Transcript Highlights:

• legislation to provide salary increases for teachers including through merit-based compensation programs
• And speaking of the youth, the East End Youth Leadership Program is a three-year upskilling and career
• exploration program for high school students.
• Students here today are part of the Eugene McDermott Scholars Program and they are among the best of
• The students are joined by program directors. Rena Schallenberg and UT Dallas president Dr.

Bills: SB2 , SJR36 , SB2 , SR19 , SR27 , SR30 , SR32 , SCR11

Keywords: Houston East End, Chamber of Commerce, East End Day, economic development, community involvement, scholarships, business events, McAllen, celebration, community pride, cultural events, economic growth, McAllen Day, community recognition, South Texas, local pride, Wise County Day, Texas Senate, Wise County, state recognition

Transcript Highlights:

• Bill 5971 directs the State Department of Agriculture to establish the Green Fertilizer Incentive Program
• In the bill, the Habitat Conservation Account must be available for grants to landowners when the cost
• Conservation Account must be available for grants to landowners when the cost of mitigation requirements
• Senate Bill 6097 adds tribal members to the Conservation Futures Program.
• Indian tribes are added as an entity that may participate in this program.

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held an executive session on a series of bills and a joint memorial. Staff summarized measures on agricultural marketing (SB 5816, adding juice grapes), Board of Natural Resources membership and tribal representation (SB 5838), irrigation district hiring exemptions (SB 5930), ungulate population management and predator mitigation (SB 5960), a green fertilizer incentive program (SB 5971), mitigation grants for landowners (SB 6075), tribal participation in the Conservation Futures Program (SB 6097), agricultural impact statements and related protections for farmland (SB 6104), timber sale process modernization (SB 6216), increased wildlife penalty assessments for covered species trade (SB 6233), shellfish licensing and biotoxin fee caps (SB 6318), and a federal wildfire response memorial (SJM 8015). Several bills had proposed substitutes or amendments, including competing changes to SB 5838 and SB 5960, but some items were ultimately set aside with no action. The committee adopted a substitute for SB 5971 and advanced it to Ways and Means. It also adopted a substitute for SB 6097 and sent it to Rules. SB 5816, SB 6216, SB 6233, SB 6318, and SJM 8015 all received due pass recommendations, with SB 5971 and SB 6318 referred onward to Ways and Means. SB 5838 was debated at length over tribal representation on the Board of Natural Resources; amendments to require forest-management expertise or alternate east/west representation were rejected, and the proposed substitute was approved and passed. SB 6233 drew comments about possible unintended consequences, but the bill passed. The committee took no action on SB 5930, SB 5960, SB 6075, and SB 6104. The chair later confirmed that every bill on the executive session agenda had either been moved forward or dropped from the agenda. The meeting ended with the chair thanking staff and members for getting through the last committee meeting before the policy cutoff, and the committee adjourned subject to signature of the boards.

Transcript Highlights:

• But what I do know is the counties and the DWI programs, all of the programs around the state, say that
• There are programs possibly that no longer serve the need.
• We could talk about the Grow program as we deal with the pilot programs, where we're putting resources
• Milan and Grants is a long tail.
• Milan and Grants is a long tail.

Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum, prayers and pledges, and several procedural announcements, including permission for cameras, a relaxed dress code for guests, and excusing a few senators. Members also recognized numerous guests and honorary lieutenant governors, and discussed a planned bolo tie contest tied to New Mexico tradition and state history. The chamber then moved to business, including the confirmation of Anna Silva as Secretary of the General Services Department. The confirmation drew broad support from senators on both sides, who praised Silva’s long career in state government, her management experience, and her work on major projects such as the executive office building, procurement reforms, and facilities management. After debate, the Senate voted unanimously to confirm her appointment. Silva’s family and guests were recognized from the floor after the vote. The Senate then took up House Bill 2 and 3, the state budget. Senator Muñoz presented the Senate Finance version as a balanced budget with about $11.1 billion in spending, 27% reserves, recurring investments in health care, early childhood, public safety, education, roads, housing, and economic development, and targeted nonrecurring spending for items such as water, universities, and innovation sectors. Supporters emphasized affordability, teacher health insurance parity, medical residency funding, rural and community investments, and public safety funding. Critics raised concerns about the size of the budget, the late availability and complexity of the bill, the removal of a proposed 1% pay raise for state employees, and whether spending priorities and education dollars were being allocated effectively. No final vote on the budget was shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• And another thing that I share briefly with you is the Food is Medicine Program.
• As far as program background, many of you may have been involved in the Rural Health Transformation Grant
• So thinking about medically tailored meals, produce prescription programs.
• And the exciting part to me about this is we can really start thinking… …programs.
• That's important to the sustainability of the program.

