Transcript Highlights:

• 3,300-acre applied research and innovation campus, which has already proven to be an ideal location to test
• advanced technologies at scale, ranging from hypersonics, autonomy, and roadside safety testing, to

Bills: HB132 , HB 11 , HB14 , HB132 , HB1584 , HB1606 , HB5061 , HB 1041 , HB2286

Committee: Senate Business & Commerce

Keywords: nuclear energy, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, energy policy, regulation repeal, state energy strategy, licensing, reciprocity, regulation, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, interstate agreements, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, HB 132, Texas Government Code Chapter 418, Public Information Act, confidential records, homeland security, foreign adversary, terrorism

Summary: The committee first took up pending business and quickly reported several measures favorably, including HB 12, SB 1361, SB 1705, SB 1749, SB 1897, SB 2344, SB 2566, HB 3809, and HB 4215, with most sent to the Local and Uncontested Calendar. HB 12’s substitute clarified a limited midterm review of regulatory agencies tied to Sunset Commission recommendations. SB 2696’s substitute changed med spa regulation from a license to a certificate, with training instead of an exam, plus background checks, continuing education, and two-year renewals. HB 3809 dealt with battery energy storage decommissioning and recycling, and HB 4215 was reported without a substitute. SB 1978, concerning interconnection of electric facilities in ERCOT and federal jurisdiction concerns, was reported out on a 5-3 vote after debate, but then the chair later announced the bill was withdrawn and left pending subject to the call of the chair. HB 1899 was also reported favorably, with one nay. A major portion of the meeting focused on HB 14, the advanced nuclear energy bill. Senator Schwertner described it as creating a Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, a nuclear permitting coordinator, a development fund, a completion grant program, and a workforce development program. Testimony was sharply divided. Supporters, including representatives from Fermi America, Dow/X-energy, CPS Energy, Paragon Energy Solutions, Bridge to Nuclear, Aalo Atomics, and the Texas Association of Business, argued that Texas should lead in advanced nuclear, citing future baseload demand, data centers, industrial power needs, supply-chain development, and long-term energy diversification. Opponents, including Public Citizen, Texas Nuclear Watchdogs, Sierra Club, and individual citizens, argued the bill would subsidize unproven, expensive technology, create grants rather than loans, and expose taxpayers to major risk while doing little to meet near-term energy needs. Several members questioned whether the state should fund projects that may not produce grid power for years, and whether the bill’s grant structure and new office were justified. The committee also heard HB 5061, which Senator Schwertner said would prohibit unethical surveillance and misuse of confidential information by state contractors, create a confidential reporting system through the State Auditor’s Office, authorize Texas Rangers investigations, protect whistleblowers, and impose penalties including contract termination, fines, and contracting bans. No public testimony was offered, and the bill was left pending. HB 132, sponsored by Senator Hughes, would extend confidentiality protections for sensitive information to hostile acts by foreign adversaries; it was also left pending after no testimony. HB 1584 was then laid out, with Senator Schwertner explaining it would require utilities to maintain and update priority restoration lists for critical facilities after Hurricane Beryl exposed communication failures, but the transcript cuts off before any action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• I also taught Advanced Placement English, and there are many books on that test that could be banned
• Khaled Hosseini, and yet these are wonderful works of literature that are on the Advanced Placement test

Bills: SB2101 , SB2334 , SB2633 , SB2637 , SB2713 , SB2781 , SB2782 , SB3059 , HB 1130

Committee: Senate State Affairs

Keywords: minors, sexually explicit materials, public libraries, age verification, civil penalties, library collection review, alcohol storage, airline permits, beverage regulations, airport, commercial flights, alcoholic beverages, local option election, zoning regulations, municipality control, land use, state law, social media, bot accounts, misinformation

Summary: The committee first reopened public testimony on Senate Bill 2713, which concerned protections for freedom of conscience in the context of Realtor association discipline. Texas Realtors representatives testified that their organization is a separate Texas legal entity but affiliated with the National Association of Realtors through a charter and code of ethics. They said Texas Realtors is neutral on SB 2713, that their ethics process is focused on fair housing and equal professional service, and that they have not suspended or terminated anyone in Texas for religious or political speech. Senators pressed them on whether national standards could override Texas law and on examples from other states; the witnesses said state and federal law control and that they would comply with Texas law if the bill passed. Public testimony then closed and SB 2713 was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bill 1698 on e-cigarettes. Senator Parker explained a committee substitute that tightened enforcement, required distributor registration, expanded regulation to nicotine from any source, added restrictions on child-appealing packaging, authorized inspections and audits, and set compliance deadlines later in 2025 and 2026. After questions, the substitute was adopted and SB 1698, as substituted, was reported favorably to the full Senate on a 6-0 vote, with a recommendation for the local and uncontested calendar. Next, the committee considered Senate Bill 2487 on crisis and mental health facilities. Senator Parker described a substitute that renamed the program a crisis service model, allowed multiple county facilities, added local siting limits, expanded staffing options, shortened clinical timelines, required discharge referrals, directed law enforcement and EMS to transport people there first, and created local boards and expanded reporting. The substitute was adopted and the bill was reported favorably on a 6-0 vote, also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. Senate Bill 2819, dealing with political activities of county elections administrators, was then reported favorably on a 6-0 vote and likewise sent to the local and uncontested calendar. Senate Bill 2043 was withdrawn. The committee spent substantial time on Senate Bill 2101, which would require municipal public libraries to move sexually explicit materials out of minors’ sections and impose age-verification and review requirements. Supporters argued the bill would protect children from explicit material in public libraries and that libraries should not be left to self-regulate. Opponents, including librarians, parents, authors, and ACLU representatives, argued the definitions were vague, the bill would be costly and burdensome for small libraries, could function as a book ban, and would restrict teens’ access to classics, research materials, and other books. Several witnesses said parents should make those decisions, not the state. The bill’s author said the committee substitute was still being worked on and asked witnesses to review it; public testimony remained open in the portion provided, with no final action on SB 2101 shown.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're trying to test that.
• I think it's one of those things we do have to investigate the site and test to know what's going to

