Transcript Highlights:

• How will they be able to compete with college applications? And as mentioned...
• It just was a lot of competing priorities. Okay. All right. Well, thank you.
• necessary correction so that the children in Haverhill and similar communities have a fair shot to compete
• Haverhill and Methuen and Lawrence and Lowell and the Merrimack Valley to a place where they can compete
• Departments that should collaborate end up competing.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Education opened a hybrid public hearing on a large slate of bills related to school buildings, school finance, technology, data privacy, safety, and related education issues. Chairs Jason Lewis and Ken Gordon outlined procedures for the hearing, including two-minute testimony limits and the plan to group similar bills together. Several bills drew no testimony and were closed without further discussion, while others drew extensive testimony from legislators, school officials, parents, advocates, and educators. A major theme was school safety and student well-being. Lori Al-Hadeth testified in support of bills on alert systems in public schools, describing the loss of her daughter in the Parkland shooting and urging adoption of Alyssa’s Law-style panic alert technology. Representative Gallagher and disability advocates also supported a bill authorizing, but not requiring, airway clearance devices in schools, arguing they could save lives in choking emergencies and provide an option for people who cannot use the Heimlich maneuver. Another bill on reducing cafeteria waste drew support from a legislator and a Lexington sustainability official, who said installing dishwashers during construction would reduce waste and long-term costs. Much of the hearing focused on Chapter 70 school funding and the inflation cap. Senator Pavel Payano, Senator Sal DiDomenico, Representative Senna, and multiple local officials and school committee members from Bridgewater, Chelsea, Groton-Dunstable, and other districts argued that the 4.5% cap on inflation adjustments has left schools underfunded during years of high inflation, forcing layoffs, larger class sizes, and cuts to programs and student supports. They urged bills to eliminate the cap, restore lost funding, increase the Commonwealth’s share of the foundation budget, or create commissions to study reforms. Testimony also highlighted the impact on special education, English learners, and low-income students, with Chelsea witnesses saying the cap has cost their district about $7 million annually. School construction and MSBA reform were the other major topic. AIA Massachusetts, Boston Public Schools, Lynn officials, and AFT Massachusetts described aging facilities, overcrowding, deferred maintenance, and the difficulty of financing new schools under current reimbursement rules. Boston officials said the district has many pre-World War II buildings and has only built a handful of new schools in decades, while Lynn leaders said reimbursement rates have fallen well below the statutory 80% because of caps and ineligible costs. Witnesses urged modernization of the MSBA program, higher reimbursement rates, and more resources for school construction. The committee also heard support for a bill to study the adequacy and equity of the school building program, and chairs indicated some bills would be closed after no one signed up to testify.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're real for the legitimate providers who are forced to compete against bad actors, leering centers
• They're the honest providers trying to compete on an uneven playing field, and this bill is a chance
• legitimate providers who are<01:01:24.800> forced<01:01:25.080> to<01:01:25.120> compete
• are forced to compete are forced to compete against<01:01:27.040> bad<01:01:27.360> actors
• on an uneven providers trying to compete on an uneven playing<01:02:35.840> field<01:02:36.680

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up an urgency motion to recall House File 3819 from committee and advance it to final passage. Supporters said the bill was needed to address fraud in the child care assistance program (CCAP), citing recent FBI raids on child care centers, prior audit findings, and long-standing concerns about weak oversight. They described the bill as restoring a penalty of perjury for attendance records, requiring electronic attendance tracking, mandating unannounced inspections, and requiring camera monitoring for higher-funded providers so the state can verify attendance and reduce improper payments. Opponents argued the bill was not ready, raised concerns about cost, implementation, and the inclusion of camera surveillance, and said the language could create problems related to retention and possible misuse of video. One member said the state had already taken bipartisan action on child care fraud in prior sessions and that the larger fraud estimates being cited were overstated compared with convictions. Another member emphasized that electronic attendance monitoring was the one part they supported, but said the bill lacked clarity and a Senate companion. Members also discussed the history of CCAP fraud investigations, including earlier OLA reports, criminal investigations within DHS, and allegations that fraud vulnerabilities had been known for years. Supporters argued the bill would help recover taxpayer dollars and improve affordability by reducing fraud, while critics warned that added camera requirements could increase costs for providers and potentially threaten child care center viability. The debate included questions and answers about video retention, with the bill author stating the intended retention period was 90 days, though a member noted that language was not clearly visible in the version before the House.