Keywords: House Select Committee on Advancing Rural and Small Town Health Care, 976, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> done grants for tracked wheelchairs. done grants for tracked wheelchairs.
• At any given time, we have about 45 open grants from 3 years of granting.
• </c> perspective, these are 3-year grants. perspective, these are 3-year grants.
• So, in grants from 3 years of granting.
• </c><01:18:49.040><c> It</c> Grant. I think you wrote the bill. It Grant.

Committee: Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> sexual assault nurse examiner program. sexual assault nurse examiner program.
• </c> We refer to it as the SANE program. We refer to it as the SANE program.
• </c> Assault Nurse Examiner Program. Assault Nurse Examiner Program.
• They get federal grant money, and they control federal grant money.
• </c> it's a grant money. It's a slush fund. it's a grant money. It's a slush fund.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It allows the compliance programs.
• ,</c><01:09:07.920><c> they're</c> activity of the program, they're activity of the program, they're
• </c> that administers the Medicaid program. that administers the Medicaid program.
• </c> much fraud we are seeing in the program. much fraud we are seeing in the program.
• We want program integrity.

Bills: HF3423 , HF2354 , HF3634

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: healthcare, provider enrollment, medical assistance, legislation, state funds, fraud prevention, subpoena authority, criminal penalties, consumer protection, service verification, Medicaid, human services, electronic documentation, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, we spent government programs.
• </c> we ensure that state programs we ensure that state programs are<00:02:48.480><c> used</c><00:02:
• . programs. programs.
• </c><00:14:57.440><c> They're</c> were paid for grant money. They're were paid for grant money.
• He was in my infant program.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Such programs typically cost more in the short term than a skilled nursing-based program, but if they
• Such programs typically cost more in the short term than a skilled nursing-based program, but if they
• Programs like ours cannot survive long term.
• One example is co-pay accumulator adjustment programs.
• And I'd like to highlight that our midwives lead a program called Curbside Care, a mobile health program

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Financial Services held a lengthy public hearing with testimony on a wide range of health insurance and access-to-care bills. Early testimony focused on prescription drug pricing and pharmacy reimbursement, with supporters of H. 1326 arguing that pharmacy benefit managers and MassHealth managed care arrangements reimburse independent pharmacies too little, contributing to pharmacy closures and “pharmacy deserts.” The committee also heard repeated support for H. 1151/S. 742 on cognitive rehabilitation for acquired brain injury, H. 1288/S. 716 on telehealth parity for nutrition counseling, H. 1309/S. 761 on full-spectrum pregnancy care without cost-sharing, H. 1312 on insurance coverage for doula services, H. 309 on prompt access to health care by removing deductibles for certain services, H. 809/H. 1227 on biomarker testing, H. 1162/S. 810 on reducing inequities in access to medical procedures by limiting insurer cuts tied to Modifier 25, and S. 726 on insurance coverage for mobile integrated health. Testifiers included legislators, physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, emergency and rehabilitation clinicians, and patients and family members. Supporters of the brain injury bill said cognitive rehabilitation is medically necessary, improves long-term outcomes, and can reduce institutional care and public costs; they noted the bill has been heard repeatedly and has support from the Brain Injury Commission and prior favorable committee action. Supporters of the pregnancy care and doula bills described out-of-pocket costs as a barrier to maternal health and shared personal stories of high bills and unmet support needs. Biomarker testing advocates and cancer patients said coverage gaps deny patients access to precision treatment, can lead to avoidable suffering, and should be standardized across insurers; several speakers said insurers often deny claims despite clinical benefit. Dermatology witnesses said insurers’ use of Modifier 25 cuts reimbursement for same-day evaluation and procedure visits, forcing separate appointments and increasing patient burden. Mobile integrated health supporters described home-based care as a way to reduce emergency department use and hospital readmissions, especially for patients with transportation or mobility barriers. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• It might mean that they're able to keep programs or curriculum that had become more and more expensive
• There are grants to non-public school, which is the first time we've ever done that.
• </c><00:10:36.920><c> There</c><00:10:37.080><c> are</c><00:10:37.200><c> grants</c><00:10:37.760><c>
• There are grants to little bit more.
• There are grants to non-public<00:10:38.600><c> school,</c><00:10:38.960><c> which</c><00:10:39.160><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Both programs are existing programs, and this bill will not raise costs on consumers.
• programs administered by the CPUC.
• to be a part of those programs.
• Being tied to some of these other programs, post-secondary education grants or Covered California.
• , post-secondary education. being tied to some of these other programs, post-secondary education grants