Bills: HB1523 , HB2109 , HB2694 , HB3525 , HB3898 , HB4646 , HB5188 , HB5219 , HB5320 , HB5651 , HB5655 , HB5659 , HB5662 , HB5672

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard House Bill 2109, which would remove certain long-proposed reservoir projects from the state water plan after 50 years without progress. Chairman Van Deaver and many landowners, local officials, timber interests, and conservation advocates testified in support, arguing that the Marvin Nichols Reservoir has burdened Northeast Texas landowners for decades with the threat of eminent domain, depressed property values, and uncertainty over homes, farms, ranches, schools, churches, and cemeteries. Supporters also said the project would flood tens of thousands of acres, require extensive mitigation, harm timber and agriculture, and that Texas now has better alternatives such as conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and desalination. Several members expressed sympathy for the affected families and questioned whether a project could remain in the plan indefinitely without progress. Opposition came from North Texas water interests, including the North Texas Commission, Tarrant Regional Water District, and the Texas Water Association, who argued that the bill would interfere with the state’s long-term water planning process and remove needed future supply options for a fast-growing region. They said Region C faces major projected shortages by 2070, that conservation and reuse have already delayed the need for new supplies, and that reservoirs remain one tool in the state’s water-planning toolbox. TWDB staff explained the existing inter-regional conflict process and noted that the substitute would affect several unique reservoir sites, not just Marvin Nichols. After testimony, Chairman Van Deaver closed by urging passage of the bill, but the committee withdrew the substitute and left HB 2109 pending. The committee then took up House Bill 5188, a brackish groundwater bill. The author said the bill would reduce permitting burdens for wells in designated brackish groundwater production zones, and the committee substitute added requirements on monitoring, groundwater-rights ownership, and allocation of pumpage limits while removing some exclusions and export-fee provisions. Texas Wildlife Association testified against the bill, warning that the exemptions could weaken groundwater conservation districts’ ability to protect freshwater resources and surface-owner rights. San Antonio Water System testified in favor, saying brackish groundwater is a key future supply and that the substitute would help speed development of desalination and brackish projects. The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts testified neutrally but raised concerns about reduced district oversight, especially around injection-well exclusions and the loss of export fees, and said discussions on the bill were ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• where they train folks all over the state using the internet, and then you go to a local site to be tested
• and credentialed if you can pass the test.