Transcript Highlights:

• Our primary mission is to protect consumers, uphold ethical and competent practice, and respond to emerging
• costs for multi-state licensure, and increase professional opportunities while maintaining high competency
• But they have to take the law and ethics exam and pass that, and also take courses in cultural competency
• And from my perception, I want to assure you that does not increase the safety or competency of massage
• I've attended several of their board meetings and find them very well run by experienced and competent

Summary: The joint sunset oversight hearing reviewed five regulatory entities: the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Board of Psychology, the Physician Assistant Board, the Podiatric Medical Board, and the California Massage Therapy Council. Across the hearing, each entity described recent accomplishments, licensing and enforcement workload, workforce shortages, and efforts to modernize processes. Common themes included streamlining licensure, expanding access to care, addressing telehealth or emerging technology, and balancing consumer protection with workforce needs. For the Board of Behavioral Sciences, members discussed workforce shortages in mental health, supervision barriers, telehealth confidentiality, AI in therapy, interstate compacts, school-based services, and military spouse licensure. The board said it has expanded outreach, improved licensing processes, and created temporary practice authority tracking, while also expressing concern about counseling compacts and emphasizing California-specific law, ethics, and cultural competency. Public commenters supported the board’s work and the possible move to a national MFT exam, while also urging more resources. The Board of Psychology highlighted fee adjustments, streamlined licensure pathways, enforcement process improvements, new CPD requirements, and proposed changes including a psychotherapist-client privilege exception for investigations. Committee members and public witnesses focused heavily on that privilege proposal, with some members opposing it as too broad and privacy-invasive, while the board argued it is needed to obtain records in bias and sexual misconduct cases. The board also discussed workforce shortages, processing improvements, and the use of inactive status for psychological associates. The Physician Assistant Board reported growth in the PA workforce and education programs, SB 697 implementation, and financial pressure from rising enforcement costs. The main policy debate centered on physician-to-PA ratios and practice agreements, with board representatives and many public commenters arguing that current restrictions limit access to care, especially in rural areas, while the California Medical Association defended the need for explicit ratios and agreements. The board also discussed AI, fee increases, and tracking temporary practice authority. The Podiatric Medical Board described licensing and renewal reforms, residency expansion, enforcement support, and budget constraints, while public testimony raised concerns about a proposed fee increase and about reimbursement parity and practice recognition for podiatrists. Finally, the California Massage Therapy Council defended the certification model over licensure, citing lower costs, local government collaboration, anti-trafficking work, and its role in vetting applications and disciplining bad actors; no formal votes or final actions were taken during this portion of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm just saying, we're here talking about the. budget, how do we compete for the type of professionalism
• There's many that are in there that aren't competent to stand trial.
• And so once they restore competency do we have any data of how many folks are maybe put back into the
• So then once competency is determined is there step-down program or is it just okay back into the jail
• or back into something else that once competency we try to restore that competency so then folks can

Keywords: budget, House Bill 1, public education, healthcare, border security, federal funding, spending limits

Summary: The meeting primarily focused on reviewing the proposed budget for the upcoming biennium, with substantial discussions around House Bill 1 and its implications for public education, healthcare, and border security. The Comptroller presented a revenue overview indicating a total of $194.6 billion available for general purpose spending, which reflects a slight decrease compared to previous years due to fluctuating economic conditions. Members raised questions regarding spending limits and the impact of federal funding on state programs, highlighting concerns about the sustainability of funding in light of potential changes at the federal level.

