Transcript Highlights:

• If Texas had a train length limit.
• It is a first of its kind program in Texas and in my opinion, long overdue, as you've heard some stories
• In Texas, we're blessed to be one of the 22 states with a license plate program that helps fund spay
• The proceeds from that fund provide free and low-cost dog and cat spay neutering to programs across Texas
• And I would appreciate your assistance in making that a reality here and making Texas a leader in advanced

Bills: HB 341, HB 791, HB 1564, HB 1695, HB 1722, HB 1729, HB 1772, HB 2003, HB 2954, HB 2989, HB 3084, HB 3134, HB 3135, HB 3309, HB 3611, HB 3679, HB 3727, HB 3832

Keywords: affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates

Transcript Highlights:

• The state of Texas.
• Currently, navigation districts in Texas are authorized under Chapter 60 of the Water Code to require
• It is a first-of-its-kind program in Texas, and in my opinion, long overdue.
• Texas.
• Texas.

Bills: HB341, HB791, HB1564, HB1695, HB1722, HB1729, HB1772, HB2003, HB2954, HB2989, HB3084, HB3134, HB3135, HB3309, HB3611, HB3679, HB3727, HB3832

Keywords: affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates

Transcript Highlights:

• Central deeded Texas. land to after Texas Central acquired that land.
• Is it Texas Central? Is it Amtrak? Yeah, it's Texas Central.
• Court ruled in Miles versus Texas.
• Do that out of Texas, that's fine; I have no control over that, but this is in Texas.
• I want to make sure that if something's going on in Texas, it's for the betterment of Texas, and most

Bills: HB341, HB791, HB1564, HB1695, HB1722, HB1729, HB1772, HB2003, HB2954, HB2989, HB3084, HB3134, HB3135, HB3309, HB3611, HB3679, HB3727, HB3832

Keywords: affordable housing, zoning, development, community support, local regulations, bicycle lanes, traffic collisions, Texas Department of Transportation, study, public safety, bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, road safety, transportation study, HB 791, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, specialty license plate, specialty plates

Transcript Highlights:

• That stands for the Texas Physician Health Program.
• Charge fees from all Texas Medical Board licensees to cover the administrative costs for both programs
• I'm the medical director for the Texas Physician Health Program. Great.
• The Texas Medical Board, the Texas Physician Health Program opened the program to the same services for
• I work as an assistant professor for the University of Texas at Arlington. Excellent.

Bills: SB1406, SB1681, SB2480, SB2721

Keywords: body donation, medical science, forensic science, willed body program, informed consent, boarding home, boarding home facility, adult care home, group home, assisted living, county reporting, municipal reporting, annual report, reasonable accommodation, fair housing, disability accommodation, local ordinance, permit requirement, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, HHSC

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, TXPP, that stands for the Texas Physician Health Program.
• I'm Dean McDaniel, and I'm the chair of the board for the Texas Physician Health Program.
• Board, the Texas Physician Health Program opened the program to the same services for all of those licensees
• as the physician and physician assistant, with the program accepting referrals for all these license
• I work as an assistant professor for the University of Texas at Arlington. Excellent.

Bills: SB1406, SB1681, SB2480, SB2721

Keywords: body donation, medical science, forensic science, willed body program, informed consent, boarding home, boarding home facility, adult care home, group home, assisted living, county reporting, municipal reporting, annual report, reasonable accommodation, fair housing, disability accommodation, local ordinance, permit requirement, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, HHSC