Summary: The committee first heard AB 470, which would change California’s carrier-of-last-resort rules and allow a phased transition away from copper landlines in areas deemed well served by alternative phone options. The author and AT&T argued the bill would protect consumers, preserve 911 access, require public notice and CPUC review, and direct investment toward modern fiber and emergency communications. Supporters included a wide range of business, civic, tribal, and community groups, while opponents from TURN, rural counties, labor, digital equity organizations, and local governments warned the bill could let AT&T shed service obligations too quickly, weaken protections for rural and underserved households, and harm workers. After extensive member discussion about CPUC authority, rural carveouts, labor impacts, and reinvestment, AB 470 was passed do pass as amended to Appropriations, with one no vote and one not voting, and the roll left open. The committee then took up AB 1532, a committee omnibus bill extending funding and surcharge authority for the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program and the TNC Access for All program, while also adding CPUC accountability provisions. Chair Boerner Horvath explained the bill would not raise consumer costs and would require the CPUC to appear at hearings when requested and adopt rules for commissioner attendance. There was no opposition testimony, and the bill was moved do pass and re-refer to Utilities and Energy, though the roll was left open because it had not yet reached the threshold for immediate transmission. Finally, the committee heard AB 353, the Affordable Home Internet Act of 2025, which would establish an affordability floor for home broadband for low-income Californians after the expiration of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. Supporters said broadband costs remain too high and that families, students, and vulnerable communities need a state solution now; opponents from the wireless industry and rural county representatives argued the bill would amount to an artificial price mandate and could complicate existing rural broadband buildouts. Members generally supported the goal but raised concerns about impacts on small ISPs and rural areas, and the bill was moved forward with a motion and second while discussion continued about possible exemptions and amendments.

Transcript Highlights:

• Grant Coates, Fort Worth; Mr. James, Jamie D. Grant, Arlington; Mr. James and Jim Trippin, Houston.
• Grant E. Weldler, Spring; and others. Respectfully submitted, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas.
• Senate Bill 2 by Creighton et al., relating to the establishment of an education savings account program

Summary: The Senate received a message from Governor Greg Abbott asking for the Senate’s advice, consent, and confirmation on several appointments, including nominees to the Texas State Board of Accountancy and the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners. The chamber also handled first reading and referral of Senate Bill 2 by Creighton and others, which would establish an education savings account program for K-16 education. The Senate adopted a motion by Senator Zaffirini to have all remarks made for the election of the President pro tempore reduced to writing and entered in the journal. No objection was heard to that motion. Finally, Senator Zaffirini moved that the Senate adjourn until 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 28. With no objection, the Senate adjourned as requested.

Transcript Highlights:

• Grant Coates, Fort Worth; Mr. James Jamie D. Grant, Arlington; Mr. James and Jim Trippin, Houston.
• Grant E. Weldler, Spring; and others. Respectfully submitted, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas.
• Senate Bill 2 by Creighton et al., relating to the establishment of an education savings account program