Bills: SCR 22 , SB 53 , SB 204 , SB 266 , SB 268 , SB 291 , SB 292 , SB 296 , SB 304 , SB 305 , SB 413 , SB 447 , SB 455 , SB 462 , SB 493 , SB 504 , SB 519 , SB 522 , SB 532 , SB 541 , SB 667 , SB 670 , SB 673 , SB 681 , SB 687 , SB 711 , SB 746 , SB 765 , SB 783 , SB 827 , SB 850 , SB 860 , SB 888 , SB 897 , SB 901 , SB 927 , SB 955 , SB 963 , SB 984 , SB 989 , SB 993 , SB 996 , SB 1023 , SB 1033 , SB 1058 , SB 1062 , SB 1101 , SB 1119 , SB 1172 , SB 1173 , SB 1215 , SB 1220 , SB 1227 , SB 1228 , SB 1229 , SB 1238 , SB 1239 , SB 1245 , SB 1248 , SB 1254 , SB 1259 , SB 1273 , SB 1277 , SB 1302 , SB 1332 , SB 1341 , SB 1346 , SB 1350 , SB 1352 , SB 1353 , SB 1355 , SB 1358 , SB 1370 , SB 1371 , SB 1378 , SB 1403 , SB 1404 , SB 1415 , SB 1437 , SB 1448 , SB 1450 , SB 1464 , SB 1493 , SB 1494 , SB 1537 , SB 1566 , SB 1569 , SB 1589 , SB 1598 , SB 1644 , SB 1709 , SB 1719 , SB 1729 , SB 1733 , SB 1744 , SB 1772 , SB 1810 , SB 1841 , SB 1895 , SB 1930 , SB 2039 , SB 2289 , SB 2312 , SCR 1 , SCR 6 , SCR 27 , SCR 32 , SB 2232 , SJR 4 , SJR 27 , SJR 40 , SB 22 , SB 33 , SB 36 , SB 37 , SB 38 , SB 95 , SB 209 , SB 249 , SB 311 , SB 365 , SB 605 , SB 618 , SB 619 , SB 732 , SB 745 , SB 760 , SB 762 , SB 779 , SB 783 , SB 785 , SB 819 , SB 871 , SB 883 , SB 1057 , SB 1059 , SB 1067 , SB 1080 , SB 1171 , SB 1210 , SB 1255 , SB 1265 , SB 1271 , SB 1313 , SB 1314 , SB 1316 , SB 1318 , SB 1320 , SB 1332 , SB 1365 , SB 1426 , SB 1470 , SB 1494 , SB 1541 , SB 1559 , SB 1567 , SB 1592 , SB 1596 , SB 1598 , SB 1677 , SB 1706 , SB 1750 , SB 1758 , SB 1786 , SB 1791 , SB 1810 , SB 1818 , SB 1841 , SB 1851 , SB 1871 , SB 1967 , SB 2024 , SB 2077 , SB 2148 , SB 2321 , SB 2365 , SB 2420 , SB 2425 , SJR 36 , SJR 50 , SJR 4 , SJR 40 , SJR 27 , SJR 39 , SCR 22 , SCR 12 , SCR 39 , SCR 38 , SCR 37 , SCR 1 , SCR 27 , SCR 32 , SCR 42 , SCR 6 , SB 779 , SB 1470 , SB 765 , SB 62 , SB 666 , SB 888 , SB 687 , SB 847 , SB 1248 , SB 504 , SB 305 , SB 296 , SB 284 , SB 304 , SB 1023 , SB 204 , SB 670 , SB 850 , SB 854 , SB 413 , SB 1346 , SB 1033 , SB 1220 , SB 1073 , SB 810 , SB 1539 , SB 447 , SB 1119 , SB 1505 , SB 1215 , SB 1302 , SB 583 , SB 673 , SB 681 , SB 1172 , SB 955 , SB 957 , SB 541 , SB 266 , SB 1415 , SB 53 , SB 1352 , SB 785 , SB 1450 , SB 1502 , SB 1566 , SB 1062 , SB 711 , SB 746 , SB 1404 , SB 1448 , SB 507 , SB 1026 , SB 1349 , SB 1355 , SB 1433 , SB 1434 , SB 1596 , SB 1403 , SB 667 , SB 1059 , SB 1567 , SB 310 , SB 311 , SB 505 , SB 1210 , SB 264 , SB 1358 , SB 1364 , SB 1569 , SB 1376 , SB 1228 , SB 519 , SB 1350 , SB 462 , SB 827 , SB 1585 , SB 1273 , SB 927 , SB 1227 , SB 1229 , SB 1353 , SB 1464 , SB 1709 , SB 1729 , SB 1733 , SB 1744 , SB 1772 , SB 1841 , SB 2016 , SB 1173 , SB 1163 , SB 996 , SB 1370 , SB 1101 , SB 860 , SB 993 , SB 1537 , SB 1332 , SB 963 , SB 493 , SB 984 , SB 619 , SB 1122 , SB 455 , SB 522 , SB 1057 , SB 1239 , SB 1254 , SB 1255 , SB 1259 , SB 1341 , SB 1877 , SB 1277 , SB 732 , SB 731 , SB 268 , SB 1589 , SB 397 , SB 1058 , SB 1930 , SB 532 , SB 508 , SB 292 , SB 291 , SB 901 , SB 1333 , SB 1436 , SB 1494 , SB 964 , SB 1378 , SB 2312 , SB 1719 , SB 287 , SB 2143 , SB 1245 , SB 261 , SB 1247 , SB 1882 , SB 618 , SB 38 , SB 393 , SB 1371 , SB 1365 , SB 2243 , SB 2226 , SB 2039 , SB 1919 , SB 