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 2480, which would clarify that the Texas Medical Board may collect license renewal surcharge fees from all licensees to fund the Texas Physician Health Program and related administrative costs. The bill author explained the funding fix was needed after prior language was found to allow surcharges only for physicians and physician assistants. Witnesses from the Texas Physician Health Program supported the measure and described the program’s confidential monitoring and treatment services; members asked about the fee amount, which was described as capped at $15 per two-year registration cycle. The bill was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bills 1406 and 2721, both authored by Senator Parker, addressing the handling of human remains by non-transplant anatomical donation organizations, willed body programs, and related facilities. Senator Parker and several witnesses described alleged abuses involving unclaimed bodies, consent problems, body leasing, hotel-based dissections, and mishandling of cremains, and argued for strict licensing, inspections, transparency, and criminal penalties. Supporters included families of deceased veterans and other relatives, a biomedical ethicist, the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, and some public safety and hotel industry representatives who said legitimate training should continue but bad actors should be shut down. Opponents or cautious witnesses from accredited donation organizations and bioskills labs said they support stronger oversight but warned the bills could unintentionally disrupt legitimate medical education and urged clearer language and implementation of existing law. Both bills were left pending. Senate Bill 1681, by Senator Menendez, would require counties and municipalities that regulate boarding homes to report facility standards and related information to the Health and Human Services Commission. The author said the bill is intended to improve state oversight of boarding homes that serve elderly and disabled residents and to address abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The bill was left pending after brief discussion. After the testimony portion, the committee returned to voting on pending business and unanimously reported Senate Bills 527, 912, 1580, 1952, and 2032 to the Senate with recommendations that they do pass and be printed, and each was also recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 407 and reported the substitute favorably, with six ayes and three nays. The committee then moved on to Senate Bill 500 as pending business.

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, uh, property owners along the Texas border face a unique predicament.
• It only applies to counties along the Texas-Mexico border.
• HB 255 matters because Texas law, Texas law currently provides property exemptions on farm products,
• And other stock exchanges move and incorporate in Texas, it is vital that Texas not impose a tax on financial
• We are the parent company of what will become the Texas Stock Exchange.

Bills: HB195, HB247, HB255, HJR6, HJR31, HJR34

Keywords: HB 195, Texas Controlled Substances Act, Schedule IV, controlled substances, mifepristone, misoprostol, carisoprodol, Health and Safety Code, drug scheduling, pharmacy regulation, prescription drugs, reproductive health, abortion medication, medication abortion, women's health, prescribing, dispensing, law enforcement, drug control, education reform

Bills: SB2350, SB2349, SB2178, SB2101, SB2373, SB2905, SB3231, SB3296, SB2704, SB3162, SB2885, SB2174, SB3256, SB2333, SB2713, SB2100, SB3012, SB2805, SB2102, SB2478, SB2103, SB3233, SB2678, SB2461, SB2645, SB3247, SB2005, SB2022, SB2083, SB2128, SB2130, SB2240, SB2306, SB2547, SB2603, SB2756, SB2782, SB2818, SB2944, SB2982, SB2986, SB3022, SB3031, SB3032, SB3035, SB3053, SB3288, SB2435, SB2970, SB2938, SB3110, SB3251, SB3322, SB2068, SB2268, SB3046, SB2526, SB2231, SB2448, SB2567, SB3095, SB3264, SB3131, SB3069, SB3180, SB2119, SB2137, SB2209, SB2180, SB2949, SB2431, SB2410, SB3199, SB3245, SB2274, SB2277, SB2175, SB2080, SB2799, SB2491, SB2310, SB2489, SB2925, SB2709, SB17, SB2227, SB2887, SB2006

Keywords: agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, agribusiness, Department of Agriculture, regulatory functions, employee benefits, restorative practices, sustainability, environmental stewardship, local food systems, Native Hawaiian, workforce development, industrial hemp, Hawaii, Native Hawaiian practices, regulation, cultural stewardship, economic development, organic waste

Transcript Highlights:

• Earlier this morning, I did see David Fores and Ken Kajihara, who are involved in the program.
• are involved Fores and Ken Kajihara who are involved in<00:03:35.599> the<00:03:35.920> program
• 36.799> remiss<00:03:37.200> if<00:03:37.440> I<00:03:37.599> did in the program
• I'd be remiss if I did in the program.