Transcript Highlights:

• So the idea was that smaller tribes would compete against smaller tribes, larger tribes compete against
• So the idea was that smaller tribes would compete against smaller tribes, larger tribes compete against
• Continued cross-training on MMIP realities, trauma-informed responses, and cultural competency remains
• units nationwide, following allegations that the company used RealPage to align rental prices with competing

Summary: The hearing focused on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) grant program under the Board of State and Community Corrections and related Department of Justice efforts. BSCC reported that it now administers 36 MMIP grants across three cohorts, with awards ranging from $436,000 to $1 million, plus five collaborative grants at $2 million each, totaling $35.4 million awarded to federally recognized tribes. Testimony from tribal leaders and grantees described how the funding supports prevention, family advocacy, domestic violence services, law enforcement coordination, youth programming, culturally grounded healing, and new tribal public safety positions such as investigators, social workers, and drone operators. Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the crisis is longstanding, tied to generational trauma, and that the grant has helped build trust and infrastructure in tribal communities. Several witnesses and committee members urged continued and preferably ongoing funding, noting that demand now exceeds available one-time money. BSCC and tribal representatives described outreach efforts that increased participation from four applicants in cohort one to 20 in cohort two and more applicants than funding in cohort three. Tribes also raised implementation concerns, especially the burden of quarterly narrative reporting, limited staff capacity, and the need for flexible administration. BSCC said it uses steering committees, separate small- and large-project categories, orientations, monitoring visits, and technical assistance to support grantees. Tribal leaders and advocates stressed that the program should remain accessible without requiring a waiver of tribal sovereignty. The second major topic was DOJ’s update on AB 3099, the Tribal Assistance Program, and the tribal police pilot under AB 134. DOJ officials said the Office of Native American Affairs and the Division of Law Enforcement have been conducting outreach, trainings, listening sessions, and coordination with tribal, local, state, and federal partners to address Public Law 280 jurisdictional issues, improve reporting and data, and support Feather Alert and MMIP-related resources. DOJ said the AB 3099 report is in internal review and that the tribal police pilot is moving forward with the Yurok Tribe as a participant, with a July 1, 2026 start date. DOJ and tribal witnesses said the pilot’s main barriers are cost and, for some tribes, the waiver of sovereign immunity. No votes were taken, and the hearing ended with broad support for expanding and sustaining MMIP-related funding and infrastructure.

Transcript Highlights:

• What we need now is the policy—the policy that lets our restaurants compete, the policy that keeps our
• Now, while everyone won't be found competent, if a risk assessment is done, they will certainly show
• Now, while everyone won't be found competent, if a risk assessment is done, they will certainly show
• restoration can elicit sometimes unexpected results, including an individual being restored to competency
• We anticipate some individuals being found competent.

Bills: AB102, AB108, AB117, AB213, AB220, AB221, AB251, AB259, AB331, AB336, AB375, AB379, AB409, AB475, AB476, AB550, AB575, AB594, SB466

Keywords: emergency medical services, ambulance, licensing, health district, paramedic, training requirements, outdoor education, recreation, grant program, environment, funding, special license plates, vehicle registration, custom plates, state revenue, transportation, public works, prevailing wage, custom fabrication, nonstandard materials

Transcript Highlights:

• Physicians, especially surgeons, have an obligation to competently manage complications to achieve satisfactory
• Bottom line is people like me with bodies like mine, we deserve competent health care.
• But I have yet to find an endocrinologist or gynecologist who feels confident or competent enough to
• Transgender folks have a difficult time accessing competent and accessible care, period.
• So being from the Valley, cis or not, most people don't have access to competent healthcare in any way

Bills: HB778, HB 1266, HB1576, HB2213, HB2517, HB2518, HB2841, HB3306, HB3320, HB3388, HB3508, HB3520, HB3689

Keywords: credentialing, healthcare, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, managed care, hurricane, windstorm, loss mitigation, grants, insurance discounts, property retrofitting, insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, board composition, coastal counties, property insurance, taxation, Texas FAIR Plan Association, premium taxes, maintenance taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires that a defendant who is found incompetent and later regains competency have a mental health
• The pilot program helps restore competency and provide more comprehensive treatment.
• The program is that when we send people, normally, to regain their competency, they go to a forensic
• But there are other ways to regain competency without having people go to forensic hospitals that often
• It's just so that they're competent to be able to go back and stand trial.