1895 , SB 1598 , SB 1493 , SB 1810 , SB 1791 , SB 1706 , SB 1644 , SB 1238 , SB 783 , SB 22 , SB 651 , SB 897 , SB 1080 , SB 745 , SB 826 , SB 989 , SB 1320 , SB 1437 , SB 2289 , SB 1171 , SB 1079 , SB 1243 , SB 1504 , SB 1851 , SB 1879 , SB 2237 , SB 1257 , SB 2034 , SB 1522 , SB 883 , SB 249 , SB 1318 , SB 1151 , SB 596 , SB 1191 , SB 226 , SB 570 , SB 870 , SB 991 , SB 60 , SB 365 , SB 1067 , SB 1786 , SB 326 , SB 1401 , SB 1592 , SB 1728 , SB 1265 , SB 586 , SB 529 , SB 217 , SB 209 , SB 1923 , SB 1559 , SB 1839 , SB 387 , SB 1874 , SB 1872 , SB 1873 , SB 1921 , SB 1883 , SB 1677 , SB 95 , SB 1620 , SB 1838 , SB 2024 , SB 2429 , SB 1999 , SB 511 , SB 2309 , SB 2166 , SB 871 , SB 510 , SB 33 , SB 2420 , SB 1860 , SB 1541 , SB 1316 , SB 1314 , SB 1313 , SB 1426 , SB 1398 , SB 1869 , SB 1750 , SB 1871 , SB 36 , SB 855 , SB 1233 , SB 760 , SB 2425 , SB 2037 , SB 1758 , SB 1759 , SB 2365 , SB 1924 , SB 762 , SB 1271 , SB 1818 , SB 605 , SB 1405 , SB 1762 , SB 1968 , SB 1977 , SB 2077 , SB 2148 , SB 2321 , SB 1967 , SB 1662 , SB 1663 , SB 2124 , SB 2204 , SB 1855 , SB 863 , SB 37 , SB 2232 , SB 819 , SB 2078 , SB 2252 , SB 1962 , SB 2253 , SB 825 , SB 1577 , SB 1184 , SB 2018 , SB 2206 , SB 1901 , SB 1030 , SB 2368 , SB 1963 , SB 1960 , SB 1643 , SB 1625 , SB 1299 , SB 841 , SB 668 , SB 584 , SB 231 , SB 2411 , SB 1085 , SB 2431 , SB 2231 , SB 1490 , SB 530 , SB 34 , SB 1261 , SB 552 , SB 1099 , SB 1646 , SB 2180 , SB 1804 , SB 1937 , SB 1936 , SB 2569 , SB 1372 , SB 1208 , SB 1124 , SB 1506 , SB 1806 , SB 1868 , SB 2361 , SB 2314 , SB 769 , SB 1409 , SB 2122 , SB 434 , SB 1214 , SB 1951 , SB 2183 , SB 2046 , SB 1667 , SB 1870 , SB 1727 , SB 2405 , SB 2127 , SB 1975 , SB 1760 , SB 1734 , SB 1335 , SB 2066 , SB 2129 , SB 2246 , SB 2439 , SJR 4 , SJR 40 , SB 36 , SB 249 , SB 311 , SB 365 , SB 745 , SB 785 , SB 871 , SB 1057 , SB 1067 , SB 1171 , SB 1255 , SB 1265 , SB 1271 , SB 1313 , SB 1316 , SB 1318 , SB 1365 , SB 1426 , SB 1559 , SB 1592 , SB 1677 , SB 1706 , SB 1786 , SB 1871 , SB 1967 , SB 2148 , SB 38 , SB 95 , SB 760 , SB 883 , SB 1059 , SB 1210 , SR 384 , SR 385 , SR 389 , SB 38 , SB 95 , SB 760 , SB 779 , SB 883 , SB 1059 , SB 1210 , SB 1470 , SCR 1 , SCR 6 , SCR 22 , SCR 27 , SCR 32 , SB 53 , SB 204 , SB 266 , SB 268 , SB 291 , SB 292 , SB 296 , SB 304 , SB 305 , SB 413 , SB 447 , SB 455 , SB 462 , SB 493 , SB 504 , SB 519 , SB 522 , SB 532 , SB 541 , SB 667 , SB 670 , SB 673 , SB 681 , SB 687 , SB 711 , SB 746 , SB 765 , SB 783 , SB 827 , SB 850 , SB 860 , SB 888 , SB 897 , SB 901 , SB 927 , SB 955 , SB 963 , SB 984 , SB 989 , SB 993 , SB 996 , SB 1023 , SB 1033 , SB 1058 , SB 1062 , SB 1101 , SB 1119 , SB 1172 , SB 1173 , SB 1215 , SB 1220 , SB 1227 , SB 1228 , SB 1229 , SB 1238 , SB 1239 , SB 1245 , SB 1248 , SB 1254 , SB 1259 , SB 1273 , SB 1277 , SB 1302 , SB 1332 , SB 1341 , SB 1346 , SB 1350 , SB 1352 , SB 1353 , SB 1355 , SB 1358 , SB 1370 , SB 1371 , SB 1378 , SB 1403 , SB 1404 , SB 1415 , SB 1437 , SB 1448 , SB 1450 , SB 1464 , SB 1493 , SB 1494 , SB 1537 , SB 1566 , SB 1569 , SB 1589 , SB 1598 , SB 1644 , SB 1709 , SB 1719 , SB 1729 , SB 1733 , SB 1744 , SB 1841 , SB 1895 , SB 1930 , SB 2039 , SB 2232 , SB 2289 , SB 2312 , SB 1772 , SB 1810 , SB 1540 , SB 2660 , SB 1540 , SB 2660