Summary: The Senate received a message from the Governor submitting appointments for advice, consent, and confirmation, including nominees to the Texas State Board of Accountancy and the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners. The Senate also read Senate Bill 2 by Creighton and others, which would establish an education savings account program for K-16 education, and referred it to committee. During the meeting, Senator Zaffirini offered a motion to have all remarks made for the election of the President pro tempore reduced to writing and entered into the journal. There was no objection, and the motion was adopted. The Senate then considered a motion to adjourn until 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 28. With no objection, the motion carried and the Senate adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• New Core Codings, New Core Skyline Armorell, and those are in Mississippi County and in Centria in Grant
• They Those are in Mississippi County and in Centria in Grant County currently.
• They participate in student reading programs. They support several nonprofits.
• They participate in student reading programs.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This budget cuts elder care programs and...
• It's truly a program that's saving lives.
• program.
• That is why this budget funds the Distressed Hospital Loan Program, the program that saved Madera Community
• Hospital, and it brought it... ...loan program, the program that saved Madera Community Hospital, and

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is leave granted for Representative Jack Ladyman? So ordered.
• Your determination and your grit does not go taken for granted. We are proud of you.
• This is just transferring the early childhood nutrition program from the Department of Education over
• Also creates the appropriation for the Rural Health Transformation Program.
• Also creates the appropriation for the Rural Health Transformation Program.

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• for Medicaid programs are all varied and very different.
• While I'm not over that program, I ran that program for a number of years.
• We changed it to match what our electrical program, elevator program, and other programs have, that it's
• We changed it to match what our electrical program, elevator program, and other programs have, that it's
• The request for exclusion is granted. Thank you. The request for exclusion is granted. Thank you.

Committee: All ALC-ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

Summary: The Administrative Rules Subcommittee reviewed several agency rules and most were approved without objection. The Department of Agriculture moved to repeal rules tied to the now-repealed Arkansas Catfish Processors Fair Practice Act. The Department of Human Services updated Medicaid policy to clarify that pregnant women may still be referred to child support enforcement but will not be sanctioned during pregnancy and the 60-day postpartum period, removed the word “forcible” from rape/incest good-cause language, and eliminated a 90-day waiting period for ARKids B when group health coverage ends. DHS also received approval for a CMS cell and gene therapy model for sickle cell disease and a technical Medicaid medication-assisted treatment update that does not change coverage. The Department of Labor and Licensing presented several rules. One created procedures for the department to issue interpretations in local construction plan disputes under Act 591 of 2025. The Contractors Licensing Board and Residential Contractors Committee amended rules to raise the restricted commercial license threshold and light building project limit from $750,000 to $1.5 million, and to allow deferral of owner-complaint investigations while related civil litigation is pending. The HVACR Licensing Board presented broader cleanup and policy changes under Act 746 of 2025, including eliminating the Class C license by moving those holders into Class B, expanding work limits for Class A and B licensees, changing continuing education to eight hours per three-year code cycle, and keeping annual license renewal. Members asked detailed questions about impacts on businesses, training, youth working with parents, and whether any unintended burdens were created; the board said it had notified licensees and had received little pushback. The committee also granted the Department of Inspector General’s request for exclusion from rulemaking reporting for Act 473 of 2025, concluding that the statute was sufficiently detailed and did not require additional rules. In addition, the Arkansas State Library’s report was accepted, with the Department of Education stating that the library’s three existing rules should remain in effect. During the update on outstanding 2023-session rulemaking, Education explained that many delayed rules were held back because they were likely to be amended again in 2025, and members expressed concern about the length of time some rules have remained unfinished. The meeting ended after written 2025 rulemaking updates were noted, with no further action taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• And those are the ones we'd like to see go into this residency program and learn.
• When they go into the residency program, our current bill says they stay at that school for three years
• I just want to say our resident programs have been really successful in preparing very diverse teacher
• Also, in Albuquerque, we have two different teacher resident programs for special ed, and what we're
• And is it only for grants? Or is it for everything?