Summary: The Appropriations Committee heard presentations on the Senate’s proposed 2025-2026 budget, SPB 25-200, totaling $117.4 billion. Chair Hooper and committee chairs highlighted major spending priorities including a 4% raise for state employees, continued health insurance contributions, investments in water quality, transportation, education infrastructure, and workforce development, along with reductions tied to long-vacant positions. Education funding was a major focus, with increases for K-12 public schools and scholarships, higher education workforce programs, nursing initiatives, tutoring, and university performance funding. Health and human services, criminal and civil justice, transportation/economic development, and agriculture/environment budgets were also outlined, including Medicaid, mental health, corrections staffing, affordable housing, beach restoration, citrus recovery, and water projects. Members then questioned several budget choices, especially K-12 funding. Senators Polsky and Smith raised concerns that the Senate’s AP and dual enrollment funding changes could disadvantage public schools, while Burgess argued the budget preserves the money in the FEFP and gives districts more flexibility rather than reducing support. Questions also addressed voucher availability, school stabilization funding, and the My Safe Florida Home program. The committee adopted 171 consent amendments and three late-file amendments, then approved SPB 2500 as a committee bill. It also favorably reported implementing and conforming bills for state employees, retirement, natural resources, judgeships, K-12 education, higher education, and health and human services, along with SB 7022 on Florida Retirement System contribution rates and elected-officer DROP options, CS/SB 1320 on the Resilient Florida Trust Fund, SB 7014 ending the Mediation and Arbitration Trust Fund, SB 7028 on cancer research, CS/CS/SB 170 on nursing home quality and oversight, CS/SB 168 on mental health diversion and behavioral health data, SB 114 creating an insurance and risk management research center at FSU, and SB 180 on emergency preparedness and post-storm recovery. Most bills were reported favorably with little or no opposition, though SB 180 drew discussion about local-government authority after storms and the need to balance recovery speed with local safety and planning concerns.

Transcript Highlights:

• regulatory entity, uh, whether that's at an existing agency to the extent we wanted to give it competence
• , you know, we would, at a certain timeline, try to stand up an entity or at least transfer the competence
• Do we have, um, do we have the competence in our existing utility regulator?
• They are very competent in those spaces and would need to be rolled in, in somehow, either a, a common
• Our state needs to learn from this and make nuclear power compete in the open energy market.

Bills: HB 14, HB 106, HB 146, HB 267, HB 274, HB 1127, HB 1359, HB 1393, HB 1584, HB 1640, HB 1710, HB 2152, HCR 101, HJR 8, HR 51

Keywords: nuclear energy, advanced reactors, energy security, grant programs, Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office, HB 106, oil and gas, Railroad Commission of Texas, overhead electrical lines, electrical distribution system, power line maintenance, administrative penalty, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas lease, well operator, energy safety, utility infrastructure, regulatory compliance, cleanup fund, oil and gas regulation and cleanup fund

Transcript Highlights:

• tiering, where brand-name drugs will come out, they'll give a rebate if the generic that's going to compete
• This is a place where it's a matter of competency. This is not a Republican-Democrat issue.
• If we can do the job that's been assigned to us that's CMS in a competent fashion, and revisit some of
• You and I are going to be in touch about making sure that Rhode Island's AHEAD program competes fairly
• We have a fight for staff when we have to compete with other hospitals within the same commuting range

Keywords: Michael Falkender, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, IRS, taxpayer privacy, nomination process, committee hearing

Summary: The committee convened to discuss critical issues surrounding the nomination of Michael Falkender for the position of Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. This meeting included a series of remarks from committee members who expressed divergent views on Falkender's qualifications and the implications of his appointment. Senator Wyden voiced strong opposition, arguing that Falkender represents harmful policies expected to be perpetuated under the current administration, especially concerning taxpayer privacy and IRS tactics. Meanwhile, other members defended Falkender, noting his extensive experience, including a commitment to transparency in government operations if confirmed.

