Transcript Highlights:

• that show the chambers' positions for the budget, projects proviso, back-of-the-bill implementing conforming

Summary: The Health Care Budget Conference held its first meeting and formally organized the committee. Senator Trimble moved to nominate Representative Ondrade as chair and Senator Trumbull as vice chair; both motions were adopted without objection. Senator Trumbull then noted that members had received the initial side-by-side conference documents showing the House and Senate positions on the health care budget, projects proviso, and back-of-the-bill implementing conforming bills, with areas of agreement highlighted. The House side characterized the documents as its initial offer and expressed optimism about working through the conference process collaboratively. No substantive policy debate occurred at this meeting. Senator Trumbull moved to adjourn, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, the Senate has an offer for the House on the budget spreadsheet and the conforming bill.

Summary: The Appropriations Conference Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources met to exchange budget and policy offers between the Senate and House. Members noted that the Senate had an offer on the budget spreadsheet and conforming bill, while Chair Esposito presented the House’s offer on proviso and implementing bill language. Both sides said substantial progress had been made, with many items already agreed to and only a limited number of issues remaining. The discussion was brief and procedural, focused on reviewing the latest offers and acknowledging the approaching deadline, which had been extended from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Members indicated there might be time for one more meeting and thanked each other for the cordial and productive negotiations. No public comment or additional member discussion occurred. Senator Truenow moved to adjourn, and the motion was adopted without objection. The committee then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• The substitute for Senate Bill 190 conforms to my bill, HB 170, which passed the House by a vote of 60
• Speaker, to substitute for SBA 190 conformed to my bill, HB 170, which passed us House by a vote for
• The Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee conformed our bill to Senate Bill 276.

Keywords: March 10, 2026 - Regular Session, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Section five on R 110 is a conforming change related to the abandoned watercraft provision.
• It imposes consequences for a conviction of abandoning a watercraft. conforming change related to the
• conforming change related to the abandoned<00:32:47.919> watercraft<00:32:48.559> provision

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The conference committee on the Environment budget for Senate File 2077 met to introduce members and staff, then walked through the Senate and House budget spreadsheets side by side. Nonpartisan staff explained that the Senate budget was built around a smaller general fund increase and more use of environmental and dedicated funds, while the House met its target through several reductions, including cuts to DNR, PCA, and Board of Water and Soil Resources appropriations. The committee reviewed major agency items for the Pollution Control Agency, DNR, the Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Zoo, and other accounts, including operating adjustments, permit-related funding, and transfers between funds. Several major differences were highlighted. For the PCA, the Senate included operating adjustments, permitting efficiency funding, composting grants, outreach funding, and a closed landfill investment fund approach that repeals an expiring statutory appropriation, while the House instead extends that appropriation for four more years. For the DNR, the Senate included operating adjustments, groundwater and AIS fee increases, aquatic invasive species funding, trail grants, outdoor schools for all, abandoned watercraft enforcement, and a sustainable foraging task force; the House had fewer of these fee and policy items and used reductions to meet its target. The committee also noted Senate-only policy provisions on outreach to diverse communities, field citations and mercury certification for skin-lightening products, disabled veteran license fee changes, and a moratorium on foraging rulemaking until July 1, 2027. Agency testimony followed. The MPCA commissioner praised both chambers for recognizing core agency work and urged adoption of operating adjustments, the closed landfill fund access, and the air appropriation increase. The DNR assistant commissioner supported operating adjustments, groundwater and AIS fee increases, and the veteran license proposal, but raised concerns about the Senate’s foraging task force language, saying it overweights consumptive users and could limit the agency’s ability to manage foraging without clear data. He also noted support for the land transfer funding and said the agency would continue working with the committee on unresolved issues. No votes were taken in this portion of the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• It sends a chilling message to conform to the political orthodoxy or lose access to basic financial services
• It sends a chilling message to conform to the political orthodoxy or lose access to basic financial services
• Texas is that in Texas access to capital must be based on merit, not ideological conformity.

Bills: SB312, SB945, SB946, SB1367, SB1861, SB2044, SB2337, SB2403, SB2819, SJR54

Keywords: public school funding, education, budget allocation, financial transparency, state law, local control, fiduciary responsibility, public retirement systems, investment management, proxy voting, financial factors, insurance, political shareholder proposals, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, environmental regulation, discrimination, credit extension, social credit, value-based standards