Bills: SB2350, SB2349, SB2178, SB2101, SB2373, SB2905, SB3231, SB3296, SB2704, SB3162, SB2885, SB2174, SB3256, SB2333, SB2713, SB2100, SB3012, SB2805, SB2102, SB2478, SB2103, SB3233, SB2678, SB2461, SB2645, SB3247, SB2005, SB2022, SB2083, SB2128, SB2130, SB2240, SB2306, SB2547, SB2603, SB2756, SB2782, SB2818, SB2944, SB2982, SB2986, SB3022, SB3031, SB3032, SB3035, SB3053, SB3288, SB2435, SB2970, SB2938, SB3110, SB3251, SB3322, SB2068, SB2268, SB3046, SB2526, SB2231, SB2448, SB2567, SB3095, SB3264, SB3131, SB3069, SB3180, SB2119, SB2137, SB2209, SB2180, SB2949, SB2431, SB2410, SB3199, SB3245, SB2274, SB2277, SB2175, SB2080, SB2799, SB2491, SB2310, SB2489, SB2925, SB2709, SB17, SB2227, SB2887, SB2006

Keywords: agriculture, aquaculture, livestock, agribusiness, Department of Agriculture, regulatory functions, employee benefits, restorative practices, sustainability, environmental stewardship, local food systems, Native Hawaiian, workforce development, industrial hemp, Hawaii, Native Hawaiian practices, regulation, cultural stewardship, economic development, organic waste

Transcript Highlights:

• It was this current area they had developed and built a dam in that area to help provide a water source
• Well, there was a lot of water systems that were concerned, some that stated they had like an alligator
• those type issues, in order to keep from having every water system in the state against the bill.
• <00:11:50.399> down<00:11:50.640> to able to close their their waters down to able
• to close their their waters down to go<00:11:50.959> in<00:11:51.120> and<00:11:51.440>

Bills: HB387, HB387

Keywords: sales tax, food taxation, local government, financial growth, tax reduction, water recreation, public use, water bodies, sewer commissions, public interest, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Executive Director of the Texas Rural Water Association here to testify for the committee substitute
• TRWA represents over 900 water and wastewater utilities that serve rural communities across Texas.
• With the need for new water resources and infrastructure upgrades in rural Texas, committee substitute
• You will always be known as the East Texas Navy.
• Was designed, as all of them were, to keep water in, not let water out at high capacity.

Bills: HB1532, HB2731, HB3483, HB4308, HB4580, HB4582, HB5509, HB5663

Keywords: Lake Houston, dredging, maintenance district, flood control, environment, public works, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code, unincorporated areas, right-of-way, public highway, parking lot, livestock sales, live animals, vendor regulation

Bills: HB1532, HB2731, HB3483, HB4308, HB4580, HB4582, HB5509, HB5663

Keywords: Lake Houston, dredging, maintenance district, flood control, environment, public works, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code, unincorporated areas, right-of-way, public highway, parking lot, livestock sales, live animals, vendor regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• We do support this bill getting water on the ground, solving the problems with Texas water in Texas.
• And you're representing the Texas Independent Produced Water Association.
• Over a billion gallons of water a day from oil and gas wells in Texas.
• As of 2070, this is a quote from his statement of intent, the Texas State Water Plan projects a water
• They can drill a well and use our fresh water to produce that well in Texas.

Bills: HB48, HB49, HB 1169, HB1971, HB2584, HB2663, HB2890, HB48, HB49

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Bills: SB3038, SB3045, SB3065, SB3069, SB3071, HB2025, HB2149, HB3370, HB4205, HB4506, HB5424, HB5652, HB24, HB3687

Keywords: Fort Bend County, Municipal Utility District, MUD, special district, Rosenberg, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, ad valorem tax, bond issuance, assessments, fees, taxes, eminent domain, road district, storm drainage, infrastructure financing, development agreement, municipal consent, temporary directors, public utility district