Transcript Highlights:

• If they are going to compete with us, let them compete, but Stop using our tools to compete with us.
• Commerce does The Department of Commerce does significant work to ensure that U.S. companies are able to compete
• Chips and Science Act to target areas that will advance technological innovation and allow us to compete
• third bill that this committee has passed over decades under the auspices of a moniker, America Competes

Transcript Highlights:

• , and they compete with each other. other. other.
• He said they are competing for housing, and they are competing for jobs. college and leaving the state
• people who compete with them for<03:04:59.680> housing<03:05:00.600> and<03:05:00.760>
• with the young people people to compete with the young people that<03:05:09.040> we're<03:05:
• He said he would not say “displacing”; he would say “competing.”

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• How we going to compete with the bigger colleges if they decide to put themselves in a portal?
• with the bigger How we going to compete with the bigger colleges<00:05:19.840> if<00:05:19.960
• So, we all compete at the highest level.
• , Big West Conference, they compete, Big West Conference, they compete, qualify<00:09:07.920>
• asking to compete at that level.<00:09:14.040> I<00:09:14.080> agree.

Bills: SB3263, SB3261

Keywords: student-athletes, name image likeness, NIL, compensation, transparency, University of Hawaii, Title IX, funding, protections, athlete agents, student athletes, endorsement contracts, professional representation, registration requirements, sports law, 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on Senate Bill 3263, which would create a state-supported endowment for University of Hawaii athletics NIL (name, image, and likeness) funding. University of Hawaii Athletics Director Matt Eliott supported the bill, saying NIL requires both immediate funding and a longer-term sustainable solution. He asked for several changes: lowering the initial endowment target from $10 million to $2 million so the fund could start sooner, allowing NIL reporting by team rather than by individual student-athlete, and clarifying that athletes may choose whether to use an agent, while still allowing certified agents or a parent/guardian if desired. Committee members raised concerns about using taxpayer dollars for athlete compensation, the burden on a small-state budget, and whether the university could realistically raise the required matching funds. Several senators questioned whether the university had a concrete fundraising plan and whether the endowment would meaningfully help UH compete with larger programs. Eliott said UH is already fundraising privately for current NIL obligations, had raised more than $1.6 million toward a $3 million annual goal, and would continue fundraising for both short-term needs and the endowment match. He also said the university is not trying to compete with Power Five schools on the same scale, but to be successful at its own conference level. Members also discussed transparency and privacy, with some senators arguing that if state money is used, the public should know how it is spent, while Eliott said individual student-athlete NIL information should remain private and team-level reporting would be preferable. He confirmed international student-athletes are eligible for NIL and said about 60 to 70 UH athletes are currently participating, with more than 100 expected next year. The discussion also touched on UH’s Mountain West media rights and local TV rights, with Eliott explaining that the conference distribution is expected to remain around $3.5 million and that local TV rights would be negotiated separately. No vote or final action was taken during the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Collaboration will allow each member to contribute within their training and competence.
• PAs are trained to perform thorough eye exams during our training and are competent to provide these
• In closing, a PA scope of practice should be based on their education, training, experience, competency
• exams during our training and competent exams during our training and competent to<00:20:21.960>
• ,<00:21:02.120> and training, experience, competency, and training, experience, competency

