Transcript Highlights:

• But, um, there’s no definition of foster care. But there is definition of foster care.
• But, um, there’s no definition of foster care. But there is definition of foster care.
• But, um, there’s no definition of foster care. But there is definition of foster care.
• But, um, there’s no definition of foster care. But there is definition of foster care.
• Um and and I direction on this.

Committee: House Environment and Agriculture

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and we are working and charged direction and we are working and charged by<00:08:46.920><c> the</c><
• Orange is the same thing, but it says maybe you don't care about those non-electric bill benefits.
• </c><00:13:22.720><c> about</c><00:13:23.160><c> those</c> says maybe you don't care about those says
• Do you have a member of the testifiers that you're directing that to, or let them pick whoever wants
• </c><01:42:06.960><c> they</c> state senator and they don't care they state senator and they don't care

Committee: Senate Energy, Utilities, Environment, and Climate

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We believe your bill, Senator, strikes a pretty good balance in that direction.
• Some body shops have what are called direct repair programs.
• We just got to be real careful. to not leave the landowner.
• Things, have a hub for medicine, have a hub for health care.
• Yeah, could you direct me to that?

Bills: SB458 , SB819 , SB1238 , SB1642 , SB1643 , SB1644 , SB1791 , SB1810 , SB1824 , SB1825 , SB758 , SB1455 , SB1706

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: insurance appraisal, property insurance, auto insurance, homeowners insurance, residential property, disputed loss, loss valuation, appraisal clause, appraiser, umpire, Texas Department of Insurance, TDI, insurance dispute resolution, claims adjustment, total loss, windstorm insurance, FAIR Plan, surplus lines insurance, policyholder, insurer

Transcript Highlights:

• There is health care.
• </c> towards trauma-informed care for kids. towards trauma-informed care for kids.
• We'll take care of it.
• </c> I we're going to take care of this. I we're going to take care of this.
• </c> We'll take care of it. We'll take care of it.

Committee: Joint Select Committee on Tribal Relations

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, in Kentucky, we have had direct DEI metrics that were supposed to lead to enrollment increases
• Sorry, need to be directed through the chair. This is not something Kentucky will be doing alone.
• Sorry, need to be directed through the chair. This is not something Kentucky will be doing alone.
• Sorry, need to be directed through the chair. This is not something Kentucky will be doing alone.
• Sorry, need to be directed through the chair. This is not something Kentucky will be doing alone.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Standing Committee on Postsecondary Education met to consider House Bill 4, relating to postsecondary education. Before taking up the bill, the committee adopted a committee substitute. The substitute removed language creating a private right of action and immunity provisions, added a definition of “indoctrinate,” revised language tied to the Attorney General, and added a new section directing the Auditor of Public Accounts to review compliance every four years. If an institution is found out of compliance, it would have 180 days to cure the issue or become ineligible for formula funding increases in the following fiscal year, with an opportunity to petition the Attorney General. The substitute also added language barring licensing authorities from requiring diversity, equity, and inclusion training as a condition of initial or renewal licensure. Representative Decker presented the bill as an effort to end what she described as unconstitutional DEI practices in Kentucky’s postsecondary system and to refocus colleges on academic instruction, equal opportunity, and affordability. She argued that DEI offices and initiatives have cost taxpayers heavily and have not improved enrollment outcomes for low-income and underrepresented students. Michael Frasier, testifying in support, framed the bill as an equal-protection measure rather than simply an anti-DEI bill, saying it targets preferential treatment and discrimination while exempting traditional civil-rights compliance offices such as Title IX, disability, and other anti-discrimination functions. He also argued that the bill aligns with recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent and that Kentucky should shift toward socioeconomic-based approaches. Several members raised concerns about the bill’s assumptions and effects. Representative Willner questioned the claim that DEI initiatives caused enrollment declines and asked why the state would not make such programs more inclusive instead of eliminating them. Representative Stalker argued that the bill ignored decades of exclusion in higher education and asked what would replace DEI efforts aimed at closing achievement gaps and preventing brain drain. Supporters responded that the bill addresses unconstitutional preferences and that the state should move toward equal treatment and socioeconomic factors rather than race-based criteria. After discussion, the committee substitute was adopted, and the committee continued consideration of House Bill 4.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, significant separation of powers concerns there, of course, regarding directing judges in that way
• </c><00:09:47.760><c> judges</c><00:09:48.160><c> in</c> course uh regarding directing judges in course
• uh regarding directing judges in that<00:09:48.399><c> way.
• We don't care what your reasons are. We don't care what your story is.
• with identifying what problem careful with identifying what problem are<00:15:25.839><c> we</c><00:15

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• We help everyone thrive as they age, and we work to develop the capacity of communities to care for an
• </c><00:14:11.360><c> than</c><00:14:11.600><c> their</c><00:14:11.920><c> younger</c> frequent care
• than their younger frequent care than their younger neighbors,<00:14:13.199><c> fall</c><00:14:13.519
• The state demographer and the legislative task force on aging provides a clear directive.
• We are aging and we must directive.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This program is state-mandated but receives zero direct funding.
• And they and they're all taken care of by the water that we are desaling.
• How do we take care of the farmers at that point? Because, I guess, I can't imagine...
• access to veterinary care where Texas specifically. needs it.
• There is no capacity for this in animal health care.

