Transcript Highlights:

• For background, legislation enacted in 2011 required a coal-fired baseload electricity plant that emitted
• , including certain dentistry and optometry services and specified group stop-loss insurance-related
• health care services.
• health care services.
• And last session, in the sales tax expansion of services bill, our taxes went up by 17%.

Bills: HB2367 , HB1974 , HB2650 , HB2626

Committee: House Finance

Keywords: coal-fired plant, preferential treatment, energy policy, electric generation, regulatory reform, land bank, land banking authority, affordable housing, housing crisis, housing supply, public corporation, public housing authority, nonprofit housing, tax-foreclosed property, blight remediation, redevelopment, anti-displacement, equity, redlining, racial segregation

Transcript Highlights:

• It creates pathways to services.
• These pathways to services are critical to their long-term success.
• For many years, city marshals have fought the stigma that we simply process service.
• Today, city marshals are actively engaged in full-service law enforcement operations.
• Thank you very much for your service. Thank you for your testimony. Good morning, Mr.

Committee: Senate Judiciary B

Keywords: 974, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then every night we're sending us a fire. and day-to-day management of their election activities
• We have service level agreements with our vendor and timeframes for getting issues remediated.
• Just see the teleprompter operator at the White House who literally just got fired and fined.
• And we start focusing on customer service and at the point of service.
• And we start focusing on customer service and at the point of service.

Committee: House Elections

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I pay for my fire department and I don't have, thankfully, knock on wood, I've never had a fire at my
• I I pay for my fire schools. I do.
• fire at my<01:16:46.000><c> house.
• They sign public school services.
• So we're amenities or services at all.

Committee: House Education Policy and Administration

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> you hit police Fire you hit police Fire EMS<00:10:44.360><c> touch</c><00:10:45.120><c> them</c>
• </c><00:27:07.559><c> that</c> supports the critical services that supports the critical services that
• rural ambulance services and other much rural ambulance services and other much needed<01:16:13.159><
• So for an arrest, we would have a minimum of years for a call for service.
• So for an arrest, we would have a minimum of years for a call for service.

Committee: House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Of service to their communities. Just a couple of questions, Senator Middleton.
• , and $192 million to ensure the backlog of requests to the Texas A&M Forest Service Volunteer Fire Department
• Department of Family and Protective Services shortfall.
• For a state program known as SHARS, School Health and Related Services.
• This is a unique program because it bridges both health services and special education services to students

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I lost my house in a fire, but because it has a metal roof now, I get a 10% discount on my homeowner's
• that suck it up, even though they're dead So, yes, they take a lot of water; otherwise, it would be a fire

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• State Library Services is committed to supporting a wide array of library services for all 5.7 million
• </c><00:02:13.800><c> and</c> our uh about State Library services and our uh about State Library services
• </c><00:03:50.879><c> all</c> wide array of Library services for all wide array of Library services for
• is State Library Services uh State Library<00:04:04.640><c> Services</c><00:04:05.079><c> is</c><00:04
• </c> um and upcoming and a youth services um and upcoming and a youth services early<00:05:03.039><c>

Committee: Senate Education Finance

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Lance Gilliam: I have a firm in Houston who does a great deal of advisory services.
• including water, sewer, streets, drainage, police and fire protection among many others.
• have responded to over 1,100 calls for service at this one property.
• Committee Member: Goes to service debt that you receive.
• And just to add more fuel to the fire, what if it was cocaine?

Bills: HB21 , HB211 , HB223

Committee: House Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: HB 21, Texas Tax Code, ad valorem tax, property tax, delinquent taxes, tax delinquency, penalty reduction, interest rate, split payment, installment payment, tax relief, county tax collector, taxing unit, property owner, tax collection, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax increase election, supermajority, 60 percent threshold

Transcript Highlights:

• "Them to be available to provide those boarding services.
• So, uh, it requires that removal be done consistent with fire code.
• So, uh, it requires that removal be done consistent with fire code.
• code and the fire code has a uh has fire code and the fire code has a uh has a<02:10:12.239><c> set<
• <02:11:50.880><c> department</c> &gt;&gt; fire department &gt;&gt; fire department &gt;&gt; by<02:11:

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:04:44.520><c> with</c> Commissioner of Human Services with Commissioner of Human Services with
• </c><00:19:17.919><c> and</c> healthcare all the enhanced services and healthcare all the enhanced services
• </c> who oversees Health and Human Services who oversees Health and Human Services was was was fired<
• </c> that people would not get this service that people would not get this service that's<01:07:06.160
• </c> engagement around interpreter Services engagement around interpreter Services was<01:26:37.840><

