Transcript Highlights:

• qualified renewable energy facilities is exempt from the requirements of a tax preference performance statement
• We're signed in today as con, but not because we don't believe in the problem statement.

Summary: House Finance met on Friday, January 23rd, and heard three bills. On House Bill 2194, staff explained that the bill would allow a county and a city within that county to both impose the cultural access sales and use tax at the same time, with the county providing a credit for the city tax. Representative Parsley said the change would let more jurisdictions support cultural, arts, science, and school-related programs. Olympia and Thurston County officials testified in support, describing grant funding for cultural organizations, free programming, and school access benefits; a committee member raised a question about how the change could affect county bond obligations. The committee then heard House Bill 2089, which would narrow a B&O tax preference for first mortgage interest by removing the requirement that a financial institution be located in 10 or more states, and direct the resulting revenue to the wildfire response, forest restoration, and community resilience account. Staff said the bill would raise significant revenue and have implementation costs for the Department of Revenue. Representative Scott said the bill was intended to restore wildfire funding and limit the preference to community banks, while opponents from the Washington Bankers Association and Community Bankers of Washington warned the bill could harm community banks and mortgage lending if not drafted carefully. The Department of Natural Resources and a public employee representative supported restoring wildfire preparedness funding. Finally, the committee heard a proposed third substitute for House Bill 1960, which would replace property taxation for new or repowered large renewable energy facilities and battery storage systems with a state and local excise tax structure, while also creating a local investment distribution account and a tribal capacity grant program. Staff and the sponsor described the bill as a way to reduce property tax shifts onto nearby taxpayers and provide more stable, predictable revenue for local governments and tribes. County officials, assessors, treasurers, and some clean energy and conservation groups supported the concept but asked for clearer definitions, payment timing, and rate adjustments; utilities and renewable developers said they supported the goal but opposed the bill as drafted because of concerns about the rates and the treatment of centrally assessed utilities. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after closing the hearings on all three bills.

Transcript Highlights:

• Representative Redondo for a question or statement. >> Thank you, Madam Chair.
• Just a statement, really?

Transcript Highlights:

• And I guess it's not a question, more of a statement.
• And I guess it's not a question, more of a statement.

Committee: Senate Appropriations

Summary: The committee met to receive Amy Baker’s presentation on Florida’s long-range financial outlook for fiscal years 2026-27 through 2028-29. Baker said the forecast assumes continued but moderating economic growth, with Florida GDP slowing from recent highs, personal income remaining above average, wages continuing to rise faster than job growth, and population growth eventually slowing as the state approaches 2030 and the baby-boomer cohort fully ages into retirement. She also highlighted weakening housing and real-estate-related revenue, especially documentary stamp collections, along with low consumer sentiment as signs of caution in the outlook. Baker explained that the state’s near-term general revenue picture improved largely because of legislative actions taken in the prior session, including contingency releases, reversions, and other budget adjustments, rather than from major new revenue growth. She said reserves remain strong at nearly $15 billion, or just under 30% of general revenue, with the budget stabilization fund at its constitutional maximum. The main spending pressures identified were critical needs and other high-priority needs, led by a new recurring transfer to the emergency preparedness and response fund and by Medicaid, where rising service costs and medical inflation—especially behavioral analysis costs in managed care—are driving higher expenditures despite lower caseloads and a slightly better federal match. Members questioned the accuracy of the forecast, the Medicaid cost drivers, the treatment of the governor’s emergency fund, federal funding assumptions, and whether recent federal legislation was reflected in the numbers. Baker said the outlook assumes current federal funding paths continue, that the new federal tax/revenue law had not yet been fully incorporated because agencies were still reviewing it, and that the emergency fund line was calculated from recent appropriations without distinguishing specific uses. She also said the vetoed $750 million did not affect the budget stabilization fund because it reverted to unallocated general revenue. No bills were heard, no votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after the presentation and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• Already, the governor made a statement earlier this week.
• I agree wholeheartedly with the governor's statement to the extent that it already states existing state

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, do members of the public have any statements of consent? All right, we'll close the session.
• I'd like to spend this time and certainly welcome questions at the conclusion of my statements to talk

Bills: SB215 , SB1104 , SB1351 , SB1931 , SB2245 , SB2589 , SB2707 , SB2807 , SB1423 , SB1568

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: education, funding, school districts, local control, equity, digital identification, identity verification, Department of Public Safety, Texas legislature, wireless communication, Texas, technology, identification program, fee structure, wireless devices, public safety, hunting license, handgun license, fingerprinting, dealer license

Transcript Highlights:

• But I'll start out on the statement of purpose. General fund money in this.
• But I'll start out on the statement of purpose, and we'll just walk down through that.