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:03:49.280><c> that's</c> also the optimized health care that's also the optimized health care
• </c> quickly move into health care remotely. quickly move into health care remotely.
• </c> health care provider to occur online. health care provider to occur online.
• </c> is a professional health care person. is a professional health care person.
• , remote care.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: A presenter from Fast Health Corporation described a proposed Kentucky Health Command System tied to Senate Bill 175, which would create a state-sanctioned AI platform for rural hospitals and telehealth. The company said the system would help rural residents get health information remotely, triage minor issues, and escalate more serious cases to Kentucky providers, with use cases including blood pressure, diabetes, maternity care, smoking cessation, and other preventive-care topics. The presenter argued the system would help rural hospitals compete with out-of-state telehealth companies and keep patients connected to local care. The presentation also emphasized a commercial model the sponsor said would generate new revenue through ads and branded interactions, with the bill reportedly directing 80% of that revenue to rural hospitals and 20% to the state to maintain the system. The presenter said the technology would augment, not replace, doctors and nurses, and claimed it could improve access and convenience in underserved areas. Committee members raised concerns about liability, whether the AI could provide medical advice, and whether there was evidence it had reduced emergency room visits; the presenter said the system could not give medical advice and acknowledged the technology is still very new. The sponsor of the bill said the goal was to help transform rural health care, reduce unnecessary ER use, and capture revenue that would otherwise go to commercial search engines and out-of-state companies. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the meeting provided, and the discussion ended with questions about branding, loyalty, and the legal limits of the AI system.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> other direction. other direction.
• </c> health care ecosystem. health care ecosystem.
• </c> Affordable Care Act. Affordable Care Act.
• </c> care needs. care needs.
• And home health care and nursing care.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Together, the changes would prevent health care plans and providers from denying care or coverage to
• health insurance to cover gender-affirming care.
• The author claims this bill just codifies existing federal Affordable Care Act...
• Access to care matters, especially for people who can't pay out of pocket.
• Access to care matters, especially for people who can't pay out of pocket.

Summary: The Senate Judiciary Committee met as a subcommittee and announced a large agenda, including a consent calendar and several bills pulled for separate hearing. Early in the hearing, the committee heard AB 1876, which would codify federal nondiscrimination protections in state health care law. The author and supporters said it would protect access to coverage and services for all protected classes, including transgender people, while opponents argued it would force coverage of disputed gender-affirming treatments and impose penalties on providers and insurers. No vote was taken during the informational-style presentation, and the author requested an aye vote when a quorum was present. The committee then heard AB 1650 on requiring rental vehicles used by government agencies for enforcement to be clearly marked, with supporters describing it as a transparency and public-trust measure in response to immigration enforcement activity and opponents later withdrawing opposition after discussions with the author. AB 635, dealing with the Mobile Home Residency Law Protection Program, would extend and revise a resident-funded legal assistance program for mobile home owners; supporters said it improves access to justice and enforcement, and there was no opposition. AB 1697 would extend the date for enforceability of certain employment contract provisions under AB 692 and add an urgency clause; the NFL supported it, SIFMA was support-if-amended, and the chair noted sympathy for some workers while expressing concern about high-paid executives. The committee also heard AB 2784, the annual State Bar fee bill, which held fees flat while making governance and reporting changes; it drew support from the State Bar and no opposition. AB 2782, the Assembly Judiciary Committee civil omnibus bill, made minor clarifying code changes and also drew no opposition. Other measures heard included AB 2662 on monitoring and reporting federal immigration enforcement impacts, AB 2235 on allowing judges to use alternate mailing addresses for safety, AB 1544 on courthouse access and transparency, AB 2624 expanding Safe at Home protections to immigrant service providers, AB 1857 to block grocery restrictive covenants that prevent new grocery stores in underserved areas, AB 1892 clarifying HOA duties and election notice rules, AB 634 banning products containing tianeptine, AB 1684 limiting HOA restrictions on home cooling systems, AB 1752 increasing appraisal reimbursement in eminent domain cases, AB 1660 improving compliance by financial institutions with public guardian requests, AB 782 narrowing a prior housing redevelopment law for certain charter cities, and AB 2195 limiting occupational license suspensions for low-income parents owing child support. Across these bills, testimony was largely supportive, with several measures drawing “support if amended” or no opposition after negotiations; the transcript does not reflect final votes on the bills discussed here.