Keywords: SCR 22, Senate Concurrent Resolution 22, official state gun, state symbol, cannon, artillery, Texas Revolution, Battle of Gonzales, Come and Take It, Alamo, San Jacinto, Twin Sisters, Sam Houston, Angelina Eberly, Texas history, historic weapon, commemorative resolution, state emblem, Texas heritage, Gonzales Memorial Museum

Transcript Highlights:

• And this tax cut and job act Act certainly didn't meet that test, which was a test for me.

Committee: Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Keywords: joint hearing, small business, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, economic recovery, tax relief, job creation

Summary: In this joint hearing of the House Committee on Small Business and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the primary focus was on the importance of making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) permanent. The chair emphasized that small businesses are crucial for the nation's economic recovery, especially in the wake of current federal policies perceived as detrimental. Witnesses shared their experiences and highlighted how the tax cuts facilitated job creation and business expansion, stressing the need for continued support through ongoing tax relief measures. The meeting included discussions about the economic implications of the TCJA's potential expiration, with members voicing their concerns regarding how this could impact small businesses and the broader economy.

Transcript Highlights:

• grown, so too has the discussion of PFOS-free turnouts, which are still in development and have been tested
• This gear has been sold to us as a safer alternative to our old PPE that still meets the required testing

Summary: The committee heard a series of labor-related bills, with most measures focused on worker training, privacy, wages, and safety. AB 296 would require schools or districts to host apprenticeship fairs at least once a year, with flexibility on how they are run and whether programs outside the county can participate. Supporters said it would help connect students to skilled trades and address workforce shortages; school administrators opposed the bill as an unfunded mandate that could be impractical for elementary schools. The bill was later moved on call, with the committee noting it could not vote until quorum was established. AB 1221 and AB 1331 both addressed workplace surveillance. AB 1221 would restrict invasive monitoring tools, require notice to workers, limit the use and sharing of worker data, and require human review before discipline based on surveillance outputs. Labor groups supported the bill as a response to AI-driven monitoring, while business groups raised concerns about broad definitions, security cameras, investigations, and data-access provisions. AB 1331 focused more narrowly on privacy in off-duty and private spaces, limiting surveillance in places like restrooms, break areas, vehicles, and homes; hospitals and business groups opposed it as too broad and potentially disruptive to safety, cybersecurity, and facility monitoring. Both bills were advanced by committee vote. The committee also heard AB 1181, which would require firefighter turnout gear to be free of cancer-causing chemicals such as PFAS by 2027, and AB 1198, which would require prevailing wage rates on public works to reflect the wage in effect when the work is performed rather than when the project was first advertised. Firefighter representatives strongly supported AB 1181, while the chemical industry asked to continue working on scope and timelines. AB 1198 drew support from labor and contractor groups but opposition from local governments and housing groups concerned about mid-project cost increases; it was passed to Appropriations after a roll-call vote. Other measures approved included AB 1235 on skilled-and-trained workers for CSU construction, AB 1251 on ghost job postings, AB 552 on locating the Agricultural Labor Relations Board office outside Sacramento, AB 1110 on updating Cal/OSHA workplace posters, AB 1136 on expanding high road training partnerships, and AB 1234 on wage claim enforcement. AB 692, which would ban employer debt agreements that require workers to repay training or other costs if they leave a job, drew strong support from nurses and labor advocates and opposition from business and health care groups; it was also passed on a roll-call vote.

Transcript Highlights:

• heard about this bill, the provision that really shocked me was that a minor child can go and get tested
• young people feel comfortable talking to their parents about whether they need birth control or STI testing

Summary: The committee took up a large health and human services agenda and first approved HB 711, the Spectrum Alert bill, which would create a statewide alert system for missing autistic children and require FDLE to coordinate training with state and local agencies. The measure drew a supportive waiver from the Florida Smart Justice Alliance and passed unanimously, 24-0, reported favorably. Members then considered CS for HB 229 on health facilities, which modernizes the Health Facilities Authority Act to allow additional nonprofit health system structures to use tax-exempt financing. Two amendments were adopted: one requiring advance notice, public hearings, and stakeholder notifications before a nonprofit hospital closure, and another removing a property tax exemption for a nonprofit hospital that closes and fails to maintain emergency services for 120 days, applied retroactively to January 1, 2025. The Florida Hospital Association opposed the amendments, citing workforce and nonprofit-status concerns, but the bill as amended passed 24-0. The committee also approved CS for HB 1405 on juvenile justice status offenders, expanding early truancy intervention, parent involvement, and shelter placement review timelines; it passed 24-0. CS for HB 27, joining the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, and its linked public records bill CS for HB 29 both passed unanimously after supportive testimony from several advocacy and business groups. The committee then debated HB 111 on out-of-network referrals and HB 1083 on patient access to records. HB 111 would require referring practitioners to inform patients in writing when a referral is out of network and to apply out-of-network payments to deductibles; it drew opposition from medical groups over administrative burden and patient-care concerns, but passed 17-8. HB 1083 would shorten the time for producing medical records to 14 working days and standardize access rules, with amendments clarifying portal access and delaying the effective date to January 1, 2026; despite opposition from some health information and provider groups over HIPAA and access concerns, it passed 19-7 as amended. Later, the committee approved HB 883, allowing autonomous practice for psychiatric nurse practitioners with the required credentials, after strong support from nurse practitioner groups and opposition from psychiatric and medical associations; it passed 23-3. HB 1297, which aligns Florida’s electronic prescribing exceptions with federal law and removes several state exemptions, passed 19-7 despite opposition from hospice, emergency physician, rheumatology, and medical groups concerned about paper prescriptions in emergencies and hard-to-find medications. HB 1353 on home health care services and CS for HB 989 on foster home licensure transfers both passed unanimously after supportive amendments. The committee also heard HB 1505 on parental rights, which would require written parental consent for many health care services, surveys, and biofeedback devices for minors and expand parental access to records; the bill drew extensive support testimony but also questions and concerns about confidentiality, abuse reporting, and existing exceptions, and the transcript ended before a final vote on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• The super tested scout drive house is the single largest accountability unit, successfully reviewed 616
• developments do not happen without the state low-income housing tax credit so they passed the but-for test