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum and took up a series of pending bills, mostly local-government measures. Early action included final committee approval of Senate Bill 1633 and S.J.R. 60, followed by Senate Bill 3038 and Senate Bill 3045, both reported favorably and placed on the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also considered House Bill 24, adopted a committee substitute, and reported the substitute version favorably; House Bill 2025 was likewise reported favorably and sent to the local and uncontested calendar. Members then handled several companion and local bills, including House Bill 2713 as the companion to Senate Bill 1331, which was reported favorably and placed on the local and uncontested calendar. House Bill 3348, House Bill 3370, House Bill 3505, and House Bill 4506 were each reported favorably, with no objections to local-and-uncontested placement. House Bill 5424 passed on a 6-1 vote, and House Bill 5652 passed with one present-not-voting, both also sent to the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also adopted substitutes and reported House Bill 3687 and House Bill 4205, though both were later reconsidered because the wrong script had been read. After reconsideration, House Bill 3687 and House Bill 4205 were each re-voted and reported favorably to the full Senate, with both placed on the local and uncontested calendar. Senate Bill 3071 was also reported out on a 5-2 vote after adoption of a committee substitute. The meeting ended with no further business and the committee standing at recess subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Program funds to be used for supportive services. Mr.
• of the program.
• Sheila Vanney, I'm the Assistant Director with the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation
• I'm here to thank you for including the Political Contribution Refund Program and Modernization Program
• Continue to fund the program.

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm I'm happy about program.
• I'm the assistant director with the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
• <01:25:03.760> with projects and technical assistance with projects and technical assistance
• it doesn't uh cut existing aid programs it doesn't uh cut existing aid programs like<01:39:28.639
• I'm here to thank you for including the political contribution refund program and modernization program

Bills: HF2730, HF2257, HF2768, HF1932, HF2437

Keywords: local government debt, municipal bonds, county bonds, capital improvements, public financing, bond issuance, public hearing, notice period, bond guarantee, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority, volume cap, private activity bonds, housing finance, residential rental bonds, LIHTC, low-income housing tax credits, redevelopment, courthouse financing, jail financing, law enforcement center

Transcript Highlights:

• Harris said the Texas Veterans Commission is made up of the veteran suicide prevention program, which
• the provider training program; the military veteran peer network; and the justice-involved veteran program
• The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas already have officers
• officers under Texas law.
• I got my T-Close from Texas A&M.

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Summary: The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice heard a series of bills focused on criminal procedure, public safety, victim protections, and law enforcement administration. SB 1537 would require criminal-proceeding interpreters to meet the same appointment standards used in the Government Code, and SB 993 would let the Comptroller’s Criminal Investigative Division seek mobile-tracking warrants directly in motor fuel theft and related tax-fraud investigations. SB 693, as substituted, would create a criminal offense for notaries who notarize documents without the signer personally appearing, with a higher penalty when real property is involved, and would add continuing education for notaries. SB 1610 would tighten rules for civilly committed sexually violent predators at the Texas Civil Commitment Office, including penalties for new crimes and assaults on staff, sex-offender registration requirements, and removal of certain provisions from the filed version; the substitute reduced some of the harsher penalties and preserved parole/community-supervision eligibility. SB 836 would expand privacy protections for sexual assault survivors by limiting livestreaming of certain trials, allowing pseudonyms earlier in the process, and protecting forensic exam evidence and invasive recordings under protective orders. SB 1563 would require county jailers to receive training on interacting with veterans, with testimony emphasizing suicide risk, PTSD, and the need for better identification and support in jails. SB 906 would give the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo authority similar to other Texas tribes to commission peace officers under state law to enforce Texas laws on tribal land. SB 781 would standardize confidentiality rules for peace officers’ personal information and create a confidential departmental file system modeled on Chapter 143 civil-service practices, though members raised concerns about whether the bill could affect disciplinary records and existing disclosure rules. Testimony was largely supportive for the bills, especially from prosecutors, law enforcement representatives, victim advocates, and agency officials. Supporters of SB 693 described widespread deed fraud tied to improper notarizations; supporters of SB 836 stressed survivor privacy and the harms of livestreamed sexual-assault proceedings; supporters of SB 1563 said jailer training could help prevent veteran suicides and improve treatment; and supporters of SB 906 said state commissioning would improve public safety and coordination on tribal lands. SB 781 drew support from police and TCOLE witnesses who said the bill would extend confidentiality protections already used in civil-service departments, while some members questioned whether the bill duplicated existing law or could be read to shield misconduct information. Public testimony included opposition to SB 1610 from a civil-rights advocate who urged waiting for Sunset review, and opposition to SB 781 from a family member of a person killed by police, who objected to expanding confidentiality for officers. Several bills were left pending after testimony because the committee lacked a quorum or chose to hold them for later action.