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:10:28.560><c> so</c> changed in order to get that service so changed in order to get that service
• Family Services good morning Lisa Dennis Family Services good morning Lisa Dennis the<00:36:40.760><c
• </c> could be additional therapeutic services could be additional therapeutic services Staffing<00:46
• <00:48:34.800><c> and</c> services and services and supports<00:48:36.559><c> and</c><00:48:37.079><c
• Could I just also add, as a provider of these services and having done these high-level services for

Keywords: 00:00:00 Introductions 00:00:22 Roll Call 00:01:56 Discussion on SB 85 00:14:03 Vote on SB 85 00:16:15 Explanation of Agency Amendment 00:19:04 Voice Vote on Amendment 00:19:33 Discussion on Kentucky Foster Children Housing, 958, all

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Bill 85, sponsored by Senator Meredith, which would move the Office of the Ombudsman from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the State Auditor’s office and make related cleanup changes. Meredith said the bill grew out of a prior task force and a two-year transition from Senate Bill 48, and he argued the move would create independence, improve access to the ITWIST database, ensure complaints are not lost in the handoff, and add confidentiality protections for whistleblowers. Auditor Allison Ball and her staff said the bill would codify access and procedures after earlier disputes and a court-mediated settlement, and they described the measure as necessary to make the new structure work effectively. Members asked how the Ombudsman would handle complaints and verify services in cases involving waiver recipients and other cabinet services. Ball and her staff said the Ombudsman would investigate complaints, make inquiries, and provide accountability outside the cabinet structure, with timelines and procedures similar to the Auditor’s office. The committee also discussed staffing and whether the office would need more personnel; Ball said the office already had about 100 people but could use more. The bill passed 10-0 with favorable expression. The committee then approved an agency amendment to administrative regulation 922 KAR 1:001490 concerning foster parent background checks. Cabinet staff explained the amendment corrected a drafting error by removing references to civil determinations in a second section of the regulation because the system cannot search those determinations, while still allowing the required checks under state and federal law. Senator Herron asked what a civil determination meant, and staff said it could involve a court finding in a custody or abuse case, though such findings are now typically handled through the child abuse and neglect registry. The amendment was adopted. Afterward, the committee began a discussion on Kentucky foster children housing and related issues. Ball and Ombudsman staff presented a preliminary assessment of children placed in office buildings, saying the review covered 49 children placed over a four-month period and showed a different picture than the public narrative of only older, high-acuity youth. They reported that some children had no documented behavioral or disability issues, many came directly from home, the average age was 13, the average stay was four nights, and placements were spread across several regions rather than centered only in Louisville. Members raised concerns about the lack of formal policies and procedures, staff safety, and how to ensure children are treated appropriately, and Ball said the Ombudsman was continuing a deeper review. No final action was taken on that discussion in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 2138, fire his employment status. Finance. HB 214, noncustodial money's appropriation.
• Health and human services. HB 823, DCS investigations interviews recording.
• Health and human services. HB 2395, fitness program school report cards. Education.
• Senate Bill 1461 was drawn from the Committee on Health and Human Services. Thank you.
• From the Committee on Health and Human Services. All righty.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And while there have been some issues with fires with lithium ion batteries, and there's a concern around
• that in many places, I've also recently received information about the modern fire detection and suppression
• And on the first two resolutions, STR 18 and STR 14, to compel or promote the idea of the postal service
• STR 14 to compel or promote the idea of the postal service moving their Pro City post office from the