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee opened its sixth and final interim meeting with roll call, quorum confirmation, approval of the prior minutes, and a brief change in agenda order to preserve quorum and accommodate presenters’ schedules. Members then moved through several proposed health-related items with limited discussion, and the chair noted the committee would reconvene in January for further conversation. The first substantive item was a proposal relating to utilization controls for non-opioid analgesics in Medicaid. Senator Gerald Neal and Tara Hyde of People Advocating Recovery argued that pain parity is needed so patients can access non-opioid options without prior authorization or step therapy barriers, especially in acute pain situations and for people in recovery. Senator Berg supported the concept and suggested expanding the approach to other prescriptions by allowing physicians to explain why step therapy is inappropriate at the time of prescribing; another member cautioned against unintended cost increases if non-opioid drugs are used as add-ons to opioids. The committee then heard a proposal on physician assistants from Senator Scott and Andrew Rutherford of the Kentucky Academy of Physician Assistants. They described a shift from a supervisory to a collaborative practice model, with practice scope set at the practice level, limited Schedule II prescribing authority under guardrails, and permission for PAs to perform driver’s license vision testing. Supporters said the changes would improve rural access, reduce administrative burden, and align Kentucky with neighboring states; a question from Representative Bratcher focused on experience requirements and how the proposal compares with nurse practitioner rules. No vote was taken. Finally, Representative Nancy Tate, Adia Wuchner, and Representative Jason Nemes introduced a 2026 proposal aimed at “protecting vulnerable people.” They described a broad package focused on abortion pill trafficking, marketing to minors, commercial surrogacy, assisted suicide, and organ procurement safeguards, arguing that current law leaves gaps and that additional criminal and civil penalties are needed. The presentation was informational only, with no action taken before the meeting ended.

Transcript Highlights:

• Furthermore, we need this bill to have uninterrupted services to continue responding in a competent manner
• Furthermore, we need this bill to have uninterrupted services to continue responding in a competent manner
• Furthermore, we need this bill to have uninterrupted services to continue responding in a competent manner
• Furthermore, we need this bill to have uninterrupted services to continue responding in a competent manner
• Furthermore, we need this bill to have uninterrupted services to continue responding in a competent manner

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if we don't compete in order to allow for containers, then our port is going to be, unfortunately,
• Philadelphia's port facilities are massive, and the one that we're building in Delaware is not going to compete
• And the one that we're building in Delaware is not going to compete head-on-head with Philadelphia.
• What we can offer, though, is not going to compete head on head with Philadelphia.

Summary: The committee met to finalize the FY27 bond bill, beginning with a roll call and a detailed review of updated appropriation amounts. The Comptroller General walked through major changes across agencies, including additions for OMB, the Department of State, DNREC, Agriculture, Education, and Transportation, and explained the funding sources that would cover the total $1.256 billion package. Members then debated several large items, especially the $110 million appropriation for the Diamond State Port Corporation, the $35 million Legislative Hall addition, the $20 million Community Reinvestment Fund, and the $30 million land and building acquisition line. Questions focused on the port project’s costs, expected jobs, return on investment, and whether the state would face future commitments; Secretary of State Charney Patitofunded Chances and other officials testified that the port expansion would create construction and permanent jobs and support long-term economic growth, while some members remained skeptical and objected to the process and spending priorities. The committee also discussed school construction funding, with officials explaining that additional money would forward-fund projects already in the pipeline and help districts that had been turned down for certificates of necessity. Other items reviewed included funding for park improvements, marina acquisition, the Plummer Center demolition and transfer, the Pyle Center sewer project, the Site Readiness Fund, affordable housing, the Arts Endowment Fund, an unclaimed property task force, and various transportation and community transportation projects. Several members raised concerns about county distribution, minority-party involvement in negotiations, and the scale of certain appropriations, but the majority defended the package as statewide investment and economic development. The committee then voted on the Section 1 addendum and a series of new and replacement epilogue sections, including provisions for the port project, Legislative Hall minor capital improvements, land acquisition, affordable housing, the Community Reinvestment Fund, downtown development districts, the Rite Aid demolition, the Site Readiness Fund, school construction formula review, and enhanced school capital funding. Most motions carried, with a few recorded no votes or abstentions on the main addendum. The meeting concluded with a motion authorizing technical corrections by the Comptroller General’s office, followed by closing remarks thanking staff and members for their work and noting that this was likely the final bond committee meeting for some participants before adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have to compete with steel mills in West Memphis, so there are different job opportunities for high-tech
• So assessments and certifications become a major portion of what we're talking about, competency-based
• Just when I say you can't compete with new tech ag like this farm to table, because in Arkansas, when
• So unless you can find out how to get the cost down, it doesn't make sense to compete with rice.