Transcript Highlights:

• that registered child care homes, licensed family child care homes, and licensed group child care homes
• homes, licensed family child care homes, licensed group child care homes, or licensed child care centers
• , providing that licensed child care... ...child care homes, or licensed child care centers, providing
• home, licensed family child care home, or licensed group child care home.
• concurrent curative care.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• with such strong women who care so much about our future generation.
• That is a direct cut.
• That is a direct cut.
• That is a<01:15:19.360><c> direct</c><01:15:20.080><c> cut.
• That will mean less a direct cut.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• ,</c> justice, for education, health care, justice, for education, health care, economic<00:37:49.839
• Direct housing and shelter per year.
• </c> goes in that direction first. goes in that direction first.
• </c> their patrons are taken care of. their patrons are taken care of.
• and a health care facility.

Keywords: 981, all

Transcript Highlights:

• that the economic growth rate in that province rose by more than one percentage point annually as a direct
• So we're measuring something that has a very real effect on economic outcomes that we care about.
• is. ...do this or can't do this or that, whatever the direction is, certainly the subject matter experts
• So being more careful with the wording of delegations is another place that some states are looking at
• Can you take care? Okay, there we go. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for being here today.

Summary: The Special Committee on Regulatory Reform met to hear from Patrick McLaughlin of the Hoover Institution and Pacific Legal Foundation about regulatory accumulation and reform. Chair Mark Wright explained the meeting was a study hearing only, with no votes planned or quorum for action. McLaughlin described his research measuring regulation by counting binding words such as “shall” and “must,” and said Louisiana ranks among the most regulated states, with about 183,000 restrictions and growth in regulatory stock outpacing the national average. He argued that excessive regulation slows GDP growth, raises consumer prices, and disproportionately burdens small businesses and low-income households. McLaughlin pointed to reform examples in British Columbia, Idaho, and Virginia, where centralized oversight, periodic review, one-in-one-out or similar rules, and simplified benefit-cost analysis were used to reduce regulations without harming safety. He said Virginia’s regulatory modernization effort, including use of AI and a regulatory management office, helped cut requirements and lower homebuilding costs. Committee members asked about how the data were measured, how regulation affects housing, licensing, and population growth, and whether Louisiana could use similar tools. McLaughlin emphasized that AI should assist human reviewers, not replace them, by identifying outdated, duplicative, or overly burdensome rules. Members also discussed Louisiana’s own reform efforts, including LaDOGE, permit streamlining, and prior bills to create public hearings and legislative review of regulations. Wright and others asked about federal mandates, “gold plating” of state rules, and how to identify unnecessary state-level additions. McLaughlin said some state rules are required by federal law, but many others are not, and AI can help distinguish required language from added burdens. No votes were taken, and the committee adjourned after members expressed interest in following up on McLaughlin’s report and examples from other states.

Transcript Highlights:

• “I want to be direct about why my experience matters here.
• There were organization-wide directives to avoid taking notes or keeping any record of our knowledge
• think it's gone a little bit too... ...far, and companies are—we heard it in testimonies—just don't care
• , but they care about the dollar and consent of the child, and it's out of control.
• TikTok also restricts features like direct messaging for younger teens, blocks live access for accounts

Summary: The Senate Business, Trade and Economic Development Committee first held a work session on protecting children online. Testimony focused on a proposed Kids Online Protection Act that would limit addictive algorithmic feeds for minors and restrict push notifications during school hours and at night. Supporters included a former tech executive, a Meta whistleblower, and a psychology researcher, who argued that social media design exploits adolescent development, harms well-being, and that the bill gives parents and children more control without banning access to content. Industry and trade group witnesses opposed the approach, arguing it would violate the First Amendment, create privacy risks through age verification, and could reduce useful personalization and safety tools; they said companies are already implementing teen protections and parental controls. The committee did not take a vote during the work session. The committee then held a public hearing on Senate Bill 5928, sponsored by Senators Warnick and Short at the request of the Insurance Commissioner. The bill would require property insurers using wildfire risk scores or models to disclose more information to consumers, explain adverse factors, provide appeal and rescoring processes, and account for mitigation actions in rate filings and discounts. The Office of Insurance Commissioner, a Colville Tribal representative, fire district testimony, climate advocates, realtors, hospitality businesses, and insurance agents generally supported the bill as a transparency and consumer-protection measure, with some urging inclusion of commercial lines and stronger recognition of local fire mitigation. Several insurance trade groups opposed or were neutral, warning that the bill goes too far, could expose proprietary underwriting information, increase regulation and costs, and should be narrowed to align with other states’ approaches. No vote was taken, and the chair adjourned after the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• And we think this, this bill is the first step in the right direction for that.
• That's why we've supported movement in this direction for several years now.
• That are more urgent to take care of our own state because we have other, we have things that need to
• That Should be used for that to take care of securing our border.
• Because, uh, the previous administration that we had, uh, refused to take care of the border.