Summary: The committee heard Senate Bill 945, 946, 2044, 2819, 2403, 2337, and 312, with all bills left pending after testimony. SB 945 would restrict insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage based on oil and gas activity or ESG-related goals, and supporters argued it would protect Texas energy producers from politically motivated shareholder activism and insurance discrimination. SB 946 would bar creditors from using social credit, ESG, DEI, or religious/political affiliation as a basis for denying or limiting credit; witnesses said it would prevent viewpoint-based financial discrimination and protect access to capital for Texas businesses. SB 2337 would require proxy advisory firms to disclose when recommendations are based on non-financial factors or when they give conflicting advice to different clients; supporters said the measure would increase transparency and curb ESG-driven influence over shareholder voting. SB 312 would direct public retirement systems to focus on financial returns rather than social or political objectives, with the author saying the bill responds to activist pressure on pensions and would reinforce fiduciary duty. The committee also took up election and ethics measures. SB 2044 would strengthen electioneering restrictions for publicly funded education institutions and personnel, prohibiting use of official resources to promote political agendas; testimony focused on alleged school district electioneering in bond and tax elections. SB 2819 would prohibit county elections administrators from holding certain officer positions appointed by elected officials, addressing potential conflicts of interest. SB 2403, the Texas Ethics Commission sunset bill, would restructure complaint handling with a three-tier violation system, risk-based complaint prioritization, longer response times, bipartisan preliminary review panels, and expanded hearing options; members discussed amendments aimed at dismissing minor complaints, clarifying categories, and adjusting lobbying and penalty provisions, but the amendments were withdrawn during committee consideration. Across the ESG and finance bills, invited witnesses from the American Energy Institute, Heartland Impact, Consumers Research, ADF Action, Texas Civil Justice League, and related groups generally supported the measures, arguing that banks, insurers, proxy advisors, and asset managers have used ESG or reputational-risk standards to discriminate against energy, agriculture, firearms, and religious organizations. No opposition testimony was presented in the excerpt, and the committee closed public testimony on each bill and left them pending.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Maggard, the Senate is pleased to make the House an offer on the Senate's conforming bill

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• let everybody know, all outstanding budget project, proviso, back of the bill, implementing and conforming

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• STARTING POINTS FOR THE BUDGET SPREADSHEET PROJECTS IN PROVISO BACK OF BILL IMPLEMENTING BILL AND CONFORMING

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just a reminder, members, the amendment deadline for bills, including implementing conforming bills,

Summary: The Rules and Ethics Committee met on Thursday, April 3, 2025, with a quorum present. After the roll call and brief opening remarks, the committee considered the special order letter for the House session on Wednesday, April 9. The chair noted that negotiated time allocations for questions and debate were included as required by the rules. There was no public testimony and no debate on the special order letter. The committee voted to adopt it unanimously by voice vote. Members were also reminded of upcoming amendment deadlines: main amendments and implementing/conforming bill amendments are due the next day, with separate deadlines for GAA amendments and adhering amendments on Tuesday, April 8. With no further business, Representative Kennedy moved to adjourn, and the meeting ended without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• number of provisions that are listed on page two of the bill's amendment summary where there's just conforming
• number of provisions that are listed on page two of the bill's amendment summary where there's just conforming
• number of provisions that are listed on page two of the bill's amendment summary where there's just conforming
• number of provisions that are listed on page two of the bill's amendment summary where there's just conforming
• number of provisions that are listed on page two of the bill's amendment summary where there's just conforming

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It relates to the organ transplant section and a conforming amendment that was made.
• record that hopefully we can work that piece out in the Senate so as to ensure that there is genuine conformity
• It relates to the organ transplant section and a conforming amendment that was made.
• record that hopefully we can work that piece out in the Senate so as to ensure that there is genuine conformity
• record that hopefully we can work that piece out in the Senate so as to ensure that there is genuine conformity

Keywords: 981, all

Summary: The House convened after a brief recess for Appropriations, approved the journal from February 9, 2026, and then moved to third readings. House Bill 1038, concerning county commissioner redistricting, drew opposition from Representative DeGraaf, who argued the bill was an unnecessary state intrusion and criticized its emphasis on diversity and representation. Despite that, the bill passed third reading 40-25. House Bill 1020, dealing with field drug tests in drug possession cases, passed unanimously 65-0. House Bill 1040, concerning the sterilization rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, prompted extensive debate. Supporters, including Representatives Bradley, Bottoms, Brooks, DeGraaf, and Garcia, said the bill strengthens consent protections, prevents forced sterilization, and addresses Colorado’s history of discriminatory sterilization laws. Several speakers also raised concerns about broader consistency in protecting minors and vulnerable people, and Representative Luck noted a related organ-transplant conforming amendment that he hoped the Senate would refine. The bill passed 65-0. The final bill discussed was House Bill 1003, modifying the small business recovery and resiliency loan program. Representative DeGraaf opposed it, arguing it would extend government-backed loans and debt under vague hardship criteria, increase inflation, and amount to taxpayer-funded plunder. During that exchange, the chair cautioned him about name-calling after he referred to colleagues as “emo reps.” The transcript ends during continued debate on the bill, before any vote is shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• In that process, we realize that there are certain sections in our statute that need to conform to that
• sections in our statute that<00:46:38.800> needs<00:46:38.960> to<00:46:39.119> conform
• ><00:46:39.520> to<00:46:39.680> that<00:46:39.920> electronic that needs to conform
• to that electronic that needs to conform to that electronic filing.<00:46:40.720> So,<00:46:40.880
• So you're just conforming to what we already did. Yeah.