Summary: The committee approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony on the economic and regulatory effects of Arkansas’s raw milk law, Act 698. Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm said the law helped his family farm expand from 8 to 12 cows and from serving about 75 families to about 150, increasing sales by roughly $50,000 and allowing about $10,000 in raw cheese sales through retail outlets. He argued the law supports small-farm income, food security, and local processing, but said state health agencies still do not inspect raw milk producers unless they sell to a commercial buyer, which he said limits access to USDA grants and other opportunities. He and members discussed safety practices, including rapid chilling, sick-animal removal, sanitation, customer education, and whether any optional state certification or inspection program should be created without adding burdensome regulation. Members asked about herd management, bee production, market channels, and whether raw milk producers should receive training or certification. Ballard said his farm uses Jerseys, removes sick cows from production, sells on-farm and through retail locations, and relies on best-practice guidance from groups such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Raw Milk Institute. Several members expressed support for consumer choice but also raised concerns about food safety, especially for children and pregnant women, and about possible “mission creep” if the state creates a voluntary inspection or training system. The discussion ended without any vote or formal action on the raw milk issue. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terrence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container-based farming as a response to food insecurity, food deserts, and workforce needs. Bolden described a three-year career and technical education model using retrofitted shipping containers to grow food year-round with low water and energy use, paired with training in drones, robotics, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. He said pilot projects are underway or planned with UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other partners, and projected that five regional hubs could create significant economic impact and multiple jobs per container. Members asked about costs, target communities, school partnerships, food desert locations, and whether the model could include aquaponics or protein production; Bolden said the program is intended as a public-private partnership and that the committee could tour a container site once it is operational. The meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• So we've learned that the better option is certainly satellite offices for competent representation but
• Even those were inmates competing.
• We're going to compete in several different events.
• We're going to do regionals and then we'll let the inmates compete in state events.

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But it doesn't equip the Bitcoin miners to compete as aggressively.
• We'd like to compete to improve market efficiencies. Mr.
• You know, anything residential, like we want to be the low load for first response, and we want to compete
• support that concept, and empirically we have 3.5 gigawatts on the current system that would like to compete

Bills: SB6, SB11, SB33

Keywords: electric power, interconnection, utilities, ERCOT, large load customers, water supply, sewer service, demand management, school prayer, Bible reading, religious text, public schools, Texas Education Code, student prayer, silent prayer, meditation, religious liberty, First Amendment, Establishment Clause, church and state

Transcript Highlights:

• It also authorizes homeschoolers residing in a school district to choose to compete through the closest
• Like we were competing in San Antonio, when you're going to bring in the Olympics to Houston, like they
• Where communities have to compete, there are some music events.
• This is why states across the country are fiercely... competing to attract and retain R&D projects within