Committee: Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Committee on Transportation, Culture, and the Arts heard several resolutions, with most public testimony focused on Senate Concurrent Resolution 159 and Senate Resolution 129, which urge continued U.S. support for the Ukrainian military. Testimony on those measures was largely opposed, with witnesses arguing Hawaii should prioritize local needs such as homelessness, infrastructure, and cost of living over additional aid to Ukraine; one support testimony was noted from the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Despite the opposition, both committees recommended passage with technical, nonsubstantive amendments, and the recommendations were adopted. The committees also considered transportation-related resolutions. Senate Concurrent Resolution 182 and Senate Resolution 152 would initiate a summer streets pilot program, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 200 and Senate Resolution 180 would ask AMPO to coordinate a transportation management training program. Testimony on the summer streets proposal included support and opposition, with one witness saying community input should be gathered through existing district and community meetings rather than creating a pilot. The training-program measure drew opposition from a witness who argued it would add unnecessary bureaucracy. Both pairs were recommended for passage, with the summer streets resolutions passed unamended and the training-program resolutions passed with technical amendments. In the Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs committee, Senate Concurrent Resolution 18 and Senate Resolution 14, concerning relocation of the Pearl City post office to Navy property, were recommended for passage with technical amendments. The committee also heard extensive testimony on Senate Concurrent Resolution 136 and Senate Resolution 150, which call for a geothermal energy working group. Supporters included the State Energy Office, PUC, consumer advocate, and others, though the energy office asked to move the report deadline to 2027. Opponents raised concerns about cost, health impacts, environmental risks, and Native Hawaiian representation. The chair proposed amendments to add a Native Hawaiian member, the consumer advocate, and the House and Senate energy committee chairs, clarify participation by utility, geothermal, and nonprofit representatives, and extend the report deadline to 2027. The resolutions were then recommended for passage with amendments, and all recommendations were adopted before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• So generally an officeholder can't accept a benefit for providing a service like giving a speech, right
• , except for transportation, lodging, food, you know, connected to providing that service.
• Fire. Sure. No word. I had one other question. Sure, fire. Sure, no worries. That's why we're here.

Summary: The Texas Ethics Commission met on March 11, 2025, first in executive session and then in open session. The chair announced that, in light of Texas Attorney General Opinion KP-484, the commission would conform its practices to the opinion and move to repeal tolling rules for sworn-complaint deadlines. The chair also said the commission would dismiss 36 pending sworn-complaint cases in which the 120-day settlement deadline had been exceeded, even though the delay had been tolled under prior TEC rules. The commission then set future meeting dates for June 12 and September 17 and approved prior meeting minutes. The commission adopted a new criminal-referral rule clarifying that, once jurisdiction over a complaint is accepted, commissioners may vote to make a criminal referral. It also adopted revised advisory-opinion rules, with a clarifying amendment from a commenter, and republished proposed changes to the definition of “principal purpose” for political committees after staff recommended a 49 percent political-activity threshold and further public input. The commission published for comment proposed changes to ethics training rules, facial-compliance review procedures, late-filing waiver and reduction rules, and sworn-complaint procedures, including tighter discovery limits, a default-order set-aside process, and removal of tolling language inconsistent with KP-484. It also republished Chapter 28 rules on Speaker-candidate reporting. The commission adopted several advisory opinions. It declined to give an affirmative defense on whether certain school-district communications were political advertising because related litigation had already addressed the issue. It reaffirmed that a House member may use donated district-office space if it is not reimbursable with public funds and was accepted before the contribution moratorium. It also concluded that a judge may use political funds for travel to a Navy-hosted event as a local dignitary, that legislators’ use of a corporate aircraft for a border-region fact-finding trip could be permissible but would likely trigger reporting obligations, that a TCEQ commissioner’s revolving-door restrictions apply only to matters actually placed before the commissioner, and that a part-time legislative staffer may not take outside employment assisting a registered lobbyist. The commission then heard and acted on numerous fine-waiver appeals, granting several full waivers or reductions and approving staff recommendations on others, and terminated a number of inactive campaign treasurer appointments. Finally, the executive director briefed the commission on the 2025 legislative session, noting that staffing requests are tied to Sunset recommendations and that the House had preliminarily recommended about half of the commission’s appropriations requests.

Transcript Highlights:

• break down doors with weapons, and most importantly, innocent people are easily caught in the rocks fire
• They also erode public trust in emergency services. Victims are not limited to individuals.
• And perhaps, most importantly, they lose trust in the public services. ...access jobs and housing in
• Services, programs. Okay. So then that jeopardizes them with the programs by getting the trespass?
• And more importantly, I want to thank you for your service to the people of California.

Committee: House Public Safety

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It will be posted publicly on the Joint Committee on Public Service page.
• Chair Ryan, Joint Committee on Public Service, 24 Beacon Street, Room 156.
• I thank you for your consideration and I thank you for your public service.
• I will be able to retire in six years after 35 years of service.
• Our years of service will be met with fairness and with heart.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Public Service