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Transcript Highlights:

• our homeless veteran program, our community and faith-based partnerships, and our provider training program
• The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas already have officers
• commissioned officers under Texas law.
• officers under Texas law.
• I got my T-Close from Texas A&M.

Bills: SB693, SB781, SB836, SB860, SB906, SB993, SB1101, SB1321, SB1370, SB1537, SB1563, SB1610, SB1637

Keywords: notary public, notaries, acknowledgment, jurat, personal appearance, remote notarization, online notarization, e-notary, electronic notarization, fraud prevention, identity verification, real estate fraud, property transfer, state jail felony, Class A misdemeanor, secretary of state, continuing education, record retention, notarial act, Texas Government Code

Summary: The committee heard a series of criminal justice bills focused on victim protections, law enforcement tools, notary/deed fraud, sexually violent predators, veterans in jail, tribal policing authority, and peace officer records. Several bills were laid out, heard, and left pending because the committee lacked a quorum for final action on those items. Testimony was generally supportive on bills addressing interpreter appointments, fuel theft investigations, deed fraud, survivor privacy, veteran jailer training, tribal peace officer authority, and officer-record confidentiality, though some bills drew concerns about due process, scope, or drafting. Senate Bill 1537 would clean up criminal procedure language on appointing interpreters and align it with Government Code standards requiring licensed or certified interpreters; it received no public opposition and was left pending. Senate Bill 993 would let Comptroller Criminal Investigative Division officers directly seek warrants for mobile tracking devices in fuel-theft and tax-fraud investigations; it also drew support and was left pending. Senate Bill 693, as substituted, would create a criminal offense for notarizing documents without the signer personally appearing, with a higher penalty when real property is involved, and would add notary continuing education; a Dallas County prosecutor testified that notary fraud is a major driver of deed theft, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 1610, as substituted, would address safety, registration, and criminal penalties at the Texas Civil Commitment Office for sexually violent predators, including assaults on staff and sex-offender registration issues; agency witnesses described increased assaults and operational problems, while a public witness urged waiting for Sunset review and raised due-process concerns. Senate Bill 836 would add privacy protections for sexual assault survivors by limiting livestreaming of trials, expanding pseudonym use, and protecting forensic exam and invasive-recording evidence; survivors and advocates strongly supported it, and defense lawyers said they had no opposition to the substitute. Senate Bill 1563 would require county jailer training on interacting with veterans, with testimony from the Texas Veterans Commission and veterans’ advocates emphasizing suicide risk, PTSD, and the need for better identification and support in jails; the bill was left pending. The committee also heard Senate Bill 906, which would authorize the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribal police to be commissioned as Texas peace officers like two other federally recognized tribes in Texas; tribal leaders said the change would improve response times and coordination, and the bill was left pending. Senate Bill 781, as substituted, would standardize confidentiality rules for peace officer personnel and departmental files statewide, mirroring Chapter 143 civil-service practices; law enforcement witnesses supported it as a way to protect personal information and create uniform records practices, but several senators raised concerns that the bill could blur existing disclosure rules or bury misconduct complaints, and public testimony included an opposition witness describing a police shooting involving her brother.

Transcript Highlights:

• So this is the ceremonial water bottle that is going to serve as a gavel for a few minutes at least.
• general warrants dates back to pre-revolutionary war times when the British king used writs of assistance
• c><01:27:16.960> used<01:27:17.199> rits<01:27:17.600> of<01:27:17.760> assistance
• <01:27:18.159> to British king used rits of assistance to British king used rits of assistance

Bills: HF3477, HF3414, HF103, HF3661, HF3146

Keywords: civil rights, law enforcement, federal collaboration, accountability, state law, constitutional rights, color of law, 42 U.S.C. 1983, section 1983, civil action, damages, injunctive relief, attorney fees, law enforcement task force, federal-state cooperation, intergovernmental agreement, federal agency partnership, Minnesota Constitution, U.S. Constitution, police accountability