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• pens at a new U.S. facility for upcoming clinical trials and conducting product quality and stability tests
• transit and while at rest, and independent third-party audits that include both technical penetration testing

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The next thing that we will do is we will require that every means-tested public benefit will use what's
• If you're a legal immigrant and you're applying for a public means-tested benefit, you already provide

Bills: HB43 , SB81 , SB178 , SB138 , SB89 , SB183 , HB27 , HB188 , HB199 , HB190 , SB117 , HB43 , HB27

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: criminal procedure, split sentencing, probation, Class A felony, Class B felony, minimum confinement, speedy trial, visiting judge, court administration, violent crimes, Alabama Supreme Court, employment, criminal record, certificate of employability, occupational licensing, negligent hiring, rehabilitation, limited relief, tribal police, law enforcement

Transcript Highlights:

• e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e Test. I can hear you. Test. No, it's the same thing.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee met on House Bill 637, which was described as a measure to make whole certain New Hampshire Retirement System retirees who were not included when Senate Bill 57 was incorporated into the 2023 budget. The chair and several members reviewed the bill’s legislative history and fiscal impact, citing estimates that the broader change would cost about $1.4 million to the state and $5.74 million to municipalities, with an actuarial liability increase of about $45 million. The chair argued that the omission of already-retired members was not an oversight but a policy choice made in the Senate, based on the bill’s prospective language and the budget process used in 2023. Testimony and discussion focused on whether the bill should be treated as a fairness correction or as an expensive policy expansion. Supporters, including retirees and representatives of employee groups, said the language was unclear, the fiscal note did not match the bill’s effect, and the change would unfairly leave out actual retirees who had expected the same treatment as active members. They also argued that the retirement system historically linked benefits to Social Security and that the bill would restore equity for those affected. Opponents emphasized the cost, the prospective nature of the original language, and the view that the Senate knowingly chose not to extend the change retroactively. After discussion, the chair moved to recommend the bill inexpedient to legislate, and the motion was seconded. Members then heard brief public comments after the motion was withdrawn and reintroduced because of the weather and the public’s travel. At the final vote, the subcommittee recommended inexpedient to legislate on a 3-2 vote, with the chair noting that the full committee would take up other bills at a later subcommittee hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• Moreover, this limiting audits have been tested or required in at least 11 other states, including Maine

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Election Laws

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Committee on Election Laws held a hearing on election security bills, focusing first on S. 517 and H. 876, which would strengthen Massachusetts’ post-election audit process. Testimony from the Brennan Center, Common Cause Massachusetts, Verified Voting, and the League of Women Voters supported expanding audits to include all ballot types, increasing audit frequency from every four years to every two years, requiring statewide audit reports to be posted within 30 days and kept online for six years, and allowing municipalities to conduct audits under state standards. Witnesses also praised the bill’s creation of a work group to study risk-limiting audits and other improvements, emphasizing public confidence, transparency, and the ability of audits to detect errors or deter fraud. Committee members asked detailed questions about how Massachusetts compares with other states, how risk-limiting audits differ from current tabulation audits, how audits are selected and expanded if discrepancies appear, and what the costs and mechanics of different audit methods would be. Witnesses explained that current audits are typically random, hand-count-based checks of selected contests and batches of ballots, that risk-limiting audits use statistical sampling and can escalate to a full recount if needed, and that Massachusetts’ local-control structure makes a collaborative work group useful. They also noted that audits generally confirm results but can uncover errors that do not change outcomes, and occasionally more serious problems. The committee then heard testimony on H. 832, which would authorize the Secretary of the Commonwealth to take emergency actions affecting elections during declared emergencies. Supporters said the bill would create a clear statutory process for rescheduling or adjusting elections during severe weather or other crises, including allowing emergency absentee ballot accommodations for civilian responders, and would reduce the need for court intervention. No votes were taken on the bills during the hearing, and the meeting ended with adjournment after no additional testimony was offered.

Transcript Highlights:

• We do testing on our own farm for different technologies that can help us in conservation.