Bills: SB2444, SB2446, SB2450, SB2453, SB2461, SB2457, SB2462, SB2313, SB2528, SB2532, SB2571, SB2678, SB2529

Keywords: real property, exemption, attachment, execution, consumer protection, financial security, inflation adjustment, head of family, senior citizens, Intermediate Court of Appeals, judges, Hawaii judiciary, court membership, legal system, presidential preference primary, elections, political parties, Hawaii voting, 2028 election, voting

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on several bills. SB 2444 would raise the real property exemption amount for attachment or execution, which the Attorney General said could create vague retroactivity language and litigation risk; the committee noted the exemption had last been adjusted around 1978. SB 2446 would add a seventh associate judge to the Intermediate Court of Appeals. Judiciary staff testified in opposition, saying recent internal restructuring and a pending vacancy had improved output and that it would be prudent to wait and see the effect before adding another judge. The Public Defender supported the goal of faster appellate resolution but said it would defer to the court’s assessment and had no objection to revisiting the issue later. The committee also discussed current appellate timelines, with staff saying at least 225 days is built into the process before a case reaches a merit panel, and that a two-year delay from panel assignment was realistic under the current structure. The committee then heard SB 2450, which would establish a presidential preference primary for the 2028 cycle. The Chief Election Officer said the election would cost about $4 million, less if combined with the regular primary. Several opponents argued the bill would add bureaucracy, duplicate or undermine party-run processes, and waste taxpayer money; one speaker estimated the total cost could be closer to $6 million when county costs are included. Supporters and committee members discussed that the measure would not require parties to use the results and that Hawaii remains one of the few states still using caucuses. The committee also asked whether counties could staff the election and whether the results would be useful given Hawaii’s current primary timing. SB 2453 would require the Office of Elections to include a notice with each ballot that a digital and printed voter information guide is available, with the notice in 32-point font as a separate insert. The Chief Election Officer said the insert would cost about $90,000 and asked for an effective date of January 1, 2027 because mailing preparations for the primary would already be underway. The Disability and Communications Access Board, League of Women Voters, National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, and others supported the bill. The committee also began hearing SB 2461, which would have the Office of Elections prepare a questionnaire for candidates and publish responses online and in the voter guide; the Chief Election Officer said the office did not think it should be the agency to shape campaign questions, though he said it could work if the questions were specified in statute. Finally, the committee heard SB 2457, which would require a criminal conviction before seized property could be forfeited. The Attorney General and Honolulu Police Department opposed the bill, arguing it would prolong cases, increase storage costs, and make forfeiture less effective against crime, especially where owners flee, die, or hide assets through shell companies. The Public Defender strongly supported the measure, saying forfeiture should be tied to convictions and that people challenging forfeiture often lack counsel. The Honolulu Prosecutor also opposed the bill, but said it supported transparency, due process, and even a right to counsel; it argued conviction-only forfeiture would fail in cases involving fugitives, deceased suspects, or hidden ownership structures. The committee questioned what would happen to property if an owner could not be found, and the prosecutor said the outcome would depend on the type of property and could involve abandonment or interpleader proceedings.

Transcript Highlights:

• And, you know, he really appreciates what we're trying to do here because it conforms a lot of what he's
• And, you know, he really appreciates what we're trying to do here because it conforms a lot of what he's
• c><00:51:04.520> it we're trying to do here because it we're trying to do here because it conforms
• 05.559> what<00:51:05.680> he's<00:51:05.839> doing<00:51:06.359> and conforms
• a lot of what he's doing and conforms a lot of what he's doing and also<00:51:06.880> he<00:51

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• documents that show chambers' positions for the budget, projects proviso, back-of-the-bill implementing conforming

Summary: The Health Care Budget Conference convened for its first meeting, with members reminded to silence communication devices and welcomed to the committee. The committee organized itself by adopting motions naming Representative Andrade as chair and Senator Trumbull as vice chair, both without objection. Members were given initial side-by-side conference documents comparing House and Senate positions on the budget, projects proviso, and implementing conforming bills. The House also presented its initial offer, identified in House Offer Number One, including highlighted budget items and a projects spreadsheet offer. The meeting was brief and focused on organization and the exchange of initial budget materials; no substantive debate or votes on policy items occurred beyond the organizational motions.