Bills: SCR46, SB31, SB39, SB227, SB330, SB401, SB407, SB467, SB482, SB500, SB506, SB512, SB527, SB584, SB619, SB636, SB646, SB647, SB648, SB659, SB663, SB715, SB732, SB758, SB801, SB816, SB847, SB870, SB884, SB1020, SB1055, SB1065, SB1137, SB1169, SB1181, SB1283, SB1383, SB1395, SB1410, SB1433, SB1490, SB1558, SB1574, SB1626, SB1666, SB1718, SB1727, SB1756, SB1757, SB1845, SB1924, SB1964, SB1972, SB2018, SB2031, SB2075, SB2076, SB2080, SB2111, SB2117, SB2154, SB2161, SB2173, SB2206, SB2225, SB2253, SB2268, SB2314, SB2322, SB2351, SB2371, SB2476, SB2533, SB2540, SB2570, SB2589, SB2623, SB2658, SB2660, SB2692, SB2693, SB2717, SB2722, SB2753, SB2779, SB2877, SB2880, SB2900, SB2920, SB3031, HJR4, SB5, SB260, SB1786, SJR3, SJR18, SB1, SJR36, SJR50, SJR63, SJR84, SJR59, SCR12, SCR39, SCR46, SCR48, SCR19, SB2023, SB62, SB666, SB847, SB284, SB854, SB1073, SB810, SB1505, SB583, SB1502, SB507, SB1026, SB1433, SB1434, SB1376, SB1585, SB1772, SB2016, SB1163, SB619, SB1122, SB732, SB731, SB397, SB508, SB1436, SB287, SB261, SB1882, SB393, SB1791, SB529, SB209, SB2429, SB1999, SB511, SB2309, SB510, SB1924, SB2253, SB2018, SB2206, SB584, SB1085, SB1490, SB2314, SB2046, SB1975, SB2717, SB1262, SB1524, SB1137, SB636, SB2056, SB1558, SB884, SB227, SB517, SB1200, SB1410, SB1626, SB1845, SB1863, SB2681, SB2200, SB2199, SB1757, SB2050, SB2458, SB2201, SB1055, SB2660, SB2662, SB1065, SB801, SB2533, SB3014, SB3013, SB758, SB648, SB647, SB512, SB1721, SB2268, SB2366, SB1013, SB2692, SB2570, SB2797, SB2111, SB2371, SB2383, SB646, SB1169, SB1754, SB1718, SB2779, SB2004, SB1756, SB2119, SB527, SB2322, SB2448, SB1777, SB1283, SB407, SB2392, SB2076, SB2786, SB3031, SB2877, SB2876, SB2284, SB2225, SB1540, SB2920, SB2929, SB1395, SB1972, SB2540, SB2742, SB2595, SB2217, SB2117, SB715, SB2330, SB1964, SB1383, SB500, SB1640, SB2001, SB2080, SB2722, SB506, SB2514, SB2623, SB2658, SB1574, SB2900, SB2753, SB2398, SB401, SB1241, SB2927, SB2173, SB2538, SB898, SB467, SB1449, SB2529, SB1531, SB2846, SB2476, SB2031, SB986, SB1181, SB2075, SB2154, SB2864, SB31, SB2880, SB1359, SB2386, SB771, SB2844, SB2550, SB1351, SB1423, SB1931, SB2245, SB2589, SB2707, SB2807, SB2351, SB410, SB659, SB816, SB2776, SB2693, SB2580, SB1980, SB1886, SB1234, SB739, SB482, SB456, SB127, SB1666, SB2843, SB2801, SB800, SB2055, SB784, SB2986, SB735, SB1012, SB324, SB2926, SB2938, SB2007, SB2138, SB1242, HJR4, HB135, HB1109, SCR30, SCR3, SB2615, SB1049, SB2310, SB1224, SB2972, SB1568, SB2841, SB2885, SB3016, SB2858, SB2610, SB2139, SB1856, SB2035, SB2308, SB2306, SB2041, SB1528, SB1681, SB1141, SB2401, SB2530, SB2375, SB547, SB1266, SB1373, SB1467, SB2069, SB2269, SB2480, SB2544, SB672, SB904, SB2695, SB2891, SB2422, SB2543, SB1854, SB317, SB2539, SB2532, SB2925, SB1250, SB2082, SB2203, SB457, SB2357, HCR35, HCR64

Keywords: Texas beef, cattle industry, agricultural heritage, Texas strip steak, economic growth, SB 31, Life of the Mother Act, Texas abortion law, medical emergency, reasonable medical judgment, pregnancy complications, maternal health, life-threatening condition, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, miscarriage, unborn child, abortion exception, abortion ban, physician liability