Bills: HB 246 , HB 796 , HB 1056 , HB 1544 , HB 1846 , HB 2001 , HB 2618 , HB 2625 , HB 2869 , HB 2898 , HB 3069 , HB 3114 , HB 3157 , HB 3228 , HJR 98

Committee: House State Affairs

Keywords: federal directives, state authority, Tenth Amendment, government enforcement, local governance, gold standard, legal tender, currency, transactional currency, financial transactions, electronic payment systems, state finance, regulatory compliance, electric trucks, charging infrastructure, advisory council, transportation, sustainability, criminal penalties, official information

Transcript Highlights:

• They probably don't care.
• Representative Chappell said the designated section was on US-60 and that MoDOT takes care of it.
• If you own a business, you have the right to put up a sign one direction or the other, or both, at a
• The business is kind of on a, coming up from one direction, it's coming up a hill and on a curve.
• The business is kind of on a... coming up from one direction. It's coming up a hill and on a curve.

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: 959, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• At a direct cost to California jobs and economic competitiveness.
• I mean, we need to make careful decisions and look at the broad landscape, right?
• They are a cornerstone of prenatal care.
• You need to be careful depending on the context.
• Here, I'll take care of it. Thank you. Do you want me to pull it back? Thanks, Damon. Yeah.

Committee: House Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• And then since then, we also have proactively tried to go down several different paths in terms of direct
• For the most part, the directive has been ignored.
• The Department of Financial Services, he has worked every day and proved that he cares about his staff
• That's why we were so careful when we asked the questions: What do you need to do your job?
• And finally, the bill ensures the President and Speaker have direct control over utilities, including

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee met for budget day, heard agency follow-up questions, and then presented its recommended budget for fiscal year 2025-2026. Chair Lopez opened with remarks about reducing spending, emphasizing vacancy reductions and recurring savings across agencies. The recommendation eliminated 452.5 vacant positions and produced recurring savings of $57.2 million overall, while still funding selected priorities. Notable funded items included $500,000 for a new DBPR website for condominium complaints and document filing, $481.3 million for the MICEF Florida Home Program in DFS, funding for Florida PALM implementation, $330,000 for a Tampa office in the Office of Insurance Regulation, $835,000 for warehouse space for confiscated gambling machines, $821,000 for the Lottery gaming system contract, and major DMS capital and facilities funding. Lopez also criticized DMS leadership and said the secretary’s salary would be held in reserve pending answers on fleet management, remote workers, SUNCOM billing, and other issues. The committee then questioned DBPR Secretary Griffin about condominium records, structural integrity reserve studies, and milestone-inspection compliance. Members focused on how the division tracks condominiums, whether it can identify buildings with three habitable stories, and whether the current filing system can be improved to better capture building height and story count. Griffin said the division relies heavily on self-reporting and complaint-driven checks, but has updated forms to capture whether a condominium has buildings three stories or higher and has received additional submissions. Members also asked about staffing and the Miami-area office; Griffin said DBPR now has two Fort Lauderdale offices and a Doral office, with about 82% of new positions filled. Secretary Davis of the Florida Lottery also testified, defending travel to Paris and other conferences as part of industry engagement, technology research, and best-practice sharing. He said the travel was reimbursed through lottery-related organizations, described the Lottery as an enterprise fund that receives no general tax revenue, and said the agency has remained a top revenue generator nationally. Members questioned Orlando travel reimbursements and dues to the Multi-State Lottery Association, and asked for more information on how increased revenue translates into more Bright Futures scholarships. Davis said he would provide additional details. The subcommittee then unanimously passed two conforming bills. PCB SAB 25-01 removed statutory references to the legacy FLAIR accounting system in preparation for Florida PALM and was reported favorably. PCB SAB 25-02 addressed Capitol Center space after the planned House lease cancellation, declaring the governor, cabinet, and legislature permanent tenants, protecting existing space and parking allocations, giving the legislature first right of refusal on vacant space, and giving legislative leaders control over utilities in their space; it also passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned after the bills were reported favorably.