Summary: The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee met and first heard House Bill 30, which would update New Mexico’s teacher residency program. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would raise and index residency stipends to a percentage of a level-one teacher salary, better align pay with teacher compensation over time, and loosen post-residency service rules so residents could teach anywhere in New Mexico rather than being tied to one district. Testimony from educators, school boards, unions, and teacher-preparation groups emphasized that year-long residencies improve classroom readiness, help recruit career changers and special education teachers, and increase retention, especially in rural areas. Members asked about the stipend calculation and funding impacts; the bill was described as using existing grow funding and possibly requiring tradeoffs in future years. The committee approved HB 30 on a do-pass vote. The committee then considered House Bill 43, a PERA cleanup bill. PERA staff explained that the measure makes technical corrections, resolves ambiguities, and aligns the statute with current administrative practice without making major policy changes. Supporters from AFSCME and the Educational Retirement Board said the bill would help administer retirement benefits more clearly, reduce litigation risk, and improve reciprocity for members with both PERA and ERB service credit. Committee questions focused on liability for overpayments, disability-retiree earnings limits, and survivor benefits for volunteer firefighters; staff said the changes were intended to broaden and modernize the language and mirror other retirement plans. HB 43 also received a do-pass recommendation. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 255, which would consolidate separate public safety workforce funding streams into a single nonreverting public safety workforce capacity building fund. The sponsor and Department of Finance and Administration witnesses said the new fund would create a more durable, flexible way to support recruitment, retention, relocation assistance, training, equipment, and other workforce needs for police, corrections, firefighters, and related public safety personnel. Supporters from the State Police, counties, labor, and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber said vacancies and short staffing are severe and that a stable grant program would help fill positions and improve public safety and economic stability. After brief questions about the fund structure and uses, the committee passed HB 255 on a do-pass vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• Is leave granted for Representative Joy Springer? So ordered.
• Is leave granted for Representative Stephen Meeks? So ordered. Representative Stephen Meeks.
• needs to pick up an additional $18 million tab just to cover SNAP administration costs and keep our program
• We've allocated roughly $380 million for voucher programs, but when it comes to early childhood education
• Last week, the Little Rock School District had to cancel its summer pre-K programs because the Department

Keywords: 1204, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Families are left to pay out-of-pocket or seek grants.
• This is not about a program. This is not even about a single state.
• What we do with This is not about a program. This is not even about a single state.
• program.
• I'm here today because I was part of a government-funded cancer research program at NIH.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Financial Services

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing opened with the Senate and House chairs of the Joint Committee on Financial Services explaining that the day’s agenda would focus on health insurance and other insurance matters, with a large number of witnesses and a request for brief testimony. Legislators were taken out of order to accommodate their schedules, and the committee heard testimony on several bills, including coverage for hair prostheses for alopecia (H. 1223/S. 832), medically necessary oral and dental care for head and neck cancer survivors (H. 1258), modernizing fertility and family-building coverage (H. 715/H. 1190 and related bills), coverage for prosthetic devices to support physical activity for people with limb loss (the “So Everybody Can Move” bill), remediation coverage for home heating oil releases (S. 813/H. 1302), and expanded access to physical therapy for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (H. 1170). A separate bill on sickle cell care and registry development (S. 788) was also discussed by Senator Liz Miranda. Witnesses largely offered personal stories and expert testimony in support of the bills. Advocates for alopecia coverage described the medical and emotional impact of hair loss, the high cost of quality wigs, and the argument that scalp and facial hair prostheses should be treated like other medically necessary prosthetics. Cancer survivors and supporters of H. 1258 said oral and dental care after head and neck cancer treatment is a quality-of-life issue and often not covered despite major out-of-pocket costs. Fertility specialists, LGBTQ+ advocates, and legislators supporting the modern family-building bills said the current infertility definition is outdated and discriminatory, excluding same-sex couples, people needing donors or gestational carriers, and others with medical barriers to conception. For the limb-loss bill, parents and adults with prosthetic needs stressed that activity-specific prostheses are essential for children and adults to run, swim, play sports, and stay healthy, but are often excluded from coverage. The home heating oil testimony focused on the financial devastation caused by residential oil spills and the need to make spill coverage automatic in homeowners policies. Environmental professionals and homeowners described cleanup costs ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, the strict liability homeowners face, and the fact that many policyholders do not know the rider exists. The insurance industry testified in opposition to the mandatory-coverage approach, arguing for clearer distinctions between first- and third-party coverage, risk-mitigation standards, a delayed effective date, and more emphasis on education and notification rather than mandates. Committee members pressed the industry witness on why agents do not routinely tell customers about the rider and suggested that the issue may require broader disclosure by insurers, agents, and fuel dealers. No votes were taken during the hearing; the committee heard testimony and discussed possible compromise language and future action.