out and left pending. Later, the committee heard HB 2729, which would bar hearsay evidence in hearings on violations of release conditions, and SB 1021, which would make stalking convictions ineligible for community supervision and add related victim-protection provisions; both were left pending. SB 1610, addressing civil commitment facility safety, sex offender registration, and penalties for assaults on staff, drew strong opposition from civil commitment residents, family members, and civil rights advocates who argued it was punitive and raised due process concerns; the resource witness said assaults had increased and explained the civil commitment process and existing legal safeguards. Finally, HB 4764 would require TDCJ to report detailed annual data on restrictive housing; supporters said the bill would improve transparency around solitary confinement, and the committee left it pending before adjourning.

Bills: SB39, HB165, HB189, HB44, HB44

Keywords: board governance, occupational licensing, Sunset Law, public accountability, training requirements, state holidays, Juneteenth, Rosa Parks Day, Alabama law, public observance, public works, sealed bids, bidding notice, advertising requirements, newspaper of general circulation, centralized website, electronic mail, U.S. mail, state procurement, county procurement

Transcript Highlights:

• All right, so this is one of those good insurance reform-type bills, or what is it going to do?
• Chamber of Commerce Legal Reform present, wishing to speak.
• Chamber Institute for Legal Reform.
• I think we can exclude intentional tort and we can exclude sexual abuse victims.
• I know you said intentional torts.

Bills: HB79, HB437, HB646, HB1089, HB1099, SB173, SB180, SB260, SB424, SB476

Keywords: carbon capture, damages, environmental liability, legal liability, site restoration, expert witness, expert testimony, witness fees, pecuniary interest, conflict of interest, civil procedure, evidence law, Louisiana evidence code, Louisiana civil litigation, expert report, discovery, pretrial disclosure, litigation transparency, settlement, damages award

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you know, absent significant permitting reform, we see that hitting the bottom line of our customers
• And we all... ...significant permitting reform.

Bills: HB2338, HB2367, HB2426, HB2606

Keywords: weatherization, energy efficiency, community projects, sustainability, environment, coal-fired plant, preferential treatment, energy policy, electric generation, regulatory reform, pollution control, efficiency, appeals process, environmental regulation, hearing board, data protection, privacy, performance measures, reporting requirements, office of privacy

Summary: The committee took up several House bills in a very busy meeting, beginning with House Bill 2515 on emerging large energy use facilities, or data centers. Staff and the sponsor described the bill’s tariff, reporting, clean energy, and tax provisions, while tribal representatives, environmental groups, utilities, local officials, and industry offered sharply divided testimony. Tribes and environmental advocates urged restoring removed provisions that would let utilities refuse service or require curtailment during energy emergencies, citing salmon, water, and reliability concerns; utilities and data center interests generally supported the bill’s direction but asked for technical changes and warned about costs, implementation, and overbroad requirements. The committee later reopened public hearing on 2515 and heard additional testimony both supporting and opposing the bill, with repeated calls to strengthen transparency, curtailment authority, and water protections, while opponents argued the bill was too punitive or would raise costs and harm development. The committee also heard House Bill 1170 on AI content notices, which would require large generative AI providers to offer provenance detection tools and disclosures for AI-generated or altered images, video, and audio, with enforcement by the Attorney General. The sponsor said the bill is intended to help Washingtonians know what is real and what is not, and to align with similar state efforts. Testimony later in the hearing included support from labor and other advocates who said the bill would help prevent digital impersonation, deepfakes, and workplace misinformation. The committee also heard House Bill 2416 on waste-to-energy facilities under the Climate Commitment Act; Spokane officials, labor, Avista, environmental groups, and Ecology testified on a proposal to provide no-cost allowances in the second compliance period while requiring a decarbonization plan and waste reduction/material recovery plan, with supporters emphasizing affordability and a tailored approach for the Spokane facility. In executive action, the committee waived the five-day rule for HB 2515 and HB 1906, then moved several bills forward. Substitute HB 1302 on utility connection charge waivers passed to Rules. HB 2338 on community-scaled weatherization projects passed to Ways and Means after an amendment was rejected. HB 2367 on coal plant treatment under the Climate Act passed to Rules after an amendment failed. Substitute HB 2496 on tribal consultation by the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council passed to Rules with amendment C adopted, while amendments D and E were rejected. Engrossed Substitute HB 2225 on AI companion chatbots, HB 2426 on PCHB appeals, HB 2606 on the Office of Privacy and Data Protection, and HB 2575 on reducing reporting obligations also advanced. For Engrossed Second Substitute HB 2215 on Climate Commitment Act compliance for fuels, amendment F was adopted, while amendments G and H were rejected, and the bill was sent to Ways and Means.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our agenda this morning contains two important remaining elements of enacting bail reform in Texas: Senate
• Our agenda this morning contains two important remaining elements of enacting bail reform in Texas: Senate
• As you know, back in 2019, when we started making some of the jail reforms, Back in 2019, when we started
• making some of the jail reforms, we started gathering more data.

Bills: SB3073, SJR87

Keywords: Texas criminal procedure, magistrate, probable cause, written findings, arrest review, criminal justice, Article 15.17, pretrial release, judicial recordkeeping, court transparency, law enforcement, defendant rights, criminal proceedings, no probable cause, magistrate findings, bail reform, felony offenses, constitutional amendment, public safety

Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice met with a quorum present and took up three bills tied to bail reform and law enforcement records. Senator Huffman presented SJR 87, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require denial of bail for people accused of certain serious felony offenses if they have a prior conviction for, or are already on bond for, one of those offenses and there is probable cause to believe they committed another listed offense. Supporters said it would give judges a needed tool to detain repeat violent offenders; opponents from the ACLU of Texas and Texas Civil Rights Project argued it would mandate detention without individualized due process and weaken the presumption of innocence. The committee voted 7-1 to report SJR 87 favorably, with Senator Miles voting no. The committee then heard SB 3073, which would require magistrates who find no probable cause after an arrest to enter written findings supporting that determination. Senator Huffman said the bill was a narrow cleanup measure to improve transparency and provide guidance to law enforcement and prosecutors without limiting judicial discretion. With no invited or public testimony, the committee voted 6-1 to report SB 3073 favorably, again with Senator Miles dissenting. Finally, the committee considered SB 781, a committee substitute dealing with law enforcement file management and personnel records. Senator King explained that the bill would standardize policies already used in many Texas cities and under civil service rules, separating public and sealed personnel information while preserving access for criminal defense discovery. Senator Miles raised concerns that sealing exonerated allegations could hide patterns of misconduct and allow problematic officers to move between agencies. The committee adopted the committee substitute and voted 6-1 to report SB 781 favorably, with Senator Miles voting no. The committee then recessed subject to the chair’s call.

Bills: HCR 10

Keywords: balanced budget amendment, federal budget, deficit reduction, deficit spending, fiscal restraint, constitutional amendment, U.S. Constitution, Congress, PAYGO, Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, national debt, budget deficit, taxpayer dollars, balanced budget resolution, memorial resolution, Texas Legislature, federal spending, budget reform, fiscal conservatism