Bills: HB3183 , HB4316 , HB4484 , HB3469 , HB3464 , HB3173 , HB3989

Committee: Senate Energy

Keywords: electric utilities, grid congestion, transmission technology, advanced power flow controllers, dynamic line rating, energy efficiency, rural water service, district organization, emergency legislation, Oklahoma, water management, state vehicles, state-owned vehicles, state-leased vehicles, motor vehicle use, commuting use, personal use, fleet management, Corporation Commission, field inspectors

Transcript Highlights:

• Gymkhana is a timed, skill-based competition designed to test speed, precision, and maneuvering, primarily

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing it does is it says that driving schools can administer the written portion of the test

Bills: SB137 , SB504 , SB1213 , SB1216 , SB1221 , SB1224 , SB1232 , SB1238 , SB1255 , SB1256 , SB1258 , SB1264 , SB1266 , SB1325 , SB1441 , SB1448 , SB1450 , SB1460 , SB1496 , SB1543 , SB1589 , SB1597 , SB1621 , SB1655 , SB1679 , SB1687 , SB1716 , SB1730 , SB1733 , SB1769 , SB1921 , SB1932 , SB1936 , SB1980 , SB2011 , SB2030 , SB2084 , SB2112 , SB2170 , SB2182

Committee: House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight

Keywords: electronic monitoring, Department of Corrections, criminal justice, rehabilitation, public safety, SB504, marriage, child marriage, minor marriage, age of consent, minimum marriage age, underage marriage, teen marriage, parental consent, judicial approval, marriage license, Oklahoma Title 43, family law, juvenile justice, Department of Human Services

Transcript Highlights:

• The other thing it does is it says that driving schools can administer the written portion of the test

Bills: SB137 , SB504 , SB1213 , SB1216 , SB1221 , SB1224 , SB1232 , SB1238 , SB1255 , SB1256 , SB1258 , SB1264 , SB1266 , SB1325 , SB1441 , SB1448 , SB1450 , SB1460 , SB1496 , SB1543 , SB1589 , SB1597 , SB1621 , SB1655 , SB1679 , SB1687 , SB1716 , SB1730 , SB1733 , SB1769 , SB1921 , SB1932 , SB1936 , SB1980 , SB2011 , SB2030 , SB2084 , SB2112 , SB2170 , SB2182

Committee: House Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight

Keywords: electronic monitoring, Department of Corrections, criminal justice, rehabilitation, public safety, SB504, marriage, child marriage, minor marriage, age of consent, minimum marriage age, underage marriage, teen marriage, parental consent, judicial approval, marriage license, Oklahoma Title 43, family law, juvenile justice, Department of Human Services

Summary: The committee heard a long series of Senate bills covering criminal justice, public safety, family law, and administrative changes. Measures discussed included penalties for impersonating a notary or law enforcement officer, consolidating DUI charges, allowing motor carriers to represent themselves at Corporation Commission hearings, drone trespass penalties over critical infrastructure, expanding protections for contract employees under assault and battery laws, copper theft felony penalties, raising the marriage age to 18 with no exceptions, expanding the definition of great bodily injury for domestic abuse cases, post-adoption contact for services, driver’s license and testing changes, expungement system automation delays, consumer protection clarifications, gambling penalty updates, OSBI authority and fee changes, gift card protections, medical parole eligibility decisions, firearm transport on boats, caps on wrongful termination settlements at public institutions, GPS monitoring for certain domestic violence defendants, mandatory school reporting of inappropriate employee contact with students, expedited driver’s license delivery and tracking numbers, DOC credit modifications, drug court discretion, repeat peeping Tom and clandestine recording penalties, open pasture signage requirements, supervised visitation after DHS findings of sexual abuse, and victim notification by email from the Pardon and Parole Board. Most bills were presented by members as request or cleanup measures, with brief explanations and limited debate. Several bills drew questions about implementation, due process, costs, and scope, especially the domestic violence GPS monitoring bill and the DOC credit bill. The committee also discussed a bill to lower the age for marriage, which was reported out 10-1, and a domestic violence-related GPS tracking bill that passed 12-0 after questions about monitoring and payment. Another domestic violence bill expanding great bodily injury definitions passed 12-0, and a bill requiring supervised visitation after a DHS sexual abuse finding passed 13-0. Nearly all measures were reported out with unanimous or near-unanimous votes, including multiple 11-0, 12-0, 13-0, and 14-0 recommendations. A few bills had split votes, including the marriage-age bill at 10-1, the gambling penalty bill at 12-1, the OSBI record-check fee bill at 13-0, and the wrongful termination cap bill at 8-5. Several bills were laid over for a later meeting, and the committee adjourned after announcing it would continue work on Thursday.