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Public Service held a hearing focused first on teacher retirement legislation, especially H. 2932 and S. 1884, which would give long-serving educators a one-time opportunity to enroll in Retirement Plus after the program’s 2001 rollout was described as confusing and inconsistently communicated. Legislators, union leaders, and many teachers testified that some educators missed the opt-in window because of faulty notices, leave status, transfers, or misinformation about payroll deductions, and that many have had to work several extra years as a result. Supporters said the bills would correct an unfair administrative error, provide a buyback option with interest, and could also save local school districts money by allowing earlier retirements. Representative Mark Sylvia also testified for H. 4234, a Fairhaven-specific bill to raise the age limit for special police officers from 65 to 70 and clarify appointing authority, citing experience and budget needs. The committee then heard testimony on several pension investment and divestment bills. Supporters of H. 2811 and related climate-risk measures argued that PRIM should assess, disclose, and address climate-related financial risk in the state pension fund, warning that fossil fuel investments could threaten long-term returns and public finances. Environmental advocates and financial experts said climate risk is systemic and urged transparency, divestment planning, and alignment with the Commonwealth’s climate goals. Another set of speakers supported H. 2984, which would divest pension investments from companies selling weapons to Israel; they argued the state should not be complicit in violence in Gaza and cited humanitarian and human rights concerns. Additional testimony supported H. 2900 and S. 1869 to divest from the firearm industry, with speakers saying pension investments should not undermine Massachusetts gun laws. No votes were taken during the hearing. The chairs repeatedly thanked speakers, limited testimony time, and noted that written testimony could be submitted later. The hearing concluded with the committee moving through the sign-up list and hearing extensive public testimony on the teacher retirement and divestment proposals.

Transcript Highlights:

• In this time of historic anti-Semitism, we are mindful of the privilege of being of service to others
• We strive for equanimity, the ability to weather the challenges of government service and the pursuit
• And if you think about it, our realtors provide life-changing services when we think about purchasing
• when we think about purchasing services when we think about purchasing our<00:04:37.280><c> first</c
• </c><00:08:10.560><c> for</c> they have a graveside service for they have a graveside service for interment

Keywords: Senate streaming session for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 960, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I speak to you today as a provider and consumer of banking services.
• Senate and consumer of banking services.
• Members of the committee, thank you for your service and what you do for the… Your service and what you
• that... ...other service that...
• , customer service, billing, everything.

Committee: Senate Banking and Insurance

Keywords: 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Other than last year, I told you that just one of my members had about 154 fires.
• So far, it's averaging about two fires a week still.
• I had a fire in our MRF,' which is a material recovery facility, due to batteries. So, as Mr.
• I had a fire in our MRF,' which is a material recovery facility, due to batteries. So, as Mr.

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met with a quorum present and took up several environmental bills and one confirmation. First, the committee considered SB 1422 on surface waters, which was amended with a strike-all focused on coral reef protection and designation of coral reefs as critical natural infrastructure. Senator Garcia described the amendment as a way to support restoration, disaster resilience, and access to federal funding; Audubon Florida waived in support. The committee adopted the amendment and then reported CS for SB 1422 favorably. The committee next considered SPB 7034, a DEP rule ratification concerning the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee River minimum flows and levels and recovery strategy. Senator Rodriguez explained the rule would replace prior MFLs and allow longer permits, while opponents from the Florida Springs Council and local river advocates argued the plan relies too heavily on one future wastewater reuse project, delays restoration, and lacks a clear funding source. DEP and JEA waived in support. After debate, the committee approved the motion to submit the proposal as a committee bill; the measure was favorably reported, with Senator Smith voting no. The committee then heard SB 1510 on DEP-related matters, as amended. The strike-all addressed Outstanding Florida Springs B-MAP mediation plans, septic system upgrades where sewer is unavailable, rural cost-share eligibility, notice to property owners, rulemaking procedures, and land acquisition governance, while removing biosolids and fee provisions. Florida Springs Council opposed the 60-day delay for B-MAP effectiveness, saying it could slow restoration and allow more conventional septic systems to be installed before stricter requirements take effect. DEP and others supported the bill. The committee reported CS for SB 1510 favorably. It also heard SB 1196 on waste facilities, which would prohibit new ash-producing incinerators and waste-to-energy facilities within two miles of certain federally authorized water impoundment areas, with an amendment narrowing the bill to Miami-Dade and Broward County. Supporters, including the City of Miramar, said it would protect water resources and Everglades restoration; opponents from the Florida Waste-to-Energy Coalition warned it would limit local solid waste options and could force more landfilling. The committee adopted the amendment and reported CS for SB 1196 favorably. Finally, the committee considered SB 912 on battery collection and recovery, establishing a battery stewardship program and requiring producers and retailers to join a stewardship organization by 2028. Supporters from the battery industry and recycling sector said the bill would reduce fires and keep batteries out of the waste stream. The committee adopted the amendment and reported CS for SB 912 favorably. The committee also recommended confirmation of Gary Jennings to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and then adjourned.