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate is pleased to make the House an offer on the Senate's conforming bill, SB 2508E, the State

Summary: The conference committee on the House State Administration Budget and Senate Agriculture, Environment, and General Government met briefly to organize its work and exchange budget offers. Senator Brodeur moved to nominate Representative Maggard to chair the conference committee, and Representative Maggard outlined that the House had made movement on the budget spreadsheet to narrow differences on several issues. Senator Brodeur said the Senate would review the House offer and likely would not respond that evening. Representative Maggard then noted the Senate had also made an offer on SB 2508E, the conforming bill for the State Agency Law Enforcement Radio System, and said the House would review it and follow up. No public comment was offered. Members were told to watch for notice of the next meeting, likely the following day, and the committee adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• documents that show chambers' positions for the budget, projects proviso, back-up bill, implementing conforming

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• budget, the proviso language, the back of the bill language, the implementing bill language, and the conforming

Summary: The conference committee on Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations and House Justice Budget Subcommittee met briefly to exchange budget conference materials. The House, through Vice Chair Mani, presented its first counteroffer, including budget items, proviso language, back-of-bill language, implementing bill language, and conforming bill language related to judges. Chair Garcia acknowledged the offer and said the committee had made progress, especially on judges, and would review and respond to the House proposal. Members emphasized the goal of reaching agreement and avoiding a budget “bump.” No public comment was offered, and no substantive debate or amendments occurred during the meeting. The committee reminded members that future meetings would be on one-hour notice. The only action taken was adjournment, moved by Representative/Senator Wright and approved without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• POINT FOR THE BUDGET SPREADSHEET PROVISO BACK OF THE BILL IMPLEMENTING BILL CONFERENCE PROJECTS, CONFORMING

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• new language, which is inclusive of the word "Rehabilitation," which is in the statute, and then conforming
• statute uh and then conforming statute uh and then conforming amendments<02:27:12.160> appear<
• 02:27:30.560> uh adolescence uh um so that we are uh adolescence uh um so that we are uh conforming
• c> these<02:27:31.520> amendments<02:27:32.399> in<02:27:32.560> other conforming
• these amendments in other conforming these amendments in other parts<02:27:32.960> of<02:27:33.080

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs heard Senate Bill 1322, SD2, HD1, a comprehensive measure revising Hawaii’s mental health code. The bill would clarify emergency transportation, examination, and hospitalization procedures for people who may be mentally ill or suffering from substance abuse and deemed imminently dangerous, expand notice requirements, allow certain information-sharing for assisted community treatment petitions, and add liability protections for emergency responders and providers. The Department of the Attorney General supported the bill as a collaborative update to the law, while the Department of Health asked for a copy of provider-generated emergency transport documentation within five days for data and planning purposes. Testimony was sharply divided. Queen’s Health System, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, HHSC, and the Institute for Human Services supported the measure or parts of it but requested amendments, including clarifying whether a second psychiatric exam is required, restoring a 72-hour rather than 48-hour stabilization window, and adjusting where patients are taken when an MEO cannot be reached. The ACLU of Hawaiʻi strongly opposed the bill, arguing it weakens due process and civil liberties, especially around involuntary commitment, assisted community treatment, emergency transport by police, and reduced procedural safeguards; it urged the committee to hold the bill and consider an interim working group. Louie E.K. of the Hawaiʻi Disability Rights Center also opposed the bill, focusing on immunity from negligence, the use of police for transport, and the reduction of a three-provider review to one in state-hospital treatment orders. Other testimony included support from an individual who said the bill could improve mental health care delivery amid provider shortages, and a comment from Hawaiʻi Health and Harm Reduction Center warning that the substance use portion of the bill lacks evidence of effectiveness and could be misused. In response to committee questions, the Attorney General’s office said the measure was developed with input from multiple stakeholders, including state agencies, hospitals, the ACLU, HHSC, and IHS, and that it aims to make assisted community treatment more accessible and effective by streamlining the legal process and improving consequences for noncompliance. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a tax conformity bill to move the Trump accounts, removing the law that excludes from gross income

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: Representative Joy moved House File 3754, describing it as a tax conformity bill related to “Trump accounts.” He said the bill would remove a state law excluding up to $2,500 in employer contributions to those accounts from gross income, and argued it had little fiscal cost and should be advanced to signal conformity to the federal government. No witnesses or public testimony were offered, and there were no substantive member questions. Representative Joy briefly closed on the bill, saying he appreciated the hearing and hoped it would be included in the year-end tax bill. The chair then renewed the motion that House File 3754 be included in the omnibus tax bill. No vote or final action was stated in the transcript excerpt.