Transcript Highlights:

• other health care providers have utilized those dollars through the years to assist in funding those tests

Committee: House Appropriations

Summary: The House Appropriations Committee met on April 13, 2026, and considered the main budget bills for fiscal year 2026-27. Members heard a broad overview of House Bill 1, the general appropriations bill, including the governor’s proposed budget, major funding items for education, workforce, corrections, health, and economic development, and a plan to use surplus funds to pay down LASERS’ unfunded liability. The committee discussed a 29-page amendment set that shifted savings from retirement and other areas into one-time expenditures, including FEMA Katrina debt, LSU, firefighter pay raises, crime victim reparations, rehabilitation services, and additional school choice support. Questions focused on the MFP per-pupil adjustment, the crime victim reparations shortfall, LSU funding, waiver slots, and whether the bill remained at a standstill overall. The committee adopted the amendments and reported HB 1 favorably as amended, making it Special Order No. 1 for April 16. The committee then took up House Bill 312, the supplemental appropriations bill, which also redirected the full $144.3 million surplus payment to LASERS and used savings from MFP, Medicaid forecast changes, and other reductions to fund statewide initiatives. Those included LED, corrections, DOTD road projects, public safety, IT modernization, school safety, firefighting equipment, community and technical college workforce programs, and DCFS shortfalls. Members raised questions about mental health funding and the retirement payment strategy; the amendments were adopted and HB 312 was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 4. House Bill 313, the funds bill, was amended to make additional deposits into the State Emergency and Response Fund, Voting Technology Fund, oil and gas regulatory funds, geological storage, reading enrichment, Imagination Library, and conservation accounts; it was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 5. House Bill 314, the revenue sharing distribution bill, received amendments inserting fiscal year 2027 distribution numbers and was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 7. The committee also advanced House Bill 383, the ancillary expenses bill, which covers self-generated, dedicated, and federal funds for agencies such as Group Benefits, Risk Management, Prison Enterprises, and Technology Services; a technical amendment updated accounting-standard references, and the bill was reported favorably as amended and set as Special Order No. 6. House Bill 983, the judiciary budget, was amended with a technical date correction and reported favorably as amended; members discussed funding for judges, staff pay, FINS, and whether pending legislation affecting Orleans Parish judges would later change the budget. House Bill 1126, the legislative branch budget, was reported favorably without amendment after brief questions about the Law Institute increase, and HCR 3, the hospital stabilization formula resolution tied to Medicaid hospital reimbursements, was reported favorably and set as Special Order No. 8. The committee also made HB 983 Special Order No. 9 and HB 1126 Special Order No. 10 for April 16, authorized technical corrections on adopted amendments, and adjourned after the chair thanked members and staff for their work.

Transcript Highlights:

• other health care providers have utilized those dollars through the years to assist in funding those tests

Bills: HB1 , HB312 , HB313 , HB314 , HB383 , HB983 , HB1126 , HCR3

Committee: House Appropriations

Keywords: state budget, appropriations, education funding, public health, social services, government operations, state institutions, budget, funding, state general fund, local government, fiscal year, economic development, state treasury, emergency response, education, voting technology, sustainability, revenue sharing, fund distribution

Transcript Highlights:

• ability to take it. ...is talking about creating a residential-only plumbing ability to sit for the test

Bills: HB4248 , HB4429 , HB2588 , HB3472 , HB4317 , HB3462 , HB2035 , HB3501 , HB3127 , HB3143 , HB3144 , HB3260 , HB4321 , HB3011 , HB3522 , HB3530

Committee: Senate Business and Insurance

Keywords: HB4248, hemp beverage, hemp drinks, THC beverage, cannabis beverage, intoxicating hemp, age restriction, under 21, minor possession, youth access, public health and safety, Title 63, Oklahoma Statutes, retail sales, alcohol-style regulation, controlled substances, beverage regulation, proxy advisory services, shareholder rights, financial transparency

Summary: The Business and Insurance Committee met with a quorum and laid over Item 8. Members first took up House Bill 4248, which was amended to prohibit anyone under 21 from buying, selling, delivering, furnishing, or possessing beverages containing hemp. Pro Tem Paxton explained the bill as a response to THC-infused hemp drinks being sold in convenience stores, and the committee passed the bill 9-0. The committee then approved a nomination for Stephen Brickle of Moore to the Alarm, Locksmith, and Fire Sprinkler Industry Committee for a four-year term ending June 30, 2030, also by a 9-0 vote. Members next passed House Bill 4429, the Proxy Advisor Transparency Act, which requires proxy advisors to disclose when recommendations are not based on a written financial analysis and allows enforcement through the Attorney General and civil actions; it passed 9-0 after questions about ESG-related considerations. Several other bills were considered and advanced, including House Bill 2588 on HOA board eligibility for resident owners, House Bill 3472 on tire pyrolysis facilities, House Bill 4317 on CPA exam eligibility, House Bill 3462 on plumbing licensing, House Bill 2035 on funeral transportation agreements, House Bill 3501 on multiple alcohol manufacturing licenses on one premises, House Bill 3127 and House Bill 3143 on medical marijuana regulation, House Bill 3144 on limiting grower licenses, House Bill 3260 on funeral director continuing education approval, House Bill 4321 on labor rules for existing structures, and House Bills 3011, 3522, and 3530 on home brewer licensing, ABLE Commission reporting, and purchase-record timing. Most measures passed on unanimous or near-unanimous votes, with a few receiving one no vote. The meeting adjourned after all listed items were heard.

Transcript Highlights:

• Vice-chair culture will now proceed to testimony on House file. 34 62 our first test fire for the day

Keywords: 1183, house