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2014, the budget for the Industrial Commission, with Representative Kempenich walking through the agency’s major components: the administrative office, Bank of North Dakota, housing finance, Department of Mineral Resources, and the State Mill and Elevator. He described mostly special-fund operations, including bond payments, economic development programs, the rail loan program, the Rebuilder’s Loan Program, housing incentive funding, abandoned well reclamation work, lignite research, litigation reserves, and a capacity purchase arrangement for a future natural gas pipeline. He also explained several one-time funding items, such as grid resiliency grants, housing-related transfers from the Strategic Investment Fund, and enhanced oil recovery funding repurposed from a prior salt cavern study. Members asked about the reduction in housing incentive funding from the Senate version, the use of one-time Strategic Investment Fund dollars for ongoing housing programs, and whether a trigger should be added to increase housing funding later. Kempenich said no trigger was discussed and emphasized that housing needs vary widely across the state. Another exchange focused on the enhanced oil recovery grant program, which he said would be driven largely by the Energy and Environmental Research Center and would use repurposed funds. A longer discussion covered the natural gas pipeline capacity purchase, including its purpose, possible routes, and the idea that the state would be buying capacity rather than immediately building a pipeline. The committee adopted Amendment 25.0181.0207 on a 21-1 vote, with one member absent and not voting. The committee then passed HB 2014 as amended on a 21-1 vote, with one member absent and not voting. Representative Kempenich was designated to carry the bill. The chair then noted this was the final budget hearing for the committee, with one bill remaining to be heard later.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first statement here in the synopsis says this bill would prohibit the Alabama Medicaid Agency from
• Not necessarily looking at what other states are doing; Governor Ivey has always made the statement that

Bills: SB245 , SB246 , HB30 , HB30

Committee: Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund

Keywords: SB245, public assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, food assistance, Alabama Medicaid Agency, Department of Human Resources, eligibility verification, self-attestation, data matching, fraud prevention, improper payments, program integrity, benefit eligibility, income verification, residency verification, asset verification, electronic benefit transfer, EBT, cross-checks

Transcript Highlights:

• Thank you for the opportunity to provide a statement of support. for Assembly Bill 50 today.
• The CVMA has a formal position statement that reinforces that forward thinking.

Committee: House Business and Professions

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And a link to the Fair Political Practice Commission's website where director's statements of economic
• Disclose the financial statement of financial interest on their website.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• driver's license suspensions, it allows for no driving, it allows for random drug tests, victim impact statements
• Probably just a statement of fact. Okay.

Bills: HB1482 , HB2017 , HB2103 , HB2341 , HB2756

Committee: House Corrections

Keywords: community supervision, repeat offenders, intoxication, Texas Penal Code, criminal justice reform, intoxication manslaughter, criminal penalties, mandatory supervision, parole eligibility, Grayson's Law, mental health, trauma, jailers, law enforcement, occupational health, diligent participation, state jail felony, time credits, rehabilitation programs, de-escalation

Transcript Highlights:

• So, um, the, uh, OK, so I mean making statements like this just for New Mexico, that's not true.
• amendment and, uh, prior to, uh, introducing the amendment, I would like to just give uh a little brief statement

Committee: Senate Senate Tax, Business & Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• charge on that by assembling people from all different backgrounds in order to put together a policy statement
• . spent a few minutes getting to know exactly who she was and what she did in order to make this statement

Bills: SJR1 , SB9 , SB40 , SJR36 , SJR1 , SJR5 , SB9 , SB40

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, 1185, senate

Transcript Highlights:

• FLORIDA LAW REQUIRES POLICY STATEMENT FOR PENSION PLAN INVESTMENT PLAN AND FLORIDA PRIME.
• THE STATEMENT ESTABLISHED OBJECTIVES, RISK CONSTRAINTS INVESTMENT OPTIONS AND BENCHMARKS TO MEASURE PERFORMANCE

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have two written statements from Gold Star siblings who could not be here today.
• I've also provided you a statement<00:55:12.800><c> um</c><00:55:12.960><c> from</c><00:55:13.440><c>
• Chaplain</c><00:55:14.400><c> uh</c><00:55:14.559><c> Eddie</c> statement um from Chaplain uh Eddie
• statement um from Chaplain uh Eddie Greyfox<00:55:15.280><c> Burgess</c><00:55:16.000><c> who</c><00:
• The decal plate that statement as well.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The statement that I'd like to make to the senator as you reach out to this is, uh, join us in helping
• The<00:36:24.640><c> statement</c><00:36:24.960><c> that</c><00:36:25.119><c> I'd</c><00:36:25.280><c
• > like</c><00:36:25.359><c> to</c><00:36:25.520><c> make</c><00:36:25.680><c> to</c> The statement that
• coming out of Washington that statements coming out of Washington that we<00:39:49.119><c> can</c><00
• was to provide their mission statement was to provide the<01:41:08.960><c> most</c><01:41:09.440><c>

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:01:12 Approval of Minutes 00:02:25 Co-Chair & Member Comments 00:02:48 Discussion of 2025 SB 137 00:06:58 Outdoor Adventure Tourism Opportunities 00:41:56 Public Service Commission Update 01:21:37, 958, all

Summary: The committee meeting began with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and approval of the prior minutes. Members also observed a moment of reflection for Charlie Kirk and offered condolences to Representative Bobby McCool on the death of his mother. Representative Fugate then made announcements about the ongoing ATV/UTV trail system, including an October 21 opening in Letcher County and an October 2 groundbreaking in Knott County, and staff was asked to circulate the dates to members. The main agenda item was Senate Bill 137, presented by Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong with testimony from George Ecklan of the Coalition of the Homeless and Wesley Bryant, a flood survivor and Eastern Kentucky resident. The bill would prohibit utility disconnections for non-payment during dangerous weather and emergencies, including extreme cold, excessive heat, and declared natural disasters. Supporters said the measure is narrow, does not forgive past-due balances or change reconnection policies, and is intended to protect vulnerable residents, reduce risks to first responders, and create a minimum statewide standard amid a patchwork of utility policies. They cited weather thresholds and historical examples of extreme weather and disaster declarations in Kentucky. Testimony emphasized the human impact of shutoffs, especially for low-income households, older adults, and families facing illness or disaster recovery. Bryant described experiences with people shivering without heat or struggling to keep children cool when power was cut off, calling electricity a lifeline rather than a luxury. Representative Gu raised concerns that utility bills have become unaffordable due to broader policy and rate issues, argued that some customers may not pay if shutoffs are prohibited, and questioned whether the bill was needed. Senator Chambers Armstrong responded that the proposal is limited to non-payment shutoffs during short periods of dangerous conditions and is meant to keep people safe during emergencies. No vote or final action on the bill was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the statement was that there's no local control, we're giving up all local control, but nothing in
• So the statement was that there's no local control, we're giving up all local control, but nothing in
• So the statement was that there's no local control, we're giving up all local control, but nothing in
• So the statement was that there's no local control, we're giving up all local control, but nothing in
• Our good senator from District 16 made a really important statement, and I believe his statement, which

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Just in response to an earlier statement, I agreed that commissions can get unwieldy, and I understand
• Just in response to an earlier statement, I agreed that commissions can get unwieldy, and I understand
• Just in response to an earlier statement, I agreed that commissions can get unwieldy, and I understand
• Just in response to an earlier statement, I agreed that commissions can get unwieldy, and I understand
• I agreed that commissions um statement I agreed that commissions can<04:30:15.920><c> get</c><04:30:

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 695, relating to school districts and medically related grants. The sponsor argued the bill was vague and could undermine existing law, and another member said it would add an unnecessary mandate for school districts. The committee voted to recommend inexpedient to legislate, and the motion passed 18-0. Next, House Bill 765, which would consolidate school administrative units and make superintendent jobs elected positions, was also recommended inexpedient to legislate. Members said the bill raised too many questions, could duplicate other legislation, and would move away from local control. That motion likewise passed 18-0. House Bill 768, allowing public school districts to contract with approved private schools, drew more debate. Supporters described it as a language cleanup and an expansion of educational opportunity, while opponents raised concerns about the placement of the language and pending Supreme Court cases. The committee voted 10-8 to recommend ought to pass, and then 10-8 to recommend ought to pass as amended, with a minority report noted. The committee then considered House Bill 446, dealing with parental notice for non-academic surveys. An amendment was offered to make the Youth Risk Behavior Survey opt-in rather than opt-out. Supporters said parents should be informed and should choose whether their children participate, while opponents argued the survey is an important tool for mental health data, grants, and school programming, and that opt-in would reduce participation and data quality. The amendment passed 10-8, and the bill as amended also passed 10-8, with a minority report noted. Finally, the committee began House Bill 741, which would allow parents to send children to any school district they choose and expand open enrollment. The sponsor described it as broadening choice and keeping public funds in public schools, and an amendment was proposed to restore provisions for children of military personnel. Discussion on the amendment began, but the transcript cuts off before any vote on House Bill 741 or the amendment.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our vision statement is optimal health and well-being for everyone.
• </c><00:09:03.959><c> says</c><00:09:04.600><c> Optimal</c> what our vision statement says Optimal what
• our vision statement says Optimal Health<00:09:05.320><c> and</c><00:09:05.480><c> well-being</c><00
• </c> um when they get this you know statement um when they get this you know statement that<01:11:15.960
• Yes, I thought Associate Commissioner Tilly has a statement in here. Yes, yep. Is she all right?

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's an accurate statement probably here too, right? Absolutely. Okay.
• Is that kind of a general statement?
• Is that kind of a general statement?
• Thank you for the opportunity to make this statement.
• Is that a fair statement? John Nielsen-Gammon? Yes, the first statement.

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness and flooding hearing opened with quorum calls, prayer, testimony time limits, and remarks from legislative leaders emphasizing decorum, respect, and the goal of learning from the July 4 flood to prevent future loss of life. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows said the special session and hearings were intended to hear directly from local officials and residents, and that the state would pursue immediate and longer-term legislation and continue working beyond the current session. The committee then heard invited testimony from Kerr County, Kerrville, Kendall County, Real County, and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, followed by member questions. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, and emergency management coordinator William B. Thomas described the flood as a sudden, unprecedented event that overwhelmed local systems before many officials or residents understood the danger. They said the county received multiple National Weather Service and IPAWS alerts, but the rain fell in remote upstream areas with limited gauges, and the flood rose too quickly for normal response. They detailed the emergency response, including dispatchers handling heavy call volumes, deputies and volunteer firefighters conducting rescues, and state and federal partners assisting. County officials said 108 people died, including 37 children, and two remained missing. They called for better real-time flood detection, stronger rural emergency management resources, improved broadband and cell coverage, and more funding for swift-water rescue and warning systems. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and City Manager Dalton Rice said the city had floodplain rules, emergency plans, and prior preparedness efforts, but the event exposed gaps in communications and regional warning capacity. They urged the Legislature to fund a flood warning system, whether sirens, automated alerts, or a hybrid, and asked for support for predictive weather modeling, broadband expansion, a hazard mitigation fund, and disaster recovery resources. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority said it had long funded gauges and pursued flood-warning and mitigation projects, including a new software-based flood prediction system and possible retention dams, and planned to dedicate reserve funds to feasibility studies and infrastructure improvements. Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said his county’s emergency action plan and early alerts helped prevent deaths there, and he recommended easier access to alerting tools, a river-wide warning system, simpler grant applications, and regional coordination. Real County Judge Bella Rubio said rural counties face major challenges because of limited cell service, broadband, staffing, and funding, especially for camps and visitors along the Frio and Nueces rivers, and argued that reliable alert systems should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Members asked about the timeline of the flood, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and funding, and several witnesses said the key lessons were better communications, better warning systems, and more investment in rural flood mitigation and emergency response.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is that a correct statement? No.
• ><01:04:40.720><c> that</c><01:04:40.960><c> a</c><01:04:41.200><c> correct</c><01:04:41.520><c> statement
• Is that a correct statement? No. bill. Is that a correct statement? No.
• legislature wants to formally declare legislature wants to formally declare its<01:06:12.480><c> statement
• Um, as as I had its statement of intent.

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: 1189, house, all